The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1889-1889, 1889-03-16
MATTER WORTH READING.
Our Terrapin in England.


Something besides the making of settle
ments and the settling of divorces has
grown out of the International courtship.
Mr.. Chamberlain has started In England
what may bc called boom In the Ameri-
can terrapn market Five quarts In tightly
sealed vessels sail TO him periodically from
our shores, and the English palate being
touched, the demand goes on Increasing.
The British mind Is, in fact, awakening to
growing appreciation OF something more
than our daughters and our ducats, and
one wealthy Londoner has invitations out
for q purely American dinner. At this
oysters, croquettes and duck are to play
prominent part. A special aIr-tight com
partment In one OF the steamers has been
prepared, and more than that, on the day
of the dinner the cable is TO be put at the
disposal of the host. At least his walters
are TO use It freely telegraphing here for
any belated directions.
Not Its First Experience.
I The London Times was hoaxed century
ago nearly as badly as In the present in
stance by clever gang Of forgcrs, who got
up bogus edition of the French paper
TEcidir, at that time recognized as an
authority upon matters OF international
news. The paper contained what pur-
ported to be the text Of a treaty Of peace
between the French Republic and the
| Emperor of Austria. A copy was got into
the hands Of the correspondent OF the
Times at Dover, and from him went to
London, where the alleged treaty was
published In the Times, and was such good
and unexpected news that the stock mar
ket went up with rush. 1t was several
days before II was discovered that the
paper was forged edition, and had been
gotten up by London spectators to bring
about boom in stocks.
Forty-nine and Eleven.
A Lafayette, Ga. special Of March to
the Atlanta Constitution says: "WEDNESDAY
two residents of Walker County.-Alex.
Carroll, 40 years Of age, and daughter of
John Packard, Miss Georgia Ann, II years
and months eld-were married in Chatta-
Dooga. At first the ordinary refused to
issue license, but 1t was secured by the
aid of Walker County man living in Chat
tanooga. Alex. Carroll and the child,
small for her age, returned to her fathers
the same day. The marriage was not dis
covered until Sunday. Monday, to escape
the rage of the incensed father, Carroll fed,
leaving the child behind.
A Great Hoax.
NJ Renier Chalon, who has just died,
was the originator of one of the greatest
hoaxes of the nineteenth century. About
fifty years ago bibilomaniacs were set crazy
by the issuing of catalogues announcing
the sale of the library of the Count de
Fortsas. Nearly every book. named in the
catalogue was rare and valuable one, and
some Of them would have been almost
priceless. 1t was not until the day named
for the sale had nearly arrived that It was
discovered that the whole thing was sell
devised by Chalon. There was no Count
de Fortsas, nor any library to be sold.
Long Way From Apia.
While we are all anxiously waiting for
news from the Nipsic, It will be interesting
to consider what is the shortest way OF OBJ
tanning news from the Samoan Islands.
The cable connection is by way Of Auck-
land, cables to Sydney, Australia, overland
to Port Darwin, cable to Batavia, Singa-
Poio uhu chuh6f thohcc W DVtiuuy, Cuplc
to Alden, up through the Red Sea to Suez
and Fort Said, under the Mediterranean to
France, then, by the Eastern Telegraph
Company, to London, and cable to New
York. 1t a FIVE days. voyage from Apia
to Auckland for message, and about fifty
minutes for the rest of its electric journey
to New York.
A Cob-Pipe Factory.
There is a cob-pipe factory located at Sc
dan, Mo-, which is doing rushing busi-
ness. The factory pays at the rate Of II
cents for 1A-inch cobs and II cents for ll-
inch cobs. A man hauled load the other
day Of 1a-inch cobs which brought him s84.
The time may yet come when the people
will raise wheat for the chaff.
How Thoy viii XIII Them.
The electrical apparatus by which
doomed criminals will be put to death in
New York consists of a chair, probably of
iron. The current will be sent from arm
to arm Of the subject, or from the head to
the spine. The exact location Of the poles
will, no doubt, vary with the subject and
the opinion Of physicians. ss