Here and There.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIII, Issue XVI, 15 October 1904, Page 14

Here and There.

Things one would rather have expressed more gallantly.—“A tramcar was overturned at Birmingham last evening. . . . Fortunately the only passenger was a woman.” —"Daily Graphic,” July 13.

The German army has a swimming school for troops, where every one must learn to swim. The best swimmers are able to cross a stream of several hundred yards width, even when carrying their clothing, rille, ami ammunition.

In some of the patents taken out 61 years ago we find (says “Engineering’) clearly slated all the essential points for the construction of an excellent steam turbine. Many of these, early inventors seem to have such very clear ideas as to essential features of a successful steam turbine that their failure to make their ideas commercially successful is somewhat singular. A travelling savings bank, lately est iblisbrd in the North of France, is an electric motor carriage, carrying a small safe, a desk (imide, of folding shelves) for depositors, and seats for the driver, two clerks, and a cashier. It journeys about the country, making short stops in the villages on stated days, to receive such sums as the thrifty workfolk may be desirous of saving. The following true cat story may Interest your readers: A eat climbed up an elm tree in Queen’s Square, Bloomsbury, where a. pigeon had its nest, and having devoured two young pigeons it deposited two new-born kittens in their place.— Marion C. Bedford, in “Nature Notes.”

The Japanese generals who are directing the campaign against the Russians arc by no means youthful. Marquis Yamagata (field marshal) is 66 years old, Marquis Oyama (field marshal) is 62, Count Nodzu is 63, Count Katsura (Premier) is 57. Viscount, Sakuma is 59, Baron Kuroki (first, army), is 60, Baron Oku (second army) is 58. The facts are from the “Japan Weekly Mail.”

“At the beginning of my musical career I had a wonderful confidence in myself,” remarked Mr George Grossmith. “1 was so positive that I had made a great hit at my first public entertainment that 1 turned up my collar, pulled down my hat, and went and mixed with the audience as they filed out. that I might listen to the favourable verdict. 1 beard one man say, ‘Well, what did yon think of the youngster at the piano?’ The answer was prompt, ‘Think of him? Why, I’ve heard better at a penny gaff!’”

They were' talking about a friend of hers who had married a bishop stationed in Kamsehatka, or Timbuetoo, < r some other heathen land. “I could never understand why she married him,” said the young woman. “She seemed the last girl on earth to marry a bishop. She eared so much more for having a good time than she did for church work and sewing circles!” “Girls are pretty wise nowadays,” said the young man, “and they generally have a good reason for inarrying as they do. A girl friend of mine married a doctor so that she could always be well for nothing and maybe this girl married the bishop so that she eould he good for nothing.”

In the mountains of Tyrol, it is the custom of the women and children to come out when it is bedtime, ami sing. Their husbands, fathers, and brothers answer them from the hills on their return home. On the shores of the Adriatic such a custom prevails. There, the wives of the'fishermen come down about sunset, and sing a melody. Aftir singing the first stanza they listen awhile for an answering melody from off ths water, ami continue to sing and listen till the well-known voices come borne on the waters, telling that the lor cd one is almost home. How sweet to the weary fisherman, as the shadows gather around him, must be the songs of the

loved ones at home that sing to cheer him, and how they must strengthen and tighten the links that bind together these dwellers by the sea! Great American editor: "Are you sure there is nothing in this story 7 of yours that might conflict with the interests of our advertisers ?” Contributor: “Absolutely nothing.” “Nothing that could possibly offend our readers. “No, sir.” “You know I’m working on a salary. Have you written it with due regard to the prejudices of the owners of the magazine?” “I have. Not only that, but 1 have endeavoured to suppress myself, and written something that might please you.” “Good. You wish to sign it, I presume.” “Certainly. Sign it with the names of your oldest subscribers, your best advertisers, the owners and yourself.”

They aceuse Australians of being selfish and ungallant, especially 7 in keeping their seats in a crowded train or tram while weak women, who have, perhaps toiled up and down The Block all the afternoon, and are just sinking from fatigue and the want, of another cup of tea. are allowed to stand (says a writer in the “Australasian”). My friend Maenamara, who was born in Kilkenny, is not one of that sort. After the football match last Saturday he climbed with difficulty into a Toorak tram, and was obviously tired. Yet the moment a lady entered Mae rose with his finest bow and said impressively, “Take my seat, madam. Now I—hie!—insisht. Couldn’t 'low a lady to stand.’ Then he hung •n to the platform, and the ear went with the lady and the chivalrous Mae as the only passengers. The lady explains that she has often been mistaken for another woman, but never before for a tram-car full of them.

