The Portland daily press., 1879-09-17
Gossip and Gleanings.


Gossip and Gleanings.
Ole Bulls beloved violin is three hundred
and sixteen years old, and was once the treas
ure of Paganini
In Germany paper is now substituted for
wood in the manufacture of lead pencils. 1t
is stepped in an adhesive liquid, and rolled
round the core of lead to the requisite thick
ness After drying it is colored, and resembles
an ordinary cedar pencil.
The principal facade of the Hotel de Vile is
to be adorned by large number of statues and
bass-reliefs, which are to form a chronological
history of the city of Paris, personified in its
famous people. These works of art will cost
about S23S, 600.
Charles Dickens the second promises to do
honor to the family name. He manages one
of the largest printing offices in London OF in
Europe. He has very successfully published
the London Dictionary and the Guide to Lon
don, and is now preparing Dictionary of the
Thames. He inherits his fathers love for
printing offices and newspapers.
Queen Victoria, with all her pride of nation
al conquest, is apparently anxious to heal the
wounds of war. 1t is related that some one
lately passing in Windsor Great Park the Cul-
loden monument raised by the Duke of Cum
berland. was greatly struck by the splendid
growth of ivy round the base of the column. A
remark upon its beauty called outs the reply,
eyes, that is by the Queens orders in order
that the ivy may hide the inscription recording
the defeat of the Highlanders."
Apropos of pronunciation, the Court Journal
has the following: In the course of an argu-
does Kitty say?"
"Who's Kitty" said the magistrate-'your
wife?'
"Sir, L mean Kitty, the celebrated lawyer"
"Oh,'' said the magistrate, 81 suspect you
mean Mr.. Chitty, the author of the great work
on pleading"
II do, Sir; but Chitty is an Italian name,
and ought to be pronounced Kitty
Madame Grevy, the wife of the President,
travels in the simplest manner. She takes
great pains to pass unperceived, notwithstand-
ing the trouble taken to do her rather osten-
tatious homage. She has just arrived with her
daughter at Eaux-Bonnes, where the manager
of the hotel, after serving her with bottle of
the choicest wine, was astonished to hear her
say that she was accustomed to frugal life,
and did not require to drink at Faux Bonnes
richer wines than in Paris. The honors which
have fallen to her lot do not seem to have af-
fected her in the least. Many carpers think
that France ought to be represented with ele-
that OOnOSpl
Queen Isabella went the other evening to
call on the Archduchess Marie Christine a
short time after that young lady reached Paris.
AS soon as her future mother-in-law entered
the room the Archduchess advanced to meet
her, and, falling on one knee, raised her hand
to her lips "On your knees before me!'' ex-
claimed the Queen, helping her to rise; fare
you not the iancee of my beloved son?" She
then embraced her tenderly, and the Queen
and two Princesses showed much emotion. In
the conversation which followed, and which
was most affectionate, the Archduchess Marie
Christine announced her intention of devoting
herself to her future husband, but OF abstain
ing entirely from politics. 81 shall reign over
Spain with Alphonso," said she, "but shall
not govern. made this resolution when l
saw him for the first time as my betrothed, and
1 vow that shall lkeep my word. Tribune.
The Archduchess Marie Christine, in addi-
ton to her other accomplishments, occupies
herself v it'll wood-carving. Every year she
has been in the habit of sending garments
made by herself to the poor children OF the
town near which she lived She is much at
tached to her teachers and very kind to them.
She yields without any contradiction to any
wish expressed by them, and rejoices like
child when praised. In her political views she
is not in the leaat moved by outside influenbes,
and never coneeals her most decided antipa-
thes. She shed many tears when. at Seven-
teen years old she was informed that the En-
peror had selected her to be the Abbess of the
Ladies' Convent at Prague. 1t was long
time before she could be convinced that she
had not ia take the veil and go into the clois-
ter, but that this was simply place of high
honor and income, and that she could at any
exchange it for a bridal veil.
Senator Hamlin gives this interesting person.
al incident between himself and President Lin
coin. While President his relations with
Mr.. Lincoln, who often consulted him, were
always amicabe Il was always more radical
than he was,'' says Mr.. Hamlin; 81 was urging
him; he was holding back on his probe ms,
and he was the wiser, probably, as events
prove. desired to arm the blacks and issue
the proclamation sooner than he did, and was
always urging. was the first person he ever
showed the proclamation to. l saw it before
he submitted it to the cabinet. He met me
one day and said, Where will you be this even
ing?' Il am going out of town, L replied. No,
you are not, Sir Indeed, L am, Sir, unless
you command me- We'll, l do command you.
want you to spend the evening with me at
the Soldiers Home. | met him at the EXecu-
tive Mansion, and we started to drive to the
Home. AS soon as we had started he drew
from his pocket the rough draft of the procla-
nation and read it over to me. Naturally |
was delighted and told him so. He was much
moved at the step he was taking"
Miss Fanny Healh, who has lately made a
to ur of observation among the German and
Swiss schools has sent to Macmillan's Maga-
zine for September an interesting account of
the way needlework is taught in them. In
struction in needlework and knitting was be-
gun i'll the elementary or primary schools and
in the secondary or grammar schools.
The needlework in the Swiss schools visited is
teaches nothing else, and is very thoroughly
more so than in English schools.
In the Grand-Duchy of Hesse there has been
an educational revival. and many things are
Taught never taught before-among them, nee
dlework The poorer people object to it as
superfuous, but the good sense of those in
authority has insured a continued trial of the
experiment. In the German schools generally
the theory is high, but the practical results
fall very far below it. The intention of the
German government is that every girl shall
be qualified to cut out and make every kind of
useful work for an ordinary household;" but
the rule has been sadly neglected. To make
up for the deficiency, training schools have
been established, principally in Berlin, where
teachers are required to qualify themselves and
pass government examination before taking
situations. The result of Miss Heath's obser-
vations was to convince her that, however fine
the German theory might be- the German