SOME GOOD STORIES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 365, 16 April 1910, Page 9

SOME GOOD STORIES

NAPOLEON'S GIFT. It was Lord Minto, but an earlier Viceroy of India, who found himself at a city banquet next to a portly alderman. "My grandfather knew Napoleon," oiixl he to the distinguished guest. "The Emperor gave him a lovely snuil'-box. There is a hen on the lid."

"Dear me!" replied the Viceroy. "It is probably an eagle, not a hen." "Xo, it is a hen," persisted the alderman, producing the box from his pocket, and proudly displaying the initial "X" of the Emperor's name, in brilliants, on the lid. AMERICAN JURIES. According to an eminent American statesman, jury-bribing in America lias its amusing as well as its tragic side. "The other day 1 heard of a judge," said, "who disgusted with a jury that seemed unable to reach an agreement in a perfectly evident case, rose and said: "I discharge the jury.' "One sensitive juryman, indignant at what he considered a rebuke, obstinately faced the judge. '"You can't discharge me!' he said in the tones of one standing upon his rights. "•And why not?' asked the surprised judge. •' 'Because,' announced the juror, pointing to the lawyer for the defence, 'l'm hired by that man there!'" THE SCOUT FEVER. Sir Robert Baden-Powell tells this good story that was told to him of a boy scout. "Diplomacy succeeds best with the little ones. A lad of twelve, all puffing and rosy, came in out of the c. the other day, and said: " "Pa, I'm tired. I've sawed enough wood for this evenin'. I'm awfully tired.'

"'Tired?' cried the father, looking up from his paper with an air of surprise 4 and disappointment. 'Why, I bet your mother you'd have the whole lot done before supper.' " 'Did you ?' shouted the boy, taking up his hat again. 'Well, you'll win your money if the aaw holds out. Xofoody ever bet on me and lost!' "And '•« rushed back to his hard task again, his eyes flaming with enthusiasm." ROSTAND AND SARAH BERNv HARDT. A little-known story about M. Edmond Rostand, whose play, "Chantecler," has created such a sensation, has recently been revived in Paris. When cnusen as one of the famous forty "Immortals" who form the French Academy, he gave a small dinner to a few of his intimates to celebrate the occasion.

Sarah Bernhardt sat in the place of honor at the poet-dramatist's right, hand. Half - way through the dinner she rose, lifted a champagne bottle, and dramatically poured the contents over her head, exclaiming: "Thus, in the fashion of the ancients, do I pour libation to our mighty poet!" The dripping wine naturally ruined her shimmering and costly dress. Her friends, including Rostand, pointed thin out. "Thank you," she answered calmly; "I meant it to be spoilt. I wore it for the occasion."

A fnw minutes afterwards the poet's sons, boys of six and eight, were discovered pouring soda-water over their own small heads, and thereby ruining their new lace collar 1;. The poet promptly packed them off to bed.

Bernhardt smiled, and, turning to Rostand. remarked: "Permit me to congratulate myself, mr dear sir, that you are not my father, too!"

™-\TMODORE PRITCHARD'S OPINION.

Commodore Pritcliard, who was recently married at Fleetwood, served the ,sea for half a century.

Just before retiring from the command of the Mauretania he told a group of Americans on board that a sailor's life was'a hard one. "Tt's not so hard as it used to be before the eominw of steam." he said, "but it is still fearfully hard, for all that. Tn fact. I never heard of but one man who had a decent excuse for going to sea." "And who was that, Captain ?" niV? a Chicagoan.

"Noah!" the captain answered. "For if the old fellow had remained on shore he would have been drowned."

ENTERTAINTN.fi SULLIVAN.

John L. Sullivan, who is now on a ■"nsit to the Old Country, is another wf|lknown man who has recently entered the bonds of matrimony.

John L. is. of course, the famous pugilist. once champion of the world and •dol of a large part of America. When John L. was at the height of his fame, a celebrated band was» touring America, and had arranged to perform at a big town in one of the Western States. Placarded all over the town were huge uosters announcing that "Mr. Sullivan would conduct the band." When the eventful night arrived a great crowd fought to obtain admittance into the concert hall, and reserved seats fetched enormous prices. The two front rows of the stalls were filled with 'bisr, red-faced, over-dressed men, and directly the conductor appeared on the they rose and welcomed him with "a roof-raising cheer. The smaller frv in other parts of the hall followed their example.

At the conclusion of the performance the red-faced men escorted the object of their applause to a banquet given in his honor, fighting a way through the mass of cheering humanity congregated outside the hotel.

At the banquet th? over-dressed worshippers put many questions to their hero, and the answers somewhat surprised them. However, save for a little uneasiness on the part of the conductor the banquet went 011 gaily. Suddenly., a burly traveller burst into the banquetting hall, struggling with the porter." who tried to prevent his entry. "I have travelled five hundred miles to shake hands again with John L.he expostulated, "and -T-'m -not going away without doing it! We're old pal's." He turned to the diners. '"Where is Sullivan, boys?" he asked. They pointed to the figure at the head of the table. "What!" shrieked the traveller. ''That' 110 more Sullivan that I am." '•Excuse me. sir," came the answer, "my name is Sullivan. Sir Arthur Sullivan." Everyone in the room bellowed with mortification. They thought they had been entertaining John L." Sullivan, the pugilist. ' Sir Arthur had wondered why the concert manager referred to him as plain Mr. on the poster; and had been surprised at the inlluenec of music on people of such rough exterior. He understood then, and in the uproar crept -quietly away.