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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1906-9-13, Page 241 e CURRENT TOPIC5 The London County Council, now a pregressive body ati4 sure of support from the Government, has struck a blow at ono of those Institutions which in Eneiand seem Immutable and sacred, no matter howmuch they interfere with the convenience of living men, It in- tende to remodel the City of London. The business heart a the metropolis, though It returns two members to Par - 'lenient, Is a tittle over a square mile lit extent and had a resident population of less than 27,000 at the least census. It contains a large number of parishes which have only a historical Meaning flow, but whose management of many civil affairs through their vestries and officials, such as the poor rates, for in- stance, still continuee,. It is Deposed to do away with these entirely and to substitute a less cumbersome and more efficient central administration. It is likely, too, that old prerogatives of the city guilds may be taken away, the Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs and Alder- men bo reformed, and Cog end Magog shaken 'from their foundations. If the reform is put through it is to be hoped that is may be extended to the rest of England. Aside from its ecciesi- estical meaning the parish Is used M England as a unit for various adminis- trallee purposes, and unfortunately its boundaries differ accordingly. It must be a hard task for any man in many districts to know whets he is. The difilcully he gets around by doing as he . used to do, whether in paying les dues for the poor, or the highways, or the land tax, or in gelling married or buri- ed. When combined with the many ether territorial subdivisions the matter of boundaries becomes hopeless, and rt 6 inconceivable that a business people should have clung to traditional insti- tutions so long. From the historical and picturesque Point of view the change means a loss, no doebt. London without vergers and beadles, and perhaps with no more Lord Mayor's show, will seem dull, and the honest Londoner will grumble at paying a single tax bill inelead of (he scattered Reins he has always chased after. • Good morning. have you had dried milk for breakfast? This interesting article produced by the new soluble process is soluble in wetter, and can be reconsti- tuted by the addition of enough water ft the flour. The reconstituted milk, which possesses all the exact properties of the fresh liquid, has a flat taste and is less palatable, The great value of solid milk lies in its use in baking and cooking or for certain commercial pur- poses. Thus, in the manufacture of milk chocolate the make is limited in the quantity of milk which can be added to the ground chocolate, bemuse the re- selling mass must not be too thin or the chocolate will not harden properly. No such difficulty is present If milk flour is used. As it will keep indefinitely It promises to be a solace to tourists, campers, explorers, and for military and naval purposes, not only as a pow- der but also in tablets. Its use will eimplIfy the transportation of milk, as its weight is less than one-tenth the weight of fresh milk. It will be extreme- Iy difficult to adulterate, for. primarily, no water can be added without the pos- sibility of detection, and, in the second place, no chemicals need be added to preserve unchanged its quall'les as a raw milk, The mikado's empire is called a coun- try without beggars, without drunk- ards, with everybody polite and good natured and doing work of some sort. Nothing Is heard or seen of the effect of the emelt were The people do not, talk nf their late triumphs, but are working quietly to develop theft, indus- tries and to mien control of the new markets which their soldiers have made for them. A tendency to exclude other nations from these markets does not ex- isL Tho uniform and repeated earn.- ance Is given readily by Itapan's lead- ing statesmen that the promise of the epen door In Corea and Manchuria will be carried out strictly so far as Japan is concerned. Corea itself gradually is getting under effective Japanese con- trol and administration. The natural resources of Japan itself perhaps are limited, but its people aro frugal, Intel- hgent, and energetic and do not seem to feel the burdens imposed by the war as ,a heavy weight. Anxious Hushand—"Really, dear, Jur. key again/ I'm afraid we won't man- age a1 this rater Wite—"Reany, dear, its 1111 menagement. I made so much turkey.stuMng 116, 1. thud to order two more birds so that not a crumb should be left. Now yon see how economical I am, you