LADIES’ COLUMN.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 14263, 16 July 1910, Page 5

LADIES’ COLUMN.

(By Sister Ann.) OF LOCAL INTEREST. Mrs. 11. Abraham, of Wellington, is spending a few days in New Plymouthwith her parents, Mr. and Mrs. M‘Kcllar. Mrs. Walker (Nelson) is on a visit to New Plymouth. Mrs. W. J. Shaw,’ who has been in Wellington for several weeks, has returned to New Plymouth. Letters from China tell that the wedding of Miss Ethel Baker and the Rev. Norman M'Konzic, was to take place last. Wednesday at Hong Kong. Mr. Arthur Hirst, who has many friends throughout Taranaki, has left the Bank, having decided to adopt music as a profession. Ho is at pre- ; sent studying hard at Frankfurt, where.'ho will remain for’ eighteen months. The numerous friends .of Mr. Henry Brown will he glad to hoar that ho has successfully undergone a second operation. Ho is in a private hospital in London and Mrs. and Miss Brown arc spending a few days in Folkstone. HERB AND THERE,

Even on so sad an occasion as a funeral, events sometimes happen which raise a smile, even if it is a watery one. At the groat funeral in. London the other day, one writer-tells of how he saw a 'woman being hauled up by ropes into a tree, so that she might have a view of the procession. A little later, spectators were amused at the sight : ot a gentleman in tall hat and immaculate frock coat trying to climb another tree, his arms and legs tightly embracing its trunk. But tho poor fellow did not after all succeed, though others did, but the branch broke beneath their weight and they were hurled to the ground. » Another writer remarks on the absence of children among the spectators.Had they been there they would have boon squashed probably, but one wonders how they were disposed of. The King’s favourite sister was tho Duchess of Argylo (Princess Louise). She was always his friend and confidante, and the day before he died, she was with him for a long while. She is very clever and accomplished and good to look at as well, indeed she was tho fairest of all the princesses in the Royal Household. It is said, when she was young, she was very foil'd of Canon Duckworth (licr brother’s tutor) and ho df her, but it was not permitted that she should marry a commoner and so she married the then Martinis of Lome, whoso affections were, also engaged elsewhere. She has no children, and is said to bo a very lovable woman. Queen Victoria’s-* loveliest granddaughter, is the wife of the Crown Prince of Roumaiiia. She is tall and graceful, with blue eyes and a wealth of golden hair. She and her mother-in-law,, the poetess Queen of Roumaiiia, do not agree'at all . well. . The amusements at tho Japanese Exhibition in London are quite unique. One of them is called a “Wiggle Wcg"le.” You get into a large wooden tub and this is hauled to the top of a slope and then let go among a scries of elongated S’s, so the tub spins round one way until it gets to a sticking out part, and that starts it going the other way, and so on to tbo bottom. It is gliaet-' ly! The people are thrown about everywhere.' ' One wonders that they don’t crick their necks and break their backs. Then there is the “Witching Wave.” The whole of the floor, which is.ina.de of tin, is rising up and down in waves the whole time, and the people are sol off on it in things liko basket chairs ou tiny castors and) guiding wheel 1

liko a motor. It is groat fun to watch. They get into corners and run into each other'and do the wildest things. No one is allowed to get out, as it would be dangerous, but there are attendants who come to the rescue if one is stuck.

FATHER BERNARD VAUGHAN ON THE DEATH OF THE KING.

An English letter tells of a sermon preached by Father Bernard Vaughan at the time of the King’s death “Yesterday morning I went to hoar Father Vaughan. 1 got there in very j?ood time, and took my stand at the door, and had a good position. The church was packed—even the porch full, and they had to shut the doors at last. Ho is a fine preacher, and I did so envy his sermon. It was not a society sermon, and was on the love of Christ, and of course ho alluded to the funeral. Ho said what struck him most of all was the mass of people and what that meant. That it meant one great protest against Socialism. The Socialists would argue that the crowd went to sco a pageant, but the black of the crowd doesn’t -argue for that, nor the behaviour of the crowd. It was an awfully ‘swell’ church where ho was preaching, so I saw some marvellous costumes, hats, etc., and motors and carriages were pouring up the whole time. I was very glad T heard him. Amongst other things he said that the people who watched by the bier had said that what struck them most about the procession passing through Westminster Hall Was tho thousands who crossed themselves and said ‘May he rest in peace,’ and he prayed all Catholics to pray for tho soul of the King.”

A MAORI CHIEF IN ENGLAND. 1 Rangiuia, who, with his wife, is at present in England, seems.to be causing quite a sensation among the Englion : aristocracy. The Lady (which by-tho-by, speaks of him as “Rangiiiia,” the Maori Chief), tells that he is singing at many concerts, including one given by the Duchess of Sutherland. Tho writer goes on to say that the chief is lord over 14,000 Maori people, and'that when ho sings he is dressed hi the full Maori costume of a warrior, big spear and all. His songs include one with a dance called “To Roy,” and in this he makes use of a bag of dried maize suspended by a cord, which ho whirls about him, ■ striking his body and arms with it in time to tho music. His voice—the paper'continues:—has a strange, melancholy ring in it, and this made his . singing oil a lament over a dead chief’s body very impressive and striking. In another publication Harry. Morgan gives an account cf an interview with tho. chief, who. is a. good linguist, speaking German, Italian, and French, and also singing in those' languages.' His voice has a wide compass, deep in tho bass and also very high, which gives the distinctive*character and colouring to the Maori-songs. His voice has been well trained, ho having studied music-in Vienna, Milan, Berlin, etc. He also plays his own accompaniments on harp, violin, or piano, as tho case may be. In addition to these accom-' plishmcnts, the chief is a good conversationalist, being well read and a great traveller. His songs have created quite a furore in society circles,' and ho is much in demand. ,At present he is living in his own house in London, which is hung with photographs of great houses whore he had stayed and celebrities whom ho counts among his friends. • THE KAISER’S RINGS. The Emperor 'Wilhelm has two rings which ho regards- as being lucky. One has always been worn by the Head of the House since the reign-of John of Brandenburg. -It is said that a toad \ras onco observed to nop into tins monarch’s bod room and disgorge a stone, which now adorns the ring. It is strange how precious stones seem to be associated with those - reptiles. Shakespeare speaks of tlio toad wearing a precious jewel in his head. iho Kaiser’s other ring was taken by one of his ancestors from a Samoan chief, and originally bore ! a text, front Lie Koran. " This was erased, and a Latin Cross is now engraved in its place.