HORSE AND ACTOR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 449, 6 March 1909, Page 11

HORSE AND ACTOR.

MR. JULIUS KNIGHT IN A DILEMMA.

A few minutes beforo last week's matinee performance of the "Scarlet Pimpernel" at Sydney Theatro Royal was timed to begin, says an Australian paper, the discovery was raado that the wretched-looking horse, bo to' Mr. Julius Knight's first entrance (disguised as a hag driving a dilapidated cart), was nowhere to bo found. As that horse was for the time being a most valuable and indispensable performer, having no understudy, its loss was as bad as a nightmaro to tho property-man. He was in as sore a plight as King Richard any day, and would have offered a kingdom—if ho had one handy. The call-boy was sent out to see if the animal was anywhere about. He looked up and down Castfereagh Street in vain. However, over the road, in a temporarily deserted bottle-ho cart, ho espied a deplorable-looking horse, and quick as thought the resourceful boy was across the street taking the horso out of tho cart, for its "first appearance on any stage." Ho was gently leading tho sleepy creature over to tho stage door of the theatre, when its lawful guardian put in an appearance. The boy casuElly explained that ss. would willingly be paid for the loan of tho animal for as many minutes—and tho case was urgent. The man assented. So the horse was hitched in a trice to the covered proporty-cart in tho wings. Whipped up with a seedy-look-ing tail-whisk by Mr. Knight, it "walked on without any preliminary rehearsal, and stood like the docile beast it was through all the badinago before tho Parisian gateway. The bony condition of the animal prompted the actor to suggest that it had caught tho plague from the stricken occupants of the cart, a remark which made his escape- from tho terrified keepers of the gate the easier, and caused infinite amusement to those ''in tho know."

Dr. Theitla Hultin, tho woman member of tbo Finnish Diet, is said to possess a most charming personality, and is admired and respected not only by hor own party (tlie Young Finns), but by all tho members of the Diet. She is a Doctor of Laws, and before her return to Parliamont six months a?o held an appointment at tho Statistical Bureau, a position which she still retains, the Stato allowing her official work to be carried on by another woman during tho Parliamentary session. So well has Dr. Hultin proved her ability for Parliamentary work that she has several times been chosen to serve on the special committees appointed by the Diet itself to preparo legislation before it is submitted to tho General Assembly.