The Portland daily press., 1867-09-03
Varieties.

a large body of fire in the heavens, which
seemed to be approaching at descent of about
thirty degrees, and growing rapidly large as it
came nearer, the observation of time being so
brief as hardly to admit of computation in
seconds. A loud explosion attended the con-
tact with the water, which was sharp and deaf
ening, equal to thunderbolt close at hand
and large volume of steam and spray as
cended into the air, which was noticed for
some moments afterward. The Captain esti-
mates that the meteor was body of about
twenty feet in diameter. A long trail of fame
of the most intense brilliancy was noticed as
it struck the water. .....a... .....-t
Talk about the rapid progress of ideas, in
deed. According to Professor FELTON, the world
was several thousand years old before any one
thought of undressing on going to bed. The
idea originated with the ancient Greeks.
E.-It is good thing, says an English paper
that India seems likely to be able to supply the
whole world with quinine, for not only was the
American supply uncertain, but it was actually
threatened with extinction, owing to the reck-
less way in which the Indians killed the trees
in the process of stripping, planting, OF courses
no new ones. Mr.. M'Ivor, who has been ably
seconding Mr.. Clement r. Markman's efforts
at chinchona planting, finds that by removing
only one long strip of bark, and Immediately
covering the wound with moss, the bark is re-
newed, provided the cambium is not injured.
The new bark, moreover, is thicker and richer
in alkaloids than the original one.
"A man died in Cairo, H., one day last week
from the effects of holding large piece OF ice
in bis hand while he was overheated. lu.s
C.l oIxo al he
troops west Of Denver will winter at Camp
Douglas, in Utah. at- q a-.-. Iltama. n..
\ 1t is stated that British naval officer left
Boston on. Wednesday in the Java, and proposes
to return here early in 1868, in command of
steamer ,oithout paddles, screaO or Goals 1n
other words he intends to cross the Atlantic in
steamship fitted with hydraulic propellers,
using petroleum as fuel. When we see this
we may as well sit down and draw a long
breath. -.Ew ..H H. H....-
All the New York papers are congratulate
the people on the fact that the unfinished tene-
ment house on 26th street, in tina. city, has
fallen. 1t appears that the builder forgot all
about the foundation. ......
| "A French saudnt hkens the quickness of
| volition in an animal to the telegraph. When
whale is harpooned, he says, the nerve tele-
\ graphs to the creatures brain. @Harpoon in
| TAIL" upon which the brain telegraphs back,
"Jerk tail and upset boat"
| The Montreal Witness severely remarks:
"No Alderman, no city Councillor has, as yet,
had leg broken by the rickety sidewalks; it
/ would. therefore, be absurd to think Of mending
them" ..-
AN unsophisticated young lady in Boston
remarked on leaving concert, that she was
particularly enraptured with that piece called
the 18th Massachusetts,. 1t was Mozart's 18th
Mass.
The late Professor Faraday, while employ
ed by Sir Humphrey Davy to help him in che
mical manipulations, proved himself an apt
| scholar, and soon became proficient in all the
| discoveries of his celebrated master, who was
in turn proud Of his pupils talents and acquire
ments. One day rien,l Of Sir Humphrey sail
to him: "You have made invaluable contribu-
tions to chemistry, pray tell me which you re-
gard as your greatest discovery" "That, by all
odds" repliedSirHumphrey- pointing to young
| Faraday.
| When an unskillful writer attempts TO be
\ metaphorcal, he usually arrives at condition
that may be described as mixed. Thus the
| Round table: $50 that, seeing the foulness of
this bastard Democracy, We may extricate our
selves from the current and save ourselves and
our country from the wreck" Hero is figure
which is at first an unwashed illegitimate Off
spring, then stream, and last a ship. Truly, a
| remarkable specimen Of the Metamorphoses of
metaphor
| -TheCourrier Francois publishes the follow
| ing extract from letter sent by Signor Mazzini
to his friends in Italy: If any rash person at
this moment desires to approach Rome beg
| you not to follow him. This is not fitting
time. The moment will arrive it is not far off
To-day false step will ruin our country"
| BY late patent, species of nettle which
grows luxuriantly and spontaneously through
out the Mississippi valley, is employed in the
manufacture of cord. rope, cloth, bagging and
paper The stalks, which grow from five to
eight feet high, are gathered in the winter, and
are ready for the brake without any rotting
process. The fibre is said to be exceedingly
fine, strong, and susceptible of high finish by
| dressing.
| jim Connecticut, Farmer A. had too
many pigs, and Farmer B. had surplus Of
milk. One day A. brought two pigs and de-
posted them in B-'s pen, saying that he
| wished B. to keep them two months, and
have one Of them as his share. b replied,
| as he had plenty of feed, he would keep them
| four months and have them both, as, of course,
| that would amount to the same thing. A
| left, saying that he supposed that it was all
| right, but guessed he wouldn't bring any more.
| "A correspondent of the Bath Times tells
good story of Campmeeting John Allen:
AT social gathering of ministers OF differ
| ent denominations, Baptist brother made
- hnIt ok III
| because, as he said, there was ''too much ma
chiDery to it." "Yes," responded Bro. Allen,
''there is good deal of machinery, but it
doesn't take so much ,cater to run it as the
Baptist does" ''
We read that not one European country has
an average good crop, this year. The state
ment viii bear little doubt There is no rea-
sou for supposing that Russia has not prodlg-
Gus yield of wheat. 80
| The Boston Traveller thinks If anything
| was wanting TO increase the war panic in Eu-
/ rome IL has been furnished by .he Paris Mont
,s,,r If the 29th which says that the imperial
nopfsrence at Satzburg is new pledge Of
,aoce for Europe. The Moniteur must lie No
wonder European capitalists despair of the pre-
servation of peace, when they read the decla-
| rations of the French Emperor's organ that it
| can't be broken.
| Mrs. Sarah Austin the translator of" Ranke's
History of the Popes," died in England about
| August 10th. The London Spectator OF the
| 18th says Mrs. Austin was probably the best
| translator from German ever known in litera-
| ture. She had faculty quite special to her
| self of making Germans talk as they do talk,
and yet as they would have talked had they
tho,,obt in English She will be greatly missed
by large circle of friends, for whom for years
she held q salem which in some years ap-
preached the best French examples,
War goes on in Gambia, and the Turks suf-
fer much from the plague, which is but fair, as
they are plague to the island.
| AN Havana paper taunts the United
States with the fact that of all the monuments
and statues proposed to the memory OF Aora-
ham Lincoln not one of them has been erect
ed.