The Portland daily press., 1869-01-02
VarietieS.


ing out her peach-blossom grosgrain to wear
for the second time to an evening party, was
chagrined to find about the body and shoul-
ders the marks of a warm, psrspiring and not
over-clean large handl Some one in waltzing
had left bis impression in such manner as to
ruin her pale, rich dress. How to account for
it she could not tell; but it came out that an
elderly nurse in the house who had a young
daughter quite fond of going to fir0men's balls,
had privately borrowed the fine dress for the
girl to wear, and returned it to the wardrobe.
The lady could never wear the dress again; so
she took it to pawnbroker and sold it.
II. d. Forsyth, the East India commission
er, reports that the region between Afghanis-
tan and Thibet is rich and fertile enough to
support large army with ease. 1t is through
this region that the Russian government must
pass when it concludes to invade India, as ev-
cry Englishman believes it will do at no very
distant day. Mr.. Forsyth has also discovered
that the Himalayas may be easily crossed in
the northeast by an army with camels and
horses-indeed, a railroad might be run across
them. The reports of precipices 1900 feet
high are pure fiction. There is, in fact, "a hole
in the north-northeast corner of the simi-cir-
cular wall which shuts out India from the rest
of Asia" Here is new light for the Eastern
question.
The Richmond Enquirer says: ave want
a suitable word to express the character of
that party, whose ruling idea and indefatlga-
BILE purpose seem to be the placing of the in
telligent and once wealthy gentlemen Of the
South under the heels Of their former slaves,
and the erection of grim and sable melanoc-
racy, or black rule, on the ruins of the noble
Democracy of the olden time. To call such
party Republican, is monstrous." If the En-
quirer wants a worse word than 1T has here
invented we are very sorry for its state of
mind. "Sable melanocracy" is fearful mis-
sile to pelt party with.
"A new soprano named Blanche Reeves is
fast becoming one of the most popular of Eng
lish concert singers.
1t givee chilly New England editor a
twinge of something like envy to read the fol-
lowing which we find in the San Jose Mercu-
ry: "Major John Cook brought us on Thanks
giving day, three boxes of luscious strawber-
ries freshly picked from the vines. They were
of the variety known as the Jenny Lind, and
bear fruit on his beautiful grounds near Santa
Clara, almost continually throughout the
year."
The Mobile Tribune prints a letter from
one of q colony who went to Brazil in 1867,
and who gives dismal account of the expert
ences oi the colonists. They were heartily
sick of their experiment, and coming home as
fast as they were able.
Queen Victoria, who draws much better
than she writes, furnishes the illustrations to
the new editions of her books. They are said to
be very well executed.
"A Swedish composer named Hammerick
has just finished an opera called "Hjalnaar
and Ingeborg'" 1t is in five acts, and its mel
ody is said to be marked by the northern
spirit"
"A boy of ten years, named Franz Liebich,
is playing Mendelssohn's music at concerts in
England.
The baroness Julia Ebergenyi, who is
serving life sentence at the Neudorf peni-
tentiary for the murder of the Countess Cho-
rinsky, is dying Of consumption. She still
pro tests her innocence of the crime, declaring
that she admitted guilt ON the trial to save her
lover.
"A joint Committee on Earthquakes
meet at the Chamber of Commerce in San
Francisco twice week. What measures they
have been able to agree upon we do not learn.
Michel Chevalier and Henri Baudrillart,
the two eminent French political economists,
are at work on book on the financial affairs
of the United States
California highway robbers seem to have
Paul Clifford for their model; they are Won
derfully respectful to women. The last stage
robbery we have noticed resulted in the seiz.
ure of money and valuables from gentlemen,
while the lady passengers were undisturbed.
A similar account came to us recently from
Australia.
"A good story is told of Jim Fiske, OF Erie
fame. Some few weeks ago he was on board
the steamer Providence during a terrific gale.
The steamer put back to Bristol. As soon as
she reached the pier Fske remarked to a num-
Der of friends that he had expected the boat to
go down in five minutes, and that pending the
fatal disaster he thought of every mean trek
that Jim Fiske ever did in his life. "Wel,
said one of the party, "you must have thought
mighty quick"
One of the best presentation speeches ever
made is the following said to be addressed by
Ouc VI buc WOEhmcu III S@~f 50 ~A'A
nois, on presenting watch to the time-keeper:
"Be dad, boss, we thrust the watch will keep
as good time for yees as yees have kept for us
this many year.
Two San Francisco policemen tried to ar
rest Chinaman. They found ii necessary to
leave him moment, and so handcuffed him
with his arms each side of lamp post. When
they returned their prisoner was gone-he had
climbed up the post and swung his arms over
the top.
The great ice-gorge in the st. Croix river,
Minnesota, opposite the town of Taylor's Falls,
is over forty feet high, and the ice is still ac'
cumulating
"A boy on skates in Iowa recently skated
distance of ten miles in forty minutes.