Connecticut western news., 1879-08-27
NOTES AND COMMENTS.

nouncing the withdrawal of most of the regular troops from Taylor's command to be placed under his own in pro- jected movement from Vera Cruz toward the capital of Mexico, was received while General Taylor was at supper with his staff near Monterey. The General asked Colonel Bliss to read it to him. He had just replenished his coffee cup, and was engaged in cooling it with spoon while the reading went on. This appeared to make no further impression upon him than that indicated by contemptuous "snjff," but as the real import of the letter began to appear his whole manner changed, and he abstractedly dipped his spoon into bowl of mustard, which sat upon the table, and stirred it in his cof- fee. This he repeated until by the time the reading of the letter was finished the contents of the mustard bowl were exhausted. Without saying word and to Bliss's astonishment and horror he raised the cup to his lips and gulped down the whole abominable compound. He then broke into an excited harrangue, and only ceasing when his speech was overtaken by paroxysm of stuttering, which, with him, usually followed vio- lent outbreak of temper. The Colonel felt sure that from the amount of mus tard he had swallowed combined with the intelligence he had received, it would infallibly sicken him, but noth' ing uncommon came of it. Ratsbane at that moment" said Bliss, "would, am convinced, have had no more effect upon him than upon the stomach of Mithridates." General Pleasonton, who commanded the Generals escort in Mexico, says that when once thoroughly aroused he was the maddest man he ever saw-mad from the crown of his hat to the soles of his feet.
 The largest bridge in Europe will be completed next year. It will cross the Volga in the government of Samaria, Russia, on the Siberian railroad. The Volga, at the point of the bridge, is about four miles wide in the spring sea- son, and in the autumn. is 4, 792 feet. The bridge will be supported by twelve piers eighty-fve feet high at distance of every 364 feet. The ice cutters are covered with granite. A temporary col ony is established for the workmen employed on the bridge; it occupies about ffty-six acres, and has sixty diff ferent buildings, insured at 160,0O0 roubles. Two thousand men are em- ployed, and among them are 100 Italian
 masons. Three steamers and seventy
 barges are used constantly for forward
 ing wood, stone, iron and other mate-
 rials. The bridge will cost about $3,-
 5OO,OOO.
 Not infrequently does there come to
 light in large city something which
 shows how little of the private life of
 even well-known men is disclosed to
 their associates. At recent trial in
 Brooklyn, in which man prominent for
 long time in the political affairs of that
 city and we'll and widely known, was a
 defendant, the question was asked him
 whether he was married. He was uni
 versally regarded as bachelor, no sus
 picion had been hinted among his asso
 clates and friends of his being married,
 and the consternation may be imagined
 when he replied that he had wife and
 family of children. It seems almost
 impossible that such mystery could be
 maintained by any man constantly be-
 fore the public, but such was the case.
 The only explanation given in excuse for such deception was that the gir whom he had married was of differen
 religious faith from bis own, and hi mother being passionately devoted te her creed, would never have consented ) to receive one of different religion as daughter-in-law. For the sake then, O keeping undisturbed his mothers affec tion, the man lived with unacknowledget ) ties. Strange are the mysteries of tn affections.
 Lord Chelmsford is probably tn poorest peer of the realm. His privat means certainly do not exceed BIO, ,OOO 8 year, and he has no expectations. Hi second brother is cavalry officer, mar r ried, and with children. The next is 8 judge, with salary of $25,0OO, an l childless-the only affluent member c l his family. The fourth son is one c 8 the Lord Chancellor's secretaries. Tn . late Lord Chelmsford had for owe Q twenty years an income of $50, ,O00 t D $75, ,0O0 from his practice at the bar :. then became Lord Chancellor with @ salary of $50, ,00O, and a pension of $25, d 900 on retiring. Yet, although he lived tt eighty-six, he left but $250,OOO H n was domestic man, and devoid of vices : but he had wife who was resolved t '- vie in the fashionable world of Londo s with persons having hereditary income 6 of $250,O00 and upward. Of thre 0 daughters, two married men with fe, n hundreds year, and the third is single : The sons have not married women { ), fortune. A position about the cou1 D yielding perhaps $4, 900 year is all ths J. Lord Chelmsford can probably now loo d forward to. Probably the next poorel @ peer to Lord Chelmsford may also
 found in Zululand in the person of LOT
 Clifford, grandson of another law lord,
 gallant young fellow who won the Vii ,f toria Cross in Ashantee. The Britis d army contains very few wealthy me Il past forty. Numbers of rich you'll Il enter the Guards or crack cavalry reg y ments, but retire at their fathers deatl g Wellington and Marlborough wei le younger sons.