PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2493, 25 December 1901, Page 67

PERSONAL NOTES.

— M. Paderewski completed his foity-nrst year on November 6. He began playing the piano in public when he was 12 or 13, his first to 111 being in Russia, Siberia, and Roumania, but at 18 he began to teach the piano. At 24 he gave up teaching, resolved to be a player, studied for three years, and SOOn became the great success lie has since been throughout the whole world. — Lord Ribblc=d?le was at one time master of the Royal buckhounds, and a few years ago he published a book on the Queen's hounds and some stag-hound recollections, which naturally attracted a good deal of attention. He used to be in the Rifle Brigade, from which he retired with the title of major, and was a Lord-in-waiting to the Queen from 1880 till 1835. He was 47 on October 29. — One of the finest soldiers in the King's service is Sir William Butler, who was 64 on October 31. Had he not been a soldier he would have achieved an equally conspicuous success as an author, for his Indian stories have won him a great reputation. He is one of the greatest living authorities on the subject of Napoleon the Great, and he owne a copy of every portrait of the great consul which has been published and of nearly every book which has been written about him. — iSir John. Williams, beginning life in Swansea, where the foundations of his education were laid, is now tho physician to the Duchess of Cornwall and York, and attended her when the future King of England and her other children were born. Sir John has the most delightful manneis and a keen sense of humour, two factors ■which have no doubt contributed not a little to his great success in the special branch of medicine which he has made his own. lie was 61 on November 6. — Among the men who do an enormous amount of work with no pay, Sir Sydney Waterlow occupies a conspicuous position. He is chairman of a large number of philanthropic institutions, and his recreation consists in doing the work of his offices. A few years ago ho made over to tho London County Courcil his estate at Highgate, and "Waterlow" Park will perpetuate his name ! in the history of London. He was Lord Mayor when the Shah first visited England nearly 30 years ago, and was 79 on November 1. — To confess to tiicycling as one's sole recreation in the year in which he celebrates his eighty-third birthday argues a vigorous health. That is the confession of Lord Thring, who=e birthday occurred on November 3. Sixty years ago he took a \ery high degree at Oxford, where he is now Honorary Fellow cf Magdalen College. For a long time he was counsel to the Home Office, and later on, for 18 years, he was Parliamentary Counsel. He is an authority on the Joint Stock Companies Acts, and has written books and pamphlets on other legal subjects. — Professor Joseph Wright ha 1 ? achieved I the distinction of being Deputy-professor of Comp?vative Philology at the TJniveisity of Oxford, having been selected for that post; when he was only 36. His name is known throughout the whole world of letters by reason of his editing the English Dialect Dictionary, which is now in such an advanced stage of preparation that two volumes will probably be issued every year \mtil it is completed : in the first volume alone there tire as nearly as po?sible 82,500 references. Professor Wright was 46 on October 31. — A high estimate of the fairness, as well as the ability, of the Right Hon. Sir Edward Fry was furnished a short time ago when he was appointed arbitrator to eettle the Grimsby trouble. It is eight years since he resigned his Lord Justiceship of Appeal. Over 40 years ago he wrote a treatise on the specific performance of contracts,- which has been through several editions, and the- brain which could work through that subject was to be confidently expected to grapple with the vexed questions which crop up between master and man. Sir Edward was 74 on November 4. — Bishop Whipnle. of Minnesota, whose death is announced in his eightieth year, was in many respects one of the most remarkable men in the Anglican Episcopate. For more than X years his lif 3 was devoted to work among the Red Indians, and the story of nis career is a wonderful record of heroic self-s&'vjfice The Chippewas and Sjoux had unbounded faith In their bishop because he never lost confidence in them, going among them unproteoted iven during the great massace of 1862, when SOO whites were killed. Dr Whipnle had a high opinion of the American Indians, who when uncorjupted by "fire water," were, he found, absolutely truthful and hrmest. — Mr Roosevelt, the now President of the United States, himself a successor to Washington, can boast of having saved the life of a descendant of Lord North, whose obstinacy lost Filmland the American colonies. In 1835 the Hon. William and the H~n. Roger North, sons of the present Lo-cl North, were in America, and visited Mr Roosevelt on hi« ranch in North Dakota. Mr Roosevelt and Mr Roger North started on© evaning to ride lo Medora. In crossing a deep gully which was in flood — the water running over a bridge made of fagots Hid on poles so that it was hidden from view — Mr Roger North, who was riding, went through, horse and all. Mr Roosevelt threw his lariat or lasso and hauled him out, or ho must have beon drowned. — Mr William Gillette, tho celebrated impersonator of Sh<M'locki Holmes, is one of the most genial and kind-hearted of men. Every morning the postman leaves a large stack of ;tuto«ji\ipl> books at Hie Lyceum Theatre from corre-pondents begging for Mr Gillette's signature, a request which the goodnatured actor never lefuses. Among these was one album scon by the present writer in which many eclebrites had written their names, and from which many amu&uig extracts might be made. In the space demoted to the 7th March. Jolly John Na«h had written a poetic senujient, filling up the entire space for that clay. Mr Edward Lloyd, who was also born on the 7th March, was consequently crowded out, and in taking the space above wrote: '"1 was born on the 7th, but Jolly Jol IT i Nash takes up suc-h a jolly lot of room that, I am obliged to "ue borne one clay earhor to get in at all." — In place of wedding cake in Holland, wedding sweets are ghon — "bruid-zvti'cers," they are called. They are handed round by children, and are ser\cd in flower-tummed I baskets. I Remarkable Disappear s..\tt; of a'l d it- fiom e^eiythmg by using HrDSOK 1 -. Soap. Reward' P-unty, HeMth, Perleet Satisfy ctio.ii by its leguias daily use.

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