MAINLY ABOUT PEOPLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 41, 13 March 1909, Page 4

MAINLY ABOUT PEOPLE.

KINC EDWARD AND THE EARTHQUAKE. (From a London Society Paper.) The appalling accounts of the destruction of Messina have reminded a correspondent of a story concerning King Edward's behaviour during his one experience of the terrors of feeling the earth tremble. This occurred some eighteen years ago, when, it will be remembered', an earthquake was fell all along the French and Italian Riviera, the shocks being severe enough in some .places to destroy a number of badlyconstructed buildings. At the hotel in which the King, then ,I'rince of Wales, was sleeping, a commotion occurred in the middle of the night, when the liist shock was heralded by the dogs in Ihl ; hotel beginning to bark. Cencnil Sir | Stanley Clarke, who was acting sis equerry, hastily made his way to the .Prince's room, and, telling the cause of the commotion, begged him lo get up. "Certainly not," wan Ihe reply, "I'm iu I bed; go away." The equerry went away, 'but returned later when another shock had been felt. He knocked twice at the Idoor of the Prince's sleeping apartment, | then he carefully opened it only to dodge something that came Hying across the room, just missing his head. This was ■ followed'by n voice saying: Uok here. Clarke, I won't have any more of this; if vou don't slop making that noise, I'll throw the other boot at you.' 1

I'M KAISIiK AM) Till! NUN. .Must of tin; stories one reads of tlio Kaiser show 7 bis "funny aide"; one sol(loin hears of llic other—his -more sympathetic- side. That there is a grout deal of sentiment in the Kmporur's na- ' ture is beyond doubt, as this incident, which happened during his visit to Corfu last your, proves. Visiting ''Death's Island," where an ancient nunnery exists, liis Majesty entered into conversation with a nun. "How long have yon tea in I lie iiiityiery?" he asked. "Twenty years,'' 'was the reply. The Kaiser remarked thai she must haw commenced her novitiate very early. She said, "At sixteen." "What caused yon, so young—almost a child, to re'.nouncc the world! Some groat misforI tune! "No," came the answer; "only love for (jlml. And you, who have remained in the world, what pleasure do you Hail in it';" The Kaiser, without' replying, asked, "Did it cause you no sorrow Ixi sacrifice your youth!" ""What is youth !" she said—"a dewdrop in the field, which nature gives in the night, and which disappears with the first rays ', of the morning sun." After this the Emperor left her, but during the day he , kept on asking, with a melancholy ■ shake of the head, "Youth! what is youth';"

PRIXCE EDWARD'S TIP. Quite a delightful story is told of Prince Edward's lite at Osborne College. The Prince, of course, went through the ordinary routine, and had to take his part in fagging. Once an elder cadet gave him a shilling to go to the luck shop and get some jam puffs. The Prince ■went on his errand, and brought back the delectable puffs and threepence change. "Keep the threepence, boy," said the cadet in a lordly way; and the young Prince pocketed Jus tip with smiling face.

EARL CARRINGTON. Lord Carrington, who was last week awarded Le Cordon Rouge, the highest distinction of the Universal Cookery, and Food Association, is one of the most interesting personalities in the Peerage. He has acted many important parts on the stage of life, for he has been Governor of New South Wales, Lord Chamberlain of the Household, and has been President of the Board of Agriculture since 1005. It is interesting to note that Lord Carringtou's grandfather was the lirst man connected with trade lo be allowed a seat in the House of Lords, and he himself has carried on the family traditions, by being absolutely devoid of false pride.' It is said that when he was once accused of thinking more of the working-classes than of Society, he replied: "And wliy not? My family were working people too only a few generations ago."

AX EXCITING EXPERIENCE. When Lord Carrington was Governor of Xew South AVales, he was spoken of as the wisest Governor that the colony had ever had, and many are the stories told of his kindness and geniality by those who came in contact with him. On one occasion he had an exciting experience. While he was visiting a remote little town called liourke, the place was threatened with destruction by Hoods. By working incessantly, tin inhabitants were able to build up high embankments which prevented the water from encroaching on their homes, and none worked harder in building these embankments than Lord Carrington himself, who, arrayed in his shirtsleeves, took his place among the townsmen and woiTced like a nigger to stave off the rising water.

