The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-09-17
HITLER AND T0NDER.
Weekly Chat About Notabili1es In
General.

weekly Chat About Notabilfttes In
General.
Sydney Smith was sitting at breakfast
one morning at Combe Florey, when a
poor woman came, begging him 10 christen
a newborn infant without loss of time,
as she thought 1t was dying. He instant
ly went to her cottage and on his return
was greeted by queries as to what satte
he had left the child in. why" said he,
II just gave it dose of castor-oil and
then l chrisened it; so that now the poor
child is ready for either world"
Prof. Blackie was lecturing TO a new
class with whose personnel he was imper-
fectly acquainted. a student rose TO read
a paragraph his book i'm his left hand.
"Sir! Numbered Blackie, hold your
book in your right hand"-and as the
student would have spoken-"No words.
sir your right hand. / say! The student
held up his right arm, ending plteously
at the insist "Sir, nae nae right hand"
he said. Before Blacde could open his
lips. there arose a storm Of Kisses and by
1t his voice was overborne. Then the
professor left his place, and went down
TO the student he had unvittingly hurt
and put his arm around the lads Shout
ders and drew him close and the lad
leaned against his breast. MY boy"
said Blackie-he spoke very softly yet
not so softly but that every word was
audible in the hush that had fallen on
the class room-"My boy, you'll forgive
me that 1 was over rough? / did not
know" He turned TO the students, and
with look and tone that came straight
from his heart, said; And let me say
to you all, 1 am rejoiced to be shown L
am teaching a class Of gentlemen"
Scottish lads can cheer as well as hiss,
and that Blackie learned.
Tennyson was extremely sensitive 10
any criticism OF his poems. once when
a friend was at Freshwater he noticed
on the drawing room table a certain
journal which contained = depreciatgry
article on a recent volume Of the poets.
YOU'D better put that paper away under
the sofa, said the Laureate to his son.
IT'S just as well the servants should
not read this rubbish about me-" To the
same friend he repeated an impromptu
epigram he had made after reading a
review by Mr. Alfred Austin:
"Tennyson is no giant" How do you
know it?
SO vouches Alfred Austin, dwarf and
poet.
Then there is the story told by the gen
tleman VINO was once connected with n
press cutting agency. This gentleman
wrote to the Laureate offering supply
Of cuttings having reference 10 his works.
The reply was brief: Lord Tennyson does
not care to pay for gnat bites"
Miss Alice Longfeiow has once more
Al a~fx 2 rgf IN
working girls at the poets old home al
Cambridge. Each year a different selec-
ton is made. and with great delight the
art treasures are examined by these city
toilers. The famous chair made from "the
spreading chestnut tree" and given by the
Cambridge school children, is regarded
with great reverence. and often leads to
the recitation of that well-knOwn poem
1.-The Village Blacksmith" Sometimes
a drive TO Mount Auburn, where Long
fellow is buried. is included In the DAY
programme, and, always greatly retreshed
I'm mind and body. the girls 70 wnom thls
kindness is shown return 10 their WORK
with many pleasant thoughts, when VIII
come to them as they go through thelr
daily labor cheered by the recollection
Of the kindly interest taken in their
welfare.
Miss Charlotte NJ Yonge. the well
known English writer, has just completed
her seventy-frst year, and testimonial
has been offered 10 her from 5,DJ0 or her
readers in England, France, Italy, Amer
lea. South Africa and Australia. Their
signatures testify 10 the belief that she
has done much good by her writings In
this generation. Miss Yonge lives at
Otterbourne, a village four miles from
winchester. Her house is modest one,
covered with vines, and is sheltered from
the high road by thick hedge. The man
sion is a roomy old-fashioned one. and
a. room on the second floor. overlooking
the garden behind is comfortably fitted
I'd as a combined drawing room and
library. and here Miss Yonge writes her
numerous works. She has a striking face,
fine dark eyes and very white hair
Ibsen is DESTROYS Of visiting England,
not on account OF the attractions tnat lure
other foreigners 10 the tight htue Isle,
but solely 10 see the old men. IN all
other countries" he says. "the best work
"a done by men between forty and fifty
years OF age; in England the best work
Is done by much older men, ana man OF
seventy or eighty is often still In MS
prime. l should like 10 see sucn men as
Gladstone, Salisbury and Herbert Spen-
GER" The dramatist might have added
10 this list the name Of John Blackie.
list the name OF John Blackie. the Scotch
the Scotch poet, philologist, and philoso-
nher. who has just celebrated his eighty
fourth birthday. Ibsen himself is sixty
five. He is very rich, though when he
began 10 write he was so poor that he
used beefsteak paper for manuscript.
Physically he is very short. and In mark
ed contrast TO his son-in-law. Bjornson'
who is one Of the latter men In Norway.