Personalities

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 383, 10 September 1903, Page 2

Personalities

A HERCULES OF A KING, j ft|?|wogHO is the strongest king, on the |gj«|jjlß, throne to-day from a pirely [§jsi§|g physical point of view P I suppose, if a 1 est could be made, the the King of Portugal would undoubtedly bs the victor, for in addition to the fact that he is very stout, he owes some-oil his eize to his great,muscular development. A little while ago, I wbs told, His Majesty was out fox-hunting, and in some way or other he managed to loso the reins, and his horse ran away; Finding himself unable to get them again, the King stood up in his stirrups; and cloriching his fiat, brought it down with all his might on the animal's head between the ears, and the horse dropped to the ground stunned. In a little while, of course, he was surFolnded by his attendants, but he made light of the whole matter, and, getting on another horse, issued only a single instruction—that ho one stould say anything about it to the Qaeen, who, ho was naturally afraid, would bo alarmed for his safety whenever in future he went out hunting. PRINCE HENRY OF PRUSSIA. Prince Henry of Prussia, who lately bought an estate, has had as amusis? advei tare in consequence of hia new servants failing to recognise him. One morning, at daybreak, be arrived at Barg Rheinstein, where the sleepy doorkeeper greeted him with: ' Who, in the name of goodnese, are you ?' and then continued to • wonder some people don't choose belter hours for paying: visits.' Only after he had explained thajb he was the brother was Prince Kenry allowed entrance to his newly-acquired castle. THE NEW QUEEN OF SERVIA. The new Queen of Ssrvia is not of Royal blood, but sbe has many qualities that should endear her to her subjects despite the opposition to her marriage. She is described by one who knows her as a tall, graceful bEunette, with hazsleyes, which at times bstray a highly-3trung temper. Her conversation ie bright <and sympathetic, her mannarß are quiet and unostentatious! and she is extrersdy fond of music end the drama. LABLACHE, THE GREAT SINGER Mr. T. P. O'Connor, in his new paper, tells a good story of Lablache. While the Qaeen was in one of the Royal ante-rooms, be put on his hat, as he was suffering from a cold. Then, suddenly summoned into the pre since of Royalty, he rushed into see the Queen, and, forgetting that he bad a hat on his head, seized the first one he found. When he appeared before Her Majesty, the Q leen quietly asked: 'Pray tell me which of the two hats got is your own; that on your head or that in your hand ?' Lablaehe, in spite of his confusion, Beems by his reply to have risen to the occasion. 'Ah, Ma'am,' he said,' two bats are indeed too many for a man who has lost his bead.' EVER WANDERERS. At Lord Rothschild's magnificent house, or rather, palace, in Piccadilly, as at his country eeat at Tring, and in all the other Rothschild reeideßces in England and on ! the Continent, there is always in a con- | Epicuous place, generally among the cornices, a piece of stone or marble left undressed, uncarved, and in a rough and unfinished state, which, by reason of the beauty and splendour of its immediate surroundings, at once catches the eye. This is in compliance with the rule among all orthodox Jews that they should have no permanent abiding place until they are restored to the Holy Land, and this unfinished bit of stone is a mark that the abode is merely temporary and incomplete. 'RANJI' AND HIS KINGDOM. All lovers of sport will regret tolearn that, for the gecond time, Prince Ranji has been 'bowled out' in the game of statecraft for a kingdom. In other woids, he has again come off second beat in his gallant efforts to establish himself in his (as many believe) rightful place, as Jam, or Chief Ruler of Nowahgar. The Indian Government finds itself reluctantly compelled to decide in favour of the present occupant of the throne— Rarji's, cousin*— and this deoision is mainly due to a crass error on the part of tbe native babu, or ' barrieter-at-law,' to wbom the of the young Prince's papers of adoption were confided. His people are ready to welcome him 88 their Pritce—his brother Rajput princes side with him, but possession is with his rival, and for the present, at least, his position must be as 'heir expectant' only The pedigree of Priuce Ranjit Singbi almost dazzles one in tbe contemplation. Baside it the line of Hohenzollern is a mushroom growth of a night, for 'RanjiV earliest ancestor, according to Rajput eagee, was the God Krishna himself—tfcat same Krishna whom one Private Mulvaney personated on a certain memorable occasion. It reads something like a story from the' Arabian Nights,' the suddea transformation of Ranji's bMory. At present the wicked 'genu' are in the ascendant, "but who knows bow soon the scene will change ? and clothed in royal robes, ee&ted on the ivory throne, the 'lord of a thousand elephant?,' our own Prince Rarji will triumph, and the rightful heir enter into possession of his kingdom.