Here and There.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXX, Issue IV, 24 January 1903, Page 216

Here and There.

Expert estimates place the total market value of the gold-mining concerns in the Transvaal at the enormous sum of £2.26,000,000.

came down by train from HiIcurangi to Whangarei the other day a kauri spar 93ft long, which could hardly be equalled for the purpose in view', namely, the masting of a large ship. The spar taners from 36 to 30 inches.

’As a rule little women are generally lively and piquant. The short, plump girls are brisk and generally look at the bright side of things. Tall women are usually dignified and stately. Why length of limb should make them so 'is hard to say; , but we all feel that were they to adopt the Ways, manner and bearing of little W'omen, the effect would be ridiculous and grotesque. Tall women draw admiration and love; but they are more awe-inspiring, and men are timid about approaching them. Tall women are often supposed to be melancholy and reserved. Some men have intense admiration for tall women—the taller the better; but they are usually little men, who naturally like and appreciate the opposite to themselves, and look up to and admire and respect the tall, dignified, com-manding-looking woman.

Some exceedingly large hauls of kingfish have been made lately on the Western Spit Beach at Napier, one fisherman landing 64 in one haul, and another landed 50. The combined hauling one day was from 31 to 4 tons weight, ranging from 301 b to S4lb each. This is exclusive of kahawai, mullet, and flounders, of which large quantities are being secured.

The friends of a popular New Zealand traveller tell a story that is worth repeating. He attended a large party one evening, and after the supper was over was promenading with one of the guests, a young lady, to whom he had just been introduced. In the course, of the conversation the subject of business callings came up, and she said, ‘‘By the way, Mr , may 1 ask you what your occupation is?” “Certainly,” he answered. “I am a commercial traveller.” ... ‘How very interesting! Do you know. Mr , that in the part of the country where I reside connuereial travellers are not received in good society?” Quick as a flash he rejoined, “They are not here either, madam.”

Since the destruction of the FortyTnile Bush, the Wellington Land Board has for a number of years past been particularly cautious about offering land for selection where good milling timber exists. The timber has been reserved for the sawmillers, and after it has been removed the land has been placed in the hands of practical agriculturists. In this way the State gets the fidl value of the timber, which is turned to the best niarketable account, and the settlers readily pay an enhanced price for the land which has been practically cleared before they take it up.

Mechanical science has come to the relief of the pianist. Hereafter it will be unnecessary for him to make spasmodic passes at the mu-sic-holder or to have standing by him an attendant whose only office is to turn the sheets. A leaf-turner has been perfected which is set in operation by a single puff of the performer's breath, leaving his hands entirely free for the manipulation of his instrument. When placed in position on an ordinary music-rack of any kind, the device is ready to perform its functions, turning successive pages of music at the will of the operator. If a performer is both playing and singing, all that is required of him in the mechanical manipulation of the nnisic-lenf turner is to sing a note at the proper moipcnt into a concave wing of the contrivance.

In the Auckland district some 200.000 acres of land are going to be put on the market. A large part of that (says Mr Hogg, a member of the Wellington Land Board) is sure to be taken up on the oceupa-tion-with-right-of - purchase system, and will pass for all time from the Crown, besides which a lot of valuable timber.will be held for speculative purposes or destroyed to clear the land as quickly as possible. The colony has lost millions of pounds through this policy, and it has also had the effect, of considerably raising the price of timber. Mr Hogg.urges the Auckland Land Board to take steps to prevent waste of good timber.

.Mark Twain tells how, when travelling through India several years ago, he greatly enjoyed the humiliation of a very pompous member of the Bombay judiciary. He was strutting backward and forward on the platform, of a wayside station when a perspiring Englishman rushed up, touched the judge on the shoulder, and said. ‘‘Tell me. is this the Bombay train?”

The judge drew himself up, brushed the stranger’s arm aside, and cuttingly remarked, “I’m not the stationmaster. sir.”

“Oh, you’rs not?” said the Englishman, evidently surprised. Then, with an air of extreme exasperation, he demanded, “Well, what, the deuce’ do you mean by swaggering about as though you were?”

