Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-18
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

the IasnlonaDle circles of Washington by the
announcement that the widov of eX-Miuister
hunt had become a Roman Catholic. She has
been under instruction for some months and
mas just been admitted.
A NOVEL BALLET produced at a London
theatre illustrates, by means of costumes and
accessories, the most beautiful specimens of
dresden ware. Statues in imitation Of carya-
Ildes bearing baskets of flower, shepherd
esses and groups of figures in Dresden and
ton.
HERE are prospects of a rival to the God
dess of Liberty Enightenng the World. At
meeting of English and Canadian residents
| IN London, one of the suggestions to be con-
| Sloered Tor a celebration of the Queens jubi-
zee is the erection of colossal statue OF her
| majesty 100 feet higher than NJ. Barthold' s
| statue OF Liberty.
GossIPING tongues always find something
to talk about. Their latest say is that the
Duke de Rochefoucald is coming to this coun-
TRY with the hope of carrying back as his
0Tlde the charming daughter of Senator
Hncnell. OF oregon. who counted the gal ant
| Duke among her many admirers during her
| recent soJourn In Europe.
LOUIS ENgEL, in his From Mozart to Ma
rlo." relates how Christine Nelson's first
concert, given in the open air at a country
| falr, enriched her by the sum of three pence
| nail penny, and her second brought her uu-
! dreamed-o OF wealth. whole siXpence. The
great singer displays with pride the little
! sKrt-the toilette de jour in which she made
| her debut.
| "A CAREFUL estimate of leading San Fran
cicso wine firm places this years wine vint-
! age IN California at $500 900 gallons. About
| one-seventh OF the crop has been or is being
| rapidly transformed into brandy. The pro-
| ducClon otsweet wines has been considerably
| restricted. The character OF this seasons
| a TAa.a Erarpr
| dies and Zinfandels and other, olaTets show
| me color and are faultless in fermentation.
Inc Years business shows an Increase of
| about 1000 gallons over last years export
| trade, while the local and coast sh pments ex-
| hlbls great increase. ems rct
| A CHINESE FUNERAL was unique occur
renee In New York the other day. The be-
reaVed widower sat IN the first carriage
| alone, and behind came the twenty mourn
i ers, all men, throwing from their carriages
plts OF rice paper, which are supposed TO oc-
| cupy the attention of the Chinese devil so
that the soul of the dead may be undisturbed.
| IN the rear OF the procession came van bear
| ing the effects of the deceased-a trunk bed
stead mattress. bric-a- braC and clothes, ard,
most important, a board covered with Chi
| nese characters TO mark the grave of the de-
ceased. bonfire was made of the household
| effects at the grave.
THERE is young man at Willenhan, in stat
fordshire, England, with a sense of humor.
| A year ago he offered his hand and heart to a
local beauty, but the lady declined the arti-
| cles. The Staffordshire wooer vowed revenge
| They say that any man can marry any wo-
man II he Is only persistent enough. At any
| rate this sutton managed to prevail over the
| obdurate fair. She consented to the union.
| The banns were put up and everything done
! in proper style, and on the appointed day
| bridegroom and bride stood before the altar.
| But when the clergyman asked the former if
he would have that woman to be his welded
n hv N nnpf il - No,
| Ihat was the brldegrooms return ''score" for
| the damsel's haughtiness year ago. 1t was
effective, doubtless, but the example is not to
De commended Tor imitation. 1t Will become
awkward II churches are to be used not only
for the solemnization of marriage, but for the
public performance of "lovers' perjures."
WHEN George Probst, an eccentric old
bachelor, of Allentown, Pa, died a will was
found dated Aug. Is, 1884, in which Mr..
Probst devised to his nephews and nieces
fortune, the inventory OF which footed up to
S35O,OOO He had started in life as Bible
peddler, and made it his sole object to amass
money and judiciously invest it. Two half
sisters, who were not allowed under the Will
to enjoy share in the estate. instituted a
contest on the ground that Probst was of I'M
sound mind when he made the will, In the
proceedings to set the will aside Judge w. w.
Schuyler, of Easton, refused In 1894 to suhmit
the question to jury. The Supreme Court
was appealed TO, and it in October last con-
cluded that the contest must be submitted to
ajury Last week compromise was effected
by the two half sisters being each paid $1,000
When the case came up for rial the contest
ants presented no testimony, and Judge
Schuyler instructed the jury to return a YER
dict for the proponents of the will, which was
done. The estate is now worth nearly $780,
900.
ON the question OF introducing the study of
English literature side by side with the
classics at oxford, Mr. Gladstone Expresses
himself as ''utterly deplorng whatever tends
to displace classical education for those in
any way capable Of receiving it, and strongly
disappearing all efforts in that direction"
John Bright, on the other hand. declares that
"the study of the ancient languages il NOT
now essential to education so far as the ac-
QUESTION OF knowledge is concerned; and that |
as the study of the best writer's of English |
must he more effective in creating and SUI !
tanning what we may term classic English |
than the study OF any foreign or dead Ian /
guage can be, it seara4 to follow that the |
classics OF the modern world ara, from an |
educational point OF view, an eqniya!ent far |
the Greek and Roman classics. Tie knowl. |
edge OF the ancient language is mainly a |
luxury However, the great orator and |
statesman adds, II do not feel competent fully
to discuss the question. l am one Of the mn.
learned. If my answer seems SHALLOW and
unworthy. | am afraid II will add to the
proofs Of the insufilciency of an education in
which classical learning has not been in
cluded."
THERE is much regret IN journalistic circle.
in London over the retirement OF Capt Ham
Der from the edtorship of the Morning AID.
vertiser, position he occupied for eighteen
years. The Captain had previously been
editor of the standard for eigh teen years also
lie was regarded as perhaps taken an round !
the ablest journalist in London. He had heen
all over Europe and Asia, and made the ac
qualntance of the chief actors in the life
drama or both continents. and had altogether |
an enviable faculty of using his experience in
and of a wonderful range of information
and striking gift OF SEEING the points
of whatever he wrote or spoke about An
eX-honor man of oxford. a veteran Of fbo
Crimean war, AN explorer of the salt desert
of Afghanstan and the crack raconteur Of tho
clubs, his comments IN his journal were a.
ways saBaciOus. always sparkling, HIS canal
over the walnuts and wine or over the cigar
and grog of the smoke room was according 70
social superstition. hardy to be met with i'm |
London. Lord Beaconsheld used IN saw
"Hamber, feel depressed Have the cbarifv
TO come with me to Hughenden, / want Won ~
toll to me" He could make the Sultan snIit
his sides with a good story told in Turkish
delight Bism arck with German blatter.dash'
and rattle off gaulo;seres with any monsieur
of the boulevards, and could come ont Al call
with molly Malone" or the "Groves of
Barney" in style to make a muse of Erin
burst her bodice with enjoyment. There are
applications by the hundreds for his place
which represents salary OF $1,000 year.
Ex-sEoRETARY BOUTWELL, is one OF the
men long in public life who has settled in
Washington at the practice of the law. He