The Portland daily press., 1885-03-19
Personal and Peculiar.

Mr.. Blaine devotes about six hours labor
daily TO the second volume of his history.
Mr.. Tilden's health is so poor that it is
said he has spent the entire winter at Grey
stone, on The Hndson, and his magnificent
residence in Crane Grey park has remained
closed.
Transportation has been found difficult by
the troops in The Soudan--especially by the
Highland regiments under Sir Redvers Bu.-
Ter. To encourage the men Lord Wolseey.
it is said, has ordered that the pipers shall
play "The Campbells are COMM" every
morning at sunrise.
A sort of controversy as to which town
has The tallest sheriff is being carried on in
Georgia. Montgomery county claimed the
honor, but Ware county now comes TO the
front, and wrests IL from her, claiming that
her sheriff, S. f. Miller, stands feet in
ches high in his stockings.
A number of Cape May county oYstermen,
says New Jersey paper, are going to quit
the business They claim nothing has been
made at it during the past few years, OIL ac-
count of the severe winters with which they
have had to contend, the high price of plants
and the small price obtained for them when
shipped TO market
Mr.. Garland and Mr.. Lamar are widowers
and their eldest daughters will dispense
their hospitality TO the visitors who call. Mr..
Bayard lives in his own house on Highland
Place. bnt Mrs. Bayard is an invalid, and
the cares of entertalnng guests will devolve
upon Miss Bayard. Mr.. Manning and Mr..
Endicott, with their wives, now occupy
or Arlip Hnfa t,,,, H.,,b
are on the lookout Tor some suitable resi-
deuces in which to greet their friends"
1t cannot be said that the French artists do
not know how to charge for their pictures.
Bastien Lepage's well known "Chimney
Sweep" is valued at $22, 500. The same
price is asked for Meissouiel's 'sLa Vedette'i
at The Hanover Gallery, in London, while
Jau Van Beers famous scratched picture
la Sirene' can be secured for the paltry
SUN Of $4,000 The price fixed on Holman
Hunts Triumph of the Innocents" is
100000.
The popular drug novelty for the past six
months has been the well known nerve or
"mentboline" pencil. They are made chiefly
of crystalized oil of peppermint and camphor
Oil OF peppermint has advanc in the mar
ket from So so per ID. to double and three
times that amount. The latest advices put
it as high as $S pound. The boon has
been brought about by the greas demand for
The little orDamented cases that fill the cards
on the druggists counters.
To Pail Malt Gazette reporter who, after
"interViewingo her to the extent of a col
nmn and more, was about to take his leave,
Mrs. Langtry recently said: "But you must
really promise me you will not say that you
were ushered into my boudoir by magnif-
cent servant than whom nothing could be
more overpowering in the funky way; or
that looked as beautiful as a dream-(not
at all striking figurel; or that you found
me 10 a room worthy Of the genius of Monte
Christie, stepped in All atmosphere OF fragrant
perfumes, reclining on a Turkish divan,
looking like the Venus Of Canova, surround
ed by spoils gathered fIom the bazaars of the
East or that chated in an inconsequential
way, Jumping airly from Shakespeare to
Lady Ieazle, from brio -a-brac to French
novels. Yes. That is what one gentleman
who never entefed nay house wrote for his
paper, and printed it, ioo."
The Concord IN. H. Monitor relates an
incident illustrating The exceeding pugnacity
of the English sparrow. The other morning
small boy on the street set up piteous
wall that could be heard block off. A
passer-by stopped and asked the cause of the
trouble. The lad mutiered confused an
swer, and the gentleman, STOPPING to catch
his words, discovered the cause of lis tears.
1t seems that the boy had caught an Eng
lish sparrow which was unable to fly by rea-
son of broken wing He was holding him
TO his neck and face, slowing him. as the
children call it, when The ungrateful bird
grabbed him by the upper lip, and held on
with all the spitefuuess Characteristic of his
breed. So determined was the birds grip
that the gentleman was unable to open his
bill with bis fingers, but was obliged to pry
il open with fiat key. The boy was very
thankful for bis release while the sparrow,
on be'ng placed upon the ground, ran away
scolding like virago. AS the bird is car
nivorons. perhaps be contemplated making
breakfast on the boy.