Commenting on New Zealand's Permanent Force the Wellington “Times’.’ says:—“The Force has in the past been wretchedly moribund. Of fine physique and receiving a fair rate of pay,'(he members of the . Permanent Artillery have been used to a scandalous extent in menial civilian duties, such as acting as messengers for Government House or the Parliamentary Buildings, providing escorts at military funerals and keeping alive the absurd tradition of a guard and sentry at the entrance to the Governor’s residence. It is to be feared that as modern artillery-and the permanent -backbone of our tiefences they are greatly lacking.”

Apropos of a paragraph describing the “cards” sent out by a happy American mother announcing the divorce <f her still happier, daughter, a correspondent writes to say that he regards the innovation as a good one. It does something, he thinks, to prevent those embarrassing complications thrtl-are so frequent when nobody knows who has been divorced from whom; and he quotes in support of this a bon mot by a New' A ork hostess, -who had apparent I v mislaid her list of divorced intimates; “I I they don't stop giving divorces," she exclaimed, “I shall stop giving dinners. Three times last season I placed ex-husbands bv former wives at table.” She saw,' however, no remedy for the inconveniences of the present system until husbands were “copyrighted like .books, with a heavy penalty for the infringement of the owners’ rights.”

. The Wellington “Post” states that, the voyage of the Wellington yacht Waitangi from Lyttelton the other day was marked by a somewhat exciting experience. The little craft left Lyttelton at midnight on Tuesday. The wind was then nor’-west, and a long hoard was made out to sea. Further tacking brought the yacht up to a point between Cheviot and Kaikoura on Wednesday night. The wind then dropped, but a heavy sea drove the yacht rapidly towards the shore, and the anchor was dropped in about 90 feet of water. Fortunately it held her. An hour or two after she had brought to a heavy north-east breeze sprang up, and the Waitangi put to sea under a trysail. After going about fifteen miles or so from land a course was shaped for Wellington, but as dirty weather was approaching from the north she ran

into Port Underwood, and remained there until Friday morning, when she stood across to Wellington, and brought up at her moorings on Friday night.

The modern girl is evidently of a suspicious turn of mind, judging from an application which was made at the Victoria Courts, Birmingham, the other day. A stylishly-dressed woman entered the magistrates’ clerk’s office and. addressing one of the officials, asked for an order of protection under the Married Woman’s Property Act. It was a singular application, seeing that no special magisterial order is needed to enable a married woman to avail herself of the advantages of the enactment in question. But the gentlemen in the magistrates’ clerks' offiee are used to extraordinary applications, and the woman was asked what was the nature of the wrong-doing of her husband that she desired special protection. “Oh.” she replied with consummate sangfroid, “I am not married yet. I’m only engaged; but I wanted to have protection in case my husband turns out a bad one!”

The Americans are about to make a bold attempt to capture a larger portion of the Australian trade. The White Star liner Oregon, 3235 tons register, which is being fitted up as a vast sample warehouse, was to leave Seattle in November, and after visiting China. Japan, South Africa. and other countries, will reach Australia about the end of February. Each firm displaying samples pays £4OO for a certain space on the lower deck, and it is anticipated that most of the American leading industries will be represented. Advance agents have been appointed at the various ports of call, and arrangements made for booking orders and supplying- samples to likely customers. The vessel will anchor' in each port visited, communication with the shore being maintained by means of steam launches. It is believed that the nrofits of the expedition will ensure s handsome, dividend to its promoters.

