The sun., 1916-12-31
SOME NEW o
Life and Letters Of the Father OF
Imperial Penny Postage.

Tho author Of "The Manners and
Customs Of tho Aborigines Of Aus
tralia' and Australian Dictionary
Of Dates and Men Of the Time" may
not BIO generally remembered, but the
gamer Of penny postage for all parts
Of the British Empire Is. and II ID
not only Britons who will enjoy The
Litc and Letters Of Sir John Hennikey
Hcdfon, b., by his daughter. Mrs
ADRIAN Porter (Lane), but all who
havo the appetite for anecdots and
the legitimate curiosity about the
idiosyncraaes and daily adventures Of
people who do the things that earn
fame. Earl Curzon said Of Sir Henni-
ker Heaton: His work has done more
TO draw the different parts Of the en-
pire together than all the speeches
Of all the statesmen on 10th sides of
the ocean," Tho title conferred by
Mrs. Porter upon her father. "Father
cause some confusion, though the ad-
jective 'imperial' implies plainly
enough that Sir Henniker Hcaton
carried on In logical extension the
work Of Sir Rowland Hin. Father OF
Penny Postage" in the United King
dom, 1910. When Heaton revisited
sydney in 1872 0overnor-0 General Den
man Of Australia, OF oehax q the
citizens Of the commonwealth, Pre-.
sented isfm with . go1d end atvU1 Ink
stand, mounted On AugesNllAn 6lAok-
wood. The "a iniaid Win penny stAmps
Of Canada, New Zealand, India New
South wales and Afnoai end a u.
Illuminated COPY q N addrUaD o1pSUos.
Ing gratitude for "the long. asduous ana
heroic tight you have made for Impe-
rial Hsnny Postagc." . light against
vested interests. prejudtces and apa-
thy" "Your name." Australia said.
will be associated with that Ut Sir
Rowland Hill."
Tho peculiar interest Of this par
ticular Life and Letters IL its ex-
hibition Of the fulness Of life and the
variety OF interests OF q man who
seems to stand as o marked example
Of the imam Of n idea" The great
postal reformer began as q Newspaper
man In Australia in the eos. and 20
devoted did he remain to the colony
Of his early adventures in life that
~ ITO Chl lhbO dIllhAIlCuS HE COl-
leagues called him tho Member for
Australia" He appears in his daugh-
ter's book as traveller. club man.
chess player, author and friend, for
he was Of those whom men remember
as comrades. His "one idea" may
have ruled his life. but II was not Q
%tyrannous ruler. The postal reformer
had humor. He used to tell with glee
of a meeting with a constituent after
a hard election at which he had been
returned by a majority OF one. Why.
he said to tho voter, yours was the
vote that gained me the seat!" "Be-
dad said the voter. lit was two Of
them!"
Among Sir Henniker Heaton's
friends n noteworthy number were
lrishmcn. Parnell was n Of them.
or him this story is told: The House
Of Commons VAS In great excitement
over the publication by the Times Of
the forged letters. Parnell made q
short speech denying authorship. then
went to the lobby and talked ear
nestly with Sir Henniker Heaton.
Every one thought he was speaking
Of the political event then stirring
mems minds: in reality, this is what
he said: i have just read in the after
noon paper that a mountain Of gold
has been discovered in western Aus
tralia, and that some tons of speci-
mems have been sent home to you"
III. H." ave Parnell a little Of the
crushing" and Parnell shut himself
up for a week, Analysing the speci-
~ Ne III IA + --
W ounces Of gold to the ton"
Wrong" said III. H." Parnell, look
Ing at a paper he had in his pocket.
correctcd: "Twenty-seven ounces OF
gold and five ounces OF silver" The
analysis correspondent exactly with
that of the professional m%etallurgists.
Parncll explained: II take an interest
In the matter. / have a small work.
shop to test the minerals in the noun
tains Of Wicklow. some portion Of
which l own" And there he had been
quietly at work, while his hundred
OF thousands of adherents were fulmi-
mating against the Times!"
There Ii a story Of 'Labby" La
boucherc. who told Of an experience
lie had had in Russia when playing
cards with some Russian friends. The
morning after the game an officer
who had lost heavily to Labby called
to say that he was absolutely At the
end Of his resources. and to beg of.
To all his plcadings Labouchere turned
a deaf al and the visitor departed,
declaring he was a ruined man:
A few hours later a weeping woman.
accompanied by two sobbins children. was
shown In. The young wife threw herself
IN her knees and begged Labouchers to
forgive her husbands debt. as he threat
ened 10 commit suicide. and she would be
left a widow. her children fatheriess. La
bouchere remained unmoved. Early ths
next morning the Russian oncer. locking
wild and hasEard, strobe into La
honchAre's once, 81 am a dead man" he
said. "snd my blood II on your head. I
have not the money tn pay you. and ! can
not face the disgrace" lie pulled q loaded
pistol from his pocket and held Il TO his
head. SIM l.abouchere made no move.
The Russian then said, II shall count ten
slowly. and N YOU do not alter your de-
cision YOU viii he to all intents q
murderer. One-two-three-four-hve-
six-' Al six" Labouchers produced Q
'igar and lighted II. 'Seven-eight-
nine" Al the word ten" the Russian
plunged his left hand Into his coat ana
dashed down a pocketbook with bank
notes for the full amount due. Ten thou
sand curses on YOU, cold blooded English
man" he shouted. az he hung himself
from the room.
II knew he was lying from the first,"
Labby explained blandly.
Inhn W. n go, -. ~