“We are apt to imagine,” said a naitrnralisf, “that because birds can fly they are in the habit of doing what we should if we had wings, namely, to take long journeys, and see the world. As a matter of fact, the average bird seldom travels any great distance from any 7 place where it can find its food. It is firmly attached to its native haunt-, and never cares to fly far from home. In some parts of the world birds are found inhabiting localities to which they limit themselves as exclusively as though they had no powers of flight. They find all the food they need in those particular regions, and there is nothing to tempt them to visit other districts, even those comparatively near at hand. There are probably thousands of town birds—sparrows and pigeons —who pass their whole lives among the chimney 7 pots, quite indifferent to the charms of the country. The birds of passage are practically the only 7 birds that habitually travel.”

There are two forms of sunstroke. The mildest is that known as heat exhaustion. This manifests itself in the ease of people who are overcome by heat without being actually sunstruek. In this.form the skin is pale. cold, ami clammy, and the pulse feeble. While death sometimes results, . the patients under good treatment will usually recover. Persons affected in this way should be removed to a shady 7 spot and have their heads and chests dashed with cold water. Spirits of ammonia (hartshorn) should be applied to the nostrils, and sometimes it is necessary to administer small quantities of stimulants.

Heat-stroke, or insolation, is the serious form of this trouble, and .t he one to Ire most closely guarded against. In eases of real insolation the fave becomes purplish, eyes bloodshot, veins swollen and corded, and the skin dry and burning hot to the touch. It is not' always fatal, but many of those whose Jives are saved are ever aflei< wards invalids, with brain power more or less impaired. Heat stroke is so dangerous that a physician should be called as soon ns possible. While awaiting the doctor’s arrival much good

caw'fn' done ah 4 fife often ‘saved hy applications of ice to the head and spinal column. It is best broken iu small pieces and placed in cloth or rubber hags, but when these are not to be had iee can be placed directly about the head and neck.—“ Science Siftings.”

The Bible is the best selling book in the world. It leads, and by a long interval, all other publications in copies purchased in the ordinary channels of trade, without regard to what may be. called the.' official distribution. Every book store which undertakes to carry a full line of stock sells the Bible. Several important corporations confine themselves to the manufacture and sale of Bibles, and others find in the Biblo their leading feature. Of no other hook can this be said. Speaking some time ago of the insatiable demand for the Bible as an article of merchandise, an officer of the Methodist Book Concern, which till recently issued cheap editions of the Bible, said: “Like all publishers, we have to keep watch of the sale of books in general, even the most popular, so as not to get overstocked. But this never occurs in printing the Bible. We just keep the presses steadily 7 at work, and if we hapv pen to find that we have 40,000 or 50,000 copies on hand it gives us no uneasiness. We are sure to sell them, and we go straight ahead printing.”

Mr A. E. W. Mason has been questioned as ot the central idea of his novel, “The Fcnr Feathers’"—that of an officer of highly-strung nature, who falsely fancies himself a coward, and exposes himself to the accusation of cowardice. The novelist says: —“I have always been attracted by the idea -of a man with a great deal of imagination weighed down with the idea that he was going to shirk his duty, ami, since the book lias been written, soldiers have corroborated my view. 1 mean to say that I have had. letters from distinguished soldiers, some of whom personally 1 don’t know, men who have won the Victoria Cross, and have a great reputation for bravery, and those letters have aB been sympathetic. Nowadays there are many men with highly-developed imaginations, who have to go through much more than the merely stupid people who do not realise the dangers, and 1 was very glad to find my idea confirmed, as it is one 1 have always been rather keen on.”

With the excellent-object in view of improving the national physique, 15.00(1 British doctors have signed a petition to the Board of Education, says a London newspaper.

This petition urges upon educational authorities the necessity for making th® teaching of hygiene and the nature and eticcts of alcohol compulsory subjects in all public elementary schools. The main points of the petition are as under: Doctors have constantly before them the serious physical ami moral conditions of degeneracy and disease resulting from the neglect and infraction of the elementary laws of hygiene. They therefore urge the central educational authorities of the United Kingdom to include in the curricula of the public elementary schools, ami to encourage in the secondary schools, such (teaching as may lead all children to appreciate at their true value healthful bodily conditions as regards cleanliness, pure air, food, drink, etc. Sin h instruction should be compulsory, should be commenced at an early age, and should be given in such a manner that no- tendency towards unwholesomeness is developed. The committee responsible for the preparation of the petition includes Sir William Broadbent, Sir Lauder Brunton, Sir Thomas Barlow, Sir Victor Horsley, Sir Henry Littlejohn, Sir J. W. Moore, Sir William Turner, and Sir Samuel Wilks. ... .

