ITEMS FROM TRUTH.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2908, 11 June 1878, Page 2

ITEMS FROM TRUTH.

It is said that Lord Salisbury insisted upon being Foreign Secretary, rice Derby, resigned. Lady Derby is the stepmamira of Lady Salisbury. The two ladies are as fond of each other as stepmothers and stepdaughters usually are. In •, order to understand what has occurred it'must be borae in mind that not only does Lord Salisbury succaed lord Derby at the Foreign Office, but that Lady S. succeeds Lady D. I hear that Lord Charles Beresford and Mr Ballantine, junior, are about to be married, the former to Miss Gardner, the the latter to the relict of Mr Mitchell, late M.P. for Bridport. The secret of the correspondent in regard to the contemplated Congress is this: —When it"was proposed by Germany and Austria we were not aware

how closely these two countries were allied with Russia. After we had accepted the invitation it occurred to us that we should hardly mend matters by placing ourselves, not only in opposition to Russia, but also to Continental Europe, so we sought pretexts to back out. No impartial man can read the correspondence which has been laid before Parliament without coming to the conclusion that we were determined to prevent, if possible, the meeting of the Congress, and that we considered' that the end justified the means.

Miss Alexander is about to become the sister-in-law of H.R.H. the Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lome.

I was walking from Pall Mall a few days ago when it was growing dark. Before me I remarked an old man tottering along, with bent back and weary air. What attracted my attention was the bright glossiness of his coat and hia bat, which contrasted sadly with the aged gait of their wearer. Suddenly the figure straightened itself, and the legs assumed a jaunty movement. It nodded to a passing friend, and then again relapsed^Jjiio docrepitude. I passed, and looked back to see who it was. It was the Premier. Years and hard work are telling on him. What a difference there is between the Earl with the eyes of friends and enemies on him, and this lonely, feeble old man creeping homo through the darkening streets.

An Irish landlord told me the other day that no landlord was ever shot in Ireland who did not deserve it, and that he himself knew a most meritorious man who had shot a landlord. My informant is a large landowner, and passes as a most estimable member of society. But if these are the views, entertained by land* lords ia Ireland, it-is not surprising that Lynch law should be practised by tenants.

If I were a member of the peerage I should feel it my bounden duty, out of regard for the order to which I belonged, to do something for Viscountess Kings* land. A viscountess making shirts at twopence each, assisted by a heiee who also braids mantles, in order to keep them from starvation, is a scandal which the nobility, for their own sakes, ought to put an end to. The grant from the Royal Bounty Fund will produce an annuity of about £10 for her ladyship, and, with her . shirtmaking, she may be able to keep body and soul together; but as her lady, ship is about eighty years of age, she con. not hope to make shirts much longer. Surely a few noblemen and ladies could easily subscribe enough to make the poor viscountess comfortable for the remainder of her days.

The fact is that the sooner the present House of Commons is sent about/ its business, and replaced by another, the better satisfied will the country be. It is a thoroughly discreditable assembly. This is in great part due to the members themselves, and in some part to the Prime Minister being in the Upper House. They are like a pack of schoolboys, with the head-master absent, who despise the usher that has been set over them.