Personalities.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 363, 23 April 1903, Page 2

Personalities.

YOUNG EOOSEVELT TOO PEISKY. »"oVRESIDENF Roosevelt does not be2|MT lieve in interfering with the pleajjfe? sure of his children, but at a recent cabinet meeting youthful Kermit stalked boldly into the cabinet room on stilts. • I guess that's about enough for you,' said the president, as he arose and carried tbe youngster out, enjoining him never to interrupt again. MADAME CLARA BUTT. At one of the fioosey Ballad Concerts the other day, Madame Lilian Blauvelt, who also was very much 'under the weather,' yet made such an impression on tho audience that she was recalled several times. Her husband, Mr Pendleton, rather resented the persistence of the audience, as, v.nder the circumstances, he wished her to undergo as little fatigue as possible. So when the clapping went on persistently, ha determined to try and Etop the clamour by calling out from the side * Husb,' in a manner that sounded very much like hissing. Turning to Madame Clara Butt, Madame Blauvelt smilingly asked : ' What would you do if you had a husband who hissed you in public ?' 'Td knock him down,* promptly responded the contralto, whose six-feet-three of Amazonian robustness lent a special flavour to her jocular reply. NOT TOO SURE OP HIM. A coEstituent from San Francisco was recitin • to President Roosevelt his list of extraordinary qualifications for the consular post he was seeking, while Senator Perkins stood by. a smiling and approving listener. * And do you believe the senator will give you his endorsement for this place ?' ssked the president. ' I haven't a doubt of it,' the applicant answered. 'I am quite willing to rest my chances on what the senator will say.' • Very well,' said the president, turning to the senator. * But on one condition,' the' applicant added, with haste. ' I must be permitted to leave this room after tbe senator,' FROGMORE. The royal aviary at Frogmoro is now, of course, in the possession of the Queen, and its resources are to be developed along the lines of her own preferences Two hundred feet in length, it comprises eighteen poultry runs, and the part of the building is designed as a pigeon loft. Here, perhaps King Edward may keep some of the racing pigeons to which he has been devoting some attention of late, and the pouters, tumblers, and turtles which are at present in residence, to the number of about seventy, may be to some extent gradually displaced. The fowls include a pen of silver-spangled Hamburgs. The egg production of the royal aviary for many years has averaged an annual output cf 20,000. GAVE THEM THEIR NAMES. Some years ago a good Etory was told in which Prince Munster was concerned. He (then only a Count), together with Count Beust and Count Sohouvaloff, was attending a foreign office reception in London, says the ' London Globe.' Their names afforded no slight difficulty to the thoroughly English footman' who announced the guests by shouting fcheii names up the great staircase. Count Schouvalcif arrived first and the footman duly announced him as ' Count Shuffleoff.' Then came Count Beust, whose name in the servitor'B mouth became * Count Beafct.' Lastly, Count Munster appeared, and the footman, evidently IV oliiig that a supreme effort was required, finished off by calling out' Count Monster,'

ADMIEAL CERVERi. Bellamy Storer, United States Minister to Spain, who is spending a few days of his leave of absence in Denver, said in th 6 course of an interview: ' Poor old Ceivera is living in obscurity and comparative poverty now. No Spanish Minister would dare to give him any post now, since he received evidences of the good-will of the American people. He gets no pay while not on duty, and can K.et no assignment.' There are few more pathetic figures in modern history tLan ' poor old Cerver ; ».' That he went out of Santiago under orders from Spain's political representative in Cuba, and that he know he faced almost certain death, together with t 1 e destruction of his fleet, there is no shadow of doubt. But that frightful chance he took as a good sailor would tske it, and after a one-sided battle, which was unparallelled for destrnctiveness, he was finaUy rescued in the very nick of time, still dignified, stiil courageous, and still every inch the man despite experience that would have appalled tbe stoutest heart. It was n) wonder that the American people rose as one man to do honor to such a brave foe. It was a mingling of respect and admiration which a brave people must always feel for bravery wherever shown, and for defeat, bitter and overwhelming, yet brave with dignity and self respect. No man deserves to stand higher in the annals of Spanish herces than Cervera. Some day even Spanish historians wll do him justice, but we fear it will be after he is dead. ' CLOTHED' IN A CROWN. In IS6B a few guests, among them Mr Richard Redgrave, had gathered in the smoking-room of the late Marquis of Salisbury's London residence. The talk was about public ceremonies and about the physical inconveniences which many of those who, take part in them are obliged to suffer. The Marquis of Salisbury , said that at the coronati- n of George IV. (July 19, 1821). be had acted as train bearer, and that the weight of the royal robe was so great that the pages could not have perspired more if they had been in a Turkish bath. Thereupon Richard Redgrave remarked that h9 had been very close to the king in Westminster Abbey on that day, ard that he noticed how very uncomfortable be locked in bis heavy garments. •After the ceremony, however/ continned the marquis, ' the king had an hour's rest and could disencumber, hirrself of those heavy clotheß. So, after being crowned, he absented himself for a good while until finally Lord thought it advisable to enter his private room, and there what do you think he saw ? The king without a stiteh of clothes on him, but with the crown still on his head!'