Sir Walter Foster, M.P., a distinguished member of the medical profession, was inter' 7 iewed on the subject. “The. starting point,” said he, “would bo to tench school children some simple facts as to the general laws of health. These include the necessity of pure water, fresh air, bodily cleanliness, and the purification of the home, with simple mien as to food necessary for maintaining health and the dangers arising from infectious disease. Compulsory hygiene should undoubtedly go with compulsory vaccination. The logic of compulsory 7 hygiene is to make a man wash himself.”

I The inventory" at the »ale of the bankrupt Marquess of Anglesey’s worldly, goods included 362 fancy waistcoats, 227 suits, 142 pairs of boots and slippers, 100 Overcoats, 150 suits of pyjamas, 61 lounge fruits, 8 kilts, 73 .smoking suits, 278 pairs of gloves, 29 bathing gowns, 82 dressing gowns, and 453 ties, together with a number of expensive bardie robes, Lord Anglesey having been initiated a bard at the Bangor National Eisteddfod two years ago. A feature of the sale was a sable overcoat with 20 tails and 10 head fronts, for which the Marquess is reported to have given £ 1000. Nearly all the hoisery and handkerchiefs were adorned with the Anglesey monogram and crest. The way they advertise for artists in America: •'Wanted, lady banjo or guitar player who is a good singer. Work on waggon once a day. Week stands. .Stop at hotels. 1 pay good salary and all expenses. I am a gentleinn. a moneygetter, and an entertainer, and must have good support. I mean business. 1 want lady without any incumbrance—you know what I mean. Can’t stand for visits to sick husbands an.d sweethearts every few weeks. You get your salaiy every Sunday morning. Long engagement and good treatment guaranteed. i->tate salary, what you do, age, experience, etc., in first letter. All letters answered. if you use cigarettes, snuff, or booze, please don’t write. I sell medicine that cures that." The man before the magistrate was a stranger in the district, but he was most acutely indignant that lie should be suffering the humiliation of his present position. “The constable seems very certain about everything connected with my ease,” he sneered; “but there is one weak point in his evidence. “Why”—■ impressively—“does he not call his follow-offieer to corroborate what he says ?” . His Worship turned an inquiring look upon the policeman, who vainly endeavoured to conceal an expansive smile behind.an ample, but, for that purpose, nil too small hand. “There’s only one constable stationed in the village, sir,” said the officer. “But I saw two last night!” indignantly asserted the defendant. “Exactly!” ‘ grinned the policeman. “That’s jest the charge, agenst you!” A lantern-jawed young man stopped nt the country post-office one Saturday, and cried out, “Anything for the Wattses 1" The polite postmaster replied, “No, there’s not.” “Anything for Jane Watts?” “Nothing.” “Anything for Ace Watts?” “No.” | “Anything for Bill Walts?” . “No, sir.” “Anything for Tom Walts?” “No, nothing." “Anything for Joe Walts?” “No, nor Dick Watts, nor Jim Watts, Hor Sweet Watts, nor any other Watts, dead, living, unborn, native, foreign, civilised or uncivilised, gentle or barbarous, male or female, white or black, franchised or disfranchised, naturalised or otherwise. No, there is positively nothing for any of the Wattses, either individually, severally, jointly, now and for ever, one and inseparable.’’ The boy looked at the postmaster in Astonishment, and said, “Please look if there is anything for John Thomas Walts.’’ “Whenever I see an English bishop.” said Marcel Prevost at a dinner-party, “i laugh a little to myself, for the good man's stately presence reminds me of a terrible mishap that once befel me. I entertained a certain bishop last year at diuner. My butler, an elderly man, had brought in from a friend’s house an inexperienced lad to help him in the dining-room, and it seems that this lad during the laying of the cloth annoyed Hie butler beyond endurance with questions as to his duties. “‘How shall 1 hold the plates? Do T nerve the dishes on I he right or on the left side of the guests’ Must the bishop be served first or second?’ “So he continued interminably. And *t last the impatient butler said: ‘All you will need to do will be to stand behind I be bishop’s chair, and whenever his lordship puts down his glass you must reach over and wipe his mouth