“An Admirer of High Heels” writes as follows to “Modern Society,” a London paper: —

“I have read with interest the recent correspondence in your columns on the subject of high heels, and would like to offer the following remarks. I have closely observed the custom of wearing high heels for some years, ami am convinced that a well-fitting boot or shoe with a really high heel sets off a neat foot in a way that low-heeled foot-gear never can. I know several ladies who have for long been in the habit <>t constantly wearing high herds, both for promenade use as well as Ll the house and in the evening, and have never known their high heels (and at times they have worn them very high) cause them any inconvenience; and they take at least as much exercise as the majority of other people. “One young lady who has worn high heels since she was a child, tells me that she never feels comfortable unless she has on high-heel-ed boots or shoes; while another in-

forms me that for promenading in the ]iark or streets she seldom wears less than three-inch heels, that at home and in the evening, particularly for dancing, she frequently wears four-inch heels, and even higher: and a two-and-a-half-inch heel is almost, the lowest she ever wears. Several other ladies of my acquaintance, tell me the same thing, and I cerainly have, never known any ill-effects resulting from the constant use of high heels; in fact, the general opinion of those, who habitually wear high-heeled footgear seems to be that it is not the height of the heel which causes the mischief attributed to this fashion, but the badly-fitting cheap hoot, or shoe. With well-made, properly-fitt-ing boots it is both easy and comfortable to walk on heels of very considerable elevation.”

A strange fish caught in a trawl off the Wairau bar was identified by Sir James Hector as “Macrurus Australis” —a singular form of the family to which the cod and ling belong. It is peculiar (telegraphs our Wellington correspondent) for its blunt conical snout, overhanging the mouth (like a shark’s), its long, slender tail, and its rough scales armed with spir.es. It is a deep-water fish, swimming at. depths of from 120 to 2000. fathoms. The first one taken was after the great storm of November, 1870, and ail specimens since found had been mostly cast up afterstormy weather, along with other allied genera of similar habitats which are of world-wide distribution. This particular species was first found on the South Australian coast. Unfortunately the specimen sent is rather far gone for preservation, except, perhaps. as a skeleton. All previous specimens have been “cast up,” and not caught alive.

The Maoriland Chinese are (says the “Bulletin”) fishing, regardless of cost, for the bones of their countrymen which went down in the Ventura. and for the recovery of Sew Hoy in particular they are prepared to spend thousands. Sew Hoy, the Stafford-street (Dunedin) tea merchant, was a decent old fellow, and any respectable citizen liked well enough to meet his hones when the flesh of Sew was still on them. But he had cart-loads of mining scrip on his mind in his latter days, and now that he is having a long, quiet rest at last where the eat cease!li from troubling, it seems a pity that he should be disturbed.

A Madras correspondent relates a curious encounter between a cat and a serpent. Hearing a noise, as of two animals fighting, outside his verandah. he went out to see what was the matter, and found his eat. a white one, in an attitude of defence, while, nearly hidden in the foliage, was a highly-venomous snake. Pussy retired on the appearance of her master. but the serpent seemed absolutely hypnotised. It could hardly move, though apparently not wounded. The writer observes that cats have small fear generally of serpents. They are so protected by their fur that the poison of the snake seldom reaches

the flesh. The same is said to be the ease with the mongoose, which nttavks even the cobra with impunity.

While the members of a country rifle club near Masterton were practising the other day, a fine stag came into view on an adjacent ridge, about 800 yards away. This animated target was too tempting to the shootists, and in defiance of all the game laws in the colony, they greeted him with a eouple of volleys. The members, however, were not so successful as they are at the butts, and the startled stag quickly bounded out of sight.

Madame Melba’s bright eyes ean manage a stony stare, her captivating voice change to a dull monotony, her perfect memory be sometimes at fault. A gushing matron tried to recall madame’s knowledge of her family. Matron: “This is ElsaHasn’t she grown?” Melba: “I don t remember .Elsa.” Matron: “Not remember Elsa? Why, she is Hobs sister.” Melba: “I don't remember Bob.” Matron: “Not remember Bob? Why, he used to take you drives.” Melba: “I don’t remember drives.” Matron: “Don’t remember drives! Not with the eOb?” Melba: “1 don’t remember the cob.” Matron: Not remember the cob! Not remember Bob! Not remember the drives: Elsa, my dear, wish madame good-bye.” And they went, murmurs of “Cob,” “Bob,” “Bob,” “Cob,” floating in the air. r

