WAIFS AND STRAYS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 19, 7 May 1892, Page 474

WAIFS AND STRAYS.

True politeness is perfect ease and freedom. The happiest women, like the happiest nations, have no history.

Culture cannot destroy sin, all it can do is to hide or decorate it.

The mean annual temperature of the earth is fifty degrees Fahrenheit; the average rainfall is thirty six inches. It is not until a man goes on a quest for a general servant that he fully appreciates the immense proportions of the woman question.

As opera n’ghts at last are here Mark what the girls are at— From shop to shop the darlings go To find the biggest hat. The total population of the earth is estimated at 1,483,000,000, of which 35,639,835 die yearly, 97,700 daily and 67 every minute. ‘Should parsons smoke!' is a question which is being widely discussed in England. It applies to the reverend gentlemen only while they are on the earth, of course. • The last word ’ is the most dangerous of infernal machines, and husband and wife should no more fight to get it than they would struggle for the possession of a lighted bombshell.

TRIFLES. The smallest crust may save a human life ; The smallest act may lead to human strife; The smallest touch may cause the body pain ; The smallest spark may fire a field of grain ; The simplest deed may tell the truly brave; The smallest skill may serve a life to save ; The smallest draught the thirsty may relieve; 'l'he slightest look may make a kind heart grieve Naught is so much but it may still contain The rose of pleasure or the thorn of pain.

Never fear, my dear,’ remarked a wife to her impecunious busband ; ‘ never fear ; I still love you.’ * 1 know that,’ he replied, ‘ but that doesn’t help matters much.’ *I ll tiust you always,’ she exclaimed. ‘ Yes, my dear,’ he replied, with a sigh that came from bis heart, * that is very fine, but unfortunately you are not the grocer.’ Occasionally instances of brutality at Annapolis find their way into print, but ours is a model school compared with the Copenhagen naval academy. There a young cadet shot hintself dead at a class dinner. The principal of the academy, who presided, had the body carried out, then ordered more wine, and the eating and drinking went on as though nothing had happened. Modern Missionaries. — Professor Drummond, of Natural Law fame, has been startling those who think of becoming missionaries. He gives it as his opinion that the missionary is no longer a man who can stand under an umbrella, with a Bible under his arm, and preach the Gospel all day long. Half his day must be given to the study of philology. He must be able to translate the Scripture ; he must contribute to the science of ethnology ; he must be a man of culture. The time is surely coming, says Professor Drummond, when the missionaries in some fields, for example in China and Japan, will have to be theologians. A native of Japan once said to him, ‘Send us out one ten-thousand dollar man rather than ten one thousand dollar men.’ The demand for this work to day is for ‘ the prizemen, and the brilliant men of the Universities.’ This is a new departure, and a healthy one, from the old lazy belief that ‘ any fool would do to be a missionary.’

Timing a Cablegram.—A wager between a couple of brokers the other day resulted in an interesting expeiiment as to the rapidity with which telegraphing can be done between New York and London. It was settled by actual tests that a cablegram can be sent to London from the New York Stock Exchange and an answer received in four minutes. Ordinarily the time is much longer, but on this occasion a special effort was made, with the above remarkable result. From this it may be inferred that the cable service is as nearly perfect as it is possible to make it. The cable business is constantly growing, and at present nearly nine hundred messages are sent daily from New York to London between the hours of ten and twelve o'clock. AH the commercial business is done by cipher, and so condensed is the code that a considerable message can be sent at a comparatively small outlay. The messages aie sent by overland wire to Heart's Content, Newfoundland, where they are transmitted via the ocean cable to Valencia, Ireland, thence direct to London. The commercial business between the New York and London stcck exchanges has become so extensive that three or four operators are now required constantly on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange to handle that business alone.

The Meeting of Hawthorne and Tennyson.—Referring in the course of some literaly recollections to Nathaniel Hawthorne's visit to the Art Treasures Exhibition, held in Manchester in 1857, Dr. Alexander Ireland writes that a curious coincidence occurred While we were looking at the pictures of the old masteis I saw Alfred Tennyson and Woolner, the sculptor, enter the room together. I pointed them out to Hawthorne, who looked long and steadily at Tennyson. I said to him, ‘ Will you not speak to him and shake hands with him?’ to which he replied, ‘ < >h, 1 could not do that. I never saw him before; it would be obtrusive,’ etc. ‘ Nonsense,’ said I ; ‘let me go to him and tell him you are in the room. lam sure he will be delighted to meet you and exchange greetings.’ ‘No, no : I cannot allow you to do this.’ I again remonstrated with him. 1 urged him to join hands with Tennyson, in spite of conventional introductions and stupid earthly limitations and customs. I contended that the fact of their being in the same room and within a few insignificant feet of each other on this very day had been evidently ordained from the beginning of time, and that it would be a wilful thwarting of the designs of Providence if the meeting did not become an actual and accomplished fact—that such meeting was in accordance with the eternal fitness of things, etc. All to no purpose. He was inflexible. So these two men never spoke to each other in this world. Hawthorne afterwinds recorded in his journals how Tennyson was pointed out to him on this occasion, and he devotes several pages to a minute and elaborate description of him, showing the quickness ami keenness of his observation.