PUNCH,
OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
Vol. 146.
January 28, 1914.
CHARIVARIA.
Lord Howard de Walden is startinga movement with the admirable objectof reinvigorating the drama in Walesby forming a travelling troupe of first-rateactors. It is rumoured that anoption has already been obtained on anative comedian who is at present amember of the Cabinet.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerreceived last week a deputation of theMen of Kent in order to hear theirviews in support of the preservation ofthe custom of gavelkind; and manypersons, we believe, were surprised tohear that it is a custom and not adisease.
Mr. Ramsay MacDonald,in a speech at Dundee lastweek, described Mr.Churchill as the worstLiberal First Lord of theAdmiralty that had everoccupied the position. It isreported that the right honourablegentleman is havinga large number of copies ofthis statement printed off asa testimonial.
"The Labour organ, TheEvening Chronicle," says aJohannesburg telegram, "appearedto-day with the leadercolumn blank." The leaderswere, of course, all in gaol.
In addition to Sir ErnestShackleton's little party anAustrian expedition to theAntarctic is also being organised.Such persons aswere intending to go to theseregions in the hope of findingquiet and rest there would do well tohesitate, for it looks as if they maybe rather overcrowded.
"The American Ambassador," weread last week, "is confined to his roomat the Embassy owing to a cold."Colds, we know, are nasty catchingthings, but we consider it showscowardice on the part of the staff tohave, apparently, locked their chief inhis room.
The Duke of Atholl celebrated hisjubilee as head of the house of Stewart-Murraylast week. In these days tohave remained a Duke for so long asfifty years shows no little grit.
"A Farnham resident," a contemporaryinforms us, "was badly stungby a wasp last week." At this time ofyear these insects are apt to sting badly,but in the summer they do it quite well.
The Roman Temple which has occupieda prominent position in the groundsof the Crystal Palace during the lastthree years is to be removed to Bath,and re-erected there. To the graveregret of the élite of Sydenham, anattempt to get Kew to take over thelarge glass house has failed.
A little while ago, at the Palladium,there was a Moore and Burgess revival.It has evidently been discovered thatthere is a taste for this sort of entertainment,for it is now announced thatMr. Oscar Asche will produce this yeara play by Sir Rider Haggard in whichthe popular actor and his wife willappear as Zulus.
Joseph, we read, is to be producedat Covent Garden next week. ApparentlySir Herbert Tree's friend hasnow parted from his Brethren.
A lady in the front of the first circleat Drury Lane, The Express tells us,laughed so heartily the other day in thepaper-hanging scene that her artificialteeth fell out and dropped into thestalls. This accentuates the importanceof having one's teeth plainly markedwith one's name and address.
Mr. Fred Burlingham, who recentlydescended into the heart of Vesuvius,has written a book entitled "How tobecome an Alpinist." Th