The Portland daily press., 1888-12-11
PERSONAL AND PECULIAR.

AHOio are Two siue5 10 every picture
There were two men, both Germans, that
had a cancer. Here the resemblance ceases.
One of them was the proud Emperor of a
powerful nation; the disease seized him and
he died. The other man was poor peasant
| who came this country in October, 1887.
Two months afterward, at Wards Island
Emigrant Hospital, near New York, trach-
eot0my was successfully performed, and
afterward that difficult operation the extir-
patton OF the larynx was performed. The
poor peasant is now well and enjoys perfect
health.
A testator in New York State bequeathed
share of his property to his son If the latter
should be living at the time of the formers
death. Before the father died the son was
convicted of murder in the second degree
and sentenced to State prison for life. A.
convict for life is civilly dead. Heis stripped
of his civil and political rights. He cannot
hold Office or vote abe cannot contract or sue.
bis family ties are severed; his wife and
children owe him no legal obligations. In
the case above outlined 1t was claimed that
In matter OF inheritance civil was equiva-
lent to physical death, and, therefore, the
son could not take under the fathers
will. The question went to the Court of
Appeals, which, after an elaborate consider
alton of the point, holds that life sentence
does not destroy the convicts right to in
herit.
There is alady now living in Cleveland, O.,
upon whom an electric shock has left the
most remarkable trace. Some fourteen
years ago. during thunder storm, she was
so shocked as to be partly paralyzod for some
days, and since then, whenever there is
storm, though she suffers no pain and retains
speech and consciousness, she loses all mus
cular power. and only regains it when the
weather grows calm. She feels sharply the
dlfference In storm confined to the upper
currents and one that stirs all the aerial
deeps. In mountainous, breezy region, she
says, the electric influence is not SO strong as
In one where the land is level and the air
UNNECESSARILY calm. The only preventive
she has is to 60 indoors and shut herself into
a room darkened and lit with gas. Even
there, IL the storm lasts few hours, she is
overcome by 1t, though the fall or absence of
rain makes but little difference in her con-
diti0n.
There is very good reason to believe that
the indisposition of the German Emperor,
publicly announced as the result of cold, is
IN reality manifestation of the hereditary
disease which for many years has been APP
parent in trouble of the ear. and for which
he used daily, when occupying less exalted
position than at present, to consult cele-
brated specialist in Inter Den Linden.
The fact has been officially announced that
the ear trouble has nothing to do with the
Emperor's illness is calculated to make one
believe all the more firmly that it has. The
emperor Will not go out for some time vet.
and no ordinary cold, IL is certain could keep
q man OF his energy very long confined. 1t
IS very possible, as / have before suggested
In referring to this trouble of the Emperor.
tnat all the speculation as to the fate of the
German empire in his hands may be settled
by his premature disappearance from the
tnr0ne. The statement Is already going
about that the Emperor's latest baby has In.
heiited his fathers disease. 1t is very feeble
and is also declared to suffer from a malfor-
nation Of the left arm similar to that Of the
Emperor
Nothing is more remarkable than the vital
ity OF some species of snails. Pond snails
have been frequently found alive in logs of
mahogany from Honduras, and specimens
belonging to the collection of gentleman in
Dnblin, after having been dried for period
OF hfteen years, nevertheless revived when
placed in water. We are told that workmen
In the construction of the Erie
Canal, in the State of New York, found sew
eral hundred live mollusks at depth of 40
feet Professor Morse records that he has
seen certain species frozen in solid blocks of
ice, which have afterwards regained their ac-
tlvlty. Madeira snails. imprisoned closely |
In Pill boxes for two years and half. have |
neverless uivived; and desert snail from |
Egypt liked to tablet in the British Muse |
Jun u Marcn 70. lS4e, being immersed in tepid |
water, maryellously but completely recoy- |
ered after an interval of four years. The |
Vitality of snails' eggs likewise passes be- |
llei. Even If desiccated in furnace until |
reduced to minutsness barely visible, they |
Will always regain their original bulk when |
1amped, and the young will be brought
forth as successfully as though the eggs had |
never been inter ered with. Nor has cold |
any injurious effect upon them, for they may |
Dc frozen into ice for any length of time, and |
fet, Wnen tne ice has melted, will be found |
20 be wholly injured.
General James Longstreet who called on
resident Harrison the other day is the most
distinguished living confederate general,
md tits question whether his military
will not eventually rank with the
1ery highest. There is no doubt that he
manifested qualities fully equal to those of
lee, Beauregard or Joe Johnston. and that
he only man of the Southern chieftains who
lands distinctly higher in the worlds esti-
nation as field marshal is Stonewall Jack
on. Lee had larger opportunities and
reater dignities and prophecies, but not
here is reason to think, more military capac:
ty. Longstreet has manifested since the
var homely strength of common sense that
as commended him to all his countrymen,
nth the exception of those who have made
speciality of cultivating Southern griey-
noes and of the weak indulgence of sec
onal pride. He has been pretty good Re-
ublican, though not laxative partisan,
nd his call upon the President elect has
cen the most picturesque incident since the
lection returns were in. The appearance of
ne ancient warrior at indianapolis has been
ariously and of course satisfactorily ex-
lalned, but 1t has not become the less inter.
sung IN the course of explanation. He was
.goo1 friend OF General Grant, and put on
y ola uniform to welcome JEFF Davis to
lacon .nitIpen months ago, when the cpl I
)de Oh the Presidency of Cleveland was sup
osed TO be the sample end of eternity. But :
was simply that the spirit of the old soldier !
him.