LADIES’ COLUMN.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 14343, 22 October 1910, Page 5

LADIES’ COLUMN.

(By Sister Ann.) OF LOCAL INTEREST. Miss Margoliouth, who has been staying with Mrs. Turnbull, has returned to Napier. Airs. Porritt and Airs. T. C. Fookcs (Stratford) after spending the week-end in New Plymouth, left for Auckland on Monday. Mr. and Airs. Walker, from China, have been visiting Dr. and Airs. Homo. Aliss K. Whitcombe has loft for TaiJiapo, whore she is to visit Airs. Todd .(neo Miss Peggie Tube). Airs .Harry Ward, who is back again after her trip to England, spent most of her time with relations in Gloucester. Air. and Airs.- G. Wills have gone to Auckland for a fortnight. Air. and Airs. N. Rcnand went north by the Rarawa on Monday night. Tho Rev. A. Kcmpthorne and Mrs. K.einpthorne (Fitzroy) left fort Auckland on Monday evening. Old friends of Miss Margaret Roscr, lato of Chetwode School, will ho interested to learn that she has a school for ladi&s at Seaton, near Lyme Regis, in Dorsetshire, England. Air. and Airs. I. C. Simmer loft New Plymouth on Tuesday morning on route for England. SUPERSTITIOUS SARAH. Sarah Bernhardt believes strongly in dreams and brain waves, and avows that she herself has had some strange experiences of that ilk. Once, when she was touring in America, sho dreamed that her son, who had remained in France, was in danger, having been bitten by a mad dog. Every detail was of the clearest, she could see faces, surroundings, etc., just ns plainly as if she had been awake. Next morning, feeling oppressed by a terrible anxiety, she cabled to ask if her son were well, and the answer soon came. Tho dream, point by point, was entirely true. As she dreamt, the things had happened, hut her son, though in grave danger, had not had to endure hydrophobia, for Ids clothes had protected him from the terrible consequences of the bite.

HONOUR TO Wl-lOAI HONOUR IS DUE. Andrew Carnegie tells a story of a self-made man he once knew. 1 lie latter was once talking to a cleric, and the topic was his own success. “Yes,” ho said. “I began life as a barefooted newsboy and at 20 1 was a millionaire. Yet I had, from first to last, I had to paddle my own canoe, and everything! have done has been done by liiy own efforts. More than that, ninny" have opposed me and put obstacles in my way. No, 1 Imve dime everything by myself.” Then, suddenly remembering the cleric’s presence, lie said, after a short pause; “Of course, I don't deny that Providence may now and then have been of some slight service.” ST. PETER'S IN ROAIE. The largest temple of worship in tho world is St. Peter’s in Rome. It stands on the site ot Nero's Circus, and is built in form of a Latin Cross. The length of the interior is 612. J feet, and tiio height of tho dome from pavement to tho "top of the cross ‘l4B feet. The great bell alone, without hammer or clapper, weighs over !)', tons. The foundation was laid in 1450 A.D. Forty-three popes lived and died during the time the work was in progress, and it was not entirely finished till 1880. The total cost was £14,000,000. A SOLDIER’S LOVE STORY. Sir John Aloore, so well known through the poem, and who met a soldier's death at Corunna is said to have been extremely fond of the eccentric Lady Hester Stanhope, and tho affection was fully returned. They understood each other, and when Sir John lav dving his last whispered words were li message to the girl far away in England. Her step-brother, James Stanhope, was on the staff of tho gallant soldier, and he it was who bore tho message home. I.ady Hester never forgot her dead lover, and sho always kept close to her, however far her wanderings might bo, a bloodstained glove and a pair of little gold sleeve links he had often worn. Her life has been

lately written, and'indeed, makes Interesting reading. The world called her an eccentric woman, hut her red-le.-lamas may have been an impulse to stifle the pain at her heart. There seems to have, been a masculine strain in her, and to the feminine mind, it is hard to imagine what it was that made Sir John Moore love her, for, ‘‘ln joining contrasts lieth Love's delight.” However, these two were devotedly attached each to each; and after her hero’s death Hester began a life of incessant wandering, never more settling down in her own country. An other countries knew her well, for she was a striking personality. Often in her wanderings she would adopt male attire, hut wherever she went she attracted attention. She came of an unusual race, so it is hardly to ho wondered at that she was out of tho ordinary. Her father though very scholarly ■ and learned, was eccentric 100. "(Io was known in his day as “Citizen Stanhope,” on account ol his Republican leanings, which -prompted him to send Hester to mind turkeys oil a common, and apprentice one of ills cons to a blacksmith, and another to a shoemaker. He gave up Iris horses and carriages, and insisted on his delicate wife (who was the favourite sister of William Pitt) and his daughters wearing dresser, of the coarsest materials, neither would he allow his boys vo go to school or college. Ho sold all the valuables at Cheesing, the family seat, near Srvcnoaks. among them rare and beautiful tapestries, and several hundredweight of gold pinto which had been presented to tho first Earl Stanhone," who was in command of tho British Army in Spain in 1708. Pcrhanr it is not to be wondered at that, having a father whom many considered mad, poor Hester was eccentric too.