A Fitzroy (Melbourne) lady named Smith lately caused an intricate point to rage at some length in the local Court: She had bought a side of lamb from butcher Wardley, to be paid for on delivery—price 5/. Not haying 5/ she gave the butcher’s myrmidon a half-sovereign to get changed. The myrmidon —name of Bailey—went to milkman Hunt and asked him to change Mrs Smith’s half-sovereign, which he did in an unexpected way. He said that Mrs Smith owed him 5/ for milk, and in exchange for the half-sovereign gave butcher Wardley’s messenger 5/ and a receipt for Mrs Smith’s milk bill. Mrs Smith, .__when the transaction was explained to her, indignantly kept her 5/ change and sent the milk receipt to the butcher in payment for the spring lamb, evidently holding that an unauthorised butcher-boy had no right to interfere with her milk bill. Then the butcher sued the milkman for his 5/. The milkman, in defence, said he never had the butcher's 5/— only Mrs Smith’s 5/. The Court struggled With the case for two hours, and then was so undecided that it dismissed the matter without costs. Result: The milkman has got

his, 5/, but has lost about a guinea in costs; the butcher hasn’t got his 5/, and has lost about a guinea in costs: the lady has got the lamb —at least, she appears to have. Now’, if the butcher sues her, the question will arise whether his boy had any right to part with her money with which to pay her milk-bill. And if he sues the boy he is probably a minor, and will plead, besides, that he didn’t take the money—it just went. Again, the question arises whether Mrs Smith, by impressing the butcher’s boy to run her errand, didn’t make him (temporarily) her boy, for whose doings she, not the butcher, was responsible. That side of lamb should ultimately get to the Supreme Court.

Paris witnesses this week (November 22), says an exchange, the inauguration of a brigade of automobile policemen. Each man is to be provided with a fast automobile, and is to run down those who violate the speed ordinance. Prefect of Police Lepine has now’ under his control the cycling police, the traffic police, the swimming police, and the automobile police.

But if Baris has shown progress in its policemen it manifests a retrograde motion in its postal department. Four hundred taxpayers have become so dissatisfied with the irregular delivery of letters that they have revived the system of carrier

pigeons. Now the wags are at work and declare that these pigeons are revolutionising the art of the- letterwriter. The form is beipg used: “I have received your honoured pigeon of the tith,” and also: “Please answer by return of j>igeon.” Stylists say that the amorous phrases: "My thought flies toward you,” and “My heart has wings,” now cease to be metaphor. Evildoers are invited not to kill and eat these aerial postmen. Marksmen -are politely requested not to fire upon letters in the air.

It is a popular saying in Scotland that when the North Pole is discovered a Scotsman will be found settled there. It is not surprising, therefore, to find a Scotsman setting matters right in the matter of the Canadian Roekies.

The existing maps are alt wrong, according to the Rev. .lames Out ram. the gentleman in question. Mountains of great size exist where none are shown on the official charts. On-e he discovered stands 11,700 feet above sea level.

Mr Outram explored an ice field which he estimates to be 200 square miles in area. It. supplies water to three different oceans—the Atlantic by way’ of the Saskatchewan, the Arctic by the Athabasca, and the Pacific by the Columbia River.

Here is a Yankee yarn about “King Dick”:

Right Hon. Richard Seddon, Premier of New Zealand, has had many occupations in his time, in all of which he has acquitted himself 71*1mirably. As a miner he was the idol of the Australian diggings; as an orator there are few who ean equal him in his dogmatic, imperialistic style; as a lawyer “Dick” Seddon was looked upon in New Zealand as a positive genius; and. last of all, as a pugilist he gained for himself a deal of respect among the miners of those far-away colonial goldfields. Perhaps it was this determination on Mr. Seddon's part to fight his own battles under any conditions that, gained for him the unqualified apjireciation of the large mining element in the constituency for which he first sat in Parliament. On one noted occasion it was brought to the giant Premier’s notice that a noted bully of the camp, who owed him some money, was about to leave without settling his lawyer's bill. Mr. Seddon’s clerk was afraid to approach the bully, and consequently brought the case before his master.

