PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2762, 20 February 1907, Page 74

PERSONAL NOTES.

— Count Alexis Ignatieff, recently assassinated at St. Petersburg, was a brother of Count Nicholas Ignatieff, who may be said to have "diplomatised" the RussoTurkish war of 1877. His masterpiece of bluff — the greatest, perhaps, of its kind — ivas the Tteary of San Stefano, reduced to reasonable dimensions by the Treaty of Berlin, which ended his career as a prince of parchments. —Mr Phelps Stokes, the well-known American millionaire philanthropist, whose romantic marriage last year with Miss Rose Pastor, formerly of Petticoat lane, London, and later a cigarette worker in Cleveland, Ohio, excited universal interest, has declined to make nis annual gift to the Young Men's Christian Association of New York. When asked for his reason, Mr Stokes replied that the classes recently formed in connection with the association, to turn out <l 6mart young business men," were, as regards the classes in land speculation, stock buying, and investment generally, teaching principles "contrary to those of Jesus." —Mr Justin M'Carthy, who is 76, first reported Parliamentary speeches when the present House was only a year or so in use, and the Reporters' Gallery was a very poor thing in the matter of accommodation compared with what it is to-day. The speech was the first Budget orat'on by Mr Gladstone, and as there was no representation for provincial papers in the Reporters' Gallery, Mr M'Carthy was accommodated with a table in the corridor behind the Strangers' Gallery. From this disadvantageous position, Mr M'Carthy and his two colleagues reported Mr Gladstone's great Budget speech, and "wrote up" the oration the while Mr Gladstone wont home to tlrink "soup and neguV uith his fi iends. —An action for slander was once tried before Mr Justice Stephen, in which both the parties were employed in Billingsgate. Judge, jury, and counsel for the defendant all revelled in the humour of the situation. Mr H. F. Dick-ens, K.C., who appeared for the plaintiff, recognising that h'-s client could not possibly gain a -verdict while the matter was treated as a joke, made a desperate effort to bring out tho serious injury which had been done him. At once Mr Justice Stephen's sense of fairness was aroused. Ho summed up 'n favour of the plaintiff, and the iury did not fail to adopt his view. When the ■verdict was given the learned juc'fse sent this note to the plaintiff's counsel :— "Dear Dickens, — I am very grateful to jou for preventing me from doing a great act of injustice.'.' —Mr William Brown, who diod at Crathie, near Balmoral, was the brother of John Brown, 'who was for many yoa"> the trusted servant of Queen Victoua William Brown formerly occupied a farm on Deesidc known as "Tho Bush,*' which was frequently visited by her ln!o MaK-.lv when staying at Balmoral. When Jolm Brown died in 1883 he left considorab'o property to his brother, including a handsome house in the Balmoral Ground*, which had been built for him by Quocn Victoria, who had made it over to him by a deed of gift. About three vcars ago this hou->e was purchased by the King. and William Brown built himself a residence on thf InvcrcauW estate, which he named "Victoria Villa." Ho was a genial, unassuming old man, and was much liked in the district. — The death of Sir Edward James Reed, X.C.8., F.R.S., in his teventy-sevonth year, removes from public life one who achieved distinction in very diverse spheres. He \\a> first and foremost a naval export, but politics and literature both claimed him. In his early thirties he was appointed Chief Constructor to the Navy; but disputes between him and the Lords of the Admiralty led to his resignation. During his period of office, however, the appearance of hi-> book, "Our Ironclad Ships," marked the cozntn-encG nicn t of si now era in the na\y. He was a member of l'.xrl'amont for Pembroke from 1874 to 1880. which conetituontv he represented in the Liheial intcr^t. and in 1880 he was returned as member for Cardiff, which seat ho held till 1895, and from 1900 to the last general Hootion. Sir Kdward rpcei\ed his knighthood in 1880. In 1886 lie held office as a Lord of the Treasury. Besides works of a terhnical character he published a book on "Japan," and in 1902 a volume of poems of no inconsiderable merit. —In connection with Father Bernard Vaughan's -visit to Oxford. 'Varsity Life Illustrated published a portrait of the strenuous Jesuit and a letterpress sketch, the writer of which says — "Those who have had the privilege of attending the course of conferences which Father Vaughan has been delivering this term in Oxford will have realised for themselves what is the great characteristic of his style. Ho is essentially the piactital

