The Portland daily press., 1877-04-24
News and Other Items.

The United States are the largest coffee con-
sumers in the world, Germany and France
stand modestly behind US; and we drink six
times as much as some of the European states.
The singular plea on which witty Irish
lawyer of Kingston, Canada, recovered $500 In
breach-of-promise suit was that the defen-
dant had gained 40 pounds in weight at his
clients table.
Graduates of Tuft' College, Medford, Mass.
have raised $1,000 for bust of Hosea Bailou,
who was the founder of the college, and was
one of the original promoters of the Universal
ist faith.
A civil service college has been established
at Constantinople at the instance and under
the patronage of the Sultan. Mussulmsns and
others will be admitted without distinction. II
is intended as training college for future civil
servants, including diplomas.
A Russian engineer named Peretiatko has In
vented sort of land monitor, in which ar.
tillerists sit tower and drive about in battle,
shooting as they go. The contrivance is NOV
ed by steam, and is about to be tested BY the
government.
Toll-gates in England are to have five years
more grace, when they are to be ablished, and
the road kept in order, partly by small local
rates out of the funds of respective counties,
but chiefly out Of the public treasury of the
nation.
The Canadians are also waking up to O real.
izing sense of CROOKED whisky on their side
of the border. In defiance of the law and the
revenue department., says the Montreal Star,
stills are made, set up and worked, and the
business is growing.
An American girl, Miss Agatha Ives, has
been awarded two gold medals in the celebras.
ed seminary of nuns, in Rome, one for superior
knowledge in eastern dialects and languages.
and the other for the best composition in the
living tongues.
Messrs. Rabert NJ. and Stephen A. Douglas,
Jr., sons of the late Stephen A. Douglas, are
now living in the western par. of North Caro-
lima. and the young Stephen, who Is now study
ing law with Chief Justice Pearson, is said to
be young giant intellectually, and an eloquent
orator.
Rothschild offered Albani, present sprlms
dona at the Paris opera, $500 to come to his
house and sing two songs before private party,
and Menier the great chocolate manufacturer.
offered twice as much,l IT she would do the same
at his house. But she wouldn't or she couldn't
because of her contract with the manager.
The new temperance reform movement In
Ohio is spreading more rapidly than tha. in
New England. In GAINESVILLE there are 200
signatures to the pledge, in Wooster over 1000,
while in many other towns the greater part of
the male population are wearing the blue or
red temperance ribbon, and the saloon-keepers
cry hard times more severely than any other
class.
Gov. Blue-Jeans Williams awarded medals
to the prize babies at the Indianapolis baby.
show last week. It was a most impressive
sight, and when he made his roaring address,
there was scarcely dry eye In the whole in
fantile assembly. The five pair Of twins and
one set of triplets were especially affected as he
tied the ribbons around their necks and let the
cold medals dangle down their bosoms.
A clergyman of country village church de
sired to give notice that there would be no
service in the afternoon, as he was going to off,
cate for another clergyman. The clerk, as soon
as the sermon was finished, rose up with all
due solemnity, and cried out, IL am requested
to give notice that there will be service this af-
ternoon, as Mr.. L. is going fishing with another
clergyman"