The National tribune., 1908-01-30

NOESY ~
father, a worthless man, took her trav-
cling over the continent with him when
she was in her teens surrounding hei
with dissolute men and women. 1t was
from this dangerous experience thai
Ouida was supposed to have derived
her knowledge of that gay, dissipated
life which forms the atmosphere of sc
many of her novels She wrote about
40 of these, many of which We're very
popular, some of which were in parts
very beautiful. They had certain al
most masculine power and richness
of imagery and expression which took
the popular fancy. A few years age
the English Government, acquainted
of her destitute condition, granted hel
a pension, but she was very proud, ano
did not take kindly to any offer of as.
sistance. Her devotion to her dogs
seems to have been the strongest pas
sion of her life.
A novel idea is that of Capt. J. \
Grose. an Englishman. who proposes
to take an old liner remove her en-
gines, remodel her interior and anchor
her in Falmouth Harbor, England, fol-
a Summer hotel. Rooms will be larger
and more comfortable than the usual
cabin, and the Captain expects to ac-
commodate about 100 first-class passen-
gers in his floating hotel Life will be
the same as on board a transatlantic
steamer. with Captain in command
and the servants all dressed in sailor
rig. Steam launches will be provided
for the convenience of passengers who
wish to go ashore, and there will be
plenty of boating and fishing for those
who want ii. He thinks his patrons, II
he has any, will derive all the benefit
of an ocean voyage without any OF lts
diScomforts, and that the novelty of the
idea ought to insure its success.
ANY life given up to the relief of suf-
ferins humanity commands admiration
but when a 1ifework is chosen which
carries with it complete isolation from
family friends. all the activities of life
and its innocent pleasures, words are
inadequate to express what We think
Father Damien. the Belgian priest, who
in 1873 went as q missionary among
the lepers of the Hawaiian Islands
chose such a lifework. and until his
death A few wears ago he labored brave
ly and uncomplainingly among these
unfortunates, trying to bring the com
forts of religion at least into their hope
less lives. Now another brave Belgian
has announced his intention of taking
Father Damien's place. He is a young
man with his life before him, and h
has said good-by to his family and
friends forever. He says he expects tc
contract the dread disease, but that he
has no regrets. His name is Vincent
Masoin. and he is just II years old.
Very little real interest is now taken
by the public in the second Thaw trial
and yet on account of the prominence
of the Thaws, and of the place Stan
IN world
cannot be classed with the ordinary
murder trial. 1t seems to be pretty well
proven that Harry Thaw has never been
mentally strong: his mother. his teach
ers and others have testified to his
strange looks and actions when child
and doctors and those associated with
him since he grew to manhood have
given their opinion that, especially on
the subject of his wife, he was decided
ly off" and more or less irresponsible
His lawyers have devoted themselves
solely to proving him insane at the
time he fired that fatal shot at Stan
ford White, ignoring entirely his pres.
ent mental condition. 1t will be re-
membered that last year they tried &c
clear him from the charge of murder
by proving him insane at the time OF
the deed, and to keep him out of the
insane asylum by showing him to be
course, they We're not successful. Nc
~ men with half a brain apiece could
accept such nonsense as that. Foul
doctors and "A nurse have come ovel
from Europe to testify to the decidedly
strange actions Of the prisoner wher
under their care, long before Evelyr
Nesbit came into his life. After they
have told their story the prosecution
will proceed with its rebuttal. the de
! Tense will take up a day or so in sure
buttal, and, as things appear now, th'
case win be ready for the jury by thu
end of the week. It certainly looks a!
/ if Harry Thaw would be cleared on thu
ground of insanity. Whether he is con
/ fined in an insane asylum or. If he is
how long he will stay there, remains Il
be seen.
One of the great social events Of the
season in New York was the tea giveT
on Jan. q by Frederick 7. Martin
brother of Bradley Martin, in the beau
! tiful ballroom of the Plaza Hotel Tn
/ feature of the occasion was the reap
pearance on the stage of Mrs. Georg'
Gould, who, as the lovely Edith King
J don, an actress of great charm and tai
ent, was well known to the public fo
many years before her marriage. On
the occasion of Mr. Martins tea sh'
appeared with Kyrle Beliew in a one
act play called Mrs. Van Vechten's Di
vorce Dance" n play very well suited t
such an occasion being light but dra
matically interesting. The ball room
was filled with very careful
selection from New Yorks wealthy an
aristocratic class, and the scene wa
exceptionally brilliant. Mrs Could
acting was most finished. and shove
no deterioration from lack Of practice
Her son, George Gould. Jr.. and his cou
sin, richly attired as pages of the IStl
century, acted as ushers. Mrs. Goul
is only one of a very large number u
actresses who have relinquished carce
full of promise for love or social posi-
ton. There are so many of these tina
to enumerate them would be an almos
endless task. In England, particularly
the actresses who have been raised I
this way TO the highest and proudes
social positions, are very many Not
few of these have proved themselves I
be women of exceptionally strong an
fine character, and have used thei
wealth and high place for the mobiles
purposes. Lady Pearce, who died re
Gently in England, was an actress 70
many years before she married Sir Wi
liam Pearce, having won great succes
when still young girl as Eva in '.Uncl
Toms Cabin" At her death she lei
s., 100000 for educational purpose,
Mrs Lyme Stephens, a famous dance
devoted over 80 years of her life I
good works. leaving a large part of he
} fortune at her death To various char
ties. 1t may not be generally know
that the Baroness Burdette-Coutts cam
into her immense fortune thru her s;el
grandmother. who was the actress Han