The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-05-27
MISCELLANEOUS.
Curious Facts from History

England during the French revolution cf
l19S, and for Il while lived there in a
very straiteueI maui or accumulated a
fortune Of eighty thousand fraLcs by
teaching the English fashionables how
to mix salad. He visited bis patfous in
a carriage, attended by servant
The custom of sitting at table to drink
after dinner was over, was introduced by
Margaret A'heling the Saxon Queen of
Scotland. She was shocked to see the
Scottish gentlemen rising FROM the table
before grace could be said, and offered
a cup Of choice wine ~ all who would
remain.
Fish did rot become a popular article
Of diet III Greece until q comparatively
late period, and there was society
against cruelty to fish,, by abstaiuiug
frvm devouring what was alleged to make
the devourcr fcrocious aud inhuman.
With Romans the muIlct was priced
bove all other Gsh 1t was sometimes
served NJ SIX pounds in weigh, aud such
a fish WAS worth three hundred dollars
1t was cooked on the table, for the ben.
eft aud pleasure Of the guests Turbo,
was next highest in estimation, and oeca.
siopally finding slaves were thrown in.
to the ponds to feed them
The older Romans paid special honors
to agriculture, as did the Jews. Their
coiu was STAMPED with symbols in cou.
nection ih"rew.th. The Greeks refresh.
ed the mouths Of their blowing oxen
with wine. CHARLES the Ninth exempt.
ed from debt all persons engaged iu the
cultivation Of the staple article Of agri.
culture.
gofdoF tHt IT, to Mexico in search OF
was of chocolate. The monks wcro the
earliest to adopt it, hut the generous
beverage was considered sort Of sicked
Injury for them, aud they were warned
against 1t. The morali,ts eagerly con-
demed it Tho Spanards, however,
welcomed it With enthusiasm.
1t is recorded that Antony once re.
wared his cook with the gift of city,
Tor having prepared repast which elici-
tied the encomiums Of Cleopatra.
An English dear, named NOVEL;, who
hourished in the turbulent reign Of Queen
Mary. was the accidental inventor of bot.
tied ale. He was out fishing with a bottle
Of the freshly drawn beverage at his side
when intelligence reached him that his
HE was In danger. He threw down his
fishing rod, buried his bottle of ale in tue
grass, and fl d. Afterwards reclaimiug
his bottle the cork h'w out at the touch
aud the dean was SO delighted with the
crea ny condition Of the ale that he took
good care thereafter TO be supplied with
the same sort"
Streams aud springs of water wero
greatly reyerenced by some ancient ma.
'ions According to the popular belief
OF the Greeks every stream, spring and
fountain had a resident deity The L
gyptians grateful for the blessings they
derived from ,Leir beloved Nile, flung in.
TO 1t corn, sugar and fruit, as thank .of.
ieriugs. The Persians aud Cappadociaus
raised altars beside streams, and paid
alteration to the god whose exstaucc was
evidenced by the crystal clement. The
common people Of Rome drank to excess
Of water, both hot and cold The for.
mer they drank in wip,er as a stimulant!
The breakfast of Greek soldier, ia.
ken at dawn of day. consisted Of tr.ad
soaked in wine. Greek patrciaus sat
down daily to but one solid meal sol.
diers and pIcibeians partook of two.
They were accounted peculiarly coarse
people who consumed three. The Ro.
mans were In this respect similar to tho
Greeks.
Ia Rome milk was used as a cosmetic
aud for baths as well as beverage
Fave hundred asses supplied the bath aud
toilet vases of the Empress Poppel
some dozen or two of the same amin is
were kept to maintain the decayiug
strength of Francis of France Apto-
pos Of milk Butter was not known
either in Greece OF Rpmo until compare.
lively late periods The Greeks receiv-
ed it from Asia, aud the Romaus were
taught its use by the German matrons
Eggs filled with salt, used to be eaten
by curious maideus, after whole days
fasting, on st Agues' eve, in the belief
that in the after dreams of the maid her
future husband would be revealed 10 her
A country lad says his unclo Ben
made scar,crow so very frightful that
ono of the black fea'hered thieves actual.
ly went and brought back all The corn
h.. hal al q.