The Portland daily press., 1869-02-11
Varieties.

The gas issuing from rock crevices on the
western line of Pennsylvania, along the Ohio
river, has been ignited by some Of the inhab-
itants, and travellers passing at night see huge
flames jetting out here and there. The effect
is said to be both sublime and startling. The
more superstitious people of the surrounding
country think the flames the beginning of the
final conhagration.
1T is reported that Russia is pushing her
railroads forward with great energy, aud 1t is
believed to be probable that the entire dis
tance from st. Petersburg to Odessa will be
completed in the spring of 1869.
1t is said to be fact that Santa Annas
agents are trying to induce the Count Girgen-
ii to set up for Emperor of Mexico.
"A New Yorker proposes to pull down the
palisades along the Hudson, and build with
their material mole from the Battery to Gov
ernor's Island.
What's coming to pass In the spring?"
asks French paper. "It is reported that the
appointment of two vice-admirals, three rear
admirals, forty-six captains and forty-two lieu
tenants will soon be gazetted."
The third volume Of the four-volume edi-
ton of Mr.. Robert Browning's poem has ap-
peared in Englsnd.
Mr.. Edmund Yates, person likely to be
well-informed, says that the "Girl Of the Peri
cd" and other essays Of the same class. which
have appeared and are appearing in the Sat
urday Review, and which have been ascribed
to various female members Of the aristocracy
and old women of the other sex, are really
written by Mrs. Lynn Lynton, authoress of
"Lizzie Lorton" and other novels. They are
small credit to her.
The ticket spectators, having taken the
seats at Booths theatre for a week in advance.
find the public has gone back on them and that
they can't sell.
AT Varna recently, while some workmen
were pulling down an old house in The town,
they came on one Of the shells thrown by the
Russians during the bombardment of 1928,
which had since remained quietly embedded
in the thickness of a corner wall amid rubble
and mortar. No match, of course, remained,
and the touchhole was full of dirt. One Of the
workmen, an Albanian, rolled the projectile
down, and taking it between his knees, began
clearing it out with chisel, when suddenly 1t
exploded, threw down all around, wounded
several, and killed the Albanian on the spot,
cutting off both his legs at the hips.
M. Georges Detouche died in a Paris hos
pital last month, from injuries received by
throwing himself beneath the wheels of
heavy cart. BE had a monomania for suicide.
He had been cut down once after attempting
to hang himself, and had been brought to his
senses after attempting to commit suicide with
coal The day he threw himself under the
wheels he went to the top Of the Arch OF Tri-
umph to leap from it, but on looking down be-
came afraid he might fall on the projecting
friexe and be mangled. His literary ambition
was to write the "Gil Bias" or the Don Quix-
ote" of the nineteenth century. Failing his
aim he became despondent, and took to sui
eide.
-Fuad Pacha, recently ambassador at Lis
bon, presented Donna Maria with splendid
necklace Of diamonds, the two most beautiful
of which the Queen had converted into ear
rings. "I hope his Royal Highness win not be
offanded?" asked the Queen. my master
will be but toe happy that your Majesty should
lend her ear to anything coming from him"
was the reply.
Weston was so much Of curiosity at FL
ienberg, n. Y, that all the congregation rush
cd out of prayer-meeting to greet niu' ieaV-
ing the minister in the lurch.
| "A "double-endsr" locomotive !" sne last IN
| ventiou in the railroad line. 1t mas no tender;
| bnt carries water in o tank over the boiler, and
.oaI IN a box in the rear of the furnace. 1t has
~trrcks and cow catchers at either end, and
r,,n. With equal facility either end foremost.
| The following novel invitation appears at
| the end of a recent invitation TO q Wedding
aNo cards! No cakel No winel No kissing the
BRIDE"
"A good story-but of course utterly untrue
lis now circulating among the wits at the ex-
pense of two great poets. Tennyson, whose
manners are said to be far from polished and
polite, was sitting one day with his feet on a
| table, when his friend, seeing some people ap-
| preaching suddenly called out, MY dear Zen,
nysou, pray take down your ieetl People WI"
| think YOU are that American, Longfeiiow'
| Recent English papers contradict report
i which has been circulated that the neai'n u
/ Rosa Bonheur has broken down, anu 'nS' mex
| adn,;rohla works have been disconunueu' Sns
-. from her .satalier" at BY, near 6ontalne-
baan- to a friend in London my neai'n mas
ne'1, 80 ssraphin was strongly commended
p.nyere as a preacher thoroughly
u.hv Of participating in the uninterrupted
"'.oiisal succession. The first time that the
Father preached before King Louis XIV. he
said to the monarch, ''Sire, am not ignorant
of the custom, according to the prescription OF
which ought to pay you q compliment in my
discourse. This hope your Majesty will Do
graeiously pleased to dispense with, for nave
been searching for compliment in the scrip
lures, and, unhappily, have not been A''' "
| find one" ..,,ovv.
"A Michigan farmer reports INA. As ," ~
ed clover root into the gr0ana ''A.
three inches.