PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3212, 6 October 1915, Page 79

PERSONAL NOTES.

A private of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders claims to hold the record for being invalided home from the front the largest number of times. Since last August he has appeared in the casualty lists seven times. In addition, he has been dealt with twice at a base hospital for frostbitten toes, slight gas-poisoning, and general debility. Ho has been erroneously reported as killed twice, but official corrections have been made.

Lord Saye and Solo is a very strong opponent of “votes for women,” apropos of which fact he has told an amusing story. Ho once attended a book dinner, at which all the guests were expected to appear with an emblem denoting the title of a book. Lord Saye and Sole went in ordinary evening dress, but ho carried a lady’s petticoat over his arm. No one could guess what book he represented, but when ho told them everyone was greatly amused. His lordship’s emblem represented Kipling’s famous book, “Life’s Handicap.” His lordship won the first prize. Louis de Rougomont, whose famous story of riding a turtle startled the world some years ago; has been married in London at a West End registry office, the bride being Miss Thirza Cooper (says the Daily Chronicle). The lady carries on an occupation in Regent street as a financial agent under the name of “Cooper,” mainly transacting business with clients in London and Paris. The wedding ceremony, according to one who was present, was quite a “simple affair,” no friends or relatives being present except a lady and gentleman well known in London society. M. de Rougemont looked well and happy, and bore himself in debonair fashion.

Sir Thomas Lipton has been telling a very good Scotch story. Some time ago he visited Scotland, when ho mot an old friend whom ho had not seen since they were at school together. They got to discussing old times, and Sir Thomas suddenly asked: “And how's Gcorgio?” referring to an old school friend known to both of them. “Oh,” was the answer, “he’s dead long ago, and I shall never cease to regret him as long as I live.” “I never knew you had so much respect for him as all that,” said Sir Thomas in surprise. “Na, na, you’re wrung thcer,” answered his friend. “It weren’t the respec’ I had for him, na that; but, you see, I married his widow !” The King of Bulgaria, who is claiming Macedonia as the price of joining the Allies, has a crown that ho has never worn. In ISO?. Prince Ferdinand thought the time was ripe for proclaiming himself King, and ordered a diadem from Brussels. The “concert of Europe,” however, thought his wish inexpedient, and the crown was relegated to a cupboard until 1908, when the long-desired elevation to kingship was granted. Once again came disappointment. Austria practically prohibited l the coronation Ferdinand had planned, and the crown has never yet adorned his brows in public. The German Emperor is a great user of the telephone. A peculiar etiquette is observed in Germany in talking to him over the wire. In the first place, the Kaiser never gives his name. He begins with the Imperial phrase, “I command that.” The officials all over Germany know that “I command that,” thundered > over the telephone, means then - Sovereign is talking to them. When the Emperor has ended his conversation he doesn’t say “Good-bye” or “That’s all.” He simply puts down the receiver. So the official at the other end of the wire, no matter how important ho may be, has to stand with the receiver at his ear for five or six minutes longer, to make sure whether the Emperor has finished. Miss Catherine Violet Turner, M. 8., the first woman to win the London University gold medal, is the daughter of the Rev. W. S. Turner, of Plazelwood, Derbyshire, and was educated at the Hign_ School, Derby, and the Grove School, Higligate. She studied at the London School of Medicine for Women, and has hold posts at the Royal Free Hospital, the Medical Mission Hospital at Plaistow, the Queen’s Hospital for Children, and the Children’s Hospital, Groat Ormond street. Miss_ Turner comes of a family which has distinguished itself in other branches of learning, as her aunt. Miss Charlotte M. Burne, is a loading authority on folklore, and was president of the Folklore Society in 1910.

Prince Leopold of Bavaria, who commands the German troops at Warsaw, is a brother of King Ludwig of Bavaria. He is a cousin of the mad King Otto, who, towards the end of 1913, was deposed, having been pronounced hopelessly insane. lie is the second son of the Prince Leopold, who acted as Regent from the day of King Otto’s succession until his. own death, about a year before the present King was proclaimed. Prince Leopold is in his seventieth year. lie married the Archduchess Gislla, elder daughter of the Empress of Austria, when she was only 16. new anesthetic said to bo more powerful than anything previously known, owes something of his success to an enemy (says the Daily Chronicle). When a young surgeon In his native Lyons, he fell foul of a pompous and bigoted mayor, who made things so uncomfortable that Dr Carrel throw up his position in Lyons Hospital and went to Canada. Passing presently to Chicago he became acquainted with Mr

Rockefeller, ■who appointed him professor of surgery at the new Rockfeller Institute. In that position he has enjoyed unique opportunities for medical research, and his discoveries in surgery gained him the Nobel Prize three years ago. As the brilliant Frenchman is only 41, he has still far to go. Colonel Edward Heard, who has been acting as general staff officer, first grade, with the Expeditionary Force since October, has been gazetted to be a brigade commander with the rank of brigadier-general. Since passing- out of the Staff College General Heard has held a succession of staff appointments at home and abroad, and in October, 1910, was selected to go to New Zealand as chief of the general staff in that Dominion. As a regimental he passed his time in the Northumberland Fusiliers, and commanded the First Battalion of his regiment for two years before going to New Zealand. His first experience of war was in the Hazara Expedition of 18S8, while in the South African war he had charge of the Intelligence Department in Cape Colony. Among those who fell, in trenches before Yprcs, occupied by the 9th Lancers, was Captain Francis Grenfell, who had won the Victoria Cross for saving a battery of guns at Doubon on August 26, and who had not less distinguished himself in the fight of the cavalry at Messines on November 1. In him {says Mr Buchan) the army lost one of its most heroic figures, a soldier whose influence in his own service cannot bo over-praised. Francis Grenfell was an example of what, by the grace of God, an English gentleman might attain, to. His last words fitly ended a noble life. They are vouched for by an officer and two men who wore near by. “Toll them I die happy. I loved my squadron.” Has the whole duty, love, and service of a regimental officer ever been more beautifully and finally summed up? As Clarendon wrote of Falkland, “Whosoever leads such a life need not care upon how short warning it be taken from him.”