The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-13
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

ITEMS OF INTEREST,".
MACDONALD CLARKE, the eccentric poet, once
rushed into a newspaper Office in great wrath,
declaring that Lang, another editor, had called
him man with zig gag brains and demanding
column and a half of space to reply. The
presiding genius of the ssnctum said, ''No you
shall have only four lines and must compress
what you have TO say in that space" Clarke at
once dashed off the following:
can tell Johnny Lang, by way of laugh,
In reply to his rude and unmannerly scrawl
In my humble opinion. tits better by half
10 have brains that are zig-zag than no brains
at ALL
A PHILADELPHIA correspondent confirms the
statement about distant sounds focused by ship
sails. He states that many years ago the late
Admiral Goldsbcrough told him that when he
was subordinate officer he heard the late
Commodore Levy, who wa executive officer of
the United States ship -, tell his captain one
Sunday morning that he sure they were off
Rio JaneirO, because he heard the sounds of the
church bells AS they must have been 100
miles from the harbor the captain sarcastically
asked Levy whether he could not 'see the rose
bushes in front Of the houses" to which Levy
quickly responded: II cannot see the roses, sir,
but can feel their thorns"
TIE INVENTOR of the game of chess, on being
promised by the king. whom he first taught the
game. that he should have any reward he
might ask for, meekly replied that he would be
content if the king would give him one kernal
OF wheat on the first square, two on the second,
four on the third, eight on the fourth, and so
on doubling up to the sixty-fourth square. The
king gladly consented to this seemin ely modest
request and ordered his attendants to bring in
the wheat, which they began to do; but to the
astonishlnent Of the monarch it was found that
there was not wheat enough in the whole
dominion to pay Oft the crafty inventor. 1t
would require 1927 .263 7S6, 934 rs 1888 kernels,
equivalent TO 3O,027. O97 l64.4So bushels
observation mentioned below. was rightly pun
ished by the reply that will always go with it,
He declared at large party that wife a
tin canister tied 10 ones tall Upon which
Sheridan, VINO was present. handed Lady
Erskine the following lines:
Lord Erskine, at women presuming to rail.
Calls u wife a tin canister tied to ones tail;
And fair Lady Anne, while the subject he car
rtes on,
Seems hurt at his lordship's degrading com
parson.
But wherefore degrading? Considered Alright,
A canlsters polished and useful and bright,
And should dirt its original purity hide,
That's the fault of the puppy TO whom it is tied.
THE QUESTION has been asked-apropos of the
honor conferred on Maj Grant of Thobal fame
how many officers ara entitled to wear the
Victoria cross am able. says London TeIe-
graph writer, to answer the question. The
| mere statement of number reveals at once the
exclusive character of this reward for valor.
No less, however. than thirty-nine general Of
| hcers are entitled TO wear tan indication OF
| the fact that promotion to exalted military
rank in England has in:a great many cases been
| the reward of heroic merit Thirty colonies
| and lieutenant colonies are entitled to
| wear the decoration; TWENTY-FIVE majors, eleven
| captains, eight lieutenants and five quarter
masters possess the same privilege. Fifty nine
| Of the medals however, are held by non-com-
missioned officers and privates, thirty-fou be-
ing in the possession Of privateS, five OF lance
corporals three of corporalS, seven of sergeants
| six of color sergesnts, two of quartermaster
| sergeants and two of sergeant majors. One
| clergyman possesses the medal and the act
which won the honor for the Rev. J. W. Adams.
| VINO was formerly attached to the Bengal
ecclesiastical establishment, was one of the
most heroic in the annals of English chivalry.
IT WAS a baby's death that during the past
week showed the gentler side of Iowa Journal
ism. There was not paper in the state that
did not for @ little while at least, drop the bur
| dens of daily toll and contention to bend over
| the cradle-coffin where slept in deRth the fond
| hope of an Iowa editors home-Williem Faw-
cett FaulkeS The many words Of kindness and
sympathy that the bereaved father had written
| to brighten the hopes of other hearts when
i bowed IN grief we're returned to him and his
| with a hundred-fold. Words flowed ten
| derby as tears that come unbidden in
the eye, because they who wro.e them
| borer's sorrow. 1t was the touch of q
| hand that is mightier than many armies and as
| mysterious as the great future into which 1t
summons all, kings and peasants, men and
| babes And that hand Of death was laid upon
the best beloved of mothers heart and the
| greatest hope OF fathers life. But not in
vain the little life that leaves q stronger love
| behind. Not in vain the life that. gong out,
leaves a sacred memory to moisten hearts that
otherwise might grow hard and cold! And not
| in vain the life, the loss of which makes men
kindlier and gentier-brotherS indeed.
FROM AUG /. the infant King of Spain was
placed under the charge of q governor. AL
| fonso XIIIshas now completed his fifth year
| and up to this time has been entirely under
| female management. His majesty is now Civ
ing signs that he requires frmer band 20 guide
| him. and recent exploit OF his at q garden
| party has caused the queen regent 70 decide
| that the time has now arrived TO put her son
| under stricter discipline than he has expert.
| enced hitherto. The little king Is very fond OF
| gardening and last year Queen Isabella pre-.
| sented her grandson with a miniature copy OF
| a manual engine. such as is used by the Wen
| ness fire brigades, so that he could water his
| flowers The king, however determined to put
his engine TO a more entertaining use. AT a
| garden party (which recently took place at the
| palace he pretended TO be innocsntly engaged
/ in gardening and, waiting for his opportunity,
he called a certain distinguished old general
| who was attired in his full uniform to look at
his flowers. AS soon as the officer came near
| enough the king turned the squirt upon him,
| completely drenching him. Mgr. Merry
del Val the son of the Spanish ambassador in
| Vienna who was attracted 20 the spot by the
| kings Screams of delight, was served in the
| same manner It is not reported whether
these two gentlemen gave the youthful monarch
| the thrashing which he richly deserved, but as
| Mgr Merry del Val is from Aug. l to have
/ the entire control Of the king. perhaps he may
! arrange the matter later on.