Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-17
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

a PORTRAIT Of Cleopatra, painted on stone,
is offered for sale at the modest figure of $780,
coo. The painting, which Is said to date from
the time Of Augustus, was taken from the
villa OF Hadrian.
THE DUDE is at last to receive the recog-
milton that he Graves. DR.. Noah Porter, who
IS editing the new edition of Webster's die
tlOnary, has decided TO give him place in its
pages and perpetuatlon to all ages. The
dude has come to stay.
The Wisconsin Central Railroad has made
desirable innovation upon a bad custom by
paying the porters of its new sleeping car
lines 500 month, and forbidding them. on
pam OF discharge, from receiving tips. The
month.
A CLUB for deaf and dumb people has been
formed IN Paris. 1t is called the "Club of the
Silent, and nobody who Is not deaf and dumb
can be member. The walters and other SER
val is are also deaf mutes. There are over
hfty members, all wealthy, and all great
whist players.
BoITO has finished the sketch for the plot
and scenic embellishments of his new opera,
Nero" 1t will be a magnificent spectacle
Inc Oiymplan games and the trium plant
entry OF the Emperor Nero INTO Rome will
form the principal scenes. The opera may be
produced this winter.
PEOPLE about Pocatapaug Lake, near East
Hampton, Conn, have a legend that its wa
tiers have a protective charm, and no one
could be drowned in it. No one was ever
known to be drowned there till Tuesday,
when schOOlbOy ventured on the ice, broke
through, and persisted.
A MoNTREALER, who had been arrested in
Catholic church for disturbing the services
by not kneelng on both knees during prayer
showed that he could only use one knee be-
cause OF rheumatic affection, and won his
case IN the lower court. This encouraged him
to sue Tor damages before superior tribunal,
but he has been defeated.
AMONG the German-speaking universities
that of Vienna has the largest medical facul-
ty, the number of professors and other teach
ers being l34. Berlin has 100 instructors. and
Munich ~. The smallest is that of Rostock,
with ii teachers; but even there an instruc-
tor is provided for every eight or nine stu
dents. there being but 90 medical scholars in
the university.
CHILDREN are not as young as they used to
be. They are sometimes little skeptics, and
are even beginning to go back on Christmas
legends When a teacher started to read
poem day or two ago, beginning, Now Kriss
hrlngle VIII soon be here" there was shout
OF derision, and one of the little ones sang
out; "Oh, we don't believe in that. There
isn't any Krlss Kringle."
ACCORDING to the last report at the close OF
the military man@uvres the German army
counts at present l6l regiments of regular in
fsntry, 20 bAttaiOns Ofelight infantry, 9S regi-
ments OF cavalry, 81 regiments of artillery
with BAL batteries of six guns, and 10 battalons
OF pioneers, making total for the regular
army of l,26374 men. And the garrison
troops and Landsturm amount to S09.S7 men.
THE mail of Nine. Patti, IN Paris, Is re
markable not only on account OF its enormous
size, but also on account of the queer things
in 1t. About dozen letters a week contain
requests for her TO become the godmother of
babies just born, and also of babies who are
expected. Among the piles of begging letters
the most original so far is one from a dude
who sends his photograph as an irresistible
plea for 500 francs.
A RAILWAY is building from the Southern
Paci1ic's main line to the celebrated CHINA
bar mines, producing quicksilver, in the
nelghbOrhood OF New Almaden, Cal. Great
difficulties have always been experienced in
getting cheap and suitable transportation to
and from these mines. Donkeys have been
largely employed hitherto, and at one time
many Of the camels now running wild IN Ari-
IONA were used there.
THE business of painting the huge signs
upon fences and barns which assault the eye
In all parts of the country is in the hands of
few contractors in New YorK and Chicago.
one trim IN New York spends from $4,000 to
$4,000 year in this way. paying from ~
n
bigger the sign the better. Many can be found
reaching 300 feet in length, and the biggest Of
all cat Newark Ohio, Is more than 500 feet
long and contains only one word
A SET OF RULES has been published by the
Russian government on the education and
qualification of dentists. AS evidence of a
sufficient preliminary education they must
have passed through SIX out of eight
classes of a classical or commercial gym
nasium. Their professional studies NAV he
carried out either in universities or In nri-
yate institutions approved by university
authorities; AZ the end Of the. period
OF studentship. the length of which does not
appear to be defined, practical and theoreti-
cal eX mination must be passed and a diploma
obtained.
PETER DIUcHLER. of San Juan. Cal.
dreamed of being guided to rich mine bv a
light that fell from heaven. He thought no
more about 1t until. when in coming home
from prospecting trip late at night. he OBJ
served brilliant meteoric display, and his
dream REQUIRED TO him. He was gazing in
awe at the phenomenon, when fierce whis-
ting noise was heard near him, and with
loud report meteor buried itself in the earth
not three rods away. He fastened to the
spot, dug away the soil. and by the light Of a
loren beneld glitterng grains of metal even
at the grass roots.
CAPT. CHARLES RENARD and his brother
Capt. Paul presented to the Academy Of Sci
ences, Paris, a few days ago, a very interest
ing report, containing a resume OF their Ia
oors and experiments IN military ballooning
during the past year. The second sariea Of
experiments was intended TO define the exact
velocity Of balloons in motion. To attain This
OBJECT Capt. Renard was compelled to liQbtep
the balloon, so as to increase the number OF
persons from two to three. Then he invented
an aerial log" which, manipulated by the
tnlrd person. gave the most satisfactory re-
sults that could be desired. This log consists
OF little balloon of g0ldbeater's skin.
accurately poised IN the air. and
works perfectly. Three experiments
we're made. At the frat trial
the balloon was occupied by the Capts. Rem
ard and Nj. Dute- POitevin, and despite n
strong contrary wind a.tained a velocity OF IL
kilometres an hour. The tacbings aud yeer-
lngs OF the alrship were effected easily and
without Stacking speed. The balloon fonght
rs way against the wind and made the dis
lance from Meudon to the centre OF Paris in
10 minutes. On the occasion of the last ex-
pertinent the results were more satisfactory
sull. The Minister OF War and Gen Bovsso-
net, President of the Committee on Forti6ca-
tons, witnessed the manOuvres OF the mill
tary aeronauts. These interesting com NUM-
cations in the progress of aerial navigation
were received by the academy with great ap-
plause.
"IHERE are 100000 converts in beathen
lands to-day. There are also 1900. 900 Of Sun
flurF sal Al otafTs