■with a na(»kin.* “That, as the butler expected, silenced his assistant. But the young man actually took the butler’s ironical remark for a serious order. As soon as dinner began he stationed himself behind the bishop, waited till his lordship had drunk and put down his glass, and then, as deliberately as his nervousness would permit, he opened out a large napkin and wiped the dignified old gen-t-leman’s mouth.” “Good-night.” he said; the parlour light Was soft and dim and low. “Good-night,” he breathed again; “Goodnight, It’s time that I should go." She rose ami smiled Into Ills eyes. Thea shyly beat her head. “Good-night,” he murmured, loverwise; Ami then, “Good-night," he said. “Good-night"— Ten minutes later they Were standing in the hall. But he was on his homeward way. “Good-night"—He was so tall Her head eame barely to his heart. And she was fair and slight. “The hour has come for us to part." He said, “and so, good-night." “Good-night”—A half an hour had gone; lie iiad his hat and cane And said that lie must hurry on, Then said. "Good-night” again. “Good-night,” “Good-night,” "Good-night," and so “Good-night" they ever sighed: ’Twas really time for him to go; "Good-night”—The door swung wide. “Good-night," he said, and took her hand: An hour or so went by;" “Good-night"—They could not understand The greyness of the sky. “Good-night,” again, and then “Goodnight;” Vpon Hie steps they stood; “Good-night" — He kissed her fingers white. As every lover should. “Good-night”—The eastern sky grew pink As though about to blush; “Good-night”— The stars began to wink. The breezes whispered: “Hush.” Soon on their ears there clanged a knell That smote them with affright— The ringing of the breakfast bell — That time he said “Good-night." Pilfering must be practised with the perfection of a fine art somewhere en route from Milan, in Northern Italy, t» Auckland, for a ease containing silk consigned to Mr John Court, the Queenstreet drapery importer, arrived last week minus a valuable length of material, but packed and sealed as securely as when it. left the manufactory. To minimise the risk of loss, valuable goods are packed m small substantial eases, tied with strong cord. The knots in the cord are carefully sealed, and it needs but a glance to tell, as a rule, whether the case has been broached. One of these cases was included in a. consignment from Milan last week. It had come via Genoa. Lisbon, and Australia, and Mr Court’s shipping receiver gave the shipping company a clear receipt for if. The seals were right and the box was undamaged, but nevertheless a 47-yard length of silk, worth nearly £5, had been abstracted, and a wrapper torn by dirty fingers shewed that someone had tried to secure a second piece. It took some time to puzzle out how the trick had been done without breaking the seals, but a badly driven nail gave the clue. Ono of the boards on the bottom of the box had been carefully prized open, and slid from beneath the cording. When the ease was sampled, the board slid back, and the nails being replaced the pilfered case looked as good as any other. This unique specimen of artistic stealing is being exhibited by Mr Court.

The electrical ore-finder which, the cables tell us, Ims located enormous hematite deposits in the Barrow district of Lancashire, is the invention of Messrs. Daft amt Williams, an American and an Englishman. Professor Sylvanus Thompson (ene of the. leading authorities on electricity in England) recently passed a very favourable judgment on the invention. Professor Thompson’s verdict, which was the first given by an independent English expert of high reputation, is based on a series of practical tests carried out in Wales. For five

years lhe inventors have been experimenting in British Columbia, in Alaska, in Siberia, and in the United Kingdom. Recently the invention was successfully tried nt Coniston. The Romans worked copper mines in (he Coniston Hills, and in modern times more than £750,000 worth of copper has geen dug out of the Wcatherham Heights. But 40 years ago the lode was lost. The mineowners knew it was somewhere in the heart of the hills, but all their seeking failed to

