The Portland daily press., 1876-02-15
News and Other Items.

| A gentlemen of Philadelphia has sent Walt
Whitman present of 500.
The London University has resolved in favor
| of comforting degrees upon women.
Baltimore exuls because the flag Of nearly
every civilized nation floats from the shipping
| in Baltimore harbor.
South Carolina leads off for leap year with
decision that bachelors can receive no protec.
| tien from the homestead law.
Mr.. John B. Cough having recovered from
his late illness has gone to Canada to fulfil his
lecture engagements.
The California Senate wants a law providing
that every article in newspaper shall be sigu-
| ed with the name of the writer
Meissonier was appointed President of the
Academy of the Fine Arts of Paris at its recent
sitting.
Mrs. Hembold says that her husband bores
men to death in the offices where they print
papers, and this she considers insanity Her
head is level.
The report of the examining committee on
| the condition of the John Hancock Mutual
Life Insurance Co shows gain of $135, ,215 95
| over surplus of last year.
Carpeaux left an unfinished repetition of his
| celebrated group, "La Danse," oue-third the
| size of the original. 1t has since been finished
| and will be placed on exhibition with several
other of his repetitions.
Victor Hugo expressed his admiration for
Lamartine by subscribing $50 toward statue
| to him, and accompanied the subscription with
| the following note: "France saw in 1920 great
poet appear, and in 1S4S great citizen. This
bico o,t;
tine. 1 subscribe for his statue
Among the objects of art which the Pope
will send to the Centennial Exhibition are two
pictures in mosaic and some pieces Of tapestry
executed by the artists of the Vatican One
of the former represents The "Madouna della
Seggola' of Raphael, the original of which is
in the Pitt palace at Florence, and the other is
| a copy of the Madonna del Sassoferato." The
| subject of the hangings is st. Agnes on the
pile.
Count Alexander Suwarrow, grandson of
the great Russian general of that name recent
ly celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his en-
trance into the Russian military service, and is
now permitted to wear the Cars portrait in
medallion set with briliants-the order OF mer-
it for fifty years service. He is at present in
speCtOr SeuePdl Vi luldntry, anu was governor
general of the Baltic sea provinces from 1S4S
to 1861. His age is II.
Kate Field recalls a fresh incident of Arte-
mus Wards visit to London. He gave chill
dren's party, to which one of John Brights
sons was invited, and from which the youth re-
turned aglow with delight "Ob, papa" ex-
claimed the little Bright, when asked by the
great Bright whether he had enjoyed himself,
indeed l did, and Mr.. Browne gave me such
nice name for yon, papa" what was that?''
inquired the father. "Why, he asked me how
that gay, festive cuss, the governor wssr' re-
piled the child. The father laughed
Gen. Babcock, the Presidents private secre-
tary, is about 40 years Of age. native of Yer
mont, and particularly quiet, modest aud
kindly engineer officer He has a rather pale
complexion. and large, darkish eyes, which are
not very penetrating in their expression, and
rowing about. He is thick-set, broad-shoulder-
ed, smooth-faced, affable but brief of speech,
and noted in Washington for his obliging gifts
of flowers from the public grounds to sick peo-
pie, whom he often does not know, His con-
versation is pure and he keeps the Presidents
secrets well. He is married to a delightful lit
tie lady, Miss Campbell, daughter of the
United States Marshal of Chicago, and niece of
J. Russell Jones, late minister to Belgium.