The Portland daily press., 1888-03-06
PERSONAL AND PECULIAR.

The Boston Heralds profit-sharing expert
ment results in the distribution of $4,000
among the employees Of that paper at the end
of the first year. Each man gets an increase
of 4 per cent on his salary.
Senator Vest of Missouri, who eulogized
the late rebel army and abused the Grand
Army to his hearts content in the Senate
last week, took occasion to repeat the ancient
fabrication that Lees surrendered army con-
sisted of only 5000 men. On February 20.
1865, the official return of Lees army gave
total of 81, ,094 present for duty. There were
paroled at Appomattox 27,5l6 officers and
men, and for DAYS before the surrender the
confederates were stampeding whenever OPP
portunity offered, knowing that the end was
near.
Shakespearean scholars are considerably
excited Just now over the discovery Of sew
eral thousands Of documents in hidden
chamber of the Stratford GSildhall. These
papers range in time from the early years Of
the Elizabethan era to the days Of Queen
Anne, and they are for the most part, IN a
state of excellent preservation. The Shakes
peare librarian of StratfOrd has undertaken
to examine them, and the result Of his work
Is awaited with much interest, in view Of
possible revelations concerning the great
dramatist and poet
Parnell Is seldom absent from the House
now all through the sittings. This is quite
unusual Sometimes he disappears, and the
boys think he has gone for the night. DR..
Tanner begins his antics, friskiest Of the
band, and shows signs of worrying the speak
er Obstruction sets in, when suddenly the
ring-leaders look back and see the tall figure
and pale countenanee of the uncrowned king
A silence falls upon them; DR.. Tanner looks
as If he was in church; the mettlesome
young bloods slip out quietly by side door /;
business goes on smoothly, yet Mr. Parnell
has said no word and made no sign; his
presence is enough The leaders Of the reg
ular parties sit in front of their followers,
where they can be seen, but cannot see much
but their rivals opposite The Irish party
have their own way Of doing everything.
The rank and file take front seats, while the
leaders go back. No special place is reserved
for Mr.. Parnell, but usually he sits near the
end Of bench. whence he can command a
general view Of his forces. The other night
Tim Healy was inclined to 'eut up rough"
interposing delays to purely formal business,
and even challenging division. Sir Charles
Russell and other liberal leaders tried to
mollify him, but Tim was obdurate. The
division bells were rung, and in trooped the
members from the smoking room and libra
ries. But before they knew what was going
on Mr.. Parnell leaned over and said ew
words to the redoubtable Tim. The conse-
ouence was that when the speaker put the
question it passed unehallenged. Healy was
mute Parnell imp2ssive and the whole force
as solemn as owls. Such discipline has new
er vet been reached by English political par
ties. All this has been done by man who
Is no orator, who seldom goes to public
meetings and who never speaks anywhere IL
he can possibly avoid it. In former days the
first question Of a stranger on the entering
the House was, (which is Mr.. Disraeli ?"
Now five out of six ask to have Parnell
| pointed out