CHIT CHAT.

Southern Cross, Volume 5, Issue 41, 15 January 1898, Page 11

CHIT CHAT.

The Empress of Austria, it is said, collects cows. Whatever place she stays she purchases a cow, which becomes part of her luggage when she returns home after her travels. Heat holidays have been established by law in the public schools of Switzerland. Recognising the wellknown fact that the brain cannot work properly when the heat is excessive, the children are dismissed from their tasks whenever the thermometer goes above a certain ; point. Of the children born alive onefourth die before 11 months, one-third before the 23rd month, half before their Bth year, two-thirds of mankind die before the 39th year, three-fourths before their, 51st year, and of about 12,000 only one survives a whole : ■century. The handkerchief was first popularised in good society by the Empress Josephine, who had irregular and bad teeth, and, to conceal them, held her lace handkerchief before her mouth whenever •laughed. In her castle Madame Patti has a phonographic apparatus, and in this she frequently warbles. She occasionally lends the cylinders to her friends at a distance who have phonographs that they may listen to her melodious •strains. Dramatic Author (dictating play) : ‘ Mary, my light, my life ! I love you ; will you be mine ?’ Lady Typist •(whose name is Mary) ‘ Are you still •dictating ?’ She : ‘ Why is it that they always have the pictures of men on the •bank notes ?’ He : ‘ Oh, my dear, if they bad ladies’ faces on them we never would be able to pass them. During the Queen’s reign there has been a diminution in the marriagerate. The rapid increase in the .population has been brought about by the decline in the death-rate. Nearly half a million English people get married every year, and the average annual number of applications for divorce is only 575.