“All right,” said Mr. Seddon. “Leave him to me. I'll settle with him, and also make him settle his bill.”

Shortly afterwards the Premier “interviewed” the miner, who, on emerging from the room, was the proud possessor of two black eyes, a nos* slightly’ discoloured, and his pockets lighter by the amount he owed his pugilistic interviewer.

In an interview with Mr; Evelyn B. Baldwin, the leader of the BaldwinZiegler polar expedition, which lately returned to Norway on the conclusion of fifteen months’ work in the North Polar Seas, Mr. Baldwin gave interesting details of what the expedition experienced and accomplished. “I am glad to be able to say that not only has every member of the expedition safely returned, but that we never had a serious case of illness. The depression during the long Arctic night was, of course, great, but we were really all too busy to pay much at‘tention to our moods. In the intervals of worjf we did our best to keep up our spirits. Fortunately we were a musical company, and the bears' must often have been surprised as the strains of the * Star-spangled Banner ’ were wafted through the icy darkness. During the whole winter we were working night and day. At times the entire company was told oft into two shifts, there being always plenty to do in caring for the animals, making sledges and equip* ment, and in taking observations. The presence of so many dogs-*-we had at one time over 200 during the winterkept the camps greatly clear of bears; but sometimes they would Surprise us. On one occasion two of our members,

while sledging ice with one of the ponies, were set upon by a huge beast which came upon them unawares. They were quite unarmed, and were remarking at the absence of game, when they espied a few feet in front of thepi a. great white bear, which immediately charged. The pony forthwith stampeded, dragging the sledge with it, and leaving the two men quite defenceless. With great, presence of mind they availed themselves of a neighbouring iceberg, to the top of which they clambered, while the bear was momentarily watching the precipitate flight of the horse. Then he turned, and growling viciously followed the men up the berg. The latter succeeded in escaping by the opposite side, but were closely followed by the bear, which, however, refused to approach when they neared the safety of the ship. There were many narrow escapes while sledging over the thin ice, and more than once ponies,' sledges and contents were precipitated into the water, from .which they were dragged with considerable difficulty. There were numerous instances of whole dog teams, while harnessed to the sledges, wildly charging herds of walruses, with which they fought fiercely at the very edge of open water holes, much to th-: peril of the drivers, dogs and loals.”

Now that Dr. Wohlntann is going to establish mud baths at Rotorua, some particulars of the latest of fashionable cures must be of interest to “Graphic” readers. There are fashions in “cures” as in everything else, and the most favoured medicinal bath just now is the mud or peat bath. Thousands of these mineral moor baths are given every year at Marieiibad. Franzensbad, ami other places of the kind. In Sweden and Finland they are held in high repute. Those who have only heard of mud baths and have not tried them may be interested to know of what they are composed. A mud or peat bath is a thin, pulpy mass of dark colouring, the peat of which it is composed consisting of decomposed mineral and vegetable substances, of residues of plants, salts of various kinds, vegetable earth, and humic aeid, resins, siliceous earth and clay, phosphate of protoxide of iron, sulphate of iron, chloride of sodium, sulphates of carbonic aeid. sulphuric and formic acid, magnesia, etc., all of them powerful elements, acting directly upon the skin. Tn preparing a mud bath the peat is saturated with water and steam into a pulpy mass situated in a. large wooden vat; the temperature of the bath is from

uodeg. to lOOdeg. Fahr., aud into thia dark mud goes the patient, und remains there, immersed in a huge poultice as it were, for half an hour or so. She then passes into an ordinary warm bath, and is thoroughly cleansed, after which she emerges and is rubbed and dried. About four to six cubic feet of mud is considered a sufficient quantity for a bath.

