The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1891-01-07
ONE THING AND ANOTHER.

Hitherto, remarks an exchange,
the Car has eaten his eggs in peace
and comfort, believing there was
one article of food which could not
be tempered with But not long
ago the savant made the discovery
that an egg could easily be poisoned
by the insertion of thin wire that
would leave no mark on the she'll.
Since then he has his eggs sent to
him in all sorts of mysterious re-
ceptacles, and they are cooked in
small kitchen contiguous to his
study, under the personal superin-
tendence of the Czarina herself,
and often with her own hands. 1t
is also said that the Gar never eats
thick soup or thick sauces. His
food is meat boiled or broiled, but
the broth or gravy must always be
perfectly clear. The vegetables are
served whole, and cut before him
with a silver knife. The sugar
which he eats with his fruit is also
pounded in his sight, and his salt
is the common gray salt in large
grains, with which it would be i'm
possible to mix arsenic, as could be
done with the fine white table salt
Truly, the head that wears the
crown of all the Russias, lies un-
easy.
The adoption of surnames was
not a matter of system, or even of
design. twas matterof growth and
development. When the Johns of
a neighborhood became too numer-
Gus for ready reference, one would
be called John the Smith, another
John the shoemaker, another John
the Tailor, and so on, according to
each ones occupation. After a
while, the 'the" would be dropped,
and it would be John Smith, John
Shoemaker, ETC.; and the same
course would be taken with the
Jameses, the Williams and all the
rest. The sons of these persons
would at first be called Johns son,
Smiths son, James's son, William's
son, ETC.; and these appellations
would soon wear down into Johnson,
Smithson, Jameson and Williamson.
And so on, by this means and that,
and for one reason and another, the
surnames of mankind, after having
in some cases undergone all manner
of changes, have come about as
they now are.
The Supreme Court of Vermont
has decided very nice question re-
lative to presents made by an ex-
pectant husband to his betrothed.
The decision discriminates between
presents made before an engage
ment and those made afterward.
When a young man makes presents
to young woman whom he wishes
and hopes to win, he does it at his
own risk. He has no right to claim
them again, even if his suit fails
But if, after the parties become en-
gagged, he makes presents, he has a
right to reclaim them if the lady
fails to fulfil her promise. In the
case at issue, the young man had
furnished money to enable the
young woman to procure a suitable
outfit, and she, taking the money,
procured the outfit, but married an
OtubI mail llC COll ltlu JAldl sic
was liable, and must make restitu-
ton. The presents had been made,
not to help the wooing, but to one
who had been won, and she had no
right to take the money to another
man. The decision seemed TO be in
accordance with sound doctrine. 1t
ought to be good everywhere.
The NeD York Observer says !:
"Postmaster-G General Wanamaker,
in his report just issued, recon-
mends the Postal Savings Bank
System. If the American people
pattern after the japanese in their
appreciation of such an institution,
it would prove a success Postal
Savings Banks were established in
Japan in 1875, to encourage thrift,
and the first year showed two thou
sand depositors with fifteen thou
sand three hundred and twenty dol
lars in bank. Last years report
showed three hundred and ffty-six
thousand depositors i'm Toxic alone,
with ten million four hundred thou
sand dollars to their credit, and the
deposits in all Japan amounted to
over twenty million dollars. 1t
would be quite in order to follow the
example of the japanese in this
matter" England has had the
system about forty years or more.