Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-04-23


improvised sail, but the first strong ruff
Of wind took it away. There was plenty of
food ON board, but Larsen could not eat. lie
had copy of the "Anclent Mariner" on
board, and this he read over and over again,
shouting some of the verses aloud as a curse
to the elements, much as old King Lear
cursed them For days the castaway lay
on the deck, part Of the time unconscious,
Again he composed poems on his adventure
and corkipg them In hotties sot them adrift.
All this time he was conscious that the west
wind must be sweeping him back to the
coast, and he was awakened from sleep one
night by the tossing about of the Nancy in
a chopped sea- At daybreak no saw the
shore and recognized Pigeon Point. From
that moment he gained renewed energy and
at last, making Montery, was safe llo had
been thirty days at sen.
Near the United States Medical Museum,
the scene of the assassination of President
Lincoln, stands an old hotel, and in this lives
Washington's character" John Birch by
name, shiTch was born in the same hotel
about the time that General Washington
died, and during the last twenty-five years
he has never been away from II. In his
boyhood he was apprenticed to n reparer of
musical instruments so that natural turn
for mechanics was in manner developed,
Since about 1860 he has been vt work ON u
perpetual motion maohlno, which no at first
hoped 10 complete before the end Of the war
His simple food Is earned by repairing must
cal instruments. Indeed he could make
great deal of money out Of that trade if he
were willing, for Ole Bull is his great friend,
and ltemenyi once gave into his hand u
$4,000 violin which needed restoration. This
job would be difficult one, for Remenyi's
car apparently could not he satisfied, Ole
bull thought, but "the old hermit of II street.
did tho nlendng In exactly one minute. He
took the instrument, sounded il, removed the
sandpaper, handed it back 10 the famous
musician Sure enough, the old virtues OF
the violin had been restored. Billy Birch,
who was II famous minstrel many years ago,
was the hermits brother, the present Billy
birch, minstrel, having taken the formers
name.
Frank Gardiner, the Australian BUSH
ranger, is now living quietly in San Fran
cisco. lie now calls himself the reformed
highwayman," and expects very soon 10 be
able to give piles of cash TO the poor Gar
diners rogueries were confined To Australia,
where, in FalstaiPs terms, he was yerita
hle "minion Of the moon" His career was
full Of hairbreadth escapes, but like all other
outlaws he was caught at last, on Apis creek,
in Queensland, and sentenced Va thlrty-two
years labor. Gold may have been at the
bottom 81 hts release, and very likely it
was, for Gardiner got permission To sall for
San Francisco, with the understanding that
he should never molc set foot OF The british
territory, Recently Captain Thomas Baincs
sailed for Queensland ON an crrand for Gar
diner. II Is known that the object Of the
captains voyage is 10 dig up and bring 10
America about 100000 worth Of gold, bills
and jewelry, which Gardiner hurried he
tween Qouls4uFn aHd bathurst, in New
South Wales, liaiuea has boon given n
map OF tho locality aud key TO the spot
where the treasure IL supposed 10 be.
An old character, known only as "Jacob,"
died in Harrison county, Kentucky, few
days ago, at tho ago Of soyenly-five years.
Jacob was y coored man, and until Just be-
fore the outbreak Of the war was u slave
lie thoughta great deal on the condition Of
his race, and having been taught 10 read was
an eager student Of the Bible. One day Il
entered his mind that IL he sbauld pray in
full faith his E.ssier would set him free.
4tealing away from the other field hands,
therefore, he went 10 the woods and poured
out what was most at his heart Tue over
seer told Jacobs owner that Jacob bad gone
10 the wocds aRd .ko master followed, with
,bo purposo Of ohastsing him. But arrived
within sound Of Jacobs voice, the slave
holders cars were assailed with the most
vigorous appeal he had ever heard. At lGst.
when Jacob had concluded his prayer his
master told hllg ,ha, ho might consider him
self free Tho old man never left the home.
stead, however, and 10 the day Of his death
lived in the house where he had been born.
Near Columbus, Ga, there Is an odd char
actcr known as Barefoot WGko," 50 called
because no has goi worn n pair Of shoes
duIing the last forty years, and Is employed
ON farm three miles east Of Columbus One
Sunday afternoon recently he apparently
died. probably from sheer exhaustion and
old age He was dressed, laid in his colin,
and his friends from the neghborhood gath
cred 10 pay their tribute ta .he departed.
When the assembled multitude were bend
Ing IN their sympathy, the deceased arose
from hls strange position aud demanded Of
the astonished assembly "what they mean
by such trcatment1" The party tagaOd away,
leaving the old tpaa master Of the situation.
Don't you think that a good likeness Of
me :" said a pretty wife b. her small frC.,on