PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2923, 23 March 1910, Page 77

PERSONAL NOTES.

One afternoon Monsieur Briand, Prime Minister of France, who had been to the theatre with friends, was getting into a motor car with them, when "two working men slouched up. "Ah, Citizen," said one of-them, "you would refuse to come and have a drink now, I suppose, as you're a Minister?" ' "No>, I would not," said M. Briand. And, leaving His friends,' he went off arm-in-arm with the two men to tile nearest wine-shop. The people of Indiana have raised a statue to "General Lew Wallace, the author of "Ben Hur," who was a native of the Stated It has been, placed in the Statuary Hall in tlio Capitol at Washington, where, for all time, it will proclaim the memory of a man - who was author, soldier, patriot, and diplomatist. At the unveiling ceremony, Wallace's friend, James Whitcomb Riley, read a poem. , It was inevitable, perhaps, the Book Monthly remarks, that the hero should be shown in his uniform as an American general, but many would have liked to look upon his image in plain l broadcloth, as the author of "Ban Hur." pi: John Dowdem, the learned Bishop ,pf Edinburgh, .whose death is reported.,.. wa&,; ."the;, most important diocese ofct r..fhe.rSeotfisH E.piscqpal . Chiir.ch . 24 .-years .ago,' affoi - , : t1i.Q...6ee had been vainly ..pressed .< .. upolx tlie. latp..Canon Liddon. Brought,up■ _ .'among. the stalwart Prlotestants of thC Irish Church, he never quit© became "adapted" to his environment with the ' ■ Scottish Episcopalians. Som© years .1 go . ,*M*Jiop Dowdem «ave offence to many o/ his i

co-religionists a series of letters to the Guardian, in which he appeared to impugn the "catholic" doctrine of the Eucharist. For some reason he had been repeatedly pased over in favour of less distinguished prelates for the positio.T of "Primus," which is the Scottish equivalent for archbishop. Herbert Francis Eator, third Lor--' Cheylesmore, has celebrated his sixty-secom birthday. He is a retired major-general', and an ex-mayor of Westminster. The first baron was a succesful silk broker, who made, a fortune at the business; he was for many years M.P. for Coventry.-. The present peer is a son of the first baron*, and succeeded his elder brother in 1902. Lord Cheylesmore has many interests be< sides military and municipal matters. At a. whip, an oarsman, and a straight shot he has won fame 'n days gone by. _ He has' a rare collection of medals, and is the! author of a standard work on " The Naval' and Military Medals of Great Britain."' Lord Cheylesmore is the chairman of th%, National Rifle Association. Vladimir Dolanski, the Roumanian pianist, lost the use of his eyes and hia right arm through an explosion when he was fourteen years old. He two years later commenced to study music, of whiob he was passionately fond, working regularly twelve to fourteen hours daily. His courage and determination were rewarded by, his becoming in the, course of a few years an accomplished pianist, aide to play at immense number of pieces .with one hand. Wher he returned to Bucharest the -Queen of Roumania took such an interest in the young, blind, one-handed musician that she invited him to play several times before her, and granted him from her private purse- a pension equal to £3 a month. A courtier to. the fingei-tips, a love* of horses, a soldier-, i> Freemason, and at friend of the King, Lord Sufßeld, who recently entered upon his eighty-firs' year, has occupied so many posts of honour in and about Court that their mere enumeration would be tedious. He has always been known as a thoroughly sound horseman, and it was of him that, very manj years ago, Whyte-Melville wrote: A rider unequalled, a sportsman complete, A rum" 'un to follow, a- bad 'uh to beat. Another comment on Lord Sufßeld's riding was made by Lord Ribblesdale. who said that be had'the rare art of 'galloping- like steam between the fences, and ye-t jump-, nig places almost from a stand." Bishop Taylor Smith, Chaplain-genera* to the' forces, takes an immense interest, not only in the souls of the British soldiers, burn their bodies also. He is the spiritual jruide of 182,000 men who bjlonsr to tbe Church of England in the Army. He visits the barrack rooms, theii ...-hospitals, audi their prisons; he holds classes and prayet meetings, distributes pure literature, and in.every way helps the soldiers onward alike in their worldly and spiritual fights. And he travels every year many- thousands ol miles to inspect, to preach, and to encourv age. Bishop- Taylor Smith is a striking! and powerful preacher, admirably suited to the taste of Tommy Atkins. "Wot I like about old Smith," a Tommy is reported to have remarked on one occasion, "i" that he doesn't care a pinch of snuff - wbf, he goes for." During the Ashanti Ex< psdition. in 1695, the column to which h«: was attached as chaolain arrived at the! place where the. late Prince Henry of Baitenberg was lying very ill. Hit Royal Highnes? had a presentiment that his end was near, and sent for Mr Taylor Smith. to whom he entrusted messages to Bi< wife! and to Queen Victoria, when the orince died at sea, Taylor Smith immediately, visited the two royal ladies, who were then staying at Cimiez, and Queen VictoTtal asked him to Windsor. Later on, he*? Majesty appointed him .Bishop of Sierra.: Leone, and after her death he became Chaplain-general. - «: The veteran German Socialist leader, August Bebel, whose memoirs will be -published in the neai future; is one of the most interesting personalities in. German* public life. He is : now 70 years of age. and has been a member of the Reichstag for the last 40 years, and previous to; thefoundation of the German Empire- be waa a member of. the Pai'liamcnt of the North German Federation. Lii appearance, he is short and, slight, and lws thick white hair and white beard give him a b'nevo* lent and patriarchal appearance. His exterior suggests r German village -pastor rather than the mC'St vigorous - demagogue in- the Kaiser's dominion-?. He begar life as a carpenter, but in the course of yean be has amased quite a modest fortune, which some time ago enabled him tc buj a fine bouse and small estate in Switzerland, where he reposes in every parliamen> tary recess. This indulgence in worldly luxury has brought him in bitter reproaches from the younger and more extreme members of his party, who maintain that, he ought to davot-e the. greater portion of his private means to the cause. Bebel, uninfluenced by their anger, continues to enjoy life. His memoirs promise to contain, manv interesting sidelights on the stirring; events of the last four decade's.