Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-03-30
PERSONAL AND LITERARY.


Judge TAFT, Secretary Of War, is six
feet high, and in various respects is a man
to be looked up to.
1T is said that Minister Caleb Cushing
is about to return from Spain, to devote
himself to his private business, which has
become complicated by the death of his
brother.
The residence of Gen. Gideon Pillow
was sold at bankrupt sale, the other day
There was no competition in the bidding,
and the residence, worth probably IS, 900,
was bought by gentlemen for twenty
six dollars, and his valuable library by
another for ten dollars, and both were
presented to Mrs. Pillow.
Three hundred men of Incorporate
habits, and many of them confirmed
Grunkards, met in one room at the Hippo
drome, last Friday, and ON their knees
besought Gods help to abstain from in
toxicating drink The scene was intense
ly affecting.-N 7. Observer.
An old gentleman with white hair at.
tended the Moody and Sankey meetings
at the New York Hippodrome lately, and,
for want of better seat, took place at
the reporters table. The reporters were
about 10 request his withdrawal, when he
said u feel entitled TO place here,
because am the oldest reporter in New
York" The old man WAS Thurlow
Weed.
The sales of the Methodist Book Con-
Germ and its branches Cor the year ending
Nov. 80, 1875, were: For the New York
house and its branches, 1894, 112; for the
Cincinnati house and branches, S6s2, 1f3 /;
making total for both Of ST. ,57i 1875. The
branches of the New York houses are at
Boston, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and San
Francisco; the branches of the Cincinnati
house are at Chicago, st. Louis and Atlanta.
Richard III. Dana, Jr., once had a
bitter experience at Washington dinner
party. He had been speaking at some
length OF his nautical life as narrated in
Two Years Before the Mast" when a
gentleman present innocently asked
Where can get That book, Mr.. Danag
never heard of il before" Dana red
dened with indignation, and replied, I" At
any library in the land, sir; at any book
store, sir"
There is living in San Francisco m
English veteran soldier, named William
Robert Duke, who was one of the six
hundred who made the celebrated charge
at Balaklava. Proof of the fact is fur
nished in discharge paper which he has,
signed by his commanding officer, which
attests that the bearer was a member of
the Light Brigade, received fourteen
wounds in the charge, and, having in con.
sequence been taken prisoner, was ex-
changed.
"A good story is told of Mr.. James G.
Fair, one of the four stockholders who
control the celebrated "bonanZa" mines
at Virginia City, Nevada, and who is
supposed TO have an annual income from
that source of several hundred thousand
dollars year. The Fifth Avenue Thea
ter troupe, which recently performed in
Virginia City, visited the great mines.
Mr.. Fair, who is the Superintendent OF
the mines, attired in his well.worn blue
flannel mining suit, escorted the visitors
through the different levels. On reach
ing daylight once more, Mr.. Parkes, one
of the company, offered " tnur.bit'' piece
TO the obliging guide, with the remark:
" Here my man, we are much obliged to
you" The astonished superintendent de-
clined the coin. Come, take it," said
Mr., Parkes, land get drink for your
self" THANK you, don't believe want
it, said Mr.. Fair. But, whynoty" was
the reoinder, What reason have you 2"
" Well, " replied Mr. Fair, "there is no
particular reason except that | have six
hundred and forty thousand dollars in
the bank up there on the hill that / can't
for the life of me think how 10 invest"