goose!" Tourist (visiting an enelent castle, and standing on the top)—"Are there any legends eennected with this old cestle?" Guide—"Oh, yes. 11 is geld that, In ancient times a stranger once visited tide castle and gave no Up to the guide. Theretipon the latter threw the visitor over into the moat. But don't be frightened. Of course, it's only itte Idle legerd." THE POOR MAN'S LAWYE Ror two occasions had the honor of 1W Ing King Edward at her side on the box -seat of her coact. Her ladyship also hurtle regularly with both the 118 - sex and the Warwickshire hounds, The Earl of Warwick la at the present LIMB abroad on a big game oportIng expecte-, Lion, but iyhen at home he and his beau tiful countess are frequently to be seen together as amiable rivals in the field of sport. Mr. J. M. Barrie Is the enviable pos sessor of a key to the gate of leensing. ton Gardens, close to his house in Lan easter Gate, and thus enter the gardens at any hour of the day or nIght. After his delightful story of "The Little White Bird" (the scene of which is laid In Kenslngton Gardens), had been publish- ed, the late Duke of Cambridge, then Ranger Of Hyde Park, sent Mr. Barrie the key with a note to say that he thought it only fitting that the author of such a charming book should have that key. The ex -Empress Eugenie is 80 years of age. She has been so long In the entin- fry, where she found a refuge when the revolutionary storm swept away the second French Empire that all English people have come to regard her with a kind of affectionate sytnpathy. That sho is actually "of Scottish descent" Is cflen overlooked. Her grandfather was Wiliam Kirkpatrick, to whom teach - tion gives for ancestor the giant Finn Mac-Cual, a king In Ireland 1,700 years ego. The Empress lives in seclusion at. Farnborough Hill, Suvrey, and there she has had built a puro white mauso- leum, where black -robed Benedictines pray constantly for the welfare of the souls of Napoleon 111. and the Prince imperial. Among the latest applirants for mem- bership of the Acre Club is the young Sultan of Sohore, ane of the most pro- gressive and enlightened of Oriental potentates. He carries his love of West- ern fashions to the point of dressing in English style, delving a smart dogcart, and playing polo. He is a dead shot, and has bagged as many as seven tigers in a day, almost stalking his quarry on foot. Visiting Australia once in quest of sport, he was "held up" as a prohibi- ted lieu, and was not allowed to land at Port Adelaide until sundry yards of red tape had been uncoiled. His origin- ality was strikingly in evidence a few years ago, when, es the result of an ac- cident with a horse, the whole of his incisor teeth were destroyed. The Sul- tan had them replaced by teeth of solid gold, into each of which a large dia- mond was let. As the slightest flicker et a smile entirely uncovers them the effect is a weird one to the beholder, es- pecially when Lhe sun catches the gems and makes them flash fire. AN INSTITUTION IN THE EAST EN Or LONDON, A Legal Association Which Protects the Poor Entirely Free of Charge, The poor mares lawyer Is an institu- tion that has come to stay. There are some twenty centres In London alone where legal advice is dispensed •without fee or reward. Eighteen of these een tres are affiliated with the Poor Man's Lawyer's Aesociation, Some of the large towns in the pro- vinces, such as Manchester, Sheffield, and. Bristol, also possess their poor metes lawyers, Scotland, too, has felt that its vaunted suPeeloeity 1 1110 realms of law was Incomplete without them. In Edinburgh, the Canongatc Institution has its "legal dispensary." That title might well be universally adopted. It does not grate upon the sus- ceptible, and it signifies the challenge 01 1110 lawyer to milt beside the doctor. There are mental troubles that yield more readily to the advice 01 11)8 lawyer than to the exhortations of the parson, and 11 is to be such a healer of minds that the poor man's lawyer aspires. TELL TIIEIR STOBY. He sits in the evening of some per - tinter day in the week, and those who shun the publicity and rapidity that at - end the advice given in the police courts. or have no time to go there, may come to him and tell him the whole of their etory In quietness. The poor bare their legal troubles no lees than the rich. and the bitterness of them is magnified by a sense of Impo- tence and oppression. They cannot fight against the oppressor; they do not even know ‘vhat their rights are, or whether the law has any remedy for them. The herraesing uncertainty can be dispelled in a few minutes' con- versation with the poor man's lawyer, and