FUNERAL OF PRINCE LEOPOLD.

Te Aroha News, Volume 1, Issue 45, 12 April 1884, Page 6

FUNERAL OF PRINCE LEOPOLD.

London, April 4. The body of the late Duke of Albany reached Portsmouth yesterday. Her Majesty the Queen is to meet the body on its arrival at Windsor. j

The Funeral Ceremony. London, April 5. —The body of His late Royal Highness the Duke of Albany was entombed to-day in the mausoleum at Frogmore, Windsor. Her Majesty the Queen, and various members of the Royal family attended the ceremony, which was of a most solemn and imposing character. Amongst the wreaths placed on the Prince's coffin was one forwarded by the Agents-General on behalf of the colonies.

The Last Words of the Prince. London, March 31.— Latest particulars with respect to the death of the Duke of Albany show that his fall was caused by tripping his foot on the matting while descending the stairs of the Nautical Club. The real cause of death was, however, epilepsy. The last words which the Prince uttered were :— "Mother— Windsor — Egypt." The French Government offered a warship to escort the yacht containing the corpse.

Mourning in the Colonies. Sydney, April 6.— A1l the ships of war in port to-day fired minute guns in commemoration of the late Prince Leopold, with half-hour intervals. The firing lasted throughout the day. Melbourne, April 6. — To-day has been observed as a general day of mourning throughout the colony for the late Duke of Albany. The majority of the citizens of Melbourne dressed in black. Flags were i flown on all public buildings at half-mast. Christchurch, April 7.— The Cathedral Bell was tolled on Saturday afternoon on the occasion of the funeral of Prince Leopold and the flags of Christchurch and Lyttleton were hoisted halfmast' The Freemasons have gone into mourning for a period of three months.

Mrs De Jenkins : "Dear me, Matilda Jane, it's no use trying to be aristocratic any longer. I've done everything mortal woman could, since your pa did so well in lumber, but the obstacles are getting too great. I give it up." Matilda Jane: "Why, ma, I think we go quite splendid. I'm sure. We don't eat with our knives any more, and we've got so we dare speak to the butler at dinner. The way you say ' James, you may go,' sounds like a queen talking. What is the trouble now ?" Mrs De Jenkins : " Well, I was reading only a little while ago that the gout and a family feud were necessary adjuncts to the aristocracy, and I don't see any prospect of securing either." "The Merchant of Venice. — A Venetian merchant, who was lolling in the lap of luxury, was accosted upon the Rialto by a friend who had not seen him for many months. ' How is this V cried the latter. ' When I last saw you your gaberdine was out at elbows, and now you sail in your own gondola!' 'True,' replied the merchant, 'but since then I have met with serious losses, and been obliged to compound with my creditors for ten cents on the dollar.' — Moral : Composition is the life of trade." How little we hear of Mrs Langtry just now, says a society paper. She seems to j have dropped entirely out of the memory of everybody, and she goes and comes and acts as she pleases, and nobody pays the slightest heed. Every dog has his day, and so apparently have women like Mrs Langtry. It seems, however, she is as fascinating as she has ever been, and that there are other young men in the world who make as big idiots of themselves about her as did Freddie Gebhardt. While she was in Washington, a young man well known in Society there gave her a diamond ring valued at £1,000. Mrs Langtry has now finer jewels and in greater variety than any woman in America. They are valued at a large amount. j In order to obtain some idea of the profits of street begging, Mr H. S. Maclauchlan, a journalist on the staff of the " Echo," disguised himself as a mendicant, and begged all day in some of the fashionable squares in the West End of London. His " make up" was so clever that a constable, regarding him as a suspicious character, arrested him, and Mr Maclauchlan had considerable difficulty in proving he was only an amateur vagrant. Indeed, he was only released when a Magistrate was satisfied from evidence that Mr Maclauchlan really was on a journalistic expedition.