The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-04-03


is nothing better calculated to irritste
person and cause display of angry pas
sions than the practice, of late INDUCED in
excessively by mischevous urchius, of
ringing door-bells. A reporter of the
New York Democrat, in his perigri-
nation for news, heard of lady who had
suffered no little trouble from these ras-
Gals, and very Notifying consequence:
She had answered the door bell repeat
eddy and was each time disappointed. AT
last she determined to keep watch and as
certain the cause of it, and perhaps catch
them In the attempt and administer to them
a good sound lecture. Taking her stand
at the head of the stairs, she kept her vigil
for several minutes, and was about retir-
ing, when her industry was rewarded by
the sound of footsteps on the porch
Keeping perfectly quiet, lest she might
brighten them away, she waited until the
bell had received vigorous pull, when
her voice was raised to its highest pitch,
and she almost screamed out, ~ see you,
you little rascal" and rushing down the
steps was just in time to catch the figure
by the collar and give him good shaking.
Imagine her surprise, though, when she
found that the object of her rage was no
other than the diminutive minister of her
choice, who had come to make call, and
give spiritual advice His reception was
rather warm, but few words of explana-
ton made il all right.
A LADY--A correspondent of an Eng
lish paper gives the following as the
derivation of the word "Lady:" 1t is not
probably generally understood that the
term is compounded of two Saxon words,
"laf or leaf," signifying loaf of bread, and
"dian," to give or to serve. 1t was ousto-
mary in times of old for those families
whom God had blessed with wealth and
affluence to give away regularly portion
of "bread' aud other food to those families
In their respective parishes and neighbour
hoods, who might stand in need Of assis-
lance, and on such occasions the "lady" of
the family, or mistress of the household,
herself personally ofliciated, distributing
with her own hands the daily or weekly
dole. Hence she was called the "laf-dy,"
or the "bread-giver and in course of
time this word, like many others in Il Q
English language, became abbreviated 70
its present expressive form of "lady." An
English writer of the last century, in re-
ference to this derivation of lady, observes
that ''the meaning of this word is now as
little known as the practice which gave
rise to it, yet it is from that hosptable
custom that to this day the ladies in this
kingdom alone carve and serve meat at
their own tables"
A GENTLEMAN.-The subjoined para
graph, clipped from an exchange, is
valuable little volume in itself:
"No man is gentleman, who, without
provocation, would treat with incivility, the
humblest of his species 1t is vulgarity for
which no accomplishment of dress or adj
dress can ever atone. The man who
desires to make every one around happy,
and whose greatest solicitude is never to
give offense to any one, is gentleman by
nature and species, though he may never
have worn suit of brosdcloath nor ever
heard of lexicon. There are men in
every throb of whose hearts there ia
solictude for the welfare of mankind and
whose very breath is perfumed with
kindness"
A remarkably foe specimen of tho fish
Ttptllt VI lLtuo nuS pCcu lCCClNCQ ifOul
Germany at the College of New York
The reptile measures twelve feet in length,
and was obtained near Boil, in Wurtem-
berg. 1t is very complete, the head, verte-
bra, fla and tail being remarkably perfect.
1t is embedded in dark mari slate, and
inspection under microscope discovers the
bone in the stone.
The Louisville Ledger says "Suppos-
ing Olive Logan should be elected Presi-
dent of the United States, and should af-
terward marry man named Perkins,
would she be President Logan or President
Perkins?" That would depend a great
deal on the size of Perkins.
Governor Jacob, of West Virginia, has
Issued proclamation ordering special
election in that State on Thursday, April |
81, on the proposed "Flick amendment"
to the State constitution, whereby all po-
litical disabilities for participation in the
rebellion will be removed.
A Detroit boy presented his mother with
q new chignon, and she said no was good |
little boy, but when she missed her copper
boiler, and found he had sold it for old /
copper to junk-dealer, she made it warm /
for him. How peoples minds will change
about boys.
Boys who play on those tin box "ske-
iunks" may be interested to know that in
Chicago they are killing boys off rapidly
for fiddling on them. Two boys on Friday
went to be angels thtre for it.
A Maine farmer, whose hog, while at
large on the highway, alarmed horse, and
thus caused young lady to be thrown from
a carriage, has been ordered to pay the in
jured woman 1888 damages, after q trial
lasting three days.
William II. Mcpherson, tho youngest
brother of the late Major-Gen. j. Is. Nc
Pherson, was killed by kick from vi
cious horse, in Clyde, Ohio, on the 22d
ult. He was about thirty-five years old.
There are said to be millions of pounds
IF fossil ivory in Alaska. 1t is of excel
ent quality, and is worth dollar pound
n San Francisco.
An Ohio lady recently went insane from
he effects of laughing gas administered
~ dentist.
Lager beer is three cents a glass in Knox
lille, Tenn. An immense Teutonic emf
ration is looked for, i
Boston has forty-nine citizens who were