National Republican., 1883-03-15

g r. d., IN Nelo York Post,
The plumbers little joke: al will set
trap for the sinking fund.- Courier Journal
WE predict storm on st. Patrcks day,
and we haven't any almanacs to sell, either.
A YOUNG man with wooden arm, claspinE
1t about young lady wearing spring. steel cor.
set, is a fair exemplincahon of the "cternal At.
ness Of things"
A WASHINGTON nun who had $4,000 left
her has Withdrawn from the convent and Is now
woman of the world. 1t Is very hard to be re.
llgious with money in your pocket.-Rochester
Post Express.
The Chinese keep rogues' gallery, not of
photographs, but impressions Of the spiral lines
on the balls Of the criminals thumbs No two
thumbs have tho spiral lines exactly alike.
AN American woman who can go to Canada
and return without smuggling something which
she doesn't want aud which she could have bought
% per cent cheaper in this country would be a
remarkable woman indeed.
Rev. DR.. Crosby, in a recent lecture, said
that " until Boston man has lived in New York
his circle of thought is no larger than q squirrel in
q cage" Sensational preachers nowadays seem
to be running emptyings"
MR.. GLADSTONE now takes his breakfast in
bed. 1t is only prime minister that can have his
wants ministered to him In that prime sort Of way.
We understand that his landady has given him
notice.-Rochester Post Erpress.
A SMALL boy of four summers was riding
on hobby horse with companion. He was
seated rather uncomfortably on the horses neck.
Afler reflective pause. he said. ~ think If one
Of us gets off could ride better"
DURING the last thirty years the Califor-
MIA quicksilver mines have produced 1oO,222, ,267
moi NNnHg ~ tl.Na 0nT
ported. California produced onehalf Of all the
quicksilver in Use throughout the world The
Rothchilds control the Austrian and Spanish
mines.
A ScoTCH minister, forgetting his spec
tacles, could not read the hymn, so he said, "My
eyes are dim; l cannot see." The precentor I'M
mediately sang, "Aiy eyes are deem l caw-noot
soe." The minister explained, al spoke of my
infirmity." This was sung as the second line.
The minister pleaded, 81 merely said my oyes
were dim" These words were sung, and he sat
down, saying " did not mean to sing hymn"
When this line was sung the services closed.
HAVE you everseen picture of Beau Brum-
nell or one Of the first quadrllle party at AL
mack's? Ifnot you may see faint reproduction
in Mr. Oscar Wilde's toilet An open work en-
broidered shirt, showing black silk lining, large
yellow silk handkerchief thrust into the breast Of
the coat. and a high stock of the past ages-such
was the fact a few days ago, at London dinner.
And the rest OF the costume was quite in keeping
with the coat so no doubt we shall find the
aesthetic young men of the period going in for
very tight combinations instead of those lately
patronized, which, by their width, seemed to ape
Lady Harberton's dual garment-London World.
WIGGINsEs always have had remarkable
success In deluding people, and we suppose al
ways will have. One of the most remarkable OF
their triumphs occurred in London rs long ago as
1924. number of the astrOlogers and fortune
tellers who infested the city united in prophecy
Ing that the Thames would overflow the town and
destroy 10000 homes Feb ], 1924, and this so
frightened the people that 1t is said no less than
10000 fed to the country for safety including the
monks of st. Bartholamew's priory, who built a
sort of fortress and stocked 1t with two months
provisions The river itself was also thought to
be safe place, and when the day came all ship
ping was crowded with those who thought that
| there was their best chance to escape drowning.
"TERRA-coTTA lumber" is attracting much
| attention in England. 1t Is composed Of the top
| layer of fire clay beds and sawdust, exposed to
heat and pressure. Slabs, bricks, and boards Of
any shape may be moulded from It, and II is capa-
BILE of being cut by edge tools, pierced by nails,
sawn and otherwise manipulated Just rs wood is.
But the strangest feature about 1t is that 1t stands
without any apparent effect upon 1t, a more In
tense heat than fire clay will bear; and for lining
|
and other places of exposure to great heat 1t will
be valuable and almost inexpensive substitute
| for asbestos. Water seems to have no destructive
influence upon It. Its weight is about that Of an
| equal mass Of cinder and its color varies from
light buff to fierce salmon. No doubt 1t will be
found OF great value for building purposes
A PRETTY story comes in one of the Vienna
papers. 1t is headed Count and Ballerina." For
some time past an advertisement has appeared
every day in one of the Vienna papers asking the
| owners of used postage stamps for contributions.
| The advertiser, II Is now found out Is young
| lady Of the ballet; she needs some millions of
stamps. The reason why is thus told: asst sum
mer She went with Count Anton to i,eichenau.
The count was not young but generous. The
ballerlne was unhappy however, and expressed
her opinions on marriage to him very pointedly.
| At last the count promised to lead the fair dan
seuse to the altar on one conditon--if she would
| collect as many postage stamps as would paper
the wallis of his grand salon. She took him at his
word. The walls are now, II is said, covered with
many thousand stamps, but the plafond IS still
| white, and the Vienna paper calls on the popula-
| tion OF Vienna TO assist In completing the work:
| up, ye postage stamp collectors of Viennal Pour
out the abundance OF your stamp collections, so
that the two loving faithful hearts may at last be
united"
THE death of Flotow, the composer recalls
horrible event that clouded his life in 1864. He
had brother who, says the ST. james Gdzette, re-
| latng the story was a wild fellow land prac-
tical joke which he perpetrated in a half-drunken
| freak was taken as an insult by the whole body
OF Mecklenburg deputies, Of whom he himself
was one. A dozen challenges ensued, and young
De Flotow agreed to meet any single antagonist
selected by lot. This, as It happened, turned out
TO be a certain Count a., one of the deputies who
resented the offense most keenly. On De Flotow's
asking him IL he thought stupid joke worth
hghting about, and receiving an emphatic
answer In the Affirmative BE It so, he
said, and II you attach as little value to
life as / do, we will fight iu the American
fashion-I stalking my life against yours in q
game Of escarte Of FIVE points, the loser to blow
out his brains IN twenty four hours The propo-
Gition was agreed toi cards were brought, and tho
two men commenced their terrible game. The
score stood at four points on each SIDE when
Count q. turned the king. You have won, SIR
said young De Flotow, rising; I will pay before
noon Tomorrow Next day he slept until IL.
Aher breakfast he took turn in the park, ana
was observed by his valet gazing for some mo-
ments ut the facade Of his ancestral mansion,
aher which he hid his face In his hands for mo.
meut us II weeping. lie then pulled out his
watehi IL wanted but fye minutes OF noon. NJ.
De Flotow entered his study. At 70 precisely the
report Of pistol shook the window panes He
had punctuaUy killed himself, M