Miscellaneous.

Waipukurau Press, Issue 281, 11 July 1908, Page 3

Miscellaneous.

Ihe State of Connecticut must l to its laurels, for it is asso- • i ted with the alleged manufac- ' ire of wooden nutmegs. It is now ated by a French contemporary iat there is in England a flourishg industry in the production of rtificial eggs, and that the factory . urns out over 1000 an hour.

The Mayor of Plymouth opened a bowling green on May Ist, on the spot where Sir Francis Drake and his companions were playing when they were told of the approach of the Spanish. Ar. mada. Bowls used in the historic game were played with.

Prince von Buelow, the German Chancellor, intends to live in Italy after his retirement from public office. He has lately visited Rome in order to inspect a magnificent villa that he has purchased, and of which he will take possession in the near future.

Mr John Morley, who is now a peer of the realm, once had the following poser put to him by a Scotsman among the electors of his own constituency : —“ If Maister Wilson (Mr Morley’s opponent) is in favour of spendin* thirty-six millions a year on the navy and army, and only twelve millions for pittin’ brains in, and thirty-six millions for blawin’ ‘eni oot, are you in favour of spendin’ thirty-six millions, on pittin’ brains in, and twelve million on blawin’ 'em oot ?”

One of the best stories about Lord Rosebery tells of an occasion when he entered a a shop in Piccadilly to buy himself a new hat. While he was standing with his head bared waiting to be fitted, a well-known bishop, who suffers notoriously from shortsightedness, came in, and, mistaking the earl for the shopman, approached him. “ Have you got a hat like this ?” he asked, taking off his own rather archaic headgear and handing it for inspection. Lord Rosebery, with his hands in his pockets, looked it over curiously, and remarked, “ No, my lord, I haven’t got a hat like that. And what’s more, if I had I’m blest if I’d wear it.”

The “ Daily News ” tells an interesting story of how Florence Nightingale cured her first patient. Miss Nightingale was the daughter of the proprietor of Embley Park, Romsey, Hants. Near by lived a lonely old shepherd, Robert Snelgrove with his dog, Captain. One day when tending his flock the old man was accosted by the squire, who was accompanied by his little daughter Florence. The child observed that Captain was and on inquiring about him was grieved to find that owing to a serious injury to his foot he was to be killed that night. Slipping away from her father, Florence hurried to the shepherd’s cottage, where she found the dog stretched on the floor with a badly swelled leg. She lighted the fire, boiled a kettle of water,and with her handkerchief bathed the injured foot until the swelling began to subside. “ Missie ” continued her ministrations, going to the cottage each day, until finally she was able to restore her first patient quite cured to his delighted master and to the sheepfold.

The most recent addition to the anecdotes concerning Princess Victoria Louise, the German Emperor’s daughter, takes this form. A new sailor-suit for “Prinzesschen” was sent home just before the voyage to Corfu; the young lady was delighted with the costume but not with the buttons ; and when the tailoress suggested that they might be exchanged for “a lovely set, price one mark (about a shilling) each,” the only daughter of Wiljiam IL, after a little hesitation. said: ‘‘Well, I’ll ask papa after luncheon, and then let you know.” At the appointed hour the tailoress appeared upon the scene, and the Princess, rather crestfallen, had to confess, “No; papa won’t allow it. He says a mark is too much for a button, and that it is wrong to throw money out of the window in this reckless way.”