Personalities.
BISMiRCK. * ®m . interesting sidelight on the way m wbich the German' Empire 2jK3K was bounded in 1871, is given by Sir Rowland Blennerhasset in the 'National Review,' King Louis of Bavaria the Sovereign! p£- th% State-after Prussia in Germany,, did: Bot evenVgoto see his men offtfojr iwar in 1870, and paid no attention whatever m the struggle with France. When it wag suggested to him that he should take the initative in offering the Imperial Crown to the King of Prussia he did not take the trouble to reply. At last an emissary from Prince Bismarck went to him armed with a letter written by the Prince, which the King signed a few days later with very trivial alterations. This letter offered the Imperial dignity to King William, and everywhere diplomatists marvelled at this sudden t change in the attiluie of v .K.ing Louis. ;The roaßon was not v dlßcdvercd until the King was drowned in 1886, when it came out that from 1871 to 1886 a sum of money went regularly every year to iJavaria. This sum seems to have been taken from the Secret Service Fund of the German Empire, which was made up mainly from the money ueiaad from King George'of Hanever, and was the price to King Louis for the offer of the Imperial dignity to King William. In fact, as one of the most brilliant of our diplomatists remarked, Prince Bismarck, who prided himself on maintaining Royal authority and respect for the monarchiai principle took the money stolon from one King to 'tip' another.
S . SHE SANG VERY WELL The queer experiences of great vocalists would make an extraordinary book. If it were written a place would have to be found for the following anecdotel of M (dame Patti. Sie' happened to bo in a little town where a performance wati being' arranged for the of a| lofeal charity.: She offered her services, and, after singing three songs, cn3 of the prime movers of the entertainment went to her, and, in the blandest and most polite manner, said to the woman who had reigned supreme in the world of song for so many years: ' You sang very well indeed. In fact, you sang so well that you almost ffisfe the people. forget the absence of the great star who was unable to appear-'; Naturally, Madame Patti asked who the great star was, and was told he was a jngglej and sword swallower. It is another, example <cf-the fact; that the. point of: view is everything. -iR-" KITCHENER's'sOUDAN CAMPAIGN" No man ever feept his own counsel better than Lord Kitchener when fighting was afoot; there was never any leakage of information, because there nover was any information to leak. In illustration of this, a staff officer tells the following story in 'Blackwood's Magazine':—Once when the enemy threatened our ling of communications I expressed some anxiety about our wires, which were laid, for all the world to see, as a ground-line along the desert, glistening in the sun and bearing a meaning even to a dervish, which is saying a good deal. K told me to ride down to the river-bank and say if I felt happier j down I went, and after dilligent search discovered a secondrwire cunningly laid under the bush and hedges.- As I was about to ride back I saw a steamer pushing eff, and asked the young engineer efficer on board what he was about. It turned out that he had personal instructions from K. to lay a third line of telegraph on the other bank of the Nile, and no one in the army but the chief and this young officer had wind of "the matter. Assurance was made not doubly but trebly aire.
BALZAG AND-HIS-TAILOR" | Apropos of the unveiling of the Balzac | statue ia.Paris, « T.P.'s Weekly' quotes a atory of the great novelist which Mr. Bobert Hichens has introduced into his new novel, •Felix.? In an. early chapter: we meet with Balzac's tailor, who describes how he went to measure Balzac for a pair of breeches. The old man had never forgotten this experience. He found Balzac in the shade of his garden writing : 'And he never looked at the paper, Monsieur. A U' the time he wrote lie stared at the garden like this, as if he saw people!walking in it.' The; tailor glanced .wildly about the room, like one watching the movement of a live thing between his chair and the wood fire. While he did so he continued to agitate- his; hau'd furiously upon the table. His long nails made a dry, tap-,, ping sound. 'That was how he wrote, without ever looking at the paper; Monsieur, he could see Ma people all about the garden. His eyes were so wide open that they were terrible. I did not know what to do. I didinot dare to interrupt him, but he caught sight pf.mestanding therei like a dog that is ready te run all ways from fright, and beckoned to mo to come nearer. . I came, grasping my tape and still repeating to. mysolf.'Gouraare, Lduls, courage 1' Monsieur, I had to make hasfe, I can tell you.. He stood up with the pen in his hand, and .then it was that I measured him—the greatest man o£ Prance.* ' And did he say anything to you P' 'When I had measured him I would have shown him some of my samples. I thought he would wish to choose a material. Bat no, he would hot look at them. 'Something warm,' was all he said. And then, Monsieur, he added that they were on no account to have any feet.' * Bat what do you mean by that ?' 'They were, to have no opening at the bottom ior\ its', feet *o go through, but were to be closed quite up like two sacks. I could not understand it, but I did not veature to say a word except 'As Monsieur wishes! As Monsieur desires!' How I was going to make them I could not tell at all. But I bore myself as if- I had already made many trousers without feet for all. the countryside, and was in no way disturbed. When I was going T bowed profoundly. Bat, Monsieur, I was so distracted that I forgot my tape; Think of that! I left it lying on the table, where I had put it down ia my agitation. I did not find this out until I had reached the terrace, and then ' He paused, shook his head several times, and made a clicking sound with his tongue against his lip?. ' You went back for it ?' .. •• ;-*.; 'Monsieur, I did j oh my toe-tips. Monsieur Balzac was again writing and staring ot the garden. I crept up behind the table as a.rat creeps to feed in the kitchen when the : cook is by. My tape lay under a sheet of paper. For a moment I did not dare to take it. My hand was trembling But did nojt eeemxto see me. At length I B*tretched out my hand and seized my tape. But the sheet of paper rustled, and suddenly Monsieur Baleac looked round. . There were great lines all across his forehead, and his eyes were bloodshot. Then, Monsieur, I—l ran as the hare runs,' ' «You ran away PJ. * To my shame, Monsieur, 1 did. But i I made the trousers. They had no feet, ! L aad Monsieur. Balzac, always wore them afc
Bight when he was writing. That was what he wanted them for. Eo'did not wish to put put on shoes, and when he got op at midnight he would slip at once into my trousers with only his Blockings oa. And when he- passed through the village afterwards he would always nod to me, ind sometimes he would say ■ Good morning.' i,
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Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, 27 August 1903, Page 7
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1,304Personalities. Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, 27 August 1903, Page 7
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