The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-08-05
PERSONAL AND PECULIAR.

The people Of Paris continue to rave about
the Eiffel tower-a little iron trestle work
stood on one end that measures only 1000
feet in height, exclaims the Virginia City.
New, Enterprise. Counting the elevation Of
the ground on which 1t stands, its height is
only 1900 feet above the level of the sea
rises directly from our streets to a height Of
1900 feet. The little iron Eiffel wouldn't
makea ramrod for our tower They are
now Boosting at Paris that with a 100000
S Saing power IN clear weather, and all else
perhaps be distinguished a distance of 127
.niieS. In former times the Misunderstanding
me wars between the Piute and Washoe
eiiees-Were wont TO telegraph to distance
u from 100 to 200 miles from the top of the
Tor their signal fires.
A remarkable form Of gambling is in vogue
III Canton, according to British Consul
Alabaster, who describes 1t in his last report
to the Foreign Office. The Chinese who are
inyeterate gamblers, have no system of
morse racing to serve as subject for betting,
so they turn to the keenest form OF competi-
ZION they understand. This they find In the
oosernmehs examinations. Canton Is full
OF colleges. and every one Is more or less
familiar with their doings, and even y it'll
the abilities OF individual students. Hence
The Chinaman who wants to bet will risk his
stakes In backing favorite candidates., or in
some Oh the regular lotteries carried on
these are conducted Is very simple. Lists of
tnose entered for an examination are pub
ilshed, and the prize goes to whoever can
prick on the most correct list OF those who
pass. Men ruin themselves buying tickets,
tickets are forged and stolen, and. what is
lncohparably worse. the students them
selves are Injured and demoralized Some
PROBABLE winners are hocussed, others are
bribed to do badly, and the examiners them
selves are exposed 10 great temptations.
Nevertheless. In spite OF The mischief done.
great deal Of good also results. The great
excitement over these examinations, in
duced by the lotteries, acts as a powerful
incentive to the pursuits OF learning.
An amusing incident occurred In ,he quar-
tiers Of the Chicago board Of trade the other
day. The room was In the usual uproar It
being within an hour of the closing time.
when an old mother cat that has its homo on
inc board started TO move her litter Of eight
Kittens. She marched out Of her nest carry
Ing kitten by its neck In her mouth. She
walked very dgnifedly and sedately up the
hall, and dozen or more of the members
who saw her stepped to watch. Then the
word spread, and when she had put the first
kitten In the now quarters and started back
for another there was great crowd formed
In two lines looking at her. Then she came
forth with another kitten in her teeth, and
the boys gave her a cheer This attracted
the attention OF everybody on the floor. and
In another minute the whole crowd was
formed in two lines, between which the old
cat marched slowly and with Impressive
nlien clear to the other end near the stairs
leading 10 the members gallery. Every time
she would appear at the south end with an
other kitten in her mouth the boys would
give her rouslng cheer, and when she had
deposited it at the other end they would cry
"Ah-h-h!" in chorus. Finally the eight kit
tens were all moved. Then the old cat sat
on the first step Of the stairway and washed
her face with her paws, and the boys went
back and whooped up the market.