The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-01-03
Men and Wamen.

q corresponding member of the Royal Spanish
Academy Of Madrid
1t is related Of Colonel Ingersoll that, being
sharply asked if he could mention one law of
nature that in his puny wisdom ne could change
for the better, he affably replied: "Yes; 1
would make health catching instead Of dis.
esse''
An old classmate of Edgar A. Poe pronounces
false the story by Griswold that the poet was
expelled from the University at Charlotte, Va.
Poe, he says, was fond of gaming, and lost
large amounts of money at the card table while
there; he expressed much regret to his friend
on one occasion, that he had contracted large
debts at gambling, and fixed the amount at
$4,000, but he was earnest and emphatic in the
declaration that there were debts of honor, and
he intended to pay them as soon as he could.
The late Edwin Forrest had singular height
and manliness of character. An old schoolmate
OF his who had become clerg yman, met him
one day, and asked the favor Of ticket to his
performance of Lear that evening, but added
that he wished his seat to be in private box,
where he could see without being seen. "No,
sir" was the reply by which the player re-
huked the preacher, "when I look at nay audi
ence, 1 should be ashamed to see there one who
is ashamed to be seen. Permit ne to say, sir,
that our acquaintance ends here.'
A curious story is told of ST. Philip Neri
who was directed by the Pope to inquire into
the truth of certain miracles said to have been
worked by nun. To ascertain whether the
woman possessed true humility. which, as one
of the cardinal virtues, must be held before the
power to work miracles is bestowed upon any
one, he entered her cell with pair of dirty
boots on, pulled them off, threw them at her
head and ordered her to clean them. Vehe-
ment and shrlly expressed was the indignation
of the lady, whereat st. Philip reported to his
holiness tn t new saint had not arisen to edi-
ify the Church.
A letter from the widow of General Custer to
General Wells, of the Vermont Cavalry orsani-
zation, written in September Just before the
funeral ceremonies took place at West Point,
has been published. Mrs. Custer says that
since her recovery she had taxed her nerves in
some work that helped her to forget herself,
and adds, "If the soldiers who so loved their
heroic commander think me worthy to have
been his companion and wife shall 60 to my
grave comforted with such tribute. God has
answered my prayers and given me back the
sacred dust that may do as he wished. Gem
eral Custer loved West Point, and when he lies
at rest peacefully where he asked to lie, shall
be thankful for his sake. wish tha might
some time see you and the loved soldiers aud
officers who followed my husband SO faithfully.
long to believe that they claim me as belong
ing to them, in measure New York is my
home solely because can find the work there
that will make my life less useless"
Forty-three direct descendants, bat not a sin
gle surviving member of his immediate family,
sat down to a banquet in New York city on
Wednesday last to celebrate the one-huudredth
birthday Of Senior Cerrelio Arciniega, compas-
riot of Simon Bolivar, the liberator. He is still
a strong, healthy man, very tall and thin, but
erect and walks aud talks with equal briskness.
He was educated in Paris, Joined the Venezue.
Ian rebels in 1910 and was confined in 1912 In a
Spanish castle at Maracaibo. from which he es-
capped with the aid of the governors daughter,
whom, at the age of nineteen, he married In
1914 he was again captured, condemned to be
Shot, but escaped on the morning of the day set
for his execution. Two years later he was cap
tured for the third time, condemned to death,
but the sentence being commuted to Danish.
ment, he spsnt year in exile at Trinidad. A
colonel in 1SlS major general in 1919 until the
close of the war, then Congressman until 1887,
when politics drove him to banshment in New
York, penniless and with q large family. He
displays as memento an autograph order Of
Bolivar's, dated Mono de San Juan, April 8
1915, in which he is specially mentioned as "the
most intrepid Arciniega." He has also the
"grand cross OF the Order Of the Sword from
Oscar the First of Sweden, sword from the
king OF Holland, and oil portraits from Gener-
ais Paez and Bolivar.