A serious-minded correspondent writes to the “Bulletin”: Let ine, through the medium of your disreputable paper, draw the attention of tin- H.C.T.IT. to the urgent necessity of a crusade for the abolition of tlie big shop window. The harm done by tins nefarious institution is incalculable. Women congregate in front of these establishments, staring at the millinery and frippery- displaced, ami the bad man, who is always walking abroad seeking for ewe lambs to devour knows that these big windows are the places to catch ’em. Respectable men toiling hard at business for the maintenance of their dear ones (ah!) are forced by the crowd of feminine gapers to-step out into the roadway from the shelter of the verandahs into the sun, and are thereby smitten with a thirst that drives them to the bar. There they are made drunk, and next morn sees a contrite and sore-headed husband and father fined 10/ for assaulting his dear ones whilst under the influence of the liquor he got to quench his thirst, caused by the crowd in front of the show window driving him into the sun. The big drapery displays, especially, should be suppressed ruthlessly’ as mere plundering organisations. Women are by them tempted to buy things they do not really require and which they cannot afford. As a lamber-down the publican simply isn't “in it” with the big draper. The draper plunders the defenceless married man just as thoroughly by means of his big window display as the footpad does when he knocks his victim down with a sandbag and goes through him while lie is insensible. The only difference is that a man has a chance witli the footpad, and with the other robber he has none. But it Is in the interests of those dear young creatures just budding into womanhood (All!) that I write. More girls have been lured to destruction by the “duck of a hat” or the “dream of a silk underskirt” they saw in the big shop window than ever went astray through drinking fermented and spirituous liquors. The virtue that can hold out against theatres and suppers goes down smash before the latest thing- in chiffon hats and silk underskirts; and the love of a tailor-

made is stronger than that of the pallid bloom of a gaiuejeae life; and when the wages of sin .are silk and satin, starred with gems, human con“tinence is as the grass which perishCth.

“The best laid schemes of men and mice gang aft agley,” as we know even in these remote colonies. Here is a Home instance: The “family homo’’ set np by the Corporation of Glasgow was intended originally for both widowers and widows with families, the idea being that the children could be cared for there by responsible persons while the parent went out to work; but developments (took place which were not in the municipal programme, and the widows were got rid of, accommodation being ■now available only for widowers. But at no time, it is said, has the home been more than three parts full; and whether a municipality should devote the public funds to any such enterprise at all is open to question.

There are some evils we are free of in 'New Zealand.

The following is from a daily paper advertisement: —

“Required immediately, in a lady’s houstl tit seaside, bright, capable girl, of about eighteen, of domestic tastes, as useful Companion-Help and Personal Attendant to lady. Must be strong and healthy .and of good disposition, sensible, willing and unselfish. Only gentlewomen answering this description need reply. Will be taught housekeeping arid all household duties. No premium required. Salary second year.—Address .” What price “white slaves?” “No premium” is delicious! And what about the poor girl if not required after the first year?

Are you fond of whisky? Headers of the “Graphic” may be interested to know that in England it is the fashionable drink of the day. The famous wine and spirit merchant, Mr Alfred Gilbey, in an Interview, confirmed the theory that Scotch ■whisky is displacing beer and claret mora and more as a table beverage. Whisky, said Mr Gilbey, is advancing continually—Scotch whisky, that is; but the better descriptions of Irish are fairly holding their own. People drink whisky nowadays who formerly drank claret, and frequently on medical advice. The falling off in the consumption of French wine is almost exclusively confined to Bordeaux. Burgundy maintains its position. It is no fault of the wine that there is a diminished use of claret, for a sound wine can be sold at a shilling a bottle. The cold weather has been responsible largely thus far for the decline; but still, apart from thia cause, claret is not in fashion. For one thing, Mr Gilbey continued, claret is not drunk to-day after dinner. Everybody smokes, and cigarettes and claret don’t go well together. The proper way to drink claret is to take it with your food. It never tastes so well as it does with game or mutton. No wine goes better with meat. In Bordeaux, where thej- know how to live well, a great merchant entertaining his guests! will give them a succession of fine clarets, and with the sweets a sweet champagne or port. Claret, of course, should not .be served cold. It requires warming when the temperature is low. Red wine thus treated is more palatable in winter than Moselle.

