The Portland daily press., 1878-10-01
News and Other Items.

The value of the fruit crop of the United
States is set at $13S, ,2l9.7oO. an amount equal
to half the value of the average wheat crop of
the country.
A man by the name of Brown, who lives
near Middleton, KY, was sold as vagrant in
Franklin few days ago. He was purchased
| by Ford & Bros. for 80 cents.
Boston employs 715 policemen at a cost Of
$4,000; $50 iremen at cost for the whole
! fire department of S575 900; and 1898 school
teachers at a cost of Sl,75OOOO for public in
| structiOn.
1t is said that King Alphonso is still so de-
pressed with grief at the loss of bis Queen that
any member of his cabinet would feel ss
though he was insulting him by venturing TO
suggest that he should marry his dead wife's
sister Catherine.
At the recent election in Exeter, Oat, Q
fever patient was taken from his bed by sone
ardent politicians, and carried to the polls in q
buggy. he gave his vote supported by two
men, while third held an umbrella over
him.
Francis Daily,a well-to-do farmer, was found
dead in the road Saturday near Coaticook,
Quebec, with every appearance of having been
named Bowen is supposed to be the murderer
An old family feud has existed for years be-
tween them.
The travelling public are getting to complain
pretty loudly of the charge Of 50 q night for
sleeping in Pullman car, while the Pullman
Company are making such immense profits.
Last year this company received S2,l60 ,S29,
and expended only SS75, ,57S, making q clear
| profit of 140 per cent.
Harrison, the boy revivalist, whose meetings
in Washington are crowded, got SO excited in
| the midst of ono Of his exhortaLions that he
made single jump, clearing the pulpit and
altar rail, and, mounting the front bench, con-
tinued his appeal to sinners to come for
ward.
The popular feeling against "fancy studies
in st. Louis has taken shape in a petition for
an injunction restraining the directors of the
public schools from having any lsngua 9 bat
English taught in the schools, aud also re-
quring the board to abolish all branches of
study outside of the common English course.
Alexander Hamilton's son James, who has
just died at his country seat on the Hudson at
the great age of 81, was connected with two
families prominent In the revolution, besides
his fathers, his mother's-Gen. Philip Schuy-
ler's-and his wife's, of whom Gouverner and
Chief Justice Richard Morris were prominent
members. James Hamilton studied at Colum-
bia and became lawyer, seeing something Of
public life as colonel of N ilitia in the war of
1872, and as Andrew Jackson's secretary of
stata pro tenn, "Old Hickory's' letters of rec
ommendation giving him private audiences
with crowned heads when he visited Europe.
Mr.. Hamilton published an autobiography a
dozen years ago, giving many important letters
and anecdotes relating to prominent public men
of the century.
The wealth of meaning sometimes conveyed
by single wori of slang spoken at the proper
time, and the popular recognition Of its night
iness, was illustrated by an incident which oc-
Cured at Mr.. Beecher's first lecture in San
Francisco. The lecture was prefaced with a
glowing tribute to Californian hospitality.
Mr.. Beecher said he had 'been astonisned at
the great West, its people and its productions;
but when his train plunged into the sunlit glory
of the Sacramento valley, aud thundered
through the fairest fields OF ths continent O.
ward the infant colossus of cities sitting serene
by the shore of esrths mightisst ocean, he felt
then, indeed, that California was Gods last
work and his best" Before the audience could
applaud, calmly reflective, still, small aud
apparently self-communiog voice in the gal
lery said 'TaffyP' That settled it. The
crowded house roared, and with just the faint
est twinkle of the left eyelid the great preach
er coughsd and went on with the main SUBJ
ject.