The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1870-10-02
xrscEILAnY


hDuse, England, in dying state. He is
u tntrty-two years of age, and his name i.
William Saletto. He has been measured
by the medical officers and found to be
only thirty-one inches in height. Il
eeems that in 1862 his father met q
renchman named Philip Lemure,- who
prevailed on him to give up his bust
ness and exhibit his son as the small
eet dwarf existing, he being one inch less
in height than General Tom Thumb. The
father consented, for salary of two
pounds week, to allow the Frenchman to
take all the profits from any exhibition.
The dwarf first made~his appearance at
ROsheryille Gardens. After that he was
taken on tour through England. He was
also received by several noblemen and
him with a watch and chain, which, to his
great sorrow, he no longer possesses. He
then went to Paris, where, among other IL
lustriOus persOnages, he was introduced to
the Emperor of the French at the Tuileries.
He was afterwards shown to the present
King of the Belgians. He then returned to
England, where he was exhibited at several
entertainments.
a People on Silts.-The pictures of
Rosa BOnheur have made US we'll acquaint-
ed with the singular habit which the shep-
herds of the landes south of Bordeaux have
adopted OF passing the greater part of their
lives on stills. The dirst time that group
of these people are seen, there is a curious
emotion in the mind as of a strange prodigy.
Dressed in sbeep-skins worn by time, knit
ting stockings or spinning thread, they
gravely pass over reeds and furze; the
spectator, buried as it were in the bushes,
they lifted nearer the sky on the verge of
the horizon. The long stick which they
handle with so much address, serving as a
balancing pole or a support for the arm,
contributes still more to the strangeness of
their appearance; they look like gigantic
nfc kx,c IT,
of Medoc, not only the shepherds but every
one uses this style, of locomotion; the chill
dren have no fear, and tile women, who
are invariably dressed in black, resemble
large ravens perched on dead branches.
The origin of stills is unknown, but it is
probable that they were not in use before
the Middle Ages, as ancient authors make
no mention OF them. In the patois of the
country they are called chanque, which
would seem to fix their origin in the period
Of the rule OF the English, deriving it from
our word shank; probably some inventive
British mind gave them this serviceable |
mode of progression. Perched on these
borrowed legs the shepherd watches over
h s charge, concealed in the brushwood,
crosses uninjured the marshes and quick
sands, fears not to be torn by thorns or
dry twigs, and a,se ean he "S oSrdaiinariy walks
Whether it has any effect on the character
these people are distinguished by their
wild, savage nature. They have a horror
of strangers, and when they perceive a
traveller coming toward them they hasten
to fee into Chambers Jour
saI.
The Haynish Tree.-The beautiful black
varnish which is 30 much admired, the
world over, is the production of tree
which grows wild in Japan, and China, as
well. It is cultivated in plantations, and is
go much improved by the treatment it re-
ceives, that q cultivated tree affords three
times more of this valuable product than
the wild one. The tree has some resem-
blance to the ash, with leaves shaped like
those of the laurel, of light green color,
and feels downy to the touch. 1t is OF no
great beauty, but is valuable as the source
Of every lucrative manufacture. These
trees are capable of supplying the varnish
or eight years. The varnish is gathered
i'm the following manner: About the middle
of summer number of laborers proceed to
che plantation of these trees, each furnish
ed with a crooked knife, and large num-
ber of hollow shells, larger than oyster
shells. With the knives, they make incis-
ions in the bark of the tree, about two
inches in length, and under each incision
they force the edge of the shell, which
easily penetrates the soft bark and remains
the evening, as the varnish flows only in
thenight. The next morning, the work
men proceed again to the plantation; each
shell is either wholly or partially filled
with the yarnish; this they scrape out care
fully with their knives, depositing it i'll a
vessel which they carry with them, and
throw the shells into basket at the foot
of the tree. In the evening, the shells are
replaced, and the varnish is again collected
in the morning. This process is repeated
throughout the summer, or until the var
nish ceases to flow. 1t is computed that |
fifty trees, which can be attended by Il
single workman, will yield pound of var |
nish every night. When the gathering is
over, the varnsh is strained through q thin
cloth. loosely suspended over an earthen
vessel.
Venice.-The chief charm of Venice, /
think, is it's oddity. 1t is off in the sea,
about two miles across the lagoon from the
main land, and connected with it by only
one long railway bridge. 1t is built on one
hundred and seventeen little islands, has
about four hundred bridges, about one
hundred and fifty canals, and over twenty
four hundred passages or streets, most of
which are as narrow as our alleys, and so
crooked and entangled, that for stranger
to find his way is the next thing to lmpos-
sible. There are but seven horses In the
city. These belong to ridding- school,
and are in excellent condition. The dogs
and cats look remarkably amiable. The |
pigeons are fed every day at 2 p. NJ, IL the |
great Square of San Marco, and are always |
prompt TO dinner; for as soon as the cathe-
dral clock strikes two, yOu see them COM