The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-04-07


The Etna observatory, erected on a
small mount near the crater, and so
placed that a current Of lava would prob
ably divide in two and avoid it, has
been completed. 1t is 2.943 meters
above the sea; the Great st. Bernard
monastery is 2,49l, and the st. Gothard
2,075 meters.
Accidental rich finds of gold still &C.
cur in California. Some men who were
recently walking along the road on
Fray's flat in Eldorado county, noticed
a piece of quartz which had been
crushed by wagon running over it.
The specimen was found to contain con-
siderable gold. and the party making
further explorations came upon ''pock-
et'' from which they took in one day
what was estimated at from ST., 200 to
$l3 600 worth of gold.
The dispute between the state of Ohio
and the United States government as to
the ownership of large scope OF swamp
land east of Toledo, on the lake shore, is
being settled at Washington. This
swamp has been much frequented by
sportsmen in quest of ducks and other
water fowl. The Cedar Point Gun Club,
of Toledo, will purchase u considerable
part of the swamp as soon rs the ques-
ton of ownership is decided.
At Clintondale, Ulster county. N. Y,
a farmer became deeply enamored of
young lady residing there, and after n
few days acquaintance the twain were
married. Immediately upon the con-
clusion of the ceremony the bride es-
capped to an adjoining room. and the
bridegroom has not seen her since.
Some practical jokers had secured an
effemina looking boy to personate n
young lady and fool the farmer.
In Giles county, Tennessee. resides a
widow lady, an invalid. who has not
been able to stand upon her feet or walk
step in the last twenty years. About
fifteen or sixteen years ago her husband
died, leaving her set of shoemaker's
tools and little farm with big mort
gage on it, and she borrowed money
enough to buy side of upper leather
and piece of sole leather, and with only
such knowledge of shoemaking as she
had gained from binding shoes for her
husband, she commenced to make shoes.
and she has sat upon her bed from that
time (some fifteen or sixteen years ago)
to the present, with her shoemaker's
bench beside the bed, and made and
mended boots and shoes.
regret to hear that Prof Blackie, OF
Edinburgh, is seriously indisposed. The
last time l saw the ola man was one
cold and cherries day. in Princess
street. He was wrapped, as usual, in
his shepherd tartan plaid. His face
looked as if good deal of the fire and
force of yore had passed away. No one
would be more missed in the Scotch
capital than the genial Greek professor,
who has, in his time, uttered so many
wholesome truths.-London World.
Benjamin K. Curtis says concerning
the late Prof. Pc: Coming once to my
house, in all the splendor Of his Orien-
tai habit, to dine with some gentlemen
who had travelled in China, he was soon
conversing delightfully."- about his coun-
try. When one of the guests inquired
what he had seen in our country that
pleased him most, in contrast to the
mode of life at home, he promptly re-
piled, 'Horse-cars.' Anyone who has
seen or ridden in the terrible Chinese
carts will say that this reply from one of
his own race indicated a progressive
spirit as rare as it was frankly con-
fessed."
There is great demand for the report
of Guiteau's trial. 1t was taken by the
official reporters at a cost of several
thousand dollars. A resolution is pend
ing in the house printing committee to
have printed five thousand copies for
distribution. The reporters, however,
want. in addition to their pay for the
work, to have monopoly of the publ
cation, and are using their influence to
keep the resolution from passing. Per-
sons wanting the verbatim report of the
trial should write to their members of
congress urging action on the resolution.
Under it each congressman will have
twenty-five copies to Distribute; other
wise it will cost about s..
Frank Armstrong, who committed
suicide, recently, in San Francisco, was
prosecuted to his death. He once served
brief term in the Oregon penitentiary
for stealing an overcoat while drunk.
Being afterward restored to honest en-
ployment in Portland, every ex-convict
who knew him blackmailed him in sums
ranging from so cents to $40, and kept
him in constant fear of losing his place.
He could stand the persistent calls for
money no longer, and recently got on a
spree and then resigned, going to San
Francisco. The note saying: '7Will you
forgive and forget now?'' in all proba-
bility is intended for those who black
mailed him.
The German wife of the Grand Duke
Vladimir has q will of her own, and is
not disposed to submit to the peculiar
regulations of the Russian government.
She discovered not long ago that let
ter which she had written to her family,
and in which it is said that she COM
planned of the dullness and insecurity of
life at the Russian court, had been open
ed by her own personal aid-de-camp be-
fore delivery to the post. The angry
grand duchess complained to the en-
peror, but, to her establishment, met
with no sympathy from him. Still more
enraged, she delivered her emphatic de-
cision that if the offender was not i'm
mediately dismissed she would make a
public scandal and quit the country.
The aid-de-camp was dismissed, but
only to receive q much more lucrative
appointment.