Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-02-02

ND Y l. re " n A u V II RIl > r h.
(For the Country.) .... Ill: /.
Published regularly on TUESDAYS, THURS
DAYS and SATURDAYS, at six dollars per annum
ses- Marriage and Death Notices, when not
exceeding eight lines, fifty cents.
ANECDOTES OF WALTER Scorr. No pleas
oDter anecdotes have been told of any man.
these are generally we'll known, but will trust
that the following may be new to my readers.
Mrs John Ballantyue was just married. She
was young, the beauty of Edinburg, and half
spoiled by hattery. She was to meet Sir Wal.
ter at dinner, and resolved to put on airs, and
show the great lion Of the time that she was
not to be brought to fawn even at his feet. He
asked her to take glass of wine, and she at
tected not to hear him. but the great man, in
stead Of noticing this grlish folly, proceeded to
talk to her with such politeness that she speed.
lis felt ashamed of herself. This lady related
that once, at her own table, on the occasion OF
4 large and ceremonious dinner party, there
was a scarcity Of spoo1s, and what added to the
awkwardness, at the precise moment when the
servant was washing the spoons for farther use,
a most determined pause in conversation oc-
cured The silence was SO profound that no
sound was to be heard save the whispers of the
servants Just without, and the washing of the
spoons. at last the blushing lady's husband
drank Relief to all in distress" which broke
the SPELL and set all laughing, while Mr., James
Ballantyne called out, with line OF Shaks
peare:
My lord my lord, me thinks you'd spare your
spoonsr'
Not I, indeed. my lord, > responded Mrs. B.,
tor have none to spare. Not amlss, said
Sir Walter, in genial recognition of the lady 5
hit. Next day parcel came to her, directed
in an unmistakable handwriting, containing
dozen of the handsomest spoons that could he
obtained in Edinburg
This same old lady relates story which de-
serves to be told as one of the most singular
among the curiosities of literature. She relates
that once when her brother-in-law, James was
reading to her, Scott entered, and told him to
go 1sn reading As the reader proceeded. Scott
at first nodded appreciation, then said, Good!
next. Merry good! y s'Charming' Power
full until at last the upper lip began to clon-
gate, and even to tremble, and the tears
fl. Snatching his staff, he strode across the
room and looked over Mr. Ballantynes shoul-
der to see what the volume was. 1t was the
Law of the Last Minstrel He was quite in
discontinue, dashed the tears Indignantly from
his Dyes, uttered an impatient, ''pshaw aud
said God help me, James; | am losing my
memory.
WINTER BATHlNG.-Y esterday morning a
somewhat remarkable scene was enacted on the
banks of the Serpentine 5in Hyde Park; it was
the winter bathers' grand festival. 1t may not
perhaps be generally known that every morn
Ing in the year. no matter how inclement the
weather may be, there are regular bathcrs IN
the Serpentipe. Even when the water is COW
cred with ice the persistent advocates OF the
cold water system take their dips. During
the recent frosts skating and bathing were 60
iug ON at the same time. When the ice is un-
usually thick the aid Of the icemen is quietly
solicited to break hole large enough to let "a
man through, when III they pop like seals one
after another to the number OF twenty: and
sometimes double that. There is one old bath
rr more independent than the rest, who brings
his own hatchet three miles, es,secretednuderueafh
his clothes lest his intention should be mistaken
* he yeuas his way through the streets in the
dark winter morning. When divested OF his
clothing he emerges from the gloomy shade OF
The trees AK 10 hand, and proudly walks TO the
verge of the frozen lake, like a red Indian look
ing ont for scalp locks He then brglus to chop
4 lane. until he works himself out up to his
chin in water, and then commences swimming
abont among the broken ice, emerging from
the water with icicles dripping from his halr,
noes and eyelaShcs, the only wonder being that
he has never seriously cut himself with the
sharp edges of the broken ice. According to
annual custom yesterday morning there Was
swilnmiDgs masch for a silver cup, the course
being one hundred yards, and thirty bathers
contended. After this they all assembled
round pail containing run and milk, TO 90
honor to the Queen, which toast having been
most duly honored, another bottle was started
into the remaining rum aud milk by MIR.
Williams, the kind and genial Superintendent
of the Royal Humane Society, to whose prompt
itude many of those present had been indebt-
ed for saving their lives. enable to them
to drink with more tervor to the health and
speedy convalesceuce of his Royal Hlghness
the Prince Of Wales.-LOndom Nea0S Dec 2Itis
WANTED To~BE LET AEoNE.-The Bangor
Commercial tells the following good story>
Everybody recolects Uncle Van Meter, the
colored philosopher of Barkersvllle, who died
some months since. Van wasa character tie
was summoned on one occasion as witness ID
the Supreme Court on COW case, at the time
the benevolent Judge Hathaway presided. The
counsel on either side, wdo are still living in
this city, for sheer fun, racked their brains to
obfusticate the veteran African boy by plying
all manner of questions pertaining to every 9th
er topic but the COW. The experiment was
successful and poor befogged Van answered as
wildly as blind pugilist strikes out at his an
tagonist Judge Hathaway, willing to enjoy a
little sport, but with view to getting the be
wlldered philosopher back to rational stand
ing, turned beuignaIntly toward him aud put. a
simple question Ihls h. was more than the aan Il
er exploded quicker, Lifting both hands above
his head, and with countenance beaming with
despair Il seq uow, you ole gray haired gem
man up dar on de bench, don't you interfere
wild dis matter I've just as much as can do
to take care of desc two chaps down here.
FUNERAL DISPLAYS Tribune protests
against the renewal of the pompous and un-
meaning parade over the dead, which was SO
universal a custom year or two ago Those
displays disgusted all sensible and right minced M
raa,lo S;leo thnn there has been marked I'M