J. Em. Lemiére, the oldest working jour-rialist in China, commenced yesterday and continues to-day to celebrate his eightieth birthday. The reason for the two days celebration is the ct that he was born so close to midnight separating August 11 and 12, that there appears to be some uncertainty about it, and, to make sure that the proper day. is marked, both da¥s are included in the rejoicings of M. Lemiére and host of friends. Besides anyone who attains the age of eighty, and is so hale and hearty 'M. Lemiére, deserves to have a two-day celebration, Emil Lemiére, for everyone knows him as Emil, has had a long and interesting career in the Far East. Somewhere about half ago he left France, and after a stay in Japan came to China where he made Shanghai his home, returning to France for a brief interregnum but eventually comingsback to China.
He has served the community in many by his journalistic work will he be remembered, for, especially as editor of "L'echo de Chine," he kept the French. point of view before the cosmopolitan foreign community in Shanghai. On his retirement from daily journalism M. Lemiére assisted in founding "La Revue Nationale Chinoise," with which he is still: actively connected, and in which recently he has been publishing a series of most interesting memoirs. Apart from his journalistic work he took a great interest in amateur theatricals, and indeed formed one of the brilliant coterie, which, including M. and Mme. Portier, did so much not only for the French but also for the British amateur—theatrical clubs, so much so that, in recognition of his willing assistance, the Shanghai A.D.C. made him an honorary life member a few years ago. Emil could not only act a part, but could produce a show and if necessary paint the scenery, in fact an all round man when it came to the stage. To-night he is being entertained to dinner by a large number of his friends with whom all who know him will join in wishing him many more years in which to take an interest in the affairs of this part of the world and to take part in the domino school in which he plays a good hand, and, with other experts at the game, wields an appropriate vocabulary.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.