The National tribune., 1907-02-21


shadow of Waterloo Bridge on the Vic
toria embankment of the Thames. II
IS a wierd, impressive scene. In the
background is the dark river moving
slowly like an immense crocodile, i'm
patiently waiting for eXpectant prey,
and in the foreground a touch of the
Goth century is given by the NOISY
brightly lit electric cars dashing alons
the embankment. Between the TWO
crowd of men and women have gain
cred, the poverty guests of the banquet,
the hopeless, friendless, homeless
wretches of London's streets. The wo-
men with pale, wan faces, whose eyes
tell the terrible tragedy of their lives;
the men, grimy and unshaven, despera-
ton, ferocity and duh despair written
all over them, stand in their rags,
awaiting their host. Just as big Ben
tolls out the midnight hour two covered
vans rattle up briskly, followed by
trap driven by a Salvation Army ofncer.
The crowd, which has been standing 81
lent and motionless, Immediately starts,
and shows a keen interest in life as the
savory smell of hot soup is waited TO
them. The banquet board is the wide
pavement of the embankment. Tenn
porary tables are quickly set up, ana
the noisy clatter of bowls being filled
with the Steaming soup adds homely
cheerfulness to this depressing scene
The crowd instantly makes rush Tor
the tables, but the police insist that
everything shall be done decently and
in good order A bowl of soup ana
great hunk of bread is given to each,
and spoons are provided, but such a
crowd as this has no use for the re-
strictions of a spoon, and the starving
man and woman holds his or her bowl
with both hands. drinking greedIly- In
the twinkling of an eye almost, !of
hunger stands not on ceremony, the
vans are empty and the mountains OF
bread have vanished. There are no
prayers, no meeting afterwards. The
vans and the trap of the Salvation
Army officer rattle away, and the crowd
disperses. whittier? All, God only
knows; but the warm soup and brean
has at least stopt for time the awfui
gnawing at their stomachs, and given
them some courage to face the long
hours before daylight This midnight
feast is only for those who have no bed
for the night, which is the reason 1t Is
given at this hour. II is only one little
bit, tiny part of the magnificent work
done by the Salvation Army, which
commands the admiration, aye, more
than that, the veneration of the whole
world
The Rev Washington GLADDEN., pastor
of the First Congregational Church OF
Columbus, O., who got so excited a
while ago over the tainted money OF
our multi-millionaires, says that John
d. Rockefeller's gift of $32.0OO,O00 TO
the General Education Board was made
to influence the courts in the Standard
Oil cases now pending. "Is 1t benc-
faction or restitution" dramatically
exclaims DIR. GLADDEN., and he ADVISES
the Board not to take the money until
Mr.. Rockefeller has been tried.
Nothing further seems to have ap-
peared in print as to the reported Ill
ness of Mr.. Edison, which only goes to
prove that much seen in the papers
cannot be relied upon. We are no"
told that the great inventor, who was
SO on the 11th of this month. has de-
termined to quit work and enjoy him
self. He says he has never had the
time to play with electricity just for
fun pure and simple. and that that is
what he is going to do now. Mr.. Edl-
son, who has been troubled with his
hearing ever since he was boy, Is
rapidly growing totally deaf, and he is
very anxious before his hearing entire
ly leaves him to perfect his pfiono-
graph. He says he is confident ne can
make the records clearer and the tcEe
qualities of the machine much better
than at present.
Who can bear to think of lovely, i'll
starred Mary of Scots wearing a wig?
1t is extremely difficult to associate any
of the ruthless ravages of time with her,
or to picture her as anything but young
and charming However, if Robert
WingfieId and others are to be believed
we must sorrowfully readjust our opin-
ion It seems that among the highly
priced treasures left by the Baroness
Burdett-Coutts was a locket set with
diamonds containing lock of the
famous bright auburn hair which we
have always been told was one OF
Mary's greatest charms. King Edward
also has a lock of the same ruddy hair.
With the Baroness's death and conse-
quent disposal OF many of her things
the existence of this relic was made
public, and controversy arose as to its
authenticity And now comes the har>
rowing part of the story. In the Brit
fish Museum Library was found an old
by one Robert Wingfeld, whom
Froude, the great English histo-
rian, Endorses, of the execution of
Queen Mary. Of which he was an eye
witness. He declares that when tho
executioner lifted the head of the hap
less Queen the hair fell off, showing
that 1t was nothing but a wig, and dis
was undoubtedly a lock of these false
plaits of hair which furnished the ma
terial for the priced relics of the Baron
ess and King Edward.
Probably the biggest alimony any
woman has ever received was given
Mrs. Belmont upon her divorce from
Willie K. Vanderbilt. He had always
been very generous 10 her, and when
they decided to break the bond which
held them together he gave her a New
port residence and s250,000 year.
Just imagine 1t! Seven hundred dollars
O day of her very own to do just what
she pleases with! The former Mrs.
Vanderbilt is a Southern woman, very
beautiful, and was used to the chival-
rous devotion of Southern men. While
Mr.. Vanderbilt literally showered
: money upon her, she was said to be
very unhappy, as he failed to give heI
the fiattering attention to which she
was accustomed Their daughter, the
Duchess of Marlborough. kept them to-
gether while she was at home, but In
two months after her brilliant marriage
the couple We're divorced. When w. X
Vanderbilt gave her this generous ALI
nnony he is said to have told her that
II was hers for life, whether she mar
ffed again or no. Mrs Belmont de-
elared she should return the money II
she ever married again, but when She
did marry Belmont his paltry $4,000
600 was found quite insufficient to graf.
ify the luxurious tastes of two, so sh;
>Wisely held on to her own income O,
ozb00GO a year.