The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-11-06
PERSONAL AND PECULIAR.

An ordinance has recently gone into effect
in Berlin which will give the right of way to
carriages of physicians driving through
crowded streets. In order to distinguish
| doctors carriages from others the coachmen
| will wear white hats.
Kipling's young man in "Naulahka" tells
his sweetheart, who declares that she will
not marry him. but go to india to be mis-.
slonary, that somebody s got to urge girls SIC
stand by the old machine these days"
Mr.. Parnell had great aversion to letter
writing, and the letters he did write were
marred by bad grammar and an involved
| style that sometimes made his meaning OBJ
| scure. 1t Is said that in his conversation he
never made use of an oath. and he once
| boosted that not one of his speeches con-
| tanned violent expression.
Philip Armour, the Chicago millionaire.
spends his afternoons playing bean bag with
the babies in day nursery he recently had
started in that city. He has kept the fact
very quiet, but he was caught in the act by a
friend. He got the idea while in Berlin last
July, and bad it carried out at once.
La Virginia there are 100000 acres Of
arabic land lying untitled. The greater part
OF It Is the property of large holders. who get
no income from it, and who do not possess
Lne capital needed for its cultivation. The
0entO dutnUlitlCS nave CUm6 tO lu6lT alO. and
are striving to attract immigrants who will
take 1t up and put 1t to service.
The record of earthquake shocks kept at
the Smithsonian Institution is Washington
shows that there have been more of them
this year, thus far, than there were In any
previous year of recent times. There have
been numerous slight shocks In many parts
OF this country, and there have been heavier
shocks In South America, Asia, Africa, and
the islands of the Pacific. When the earth
quake record of the world for the year 1891
Is ade up at the end of December it will be
long and elaborate.
Robert Louis Stevenson's private letters.
says the London Athen aum, indicate that he
Is somewhat weary Of the South seas. His
health is restored and he no longer finds "life
most pleasant and man most interesting" in
Samoa, but longs for London and cultivated
society. The Athen@um says he has worked
very hard over his published Letters from
the South Seas, rewriting some of them as
many as four times, with ruinous effect upon
their style and interest.
DR.. Keeiey, who "cures" drunkenness, was
rendered grand reception at the branch
institute" at Pittsburg, Pa, Saturday even
ing. The Commercial Gazette said: "No
similar company has ever been assembled in
this city before, as it consisted mainly of
men who few months ago were victims of
either liquor, morphia or cocaine habits"
There were over 100 graduates" present,
and very many Of them brought their wives
and daughters, who seemed to worship the
very ground the doctor trod.
The experiments made at Cornell Univer-
sity and in France to ascertain the effect of
the electric light upon vegetation have
demonstrated its wonderful property of
greatly stimulating almost every variety of
vegetable life. The c0lors of flowers are
Intensified, and an increased yield of fruit
and vegetables of nearly 100 per cent. has
been obtained. without diminishing the od0r
OF the former or the flavor of the latter.
The parts OF the soil are more actively dis
solved by the influence of the light and are
thus brought within reach Of the roots.
"As do not wish to figure as an object of
compassion" writes Murat Halstead to the
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette, ST will give
few figures and state for the encouragement
OF the youth that are the hope of their
country that have had in cash since the
consolidation of the Commercial aud Gazette
newspapers out OF the concern nearly $780,
600, and Il have not plenty of 1t now in my
pockets or amenable to a check-book it is so
clearly my own fault that / have no COM
plants to make. My private opinion is that
l have had the worth of the money, and the
enjoyment experienced In spending 1t no
evil fortune can ever take from me-"
The French models in Paris have resolved
that hereafter they will sit for no artist who
employs an Italian. An official list is kept
of all persons engaged In the model business
| with the nationality OF each, and from this 1t
| Is apparent that the Italians are gradually
establishing monopoly. The simple reason
Is that they are contented with four francs
where models of all other nationalities de-
mand five. Now there are 1922 models on the
Paris official list, and of these 600 are Ital-
ians. And moreover the Italians have as
rule the finest figures, and generally the most
suggestive faces. So the great mass of
artists, influenced by the eye as well as by
the pocket, are glad to employ them.
Justin Mccarthy, M. p. il the last num-
Der of the North American, tells how far the
idea Of women's interference in political
affairs has penetrated the English public
mind. 1t Is an interesting paper, and a
lucid description of the influence women ex-
ert In electing members of Parliament, al
though they have no vote. Mccarthy says
that the other sex, through Primrose leagues
and Liberal associations, not only make
speeches, but organize election arrange
ments. They canvass electors; they man.
age the work of the polling days; they lend
their carriages to bring voters to the polling
places; they take voters in their carriages
and pei sonally charioteer them to the poll"
mere is no country In the world where
women are so openly and avowedly in the
political field as IN England, In the opinion
OF Justin Mccarthy,