The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-08-28
THE PR ESS.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, AUG. as, '7e
Gossip and Gleanings.

Edmund Yates, the popular novelist, will
lecture throughout the United States during
the autumn and winter of 1872 and spring OF
1878. The subject of these lectures will be
Modern Society,"" "The British Parlia-
ment," 'Princes of the Pen' and "Good
Authors at Discount" The lecture on
princes of the Pen'' gives Mr.. Yates re-
miniscences of his intimate friendship with
Dickens, Thackeray, Bulwer, Tennyson and
other English literary celebrities.
The New York papers are cautioning the
public against the 'lghtning-rod swindle'
The manner of operation is thus One of
the rascals goes through the country with a
handsome wagon, with material for putting
up lightning rods and makes the verbal
arrangements for jobs, telling the contracting
parties that the cost will be very trifing. He
then departs, leaving some of his confeder-
ates to do the work, and when the job is
finished they charge hundred and fifty or
two hundred dollars, instead of twenty-five
or thirty, and when the victims demur they
threaten to sue for it. In most cases the ex-
tOrtion is submitted to rather than incur the
expenses of lawsuit, and the scoundrels
continue their tour.
There is a slight difference between ice and
ice cream for sanitary purposes. A man died
at Hartford, Conn.,, the other day, of dysen-
terry and ice cream combined. The doctor
had said that the patient could have as much
ice as he wanted, and his intelligent
attendants allowed him to eat three generous
plates of ice cream, and they finished him.
1t is reported that valuable petroleum wells
have been discovered in Silesia, and that there
is much excitement in the provinces. As
Germanyis large market for our petroleum,
this report of rival sources of oil near home
has special significance for our producers of
the article.
Mr.. Max Strakosch is now on the ocean in
the China, and may be expected in New
York by the 9th, and Carlotta Patti is also
on the way for America in the City of Paris,
WhiSh VIII DO uuO WOCh ldtcls uC Cll-
gagement of Mario for the Strakosch con-
certs is mentioned.
Mr.. Dan Godfrey, of the English Grena-
dier Guards band, it is said, wants to visit
America again and make professional tour.
tain leave of absence from the army authori-
ties of England.
Clara Louise Kellogg starts for home on
the 31st.
Beecher espouses billiards. 1t is manly,
ingenious and agreeable, it is exercise for
the body, a pleasant distraction for the mind,
women can join in it, and the objections to
it are extrinsic to the game itself.
The negro that is turning white resides,
this summer, at Columbus, Kentucky. 1t is
| now about seven years since he began tC
turn, and he is already two-thirds ''plain."
A Syracuse butcher on wager killed and
| dressed bullock in eleven minutes.
Charlotte Cushman will appear on the stage
again, this winter, opening at Booths thea
| tire.
One OF the meanest rascalities recently
brought to light is that of an assistant physi-
clan in the San Francisco general hospital,
who has been in the habit of reducing the
| strength of the mixtures ordered for the pa
! tients, by coniscating a portion of the med
inc and selling it to outside parties.
In Catholic church near Dubuque, Ia,
the publishing of the bans of matrimony be.
tween a couple the other day, was interrupted
in singular manner by discarded lover,
who refused to ever after hold his peace. He
claimed that he was engaged to the girl, and
| to prove it read number of love-letters amid
great deal of clamor by friends of both par
ties. The uproar was 81 great that the voic'
! of the priest could not be heard, and it wa
with difficulty the two parties could be go
out of the church. The marriage is not like
| ly to come off.
An army chaplain relates the following
| story: "Seeing dirty-facsd butternut ur
| chin at the fence in front of house, the
| preacher said: is your father at home?' No
he's gone to church. IS your mother in p
| No; she's gone too Then you are all by
yourself?' No; Sans in thar, huggin' sis
| ter That's bad yes, it's bad but its
| the best he can do'.n