preacher for the practical man. If Ec cultivates a dramatic style, it is .not at tho expense of soundness or lucidity of reasoning. His words bear the stampthroughout of that deep knowledge of human nature which can only be the outcome of wide experiene© witTi all sortw and conditions of men. And it is jus* this experience that gains for him the at. tention of all classes of the community. He can appreciate the point of view efc rich and poor alike, and, understanding them, he can preach to them. A harfi hitter in the pulpit or on the public platform, in private life he is the sg>ntlest anj most genial of men, corhmanchrg the respect and affection of many who, whether sharing in his beliefs or not, are proud to bo included in the large circle of h : s friends." — The Mr Yates, of Biackburn, who has been scattering wealth, and brought upon himself appeals from 8000 experts in tho art of begging letter-writing, has fled tha country for a holiday. His sudden ris(» to fame seems rather to have disconcerted him. If this he so, he proves himselfi heir to that modesty which has long run. in his iamily. For he is of those Yateges of whom William Yates became the partner of the first Sir Robert Peel. They were humble folk in those days, humble and poor, though industrious and skilful. Robert Peel lodged with Yates, of whose little daughter he was fond. When he was a grown man, and she but a child, he wouldt say to her, " Nelly, thou bonnie little las?, wilta' be my wife?" and. she vowing th&s she would, he declared that he would wait for her. And he did, and she lived t» see him a man of fortune and a baronet. She survived this honour but three yeaT». "Ah, dear!" old Robert Yates would say, ■ if Robert hadna' mcd our Nelly a ' Lady' she'd ha 1 bin livin' yet !" —Dr Wilfred T. Grenfell, the superintendent to the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen, whose work in Labrador is so well known, was among those who received the appointment of C.M.G. in the King's recent list of birthday honours. Always profoundly interested in mission wcrk, Dr Grenfell was the first medical man to take active part, in such work among deep-sea fishermen. The firet 12 years of his life as a missionary were spent among the fishermen on the German Ocean. In 1892 he went to Labrador on the mission ship Albert, and his report as to the deplorable conditions prevailing among the poor fisherfolk along that inhospitable coast led to the return of the 6hir> in the following year. With assistanceobtained in Newfoundland, Canada, and England, two hospitals, fully equipped, were erected, one at Battle Harbour, and one at Indian Harbour, much farther north. A doctor and a trained nurse were placed) in charge of each. During the fishing season, tho Albert cruised alor*? the coast, Dr Grenfell ministering to the sick and relieving the poor with donations of clothing, and in some cases, of food. Severe cases of sickness he carried to the hospitals. He also held leligious services at various points. Dr Grenfell has continued this work ever since, enlarging its scope from year to year. The number of patients who have been treated by him runs into thousands. lord Strathcona is among the many who have given the work their hearty support.— Montreal Witness. — Harold Spender, in the Manchester Guardian, recounts some incidents in connection with the late Colonel Saunderson, M.P. : — A constant warfare of words went on between Colonel Saunderson and fiery, young Celtic sparks like Mr William Rfdmond. One of these interchanges was so severe that ir was postDoned in the lobby. The Hou-o was roallv frightened, and expected a duel: "I defy Colonel Saundorson to repeat that remark out^ido the House!" said M>> William Redmond. "I'll repeat it anywhere!" cheerfully replied the colonel, "and for that nighi— ifc was Thursday. March 2. 1893— the curtain, fell. The curtain rose again oi\ Monday evening. March 6. whon Colonel Saundorsoti and Mr Redmond met in th" rentio of the momberV lobby, and engaged i" a set debars in tho centre of an excited; ring of member*. Fortunately, no weajes wore carried, and neither side oarac_ to close quartc-'-", oven in argument. ~ Tr» the great fight of Thursday, July '<27, v h^n. for nearly five minutes 40 member-, of tbi» House of Commons wore locked in a. core bat which was only not mortal because f t'C-y were 'too clo=e to injure one pnotl-c-Colonol Saunderson carried off the honor •••* of tho fiay. It was my impression at Mr. time looking down on the fight from jh.i nailery of tho House of Common", tbr.Colonel Sauiider^on was tho only rran w -. > pot his Wows in. It is true that To\)rol Maunder-OM aftc wards solemnly comp.ninc;? to tho House that he had boon stnickIhi( that was only his Iri.sh way. V hit I f.aw with my oyes was the gallant colonel landing ™" tho od<?o of the soriniiraue at hi< immense height of 6ft 2in. ar"l leisurely delivering a "or'ws of terrific b'owi into tho very centre of the mass. A httlo incident with which this dramatic events ended must have appealed intensely to Colonel Saunderson's humorous side. Jv.-t after the Home Rule Bill had been rcvcrtc-il to tho House the clerk, passine methodiral!v to the next or<W. shouted: ' Piste * Bill Second reading!" "And coffee to* one!" put in a wit. That Seemed rrtih? to sum up the proceedings ,of the evening.