The Royal Aquarium has been purchased by the Wesleyan Methodists, who intend to build a great hall and offices on the site, but in its last days it has been the scene of a tragedy which might have ended fatally. For weeks past. posters have announced that Diavolo would " Loop the Loop" on a given date on a bicycle. Last Tuesday he attempted this almost impossible feat. All went well until he had almost completed his task, which was to finish in the centre of the stage. It appears that he wished to finish elsewhere but was over-ruled. Just as he was turning off the incline and making for the stage at the rate of something' like 60 miles an hour, his machine swerved off the track and he was thrown with tremendous impetus against the netting and a barrier at the side, over which he was hurled, and fell insensible on the ground helo is now in hospital, and T sve to-day i is announced that be "hopes soon to make the attempt again."
One almost wonders if the "attempt " will be to kill himself outright next time!
A Male Trilby A story is being circulated with regard to Jan Kubelik, the wonderful pianist, to {hv effect that ho is dominated by Julius van, his secretary and impresario, and is wholly under his influence in the same way that Trilby was under that of Sven-gali. It is only fair to say the Mr. Hugo Girlitz, Kubelik's London manager, laughs at and denies the story, but' all the same it seems to be gaining credence. Mr. Girlitz says that during the ten months of his management he has paid the artist no less a sum than £24,000, and that he knows all cheques are immediately deposited in the Bohemian National Bank at Pragrie—also be signs all his contracts hiniself, and in fact conducts all his own business. i. rt, which has reached his ears, and declares shall not rest until he finds where it originated, as it is said to hail from Vienna.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.