National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-04

MRS. ANDERSON, widow of tho late Gen.
Anderson, Of Fort sumter fame, has leased resi-
denco at Palatka, Fla, for tue season.
WITH great ceremony the last stone was
laid in the construction Of the harbor Of Trieste
on Dec 10. The work has taken fifeen years, aud
has cost over 100000.
A MORMON writes: eve be q peaceful peo-
pie and yit our rage knows not bound for wat hes
bin heapt agin the Lords own in the presidents
hui message we hev a good mind to leeve and de-
prve the country oy the perecshun ov the saints"
JOHN BOYLE o'RErLLY is considered the
handsomest man In Boston, aud has only one rival
who disputes that honor with him. lie is a
prominent member of the Boston Crib club, which
Is much given TO card playing and arranging
scientific glove fights.
THE cities Of Ely and Wells, England, both
of which have Episcopal palaces and a grand
cathedral establishment, are 10 small that the
latter was DISTINGUISHED simply because 1t had
not, under the provisions Of the last reform bill,
the requisite 1000 people emitting 1t to rcpresen
tation.
On Christmas eve, in San Antonio, Tex,
the Mexican pastors walked in shepherds coso
tune, with gaily decorated crooks and jingling
bells, visiting the babe of Bethlehem in many
private houses, and finally celebrating midnight
mass in San Fernando cathedral This is an old
Mexican custom.
GARCIA, the most notorious gambler OF
Europe, has entered n Trpppist convent in Spain.
Garcia has been known to win and lose 100000
stakes at Homburg and Monaco. His last exploit
was to break q Spanish roulette bank. After set
ting traps for others all his life Garcia will feel
quite at home rs trappist.
A TUMuLus in q ohurchyard near Maiden
head Eng has yielded a find of Anglo.saxon OBJ.
jecs, such as gold buckles and fibum, silver arm
lets aud wrist ornaments bronze helmet,
breastplate. and shield, sword aud spear of iron,
bronze bucket, two drinking horns with metal
mountings, and two glass vessels Portions Of
human remains were found with these objects
eight feet below the floor OF the barrow.
Prince BISMARCK no longer counts among
the heavy weights. DR.. schwenninger, but re-
Gently made a professor at the special request OF
the chancellor, has by his regime, reduced tho
latter's weight from the average OF 2d pounds,
which he maintained for nearly twelve years. to
100 pounds. The PRINCES health, however. is said
to be all the better for 1t, and his slender appear
ance rather becoming than otherwise
ONLY nine of the thirty eight states have
regular sessions of their legislatures this winter;
Mas achusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jer-
soy, Maryland, Ohio, Iowa. kentucky, and Missis-
sippi The Kentucky legislature met on the first
Monday in December. The other lawmakers
assemble in January. The revised statutes thus
have, on the whole an excellent opportunity for
rest.
A LONDON correspondent writes: "The
largest fees which have lately been paid to any
member of the bar were given last week to Mr..
Charles Russell, M. p, the leader of the northern
circuit Mr.. Russell got 50, los In the Whalley will
case, $1,000 for the defense of oDonnell, 5000 for
appearance in a case IN chanoery, and IS, 1876 in
the Lucas case. The amount Of fees which tho
honorable aud learned gentleman received within
about ten days Is equivalent TO the total salary OF
one of the superior judges for twelve months
work.
APPALDURcoMBE, near Yentnor, which
was formerly known as the finest place on the
Isle of Wight, has been purchased by a Ryde
schoomaster, who intends 10 remove his esab-
lishment there. Appadurcombe was built Mt
cost af 100000 by Lord Marlborough about cen-
terry ago, and George III was q guest there moro
than once. The splendid house still remains. but
the formerly picturesque park has long ago been
deprived of the magnificent trees for which 1t
was famous, and the place now looks very baro as
seen from the railway.
THE Suez canal receipts for the first eleven
months OF this year were 3l2,096.00O gain of
Sl,0lS,0O0 over the same period last year. Ifthis
rate of increase continues this month the annual
dividend will be about Is per cent, against 1914
last year. In estimating the prospects for next
year. HOWtNCII ~ iuuSl w TcIuciuucEcu tuul iilO
surtax of 10 cents ton was abolished Jan. l; that
ships In ballast were allowed at the same date an
additional reduction of so cents ton; that should
the agreement with shipowners be adopted, the
pilotage dues will be abolished July ], ana that
additional expenses may be incurred In enlarging
the canal or building new one.
VERY trivial matters tho New England
Mercury says, sometimes influence jury. and no
body understands this better than the hubtues Of
the court room. An officer called for young
lady the chief witness ia an assault case one day
I last week, and she appeared in a hat in which
bright yellow predominated you want to win
your case you will change that hat" said the OFF,
Ger. ut will prejudice the jury against YOU"
The girl put on black hat with red feather
aud got compromise verdict. The officer said
that If the hat had been plain black without the
red feather she would probably have convicted
| the defendant Of the crime alleged
THIS month Jupiter is the morning star
| until the nineteenth and the evening star until
the seventh of August On the nineteenth, at 10
o'clock p. m, the earth will be on U direct line
between Jupiter and the sun. tho two monsters Of
the system. At this period Jupiter is seen at his
| best and is superb planet, In every way worthy
of the admlrlng wonder OF all who behold him.
| Venus Is the evening star of the month. aud for
nearly two hours AFTER sunset shiues magnihcently
| in the western sky. Saturn is another evening
star, ranking lnlru IN the ilst OF pnDets' Mars ~
morning star and nearest his brightest phase dur
| ing the month. Mercury Is evening star until the
twentieth, and then morning star.
ALENXANDRE DUMAS was one day the
| guest of DR.. Gista, leading practitioner in Mar
| settles. After dinner, while the coffee was being
handed round, the host requested the great nov
elst to enrich his album with one OF his witty i'm
provisations, "Cerainly" replied Dumas. with a
smile, and drawing out his pencil he wrote, under
the eyes Of his entertainer, the following lines
Since DR.. Gistal came to our town
To cure diseases casual and hereditary
The hospital has been pulled down
"You haltererW here exclaimed the doctor
mighty pleased but the poet went on
And we have made larger cemetery,
IT has always been subject of curiosity
and inquiry us to how aud where prairie dogs,
! living on the prairie far away from amy river or
stream, obtain their water Mr. Il, Leech, q
| fronteHman of experience, asserts that the dogs
| dig their own wells, each village having one, with
a concealed opening, He knows Of one such we'll
200 feet deep, and having a circular staircase
leading down to the water. Every time a dog
wants a drink he desoends the staircase, which,
considering the distance is no moan task In dig
gipg for water the animals display as much pluck
as they do in resisting the efforts Of settlers 70 OK
pei them from the land Of their pTogenitoTa,