AX UXCOXVEX'J'IOXAL JUDGE. Judge Willis, who has caused a mild sensation by stating that he has never used a telephone, is one of the most genial of his Majesty's judges, and ho is noted for his original remarks and the good advice which lie gives to witnesses and prisoners. He is a line example of the self-made man, and he has told how in his early days he lived on £1 a week, and saved the rest of his income in order to pay for his education for the Bar. There are other things he docs not understand besides telephones, and lie has frequently censured a witness for not talking plainly and to the point. "They will all censure me, I suppose," he once said, "if I confess that I do not know anything about 'oof.'" "Don't talk about people being in the same boat," ho remarked to a solicitor on another occasion, "when they are not in a boat at all." Judge Willis is~ury fond of children, and some time ago he caused a great deal oi surprise in court by refusing to allow a noisy baby to be taken outside. "Let it remain," he said. "Babies do not disturb me." "One of the happiest times of a woman's life is when she is looking after children who arc down with the measles," he has declared; but fa spite of his reputation for learning, few women will agree with his Honor iu this.

EXCLAXD' FIRST IPHOTOGKAPH. It is not generally known that Lord Avcbury was the first person in England to be photographed. Daguerrc had called on his father, who was, as his son was afterwards to be, a distinguished scientific author and a vice-president ol the Royal Society. 'lTic object of the Freitehman's visit was to. explain his discovery to the elder Lubbock, and to gain his support. 'While they were talking, Daguerrc saw Lubbock's young so'.i —the present Lord Avcbury—playing in the garden, lie suggested that a daguerreotype should be taken of the-child as an illustration of the practical vnduo ol the discovery. Sir John consenting, I the child was there and then dajuerrco-J typed, or, as we say, photographed. '

A STORY. A characteristic story is told of an occasion when Lord Avebury bad to undergo a surgical operation. His friends endeavored to persuade him to take chloroform. "Xo, thanks," lie replied. "I would much rather be present at the operation." JUL CHURCHILL'S CiIFT OF TALK. 3lr. Winston Churchill's exchange if, compliments with a suffragette at the. Birmingham Liberal Clubs reminds mo. (writes a correspondent) of a Churchill story which 'may prove apropos, gome twenty years ago. one very hot day, a gentleman visiting Harrow noticed with astonishment a small and dishevelled bov madly racing round a plaving field. "Who is thai?" be asked. "Oh. that's young Churchill," replied his companion. "He must, be very fond of exercise to run like that on such a dav.'' said the stranscr. "It's not that," explained the other. "The fact is. Churchill talks too niui'li: so, wheji he starts, wo have to order him (o run three times round the Befit as hard as he can. Tt is the only way of stopping him." I

A DISCIPLE OF TZAAK TVALTOX. 'Dr. Darker. the Dean of Carlisle, who recently.stated that he keeps a spider as a pet. is a great lover of animals, and has expressed his belief that animals have a future life. TTe is a great angle'', bowevev, .and.probably knows as much aliont"fishing as.any man living. "What i.s move lovely, restful, and refreshing,'' he says, "than with rod and line to spend 'hours beside a fTeautiful river Watching tile riiing trout, or throwins a flv over ili'iinT" During one of bis amrling trips to Norway, his party of three, captured over OOOlb of fish, including sixteen salmon, each weighing tibout 201b. The Dean is also an enIbiiKiastic golfer, and goes in a good deal for foreign travel. It was as rector

of St. Maryleboue that Hits Deau earned | liib reputation as a preacher, and during | his very active career ho Las been a I member of the London School Loard I and hoii. chaplain in ordinary to the l I late Victoria. I

AN ASVJiUII STURY. Mir John Batty Xukc, the well-known member for Edinburgh ami St. Andrew's Universities, celebrated recently his seventy-third birthday. His speciality is, of course, uiental ilisoasc, upon wnicli hu is one ol the greatest English an-1 thoritiea. An amusing story is told of iiiiu in tin's con.ic.'iiun wlncli is oitun repealed in Edinburgh l.'iiii'or»itj circles. Kir John in diiVetor of a home lor the insane in Edinburgh, and upon one occasion when I lie woodwork ol Hie home required repainting, he himself delivered the order to the master-painter that the work should be tarried out. He impressed upon him with great earnestness that the painter who should be sent to do I he work iiuihl on no ueeouui cuter into eoaveisutioii with any of tile inmates of the home.

