People Talked About

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue VI, 8 August 1903, Page 362

People Talked About

Th* B»rvt»n;Horror, We give this week some portraits of the principal actors in the events which occurred recently in Servia, and shocked the whole civilized world. King Peter A. Karageorgevitch, who has been chosen as the new King, was born at Belgrade in 1844, and is the eldest son of Prince Alexander Karageorgevitch, who reigned over Servia from 1842 to 1858. He is a grandson of the famous “Black George,” who, as the first national leader to rise against the Turks, in 1804. laid the foundation stone of the liberty and independence of modern Servia. King Peter Karageorgevitch re-

ceived a careful education, and finished his military studies in Paris, at the schools of St. Cyr and the Staff College (Etat Major). He went through the whole of the Fra neo-Prussian war. being attached to the Etat Major XV. et XVIII. corps, under Generals Feuillet Pilatrie, Billot, and Bourbaki. In recognition of his valour and courage the French Government awarded him the Order of the legion of Honour. At the time of the up-rising of Herzegovina and Bosnia, in 1875. King Peter Karageorgevitch hastened to the support of bis brethren fighting for their liberation, having equipped and maintained a body of men at his own cost. King Peter, in 1883. married the late Princess Zorka. the eldest daughter of the Prince of

Montenegro, and by this marriage has one daughter and two sons. He has the great advantage of being the son-in-law of the Prince of Montenegro, and thus connected by marriage with the Imperial family of Russia and the Royal families of Italy, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and Battenberg. Unquestionably, therefore, he would have much influential support among the Powers and in the Balkan States themselves. It may interest our readers to learn that King Peter is the translator into Servian of John Stuart Mill’s work on "Liberty.”

The Unspeakable Turk. A Greek lias been writing about the Sultan of Turkey in the June number of the “Pall Mall Magazine.” This much-talked-of potentate is painted in anything but fascinating colours. He dyes his hair and moustache, and has a most disconcerting physiognomy, the most peculiar feature being his eyes. Reflecting usually uneasy melancholy, at other times they will stare for a long time into vacancy as though absorbed in thought, and then, if a flash of anger

or fear lightens up the dark-grey iris—the colour of a stormy sky—they instantly become keen and alert, and cause those whose glance they meet a painful impression taut can be borne only after long familiality. Not only is the life of a man who is troublesome to him of little account, but spilled blood seems to calm and soothe his shattered nenes, always stretched to the snapping point. “At night, before going to sleep,’’ says one of his ehamb ruiins,

"he has someone to read to him. His favourite books are those giving detailed accounts of assassinations and executions. The stories of crimes excite him and prevent him sleeping, but as soon as his reader reaches a passage where punishment falls upon the criminal the Sultan immediately becomes calm and falls asleep ” His nature, judging from his acts, is not a kindly one. When Neby-Agha executed the unfortunate Grand Vizier Midhat Pasha and Mahmoud-Djellaleddin Pasha, at Taifa, the Sultan, wishing to see the heads of bis victims, ordered them to be embalmed and sent to Constantinople. In this must be seen also a precaution inspired by distrust, Adbul-Hamid wishing to be sure that, his two enemies were dead.

About Paderewski

Paderewski has been ordered a rest and he is now living quietly at his home in Switzerland. This is not the first occa sion that a breakdown in health has fol lowed a long and exacting tour, for it is well known that during any ser’es of con certs the great Polish pianist throws him self so into his work that he makes exces sive demands on his physical endurance All musical London is familiar with this great pianist, of whom his compatriot De Pachmann, said: “Paderewski is the most modest artist I have ever seen.’ His reserved somewhat dreamy mannei ofi the platform, the absence of all tricks and grimaces, and the rarity of his publicsmiles. have all been noticed by those who have been enchanted by the magic of his music; ami the clearly cut, refined features, with thick mass of clustering fair hair, have been described and pictured in every corner of tire world by paint ers, sculptors, cartoonists, and now by the illustrated post-cards (says a London paper). At the time when Mme. Mod jeskn first predicted a great future for

Paderewski she described him “as a pol ished and genial companion; a man ol wide culture; of witty, sometimes biting tongue; brilliant in table talk; a man wide awake to all matters of popular interest, who knew and understood the world, and whose friendship her husband and herself prized for the elevation of his character and the refinement of his mind.” Paderewski is fond of practica joking, has a keen sense of humour; writes an admirable letter, plays a fine game of billards, and speaks fluently in Polish, Russian, English, French and Ger man. Of his personal habits perhaps the two that are least normal are his inveter ate smoking of cigarettes and his dispcsi tion to sleep in the day time. Man | tales of Mr Paderewski’s magnetism have been told, and the devotion of his friends reaches an extreme standard. Frequent instances of his generosity are known to the public, and Huneker’s line is a very happy summary of this gifted and charm ing man: “His life has been full of sorrow, of adversity, of viciousness never His heart is pure, his life clean, his ideals lofty.”

o o Expected More.

