The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-31
FROM FOREIGN LANDS.
News and Comments of Various Kinds
Brought BY Mail and Cable.

THE opponents Of marriage with de-
ceased wife's sister will no longer be able TO
base their principal argument upon the
famous text contained in 1eYiticus viii, Is.
For according 10 a letter which has just
been received by the Marriage Law Reform
Association i'm England from Professor
Schroeder. the president Of the Imperial
German Commission for the Revision OF the
Bible, the correct translation OF the verse
from the Hebrew is so construed as 10 mean
that a man must not take his sister-ln-law
AS his wife while her sister IL alive. That
is 10 say, he must not have two wives living
at the same time, in his house, who are
sisters. On point Of this kind the opinion
OF the greatest biblical scholar in Ger
many-a land which has proud pre-
eminence as regards scriptural exegesis-
is important Luther's text is in essential
agreement with Professor -chrOeder's rem
dering Of the passage. This is different
thing from biblical command not 10 wed a
sister-in-law after the wifes death. Al
though marriage with a deceased wife's
sister is still legally prohibited IN England.
and the issue thereof is illegitimate in the
eyes Of the law, yet society is beginning
tacitly TO tolerate such unions.
The tradesmen to royalty are entitled to
put the royal arms over their shops, and
those Of the Prince Of Wales have the right
to show his cognizance, the three upright
feathers, IN the same way. One night late
ly the Prince Of Wales and the Duke Of
Edinburgh were returning home incognitC
rather late, when as they passed Joe a
well-knOwn hot potato yender in Pail Mall,
they took a fancy 10 take his wares. They
were accommodated by Joe with baked
potatoes, for which they paid penny each,
aud proceeded on their way eating them.
Joe, however, had recognized his customers,
and on the next day his ''tater' car was
decorated with a flaring gilt sign. showing
the three feathers and the legend "PuryeyOr
Of Potatoes 10 ii X. H., the Prince of
Wales" He stationed his apparatus oppO-
site Marlborough House, to the Princes
mingled amusement and dismay. The
Prince sent an equerry to order him away,
but Joe sturdily refused to bulge, and kept
on doing a rushing business. At last the
Prince ordered Sir Francis kn0llys 10 buy
him OF, and on payment Of 500 the OBJ
noxious feathers were removed.
A MUSICAL gas machine, called the pyro-
phone, has been brought out in England.
Its compass is three octayes, and it has
keyboard and is played in the same manner
as an organ. Ii has thirty-seyen glass tubes,
in which like number Of gas-jets burn.
These lets. placed in a circle. contract and
expand. When the small burners separate,
the sound il produced; when they close TO-
gether the sound ceases. The tone depend.
on the number Of burners and the size Of the
tubes in which they burn, so that by care
ml arrangement and selection all the notes
OF the musical scale may be produced in
several OctaNes. some Of the glass tubes in
which the jets burn are nearly eleven feet
long.
"a SENSATION has been caused in Ottawa
over the discovery that for some time past
candidates for the civil service examination
nave frau dulently obtained copies Of the
questions. they were 10 be asked IN advance,
md the BOARD Of examiners are now inyes-
lgatins the matter. DR.. Thorburn, chair
nan OF the board, said that several Of the
'aper were Of a most suspiciOusly correct
M similar character, and the board be-
lev ed there had been fraud. The question
a pers are printed IN the Dominion govern
cent bureau. The penalty in the civil ser
fice act for divulging the questions or pro-
'uring copies by fraud is Imprisonment.
MARSHAL IMAGINATION late President Of
france, is one OF the most sensible men Of
be day. He has just completed his me-
noirs, but they will not be given TO the
ublic. He intends 10 have only six copies |
for himself, one for his wife, |
ne for each Of his three sons and one for |
is daughter. lie has received fiattering /
iIers from publishers, but refuses 70 allow |
is work 10 receive general circulation.