discover it. Recently the invention of Messrs. Daft and Williams showed to an inch where the lust lode was, and dynamite laid it open for all to see. In principle as in results the invention is most simple, though many electrical difficulties had to be overcome in perfecting it. A current of electricity conveying a series of taps or ticks, like an ordinary Morse message, is put. into the earth by means of .special t ransni'ters. This current makes its way through the earth over a larger or smaller area, yards or miles, as the operator niay choose -hut to what depth none can say —from one elect rode to another. Then, with a telephone receiver, and a steel spike, two operators walk over the charger areas, and sticking the spike into the earth anywhere, pick up the current, and the mysterious ticking tells what is hidden in the earth as plainly as though one saw with the X-ray eye. The Marquis of Anglesey will not have to mourn the dispersal of his entire wardrobe, for many of his choicest “confections" have been Ixiught in for him (says a London paper). The good .Samaritan has been his aunt. Mme. Coquelin. 'l'he secret of her sympathy leaked out at the recent sale, when her representative secured a skyblue silk bath-gown for £8 10/. Saved from the spoiler also was the Marquis’ favourite dressing-gown—a dream, as the auctioneer called it, of Jieliotrope silk, lined with fur, for which Mme. Coquelin’s representative old 1’27. Eighty-three silk dressing-gowns, of every shade to match every change of countenance, formed the bulk of the sale. Eighteen pounds was given for one, which was embroidered in silks < n a pink ground, and three gowns made of grey moire silk by a Parisian firm realised £ GO. Bardie robes were at a di-x-ount. One, of the finest crimson silk with a black-and-white silk hood, was sold for £5 1/, and a. lady secured another, of green silk, for £3 10/. An Oriental gown in silk tapestry doth of various colours was knocked down for live guineas, and three gowns in Japanese rice cloth at £ I (I/. The gowns alone realised almost £550. I'he average price paid for two dozen white linen ties was 13/, and silk scarves were sold at 5/ each, and ties at half-a-crown. There was brisk bidding for lhe butterfly bows, 120 of them being knocked down at £9 2/. Two black silk hats and one grey hat only realised 7/, but a single panama fetched £l6 10/. Mix assorted tam-o’-shanlcrs were bought for 14/.

World-wide publicity has produced a welter of contradictory theories about the mysterious experience of Mr. Rider Haggard. The popular novelist, it will be remembered, dreamed about the agony and death of bis retriever dog, and five days later discovered what he considered con-

clusive evidence that the animal hail been run over by a train some miles from the house three or four hours before the time of the dream. It. is decidedly illustrative of the tendency of the age, that, of the multifarious explanations suggested, only one seeks to solve lhe enigma by normal methods. This suggestion is from a hardheaded "Public Prosecutor,” who is prosaic enough to believe that the railway accident, never happened. The dog, he thinks, was possibly bludgeoned under the windows of his master, who heard his dying yell. Or possibly lie yelped as he scampered away Io meet his death elsewhere, and the sound suggested the Rider Haggard dream. II is very significant, thinks this sceptic, that the railway track men should not have breathed n word about the fate of the missing dog until they found Mr. Haggard, five days later, on his way to offer a reward. Needless to

say, neither this wrllmeiMil explanation not the "long arm of coincidence” finds the slightest favour with Mr. Haggard and his roll of sympathetic correspondents. He has an ample choice of more fascinating theories. The grave tator.” while not admitting the hypothesis of animal telepathy, suggests that Mr. Haggard's "subliminal consciousness” may lune travelled to the fatal spot, and actually witnessed the tragedy. Certainly this sort of seeing would he little les* wondertul than the telepathic message despatched by the disoinlxslicd dog some hours after death. In holding to that solution Mr. Haggard has the support of a large number of correspondents who have experienced exactly similar intercourse with "dogs, horses, cals and even birds.” It is tolerably clear that the proceedings of the Psychical Research Society, backed by such unsettling utterances as have fallen from Sir William Crookes, Sir Oliver Lodge, Mr. Andrew Lang and other men of eminence, have fostered a widespread belief in the "supra-normal.” Mr. Rudyard Kipling writes a fantastic story supposing the reincarnation of a Greek galley slave, and io! a few years later, Mrs Campbell Praed actually meets a modern young lady who has a perfect recollection of her former existence as a slave girl in the reign of Domitian, and takes down a novel from her lips. "Cun such things be. and overcome us like a summer dream, without our special wonder.” Mr. VV. T. Stead has encountered various people who dwell habitually “on the verge of the fourth dimension.” It looks as though w'p should all soon be dwelling there, and find it a parlous!/ uncomfortable habitation. The following poem called "The Losson of the Watermill.” by Sarah Doudney, w»a a great favourite with (he late Mel. B. Spurr: Listen to the watermill Through the live-long day, flow the clicking of its wheel Wears the hours away! Languidly the autumn wind Stirs the forest leaves, From the Held the reapers sing Binding up their sheaves; Aud a proverb haunts my mind As a spe’.l is cast: “The mill cannot grind With the water that is past.” Autumn winds revive no more Loaves that once are dead, Ami lhe sickle cannot reap Corn once gathered; Flows lhe rutiled streamlet on, Tranquil, deep, and still; Never gliding bark again To the watermill. Truly speaks that proverb o'd. With a meaning vast — "The mill cannot grind With the water that is past* Take th- lesson to thyself, True and loving heart; Golden youth is fleeting by. Summer hours depart; Learn to make (he most ot life. Lose no happy day, Timo will never bring thee back Chances swep! away! I. eave no tender word unsaid. Love while love shall last "The mill cannot grind With the water that is past.” Work while yet the daylight shines. Mini of strength and will! Never does the streamlet glide Useless by the mill; Wait not till to-morrow’s sun Beams upon thy way. All that thou caiist call thine own Lies lit thy to-day: Power, aud intellect and health May not always last - “’l’he mill cannot grind Wit li the water that is past.” O lhe wasted hours of life That have drifted by! O the good that inigiil have been. Lost without u sigh? Love (hut we might once have saved By a single word. Thoughts conceived hut never p/uued Perishing unheard: Take the proverb to thine heart. Take, timl hold It. fast “The mill cannot grind With lhe water that Is past.”

