The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-03-13
WELL KNOWN PERSONS.
Anecdote and "Reminiscences.

-NliSS rTdHCeS II. Willard mas 0dQ
memorial tablet placed in the old church
at Horsmonden, Kent, England, in honor
of her ancestor, Simon Willard, who found
ed, in 1885, the town of Concord, Mass
Professor Simon Newcomb who has
had charge of the Nautical Almanac for
more than twenty years, will be 62 years
old on March II and will be retired then,
according to law, unless Congress by a
special act should extend his term.
The Hungarian painter, Munkacsy,
who was recently stricken with paralysis,
is said to have been writing his reminis-
cences at the time illness overlook him.
Whether they are completed or not is I'M
known, but fragments at any rate are ex-
pected to appear soon in Paris.
Sir Richard Temple, Bart. has been
preparing statistics in connection with her
majesty's long reign. He finds that there
are one million men employed in various
parts of the world under arms in the SER
vice of the British empire. Nearly three
quarters of that number belong to the
white race
Alfred Austin, poet laureate, was
some time ago i'll Rome, and there made
the acquaintance of lion hunting lady
who, wishing to pay him a compliment by
asking a question, said: 81 suppose you
are the son of that gifted woman, Miss
Jane Austin, the novelist?'' Mr.. Austin's
reply is not on record
Emile Erckmann, the noted collabor-
ator with Chatrian in many novels and
plays, is not dead, as is generally supposed,
but is living in retirement in the village
of Luneville, near his native place. His
sixty fifth birthday was celebrated recent
ly by the municipality. He is said to have
volume in press on a psychological sub
iect.
The Grown Princess of Denmark is one
of the richest royal personages in the
world. Her father, Carl XIV, the late
king of Sweden and Norway, left his only
daughter well lowered, and she also in
herited many thousands from her mother,
Princess Louise of the Netherlands, who
was heiress to an immense fortune The
Princess is greatly interested in philan-
thropic work, and great friend and adj
mirer of the Princess Christian.
The English papers are still discuss
ing the new masterpiece, as they classify
Mrs. Steels wonderful novel of the great
Mutiny: ''On the Face of the Waters. -
The Macmillan Company has just pub
lished an American edition. 1t is a com
pact book (the English edition has about
430 pages, the American about AIS, the in
crease being due merely to difference of
type), but in its intense unwavering in
terest its length is unnoticed The scene
is for the most part in Delhi, and her
marvellous Palace, the Cantonment, the
Ridge, or the narrow streets, even the
noises of the bazaar, are described with
vivid vitality which is rarely equaled
ard cannot be surpassed. Mrs. Steel has
the rare gift of writing in colors.
Mr. Charles A. Cooper, the editor of
1.-The Edinburgh Scotsman - has lately
published a volume of recollections, his
anecdotes being mostly illustrative of
journalists experiences. He tells one de-
licious story of a dissipated editor who
was found by his aid every evening at his
rotations. From these he was detached
for time, in order that he might write
the leader-.which he wrote very we'll
and the assistant then departed One night
the tipsy editor was fain to be let alone
Give me The Times" growled he, and
cut the leader from its broad pages. Past
ing this on bit of paper he wrote above
it: What does The Times mean by this?,
and with this man vellous introduction the
leader was printed next morning.
An English traveller, Mr.. Poulett
Weathersby, has recently sent to friends
in London some leaves from the tree in
Africa under which the heart of Living
stone is buried He says that Chitambo,
the chief who ruled the district in the
great explorers day, now lies buried I'M
der the same tree, and the village that
bore the chiefs name has been removed
ten miles to the westward. Mr.. Weathers-
by adds that, unless steps are taken i'm
mediately to mark the spot it will be made
indistinguishable by the rapidly encroach-
ing Jungle. The old ''mpundu' tree has
now become mere shell and may fall any
day, and after that it will soon be impos-
sible to find the place where Living stones
heart has been moldering for quarter of
a century.
Mrs. Charles Howard, of Baltimore,
"a years old, is tie only surviving child of
Francis Scott Key, the author of '"The
Star-Spangled Banner In speaking of
her father the other day she said: ''Pa
was always quiet, and he was averse to
notoriety. He despised beggary. The
begging of funds to erect monument to
him is very displeasing to me. was born
in the old Chase house at Annapolis. My
grandmother lived there. When we lived
in Georgetown Washington was looked
upon as a common place. All the wealthy
and aristocratic people lived in George
town. Our back yard was destroyed when
they built the canal, the canal cutting off
the yard. Then we moved to Washington.
John Randolph was very intimate with
the family and he often took breakfast
with us. He was always accompanied by
a servant and two or three dogs, and he
always came on horseback He used to
bring his dogs into the dining-room, and
while at the table would throw crack ers
to them. My mother did not like il at
all.
John Hay, who is prominently men
toned as McKinley's Minister to the Court
of St. James, has been Assistant Secretary
of State, Consul General at Paris, and Sec
rotary of the Legation at Vienna. He