Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-06-05


beauties and testing the delights of sunny France.
The Count consented to taking his mother-in-law
with him to her native shores, she being lady OF
such charms of person and character as to prove
delightful though rare exception to the average
mother-in-lsw of Massachusetts and elsewhere
| But the lady did not know how long she should
remain away, and did not wish to dispose of her
household goods. She accordingly hired large
room over Holmes grocery store on the cornor OF
Magazine and Maine streets in Csmbridgeport
and stored all her possessions of a lesvable ma
ture therein. Forty years have passed since then
and neither mother nor daughter haveeyer return
ed for even a brief visit to their native land The
insurance and storage rent on the goods stored
away have been regularly paid, amounting to
| so, 900. The room has been opened but once,
and that was when fire broke out in the building.
Two weeks ago orders came to send all the furni-
ture to auction in Boston and have 1t sold. When
the room was opened crowds of curious people
hocked to gain sight OF the old fashioned iuini-
ture Aud what appearance 1t presented! The
rats and moths had made sal havoc with the ele-
giant velvet and satin coverings of the chairs and
sofas and all evidenced a picture of ruin and de-
cay, rust and spoil. The whole lot, valued once
at several thousand dollars brought only two hum
dred dollars at anction The people Of Cambridge
think there must be a curious story al tho bottom
of the long exile of mother and daughter, but 1t Is
not probable that the veil which shrouds IN mystic
~ this whole affair will ever be lifted to the gaze
of the curious public.
/ saw it stated in a Boston paper that practice
is growing up OF having children taken to the
photographers, and stereoscopic views made OF
them in a nude state-of course not TO be public
ly exhibited, but just for home USE" Photo
grsphers are said to have stated that the practice
is growing very common, and that ladies bring
little girls TO be taken in some studied pose AL
though this practice is the result of maternal
pride in seeking to perpetuate by the camera the
| beauties which time will destroy, it is a within
above reproacb, for the pictures are preserved
from the eye of the public,
Perhaps the boys and girls who are readers of
the Kennebec journal will be glad to know some
thing of the home of a iavorte author of theirs
Oliver Optic. He lives in Dorchester in a very
pretty house with French roof, and the grounds
around the house quite extensive, and fun OF
flowers fruit trees and shade trees and every inch
of ground is kept in apple pie order, too. Mr.
Adams (for of course everybody knows that Oil
yer Optics real name is William I. Adams) is
very industrious, spending the whole morning in
his library always. The walls are lined with
black walnut book shelves, and there are several
very easy chairs in the room. Mr.. Adams does
not use pen and ink, but writing machine which
is very much like tiny piano, with key board,
and he corrects all his own proof before 1t goes to
| the printer. Dorchester is one of the most de-
lightful Of Bostons suburbs, and if any admirers
of the books OF Oliver Optic 60 visiting there
they must call and see the man who writes such
delightful stories Of real genuine boys and girls
not make believe ones.
| Miss Sara Jewett took her benefit at the Boston
Theatre last Thursday afternoon in "Romeo and
Juliet" playing Juliet to rather small audience,
probably owing to the warm weather.
The Dancheffs is a play pronounced by all crit
les to be excellent, and the scenery is superb.
The women who appear in the play are elegantly
dressed and of exceptional beauty.
At the Boston Museum Mrs. Oates is holding
the boards, and large audiences assemble nightly
opera bouffe being favorte with Bostonians.
| The graceful and sprightly Aimee who SO
charmed the Duke Alexis, is to appear at the Bos-
ton Theatre next week.
Crowds have welcomed back the Midgits, who
seem, if we may judge by the daily and nightly
attendance, to be gaining in popularity, but it
must be hard for such delicate, tiny beings TO be
on exhibition these hot days, and be obliged to
appear sweet and engaging when they feel cross
and fretful. CONSTANCE STERLING.