Cricket statisticians plenty of scope for their interest in this season's performances of J.B. Hobbs, the Surrey crack batsman who, as has been reported by Reuter, finished at the top of! gate of 3,024 runs for 48 innings, giving him an average (reckoning; fon which he has of 70.32. Hobbs 42 years of age and has been playing_ first-class cricket for over 20 years, With the exception of the s 1921, when he was out of the for three months owing to an attack of appendicitis, he has always been near the summit of the batting tables, in both aggregate and: average. This season, however, he has surpassed even himself and made records that will stand for many a year. It is probable that some of liis performances will never be beaten. A year ago, Hobbs with 110 centuries to his credit, was 16 centuries behind the formidable record of the mighty "W.G." Since then, he has played no fewer than 19 three-figure innings—three test cricket in Australia, 14 ": n junty cricket in England, and two in other first-class matches at Home.
ther of these records—19 centuries 'a year or 16 in an English season, will take a lot of beating. As is fairly well known, the best performances in this respect had previously been done by three men—B. Fry, T. Hayward and Hendren—each of whom had scored 18 centuries in an English season. Hobbs has gone three better. He has passed W.G. Grace's massive total of three-figure innings easily and has also joined the select bai seven only in number, who have made more than 3,000 runs in one season. He holds other records almost too numerous to set in detail, the best of which, perhaps, is that of having played' nine three-figure innings in test. cricket between England and Australia. Hobbs is the cricketer's idol not only because of his performances, but' also. by. reason of the fact that personally hho is. the embodiment of sportsmanship, modest and ever ready to give of his invaluable advice. He is far from finished as a cricketer, and with the Australians visiting Bngiand next summer seems certain ing to his already great and of playing an important part in the task of recovering the mythical "ashes."
The Wily Beggar With the number of beggars in Shanghai daily increasing, one would imagine, since the days of the Kiangsu-Chekiang conflict, it is lo pitiable object with rags hanging about him, his Jong hair and white locks tossed in wild disorder, Not so infirm as the traditional Chinese mendicant— like many that are now on the streets—he is of sturdy middle age. His dress is that of a very ragged coolie; to heighten this illusion he carries 1 pole, In one of two dirty baskets he gathers from Chinese streety and anywhere else broken ina. When sufficient quantity has been garnered the time has come to get enriched in the pro-sporous air of the Bubbling Well. Here he will launch the fragments on to the pavement when foreigners, for preference foreign women, are at hand, A little drama ix then begun. The chief actor tells of the woes that will befall his family, because he will certainly lose his employment and have to pay for the damage done. Several kindhearted people have given generously. Tt is said that during the last four days the most skilful of these worthy Chinese clerks of St. Nicho-Ins has made $5 in Bubbling Well, Yesterday he changed his venue to Garde Acconpine to the Kuo en News Agency, Marshal Chi Hsieh-yuan, former' Tupan of Kiangsu an Gov General of Kiang Anhui and Kiangsi, who, since his detent at the hands of Gen. Change Chung-chang's Pen; been living in retirement at Beppu, Japan, has come back secretly Shanghai in the hope of regaining his former posts. marry a servant governmental depart mevt, say's the XN, C. "Standard" a Miss' Chang of Waihoyen destroyed her beauty by cutting her face with a knife, when the sedan-chair reached her house (0 welcome her, The friends and relatives of the Chany {family came out to mediate and [persuade those coming from the side of the bridegroom to send back the chair without the bride, A lawsuit is said to have been started by the two conflicting parties in the local court.
By order of the Chief Executive, elaborate preparations are being made for the celebration of the 1dth anniversary of the Chinese Republic. There will be an traordinary lantern proc on, says the Peking "Daily New: to which Theatrical performances composed of all the reputed actors in Peking will be presented at Tien Tan (The Temple of Heaven). Honours of an unusual character will be accorded to the Panchen Lama on the day.
special bureau for making Proper atvangements will be ofganized from the Ministry of the Interior and the Bureau of Ceremonies attached to the Chief Executive's Office.
A very considerate burglar called a foreigner's house in Kumocht fon a recent Sunday morning. The occupants, returning from a strai, noticed that things were not—in order. Drawers had been opened and the very oldest handkerchiefs fand shirts taken. The good, new ones Tying with them nud been graciously left. Nothing else has been misted. The visitor tered through some ill-iti ing on a hidden side of Another mild person visited Ashiya home and contented himself (or herself) with a caddy full of Ceylon tea ard uw Chinewe tray, having catholic aesthetic tastes. If only all burgh suggest the Japan "Chronicle, would be as reasonable i levies, foreigners might set pers for them in the be proper an Jaren.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.