Bid you ever hear that story of t wo elderly maiden ladies who lived together in a lonely house on the outskirts of a small town where the women outnumbered the men by an alarming majority? Grace was very nervous, and inclined -to shriek if she saw a cockroach or a mouse. So one ®*ght, when she heard a slight noise, she fancied the house was being broken into, and she was in a state of great trepidation. Sarah was cast in a sterner mould, and her weakerminded sisflu- was wont to rely on her in all cases »f emergency, such as a fbrniAl cal! By the milk-and-watery curate, and their reception of him in the "front ptlrlouf.” or the wild apparrition of a terrible tramp at the gate. Accordingly, on being elarmefl Grace screamed, loudly, “Sarah!

Sarah!” The second old maid, being Accustomed to her sister’s vagaries, and the general harmlessness of her “bogies,” called out, calmly and coolly, “What do you want?” “There's * burglar in the house. What shall we do?*’ eried the other, excitedly. “Oh,” said Sarah, grimly, “just ask him if ■he is married, and tell him that if Ire isn’t I’ll take him!”

In a most interesting article, “On Circuit in Kaffirland,” in “Temple Bar,” a well-informed writer says: So far as cne can gather, a great revolution is being quietly accomplished, in native law and usages, by tl.e substitution of individual for tribal tenure of laud. A difficult question, which may cause some trouble in the future, is that of the law of marriage and succession. The Kaffir is habitually polygamous, and for polygamy, in the present condition of the social fabric, there is a good deal to be said. As an institution it forms the keystone of a large body of native law, and for many purposes it is recognised by the Colonial Government. The law of dowry and inheritance is elaborate and well understood; the “great wife,” “the right-hand wife,” and the minor wives, and the issue of each marriage, all have their defined status and privileges. But, should a native marry according to the general statutory law, before a marriage-offi-cer, the Roman-Butch law is held to apply. Though a man may have several previous “reputed” wives, the children of the statutory marriage are regarded as his only legitimate heirs. A suggestion has been made, but not adopted, that this result should arise only when there has been, at the time of the marriage, an express disclaimer of the native law. Possibly a compromise might be arrived at, on the basis of permitting the husband, in such circumstances, to exercise the option of placing the issue of his reputed wives, and any issue of his future wife, on the same footing of legitimacy.

A lady living on the Boulevard Magenta, Paris, met with an extraordinary adventure recently. She had ordered a cab to fetch her home from a friend’s house at- midnight. When she came out to find her cab it was 1 a.m. “Ah,” said the cabman, “you have played a nice game with me, keeping me here all this time.” “But, my man, I will pay you for your time,” said the lady. “All right, get in,,” replied the driver.

The cab then drove off at a furious pace, and the lady began to realise with terror that she was being driven out of Paris, perhaps to be robbed and murdered.

Presently, in a deserted side street outside the fortifications, the cab stopped, and the cabman got down from his sent. “Now then, little mother,,” he said, producing a greasy pack of cards, “you have got to play a game with me.” The trembling lady, who had her watch and purse in her hand ready to offer the man, saw that he was mad. She resolved to humour him. By the light of the cab lamps phe played two games of ecarte with the mad driver. She won both games, whereupon the cabman got up on his box and drove her straight home. “No,” he said, “I don’t want any fare; you won it just now at cards.”

The saloon at Sandringham is said to be a favourite resort of the Royal Family. There visitors often are received by their Majesties, and those who arrive bv an early train join the circle for tea in this apartment, the Queen frequently pouring out. Dinner is at 8.45, Sandringham time, although the actual hour is really somewhat earlier, every clock on the premises being kept fast —‘the King’s method for ensuring punctuality.

All guests assemble in the drawingroom about 15 minutes before the time. About three minutes before the chiming of the clock their Majesties and all prinnre and princesseH staying in the house enter in procession, and pass through the already formed double line, of company. The guests follow ’in order of precedence, taking their places at oval tables, at one of which the King and Queen sit facing each other. The servants* liveries consist of

scarlet coats and waistcoats, gold ntocks, white satin breeches, -and white silk stockings. There is a special footman immediately behind the chair of the Queen, and one known as the ‘'sergeant” footman immediately behind that of the King. These men retain their positions throughout the dinner, the dishes being brought to them by other footmen, the former handing them to their Majesties. A guest of Royal rank has also a footman specially to wait upon him, but all commoners who dine at Sandringham have one footman to each two guests.