Poor Wilson Barrett, writes had no idea of the gravity of hi*? malady, and, thinking that the operation was for gastric ulcer, looked forward with no feelings of misgiving whatever to starting his London season at theh Comedy on September 1. To the Surgeons ami physicians he turned ami Said, a few minutes before the chloroforming. “J was to have opened myself on the Ist of Sept ember, ami here are you fellows going to open me on the 20th of .lulv!” “Never mind.” answer-

ed one of I hem, •’we’ll close you up Again alright!” The actor smiled, never dreaming for an instant what grim meaning Fate was capable of giving to the words. “close you up.” The operation. which was for intestinal obstruction of a very serious character, was in itself a remarkably successful one, and Mr Armour, an American surgeon, who is said to be only 28 years of age, was Complimented by the two great physicians present, ns well as by the Duke of 1 ’orlland (a close personal friend of the actor), upon his skill in carrying Out what they (Sir Victor Horsley and Sir Thomas Barlow) declared to be Ihe biggest operation of the kind ever performed on the human body. But heart failure, through fatty degeneration, was waiting to turn into melancholy uselessness a, brilliant man and a brilliant operation, and within half an hour of the calculated time of the crisis, about 30 hours after the beginning of the surgeon’s work, Barrett sank peacefully ami painlessly to rest.

A decidedly acid story, which may or tmiy not. be true, is told of Air Hall Caine in "Harper's Weekly,” on the authority of Mr Sidney, a member of Mr Brcrbohni Tree’s company. When the King and Queen recently visited the Isle of Man. Air Hall Caine was asked to drive with them, in order to point |out the objects of interest. Be appeared to think that the only people of the island were the characters in iiis novels, and regaled their Alajesties With something like this: —“There is the exact spot at which Glory Quayle is first introduced to the reader!” Again, “Donald AlacSheaf passed through that gateway as he encountered the trusty la ini from Douglas.” And al. another place, “Here the blacksmith shod the land lords’s horse in ‘The Manxman.’ ” Thus the cicerone continued for two mortal hours. Their Ala jest ies were dreadfully bored. King Edward asked io be driven back to town, and abandoned sight-seeing. When Caine from the carriage he dropped upon one knee. “Rise, ‘Air* Caine.’’ Commanded His Majesty, according to the sbory. The author got on his feet, much chagrined. He had confidently expected, it is said u at Douglastown, to hr'ar words that would create him a knight—“ Rise. Sir Hall!’’ Knighthoods had been liberally doled out, and Caine couldn’t understand why he failed to get one.

Rome time before the ashes and lava Of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. covered up Her* culanoum and Pompeii, a municipal election was held in the latter city. Mr ‘Joseph Oflord read a paper before the Society for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts concerning this election, about which nothing would have been known but for the terrible eruption, which from *9 to 17f»5 buried the municipium ami its electors alike in a lava tomb. Mr Oflord showed that many of the inscriptions uncovered on the walls of the city relate to elections ami claims of candidates, much in the same way as do the placards posted in our streets to-day. Some were rudely inscribed, others set forth with artistic embellishment. ami one. at least, contained a topical verse written by some minor poet and painted in red. Like our candidates, those in Pompeii were run by their supporters, who represented various trades and interests.. The woodcutter*. fishers, perfumers, dyers, barbets, and the like, had their men pledged to promote or protect their rights ami privileges. There were faddists, too, in Pompeii, who were looked after by such societies as the Ball players, Long Sleepers, Deep Drinkers, and Little Thieves to adopt a free tlaudation of some of their titles. At Pompeii’s civic contest the Long Sleepers and Deep Drinkers appear most appropriately to have run a candidate in common—the main plank in their platform bring the suppression of street noises. Even Pompeii had its religious difficulty. As every visitor to those wondrous unburied ruins knows, it wib the home of a cosmopolitan, and, fur its age, cul-

