The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-07-20
Varieties.

Mr.. A. s. Hill remarks, in the current
number of the North American Review. that,
in Catholic countries, the ass, (from the fact
that Christ rode on an ass into Jerusalem,) is
exempted from taxation. If all donkeys were
untaxed in this country, there would be fear
full falliDg-off in the internal revenue.
The New York papers report that peaches
have so increased in size within the past week
that they can actually be seen at a distance of
ten feet from the vendor stand, with the naked
eye.
The Cincinnati Chronicle asks If it was
not well that a Grayback Convention should
adopt Greeneack platform and nominate q
Holdback candidate with Turnback asso-
ciate?
The Sandusky Register publishes free the
following advertisement:
WANTED,-A knot hole of unusually small
size. Address 8. p. Chase, Washington, d. @.
1t is time for turning spears into pruning
hooks, for $1,000 United States kuapsacks are
to be converted into boots, at Milford.
The New York Post of the 10th gives .
list of ninety :iue cases of sun-ssroke which
occurred in that city during that day. Twen-
ty-ive were fatal. The report fills a column
and half of the Post. The day previous
there were eighty cases, fifty per cent. of whic
were fatal. Such mortality from such a cause
is as unprecedented as it is frghtful.
An Austrian naval expedition will sail
from Trieste about the middle of August to
effect treaties of commerce and navigation
with China; japan, Siam, and other Oriental
countries, and afterwards to visit for the same
purpose Peru, Chile, and the Argentine Con-
federation. The expedition will also establish
consular agencies, obtain facts regarding the
exports and imports of each country, and as
certain what prospects open there for Austrian
products.
The sparks from an engine have set fire
to the mOors en- the Cleveland Hills, Yorkshire,
England, to the extent of twenty-four miles
The fire was still smouldering at last ac-
counts.
The following simple method Of keeping
ice-water a long time in a common pitcher, is
worth knowing: Place between two sheets of
paper newspaper will answer, thick brown is
better), a layer OF cotton batting about halt
an inch in thickness. fasten the ends of paper
and batting together, forming a circle, then
sew or paste a crown over one end, making q
box the shape of a stovepipe hat minus the
rim. Place this over an ordinary pitcher filled
with ice-water, making it deep enough to rest
on the table, so as TO exclude the air, ard the
reader will be astonished at the length of time
his ice will keep and the water remain cold af-
ter the ice is melted.
-Sainte Beuve, the brilliant author of the
"Causeries de Londi," and of the Portraits of
Celebrated Women" originally intended to
become a physician, and passed three medical
examinations. When he exchanged the seal
pei for the pen lis there not still something of
the scalpel in his mastery penP) his excellent
mother was highly dissatisfied so much so, in
deed, that she became reconciled to it only
when her son was elected member OF the
French Academy.
"A recent Paris letter says: Americans
continue to come here in constantly increasing
numbers. Many families make Paris their
permanent home, and one might easily con-
fine himself to New York, or Philadelphia
or Boston social circle, and find company
enough without seeking acquaintances from
other cities"