Morning journal and courier., 1885-10-03
MAX O'RELL'S LETTER.

LONDON, Sept. 19. To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 One or two English newspapers are dis cussing the probable amount of the Queens private fortune. While enc puts it as low as & million and half pounds sterling, the ed itor of Truth reckons that it cannot be less than four millions. He says the Prince Con sorts fortune alone, with twenty-four years interest, must be considerably over million and half, besides which the money left to the Queen by MT. c. J. Nei1d, and carefully put aside to accumulate, cannot be less than six hundred thousand pounds. Then there the savings Her Majesty's yearly al lowance of three hundred and eighty-five thousand pounds, commenced in 1841, and good round sum derived from the large sur plus on the revenue every year, for though the privy purse is supposed to be limited to sixty thousand pounds year, Truth thinks this is but pleasant fiction, because the large surpluses have never been repaid into the treasury, and can only have gone to the privy purse.
 Another paper enters long discussion about there being no fear of the throne be- ing too powerfully wealthy, as the Queen will not leave everything to the Prince of Wales. It is we'll known that the Prince of Wales is not to benefit by his mothers testa- mentary dispositions. The Duke of Edin- burgh and the Grown Prince of Germany are not to be the privileged ones either. The principal interiors are to be the Duke of Connaught the Queens favorite son) and Princess Beatrice, and there will be ample provision for the families of the late Duke of Albany, Princess Alice. Princess Christian and ell the legion of nephews, nieces and cousins from German alliances.
 In the Lord Mayors court the other day police constable was awarded twenty-five pounds damages from an innkeeper, whose bull-terrier had bitten him severely. It ap peared that after the plaintiff had been bit ten he was refused compensation OH the ground that "there was nothing to fear, as the brute always had his teeth cleaned every Sunday"
 The newspapers contents bills are still filled with the announcement that the Eliza Armstrong inquiry is proceeding at Bow street Police court. The mode of life in Charles street has been laid bare by means of sharp cross-examination Of witnesses for both the prosecution and the defence. Most of the witnesses seemed more afraid of MT. Stead's questioning than they did of that of the professional counsel themselves. The ''Chief Director of the Secret Commission" as the editor of the Pall Mail Gazette calls himself in connection with the case, is clear ly man quite capable of conducting his own case, and his defence is eagerly awaited. He attributes his quickness of wits in great measure to practice his father, a Baptist minister, had of making his children discuss scriptural texts at the Sunday morning breakfast table. Each child had to repeat verse learned by heart, and all the others had to give his or her interpretation of it. The elder ones contrived to raise almost all the issues of religion and morality in these weekly discussions, "and," says Mir. Stead, ''I have never had such consciousness of mental activity, although I have discussed face to face with the foremost men of the day." At twenty-one he was editor of the Northern Echo, which he left to join the staff of the Pail Mall Gazette. MT. Stead, if not the cleverest, is certainly the most terprising English editor. The story of his visit to the King of the Belgians illustrates his energetic boldness of character. Wish ing much to talk over that monarch's Congo scheme with him, and being assured by member of the Belgian government that if properly introduced he would he received, he took it upon him to telegraph to the King, and not waiting for reply, set off for Brus- sells on Saturday, saw King Leopold talked over the Congo affair with him on Sunday morning, and on Monday was back on North umberland street. On Monday afternoon full account of the interview appeared in the Pall Mall Gazette.
 To judge by her parents, the much talked of Eliza must have had a lively home, to which the Salvation army meeting rooms must be tame indeed. Her father was once a militia man, and though he has given up the noble profession of arms, he keeps his hand in by occasionally flooring his better half That sharp-tongued lady doubtless gives him plenty of excuse for the exercise of his prowess, and in this matter of the girls ,11l, bod otoIi iT,1 T of his expressed wish that Eliza should not accept any situation, but stay at home and mind the baby.'
 One of the penalties that attend notoriety is the sudden discovery of an unexpected multitude of relations. Sometimes they are alive and generally in want of money. An American paper publishes the following: Che is only thirty -fve) has risen to the editor ship of the Pall Mall Gazette, his brother, who possessed equal ability, sleeps in nameless grave in the little town of Clayton, Ala. It was in 1872 that Stead made his -ap- pearance in Clayton. He was tramp and gladly accepted odd jobs. To Professor Johnson, then a teacher in Clayton, Stead confded the story of his life. It was the old tale of drink and the train of evils fol- lowing it. Rum had robbed him of family, fortune and friends, and made him vaga- bond upon the face of the earth. Again the
 
 an end to his struggles and temptations Professor Johnson wrote to the great London editor, informing him of his brothers sad fate and in due time reply came acknowl- edging the relationship and giving the histo- ry of brilliant but uncontrollable man. The prosperous editor begged the professor to communicate anything of pleasant na- ture he might know about the outcast, but not to write any unpleasant writings" 'The prosperous editor," said the Pall Mall Ga zette of yesterday, learns of his long-lost brother for the first time in the columns of his Georgian contemporary, for that person, like the alleged correspondence with Profes- sor Johnson, is wholly mythical.
 Adelna Patti, thanks to the new French divorce law, has comodo just got rid of her husband, and this suited the diva to a dot. She has another string to her bow. But things do not go exactly con grazia, for pres to, no soooner had she disposed of her mar ouis. than np comes Mrs. Nicolini and spor- zando demands Signor Nicolini ten thou sand pounds. Agitato, doloroso, what is to be donel Maestro give up her tenor favorite or grazioso sacrifice quasi three weeks earn ings to the ''present holder of the Nicolini mortgage"
 Lord Carnarvon has just made a tour in the north of Ireland, and, not losing single op- portunity for display of vice-regal elo- quence, has been punctuating his tour with speeches. The poor Irish folk have again been listening to assurances of the love their sovereign ruler Queen Victoria bears them. Lord Carnarvon did not vouchsafe to say why Her Majesty hides her love under bushel Facts speak louder than words. The Queen is approaching the iftieth year of her reign, and during that time has spent only twelve days in Ireland. Yet Dublin is not more than twelve hours journey from London. I hear Princess Beatrice has desire to see Ireland with her husband, and hope the I Queen will encourage the idea and let the | Irish have a turn at basking in the sunshine | of royal favor.
 The idea of improving the "female form l behind'' by the use of bustles is not at all l modern, as we know. We have all read of Queen Elizabeth's farthingales, but now German gentleman, in an interesting article l written on this very subject of improvers, says that eight centuries before Christ ladies indulged in these very vanities, and that the Greek bard Hesiod, who fourishsd at that time, warned young men against being led astray by these women of the day, who wore their clothes ''puffed out behind"
 Opinions may differ as to the beauty of