The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-05-31
MISCELLANEOUS,

AN Opelousas (La.) gander has
learned to turn the faucet of a eistern
with his bill, andwhen the water begins
to flow he sits under the stream. fans
his wings, takes bath and has a GOOD
time generally.
1t is estimated at the War Depart-
ment that if any foreign power should
tackle this country it would be con-
fronted by the enormous total of 7. O0O.-
900 fighting men. Of course it would
take some time to put that host in the
field.
-"Spiffs" are premiums placed on
certain articles, not of the last fashion
indicated by marvellous hieroglyphic
put on the price-ticket. These marks
are well known by the statesmen, and
the almost invisible mystic sign explains
why an article, wholly unsuitable. is
foisted on the faded customer as s.iust
the thing"
The largest beer barrel ever made
in the world is the attraction of st.
Louis saloon. 1t is twenty-three feet
high, twenty-five feet wide, and has a
capacity of "a, 400 gallons, or ZOO ordin.
airy beer barrels. A dining table is set
up in the interior of the barrel, and
many people have enjoyed the novelty
of taking their luncheon in the big
barrel. 1t was made in st. Louis ten
years ago.
In gratitude for their recent deliver
ence from the perils of the voyagein the
Inman liner City of Paris, the psssen-
gers, before landing, subscribed 600 as
thank Offering and appointed sod
mittee to decide upon its applicahn.
1t is understood that the committee
have decided to hand over a40O to tle
Seamen's Hospital, Liverpool, for ia
general purposes, and to endow with
the balance bed in the same institul
ton for sick American sailors.
The experiment of constructing &
large building chiefly of paper has beer
successfully made at Hamburg, Ger
many, where an immense hotel, with its
facade and other important parts com
posed of that material has been erected
1t is claimed that the building is abso
lutely tire-proof and also impervious tc
the action of the elements which render
brick, stone or wood unsightly or unsafe
under prolonged exposure.
Charles Lamb had horror of no
toriety, and of being ''lectured' in pub
lie places. Impertinence or offensive
interference of any sort he could moi
brook. An overbearing head of adepart'
mcnt in the East India House approached
him one day, when Lamb was busily en-.
gagged, with the Paul Pry question,
pray, Mr.. Lamb, what are you about?'
Forty next birthday" he replied. 81
don't like your answer" said the man
"Nor your question:" was Lambs re-
joinder.
The age of the high hat is under in
vestigation. A correspondent writing
to the Manner Journal says: "Among
the marginal illustrations, by Albrecht
Durer, of the famous prayer book of the
Emperor Macmillan, there is man
wearing a high hat, and in book OF
crests and escutcheous of JOSH Amman,
published in 1889, high hat forms the
crest of nobleman. Had these hats
not been worn at the period, great art
lists like Durer and Ammana would
certainly not have painted such misera-
bly, ugly things, which are the moet IT;
slightly pieces of furniture the world has
ever seem" s
Mrs. John G. Curtis, of New York, is
the founder of one of the most remarka-
BILE orchestras in existence. 1t is COM
posed of men and women, girls and
boys, gathered from poor families. The
few who can afford it pay small fee.
Theodore John, formerly conductor Of
the city orchestra of Freiburg, has
trained the performers so thoroughly
that at the end of three years many Of
his pupils are able to take places as pro-
fessional performers. Mrs. Curtis draw
ing room is their practicing hall, and,
at her desire, they play occasionally in
public for charities.
1t is seldom that the trivial causes
which lead to the overthrow of thrones
receives so clear an illustration as the
following statement by ex-Kins Thee
baw, of Burmah: "My late father, the
royal Mindoon Min, the golden-footed
lord of the white elephant, master Of o
thousand gold umbrellas, owner Of the
royal peacocks, lord of the sea and OF the
world, whose face was like the sun, al
ways smoked the Esoof cheroot while
meditating on his treatment of the bull
faced, earth-swallowing English. Had
done the same / should never have left
my throne, but used the opium-drugged
lace was sent me from San Francisco,
and | fell. "-Chicapo Journal.