The National tribune., 1908-01-09


fortunes of many people would be ma
terially changed either for the worse
or better by what was found in that
coffin played no small part in the in
creased heartbeats of the small, tense
faced group that stood about the grave.
One was almost unconsciously remind
ed of the old story of "Genevra, and
of the opening of that ancient chest
disclosing the skeleton of the beautiful
girl, who in the exuberance of her we'd
ding-day happiness, had hidden herself
from her bridegroom in it.
There, then, had she found grave,
Within that chest-h she confined her
self, fiuttering with joy, the hap
piest of the happy,
When a spring-lock, that lay In ambush
there,
Fastened her down-forever."
When the lid of the Druce coffin was
removed and the fern of the figure
wrapped in its crumbling shroud was
seen, it was felt that the bottom had
completely fallen out of George H.
Druce's claim, and the long controversy
therefore at an end. The claimant,
however, while admitting that the body
was that of Thomas c. Druce, is not
willing to admit that it was the body of
his grandfather, whom he still insists
was the fifth Duke of Portland, and he
says he shall continue to push his claim.
A short time ago, quite without
thought by most of the world, passed
the GOOD anniversary of the birth of
Charles Wesley. 1t is doubtful if many
Americans, young or old, could give an
intelligent account of him, yet all over
this great world no Sabbath probably
passes without his hymns being sung
| nv mil nf
belonged TO a poetic family, his father
wrote poetry, and his two brothers,
John and Samuel, like himself, wrote
hymns, but it was for Charles that the
muse lifted up her voice and made her
supremest effort. Charles Wesley was
born in 1908, and was of the greatest
assistance to his brother John, the
founder of the Methodist Church, in his
evangelizing labors in England, con-
tributing by his hymns largely to the
success of his brothers work. Charles
! Wesley composed no less than $500
hymns during his lifetime. publishing
himself no fewer than 400, and leav-
ing something over 2,0GO in manuscript
at his death in 1888. His brother John
called him the heart of the evangeli-
cal revival which rapidly spread over
England, and it is not TOO much to say
that the religious songs of Charles Wes-
ley probably changed the face of public
devotion thruout England, and that they
| have been the means of converting mil
lions of souls to Christianity during the
past two centuries. His songs belong to
no special creed, but are for all, every
Christian hymn book being enriched by
them. His hymns touch the heart as
none others do. His understanding of
the mental state of the unbeliever, of
| the contrite sinner, was remarka BILE.
Some of his hymns are immortal. They
can never die. Can anyone imagine for
a moment that the time will ever come
when Jesus, Lover of My Soul" will
cease to be sung, or the words of his
child's hymn, Gentle Jesus, Meek and
Mild" be forgotten? Most of us learned
it at our mothers knee, and it formed
part of the childish prayer for years
Isaac Taylor speaks of Charles Wesley
as man "richly gifted with genius,
graces and talents, who tanned the
roughness of unlettered minds and rem
ovated worn-out spirits bringing hearts
benumbed by sordid cares and worldly
prospects into that bright atmosphere
in which his own spirit dwelt."
The William Thaws are in more trou-
BILE. If the newspapers are to be relied
upon the Countess of Yarmouth, who
was Alice Thaw before her marriage
and Harry Thaw's favorite sister, mas
applied to the divorce court to set aside
the bonds which bind her to the Earl of
! Yarmouth. 1t has been common talk in
London society for a long time that the
Countess of Yarmouth was not happy i'm
her married life; indeed, it is said that
even on her wedding day her titled hus-
band showed characteristics which
made her trem BILE for her future happi-
ness. The Earl of Yarmouth is heir to
one of the oldest titles in England, that
of Marquis of Hertford, which was
created In 1893. For awhile before his
marriage to Alice Thaw he appeared up
on the stage, where he won some small
success, his title, which was generally
known, being tremendous advertise
ment for him. Like SO many of the
British nobility who have married our
girls, he seemed after marriage TO care
only for his wife's money, which she
generously used to pay his debts, etc,
he repaying her by neglect and unfaith-
fulness-alas, the same old story 1t is
said that the disgrace which Harry
Thaw brought upon his family was ter
rlbly calling to the proud Britisher and
those of his house, all of whom, with
the exception of the Marchioness OF
Hertford. the mother-in-law of the
Countess. showed only too plainly how
they felt on the subject. When the
4 Countess of Yarmouth decided to come
TO America to be with her brother Harry
at the time of his trial, her husband
agreed that that was the proper thing
for her TO do, but all during that period
of terrible suffering which his wife
passed thru he was in Monte Carlo and
other fashionable places having a good
time. The Countess is said to have main
tanned herself with much sweetness and
dignity all thru her domestic infelicities
and has had the sympathy of tht
MarchioneSs from the first. 1t was an.
nounced some time ago that she would
not be present at the second trial of he,
| brother. in Difference to the wishes OF
: her husband, but now that matters have
come to a crisis she will probably fee
more independent, and as it is sait
she wishes to come over and be will
, her mother and brother at that time, i
is expected she will do so.
J, A Frenchman has always been con
= sidered the most deliberately polite maj
i on the face Of the earth For centuries
s the manner and dress of the French
e were minutely copied by those of othe
: Nations. even their silly little artificial
= tiles being considered at one time tn
/. acme of good taste and breeding The,
q have been steadily falling behind in thi
q reputation for good manners in recen
:. years-or perhaps IL is that they hay
IS been less conspicuous as other Nation
Il have improved their manners. At al
J, events, it is not an unusual sight il
e Paris to nowadays see a Frenchmal
e keep his seat in car or omnibus, wit
: tired, pale-faced women standing al
J. that extreme Difference which once dis
tl,aft.