The Portland daily press., 1888-04-12
PERSONAL AND PECULIAR.

Professor Maria Mitchell is having an OBJ
servatory built in her sisters garden at
Lynn, Mass. She will have more leisure to
devote to her astronomical studies, now that
she is relieved from the cares of teaching.
The discussion about reforming the British
House of Lords has brought out the state
ment in London paper that the crown cab
abolish the upper House by merely refusing
to issue "writs of summons" to the peers
after the dissolution Of Parliament.
Mature" gives us a curious explanation
of the fiat pieces of iron, or inches long
and shaped like letter S. which are ocea-
sionally seen on the walls of old brick houses.
This is said to be an ancient symbol of the
sun. They say in rural parts Of England
that it protects the house from fire. The
same sign was on old official seats in Sicily
and the Isle of Man and elsewhere. You
NAV even trace it back to Asia, and to an
era before history.
Argonia. Kansas, elected woman to the
Office of mayor year ago. and she is said to
have done very well, better. perhaps. in a
contest with the gamblers and rumsellers,
than a man of equal ability could have done,
for, with the natural gallantry of the West,
the men stood by her when the crisis came
and drove the blacklegs and hoodlums out of
the town. Oskaloosa, another little town in
the same State, has this year improved upon
Argonia's example by electing whole city
government of women. They are all mar
Tied, and their husbands are reputable citi-
zens. They were elected by large majority;
not as a joke, but in the belief that they
have time and talent enough to manage the
village affairs with discretion.
A lawsuit is now pending in New York
which was begun in 1914. Its purpose is to
wind up the affairs of the Columbian
Insurance Company, which came to grief
through its insurance of vessels seized by
French cruisers in the early part of this
century. John Jacob Astor, first of that
name in New York, was one of the original
assignees Of the company, and some of the
early orders in the case were made by Chan
cellor Kent. The venerable suit has out
lived several generations of lawyers and
Judges. The entire judicial system of the
State and the forms Of pleading and practice
have been remodeled during its progress.
One set of trustees after another has been
discharged by death, and for many years the
death Of the only surviving trustee in 1889
the suit slumbered. But 1t was revived with
ali its original vigor in 1885, when a new
trustee was appointed, who is now prosecut-
ing the claims of the company under the
however, have not absorbed all the assets.
for eighty-ore per cent. of the claims against
the company have been paid.
When Senator Hawley was presiding in
the Senate few days ago, during the dis
cussion of the financial question, it was
noticed that he held in his hands small
sand glass. Some of the Senators and many
spectators then saw this glass for the first
time, and supposed it to be new acquisition
to President Ingalls's desk furniture. The
truth is that the glass has long been in pos
session of the Senate. 1t is fve-minute
glass, and is used by Mr.. ingalls, when the
Senate is proceeding under what is known
as the five minute rules. The moment a
Senator begins to talk the glass is set, and,
as soon as the last drop of sand has fallen
through, the gavel comes down with a sharp
rap, and the next speaker takes the floor.
The Senate sticks to old-fashioned ideas, and
President ingalls, deems it much more with
in keeping Of the dignity of that body to
mark time with a sand glass than with
watch, such as Speaker Carlisle uses. In
the Senate also sand boxes are still placed on
the desks, and the able Senators dash sand
over their writings to take up the ink, in
stead of using the new-fangled blotting pads,
with which enterprising advertisers keep
their desks literally supplied.