The Portland daily press., 1888-02-09
PERSONAL AND PECULIAR.

It's worthy of note that at the present time
the ablest Democratic lawyer in the country
Allen G. Thurman-is engaged in the
work Of prosecuting Democrats for election
frauds and forgeries.
The Austrian government have hit upon a
good plan for the encouragement of drunk
enness-if it can only be carried into effect.
After man has been convicted of this Of
fence three times, no publican, under penal
ties, may supply him for the rest of the year
with liquor.
Willard Fillmore Brown, the wonderful
little chin born to Mr.. and Mrs, Brown of
Lynn, Mas s., on Dec. II last, is on exhibit
tion at Horticultural Hall. Boston This
child is phenomenally small, yet perfectly
formed, and las healthy appearances. He
is ten inches in length, his wrists are inch
in circumference, and each foot is Just II
inches lang. tie is wradped in cotton bat
ting and lies in Il cradle just IA inches long.
James Redpath, who has led varied aud
exciting life, largely in connection with
journalism, is said to be likely to live some
| time III his present paralyzed state, and to be
| destitute Of means of support should that be
| the case. Mr.. Redpath first came into notice
| in connection with the American press as
| Kansas correspondent OF New York Tribune
| in tie Kansas troubles of more than thirty
| years ago. He has lately interested himself
in Ireland, and Mr. John Boyle O'Reilly has
subscribed liberal sum in his aid
Senator Cullom has seen the title President
dance before his eyes in good earnest more
than once, and in curious way, too. There
| is an old Irishman Out in this State who has
developed a great admiration for the ex-G Gov
ernor, and for the past year whenever he has
seen picture of Cullom anywhere he has
| cut 1t out, and from some handy point has
made, by the help of mucilage or paste, the
combination, Cullom." FASTING
the title under the portrait, he has sent it
| straight to the Senator, until the old mans
| devotion has become a matter of standing
| joke.
1t will be surprising news 20 most persons
that Lonis Agassiz and Asa Gray actually
quarreled over Darwinism, but writer in
the Boston Transcript affirms that they did.
| They had attended a scientific gathering and
| were on their way back to Cambridge. In
| the car they got into dispute about evOlu-
| luton, and at last Professor Agassiz became
so irritated that he told Professor Gray he
| was no gentleman. ''Then," says the Trans
| cript writer. there was an interruption Of
the friendly relations between the two men
| but before Agassiz's death reconciliation
was brought about by distinguished bene-
| factor OF Harvard college,"
1t is reported in England that the Queen
has promised to appoint Edwin Arnold poet
laureate if a vacancy in the Office should oc.
cur in her time. The present laureate, poet
and peer is some years older than the Queen
| but not unlikely to outlive her, and it is moi
| known that he has thought of resigning the
| Office. Its income Is one hundred pounds q
year, and it has no duties, though doubtless
the poet is expected TO produce at intervals
| verses in gloriication of the monarch, but as
| to that he is guided by his own pleasure OF
| sense of duty. A cask Of canary wine was
! formerly, but is not now, one of the yearly
emoluments of the office.
| In many cities ON the continent during
these days of extreme cold the NUM-
cipal governments, from fund previously
set apart for the purpose, place at intervals
among the crowded neighborhoods of the
| poor, large iron brazers which are kept
| filled day and night with hot Goals. They
are circular upright receptacles, about the
size of barrel, with an open top and with
holes pierced in the sides for the purpose OF
a draught. They are placed upon the pave
| ment near the sidewalks at the corners OF
| streets, where the crowds may collect about
them with the least obstruction to traffic
| During the bitter cold weather crowds OF
half-frozen people huddle about these
| braZiers.
Gen. Tchen-ki-Tong, the military attacht
to the Chinese Embassy in Paris, has written
to M. Franck, professor of the Academy OF
Sciences, to thank him for making him 9
member of the French Anti-Atheist League
| The General says II is not true, as the
| Materialists declare, that the Chinese art
| Atheists. On the contrary, they recognize
and proclaim the existence Of God. He pro
tests against the attempt made to prove tha
| Confucius was an Materialist. He says thai
| God and heaven are synonymous terms
among the Celestials. Moreover, as further
| proof Of their belief in the existence of 8
| Supreme Being. he states that the WORD
atheist does not exist in the Chinese Ian
| guage, and that the Emperor Of China is re-
| garded by his subjects as the representative
of the Divinity.