Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-11-13
Celestial Skill.

| Celestial Skill.
The skill displayed by the Chinese 10 caIv'
ing ivory balls within each other has excited
| the wounder and admiration cf Europears.
N othiug can afford greater proof Of patience
and perseverance,, as well as cf the taste Of
| Chinese handcraftsman than ono Of these
elegant baubes, each ball being ezqolsllely car''
ed, and no two alike iu pattern. Esch t
these balls rolls freely within that which ill.,
closes it, and is visible through apertures; so
| that, however many there be, the beauties OF
each can be examined and the number OF the
whole counted. Much time is spent upon carv
Jog thess toys, for the cleverest artist will eI
ploy whole month in tho execution Ct each
| separate ball; coust quantfy The labor OF tw)
| years is not ipftequeuty bestowed on the Ir,.
ductiou of tiogle toy, which is formed GU: OF
| solid globe of ivory, and has no junction. IN
any part. The cuki1o of this globe is first
carved 10 some very open pattern, and - then
carefully cut with fee. sharp instrument
throught the openings, until q complete coat
| ing is detached from the solid part inside, as
| The poel of an orange might bo loosencd with
SC oop from the fruit without being taken ,t.
One hollow ball is thus formed, with Solid
| one insiic oft. The surface OF the 'cncr ha
| is then carved through tho nterstloes OF tha
outer one, and when finished, is subjected to
! the same operation as the first. and thus
| second hollow ball is produced, Sill With so'id
! one of smaller dimensions inside. This pro
| cess is repeated again and agaio. tho difficulties
Increasing as the work proceeds. till at length
only small ball, Of siz, OF q marble, is leit
| Ia the cenlr,, which is also ornamcntcd With
figures clt upon it and then the Ingenious bu:
useless bauble is complete. This process Is
said TO be performed under water.
AN ADVENTURE WITH WOLVES IN LlTlIu-
AN1A.-"I was stayiug,' writes correspond
ent from Lithuania, ''at friends house when
Madame B received the intelligence OF her
sister 10 law, Madame kertch's accident; and
Natalie Kertcb, girl Of twelve, who was stay
! iug at her aunt's desired to 90 homo to see her
mother at once. Our host was absent, so
offered to tako the child back, and the droSchky
was turned out, the horses harnessed and We
turned in.
! I'VE had not gone more than four or five
miles from the house before SORT of burar
came on, violent high wind accompanied by
snow, but it fortunately did not last long.
! though it delayed us some little timc; and
was glad to find when it was over that the her
ses quickened their pace, tu. noticed that
our driver looked alarmed, yet still urged the
animals on. inquired the reason of this, and
heard to my dismay that he believed We were
followed by pack Of WolVes-horses, ho said.
could smell the danger long way off. Snort
| time proved that his fears were correct, aud
| the horses rushed mady on. We fortunately
had Two guns, and am o fair shot; but si
hoped that wo should not comc into such CLOSE
quarters with our purSuers as to render It nc.
cessary 10 use them.
"Tbe pack gained on US, cur horses began to
flag, and the driver called out Fire ! obcyed,
and for O moment or so tho wretches seemed
to have received o check, but on they came
again. My little charge screamed terribly. Shoot
me-kiIl me !! she shrieked out don't 1t
them tear me. and eat me u Aod the thought
did for the instant f ash across my mind that
be preferable for US both but matters had not
become quite 20 desperate yet. Our driver
gave the horses their heads-how ho secured
the reios | know not, but his hands were at
berty-and he loaded one sun a. | fired The
other.
"ltach charge produced tnomcutary check
or pause. which was OF course in our lavor
but doubt our ultimate escape II, just aa two
of the foremost wolves were nearly up With ud,
q company of horsemep, accompanied by some
maguihcent hounds, had not suddenly appeared
on the scene. They were G hunting parry,
headed by Princo --, who, having heard OF
tho ravages committed by this very band OF
wolves had c3mc out to seek for them, and
most providanlialIy arrived on the spot 10 tim:
to save us from their taDgs."
READY VITA pretty long list might b,
made of men who have owed their adVarcs'
mcut 10 life to a smart answer given at tn"
= ,ipbt moment. Ooe Of Napoleon's Veterans,
who survived his master many years. was w'ni
to recount With great gec how he had onc'
nicked up the Emperor's cooked hat at rc
| vieW. when the latter, not noticing that no Whs
a private, said carelcssy, Thank you captain.
, "in what regiment, sire p instantly asked 'h>
ready witted soldier. Napoleon, percelV ing I'll
mistake, answered with smlle:-"ln my
guard, for sec you know how to be prompt.
# The newly made ofioar received his oonmlsslon
next morning. -.
A somewhat similar anecdotc is related OF
, Marshal Suvaroff, who, when receiving o'1
- patch from the hands OF Rn!s'sn sergeant
who bad greatly distinguished himself On 'h'
Danube, attempted to confuse the mcssenge
bv series Of whims cal questions, nut foun'
,, him folly equal to the OCCASION. ,iioW manN
g fab are thcro 10 tho sca?' asked Suvafotl
IAN that are not caught yet, was tho answer
a"How far is it to the moon?' Two CT yon
ExceIloncy's forced marches: wv hat ~ou''
YOU do if YOU saw your men giving away 10 ha'
tle?" "Id tell them that there was wage
y Inad of whisky lust behind the enemy's line.
4 RsH1 ,d at all points, the marshal endcd with
y Nv hats tho difference between your o9lone
J and myself?" My colonel cannot make me
, lieutepant. but your Excclleucy has only to ga
~ | tho word" 81 say it now, then, said Sn'a
ce riff, .'and right good officer you'll be.
OF ------a'--- -.
or For foe Clothing SEQ Dealham, e. kIn
no street, corner Of Fairfax.
ol Tina friendship is lasting; so are DesIham