The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-10-28
Personal AND PECULIAR.

EnSONf%h fAAN -
Not the least pleasant episode in the life
of the late Mr.. Shaw Josh Billings) was
bequest of $4,000 from Colonel Hunt, a rich
Michigan lumberman, of whom the recipi-
ent had never even heard.
A farmer at Lancaster, Penn, has rooted
new barn with glass. He says the cost was
not great deal more, and that the glass
weighs thirteen tons, while slate roof would
weigh twenty-six TONS
Observation-Disclosures rest one of their chief
arguments ON the fact that calves have tu-
b6rcular consumption-a communicable dis
ease. Late researches by Strauss show that
the proportion of tuberculosis in calves does
not reach in 100000
A letter written by Norfolk lady, which
had remained so years in the pocket of an
old coat, was found the other day by rag
merchant, and by an equally strange chance
reached the person to whom it had been
addressed half a century ago.
Now that Gen, Lew Wallace has once more
become private American citizen he makes
the startling confession that he carried $40
nickle plated watch while he was governor
of New Mexico. He says that kind of time
piece is just as good to hand over to stage
robbers as $500 gold chronometer.
Mayor Hardy of Lincoln, Neb. has incurred
the enmity of the liquor men by his radical
stand on the temperance question. The 9TH
er day coffin was left at his door as a
warning. He promptly sold it for $13, and
turned the money into the treasury of the
local temperance society.
Bismarck lost his temper the other day at
the cross-questioning of his physician, and
exploded, whereupon the medical man re-
piled, 81 am at your orders, prince; but if
you wish to be treated without being ques-
toned, you had better send for the yeterina-
ry surgeon who is accustomed to physic in
that way
A lately deceased justice of the peace of
Derby, Conn, made the town bequest of
| $1,000 on condition that it should not touch
the money until it amounted to $5,00o,0oo. 1t
was calculated that the bequest would not
become operative for two centuries, and the
town has decided to relinquiSh all claim to
the gift. The heirs at law now get the
money
A Rockland lady was so impressed with
the cyclorama of the Battle of Gettysburg
that she thought it was all real, and in speak
ing of it to friend made the sage observa-
tiOn that she should think it would be I'M
healthy in hot weather, where so many
horses lay there bleeding.
Postal clerks and postmen in Arabia have
to struggle with letters addressed like this:
''In the name OF the merciful God, the benefi-
cent. This writing is from one who serves
his Lord from x the son of x; and if God
wills it will get into the hands of our friend
Sid Musa, the son of Hamdella, the Prus-
Sian the Christian, in the city of TharaboloS,
Tripoli, the illustrious, the famous.
A characteristic of the late Cardinal Nc
ClncJo hic ram rlr I1v atfra otiva voioa
He was close friend of Charles O'Conor
who once told him that he should have been
lawyer. Said the great jurist: you've
got an honest ring in your voice that would
win you points before judges and before jul
ries that no-amount of argument and no s0rl
OF evidence can affect
There is not an officer in our army above
the rank of major who did not serve in the
army during the war of the Rebellion. OF
the majors, 213 out of 1885, and of the cap
tains, 475 out of GIT, served in the army be-
fore June l, 1866. The army is Differed by
men of experience, but the record shows that
they are growing old. Most of these men
have arrived at an age which would forbid
the active service they saw twenty years
ago.
The interminable discussion about the
dress of JEFF Davis when captured is con-
tluucU ny bllt hbldubd OOllSbitlblUU, WHICH
says: "Instead of being found disguised in
hoopskirt and dress and wearing bonnet
and other female attire, Mr. Davis simply
had around his shoulders waterproof and
wore a shawl At the time of his capture he
was unwell, and as he went into the night
air to meet his captors his wife threw tn ese
things around him, with no idea of disguis-
ing him., but merely as protection.
Secretary Whitney has bought country
estate five miles from the Capitol, which con-
sists of about hundred acres of meadow
and woodland. He paid $4,000 for it, and
he has put about $4,000 upon it in the shape
of improvements, making the old brick man.
sion, built over a century ago, into dwell
ing of modern style and comfort. He will,
however, live at Washington during the win
ter, and has rented a house on Connecticut
avenue, just above the mansion of the Brit
iSh minister, and in what is known as Diplo-
matte Row.
Cleopatra's Needle in Central park, New
York, is beginning to crumble away. Small
pieces, scarcely more than dust, are falling
off it, and the scientists say that larger fakes
will follow. Our climate is too severe for it;
and, now that the fact is demonstrated, the
wisdom of the Egyptians in placing it beside
the Nile instead of beside the Hudson, be-
comes unquestionably evident. They were
pretty knowing lot II is proposed now. to
cover the needle with some preServative
preparation that will keep the weather out
and the obelisk in. A slight coating of par
affine is suggested by Professor Doremus,
who urges that it be put on at once
A curious instance of how conscience
slumbers when the stomach is empty and re-
wives when it is filled is reported from Cali
fornia q. Lavonic, young carpenter, found
himself in San Francisco, desperately hungry
and penniless. He snatched purse con-
tanning $2.65 from lady, hunted up res
taurant, and slowed away enough for three
ordinary men. He gorged himself again in
the evening and then obtained bed. When
he awoke his conscience awoke, too, and
pitched into him SO mercilessly that he could |
obtain no peace until he had given. himself |
mp and confessed his crime. His story awak- |
ened public sympathy and his chances, ac-
cording to latest advices, were good tor get |
ting off scot-free and having helping hand |
extended to him.
Miss Julia Fletcher daughter of Rev. Mr. |
Fletcher, formerly well known in Maine), |
author of "Kismet," Andromach,' ETC., has |
been living in Rome for the past twelve |
years. She lives with her mother and step |
father, Mr. Eugene Benson, the artist. They |
have an attractive suite of apartments upon /
the seventh floor of palace not far from the
Quatros Fontanes. Miss Fletcher is hand
some young woman with large dark eyes
and beautiful teeth. She converses always
with grace and often with brilliancy. In
speaking of Bryant, she once said his poems
should be bound in fur to keep them warm
they were so cold. Miss Fletcher has been
in London. Her mother is a very intellec-
tual and handsome woman for her years
She is native of Geneva. Mr.. Fletcher
her abroad, but the match was not
happy one and a divorce followed in few
years.