he can show them the hest way out of their difficulties. His legal knowledge Is not his only asset; his knowledge of the world, his acquaintance with a high moral standard, and This sympathy are equally invaluable. WORD OF ADVICE. The ewe:teem to pick up the English language very quickly, but newly im- ported immigrants and transmigrants are particularly likely to need the ser- vices of a lawyer, and these can gener- ally speak hardly a word of English. So the East London Tenants' and Gen- eral Legal Protection Committee chiefly aesists the poorer aliens. Its aim is to right. a wrong rather than to put money in the pocket of a client. Its procedure is es follows: The clients are firsl interviewed by a lay- man well known in the neighborhood, and himself a Jew, lie is able to dis- pose alone of the majority of cases. His legal knowledge Is sufficient for the more ordinary difficulties, and often a word of advice 6 all that is wanted. ' More difficult cases he drafts into a waiting room, giving out numbered tickets; and these come in turn before the solicitor, who is in attendance and he goes carefully into each and every case. ORDINARY CASES. Most of the cases referred to him are of an ordinary description—some land - had has been levying en illegal dis- tress, some husband ill-treating his wife, some employer refusing wages to hie werlanian, an omnibus upsets a barrow and the wares are damaged. a child has been run over, a friendly society or insurance company refuses payment, petly leases and partnership agreements have been broken. The committee is only too glad to be able to avoid litigation if it can effect some satisfactory compromise. It cum act independently, as Its services are given gratis, and occasionally, when both parties sel their views before it, 11 can act more as arbitrator than as at- torney. But the best guarantee for a peaceful solution is the knowledge of its power and will to enforce its views, and the committee does not take up a case, however deserving, that It is not prepared to light in court. Occasionally, there comes a client hinting that he would be obliged if he could hear of the best approved legal way to defeat creditors. The exhorta- tion to be honest that he gets is disap- pointing to him. There would be less need of the poor man's lawyer if the law were kinder to the poor man. PERSONAL PARAGRAPHS. A Few interesting Farts About Well- known People. The Kaiser's newest role is en enthu- siastic collector of picture postcards, and he Is said to throw himself into the pursuit with all the native energy that characterizes Min in more weighty matters. Lord Tompletnore, an Irishman, is the "Father" of the House Lords, of which he has been a member since 1812, when he came of age, He is closely followed by the Earl of Leicester, who succeeded his father in 1842, and came of age in the following year. The King Is probably the only nee theist. who has ever been regularly ,Inv - en by a policemen. For sonic time past his Majesty's ntolor-car has been in the hands of the police, It may be explain- ed Met the King has been employing sklllad policemen -chauffeurs from Scot- land 'Yard. The Countess of Crewe, who was Lady Margaret Primrose, the second daugh- ter of Lord Roscebery, shares with her distinguished husband the delights of hunting and shooting. At many of the fashionable race -meetings they form members of the same house-parly and attend the races together, though their opinions as to the merits of a horse end 115 chattees ef success do not by any means always agree. The Countess of Warwick is one of leo cleverest women drivers Of a (011r- n4tand in Great Ornate, anti has on one THRIFTY ITALIANS. Their Bank Savings Estimated at 8 LO00,160,060. It is figured the total savings of the people In Italy now represent not less than one thousand million dollars. Since the year 1822 there have been founded In Italy 222 savings banks, et which 184 are still in existence. Thera are two kinds. The first, especially numerous in Tuscany and en the Roman provinces, are generally incorporated as stock companies, and wholly inde- pendent from other institutions, while the others, very common in the north- ern districts, are generally founded by and dependent upon Government authorities. In the southern provinces most of the savings banks were origin- ally loan institutions on grata, depend- ing upon their respective communes. Somewhat of a similar nature ere a few savings banks established by provin- cial counclls and some by labor unions. There are besides five banks, the origin and management of which are quite distinct. These are the Milan Savings Bank, whose