To anyone acquainted with the drinking customs of German students, the following announcement in a Berlin iiewspajier sounds almost incredible: “At the University of Tubingen an association of students has been constituted on the basis of abstention from alcohol.”

Curiously enough, almost at the same time Heinrich von I’oschinger publishes in the “Neue Freie Presse” a few particulars concerning the. Iron Chancellor’s student life. The statesman belonged to the Gottingen corps known as the “Hannovera,” and in its official books occurs this interesting- entry: “Bismarck reprimanded for turning up drunk at the convention!” One wonders what he would have said of the young teetotallers of Tubingen.

One of the most curious traits to be found in the animal nature, said an observant citizen, is that which grows out of the unconscious imitativeness of creatures of the lower order. I have observed many instances where the creatures of a lower order have taken on the chavacteristics in some noticeable degree of members of the human family. One might know, for instance, the beggar’s dog from the look of the dog, from the droop of the eye, the pathetic hang of the lip, and a certain general air of despondency and hopelessness which seems to speak in the. very nature of the animal. I mention the beggar’s dog because it is a familiar example. The beggar’s dog never looks cheerful, never smiles, never frolics, but simply sits by his master and broods and begs for whatever charity may give. I have seen the dog character moulded under happier influences, and the dog became .more cheerful. He was a lighthearted, free and easy sort of creature, and seemed to get something of the sunnier side of things. I am almost tempted to say that if you will show me a man’s dog I will tell you what manner of man the owner is, with particular reference to temperament and his moods. The melancholy man, the man who grovels mentally along the gloomier groves, the pessimistic man who is always looking at the dark side of the picture, all the men who come within these unhappy classifications rarely own a cheerful dog. The dog unconsciously takes to the ways

of the master, and in his moods imitates the master's way of thinking. But turn to .the dog of ,she jolly, cheerful fellow. Watch him show his teeth in laughter when the master approaches, lie is darting across the yard and dancing and frisking at the master’s feet in the happiest way imaginable, and he is up to all kinds of pranks and does all kinds of little things to indicate the good nature that is in him. He does as his master does, and seems to take the same genera! view of life. These are small things, but they show just how one’s way of thinking may influence one’s dog and change his Whole view of life.

The New Zealand servant is often abused for cheek, but the “Home” article can give her points on ocoasion.

A gentleman who resides in the neighbourhood of Hampstead Heath tells the following story of the modern domestic:

Arriving home rather late a few nights back, I was accosted by a policeman who was hanging about outside my gate. “Beg pardon, sir; but are yon aware of the goings-on of your servants?”

“No; what do you mean?” I said, rather sharply. “Well, sir, it’s just this; there ain’t one on ’em about the place.” “Oh, nonsense,” I said. “Whff, they’ve all been in bed and asleep these two hours.”

“Excuse me, sir, but if you will allow me I’ll soon convince you that you haven’t a servant in your house.” Seeing that the man was serious, I followed him to a certain dancing saloon not very far away. I had little difficulty in gaining admittance, and there, sure enough, were cook, housemaid and nurse disporting themselves in the mazy valse. The nurse was the first to “spot” me, and I at cnce began to remonstrate with her for neglecting her special charge—a child in arms.

Imagine my horror when, in selfdefence, she produced the pride rff the family from a cupboard in the corner, where she had carefully stowed it away, so that the -enjoyment of the dance might not be interfered with.

So Far So Good.—The following extraordinary prayer was offered by a delegate to a missionary convention. After offering thanks, he continued: —“And we thank Thee, O Lord, for Thy wonderful power over this world in which we live, for although Thon hast made the earth and caused it to revolve in a strange manner, and with great velocity, and although our missionaries are scattered all over the globe, still, so marvellously hast Thou balanced the centripetal and centrifugal force, that, as yet, not a single brother has been thrown from the surface into unending space.”