The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-12-27
POETS AMONG THE
HIGH AND MIGHTY


in England, is a poet. This may be
ldimcult TO believe of q sovereign who
lives in the Incidence OF a Far Eastern
potentate. but it is true, nevertheless.
While at Oxford. the young prince. in
a letter to an American actress, thus
iamented the wide gulf 'twixt throne
and stage"
An. love. If onlg thou vert born princess.
Or else myself only something less
Than that which ! nog-Of rank 50 high
Oh, then We two might know such happinesel
incidentally. this King has a decided
penchant for literature. and has several
/ novels and even comedies to his credit
lie might very well be compared to King
oscar, of Sweden, another royal poet,
whose literary work has been published
under a nom de plume.
Strange as it may seem, the Car also
is fond Of writing poetry. He thus
mournfully sums up his feelings in one
OF his poems-small wonder-which was
translated some years ago:
Ny soul strives vainly for relief
Chilled by drifting snow
By doubts which zcaf at the belief
OF finding peace below.
Lord Cromer, like the Right Hon
George Wyndham, has "a pretty turn
for sonnets," while the following verse,
composed by Lord Curzon. appears on
a brass memorial tablet erected in the
cathedral at Calcutta 10 members Of the
Indian volunteer contingent, who lost
their lives in South Africa:
These sons Of Britain in the East
Fought not fgF praise and fame:
! They died for Eaglapd, and the least
Made greater her great name.
Gen. Sir Ian Hamilton is a poet OF
no mean order. while it may surprise
many 20 learn that Sir George White,
some years ago. wrote a poem. entitled
/ Edward W. which was published IN
the Gibraltar Chronicle and Official Ga
zetJe- The FIST verse ran like this:
Unfold his Standard Let it greet the day,
Hymn loud an anthem 70 the regal sway
OF EDWARDS crown; the symbol OF q reign
That halls tie d2En OF peace, the end Of pain.
Lord Crofton, a musician OF taste and
talent. has composed q number of hymns
and chants. including the favorite we'd
ding hymn oh, Perfect Love" while
! Sir George Young also has written many
poems. Then there are a number of
society women. Visc0untess Galway Lady
Esher. Lady Lindsay, Lady Alfred Doug
/ las, and the Warehouses Of Townshend,
all Of whom have published poems that
have earned the praise Of the critics.
The mention Of the fact that the Right
Hon. George Wyndham has poetical in
clinauons reminds that there have been
one or two witty rhymesmiths in the
Ions Of ~
son was the best, but John O'Dowd
member for Sligo. aroused considerable
| amusement when he wrote '"The Lady Of
South Sligo. which was inspired by
Patrick OBTien's championship OF the
| women teachers who wished TO wear their
| engagement rings in school:
On Patriek. dear. eoms over here;
/ Your smils I'd wish TO see
GIVE me your hand you needn't stand
/ On ceremony with ne
! By an the girls you're idolizad
From New York 70 Referring
No wonder. SIRE you've leEalized
ihe wearing Of the ring
An enterprising German woman has
/ recently organized a league Of good
manners for the benefit of the citizens
Of Berlin. and the enterprise has been
! so successful that movement is on
/ foot for the purpose of establishing a
( similar organization in London.
The chief difficulty about bad manners
is that il is always the other fellow
/ who has them. You notice that when
/ you are scrambling into a crowded train,
: for instance on the London underground.
and the other fellow deliberately pushes
/ you along because you are not moving
+ fast CROUCH for him. II you protest
far inc oh
/ probably may explain that you are pres
sing the point OF your umbrella on his
/ toe. which. by the way, was not at all
/ likely, as you are especially careful about
/ Just that sort of thing. And besides, even
/ If your umbrella was causing him incon-
/ venience, he could not expect you 10
/ apologize to him, because he may only
I be q "bounder"
/ The German league chiefly is directed
against customs officials (it seems the
ladies in Germany have their own Gus
/ toms Toubles), ticket collectors, and
cab drivers, from which fact it is clear
/ that the league is taking itself very
! seriously. An organization that sets out
/ TO transform a cabbie into a Chester
1 field cannot be accused of not having
/ The courage Of its convictions
/ Enough has been said lately about the
make the lives of travellers a misery.
/ They may be doing their duty, but the
! league could improve their manners
quite a bit Ticket collectors in England
also badly need to be instructed in po-
/ likeness % ESPECIALLY when you are
found in first-class compartment with
a third-elass ticket. and. naturally.
I you explain that ali of the thirds
we're full when you started Even il
I the collector doubts your word he ought
TO be too much of a gentleman 10 eject
/ you Perhaps he might just raise his |
eyebrows a little incredUlously, but as
/ from one gentleman TO another it is |
/ obviously his duty to accept your ex-
PLANTATION, unreservedly.
Come TO think of it, I myself have |
Witnessed in London underground |
train an occurrence when the collector |
actually had the 'impudence" to re- /
quire the excess pay on a third-class |
ticket and TO look surprised when the /
indignant passenger" threatened TO re- |
port him Tor his ''insolence."
And a polite cabman? A sight fit for |
gods! On arriving at your destination he |
will get down from his seat and hold /
open the door for you and Just mention /
quietly, zen PEASANT" that his fare is /
IS pence, and that if you should not hap |
pen 10 have it he would run and get it |
for you. II you should demonstrate that /
the fare is no more than I shilling, |
he will at once defer to your better /
knowledge of the fare tax, and perhaps |
add that in any case that such a trife |
did not matter in the least. as he was in |
the cab driving business merely for his |
health
Rut licking aside there IS NJ, record 4ba