pincers are appointed by lhe City Council, the Province of Lom- bardy and the Government; the Paler- mo and Carrara Savings Banks, under Government control, and, lastly, those of Naples and Siena, depending, re- spectively, from the National Bank of Naples and the "Monte del Pascht." The aggregate sum deposited in the 182 savings banks existing at tbe end cl 1904 came to $355,400,000, which sum was guaranteed by a reserve fund of $56,400.000, making a total of $411,800,- 000. This shows a substantial growth from 1880, when the deposits were $1.260,000, and from 1870, when they aggregated $65,540,000. The Savings Bank of Milan represents about one- half 01 1116 total deposits, having at the end 01 1805 deposits of about, $158,400,- 000, and a reserve fund of over $20,- 000,000. To the above sum of $355,400,- 000 meat be added $108.800,000 deposited in the postal savings banks, making an aggregate amount of $522,200,000. These figures do not represent the total sav- ings of the kingdom, for a greed deal of money is deposited in other financial Institutions and people's banks. SUNDAY FOR REST AND WORSHIP. But British Parliamentary Committee Recommends Certain Exemptions. We are satisfied of the great impor- tance of maintaining Sunday as a day of rest, not only on religious and moral grounds. but also as necessary to the' preservation of the health of the com- munity," That is the gist of the report of the British Joint Committee on Sunday Trading just issued. In any hill for the restriction of Sun - chit' trading it Is, however, recommended that exemptions should be made in the case al: The sale of refreshments, including sweets, preguinably for cnnsuruption Immediately or during the day; The sale of newspapers, magazInee, and periodicals. The sale of medicines; The sale of milk and °mem. Bread, fish. fresh vegetables'fruit, meat, end lee should 1)0 saleable during part of the day. With regard to tobacco, pipes, and smokers` requisites, the committee sug- gest that, the sale should be allowed only during the hours in which public., houses are opened. That every shop assistant. Mould be secured by mw one cley's rest in seven. Elephanie withOut tusks are numerous la Abyssthia, --e-eaaseeereereeeeeer—e— IN MERRY OLD ENGLAND NEWS IBY MAIL ABOUT 301IN BULL AND WS PEOPLE, Occurrences In the Land That Reigns Supreme In the Commercial World. It torm pedo factory is to be removed fro WoolitsviacInt.n"riCed that the Government Forty-one thousand six hundred and eighty-seven certificates of conscientious objection wero received by the vaccina- tion officers during 1905. During (he past twelve months about one hundred and !Illy rifle clubs have been forzned throughout the United Kingdom. The present number of clubs An attempt is about to bo made to train unemployed women in market gardening, bee -keeping, frtilt culture* poultry keeping, and dairy work. Al Spalding, Mr. Ayre of Cunning ham's Drove hes had 330 chickens taker: by rats during the past fifteen months oasnerenaignhyt. as thirty-four being taken In. Speaking at the speech -clay at the Normanion Girl's Secondary School) Mr. P. Tew, of Wakefield, said that wo- man's first duty was to be graceful and pleasing. Relic 'hunters have greatly mutilated the gravestone in Conway Churchyard which is associated with Wordsworth's poem, "We are Seven." and steps are to be taken to protect the stone from fpr - thee damage. There are yearly imported Into this country over 800,000 pounds' weight of feathers, and it Is calculated that forty million birds die annually to supply plumage for decorating the hats of wo- men in Europe. Viscount nidley's Marriage Ad Amendment bill allows the marriage et a seaman to tnlce plaee by license In the diocese of the port where his ship is lying, If he has been resident for fifteen days on the ship or partly on the ship and partly on shore within the diocese. At Liverpool a man named Thomas Molyneux was fined ,Si and costs for burying a dog alive. Automatic gas -meters in Manchester collected 123 ions of pennies last year, which represents 459,773 125. 2d. Charged at Romford with stealing an apple valued al a penny from an or- chard a laborer was fined 10s. and costs. The Colonial Secretary has authorized the Crown Agents to invite tenders for the erection of wireless telegraph sta- tions In the West Indies. Mr. L. V. Harcourt elates that the new War Office buildings in Whitehall will not be available for the use of the de- partment until Christmas. Undertaking to live for twenty-one days on four meals a my of tinned meat and fish, a man living at Harrow has offered bimself to Messrs. Armour for exhibition in London. 