The Portland daily press., 1867-08-31
Varieties.

Accounts from Middle and Southern and
Southwestern Georgia and Florida, where tho
cotton crops had been so promising, now give
most gloomy prospects. The continued rains
have beaten off the bloom, and the worm and
caterpillar have also made their appearance.
The University at Notre Dame, Indiana,
has just received, it is said, the largest church
bell in the United States. The bell was borne
from the Pacific Railroad Station, three miles
distant, on heavy frame Of timber on eight
wheels, and drawn by six yoke of oxen, and
four span of horses. A merry peal from the
church steeples heralded its arrival, and great
was the crowd assembled to see it placed on its
temporary position. 1t is seven feet high, and
twenty-five In circumference, weighing, by
itself, 1900 pounds, and with all the appurten-
ances, 1880. 4l .f.....
The Italian journals report that water
spout lately burst over the village OF Palazzola,
near Udine. in Italy, and did great damage.
Not fewer than thirty houses were destroyed
and seventy damaged Ten persons were killed
and forty-eight injured by the falling buildings.
Out Of fifteen thousand inhabitants four hun
ared are without vn asylum.
The New York Evening Gazette speaks Of
"Jehu Smith" the author of Jack Downing's"
letters. The Gazette ought to know that the
once popular humorist's name is not Jehu
Smith or John Smith, but Sebd Smith. We
regret to learn that he is in feeble health at his
residence in Patchogue, Long Island He
edited the first daily paper ever published in
Maine, called the Portland Courier.
Two leading European Parliaments have
just closed their sessions, that of England and
that of Italy. In each the legislative term has
been characterized by adopting measure of
vast importance to the people. In England
the Reform Bill has become law; and in Italy
an act has been passed confscatlng all eccle-
siastical property. The one goes far towards
weakening the power of the aristocracy; the
other weakens the temporal power of the
Church, and both are significant of the grow
ing power of the people.
The Copenhagen Dagblad, Of August IA,
declares in an article of a semi-official charac-
ter. that all the rumors relative to the negotia-
tions and projects of marriage between the
royal families ofSweden and Prussia are quite
void Of foundation.
-"Carl Benson" (Charles Astor Bristed) was
married at Stockbridge, Mass, recently.
The first hand-organ of the season at New
Orleans has just been announced as an indica-
ton of the opening of the business season. For
many years past, it has been remarked that the
advent of the hand-organ above Canal street,
into the First District, was the forerunner of
business.
One evening, in mixed company, Jerrold
and some friends were playing game TO test
their knowledge of Shakespeare Each person
was to mention an object it mattered not
what, to the guest next to him, and the latter,
under pain of forfeit, was to give some quota
ton from the poet to illustrate it. To Jerrold
was given the word "treadmill," and he hardly
hesitated a moment before replying in the
well-known language of Lear, down, thou
climbing sorrowp r.r... r. ..I
The Piedmontese Gazette states that Bo-
logna intends to signalize itself among all the
italian towns by the solemnity of its public de-
monstration relative to necessity of declaring
Rome the capital of Italy. The principal
leaders who are to speak Mt the great meeting
to be presided over by M. Mancini, Deputy
are arriving. Garibaldi is expected to be pre-
sent, should his health amend lu
1t is said that Omar Pasha has not resigned
the command of the Turkish forces in Crete,
but that in consequence of diseases raging
among his men be has left the seat of war
temporarily for the purpose of recognizing
his army and obtaining supplies and ammuni-
ton. Active operations viii, it is said, be
shortly resumed.
On the return of the Sultan to Constanti-
nople, His Highness declared to his Grand
Vizier that the reception he had met in foreign
land strengthened his desire to insure the i'm
martial protection of all his subjects "I feel" he
atbat have a sacred debt to discharge. am
also anxious that public instruction progress,
that our facilities of communicating with 9TH
er nations be extended, and that our national
forces be thoroughly organized and our credit
improved"
"A sur seon at Netley, England, recently
took O long walk in the neighborhood of
Southampton, accompanied by his dog, fine
Newfoundland. In the. evening he missed
some letters from his coat pocket, and his dog.
The latter did not surprise him. The next
day, annoyed and puzzled at the loss of his
letters, he thought it possible he might have
drawn them out of his pocket with his hand
kerchief during his previous days walk. He
resolved, therefore, to repeat the walk, for he
might have dropped the letters in an unfre-
qnea d path. About four miles from the hos
pital he came suddenly upon his dog lying on
the ground, with the letters close by. The dog
had laid by the side Of the letters tor SIX
teen hours He has been rechristened POST
master General" u"a