The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-11-22


HISTORY OF CLocK-A foreign journa
gives the following history of an extraordin
airy clock:
In 1900 the widow of q poor Protestant
clergyman named Herald, lived in the small
town of Libau, in Courland. She was ex-
ceedingly charitable. One winters night an
officer passed through Libau. on his way to
the army. He asked at The inn for some warm
beverage, but could obtain none he applied
in vain at several private houses ; it was not
long until he knocked at the Clergyman
widows door that he at last obtained ii
dish of hot tea. 1t greatly comtorted the
weary soldier Just before he set out on his
journey he offered her money for her pains.
She declined accepting money. He remem-
bered that he had lottery ticket in his
pocket, the prize was clock reckoned to be
worth S64, 900. He made the widow accept
this ticket as souvenir of him. The ticket
long remained forgotten in drawer her
children had so often played with it as
picture, it was torn well nigh TO pieces
The number which drew the capital prize
was repeatedly announced in the neWspa-
pers, but no one came to claim the valuable
clock. One day gentleman happened to
enter her house, and seeing the mutilated
lottery ticket stuck between the glass and
frame OF a looking glass, glanced curiously
at dllli WIS dIlldZSNl 10 (llSCONeT the O1Ien
advertised number OF the ticket which had
drawn the capital prize in the clock lottery.
The valuable clock given to the poor
clergyman's wife. The Emperor of Russia
offered her 600 cash, and life annuity
of $500 for ii. She accepted the imperial
offer, and the clock is to this day one Of the
chief ornaments of the winter palace, at ST.
Petersburg. The exterior of the clock repre-
sents an antique Greek temple, and the inte-
lior contains two orchestras which play to-
gether one of the most celebrated pieces of
Mozart's Don Juan. The widow strove to
discover the name of her unknown benefac-
tor, and although the Car ordered the police
to aid her, all her efforts were in vain. He
probably persisted IN battle. In the winter
palace there is another extraordinary clock
made by Cox, the eminent English clockma-
maker Potemskine purchased it in 1880. as
present to the Empress Cathsrine II. When |
ever the hour struck peacock would turn
towards she spectators and maiesticaIlv !
waive its tail, which glittered like thous- !
and colors formed by precious stones, cock |
would crow, an owl would move its eyes, an !
elephant would wreathe its probosciS and /
Wag its tail at every beat OF the pendulum /
an insect would fly on mushroom.
THE WooDPEcKER's FoREsIGHT.-s. The !
woodpecker in California is storer of acorns. .
tribe He bores several holes, differing
slightly In size, at the fall of the year. and |
then Ties away, IN many instances to long
distance, and returns with an acorn which |
he immediately sets about adjusting to one
OF the holes prepared for its reception, which
will hold 1T tightly in position. But he does
not eat the acorn for, as rule. he is not a
vegetarian. His object in storing away the
acorn exhibits acute foresight, and knowl-
e6Op Of results al kin To
stinct. The succeeding winterthe acorn re-
main intact, but becoming saturated with
rain is pre-disposed to decay, when it is at
tackled by maggOts, who seem to delight in
this special food it is then that the wood
pecker reaps the wisdom he had provided at a
time when, the ground being covered with
snow, he would experience a difficulty, 9th
erWlse, IN obtaining suitable or palatable
food. 1t is subject of speculation WHY the
redwood cedar or sugar pine is invariably
selected it is not probable that the insect.
the most dainty of the woodpecker's taste
frequents only the outside of wet trees but
SO 1t Is in Calaveras, Murip0ree, and other
districts OF California. Trees of this kind NAV
be frequently seen covered all over their
trunks with acorns when there is not an oak
tree within several miles."-A. B. Burton.
AFTER-DINNER SPEEcH.-Frazer's Ma1n-
ssne Tells the following of Daniel Webster,
while speaking under the influence of con-
viyal rotations:
At public dinner, where Webster was to
speak, ne had to be prompted bya friend
ana, on his making pause, the friend be-
hlnd Insinuated National debt" Webster
at once fired up: And, gentlemen, there's
the National debit should be paid; and,
lit shan't be, I'll pay it myself How much
is 1t z" And as he made this query, with
drunken seriousness, of gentleman near
MIN. taking out his pocket book, which was
VIGOROUSLY empty, the absurdity was too
much for the audience.
Another Of his speeches is reported in full
as follows :,.
Men of Rochester, am glad to see Won.
and am glad to see your noble CITY. Gen
tlemen, saw your falls, which am told are
one hundred and fifty feet high. That is a |
very interesting fact. Gentlemen. Rome had |
her Caesar, her Scipio, her Brutus: but Rome |
in her proudest days, had never a waterfall |
hundred and fifty feet high! Gentlemen
Greece had her Pericles, her Demosthenes,
and her Socrates but Greece, in her paImi1
est days, never had a waterfall a hnndred |
and fifty feet high Men of Rochester 90 |
on No people ever lost their liberties VIC
mad a waterfall hundred and ffty feet
high :" 4ee'