11 was stated during the hearing of a damage suit at the City of London Court that the steam tug Hilda was known to Thames watermen as the "Mad Mullah," because of her excessive speed. There is a blind news agent at North- ampton who has supplied customers in several adjacent. villages for the last twenty years. Ile scercely ever delivers a wrong newspaper, despite his largo round. Owing to the dishonesty of a lawyer, Lord Amherst of Haelcney has incurred the loss of about 4100,000. The Earl of Ellesmere is laying out a model colony on the banks of Lhe Bridgewater canal at Worsley. A Forest Gale boy has been presented with a spirit Desk for winning a race at a Sunday school treat. A number of Dutch farmers are short- ly to visit Essex for the purpose cf studying English methods of farming. After holding the position of head- master of the Westminster City School for 33 years, Mr. Robert Coffin is re- tiring. After 28 years' service in every part of the metropolis, Mr. E. Wangford, Lon- don's oldest fireman, and the senior superintendent in the Fire Brigade, has retired. James Willis, who was coachman to the lather of Gen. Sir John French, has just died at Ripple at the age of 95, leaving 76 descendants, including 31 great-grandchildren. SEARCH FOR PIRATE'S HOARD. Shy Fitted Out to Locate Buried Treasure. William H. Small, of Liverpool, the owner and master of the ketch Catharine which has been fitted for a voyage to the Caribbean Sea in search cf treasure, and which Is under detention by the Customs ailthorilies at Douglas; Isle of Wight, because of lack of ship's papers, has made an Me:vesting statement re- garding his intentions. The concealed hotted, he says, was burled by Latrobe, a notorious French pirate, Mena the year 1808 on an island, and consists of specie ami jewelry of the estimated value of $5,100,000, The secret of the hiding piece was re- vealed by an old sailor while on his deathbed twenty-eight years ago to ship's doctor named Davison. This salter, while serving on a merchantship, ghip, was made a prisoner by Latrobe, and to escape death joined the pirate crew. While making for the pirate headquarters they were chased by an American corvette, bul, escaped and buried their treasure in boxes on the Is, land. When the pirates again pet to sea they were attacked by an American ship, most of them being killed and the remainder being captured. "How fresh the air seems down here in the country," said the jaded town dweller, "In the city It's intolereble." "Yes, indeed, sir," replied the intelligent son of the son; "for my part, I've often wondered why they don't build the leg cities out in the 'country, where there's better ale and more room." No doubt mon arejst as foolish as 400011. but peeTifonlhoer of 11 man zulteg a woman toe heeactt of promise, LIFE TOLD IN FIGURES '111E METROPOLIS OF TI113 WORLD POR ONE YEAR. Gigantic Post Bag is a Remarkable Fea- ture Passengers on Railway Lines. It requires a closely printed volume 01 11(010 than 500 pages to tell the fas- cinating life or London In figures. This volume was compiled by Mr. Edwin Harper, statistical officer of the London County Council. It tells everything that can be Loki in statistics of the administrative Coun- ty of London, and Um public service carried on therein during the past year. The County of London embraces int area of 79,442 acres; 11 hes a population o! more than 4ee mffilons; its parea menlary electors number 621,190, and It s borough electors 715,751. Greater London has a population of 7,113,500. The vital statistics for the country gives the following yearly return of =Magee, births, and deaths:— leferrlages, 39,586; tote per 1,000, 17. Deaths,Births,1419,0,39301, rerateteppen,100,0000, ,10297.9 Infant mortality Is responsible for a considerable part of the earth's rale, the deaths under ono year of age in the course of a single year being 18,600, MILLIONS OF PASSENGERS. In regard to the passenger traffic in Greeter London the elgures are stupen- dous. The following table shows the statistics for 1904:— Passengers C Mode of Conveyance. Railway .... 2.97133. ,10,7 50 Tramway , ...... 433,731,880 Omnibus 288,065,214 Total ..................1,021,315,844 But even these figures are incomplete, as the omnibus returns include those of only two principal companies, while the railway figures cue also incomplete. The number of journeys per head of the population is probably more than 200. London's post bag is thus described In figures:— Letters ... I .. 727,200,000 Postcards .... ...... 664,00,000 Book packets and circulars . 63,200,000 Newspapers ....33,700,000 Parcels 17,391,000 Letters registered .. 