tore J and tolerant people, and to this <lay stand altars erected to Egyptian gods side by side with those of the established worship of Venus. Naturally there arose sonic differences between them. It is suggested that further excavations may prove that at the 79 election there were Isis passive resisters, 'l'hns near eatne imperial Rome to represent at ive <Sovermnent. in the encounter of wits the American lias generally the best of it, but not always. A Melbourne man who recently returned from a tour of the world tells how his train was delayed for some hours at a Western town, ant he took advantage of the opportunity to walk round the place. The day was hot, and he was attracted by a soda water fountain in a chemist’s shop, so went in for a drink. "Make me up whatever you think best,” he said; ‘■l'm a stranger passing thiougb, and 1 don’t understand your American drinks.” As he turned lo look out of the door he saw reflected in the mirror opposite an emphatic wink from the chemist to his assistant, and guessed that he. as a casual customer, was to lie the subject of a joke. He watched the material used for the drink, and knew enough of pharmacy to realise that, nothing objectionable was being used. He was right in his surmise, though, for the draught was bitter, but he struggled through it without comment. "I'll take a couple of dozen of Hadu powders,” was his next order. The chemist had never heard of this wonderful specific for headache, but the traveller mentioned half a dozen expensive drugs, the proportions to ire used, and was informed that four dozen would be ready for him if he called again in an hour. Then the Australian returned to the station, and caught the express for San Francisco, the Chemist has probably worked off the Hadu powders on some either casual customers. but pot perhaps before the peculiarity iu the name struck him.

<- It is a great mistake, in my opinion, remarked a voting married woman, “for husbands anil wives to call each other by any term of endearment. It generallv begins in the first part of their married life. They feel it is rather line io say f Dear’ and ‘My love,’ etc., in publi<—it emphasises their sense of possession. Later on habit makes them continue the epithets, but they become meaningless; they might just as well be ■Molly’ or ’Billy,’ as far as sentiment goes," and the simple Christian name sounds, to my way of thinking, in better form. When special names have been adopted, as is sometimes the case, they are obnoxious in the beginning, and later on become absurd. 1 know a man who began by calling his wife •Baby.’ They have been married now for several years, and he keeps it up through force of habit, but it does sound ridiculous. 1 was playing bridge the other day with a quondam pair of turtle doves, who have become quite peckish with a decade of married life behind them, and it was funny to hear the old names used with marital sharpness. They were playing together, and were losing, which made them quite cross. ‘You should never have taken that trick. Honey,’ he said, sharply. ‘A baby could have played that hand better, •Ducky,’ she retaliated. And so on. Neither of them seemed aware of the incongruity of the epithets ‘Honey’ and ‘Ducky’ with their irate voices and expression.”

One of the most famous of London wine buyers has been making some disclosures in regard to the tricks practised by certain hotelkeepers who plun< tier their visitors. Jt appears that claret is not the only wine that is bottled up from one cask and sjjd to vis. itors under many different names at several prices ranging from 2/ to 8/, or even 10/ a bottle.

‘Tn my opinion,” said the buyer, “the main reason for the falling-oil' in the. consumption of wine is that they have not in very many eases been getting proper value for their money. "Practices which occur at some of the hotels which do a ‘chance’ trade—a I rode for oeeasiomil visitors - and swarms of holiday makers as against U trade consisting of regular customers,

are simply fraudulent. The landlord buys, say, live hogsheads of claret at '£s per hogshead, or at about the rate of 9/ odd per dozen. This he bottles, and from the same cask gets his Aledoe, his St. Estephe, his St. Julien, his Margaiix, ami the rest, charging froui Z/ k to 8/ per bottle.

“Then he gets his turn of hock for £l2 or £ls, and in the same way produces his Niersteiner, Hockheimer, l.iehfraumileh, ete.

