DIPLOMATIST'S WIFE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1901, 8 November 1913, Page 11

DIPLOMATIST'S WIFE.

Somo of the "Stray Memories" of diplomatic life by Lady Macdonnell are very entertaining, especially those chapters telling of her life in Spain after her husband was appointed to Madrid. Housekeeping was there carried on under difficulties. "There was no water in the house, and so tho 'aguatero,' or water-man, had to come daily and fill two huge earthenware receptacles' like tho proverbial oil-jars in Ali Baba's story. . . The cook did not sleep in the house, but came in ' the morning with the marketing.. . . queer joints that looked like cat. At 11 o'clock the hairdresser came to do her hair." But in spite of theso trials sho seems to have taken a cheerful view of life. On one occasion she crossed from Santander to Bayonne in a cattle-boat. She took off "fine black straw hat with ostrich feathers land oxidised buckle (for wo had not costumes. for every emergency then), and lay.down." Not finding it in the morning as they were about to land die asked tlie cabin boy for it, but he presented her "with a few snreds of straw," remarking: "Oh, lady mine, the tame pig Don Carlos has eaten your hat, and here is all that remains." "Never mind," she answered, with praiseworthy good temper, "we are within sight of shops." There are other personal anecdotes about experiences at ( the various Courts to which her husband was accredited. For instance, one day in Brazil, though they had a French chef, they had nothing in the house for him to cook except rico and macaroni, as on accoiint of bad weather they could get no supplies, so a dinner of monkey soup and small blue parrots was Bent in to them.

It was Private Smith's (whose number was 254) first church, parade, and having don? a good deal of marching, he was naturally - feeling the effects of it during the service. He had not been in church long when the reverend gentleman announced the hymn: "Number 254. 'Art thou weary, art thou languid ?'Private Smith shouted with a loud voice: "Not 'arf!"