6,472,000 Parcels registered 291,215 Express delivery services 916,744 Telegrams handed in .... 28,364,000 The figures in the first five lines ap- ply to deliveries only. PEOPLE EMPLOYED. The total number of persons employ- ed M. the London postal service is 46,- 216, of whom 38,659 are males and 7,557 females. The number and tonnage of vessels en- tered at, and cleared from, the port of London during 1904 were as follows:— Ntunber. Tonnage. Entered 27,098 17,073,852 Cleared .. .. 27,471 16,251,474 The trade of the Port of London is valued at:— Exports ...... —.457,780,490 Imports 17,802,613 The exports showed a decrease of 41,827,309 on the previous year, and the imports an increase of 45,258. FACTS IN BRIEF. Telephone public call offices number 3,135. 11,341 motor -cars were registered In 1004-5. The yearly population of London prisons is 59,404. The length of sub -ways under streets for the reception of pipes is 11,945 yards. Road improvements during the year cost the London County Council 45,405,- 972. More than 52,000 articles were left in public carriages by forgetful passengers. There are 2,158 miles of streets in the county, and they are maintained at a net cost of 92,109,240. The names of 167 streets were abolished sixty new streets were named, and nin- ety-three streets renamed. The net annual cost of the London police is 91,535,558. The total cost for England and Wales is 44,321,132. The council spends 41,638,263 every year in maintaining lis parks and open spaces, which aro 4,915 acres in extent. In quests to the number of 7,391 were held. The expenditure on them was 430,111—an average of about 44 per inquest. The widest street in London is Picok which at one point is 136 feel wide, of which the roadway takes up 106 feet. The number of public carriages lie- ensed by the Metropolitan Police is 16e 379. The drivers and conductors 111.1111. ber 31,912. Thera are 6,681 public houses in the metropolitan ares. The number of ap- prettenstons for drunkenness during the year was 60,899. The authorized area of sunply of the Ntelropolitan Water Booed is 537 square miles. The total volume supplied due - log (ho year was 80,201,619 thousand gallons. The British Aluseum haa more vist- tors than any other museum, the taint for the year being 954,551. The Vic- toria and Albert Muse= is .next in po. pularny, the yearly number of visitore being 848,969. BUSH FIRES IN AUSTRALIA. 'rho remarkable discovery has been made that many 01 1110 recent great bush fires in New South Wales and Victorin wero mused by the phosphorus paste laid down to kill rabbits, The paste is laid down by the ton in all the rabbit. Infested (Miele's. As Soon as the mix - Lure drles it catches fire under the heat of the sun's rays and starts disastrous conflagrations. TO SHOW HIM UP. The way to show up a Man who thinks ho knows it all is to get an eight-year- old bay to ask him questions. 11.4.61.• ChIldeen should melte • an crime to Irafn tip their parents In the wily athey 811.0111cl go. QUEEN'S MAIDS -OF -HONOR THEY ARE TlhI6 QUEENS MOST CONSTANT COMPANIONS. Duties Are Not Arduous; iter Majesty Being a Most Considerate The most coveted position amongst gIsantl-sowerlorortoQ isthsueeistltlIAgd°Ilerixtitstelti14t.A 01 01 Aid1, the moment, four ladies hold this tem. orablo position. Wherever the Queen goes—to State [unction, ball, theatre, party, at 110100 01' 01/0004.1-111 least (Inc Maid will be in constant attendance tin. on her. Yet, though so emelt sought after, the post is nu sirezeure. It re quires a particularly talented lady to icull.so1al, 114(1\svely,t eQtociere's requirements, says That they must be daughters of arts- toerals is, of course, essential—usually they are daughters 01' graad-daUg11401'S 0! peers—but, failing Weir rigid to a title, or precedence by elate they are al- lowed the prefix of Honorable immedi- ately upon appointment to otfice. A Meld -of -Honor's day conuneuces immediately after the Queen has break- fasted. Though her eittieety's private secretary will see to the bulk of the cow Lesropuogii)iteneethe morning's poet has letters 01 111010tnore‘olit!lesstsine coulldantialliilnni66011(17 private nature, witch the Queen will an- swer personally, through ono of her Ladies -In -Watling. That alone requires a Maid -of -Honor to be an accomplished linguist, for almost daily Queen Alex- andra receives communications from her tunnin tn.oezeo.us relatives in different purls of immediately this Is over, tint if the weather be tine. the Queen, who spends 't good deal 01 1101' Lime In the open air, especially when slaying at Sandringham and Windsor, will order her carriage for A LENGTHY