DISHONESTY THE BEST POLICY, One of the most remarkable pages in the story ot tho English Crown is that which relates tho attempt to steal it. The thieves succeeded, in tho sense that they carried the Crown away, but they wore happily caught before they could dispose ol olicir precious booty. It was in the stirring Stuart times. An Irishman who had risen to tho rank of colonel in the army under Cromwell disguised himself as a clergyman, and cultivated tho friendship of the Keeper of the Crown Jewels in a most' ingenious manner. On May 9, 1(371, tho “rolouel,” whoso name was Thomas Blood, took two friends to tho Tower to see the jewels, gagged and hound tho keeper, and seized the crown, orb, and sceptre. They were about to file the sceptre in two when they were alarmed by footsteps. Hastening away, tho thieves' succeeded in reaching tho drawbridge, whore, they shot the warder who tried to stop them, and escaped to Tower Hill. Hero they were overtaken, and the captors and tho captured struggled for the Crown. Some of tho jewels fell out, one of them worth £IO,OOO being picked up two or three days later by a crossing-sweeper. The thieves were at last secured, but, amazing as it appears, Charles 11. not only declined to punish them, hut actually rewarded Blood by giving him an estate of £SOO a year and allowing him at Court. It is stated that the King was induced to adopt this extraordinary course by tho fear that hundreds of Blood’s associates would aveugo his death on tho King’s own Royal person. Blood died at last, in spite of tho King’s protection, _ and this epitaph expresses the public feeling on tho news of his death:

“Thanks, yo kind fates, for your last

favour shown, For stealing Blood, who lately stole tho crown.”

A CHANNEL ISLAND WEDDING.

At St. Peter Port, Guernsey, lately, Miss Muriel Beatrice Robinson, eldest daughter of Dr. E. L. Robinson, of Melrose, Guernsey., was led to tho altar by Mr. J. A. Graeme, Royal Engineers, oldest son of Colonel F. J. Graeme, late Roval Artillery, of Elmwood, Guernsey. The Rev. G.-E. Leo, Rector of St. Peter Port, officiated, assisted by the Rev. I. Penfold, Garrison Chaplain, and Incumbent of St. James’ Church, Guernsey. The bride was given away by her father. She was married in ivorytinted satin, veiled with ninon, and covered with spangled net, embroidered with a’ small birdscye design. Tho bodice was finished with a Carrickrnacross lace yoke, and the skirt was flounced with the same lace. The full Court train of white satin was lined with rucked net, and finished in ono corner with a large knot ,of ninon and orange-blossom. Tho bride wore a white tulle veil over a_ wreath of orange-blossom in her hair, and, her ornaments included a pearl pendant (the gift of her godfather, the Rev. A. Robinson) and n pearl and amethyst bracelet (tho gift of the bridegroom). The train was carried by Miss Marjorie Bell, wearing a Charles 1. dress of white satin, with collar and cuffs of old lace, ml shoos and stockings, and a small, close-fitting lace cap. The bridegroom’s gift to her was a pearl brooch. The liride was attended by her two sisters, tho Misses Doris and' Kathleen Robinson, as bridesmaids, who were dressed in ivory-tinted satin and ninon, the bodices and tunics trimmed with bugle embroidery. They, too, wore reel shoes and stockings, and had white crinoline hats trimmed with white feathers and tulle. They carried white crooks ornamented with hunches of red carnations and trails of asparagus fern, tied with red streamers, which, together with old paste pendants, were the gift of the bridegroom. Mr. Beatty, Royal Engineers, acted as host man. After the reception at Melrose, Guernsey, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Graeme left for Jersey and the* Continent. Tin* bride travelled in Nattier-hluo cloth, with a Russian coat, embroidered in selfcolour. with a touch of black. Her large hat of Tuscan straw' was trimmed with pink roses and a large black how.