HOME NEWS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 7426, 30 May 1891, Page 2

HOME NEWS.

CPall Mall Budget.)

It is now definitely decided that Mr Gobchen is to find himself without money enough to give Free Schools. The abandonment of this plank in the Government programme has we understand been received with muuh satisfaction in most Tory quarters.

In Borne ways the late Mr Cavendish Bentinck was the chartered sohoolboy of the House of Commons, He used to mount up into the Speaker's chair on occasions when it was left vacant by that groat officer of the House, and Bit there with an air of quite unconscious serenity, listening to the dobate. This was not exactly an abuse of the rules of tho House, but members held their breath to soe the sacred chair used as a common seat, and no one over ventured to emulate him.

The evidoneo in tho trial of the Italian Mala Vita conspiracy continues to read like a sensation novel. Tho title, it seems, was actually taken out of a novel, a sort of " Called Back," which had a great popular success in Italy. The associated rogues certainly seem to have played up to their role of Evil Livers with a will. They surrounded tho otherwise too prosaic bußiness of b'aokmail, backed up by the knife, with a fantastic system of Masonic initiations, mouth-filling oaths, secret tattooings, and othor picturesquely gloomy accessories. Tho oath of membership might have been modelled on that of the burlesque conspirators in "The Critic " :—: —

I swear to abandon father, mother, wife and children, with one foot in tho grove and tho othor in chains, to act against infamy, and support humility.

The "infamy" no doubt means informers, and the support " to be given to " humility " is relieving people of that notorious puffer-up, Beady Cash. lhe Orthodox Greek Church would appear to posßesß irresistible attractions for the Queen's Prussian grand-daughters. If rumour can be trusted, the consort of the Heir Apparent to the Greek throne is about to follow the example of the Grand Duchess Serge and embrace her husband's creed. The fact that tho Duchesß of Sparta has for some time past abstained from the open exercise of the Protestant religion lends colour to this report. If the rumoured conversion turns out to bo true, the Greek princess will probably obtain credit for more sincerity than her Russian sißter, who was popularly supposed to havo found iho logic of facto presented by the intolerance of Russian official orthodoxy too much for her Lutheran principles. Be that as it may none but hardened bigots will grudge these Royal ladies the increased harmony of their domestic relations.

Sensational events are crowding upon each other in the Imperial family of Russia. First, the conversion of the Grand Duchess Serge, then the clandestine marriage of the Grand Duke Michael, now the Biiicide of the Grand Duchess Olga Feodorovna. Between the last two of theae events a connection is naturally traoed by the gossips of St. Petersburg. The deceased Grand Duchess was the mother of the refractory Michael, and it is said that hb " mesalliance" and peremptory disgrace at the hands of the Tzar told so soverely upon the spirits of the proud Princess as to lead hor to take her own life.

While rummaging among the parochial archives of Islington, Mr Edwin Davey, clerk of the guardians, has found an old book which gives some interestiug facts about the famous metropolitan district as it existed at the beginning of the present century. Among other things, it contains the census returns for 1801. The parish is described as " a merry village adjacent to London, and a favourite resort for its citizens," and the population is given at 10,121. Now its inhabitants number 358,000. Another entry in the curious volume has raised a startling controversy among local antiquaries. The genial Oliver Goldsmith is generally supposed to have lived and died a bachelor. In Islington another tradition exists. It is to the effect that not only had Oliver a little habitation there, where he spent a good deal of his time, but by his neighbours ho was regarded as a respectably married citizen. In the reooutly found book occurs the namo of Mary Olivia Goldsmith, and it is stated that this was none other than the poet's daughter.

The experiences of Zoe Gayton, an actress, who ha 3 walked from San Franciaco to Ndw York for a wager, which she has won, were curious and interesting. She took 215 days to do her 3,395 miles tramp. During this time she wore out five paira of heavy shoes, and three dresses. Her greatest day'a record was forty miles, and she lost twenty-four pounds in weight. She endured plenty o£ privation, including poor and scanty food, bad sleeping accommodation, aches and pains, bruises and scratches, But she made 12,000 dollars, gained notoriety and a " boom" for her return journey as a star artreas in a melodrama, which she vrill not make on. foot.