Upon the follow iieg day l-iir John went to see how I lie work was piogi casing, and,'seeing the workman busily engaged, he asked lii'iu (.'usually how iimnj eoau of pai.il he had put '.ii. 111. ipii.ition was met wilhjibsultite sileiiee. lie re peated it a little more sharply.' Still no answer was relumed. Annoyed at this neglect, Sir John allowed his iudigiialion to express itself ill suitable tti'iiu and with such ull'eet that ut last the \vVkinan turned. "AwV svi' ye, ye deleerioiis deevil!" he cried, "awa' wi' ye'" And then Jie added in a gentler tone, "J3ut I'm sorry for ye a' the same.'' And then, of'course, Sir John Haiti J'uke understood. And although the joke was against himself, he always gave high credit to the workman for Hie liU'inauity hu expressed.

THE KiXU OF ITALY'S REUIKE. The sharp reproof to a fulsome per-1 sonal remark wfiieh King Vietor Emanuel I so lately gave to the Italian member I of Parliament who made it to him, is not I the lirst time his -Majesty has shown his marked disapproval of laudator* speeches made oa his behalf, it is related that on one occasion at a State ball at the Quirinal, his partner a duchess who wished to curry favor with Jiiin for her sou, an officer in the Italian army—said to liiui, "Your Majesty is bj far the best dancer I have ever waltzed with." The King frowned and answered: "Then, madam, I can only say you place me in an awkward position of thinking either that you are pitifully ignorant ol the art of dancing yourself or deliberately regardless of the principles ol truth, wfien you speak. As your own dancing forbids my adopting the first alternative, you must see that I am compelled to come to the latter conclusion." The duchess's reply is not statc.l, but, despite the compliment hidden in ■ the King's speech, his exalted position alone saved him from a duel with, the ' Due di , the lady's husbaad.

ANOTHER IK STANCE. I Once when travelling by railway iiU] Majesty's train was detained at a 6t«' tion just beyond which another train had run oil' the metal* and was blocking up the line. The King got out of his carriage to investigate and make en quiries, as is his way, instead of sending an equerry. A high ollicial of the railway company met him on the platform, hat in hand. "What is your Majesty's pleasure?" the man asked with a low how. "That you make yourself more useful over there," pointing to the derailed train, about which the small stall of the station was hard at work, "than I you can possibly be here," replied the king.

KING EDWARD INCOGNITO. The small Brighton boy who, in asking King Edward the time, volunteered the information that he had been waiting two hours to see the King go by, is not the only person in the world that has failed to recognise him when brought face to face. This is somewhat extraordinary, when it is remembered that the King's features are probably the most familiar in the world. A typical instance occurred a year or two ago at llarienbad. One morning King Edward was sitting on a seat in some secluded grounds. Just in front of him a mass of torn paper littered the walk. Frowning severely and looking solemnly at the Kii.g, an official strode up. "Did you throw these?" he demanded sternly. The King mildly denied the offence. "You speaking the truth?" The King again assured him of his innocence. "Well, it's well for you that you did not. 1 will not have it, let me tell you." And the official majestically stalked away, not in the least aware to whom he had spoken.

THE OLD DAIIE'S MARKET GAMP. During ihe time the King, as Prince of Wales, was going through Cambridge, lie rented Madiuglcy Hall, which is about throe miles from the toyra. One day as he and a friend were walking into Cambridge they were overtaken by -a «hower of rain. As they were close to the hut of an old woman who sold cakes and sweets to passers-by, they called in and asked whether she could lend them an umbrella. Unaware of their identity, !su.e said: "You can have my,old market gamp if you like, but I knowe I won't lend my "best 'un to anybody, no, not even to the Prince of Wales hisself." They accepted the old gamp and walked on. The next morning the old dame received her umbrella back again, accompanicd by a brand-new one, with the Prince of' Wales' compliments.