PERSONAL PARS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 202, 15 August 1908, Page 4

PERSONAL PARS.

THE ML'ZZLEIi. Many unkind tilings ] lllvc | )( . t ,,, Sil j,| 1 about Mr. Walter Long, the prospective I member for the ■Slraud division of Lou- I don at the next general election, paitio.t-1 ' larly.in connection with his famous] muzzling order. JSuL there is no doubt . that Mr. Long practically extirpated hydrophobia from the Jiritisli Jsles liy the measure for which he was responsible. As a matter of fact, hydrophobia has only once since reappeared, and then because some foolish sentimentalist introduced a pet dog from the Continent in dc/tanco of the quarantine rule. Possibly Mrs. llunie Ung, Uv. Longs mother, who is a great dog fancier, did more than anyone, else to lessen the indignation of dog owners—at any rate in Devonshire—when the muzzling order first came into force, She never losL ian opportunity of justifying her son's enforcement of the order! The sight of her (rib,, of canine pels taking their morning airing, all scrupulously muzzled, frequently reconciled owners' of fewer dogs to what they had deemed an ir'csome regulation.

MANY DAUUHTEHS. The birth of a seventh little girl to thi! Countess of Xormaiitoii recalls the fact that many great families commence with a succession of daughters. Tins Empress of Russia had four daughters before the Czarevitch made his welcome 1 appearance in 1004. And the Queen of Italy had several little girls before the Prince of Piedmont arrived on the scene, also in 1904. The Duchess of Leeds's four daughters preceded the birth of the Marquess of Carmarthen in 1001. The Countess Carrington had live little girls before the advent of Viscount Wendover in 1895; and Viscountess Chelsea has live daughters who are older than the Hon. Edward Cadogan, who is a godson of King Edward and ultimate heir to the Earldom of Cadogan. Countess Pitzwilliarii has four daughters, and, as I yet, no son.

BOOTS AND NO GAMMON. Sir William Avbuckle, the famous legislator of Natal, who holds the record of having been elected Mayor of Durban five times, tells an amusingstory about Sir Harry Smith, who, in days gone by, was Commandant and Covcruor at the Cape. The supply from home of necessaries of all kinds for his soldiers was generally sadly deficient, and the men were often in a pitiable plight in the way of clothing'. There was, consequently, much discontent. So Sir Harry had them on parade, said some pleasant things to them, complimented them on their soldierly appearance, told them what splendid fellows they were, talked of the service they Unci seen together, and so forth. When he had finished an old sergeant stepped forward, saluted, and then said: "Thank you, Sir 'Arry; beg pardon, Sir 'Arry, but wc don't want no gammon, we want boots."

ROYAL COMPOSERS. The Princess Friedrich Ljiitpold, sister of the Kaiserin, one of whose compositions was recently 'performed at a sacred concert at Dresden, is the latest recruit to the ranks of Royal composers who have challenged public criticism. The Duchess of Orleans, eldest daughter of the Archduke Joseph of Austria, has won golden opinions by her charming songs, many of them set to Hungarian words; the Archduchess Marie Valerie of Austria has also composed a number of pretty songs; the Princess Feodora of Ueuss' (a Princess of .Saxe-Meiningen) is credited with considerable talent and originality in composition; and the (irand Duchess Cyril of Russia also possesses considerable gifts as a composer. The blind Lamlgraf of liessc-Cassel is considered to lie the most talented of all Royal musicians. His many compositions, chielly produced at Paris, are verv highly esteemed h\ experts. A I'lll'ULAU FOSTMASTER-IiEXERAL

The most popular man at St. Martin's lit Orand (London) is Mr. Sydney Buxton, the Postniastcr-ticneral, who -has canied universal congratulations on iiis inauguration of penny postage to the United States, lie is popular because he is accessible to any member of the Post Oflice Department. Since he became P.M.0.. 31 r. Buxton has made a point of getting into close touch will, the employees ut the Post Ollice. "He is just one of us," the latter will tell , on. and Lhe consequence is that* not 'only has Mr. Buxton brought abo.it mail-.- reforms in postal matters for 111.-:..-u,dii of the public, but he has also inaugurated schemes which have greatly improved the lot of Civil Servants. When he gets nway from official duties Mr. Buxton likes' to spend the time with rod and gun. He can shoot a driven .partridge and throw a dry 11 y better than most of his contemporaries. His skill in this direction being challenged on one occasion, a contest between himself and another member oi the House of Commons was arranged. Friends of both parties, who constituted themselves as umpires, all agreed that 3lr. Buxton was the better fisherman; and when he overreached himself ami fell into the river they agreed still further that, he must be awarded the palm for awkwardness. Upon whioti Mr. Buxton got his revenge by slyly tripping his opponent up and giving hiin a ducking.

A CHAMPION TALKER. The day the British Parliament resumed its sitting after the Whitsim holidays, Sir Frederick Banbury was u«clainiiiig against the demands made on legislators by Civil -Servants. "When 1. first came into the House of Commons," he said, " my life was made unbearable In- the action of postmen and others connected with the Civil Service." "And since then." quietly observed -Mr. Will Crooks, the member for Woolwich, "you have made the lives of other people unbearable." ?io one enjoyed the joke more than Sir Frederick, who has not. the slightest objection to being chaffed about the cbstructive elocutionary powers which lie sometimes employs in Parliament, when they are required by his party. In his own words, he is prepared'(o talk "at any length, at any time, upon any subject," and all the hostile demonstrations in the world would not discourage him.

HOW THE "HOBBY" CLEARED THr. WAY. iliue. Sarah Bernhardt had an amusing experience with an Irish policeman during her recent tour iu America, On her arrival at New York she was met by a large crowd of people, who surrounded her on every side and pushed and hustled in a most uncomfortable nianner. For a time it looked as though the actress would never make her escape, but presently a burly Irish policeman appeared, and began hitting out right and left with his truncheon, iu order to clear a path for her. "O! inerci, monsieur!" said Mine. Bernhardt, with one of her sweetest smiles. "Don't beg for mercy of, this crowd, imim," replied the policeman gallantly. ".Leave 'em to me, I'll soon teach them to behave themselves."

"JIDIiMENT DAY." This was one of many nicknames heslowed upon Sir John Day. (he famous jink,, who has just died. His severity on 'the Bench towards ihe habitual criminal caused the latter to refer to him as the "Day of Reckoning." Sir John believed in the ellicacv of ihe lash, and in fourteen years he is said to have ordered dose upon 4.00 ft strokes io be inllicteil on LIT criinnials. Yet I hose who knew him best assert lint he was one of the most kind-hearted men, and more than once, after passing a still' sentence on some hardened criminal, he visited him in his cell and spoke brotherly words of consolation to the convict. He was a man of few words, and for months and months during the long sidings of the Parncll Commission he never uttered a word during its profeedings; and -when at last he burst forth with a few phrases the irrepressible Sir Frank Lockwood promptly cartooned the incident and entitled the picture, "Day unto Day utlcreth speech." Sir John did not suffer bores gladly, ami one of ihe best stories which is told of him concerned an unduly prolific (deader. At the end of a big speech counsel, turning to the judge, said: "Now, niv lord, conies the question of the bags. They might have been fullbags, or half-full bags, or (hey might even have been empty bags." This was too much for the judge. "Or wind-bags,"l he interposed, in his most acid tones. I