“Burgundy he will buy at £lO per hogshead, and bottle it into Beaujolais, Beaune, Yolnay, and Pomniard at prices from 2/ti to 10/ per bottle. People who get sueli wine after paying a good price naturally take whisky and soda next time. “In champagnes it is the grower him-, self who nets the huge profits, and most of the shippers have during the past twenty years become great merchant princes and millionaires. 1 will undertake to say that the finest champagne made does not cost more than 2/ per bottle, and that none of the 1900 wines cost the glower more than 20 per dozen. “Of course, he has also to pay 10 per cent, commission to his English agent (there is one siieh agency worth £15,000 per annum), and also his advertising expenses; but you we how large a margin he leaves himself for profit. Of course, in champagnes, as in other wines, there are shady practices by the unscrupulous. “There are champagnes without names which can be bought at Hi/ per dozen, or, say, 24/ per dozen, after paying duty and charges. Such wines are imported lalielled with a hotelkeeper’s ported labelled with a hotelkeeper's own or 12/ a bottle.” An ostrich in harness is not a novelty, but a trotting ostrich, known as Biack Diamond, and valued at £IOOO, has been establishing new records in America of late. Harnessed to a Track waggon, and driven by its owner, W. W. Ford, formerly of Delaware, but now of Florida, this bird is doing a mile at 2.40. and even better. A trotting horse was entered against the ostrich, but when time for the race arrived the horse did not appear. The ostrich, however, took Mr Ford round the track at a 2.40 pace. The. first heat was unsatisfactory, as the bridle broke twice, and it was necessary for Mr Ford to climb out over the shafts and grasp his steed by the neck after a leap in the air to stop him. When once the ostrich is held firmly by the throat, like a serpent, it is powerless to resist. Only a command is required to start the ostrich. With its head poised nine feet four inches in the air, tne bird raises its great, sinewy feet quicker than tlie eve can follow' them, and trots across the park and back again, then across again and again, with much of the grace and regularity of a young trotter on the turf.

For a race the ostrich is harnessed lo the track waggon in much the same manner as a horse. The reins, which Air Ford holds fairly tight, extend from his hands out. over the bird’s rich plumage to an especially constructed saddle, which te really a breast strap. There they run through two rings, and take an upward course tour feet into the air. where the steady, almost motionless head is held at a lofty perch. The reins are attached to a bridle with martingales and throat Intel), but there is no bit.

The training of the bird was begun when lie was very young; in fact, as soon as he had been taken away from the rest of his covey. Since then he has

lieen used af regular Intervals, hut not too often or too long at a time. He has developed remarkable speed, Air Ford having several times driven him at 1.12 for the half-mile.

“The theatre of the future,” said Air. Cecil Raleigh to an "Express” representative recently, “will probably be a cinematograph on Salisbury Plain.” The recent new ideas in theatre construction have aroused some curiosity as to probable ultimate developments, and Air. Cecil Raleigh, who in theatrical politics may lie said to be the leader of the Radicals, was an obvious person to consult.

“A theatre,” said Air. Raleigh, “built from the point of view of theatrical art—by the way, such a house would almost certainly be a failure financially—should have no seats higher than half the height of the proscenium opening. ■•There should, therefore, be only one balcony, or. better still, the scats should rise in the shape of an amphitheatre, and they should begin very much further from the stage than is the usual custom now. “Theatre decorations are almost always too garish and too pronounced. The auditorium should be painted in some neutral colour, sage-green for preference, while the sides of the proscenium should be black. "You would in this way get a frame which would throw up your stage picture, and largely increase its effect. "If the colouring of the auditorium were Kept as nnpronounced as possible it would not require the present glare of limelight to give the stage the necessary contrasting brilliance.” Nian Nubian Regon lai giaeian Regon Dio Savu. Estu li venkinta; Felica glorinda JLonge li Regadu. Dio lin savu! This is the first verse of “God Save the King,” translated into Esperanto: and it was by singing this that the disciples of the new international language concluded their late conference at Dover. There are many persons who smile at Esperanto, and probably the sentry at Dover Castle who declined to admit the Esperantists on the score that they were foreigners is among the number. The fact remains, however, that the new language is spreading by leaps and bounds. So greatly, indeed, has it progressed of late, that there is a reasonable prospect of its becoming the "congress language.” of the world, and the Salvation Army is considering its possibilities as an aid to its international propaganda. Soon there will be no excuse for not knowing Esperanto, for 20,000 penny Esperanto grammars were recently put on sale in London, and more are to follow. At the Dover Congress there was present a Bohemian who could speak nothing but Czech and Esperanto. He found himself able to chat freely with Englishmen, Germans and Frenchmen by means of the new tongue. Another advantage of the new language is that connection with an Esperanto society enables a man of any nationality to find friends in any country. Every week international Esperanto tea parties are held in London.