Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-09

to another that he Ddvid Christie Murray.
lacked application or persistency, and yet a
man who has worked so hard in his time
that insanity stared him in the face GER
tainly cannot be charged with Incidence or
indifference. Itis said that the Sc chapters
of "Val Strange" were written in as many
days, but toward the end a ghostly figure,
with uplifted ak, stood behind the over
worked writer's chair and remained there so
steadily that, according to Mr.. Murray's
physician, he was given the alternative of
quitting work or going to madhouse. He
quit work and the specter soon quilted
him.
Mr. Murray has had quite an eventful
career. He started in as a teacher of elocu-
tion and reading; went from that to jour
nalism, trying the tramp" idea and several
others equally sensational for the purpose
of attracting attention. He then served as
war correspondent for the London Times
during the Russo-Turkish difficulty and
then in 1879 produced his first novel, which
was SO successful that he has followed the
profession of writing books ever since. He
is credited with q most prodigious memory
and he claims ability to repeat any of his
works by heart. He published volume Of
poems, the most of which had been lost as
they were written and published while he
of print and which he rewrote from
memory. Besides the novel named above,
he is the author of "a Life's Atonement,"
"Joseph's Coat, ""Coals of Fire, ""Hearts,"
"By the Gate of the Sea- and "Aunt
Rachel" all good stories, and the best luck
that can be wished the author is that he be
as successful in his new profession as he was
in the old.
BAD BEER AND SUICIDE
According to official reports lat suicides
occurred in Berlin during the first two
weeks of July. Emperor William attrib-
utes this awful epidemic of self-destruction
to the dissemination of bad beer among the
people by INSCRIPTIONS dealers, and init
mates that he will infict severe penalties
on all those found selling or disposing of
bad liquors. If the Kaiser has really found
the cause of suicide, the people in this
country who are in the habit of condemniug
the native lager must change long-stand-
ing opinion, as our percentage of suicide is
not to be compared with that of Germany.
However, am inclined to think that the
Emperor is slightly in error. If bad beer
was the cause of suicide, half the popula-
ton of the United States would take their
own lives before reaching the age of 21.
A GLACIER IN CALIFORNIA.
Nothing serves better to show how much
is unknown of this country than the dis
covery now and then of new natural
wonders, seemingly in places fully explored
long ago. For instance, most persons would
think that there are but few spots in the
State of California that the feet of man have
not trod, in fact, the prevalent opinion is
that it is as well-known as Pennsylvania,
and yet there are many places even in this
State which are as yet unknown. The as
sertion seems daring, but it is nevertheless
true. But the most recent as well as the
most remarkable discovery is that which has
Just taken place in the Golden State
A party of travellers in San Giorgonio
Pass have found a canyon 600 feet deep,
with perpendicular walls which effectualfy