The Portland daily press., 1888-11-27
PERSONAL AND PECULIAR.

Mr. Joseph Chamberlain has taken a large
house at Kensington. He is furnishing IL
splendidly and is preparing for a series OF
brilliant social and political receptions.
Lord Tennyson removed from Haslemere
to the Isle of Wight last week. The sick
poet appeared to bear the journey well, mt
later suffered relapse and experienced great
prostration.
1t is said that the visit of Emperor vii.
liam to Rome and Naples cost the Italian
government upwards of 100000. This in.
cluded the expenses of the naval and military
reviews. The alterations In the Ouirinal
and the decoration and furnishing of the EN-.
peror's rooms cost $4,000.
A circumstance not generally known is
that all mail matter addressed to Sarah Polk,
Lucretia X. Garfield and Julia ID. Grant, all
widows Of Presidents of the United States,
may be sent free Of charge The franking
privilege has been extended to them by
special act of Congress.
When a Chinaman desires to marry, says
the Toronto Globe, his parents intimate that
fact to the professional matchmaker" who
thereupon runs through the list of her visit
ing acquaintance, and selects one whom she
considers fitting bride for the young man
and then she calls on the young wOman's
I'll.
on which are inscribed his ancestral name
and the eight symbols which denote the date
OF his birth. If the answer Is an acceptance
OF his suit, the brides card is sent In return
and should the oracles prophesy good con-
corning the union, the particulars of the en-
gagement are written on two large cards,
and these are tied together with the red
cords.
A clever Boston young woman is distrib-
uting among her friends In society there an
original and very amusing circular, bur-
lesqueing the progressive or ''chain" system
Of subscription to charity, which has been
thropically disposed. The document thus
scattered read as follows:
"In behalf Of 800, 900 Old Maids
(reJident In Massachusetts,.
The recipient is asked to introduce one mar
riageable young man to Mrs. Blank, No. 99S
Beacon Street, in person or by letter. Also
he, or she, Is requested to forward a copy of
of this circular to each of two friends, who in
turn are begged to do likewise. and SO on ad
infnitum The object in view is TO find hus-
bands for the surplus female population of
the State, now suffering for lack Of brutes in
pantaloons to go around.
The gossips in Washington say that Mrs.
Chamberlain will undoubtedly be tremen-
dous help socially to Mr.. Chamberlain, thus
reversing the usual order of Anglo-American
matches. AS Radical manufacturer, Mr..
Chamberlain had no show of getting into the
best English society. 1t is true that having
a great fortune, he might have married into
prominent family. But Mr.. Chamberlain
was too astute man not to know the dis
comforts Of self-made man in England,
married to a highly born wife, and very
wisely avoided that road to social recogni-
fi0n. The American element however, is
prominent in London now, and Mrs. Cham
beilain has enough beauty, wit anu distinc-
tion to make Roadway for herself. Besides,
Mr.. Chamberlain's alliance with the Tories
will help him on socially. Indeed his enc
mics allege that the promise of the entree
into good society was the price the Tories
paid for him.
A young Englishman has just completed a
walking tour from Cologne up the Rhine to
its head waters and across the Alps to Milan.
He made the journey in thirty days at a total
cost of $75, and he says the hotels he patron
lied were always clean and comfortable,
though not first class. He has taken home
with him enthusiastic views ON the pleasures
OF cheap Continental walking tours. An
other young Englishman achieved far more
remarkable record in the way Of cheap trav-
elling. His father gave 800 for a months
trip on the Continent. Three days later the
young man turned up at Monte Carlo with
only So In his pocket. AS that sum would
not take him home he yentured 1t at the gam
bling table. where 1t grew to $500. This
good fortune enabled the young man to en-
large his scheme of travel. and after a five
weeks tour he returned home with flying
colOrs, and enjoyed the distinction of having
seen more of the Continent on 800 than any
other living Englishman.