A good story about the volatile Earl of Yarmouth, who used to do skirt dances in Melbourne, has just come outj) The Earl recently married an American heiress named Miss Thaw. It seems that the Earl and Miss Thaw dined with a Pittsburg family a week before their wedding. The daughter of the hostess, a little girl of nine years, sat opposite to the Earl, and not once did she take her big, grave eyes from his face. Finally she said. “Are you an .Ensrlish lord, sir?” “Yes,” he answered, laughing. “I am an English lord.” "Really and truly?”

“Yes, really and truly.” She regarded him in silence for a moment. “T never saw an English lord before,” she s-iid. “I have always b°en verv anxious to see one.” “And now that vou have seen one. you are satisfied, aren’t you?” the young man said, gaily.

“No. I am not satisfied,” the little girl returned. “T am disappointed.”

Danlnar Feat

The most sensational feat seen in Lon don since Diavolo attempted to “Loon th» Loop” at the Aquarium, is Miss Mi” - Alix’s daring turn at the London H : pno drome, which is celled “Hooping th» Hoop.” The track is a perfect hoon around which Miss Alix flies in a motor car at almost incnlciilable sr>“M. The

car starts from the flies down the track, which is inclined at an angle of thirtyfive degrees, and enters the hoop at a' tremendous pace through an opening which immediately closes. The impetus gained on the downward rush is sufficient to whirl the car right round the hoop in less than three seconds. Brakes, in the form of trailing sandbags, arc applied to the car as it is travelling up the opposite incline, and it is brought to a standstil within a few feet of the net.

A Well-known Sea Captain.

The late Captain William Gilmer, who died last week, was the only son of the late Mr George W. Gilmer, formerly of the Bank of New South Wales, Auck land. Deceased was born in this city. He adopted the sea as a profession and made several trips to the Old Country. Captain Gilmer was subsequently associated with the late Captain Norris

ill the intercolonial trade. He was for some time in the service of the N.S.S. Company, and also with the U.S.S. Company. When leaving the latter service he was appointed master of the brigantine Aratapu, which he sailed for some years, until compelled by the state of his health to retire. Captain Gilmer married a daughter of the late wellknown Captain Barker, of the whaler Rosario, of New Bedford, U.S.A. He leaves a widow, but no family.

An E. A. Po« Story

The late John Sartain, the eminent engraver of Philadelphia, knew Edgar Allan Poe intimately. He was free to admit that Poe in his youth had been somewhat profligate, but he always denied stoutly that in later life the poet was anything like the drunkard gossip paints him. “At the University of Virginia,” Mr Sartain once said, “Poe did drink too much. In the middle of his Freshman year there he gave a peach-and-honey party. Pec.eh and honey was the drink of those da vs—a mixture of honey and peach brandy that was as overpowering as it was sweet and pleasant.

“Poe sat at the head of the table. ‘Boys,’ he said to his guests, ‘shall we behave like men or like brutes?’ “Like men. of course.’ a senior answered. in a rebuking voice. “ ‘Then,’ sai l Poe. ‘we’ll all get drunk, for that is something brutes never do.’ ”

Sandow on the Cult of the Corset.

Eugen Sandow has an article on “Woman and the Corset” in “Sandow’s Magazine.” He admits, with shame, that “few of the present-day women can lay aside their corsets. Their bodies are too weak to support themselves without artificial aid: but what eannot be done at a single stride can be arrived at by patient endeavour. A lady called at one of my schools,” says Sandow. “sufTering from dyspepsia, insomnia, with a tendency at times to hysteria. She had suffered for some six or seven years. After questioning her as to her haoits and mode of living. I came to the conclusion that a tight-fitting corsrit was the cause of all her ailments. She was measured over her carsets by one of my young lady attendants, who reported that the tape showed a girth of 22in; immediately after the corset had been removed the waist measured 23in. I gave instructions that she should lie down for half an hour. At the end of that time the waist showed a measurement of 24}in. I ordered 30 minutes gentle exercise of abdominal movements, after which the measure showed 25}in. A three months’ course of systematic exercise was then prescribed, which was rigidly adhered to. At the end of this course my patient had a waist measurement Of 26Jin. which was maintained for the remainder Of the time she was under my training, and al] her old ailments had disappeared,”