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New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 196, 5 January 1877, Page 15

About ten days ago, says the ' Birmingham Gazette,' a distinguished capitalist, well known as the pioprietor of the Gaiety Theatre in the Strand, was in his private box enjoying the performances at the large theatre at Brussels. Between the acts the box-keeper introduced an apparent foreigner in full travelling costume, with long hair and heavy moustache, as a gentleman pressing earnestly for a private interview on particular business. Aftersome general conversation, prefaced by profound apologetic regrets for the intrusion, conveyed in exceedingly bad French, a request was made for the loan of " deux napoleons " to meet a temporary pecuniary difficulty. Surprise at such a request from a perfect stranger was followed by a burst of indignation and a summons for the box-keeper to eject the obtrusive individual forthwith. The importunities and the gesticulations of the foreign-looking centleman became more rapid than ever, and quite a crowd collected in the lobby to witness this new scene of excitement which had occurred at the end of the first piece. "I never saw this person before," exclaimed the incensed capitalist. "Nevare me before ?" cried the foreign-looking gentleman; "that is von leetle feeb • vot you call von leetle tarradiddle, for you have seen me as Mr' Spriggins in the popular farce of ' Ici on Parle Francais,' " and returning his wig and moustache to his pocket, and turnin<* down the collar of his travelling coat, Mr. J. L. Toole stood revealed, to the amazement of Mr. L., who had been baffled by a disguise suddenly assumed on passing from the stalls below to try the possibility of a visitor to Brussels making himself utterly unknown to his most intimate friend. The fullest proof of the completeness of the deception is to be found in the circumstance that the interview lasted about half an hour without the slightest suspicion being entertained of the harmless illusion practised. Some statistics have been published with regard to the almost unbroken progress for the last 150 years of the French educational establishments in which instruction is given by Brothers of tho Christian Schools. At the end of last year there were 1,009 of these schools in France and the colonies, with 8,736 teachers and 326,510 scholars. The Brothers also had 182 schools in other countries, with 1,928 teachers and 69,773 pupils— so that in all this order can boast of 1,191 schools, 10,664 teachers, and 396,083 pupils. In 1719 tho " Institute of Brothers of the Christian Schools " had but 17 schools 274 masters, and 9,885 pupils ; in 1751 there were 92 schools, 523 teachers, and 19,273 pupils j in 1779 there were 114 schools, 760 teachers, and 30,999 pupils ; ond iv 1790, 121 school*, 1,000 teachers, and 36,000 pupils. In 1803 the numbers declined/ owing to the Revolution, to eight schools, thirty teachers, and 1,600 pupils, but they again increased to 58 schools, 319 teachers, and 18,910 pupils in 1815, to 237 schools, thirty teachers, 1,420 teachers, and 86,998 scholars in 1830 ; 490 schools, 4,110 teachers, and 214,290 scholars in 1845. By the year 1857 the number of Brothers of this institute had increased to 6,662,) whi1e at the same date the other institutes of Brothers, such as the congregation of Brothers of Christian In. struction and the Association of the Petits Freres de Marie, had only 5,031 members, who were distributed among 861 communal (parish) schools, 157 private schools, six agricultural schools, two orphan asylums, a normal school, a commercial school, and 26 schools out of France. ,'