The Portland daily press., 1868-01-09
VaR-ieties.

60 ~ LACSs
DIR. II. w. Russell has accepted the most
responsible and influential outside position
connected with tho London Times, and is
about to proceed to Paris as its own regular
correspondent In his new character DIR.
Russell will be able to influence the foreign
policy the Empire to some extent, for the
British press takes its tone on many questions
from the Paris letters of the Thunderer. The
Times proprietors conduct their Paris Office on
a scale of great magnifcence. The salary is
$4,000 year in gold, besides splendidly fur
nished house, carriages, wines, servants and
secretaries. In its saloons the most celebrated
statesmen and wits of France and Europe as
semble and are entertained, and the corres-
pondent thus CLEANS from original sources the
current news of the day. d.. O'Meara, an
Irishman of culture and literary attainments,
has for number of years filed this position.
An amusing case of absence of mind oc-
CURED, the other day, in this city. An intel
ligent lady up town washed up the breakfast
dishes and set them away. When the articles
were next wanted they were not to be found.
After searching in every probable and improb-
able place, they were at last discovered, where
the lady had put them, in a bureau drdper!
Wooden hangings, instead of paper, for
walls, are the latest invention. A very simple
and beautiful machine has been constructed
which will take portion of a tree after it has
been cut the light length and width, and shave
it up into thin ribbons as wide as a roll of
house paper, making one hundred or one hun
dred and fifty to the inch. These rolls of wood
are placed on the walls with paste and brush,
precisely in the same manner with paper. The
wood is wet when used, and really works cas-
Ter than paper, because it is much more tough
and pliable. 1t can be oiled or vanished, and
then washed at pleasure; it is very handsome
and cheap.
President Juarez has, by executive decree,
abolished baIl-fghting within the limits of the
city of Mexico.
"A woman lately looking at Gordon press,
on which the San Francisco Free Press was
being printed, looked up in the face Of her
male companion, and in the most earnest man
ner inquired, "Arrah, Timl an them's the
things as writes the paypers? Be's them the
things they call eydaters? Holy Mother of
Mosesi does the Yankees lie, abuse and black
guard one another by machinery"
One man rarely ridiculcs another in con-
versation with woman, unless he happens to
be jealous of him. He has too much esprit du
corps !; he does not like to admit the idea that
male biped can be ridiculous, he sees dimly
the possibility of a similar position for himself
But if rumor ever watts to you the echoes OF
that mysterious eonclave which men hold
when no woman is near, you shall then learn
what gossip, scandal and satire really may be.
The Hartford Post tells of an eight-year
old boy who was killed by handling loaded
gun, and adds, ''the policy of leaving loaded
firearms where children of that age can get at
them is open to criticism"
Mr.. James Greenwood, the Amateur Cas-
ual," has in the press a volume of "Unsenti-
mental Journeys"
Bismarck met his barber at Baden-Bade
and affably spoke to him. The barber gave
himself airs, and complained of the mixed so-
ciety at Baden-Baden. The Count replied
with happy quid pro quo, swell, c., we
cannot all be BARRIERS, you know"
An English jodrnal, in criticisng a chld's
book, more mournful than merry, says, that
'to read it to any child who does not deserve
a whipping, would be an act of cruelty
"A family living in Houston county, Minn.,
have had curious experience. At about ten
o'clock on the evening of December 10, the
house began to tremble, from some inexplica-
bic cause, until the clock was made to strike,
and other articles of furniture were displaced.
This singular manifestation was kept up for
five nights in succession, and was witnessed by
a number of people. The house in question is
a large frame building, and stands on solid
foundation.
Mr. John Con;ngton has in the press the
concluding portion of his translation of the
"Iliad" into English spenserian verse.
-On the approach of Holy Week, fashion,
able lady said to her friend, "we must mortify
ourselves little" swell" replied the other,
'let US make our servants fast"
Lilly and Nina prepared dolls dinner,
arranged it on sideboard and went to take a
walk in the garden. Their little brother has
tens to get upon the sideboard and eat the
sham feast. Mamma surprises him. "Wby,
Leon, what are you doing?" 81 am playing
pussy, mamma"
Private letters received in Hartford, state
that Gen. Mcclellan has received definite Of
fer of the position of civil engineer in an i'm
fixed at $4,000 year, which he would be very
foolish to refuse.
An arbitrary law in Cuba makes the SELL
ers OF government stamped papers responsible
for50 value of the stamps, even though they
are destroyed or taken away without the sell
er's knowledge. A young Havana merchant
was lately thrown into jail because thieves
stole $1,000 worth of stamps from his store, and
there he must remain until the amount be-
longing to government is made good.
1t has been discovered by Professor Ger
max. OF the University of Jenna, that the
Egyptians took off the skin from the soles of
the feet of those who were to be embalmed,
rolled it up, and deposited it under the stom-
ach of the deceased. He thinks this was sym
bolical OF the eternal separation of the dead
from the earth.
"A st. Louis paper says: "Mr. Calvin
Ware, of Spencersburg, Pike county, recent
ly killed gray eagle, measuring six feet six
inches from tip1o tip of wings, and weighing
eight and quarter pounds. When killed it
had wild goose in its talons, from which it
was making meal.
The Macon (Mo.) Times says the fields in
that vicinity abound with "flax BIRDS" which
sportsmen kill by wholesale. As many as one
hundred and fifty have been killed at one shot!
They go in such dense focks as to darken the
air and when they settle on the ground they
completely cover it, Expert throwers bring
them down with stick as they fly overhead.
The lottery system has received a heavy
blow in Prussia, where it has been hitherto toll
Grated for the sake of its revenue. During
the discussion of the Budget in tbs Lower
House of Legislature, the Minister of Finance
was questioned on the subject Of the Berlin,
Hanover and osnabguck lotteries, and deelar-
ed in reply that these were allowed for the
sake of the tax, which the Government could
not conveniently spare. Some speeches were
made against the principle of lotteries as tend
ing to compromise the morals and industry Of
the people, after which motion was made
that the lotteries be abolished till next years
budget, and this was carried by large major