The Portland daily press., 1888-05-28
PERSONAL AND PECULIAR.

The laying of the corn er stone of the Cath
Ollie University at Washington in the pres
ence of the President of the United States is
the first step towards the realization of the
Catholic dream of great national uniyer-
sity of their faith. The Catholic religion is
not likely to languish in this country fol-
want of colleges. The Church has already a
great number of colleges and several univer-
sites, including one on grand scale at Notre
Dame, Ind.
The singing shad are in Delaware Bay.
These songsters of the deep appear every
few years, and according to veteran fisher
man emit musical sounds as they swim
along, described as soft, and something
like those of an Eolian harp" They are
said to be common on the South American
coast. They swim in singing schools of
about five hundred. The fishermen I'D quest
of singing shad will have no difficulty In
recognizing them if he remembers that the
New York Mail 81 Express thus 1ots down
their melody phonetically: "Wee no, hehi
do de, wee no dee di dum.'
There is one clause of the English copy
right law which permits the holder of the
copyright of a song to proceed against any
one who happens to sing that song on any
occasion where money has been taken for adj
mission, and set the alleged damages at any
figure he fancies One man in London has
made himself particularly obnoxious by
bouncing on some poor tenor or struggling
soprano and making him or her pay several
times the possible hon0rarlum received Tor
the little service. Damages have been re-
covered from child of thirteen, and the en-
tire proceeds of charitable concert swal-
lowed up in legal expenses.
Dom Pedro who lies stricken with paraly-
sis at Milan, is one of the worlds good SOW
ereigns, and has used his great powers for
the benefit of his country. He has ever been
a philanthropist ON the throne, and was
among the earliest, most persistent and con-
sistent of the Brazilian emancipationists.
The social influence of a sovereign is great
even in OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES country,
and the words and example of the ruler I'M
doubtedly had most excellent effect in pre-
pairing the aristocracy of Brazil to accept the
emancipation scheme which Dom Pedro
recommended. Dom Pedro is kindly re-
membered in the United States for the neigh
borly way in which he called on the Ameri
| can people. He was the guest of Presiden
Grant and took part in the opening Of thu
| Centennial Exhibition. A certain amour
| Ol puDlC loCOSuitiVh ohU AtNSPAN"t'sJ
| Dom Pedro had to endure, but he came t.
see the American people, not office holders
| and he succeeded in seeing great deal am
| in acouainting himself with our every-da.
| life. Any passing American might hay
seen the kindly gentleman strolling abou
the streets while he was in Boston, shelter
ing himself from the sun under. big whit
umbrella, without being conscious that on
of the rulers of the earth sauntered befor
him. The emperor delighted In sauntering
1t is remembered how he sauntered into tn
Massachusetts State House to look at the oil
charter, and how little concealed was III
annoyance at finding himself recognized. =
mean no disrespect," he said to an officia
who apologized to him for the inability t
show him the courtesies usually paid to hi
rank, ''but have seen governors and Off
here. and will be greatly obliged to you
you will help me to see them just as they ar
every day."