Connecticut western news., 1879-12-24
NOTES AND COMMENTS.

AS the OlQ W req CenG mas HOW passed out of use, and, except rarely, out of sight, like the s'old oaken bucket" it's history is a matter of sufficient in- terest for preservation. The cent was first proposed by Robert Morris, the great financier of the Revolution, and was named Jefferson two years after. It began to make its appearance from the Mint in 1792. It bore the head of Wash ington on one side and thirteen links on the other. The French revolution soon created 8 rage for French ideas in Amer iea, which put on the cent instead of the head of Washington the head of the Goddess of Liberty-a French liberty with neck thrust forward and flowing locks. The chain on the reverse side was displaced by the olive wreath of peace but the French liberty was short lived, and so was her portrait on our cent. The neut head or figure that suo ceeded this-the staid classic dame with @ 6llet around her hair-came into fash ion about thirty or forty years ago, and her finely. .chiseled Grecian features have been slightly altered by the lapse of time.
 Few men have had the pleasure of routing 8 leopard with an ox-whip, but such was recently the feat of "Buster Gibbons, noted Texan. The Kerrville Frontisrsn,an says that Gibbons was cooking his breakfast in the woods at the head of Cypress Creek, about & week ago, when leopard, being hungry, ad. vanced growling. Gibbons snapped his rife at the beast, but the powder didn't happen to be dry, and so, throwing aside his gun, he clutched his ox-whip. The leopard's white teeth became more threatening, but when Gibbons cracked the whip over his head, moving toward the animal, it turned tail and made for the woods.
 A correspondent of Notes and Queries gives the following remarkable instance of beetles tenacity of life |: "A relative of mine, while recently out ting loaf of bread, found embedded in it 8 beetle. A small portion of the loaf with the insect in it was cut out entire, and after lapse of about i've minutes the beetle began to crawl out, apparent ly none the worse for it's incarceration. It is, of course, we'll known that beetles are fond of warmth, but should not have thought that one would have so comfortably survived some hours spent in 8 living tomb, escaping the danger of being crushed to dea tA in the making of the bread, and subsequently the risk of being killed either suffocation or the heat of the oven.
 The little Swedish town of Nord- Hopping has been the scene of a very desperate duel, without seconds. Two officers of the guards, named Ohlsson and Bostrom, were found in room, both shot through the heart. They had been firm friends, and the mystery oi their death has only been solved by letters which they wrote to their rela tives. It seems that one of these gen. tlemen, who was engaged to marry g lady of good family, had, previous to his engagement, maintained relations with a notorious woman in Stockholm. His friend rashly announced the engage ment to this person, who thereupor wrote letter to the young lady, which made her behave with great coldness to her lover. The guardsman found life uncomfortable. His friend also suffered the tortures of remorse, and they re- solved to put themselves out of pain by fighting duel at the shortest possible distance. Bostrom shot Ohlsson through the heart, and himself was found with g bullet in his breast. But that bullet was not discharged by Ohlsson. A mark on Bostrom's forehead shows he haG been grszed by the shot of his opponant and it is plain that, unwilling to survive his friend, he shot himself dead.
 A horrible suspicion, which ha: long been whispered about in Russia is now beginning to take hints in news papers outside tue control of the Russian police. It has been noted as very re narksble that the Russian Nihilists are frequently possessed of information which could be known only to high off eial personsges; that when money ii wanted for certain purpose it is al ways forthcoming, and that the Czal himself has, on more than one occasion shown distrust of members of his owr family. It is remarked upon as strange that the Czarewitch, who was to hay, met his father at Moscow, waited fo him at St. Petersburg still more strange that when the Czar did get to St. Pc tersburg the Czarewitch was, after all Iot present to receive him. That tn, heir. apparent to the Russian throne ha
 always favored the Panslavist party, ant that his tour through Europe was un dsrtaken for the purpose of forming al dances against any Teutonio league, i matter of common gossip, but dis patch from London of date Dec. 16 say that the report is not we'll founded.
 The Boston Herald tells of irn in that city that employs thirty-tiv girls in making coats. These girls con cluded to make the members of the firn present, so each one gave $1, witt which two albums were purchased. A 8 suitable time to make the presentation the afternoon before Thanksgiving wa chosen, and the gifts were received witt seeming qualification. But when tn next payday came each girl found tn pay of half an hour, the time occupies in making the presentation. taken ou of her wages.
 , The German Government has take
 steps to prohibit all lads under 16 year ) of age from smoking in the streets, an
 the police in certain towns have had ol