Something of Everything.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2151, 28 March 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

Something of Everything.

_ Tlie top-bat is, it is said, to bo increased m bight in future.

As judged from the opinions of some 4,000 children, Dickens, iionly, and Scott are about tlie most popular authors with children.

in such numbers aro emigrants leaving tho United States that it is estimated that by tlie end ot January 180,000 will liavo returned to Germany.

In future all camels going beyond a walking pace at night m Aden must carry bells, as it is impossible to ileal* a camel either trotting or running.

In Sunderland tlio council schools have been thrown open in tlio evenings for use of tho unemployed, fires, lights, reading matter, and games being provided.

The chief criminal court in Vienna sat until 4 a.m. in order to finish a case. One juryman asked the judge for a certificate that tlio trial had lasted until that hour. “Otherwise,” ho said, “my wife will never believe mo.” The Judge granted the certificate.

When the employers of John Kainseck, of New York, scut to ask why he was not at business, ,it was found that burglars had stolen all liis clothes during the night, and lie could not leave the house.

■Smoking is oil the decrease in France among men. At least 10 per cent of young men in the higher and professional classes do not smoke. It is a, common experience to be invited to a house where, after dinner, neither cigars nor cigarettes arc produced; tho men immediately join the ladies in the salon.

The wife of an English M.R. writes: “The balder a man is, tlio more successful he seems to [jo in politics. Not a man with flowing locks is to be seen-on either of the front benches, sacred to the great, wise, and eminent of the House of Commons.”

Mr Thomas Campbell, fishing vessel owner, who died recently at Grimsby, at the age of 90, commenced J ; fe an a whelk seller, and worked liis way up till lie becam etlie largest smac.-c----owner in England. He was one of the founders of Grimsby’s fishing trade, and practically controlled tbo trade in shellfish.

The Victoria Cross was instituted 52 years ago. The honor has been conferred upon 522 officers, non-com-missioned, petty officers, and men of both services. Tlie first feat for which the Cross was granted was performed at Boni.arsiind' on Juno 21,- 1854, by the present Admiral C. D. Lucas, and the latest in Thibet, by Captain J. D. Grant, Bth iGurkha. • Rifles. There are 183 wearers of the V.C.

The Mayor of Salisbury (Mr R. M. Hall), received the following postcard addressed' to “Bob Hall, West Haunham, Salisbury”:—“When next you go distributing prizes or speech-mak-ing to school children, I recommend tho three following things to avoid should he brought to the notice of the. children by a, broad-minded man of tho world, viz.: —Avoid a mad bull frontways; a. kicking ass sideways; a solicitor, all-ways.”

A negro who had made arrangements with a South American planter to sow a. plot of land with corn had. agreed to receive in return a certain portion of the crop. Relating the transaction afterwards to a friend, lie remarked: “Colonel X wanted me to take the land in shares, and offered mo a. fourth of the crop; but I was not satisfied. I hekl. out for a fifth, and L got it. You can’t fool this nigger.”

A scheme for lightening the tedium of a long railway journey by giving a theatrical performance in a train has a suggestion' of novelty, if nothing else, to recommend it. According to a French paper, such a,proposal has just been put forward by a group of Parisian financiers. The idea is to attach- a special “theatre car” to "very expreless train between Baris and Riviera. This car would have a small stage at one end, and seating accommodation for about CO spectators. ‘The nature of the performance advocated is, appropriately enough, of tho kind known as “continuous.”

Los Angeles believes it has found •an effective means of dealing v'fh the tramp problem. The authorities of that city are putting up <lionsands of posters along the "railway lines between Los Angeles and the desert, hearing the following inscription : “Hoboes, keep moving. Rent is high and food is scarce. Taxpyers will not support you. Long sentences in the chain-gang given here. Sixty to 90 days our specialty.”

Count Kapnist and another gentleman from St._ 'Petersburg have been deputed to visit London to investigate the claim of 615 descendants of a certain Polubotko, a former Hetman of Cossacks, against the. Bank of England for a. sum of'£Bo,ooo,ooo. which is alleged to have accumulated with the bank. Polubotko’s descendants and representatives of banks in different parts of Russia and other countries have voted £6OO to cover the expenses of the delegates’ visit to London.

Who was the greatest man of 1907? The answers to this question of American editors- are naturally various, and perhaps as remarkable for their omissions ns for their inclusions. One of the editorial humorists -said “I think old Anno Domini is the man you are after; because he brought us good crops, tided us safely through what might have been the most disastrous panic of modern times, and leaves us with a bright outlook for 1908.” The British agreements with France and Russia, according to another editor, make King Edward the greatest man of the year. Others suggest John D. Rockfeller, Marconi, and General Booth.

From its issues of a century ago “Tho Times” reproduces a criticism of a now-comedy entitled “Something To Do,” produced at Drurv Lane, and “disgracefully rejected”:—“lt was obviously of German stock, with ono or two of our national characters engrafted upon it. The public are tired with the absurdities and frivolities of the school from which tho pla.v of last night was drawn, and treated it with merited rigor. The two first acts wore somewhat favorably received; but an opposition manifested: itself early in tlie third, which continued to increase until it hurst into a. tempest in the middle of the fifth too powerful to lie resisted. Not ,a syllable could he -heard from that time imti Ithe conclusion, and the curtain fell to the dumb show of the actors.”

The recent sale in London for £BSO of the flag of the Chesapeake one of the episodes ,in the history of our country which is more pleasant to forgot than to remember. In .the beginning of 1812, through flic successful policy of Napolean, and the delay and shortsightedness of the Tory Government, England found herself at war with America. The whole attention of the nation- being at the time taken un by tlio stirring events then taking place on tlie Continent, very little importance was attached to the American war. Alter the victorv of Trafalgar, only seven • years before, England had come to regard herself as invincible upon- the sea. and the news that British ships had been defeated upon two successive occasions by American squadrons was received with the utmost consternation. The flag of tho Chesapeake, which is, we understand, now to. crossthe Atlantic, is of^part!culn.rt.> ! vtor-