nnIVE. A Maid-of-1ronor always accompanies her Miljesty; while on those rare meter - Ions when the Queen goes out on horse- back, one of her ladies, similarly mounted, rides with her. To the management of horses will ba added the care of the sick and the lions For it Is on such occasions that the Queen pulls up before some of the cot - !ages of her villagers, and sends her Maid -of -Honor to inquire es to the health and prosperity of the inmates. Back to luncheon, them Is usually some function at which lite Queen, and, of course, ono or more of her Maids -of - Honor, must attend. If a King or Queen, or anyone of princely rank, Is visiting King Edward, the Maids -of -Honor muel. 1/0 gresent, with the Queen, to greet thein on arrival. During the season, when Brewing Rooms are held. the Melds take pate in the Royal procession to the Throne Boom, and are in attendance upon her Majesty throughout the cere- mony. At State concerts they sit im- mediately behind the Queen and her daughters. At Slate balls they ere al- ways close at hand to adjust thc Queen's cloak or wrap, or to take her fun or flowers from her. There is no ceremony. indeed, net even of a semi -066J nature, such, for instance, as the presentation of medals by the King to soldiers returned from service abroad, or the DISTRIBUTION OF BADGES to hospital nurses, at which the Queen is present without her Maids-of-ilonor. In all Royal processions, moreover, these ladles occupy the carriage immedi- ately preceding that In which the Queen herself is sitting. Unless requested to join the Rnyal Family at luncheon or dinner, Maids - of -Honor, after having placed a special bouquet upon the dinint-tablc at the Queen's right hand, retire to lite dining - room kept specially for the other ladies and gentlemen of the Household. lenb they are again in attendance upon her Majesty immediately she enters the drawing-room—to play the piano, to sing, to read, to play bridge, to do needlework, painting, or any amusement or occupation which, QueeksAlexandra may deckle upon. Being a renowned musician herself, the Queen spends a good deal of • time at the piano, and the Maids aro usual- ly chosen because of their accomplish- ments in this direction, All are excel- lent pianists and singers. They must needs be so, else they would not be able to piny in the duels which her Ma- jesty loves to take part personally, with a brilliancy of style, end absolute emir - nay of detail, that would astontsh many a first-rate professlonal performer. While Queen Alexandra is engaged in poker work, art needlework or carving, In all of which sho Is PARTICULARLY PROFICIENT, she often desires one of her Maids to road to her. Hera, again, proficiency in foreign tongues 15 essential, for the Queen may require the book to beetrans- toted into English, or to be read in the langunge in which it has been printed. At any rale, the elocution must be of the very best order, Until the Queen retires for the night, the Maids nee not free from their re- sponsibilities, Although very compre- hensive, the duties of a Maid-ot-elanor are not arcluoue, the Queen being a most considerate mul kindly mistress. And, of coulee, shoind one of the Maids marry during her term of office, Queen Alexandra, as hes been the custom of the Court for centuries, presents her with $5,000 as dowry. Her Majesty's consent, however, must be obtained for the mech. Most of the Maids marry exceedingly well, their position in the Court na inane bringing them In con. tact With highly eligible suitors. GREATEST FLOATING DOCK. By the encl of 1907 the port of Ham- Integ will possess the greatest floating dock in the world, ads new under con- struction In the •shipyard of Messre. Blohm and Voss, at Hamburg, and Is to five an accommodation °timidity of 85,- 000 tons. Its length will be 52 feet, so that the largest warships and Wean liners will he able to ese11., The deck will 111 eventitelly lowed to Brunshausen en the Lnwor Elbe, where it can bo 11111. teed by the Getman, fleet in case of war, IMO'S NARROW ESCAPES 1115 MAJESTY SEEMS TO. BEAR A CHARMED LIFE. Nearly Shol When n Lad of 'Pen — Ills Experience with a eloce in India. ft is true that few monarchs of mod- ern days have had less reason to fear the hand of the assassin than 0111' b010Y. ed King laihvard. IIe 1111a, neveetheless, oecatied death by 4110 merest shave oa many °Newtons of willelt lite general public knows little. One cat theite was when he was a lad or ten. Greatly interested and attract- ed by Mooting, he had made Ills way unobserved down to the coverts In Windsoe Park, where a large party of Royalties and distinguished guests were engaged