New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-01
GENERAL NOTES.

The oldest man has been gathered to his
,o,bers He was German, living IN Geluhausen. and
- I4s years old when he died. His life had been a
rrotraeted struggle with poverty He left two sons,
sixteen grandchildren and 34S great-grandchdren TO
mourn his loss
Here is another phase of pulpit and stage:
An ingenious Englishman, who depores the neglected
dueaton OF the Clergy the matterof impressive read
,pg recently wrote 10 Mr.. Irving, suggesting tnat he
s,eud We reeals from the Scriptures The PROPOSE
,on was rather startling aud the actor modesty de-
eued % attempt the instruction Of persons who have
not vet acquired the OF reading Holy Writ with eX
presson This curious appeal reminds The CGrdt9 Times
~ Fausrs reply when Wagner asks whether priest
may learn from an actor how to preaeh Yes II the
priest an actor De-
Gambetta and Washington have not quar-
relied When they met in Paris after the close Of the
Ben Congress one did not rerroach did the other
loe his temper The Minister read the statement lie
had prepared and other documents on his mission 70
berlin The visitor listened in silence. Probably think
ing that silence meant disapprOval, the Minister said
You seem disposed to blame me-, something to that
effect @No," replied Gambetta. 81 only listen. do
not take upon myself blame. am merely watching
for a passage which might fad echo" Gambetta
sareasoaly observed, however that appeared 10 him
The French Envoy lad been made to carve at tle Con-
eress the Joint of which the others had dined.
The plague of Ofiice-seekiDg is not confined
70 the United States. AS the appointment OF Sir
Garnet Wolseey as Governor Of Cyprus announced
in London his house in Portmansquare was besieged by
The unemployed SO the press that 1t cost
good deal Of physical exertiOn dispose of the app
eans Very many Of them wanted posts 10 be specially
manufactured for their benefit, and many did
exactly know what they wanted but imagined Sir Gar
net could give them opportunities for receiving
Portable incomes for making themselves generally use
full The whole surplus population seemed TO have
come down upon the Administration OF the island.
There is more railway reform in England.
The general manager Of the London and Brighton line
has made arrangements whereby supply OF fresh drink
ing water obtauabe &C certain stations On the
arrival Of train the platform attendants will pass
along rapidly from end to the other Offering iced
water at a penny glass This innovation is regarded
by one Of the London journals happy idea, and the
hope is expressed that ali stations where excursion
trains make practice OF stopping win be supplied with
drinking fountains. The peddiing of water at few
railway stations would be regarded very happy
idea OD this side Of the sea, where every wenanaged
railway company provides Nate-e9oIer IN every car
oil dear Ole Erandmotherly county!
The luxury of swearing is appreciated after
enforced silence. An ola man in Virginia City lost his
voice through paralysis several years ago, and recently
his power OF articulation has partially returned that
be eau utter words perfectly he could before
his misfortune. He insists upon swearing at all times
IN season aud out OF seasonand them his ght
his Ingual ability, goes of into hearty and protracted
laugh. The other day man fIom Walker River called
upon him. When the visitor entered he was greeted
with such string Of oaths that each individual hair OF
his head stood out in its particular direction. After
iDdnlging in violent blasphemy for time the old
burst forth into demOniae laugh. The Walker River
man rushed out and told the first he met that he
had just met unatic. Together they entered the house
ana found the OLD man ia tae kitchen swearing away
like all possessed The God HI NelCs does have the
heart 10 blame tbe old fellow for making the Of his
recovered faculties
Another weather prophet. Blind and a
musioieaeher Virtual. but with q well-developed inner
tses aud meditates he has the habit OF setting up IN
his mind" every night OF The weather that
day This practice he followed for several years IN Eng
land ami his mind is stored with some curious weather
statistics in that Since his arrival IN Illinois
he has continued the practice aud states that since jan
nary 1875, TO the 26th OF the present. smOnth, there
have been dfty-hye dry days than daYsa wet
dsy simply being which rain was noticed 70 fall
Since January l. 1877 TO the date. the prepondeT
anee OF dry days Was seven Since March l. 1877, the
Drepcnderance of days ten aud October l.
twelve Since January 1873. 70 date the prepondcr-
year have been forty days which thunder was
heard while IN 1877 bere Were ouly fortyseveu. His
ture, but that is 10 great matter
Americans can now breathe freely, for it
has been proved the flag which Key had under his
eye when ne wrote "Ths star spangled Banner " was
the veriiabe bunting that bad 1oated deiaBty dur
ing the bombardnent OF Fort McHenry and not brand
new that had been flung TO the breeze by Major
Armisiead IN honor OF the bmth OF his daughter. His
torieus land when map assumes that title he may
airy be presumed 10 know whereof he wrtes-assurCs
he baltimore Ameteaa that the late Mrs Appleton.
owner Of the poetic flag. was born Fort McHenIy
Md The rockets red glare The bombs bursting in sIr."
but IN her grandfather's mansion la South BaltmOre
and, furthermore that while there 10y in the house
Of Armstead over the advent OF the child flag
was not hosted the fort and the vertabe Stars
and Stripes which had not gone down during the bonn
hdmeOt caught the eye and inspired the heart OF the
poetic Key he trOd the deck Of the Mnden during that
eyeniul night After the death OF Major Armistead
nag passed into the taDds OF his widow, Mrs. LOUISA
Armlsiead who died In December, 1861, and who by
heF Wall. left 20 her daughter. Mrs. Appleton The
star spanEled Banner which fOated over Fort Mcenry
eaIiag the bombardment in 1914" these being the
words Of the viii.