NEWS AND VIEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2652, 11 January 1905, Page 36

NEWS AND VIEWS.

Tbe mojern society wife has helped to paint her on .1 portrait (writes the London correspondent of the Age) dxiring the hearing' of an action for debt brought by Paquin, one of the two most noted dressmakers in the West End. The lady and her husband had lived in mansions rented from Lord Gcra'-d and the Marqiiis of Downshire. They belonged to the set in which emulous ostentation is a social disease. " Shortly after their marriage, 12 years, ago, the husband went into some sort of business in " the city." " What was he? "the lady was nsked. "Was he a company promoter? " ' Really, she didn't know — he might have bean anything. This was the extent of her wifely sympathy with his work and possible worries during nearly a dozen years. It was sufficient for her that she understood him to be " immensely wealthy." They lived in a lavish style, entertaining a great many guests. Be gave her money whenever she wanted it, and two year 3 ago -added to his ordinary generosity by putting £6000 to the credit of her private banking account. She had spent the whole of that money, and much besides, in the interval. Counsel asked her whether she knew that hundreds of pounds were owing to tradesmen who supplied the family at one of their country houses. " Oh, I didn't keep accounts," she replied. " I bought whatever I wanted. Nor had I the remotest idea what, I was spending on dress." She seems to have been terribly busy with the familiar strenuous futlity of the smart society woman. Then "a strange thing happened," as the novelists say. Her supplies of money ran short; presently the husband of Ihe unknown occupation became bankrupt; liabilities, £100,000. The wife soon became critical, found him morally deficient as well, and divorced him. The impatient Paquin bombarded her with a succession of 90 letters, asking payment for "a, gold-spangled dress, 65gs ; a costume, 52gs; a gown, 30gs; a petticoat, 13g&," and so on. In court her defence was that the debt waß contracted when she was a married woman, with no- separate estate. OGherefore, the husband' that was would have to pay. The jury disagreed, and Paquin is left lamenting the shortcomings of his private system of keeping a fatherly eye on the financial careers of the "best families " — and others.

A new game of cards has been invented. It is known as "Sherlock Holmes." The game is simplicity itself, but is said to be full of excitement, laughter, and fun. The object of the game is to oapture cards, re-

presenting burglars, robbers, and thieves, and to obtain the valuable Sherlock Holmes card. A large part of the fun consists in matching the other players' cards, and more particularly in making a " sweep." All players play at once, and there is not a dull moment. Players must not rest hands or arms upon the table, except when a "sweep" is made, and must play their cards well in from the edge of the table, so that a " sweep " may be possible. When a player turns up a " Sherlock Holmes " card the excitement becomes animated, for as he calls the card he quickly reaches for the "playing piles" of his opponents, which he may take if his hand reaches any playing pile before it is protected.

The latest enterprise of the English weekly pres-3 is to offer a weekly prize for the best " chestnut." To the following, contributed by a lady, one of the prizes has been awarded: — "A young Oxford student on© day received an unexpected visit from his pretty sister, and was very indignant that she came without a chaperon. ' Look here,' said the young man, ' I will not have any of the fellows see you in my rooms, so if anyone knocks at the door you just get behind that screen.' In a few minutes a knock was heard, and the girl ran behind the screen as her brother went to open tlie door. An old gentleman stood on the threshold, who, after profusely apologising for his intrusion, said. ' I am just home from Australia, and many years ago I oocupied these rooms; would you allow me, sir, to look at them once again?' ' Certainly,' said the student ; ' com© in.' 'Ah,' exclaimed the old man, 'everything is just the same. Same old table, same old fireplace, same old screen.' Then, catching sight of the girl," 'By Jove ! same old dodge.' ' Sir, exclaimed the student, 'that is my sister 'Gad, sir,' was the rejoinder, 'same old lie.' "

The fate of an historic tree is the question of the hour at Fribourg. More than 400 years ago (in June, 14-76), there came running into the town a breathless soldier, bringing the news of the victory of the Confederates over- Charles the Bold at Morat. and carrying in his hand a branch, not of laurel, but of linden. " Plant' it," they said; and he planted it as a memorial of the glorious feat of arms, and it took root and grew up into a great tree, which still flourishes to remind the citizens of the past. Decidedly a tree, one would say, that the woodman ought to spare. But it is not the woodman but the engineers who threaten it because it stands in the way of their projects ; and engineers are less sentimental in their habits of thought than woodmen, and less open to argument. The patriots, however, are up in arms against them, and there is some hope that the patriots will prevail.

A corpse problem has lately been before the London courts. Can a man claim, for the purpose of burial, the dead body of his father? Common sense says that, the- son has more right fo his father's ashes than a stranger in whose keeping they may lie. But the law has had to say, as it has said ever since Coke made the point, clear, that there is no property in a corpse. It is theft to steal a shroud, for that is the property of the executors, but it is not larceny to take a body. A Roman son could recover damages for indignity offered to the corpse of his father, but there was no law to prevent the bailiff stealing into the room in which the body of Sheridan lay, surrounded by statesmen and scholars. Touching the dead man's face, the ghoul said, " I arrest the corpse in the King's name for a debt of £500." And before the gorgeous State funeral could proceed, friends had to write cheques for the amount. There used to be as much uncertainty as to the ownership of the living.