The World.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2221, 2 October 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

The World.

[The following paragraphs are extraoted from the London society papers and other journals.] A scientific gentleman is endeavouring to discover whether or not fishes hear and appreciate music. Gaspodin Lubimoff, the Russian tragediau, has been created honorary and hereditary citizen of St Petersburg, a title conferring distinctions and certain social privileges upon its owner. It has been estimated that cocoa is used by 10,000,000 of the human race, betel-nut by 100,000,000, chicory by 40,000,000. coffee by 100,000,000; 300,000,000 eat or smoke hashhish, 400,000,000 use opium, 500,000,000 use tea, and all the people of the known earth are aoldictedj to the use of tobacco. A French photographer was ao absorbed the other day in his great work of taking the likeness of the Arc de Tnomphe that he uttered the usual plmiso, "Now, do not atir ; one, two, three. A writer in a Paris paper vouches for it, so we must believe him, or t>ke the terrible consequences at fiftyfive paces. Paris flings off the disguise, and consents to become provincial in fashion of oostume as well as in general dulnessi. It h.ia been di-cussed whether or not the top bat is to be any longer &• rigueur in Paris for gentlemen, and the decision come to is thai" caps, straw hats 'and the English " billzecoque " may be donned in mid-day even by elegants. The Chicago Grocer says that Mrs Buckingham, the richest woman fruit farmer in California, has row after row of pear, cherry, peach and apricot trees. She has been very successful in the business of fruit growing, and manages her business with good judgment. •' So much for Buckingham." The fact is that as an exporting country of manufactures America is losing ground. With the exception of cotton manufactures the official returns show a gradual reduction of the exports. The export trade for the fiscal year ending June 30, although final figures are not to hand, will show a shrinkage of over $55,00 ,000, and an increase in imports of $65,000,000, making a difference in the balance of trade of §120,000,000. Monsieur X has a little falsetto voice. The other day iv giving a coin to a blind beggar on the corner, he said in his flute-like voice, " Here, take this, my poor man." "Thanks, madame," auswered the blind man. "I am not a lady," replied M. X., in a vexed tone with his voice pitched in a still higher key. " Thanks, mademoiselle," returned the mpndicant. The first portion of Mr Sala's autobiography, which will be intensely interesting, will describft his boyhood, 182S-35, and will then give an account of the ten years 1835 to 1845, and will contain reminiscences of Bellini, Grisi, Paganini, Lablache, Braham, Tom Moore, Theodore Hook, Dickens, Thackeray, the Duke of Wellington, Lord Melbourne, Mrs Norton, the " mad " Marquis of Waterford, the Countess Waldegrave, the Duke of Brunswick, Harriet Duchess of St. Albans, Count D'Orsay, Napoleon 111., Mark Lemon, Buckstone, Webster, Mdme. Vestris, Charles MathfiWP, Dejazet, and others. Last week there was finished and exhibited in May ence a richly- carved wine cask, capable *of containing upwards of 600 litres, entirely made from the wood of the oid Roman bridge, built under the Roman Emperors Trajan and Maximilian, and discovered and taken from the Rhine in 18S0. Of the wood still remaining more cask«, of rather smaller dimensions, are to be made to be sent to the United States. In Mayence they honour wine iv every way that is poetic, artistic, and also in a very practical manner. It is reported that Mdme. Sarah Bernhardt has been getting into trouble in Rio Janeiro. According to the story as received by M. Sarcey, at Paris, there was among the miscellaneous company provided by her iinpn'saiio to accompany her on her South American tour a certain artist named Mdme. Noirmont. This lady, having had a difference with the great tragedienne during a rehearsal of "Adrienne Lecouzreur," resolved summarily to quit the company. On Mdme. Bernbaidt expostulating a lively dispute ensued, which ended with that lady puuishing her recalcitrant colleague by the administration of a horsewhip. The consequence was a summons before the magistrate, which is stated to have resulted in the imprisonment of Mdme. Bernhardt. A hat philosopher has arisen who propounds a new study called "Hatology." The hat, says he, is ft very faithful and important barometer. There are some things in hurran affairs which deceive the clearest and astutest mind". But how often do you study a man's hat without learning something about the wearer's charaacter — his tastes, his social position, his means ? Do not men in town sometimes discover who are from the country by simply noticing the shape of the hat ? Ceitain it is that those in the country can, by the same process, distinguish tho.«e lately from town. NNaty t more; the aesthetic young man, the sportsman, the clergyman, the clerk, the artisau, even 'Arry him?elf — all come under the influence of the barometer in questiou, ,md the character of all is in part denned by it. Let no one, th^n, set the question ,i-ide as being unworthy of consideration' or as beintr of no concern to him.

Where the Difference Comes In. — They were going homo from the meeting of the Darwin Club, and the car was crowded. "So," he said, as they hung to the straps, "you believe in the theory of evolution ?" "Indeed I do,"' she replied. " And do you think man a descendant of the monkey !" " Not all of them." " I don't understand," he said, in a puzzled tone." "Well, some have descended from hogs," but they keep their seats all the same. — Washington Critic. "Poor little thing!" said Mrs Shuttle. Hero it tells in the paper of a baby seal that lost its mother and went swimming in the great lonely Pacific until some kind rtailor picked it up. It's a very touching story." "Well, you needn't feel so bad about it. It wasn't the kind of seals they make fur cloaks from," said Job Shuttle, gruffly. " Oh, then it don't make so much difference ;" and she turned to review the marriage and death notices.

Fifth Centenary of a Bell. — The city of Brcslau lately celebrated the 500 th anniversary of an occurrence which was memorable in the history of the town and is known wherever German poetry finds a home. The bell which hangs in the southern tower of St. Mary Magdalen's church and is named " St. Mary's bell," but is usually known as "the poor sinners' bell," rang out morning and evening on the 17th of July to remind all who heard it that it was cast on that day 500 years ago. Next day, Sunday, the preacher reminded his congregation of the pathetic story which has made it singular among bells, how, when all was ready for the casting, the bellfounder withdrew for a few moments, having a boy in charge of the furnace, warning him not to meddle with the catch that secured the seething metal in the caludron. But the boy disregarded the caution, and then terrified on seeing the molten metal beginning to flow into the mould, called to the bell-founder for help. Rushing in and seeing what he had intended to be his masterpiece ruined, as he thought, angered to madness, he slew the boy on the spot. When the metal had cooled and the mould was opened, the bell w.is found to be an exquisite work, perfect in finish, and of marvellous sweetness of tone. Coming to his senses, he recognised his bloody work and straightway gave himself up to the magistrates. "Blood for blood " was the hw ; he was condemned to die, and he went to his room while his beautiful bell pealed an invitation to all to pray for "the poor sinner,'' whence its name. W. Muller nas enshrined tho sad story in a ballad of touching simplicity :—: — " War einst ein Glockengieszer " Zu Breslau in Ber Stadt."