In "potting" pheasants. Not knowing exuctly where the membena of the 110017 33000 placed, the Prince of Wales, as he then was, made his way along until he came close to a gentleman who did not at first see blin. Suddenly 11118 sportsman's eye detect- ed the trespeesing leo', and at Um same monteet he saw. that 1110 kid MIS IN Ti 111 imuicr LINE OF F11113 from the gun of Lord Canning, wh4 was etst about to shoot al. a plietwant Ming very low. The gentleman, who was the Hon. C. Grey, knew that Can- ning urns rather short-sighted, and 110- nteillately divined that he coulci not see lite boy. So lie swung round, and gavo the youth a sheep knock and sunt him spinning into the 1.1140h. JUSL OS 110 did so the shot 011100 WI112. zing past, and some of IL even caught the Hon. C. Grey in the face and badly injured. lam. Bul he had undoubtedly saved the life of the future King, The second narrow escape 30110 Miring a tiger -shoot In India. Its Majesty was mounted on a steady, experienced ele- phant. Ono of his comptinirms had se- verely wounded an extremely largo and nerve, Nee, welch was ninving stealthily away to 111410 111 the jangle %ton it came almos1 exaelly in trent of the ele- phant upon wheel Ilia Prince rode. II1S MAJESTrS IIION Like lightning 11 1118(10 a great spring, and landed well up on the elephant's head. It was so emee nen the prince felt its terrible. 1011.11, blowing nn his cheek. Yet his now did not fail, and immediately he zeleed Ide rifle and sent a bullet, clean through lis As the young Primo of Wales, ho wits onee visiting 11. M. S. Sullen. Ile was .standing with one or two of his companinns observing the discharge of new gun, when the windlass became past control, awl its handle whizzed round and round with an awful velocity. Those whi) were :deleting tvillt their fares Inwards it, before they could push the Prince out of lite waye—he himself skeet with his back towards the wind- lass, and had nolseen what hut) hap- pened—saw the lunette weep round only 01.0111 three inchee off his tread! Had 11 eaught him it 111101 have killed him on 1116 epol. 011 001111) THE SHANIIIOCK, Then there 33'115 HMI strange aezedent when the 11ing was on board the Sham- rock during her trial trips 1n the Solent in 1001, He was Mere tis the guest of Sir Thomas Lipton when 11 great wind caught the sails of 'the yaele and sent them creehing deem Into the sea, car- rying everything with them that tees in their course as they fell. King Edward MS silting directly under them, and had they gone over on his side of the veseel ho must have gone with them. And, lastly, many people will remem- ber the occasion when a Ma -witted youth named Sipco shot el him with a revolver in n rathvay-caeritme at Brus- sels. Tho Prince had not the slightest expectation of such an attack, and tho would-be assassln was so neat' him — having actually his head and hand in- side the carriage when he fired the shot —that, if his aim had been a good one P. would have been absolutely Impoe- Bible for our King to have escaped death. SENTENCE SERMONS. Tho leisure often determines the life. Itas no use holding Up a plat cup for a quart of blessing. You cannot prove your faith in God by your doubts of men. Common ceurtesy is often an uncom- mon hind of Christianity. To be asham xi of virtue is a atop towards being prcud of vice. Melly a man thinks 110 is orthodox when his mind Is only atrophied. Sow your seed in ruts, and you will not be bothered by a harvest. A real kindly feeling never has to well long for a chance to get busy. There is nothing sacred in any day if there is not something sacred 10 all. Dancing is always the worst sin in the decalogue to e wooden legged man. The only way to commit, the cern- mandments to heart is to commit there * In daily life. It's easy to see what win become of a man's humility once lie becomes prole( SIi The man who cannot (Ind helmet on the street is not likely to find 11. in the °I.ohpTlihrocebt.baywho is given a star the hill usually maims a record t, al. the S°Init'shingodtorhs. emalcing of money but the failure to make manhood that must, be condemned. The best, way to keep the tribe of right- eousness from raggedness Is to weer It ,c11)ziyag. Tlio nata may conduct courses study on the moral time card and still them i ss e,1 t"1116 When1 finds that, religion Might restrict his revenue he begihs to UM about its inoompollhilty with him refeon, i;sa i‘aYSt10Intnvhskt018uni hea%vithth0greatest abandon A: (1et)ldsthatnewspapere shell xeecise the greatest restraint in describing MA ocoasi on, Babies and peados cedm 6 tot ot teOUble beeteret pecelle rens() 10 165 them alone. 4 ee 14, 0