General News.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3955, 1 September 1881, Page 3

General News.

Two hours before the Cunard boat Malta, carrying the infernal machines, arrived at Liverpool from Boston, the Home Office received information from a well-known patriot, who makes Paris his bead-quarters, that explosives had been shipped on the steamer. Government detectives were at hand to inspect the cargo, and the cement barrels were seized before any damage was done. The American authorities are much more interested in this matter than would at first appear.' The "Skirmishers" and Fenians on. the other side of the water have no sooner resolved on a plan of action than news reaches one of the spins upon the Irish soil, who promptly, in accordance with the terms on which he has long served the British Government, telegraphs it to the Home office. The rest is easy wq«k. The public buildings of Liverpool antFotber English centres are thus safe, while the American passengers on board the vessels on' which the machines are seritj'arid the' wharves at Boston, New York, or other ports of shipment are exposed to a most appalling risk.. It has beengoing the rounds for some time that the, Prince has rather cooled on a'certain, ".reigning beauty," the general belief being that be had found other and fresher fish o fry, having experienced the truth of the Skakesperian maxim, that n"itbe sweetest honey is loathsome in its own deliciousness." It has been said, too, that he had got " huffy " over the marked preference shown by the fair lady for. a certain youthful and long pursed earl, aud had given vent to a fit of pique. But if the latest reports are to be credited, teTerybody has been quite on the wrong scent; ' TheS Prince has been cut but, not by a peer of his own nation, but by a young American. The young man who is' | said to now fill the place in Mrs<-—-'s good graces.! once occupied.-by royalty, is a youthful'"'New Yorker,; who is as goodlooking,,a9_,he is rich. .How it all came ! about is a strange story. It seems that the young man arrived in London, on his way, to Paris (where all Americans generally make for without loss of time), the day before the " Atalanta" fSte, at Kensington House, in July last. Tarrying (unlike Americans in general) a few days in the British capital, he heard of the fete, and wentto it for the express purpose of seeing .the English beauty, whose fame and photographs.. had crossed the Atlantic. There, in the Princess of Wales' booth, selling " buttonholes," he saw her. Now, there is no doubt that Mrs-—is a much prettier woman than her photographs make her. Whether it is her marvellous eyes, her strangely winning smile, the sweetness of-her voice, or ber charm of manner that the camera is unable to reproduce on albumen paper, I can't say ; at all events there is a certain indescribable something about her that ispeculiarly attractive to men, and that one doesn't see in her pictures* Certain it is that the young man from New York experienced the subtle influence, arid straightway lost both his heart and head to her on the spot. He determined to speak to her. Unfortunately, he did'nt know a soul who could introduce him ; but luckily, in her position as a saleswoman she might be addressed by anyone with propriety. So he walked up to the booth, and asked her to sell him a boutonaire. Though she had a duke on one side and an earl on the other, with half a dozen honourables and baronets in the background, she looked'up at the new comer with her sweetest smile, and, in ber sweetest' voice, said, " Oh, yes; with pleasured" Then, selecting a tuba rose surrounded by heliotrope and verbena, she pinned it on for him, adding, with a little laugh and one of her peace-ruinfcg upward glances, in reply to his inquiry in that behalf: " Oh. pay whatever you like —what you think it's worth, you know." Hd had been to Rothschild's that morning with his letter of credit, and, under the influence of the moment, took two £50 notes from his waistcoat pocket and put them in heir hand. Scarcely a moment before the Prince had paid her, rather : reluctantly, £5 for the same thing. The comparison was disastrous to royalty. If the young New Yorker looked handsome to her before, he seemed a veritable Adonis now. But who could he be ? His clothes were ■ well made, and fitted him perfectly; everything about him was in perfect good taste; he could'nt be a " cad," for he hadn't dropped an h. Hoping to discover, she detained him, only too willingly, in conversation. A mutual friend was was soon brought to light, and ir-well, it is needless to add more than that the New Yorker did not go on tc Paris, but stayed in London till the season was over, and then escorted Madame tc the continent, whither she departed some' what suddenly by tidal train one fine mornihg last month for the purpose o joining her husband, a gentleman wh( finds the atmosphere abroad more con genial to his nerves and less' redolent o duos than that of bis native land.