Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-24
SOME CURIOUS HOBBIES.
Queer Whims of Minds Given to Com
tcmplating Important Matters.

tcmplattng Important Matters.
From It'd Bits.
A very peculiar hobby was that of an old
woman who had been employed at court in
the capacity Of nurse, and who had a most
extensive collection Of pieces of wedding
cake. The cakes to which the fragments
belonged had been cut at the marriages of
the highest in the land. The place of honor
was given to a portion Of Queen Victoria's
wedding coke, and nearly every royal mar
rage that had occurred since the access
sion Of William Nv was represented in this
curious collection.
Lord Petersham, a noted dandy in his
day, had a hobby for walking sticks and
also for various kinds of tea and snuff.
All round his sitting room were shelves,
those upon one side laden with canisters
of Souchong, Bohea, Congou, Pekoe, Rus
sian and other varieties Of tea. The
shelves opposite were decorated with hand
some jars. containing every kind of snuff,
while snun boxes lay here there and every
where. Lord Petersham prided himself
upon possessing the most magnificent ar
ray of boxes to be found in Europe, and
was supposed to have fresh box for every
day in the year. When some one admired
beautiful old light blue Sevres box he
was using, he lisped out, Eyes, it is a nice
summer box, but would not do for winter
wear"
Count Henry Won Bruhl,. famous Ger
man diplomatist, busted himself in collect
ing boots, shoes, slippers and wigs of all
shapes, sizes and fashions. This curious
hobby was rivaled by that of late King
of Bavaria, whose collection of hats was
unique.
King of wurtemburg boasted the pos
session of above 5000 copies of the Bible;
and a nicotine-loving American reveled in
treasury of pipes, Of which he could
count 365 specimens in meerschaum, brier,
glass, china and clay.
The Duke of Sussex, brother of King
George II, had pair of hobbies that were
wide as the poles asunder. He was an in
cigars.
Pope Plus TX was a collector of slippers.
He always had twenty-four pairs in his
wardrobe, made of red cloth embroidered
with gold, and ornamented with a solid
gold cross. his chamberlain being strictly
enjoined not to part with single pair,
however well worn they might be. to any
of the many devout applicants for them.
Wigs and walking sticks were the special
vanities of Mr.. William Evans, some time
principal clerk in the prothonotary's office
for Anglesea Carnavon and Merioneth, and
SO highly did he value them that he be-
queathed one of each to three different
maiden ladies'. for whom he had in turn
felt tenderness in early life. Another
gentleman had hobby for scarf pins.
He is said to have kept book containing
as many pages as there are days in the
year, in each of which different pin was
stuck. Every morning he fastened into his
lotted to that particular date, returning it
to its place when he undressed at night.
NJ. NeStor RoQueplan, a Frenchman of
letters, a collector of warming pans,
and devoted gallery in his house to this
article OF furniture, where visitors might
enjoy the privilege of beholding the identi-
cal warming pans that had aired the beds
of such celebrities as Queen Mary of Scot
laid. Catherine de Medici, Gabriel DIES
trees, Diana de Poitiers, Nine. Pompadour,
Marie Antoinette, Mile. de Fontange and
other noted personages. Another eccentric
Frenchman was a bean enthusiast. He
wrote book upon the history of haricots
Ell their influence upon humanity, and re-
1oiced in collecting beans from all quarters
OF the globe and carefully labelling and
arranging them. Some of the specimens
were very valuable, having cost as much
as 500 francs. His death was FASTENED
by the mysterious disappearance of some
Japanese beans. upon which he set especial
value.
A European lady living in Japan acquired
I o fewer than 700 teapots of various pat
terms ard kinds. Another lady had a hobby
never to part with one she had worn, and,
when she died, left behind her wonderful
collection of feminine head adornments.
elliott the founder of the world-renown-
ed steel pen business, had a passion for
Cremona fiddles, although he was absolute
ly without musical knowledge. A London
BARRIERS hobby was the collecting of dress
ing cases-a hobby which he pursued with
such avidity that on his death 800 of these
articles came into the hands Of his execu-
tors.
The Queen of Italy is said to be an en-
thusiastic collector of boots and shoes.
Her collection includes shoes of Marie
Antoinette, of the Empress Josephine, Mary
Stpart Queen Anne and the Empress Cath
crime of Russia.