J. Em, Lemire, the oldest working jour~ rialist in China, commenced yesterday and con~ tinues to-day 10 celebrate his eightieth birthday. The reason for the two days celebration is the fact 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 days fre included in the rejoicings of M, Lemitre and his host of friends. Besides anyone who attains the age of eighty, and is so hale and hearty as M. Lemitre, deserves to have a two-day celebration, Emil Lemire, for everyone knows him as Emil, has had a long and interesting career in the Far East. Somewhere about half 2 century ago he left France and after a stay jin Japan came to China where he made Shang~ hai his home, returning to France for a brief interregnum but eventually coming back to China. "He has served the community in many ways, but chicly by his journalistic work will be remembered, for, especially as editor of echo de Chine," he Kept the French point of view before the cosmopolitan foreign community in Shanghai. On his retirement from daily journalism Bf, Lemitre assisted in founding "La Revue Nationale Chinoise," with which he is still actively connected, and in which recently has been publishing a series of most me teresting memoirs. Apart from his journalistic work he took a great interest in amateur theatricals, and indeed formed one of the bril-which, including M. and Mme. Portier, did so much not only for the French put also for the British amateur theatrical clubs, so much so that, in recognition of his lia saistne," he Shanghet A.C. made Emil could not only acta par, but could produce im an honorary life member a few years ag0.
a show and it necessary paint the scenery, in fat all round man when it came to the stage. Tonnight he lo being entertained to dinner by' a forge number of his friends, with whom all Who know him. will Join in wishing him many more years in which to take ah interest in the Alois of this part of the world and to take part in the domino scheat im which he plays © good id, and, with ollier" experts a the game, wilds an' appropriate vocabulary.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.