The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1886-12-08
WAYS OF NOTED MEN.
Freaks Which In Some Would Have Seen
ed Like Insanity.

Augustus hare, one OF the cleverest
divines in the English Church, when he
had ended a train of hard thinking,
would rise from the desk and spin
around on his heel few seconds and
then resume his studies.
Dr. JOhnstOne would never enter a
certain lane in London without going
between two particular posts of which
there were four.
Frederick the Great in his youth was
noted for his stubbornness and bashful-
ness. and. we are told. showed this at
his sisters marriage. Instead of appear
ing at the ceremony in court attire he
came with the servants dressed as one
of their number.
Neander. tho famous church histor.
ian, was unable to lecture to his stud
ents unless he had in his hand quill
pen. which he IOre to pieces while he
talked and it was always necessary to
supply him with a second when the
first had been entirely wasted.
Charles II. of England was very fond
OF hunting insects. and it is related BY
certain historians that he was hunting
q moth in the supper-room at Whitehall
when the Dutch fleet sailed up the
Thames and burned Sheerness.
Charles Dickens. the famous novelist,
was most untiring walker; he consid-
cred it but trifle to pass over forty or
even sixty miles of country. Should
friend visit him walk was his Dick
ensO first proposition. Tradition says
in the long run he had few friends
spending whole day with him.
Archbishop Whately was one of the
most phllanthropic of men, and yet,
when dying, he is reported to have said:
II rejoice to think that never in my life
have l given a copper to a beggar with
| whose antecedents was q stranger"
The Earl of Chatham was most pecu-
liar in his habits; these, no doubt, were
engendered by his hypochondriac na-
ture. On one occasion, in midsummer,
he wished to have snow, and adopted
the following rather curious method of
having his wish realized: The servants
were ordered to have large fires in every
room, the walks outside were covered
with salt to make things have a wintry
appearance, and doors and windows
were kept shut to keep out the bitter
cold. How long this whim lasted the
historian does not record.
William Wilberforce became so alb
sorbed IN conversation in evening COM
panies as wholly to forget himself. He
would lift himself from his chair in his
earnestness, move forward little, and
gradually approach perliously near the
edge. Twas tradition in fashionable
English circles that he had fallen sever
al times to the floor; but in families
where he was loved it was the custom
to station one of the older children be-
hind his chair to move it forward as he
moved and guard him against peril.
Some who afterwards became leaders to
English society retained among the
pleasantest memories of their childhood
the recollection of the services rendered
to this brilliant and eloquent converser.
Rossini, the composer of 1.-The Bar
Der" when engaged with any great
composition, invariably shaved himself
in most fantastic way to prevent his
going out of doors.
George. w., King of England, was
very feminine in his habits; he possess
ed scores of embroidered shirts, which
were considered by him to be the best
department of his wardrobe, and were
accordingly displayed with great pomp
to any particular friend of his Majesty,
Napoleon habitually watched GER.
tain star, which he declared was his,
for it never abandoned him, but was al
ways in sight commanding him to go
forward, giving as 3 reason for his sue.
cess its own appearance.