Personal.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 98, 27 December 1913, Page 5

Personal.

Mr D. Robertson, who recently retired from the position of secretary of the Post Office, is at present on a visit to his son in Stratford, Dr. H. D. Robertson.

Professor Braemar, the hypnotic entertainer, and his company, which, on this tour includes the Payne family, of bellringing faiiie, will pay a return visit to Stratford in about a tortnight’s time. The Professor reports big business in the AA anganui district.

Mr J. Fitzgerald, late of the Empire Hotel, lias now taken up his residence in Page Street. On Tuesday evening aparty of friends formed themselves into a “house-warming” party and “handselled” the new residence in time-honored fashion with music, song and “story.”

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Whangamomona County Council a leter was feceived from Cr Diggins resigning his seat. The resignation was accepted with regret.

Mrs Sarah Emily Good, relict of the late Captain Thomas Good, died at her residence in Hawera on Christmas Day at the ripe age- of 85 years. Captain Good lived for many years at Oeo and his family is well-known and universally respected throughout Taranaki. Well-known sons of the family are Messrs Hugh Good (Stratford), Allan Good (Hawera), William Good (Xgatimaru), and Harry Good (Wanganui). All the gentlemen named have made an enviable name for themselves in Taranaki and New Zealand in football and athletic circles. To them and to their sisers the universal sympathy of Taranaki will be extended.

We regret to have to record the death of Mrs Catherine Diamond, wife of Mr Charles Diamond, the licensee of the Club Hotel. Mrs Diamond had been suffering for some weeks from a serious attack of jaundice, and underwent an operation in New 1 !y----mouth on Sunday last, from which she never rallied, and she died peacefully at 7 o’clock on Xmas Eve. She was a woman of a cheery and unassuming disposition, and had won for herself a wide circle of friends in the town. SRe was a native of County Tyrone, and was 42 years of age. The funeral took place at Hastings to-day.

Sir Rufus Isaacs, now Lord Chief Justice of England, was a bad boy in school. One of his schoolfellows some years ago: described his as the very wdrst of boys from a schoolmaster’s poiht 6f view.o .“Lessons he left unlearnt,' class work he shirked, and mis6hief! wad'his'dnly devotion. Nor was the mischievousness only in himselfr—he delighted in inspiring others in his ‘wicked ways.’ Indeed, my recollection of him is always of a demoniacal, young, mischevious imp with sparkling eyes, who wqs always in ; disgrace or being caned, and yet withal was ever merry and deliciously humorous. ‘lsaacs Secundufi’ you will go to the devil” Was the prognostication oft repeated by his schoolmaser. Instead of that the ‘devil’ (in a legal sense) comes to him, and is right glad of the privilege.” 1

The social sensation of the day (writes the New York correspondent of the Auckland Star) is the announcement of the engagement of Mr Vincent Astor to the daughter of his next neighbour at his country estate at Staatsburg, New York. She is 20, tall, fair, and winsome, although not strikingly handsome, but said to be likely to develop into a lady of commanding presence. He is 22, and inherited some sixty-five millions of dollars at the death of his father in the Titanic disaster. The engagement ring received by the young lady is set with a large emerald with three diamonds on each side, said to cost 10,000 dollars. The wedding is to take place next spring. The bride to be is Miss Helen Dinsmore Huntington, grand-daughter of the late AYm. B. Dinsmore, mutei-millionaire, and daughter of Mrs Robert P. Huntington. She has one brother, Robert P., jun., 13, and a sister, Alice, 1(3 years old. The newspapers are brimming with portraits of The young couple, hardly any two of which are alike or recognisable for the same persons.