The Portland daily press., 1870-12-17

Vice President Colfax has received from
R. Beardsley, United States Consul at Jerusa
lem, box containing speakers mallet of
olive wood, with heads of oak from Abraham
oak at Hebron, a chalice of olive wood from
the Mount of Olives, and an inkstand and
sandbox of asphalt. from the Dead Sea, all
beautifully carved and polished.
Alexander Davy Dumas, the French nov
elst, just deceased, was rhe son of Gen. Du-
mas of the first Napoleon's army, who was
himself the son OF the Marquis de la Paille-
terie, st. Domingo planter, and colored
woman of the island. The famous novelist,
therefore, was light mulatto, fact which
the readers of his books generally have NOT
known. He was born in 1908, and became an
author before 1880. His books are exceeding.
ly numerous-in all some 1900 volumes, it IL
said-but many of these were written by 9th.
er persons. He has great merits as historic
cal novel writer, but on the whole, cannot be
said to have added much that is valuable 70
French literature. He leaves son oil the
same name, now 46 years old, who is as pop
ular in his way of writing as his father was In
his.
-Lotlie Fowler is the victim Of furthef
base Vaccinations. A sympathizipg colonel,
after her recent prosecutions at Bridgeport,
aided her to arrange a seance, got out her
bills without bearing the expense herself, and
finally volunteered to tend door. As Lottia
has become famous, about thousand were
present at 25 cents head, and when the col
onel had seen them all nicely in, he took the
1925 and departed, leaving Lotties confidence
in humanity sadly shaken again. With such
foresight into the future as she pretends,
Lottie ought to have OWNED what the wicked
man was about, but prescience always fails
when it is most needed.
The Forty-irst Congress is not likely to
so down to history with commendabe repu-
tation for good morals. Two ofits members
have been expelled for selling cadetships, ons
resigned to escape expulsion, three or four
others got off onl, by the hard swearing OF
their aecomplices, one has convicted himself
| OF attempting to procure counterfeit money to
pass among the poor negroes, one is charged
with cheating soldiers widows out of their
pensions, and now another, Bowen OF South
Carolina, is indicted for bigamy.
"A young clerk in New York fancy
goods store got up pocket confagration
which was matchless in the result of bringing
him to grief He purchased box of patent
matches, which he stuck into one of his coat
pockets, went to the store and leaned rather
roughly asaist the counter, when of a sudden
there was an explosions or fire crackers sort
of sound that created quite commotion in
the store. For the first time in his life, prob
ably, Hamilton forgot how to take his coat
OIL. Indeed, he "lost his head" completely
when he discovered the tails of his garment
on fire, and straightway began to take of his
boots, evidently laboring under the impress
sion that he was on burping steamer and
was determined to swim ashore at all COSTS
His fellow clerks fdaly came to the rescue,
tore off the burning article and threw it into
the street, where it lay wasting its smoky
sweetness on the desert air for an hour or so,
to the delight of gang Of eamins who en-.
deavored to save few shiny buttons from the
general wreck.