Connecticut western news., 1880-03-31
NOTES AND COMMENTS.

inquiry, it is discovered that the slices served at the repast have been cut from the fish in the bowl, the skin being neat ly sewn after the cutting. This is done to show that the fish is fresh.
 THE GREAT Chinese rebellion, which had for its object the conquest of the province of Hanan, and of which Gen. Li-Yang-Tsai was the leader, virtually ended with the capture of the latter by the imperial troops. It has been cus- tomary in China to put leaders of rebel lions to death by torture. The Emperor has, however, ordered the prisoner to be simply beheaded, and his head will be forwarded to the capital of the kingdom of Hanan for public exhibition.
 A GIRL AT Washington, Ind was dis liked by her lovers family, and so they did their counting out of doors. The weather being cold on an evening that they met, they built fire of brushwood and sat down by it. The girls clothes took fire and she screamed. The fellow might easily have put out the blaze, but he feared that her cry would be heard by his parents and so expose his disobedi- ence therefore he ran away and left her to be burned to death.
 THE sUPERsTITIoNs about gems are various in different countries. In Russia and Germany pearls are objected to as promising tears for the wearer. In France the malachite is not looked upon with favor, and in many countries the turquoise is believed to change color as prophecy of sickness to the wearer The Poles have fancifrll belief that each month of the year is under the influence of 8 precious stone, which has 8 mysteri- ous effect on the destiny of a person born during the month. ..."
 HE JAPANESE have very curious custom of giving to bride, on her we'd ding day, small lacquer-box containing two poisonous beetles, one male and the other female, which cause death only when swallowed both together. If the wife is discovered to be incorrect in her married life, it is considered etiquette for her to commit suicide with them. Those men whose tastes lead them to emulate Don Giovanni swallow the entrails of 8 certain poisonous snake, as a powerful charm which adds to their own.
 THE MOST monstrous story of miserli- ness comes from the Russian Province of Podolia, where, in the town of Dunois, an elderly man was found dead in gar ret. He had perished of cold and slow starvation with half million roubles in gold in the room, hidden under heapof rubbish, which also concealed greater sum in securities. For many years he had not been known to have fire in his miserable lodgings or candle at night. To save few copecks in the price he would journey to village several versts distant for bread, which was his princi- pal food
 AN ITALIAN in Reno, Nev., boasts that he is the strongest man in America. His spinal column seems to be double, and his bones and joints are all very large. He has repeatedly lifted with the third finger of his right hand men weighing from 15O to 200 pounds, by placing his finger under the hollow of one of their feet and thus carrying them around a room. He can strike with his fist blow with 8 power of 800 pounds, as meas ured on a register, and when couple of big hishmen attacked him the other day he seized one in each hand and knocked them together until they were insensible and half dead.
 THE LATE Chief Justice Marshal, who presided in the United States Supreme Court for more than twenty-five years, was tall, gaunt man, with small head and bright black eyes. He used to wear an unbrushed, long-skirted black coat, a badly fitting waistcoat and knee-breeches, voluminor1s white cambric cravat, gen. orally soiled, and black worsted stock ings, with low shoes and silver buckles He was 8 rapid walker, and he never wore an outer garment, even in the most inclement weather. His favorite amuse- ment was pitching quoits, and when his iron circle "run the Meg," or so fell that it encircled the peg at which he had thrown it he exhibited childish joy.
 THE LONDON Graphic says: "Every boy and girl in Elizabeth's time had to learn trade or calling, and the male re- mained in apprenticeship till "A, and the female till 21. Now, in manufacturing towns especially, lads go into the iron works and factories and earn at 13 nine or ten shillings week. At IT or IS they are without skill in any one thing. When depression in trade comes they are help less to do anything, and look to soup kitchens and charity to support them and their wretched' offspring They are not the sort that any emigration agent will accept. In the two or three years of deep depression in trade through which we have passed, thousands of our genu- inc workingmen have carried to America or the colonies the stamina and general reliability which have placed the British workingman foremost in the ranks of in- ternational labor"
 THE BILL to punish adulteration in food and drink, now before Congress, ap- plies only to the District of Columbia and the Territories, and to the act of i'm porting from foreign countries or of transporting from one State to another, those being the extreme limits of Con- gressional jurisdiction in the matter. But the facts cited in the report of the Committee on Manufactures accompany ing the bill are gathered from many States. White clay in candy; chloride