Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-28

largest in Europe, and in bold magnificent
scenery and romantic interest it is only
surpassed by the Rhine.
The picturesque towns and villages, the
water-houses of the fishermen and the ruined
castles and fortresses will all be of exceed
ing interest to Americans, and 1 have no
doubt that special attention will be paid
the Castle Durrenstein, in which Richard
Occur de Lion was captive for Is long
months, and under the windows of which he
heard, with joy unspeakable, the sweet
strains of the faithful minstrel who had
come to rescue him; also Abbey of Moelk,
which was a famous place when Julius
Caesar was campaigning. Material such as
this ought to be productive of something
out of the ordinary run when in the hands
of such men as those mentioned.
The Hero OF Thirteen Duels.
If The O'Gorman Mahon had died 40
years ago the newspapers would have been
full of him, but, as tits, the picturesque old
figure passes away. with only the briefest
mention. But, if the people of to-day for
get his history as it is evident they do,
there is one on the other side of the river
he has just crossed who will remember and
welcome his brave champion of years agone.
When Daniel O'Connen fought duel,
killed his man and remorse embittered his
after life, he declared he would never settle
any difficulty by the code again, no matter
what the provocation might be. 1t was
then that Mahon came to the front, ready
to take the part of his chief in any little
affair concerning him. Happily, his
services were not much in demand on
O'Connells account even in those fighting
days, but goodness only knows he was kept
busy enough on his own. Within conf
paratively short space of time he fought 13
battles on the duelling ground.
A little incident in this connection gives
us picture of his character, perhaps better
than anything that could be drawn. Seated
at dinner party with several Irish bishops,
the subject of the duel came up for discus
sion. One of the ecclesiastics, knowing the
reputation of The O'Gorman, which was
then at its height, thought to save his feel
ings by remarking that he could under
stand why a man with seh-respect would
much rather accept challenge than suffer
social ostracism by declining. The O'Gor-
man Mahon, however, would not have it
that way; for he Immediately replied:
Gentlemen, am bound to declare on my
honor as a gentleman that however un-
fortunate I may have been in participating
in hostile meetings, 1 never received q
challenge in my life. I always sent it"
Emperor William and Helgoland.
wonder what Pittsburgers would think
if our Government, out of diplomatic mo-
tives, should cede this smoky yet withal
pleasant little town to China and if the EN-
peror of that kingdom should Immediately
knock out all the regulation text books in
the schools and compel the youth to study
Chinese exclusively, with all its multifar-
ious and perplexing characters. Well,
Helgoland, the island recently turned over
to Germany by England, is practically in
that predicament, although the children are
not so sorely tried as they might be in what
they have to study. But the Emperor of
Germany has turned all English books out
of the schools, and the child that wants an
education gets it in German or doesn't get
it at all. .
China's Emperor's Wife No. 2.
The Emperor of China has just picked
out the second of the seven wives allowed
him by Celestial law and has selected the
lady with the smallest foot in Pekin, as
being to his way of thinking the chief
beauty of his realm. Under the circum-
stances it is wonder we do not hear some
cynic in New York whisper that Chicago at
least was never in the race WILKIE. .