The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-19
ABDUL s CARPETS
 USED FOR GIFTS Deposed SuItan's Property Is Being Sold In London TO DO CHARITY WORK LaudabIe Enterprise of the New Lady Mayoress of London-Mr. Balfour Likes Golf Better Than Poll
 tics-Expert at Both.
TO DO CHARITY WORK
By PHILIP EVERETT.

most fashionable Christmas gift in Lon don this year is undoubtedly the car pets which used to be the property of poor Abdul Hamid. the deposed Sultan of Turkey, which have been bought by an enterprising London firm and are now rapidly finding their way itno English homes.
 The most characteristieally eastern of Abdul Hamid's carpets has a ground of a deep rich red, but the most imposing of them all suggests the influence of a French designer. This fine specimen, 20 feet in length, and more than 20 in breadth, is in texture and manufacture a noble specimen of the Turkey carpet with the uncommon quality of a pile that varies in depth according to the pattern.
 These relics of the deposed Sultan form part of a notable exhibition of eastern carpets that has just been ar ranged
 and carpets, Persian, Turkish, Afghen and Chinese. has rarely, if ever, been brought together for sale.
 
 l have just had talk with Lady Knill. Londons new Lady Mayoress, whose first act, the opening of the fund For Gods Poor" has been one of char ity and who intends to devote her whole time, during her husbands term Of of- flee, to charity affairs.
 T am very anxious to help Gods poor" said Lady Knil. irrespective of creed. want to bring them into touch with ministers of religion, no matter of what denomination.
 We shall divide the work into three branches and the fun will. so far as pos sible, he administered through the or ganizations which are already dealing with the different classes of distress
 Lady Knill proceeded to explain her scheme.
 We are having tickets printed for milk, coal. etc, and those gifts in kind can only be obtained from ministers of religion. So far as possible we shall try to find work for the men for three days per week, if possible some such un- skilled work as leveling land, paper sort ing, bill distributing, woodohopping, etc. Then sick families will be visited by ministers and by Salvation Army and A b((CAANt branch employment will be found for those out of work The third branch deals with the homeless poor. This has been left entirely in the hands of the Salvation Army
 MT Balfour, who rather fancies himself at golf-and there are worse players than he in the parliament-prefers his fayorite recreation to the pastime of politics, but
 aVf nf a nV1D than at the other is a matter for the exer- else of "philosophic doubt"
 One thing, however, is clear: that he deserves general gratitude for his ef- forts to popnArize the game And, as he confessed a day or two ago, he is always delighted to hear of new course be- ing opened within easy distance of the metropolis.
 Time was when there was a rather dark side to MT. Baflouris pursuit of golf During his term as chief secretary for Ireland his life was supposed to be in some danger, but he insisted on, playing, though he was generally attended. on the course by two famous. Irish detectives
 On one of these occasions. he asked Father Healy, Do the Irish really hate me as much as the newspapers say?" The grim. old wit replied. My dear sir if they only hated sin half as much as they hated you, my occupation would be gone"
 Quite a number of good caddie stories are told in connection with the ex-premier Once when on the first tee just about to engage in a foursome, he recognized one of his opponents caddies as a boy who had carried his clubs on a former oc- casion. Mir. Balfour nodded to the lad The caddie was very pleased at the recognition, and, turning to one of his friends, he said: ''Aye, see hee we con servatives ken ane anither!"
 Two athletic Italians from Venice, who have started upon most extraordinary tour round the world, have Just arrived in London. They have constructed an enormous barrel which, like Diogenes they use as a dwelling. But, more in- terprising than the famous philosopher they take it with them wherever they go
 The interior is so constructed that one of the travellers can be seated inside. retaining always an upright position, while his companion pushes the barrel along the road. They take turns at do- ing this and declare that it is their in- tention to make in this way a com plete tour of the world.
 They have already accomplished suc- cssfully that part of their route which lies between Venice and London. They left the former city on June % and Tn about weeks time will proceed to Bel gium. Their rate of progress has aver aged about IS miles & day.
 By trade the two travellers. whose names are Zanardi Attilius and vianollo Eugene, are blacksmiths and their re- speetive ages are B and Q. They speak only Italian and left home without a farthing.
 If they accomplish their task in 12 years they have been promised a re- ward of s10,e0o by a wealthy resident of Venice, a condition being that they must pay their way as they go. This they do by selling picture post cards of them selves and by giving exhibitions of their unique baerel. They carry book with them in which officials at different places testify that they have passed through
 One half Of the inside of the barrel is fitted as a Kitchen, while the other is doubled a seating place and the whole makes a bed chambed for the two.
 The stiffest piece of road climbing these two remarkable turjets have yet assayed was crossing the aimplon Pass. They rolled their barrel to the summit in g hours and descended the other side in four Unfortunately this rapid rate of progress hisE the result of damaging their barrel slightly. However, this was soon put right and the rest of thefr journey across the continent and from Dover to London, was made without further mishap.