PARS ABOUT PEOPLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 293, 5 December 1908, Page 3

PARS ABOUT PEOPLE.

THE KAISER'S SOAP. I The German Emperor, who is certai'i- ! ly one of the most energetic- mid capaule monarch* in Europe, is by no means above participating in a practical joke, even at the expense of nis Ministers. On one occasion, when Prince liuclow was iiilornicil by Emperor William Unit lie had been appointed Imperial Uiancellar, the great statesman s features immediately clouded over. "\\ny, what is the matter, liuclow':"

asked the Kaiser. "1 am thinking of my wife, sir," ail swered the Prince. "She has, of course notii'.,ig against the Chancellorship it self, but a great deal against the Chancellor's palace. In fact, sir, while she looks upon her own home as a regular jewel-box, the cleaning down necessary to the Chancellor"* palace will take twelve months to acc-omplisn, and my wife •'

"Give the Countess my compliment*,' broken in his Majesty, 'and tell her that 1 will contribute my share to the work."

Perhaps Prince Buelow imagined that the Kaiser intended to see the palace thoroughly renovated; but, if so, he was mistaken. A few days later a bulky parcel was left, "by the Kaisei"s orders," at the Countess von Buelow's home; ft contained a hundrcdwcigni of soap! CRITICISING THE KAISER.

It is not frequently, by the way, that the Emperor William is subjected to open criticism in his own land. But Ilerr Bcbel, leader of the German Sjcialists, who has protested against the British trades unionists visit to his ! country, has on several occasions frequently criticised both the Kaiser ami his policy in the Reichstag. Perhaps Herr Bebel's most daring venture into the field of personalities, however, was ' his rebuke of the German Crown Prince for making some derogatory remarks about the Socialists. Speaking in the Reichstag, Herr Behel reprimanded the ■•young master," and advised the "young man"' to be more careful in future in speaking of a body of citizens who might one day be "his subjects. The president stood up excitedly, his band! upon the bell, but no name being mentioned, he could not stop the speaker, | though all present knew for whom this I censure was intended. I

I A NOTED BEAUTY. Louise, Duchess of Devonshire, who has recently vacated her home at Eastbourne to make place for the present peer, was a noted beauty in her day. When Duchess of Manchester, she was fond of giving large house parties at Kinibolton Castle, the scat of the Dukes of Manchester in Huntingdonshire, and the King—then Prince of Wales—was a frequent visitor there. On one occasion the Duchess, who is extremely fond of acting, disguised herself as a gipsy, and effected an entrance to the South Terrace, where most of the house-party were assembled. Here she offered to read fortunes by palmistry, and so complete was her maake-up, that the Duke handed her a shilling as a fee for telling his fortune. But she was ultimaately discovered by the man whom she anerwards married—the late Duke of Devonshire, then Lord liartington—who suspected the identity of the gipsy, and, knowing the Duchess' hatred of wine, asked for some, and, us a test, handed her a glass. She took it, and drank it off; but, even so, Lord Hartington was still suspicious, and the Duchess was obliged to own up to her identity at last.

PRIXCE ARTHUR, CLOGKMAKER. Prince Arthur of Connauglit, th(J King's soldier nephew, anil one of the: most popular members of the Royal family, can never see machinery at, work without being eager to know just how it is put together. As a small boy, indeed, his greatest ambition was to be a clockiuaker, and his father, determining to cure his son of his modest aspirations, pretended to take the matter «iuite seriously. A certain clockmaker used to attend the Ducal residence every week to wind up the clocks, and one day he was surprised by the Duke, who brought Prince Arthur into the dining room with him, and said: "My son has decided to be a clockmaker when he grows up. Will you take him as an apprentice!', '•Delighted!.' stammered the astonished mechanician. "Very well," said the Duke, "that's settled." Xow, Arthur, you can take your lil'st lenon by helping .Mr. ISl'ink winil up these clocks.'' For ipiitc a long time Prince Arthur made the rounds regularly with Mr. Blank, but after the lapse of some few months he came to the conclusion llial he had chosen a somewhat tame provision, and took to the Army as u -iiiistitute.

GREAT SCOTT! Dispatch is certainly one of the watchwords of Sir Percy Scott, under whose command lies the special sijiindrun that is visiting South Africa. He may be termed one of the "scientific'" men of the Navy, and it was he who invented the night signalling now in use. The story of the Ladysmith four-poi ltblauks gives one an admirable idea ut Sir Percy's methods. The Terrible was lying in Simon's Bay when uencraj White's telegram asking for guns arrived. "What can you doT asked Admiral Harris. "Give me the night to think it over,'" said Sir l'crcy, "and II will see." Next morning he petitioned for the loan of the dockyard for Ul hours. It was granted. During the passage of that single aight lie had invented a new; gun-carriage, and befo.e tin; 24 hours asked for had expired the famous four-point-scvens were on their way to Durban.

ZKPFKUN, THE HOI'KI-'UU The enthusiastic and gratifying response to the appeal for funds to enable Count Zeppelin to coatinuc his experiments cannot fail to have made the veteran inventor more determined than. ever literally to rise above his misi ntune. For years he had been struggling to perfect his airship, and when, at the age of seventy years, his highest umbitio-i seemed about to be realised, the Joss of his last vessel must have come as a bitter disappointment. He was never the sort of man, however, to waste lime in weeping. His military training—for he is a general in the German Army—has move than once come to his aid, and brought him out of difficulties. It enabled him to narrowly escape from death at the Battle of Fredericksburg, during the American Civil War, in which he took part as a •rolniiteer; while, in the Franco-German campaign, out of a party of ten who were comer-

Ed by the French in the courtyard of nn inn, he alone, by sheer daring, escaped, hiding for two days in the neighboring woods before he could regain h ; s own lines. That's the grit which may yet enable him to become (he first universally acknowledged conqueror ol ihi' air. A SKII.UTL ACTOR. In Mr. Tree's latest production of •Taunt.'' his wonderful make-up is as usual, a general subject »f discussion and admiration. livlee-.1. Mr. Tree's marvellous skill in disguising his features is. It has been said, as fine as a.iv part of his art: but once it nearlygot him into serlou- diUii-uilie-. The story runs to the cil'i-et that he bad been givin« a Hying matinee at Oxford, and the lateness „f bis train

journey to Loudon made him apprehensive oi" the patience of his audience in , town. By inaking-up and dressing in the compartment, of which he was the onlv occupant, however, he calculated he might save an otherwise inevitable wail: nand he commenced proceedings forthwith. At the next station the guard noted with suspicion that the traveller bad .rrmvu » beard. The inetainorphisis continued, and with each stoppage the official's suspicions increased. When the time came for the tickets to be collected, a hawk-like and sinister appeared at the window. In addition to this, Mr. Tree had unfort.unaletv lost his ticket .in the confusion. "Come out of it!'' roared the uuard. when the actor endeavored to make explanation*. "We've met your sort, be- ] fore. None of your bounce. Come, orf with that nose!" And it was not unlil the official eon--cience had been appeased bv a full -x----planatiou and a substantial honorarium dial Mr. Tree was allowed to proceed in peace.