The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-01
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

CAPT JABEZ SPESCER OF kilingworth, y. Y,
has a valuable Jersey COW. which ali the
members Of the family prize very highly. Dur
ing the past two months this b vine has not
furnished Capt. Jabez With her usual supply %
milk The captain set a trap. determined, II
possible, to catch the thief Much to his sur
prise, he discovered the family cat milking the
COW by placing her feet on toe udder and fore
ing the milk out into her mouth. The cat was
not killed, but was locked up.
UNTIL female shop assistants are better
looked after. English girls with taste Tor
trade will not be eager to follow the example Of
their smart American cousins, and seek their
knowledge OF shop keeping behind the counters
OF wei known drapery establishments. So far
as training goes. the lady shop keeper does not
appear TO need such apprenticeship She gen
orally manages TO take care Of herself very sue
cessfully. But when the public have grown
quite accustomed to countessss as millIners,
duchesses as milk sellers and danes OF other
high degrees as dressmakers and house deco
over other tradesmen's counters may commend
itself as suitable occupation to ladies of title.
WRITER in an English fire paper says that
the showmen who perform such wonderful
tricks. and announce themselves as fire kings,
and as being hre-proof, are enabled TO perform
their seeming miracles by using an ointment
made by dissOlving two ounces OF camphor in
four ounces of aqua vita, and then adding two
ounces of liquid borax and two ounces of quick
silver. Two ounces of hemitis beaten into
powder and mixed with the above ingredients,
completes the preparation. This mixture when
rubEed on the hands makes it possible for the
operator 70 grasp red hot iron and bend it
double without the least danger. Rubbed on
the bare feet 1t enables one to dance on red hot
irons without even as much as a discoloration
OF the skin.
WHAT is the use of exploring unknown and
dangerous countries for rubies when the secret
of their artificial production has been discov-
cred? This was the question which the Acad-
mi ha of
FRENZY and Verueuil, who, for some time past.
have been making chemical experiments in
the manufacture of these stones More valu-
aDle imam mere theory was tue fact that the two
chemists exhibited some hundreds Of the gilt
tering red crystals they had succeeded in pro-
ducing The rubes were admitted by all TO be
much superior to anything hitherto manufac
tured no little danger, however, attends the
process. The chemicals have to be fused at
heat so intense that NJ. Verneuil, during the
course of the experimentsl nearly lost his sight.
While manufacturing rubies the uNo chemists
found that. at a certain stage of the operations,
crystals of the color # sapphres were pro-
duced, but the hue hitherto obtained has not
been equal to the tint of the real gem.
IT IL A wELL-KNowN FACT that both the
Prince of Wales and the Empress Frederick
are extremely amiable, treating every one
with the utmost courtesy, but at the same time
allowing no one the slightest familiarity. A
rather clever story is told in this connection of
the empress Frederick. Some ten years ago,
winter at Pelgi on the Riviera with her three
daughters, they were in the habit of making
excursions in the neignborhood almost daily,
travelling by train and taking their places
any carriage where they found
places On one of these occasions a
Frenchman, who happened to find himself in
tne same compartment with them, being ignor-
ant-or affecting ignorance-of the rank of his
fellow travellers, was proceeding to light a
cigar qn accordance with the universal custom
OF smoking on that line); but before doing so
he turned to the princess and politely in
quired: Does mad&m object to the smell of
smoke?" Il do not know the smell, sir. No
body has ever presumed to smoke in my pres
ence," was the crushing reply.
MISS ETHEL SPRAGUE, who is playing with the
Richard Mansfield Company is a beautiful girl.
She has commenced at the foot of the ladder in
her chosen profession, determined to work ND
to n position that will be hers unduestionaby
She has refused repeatedly to be the bonanza of
aspiring managers in their efforts to have her
join the list of society" actresses She says
she is not trying 10 elevate the stage" She
has commenced the work because she loves it
as an art and hopes to succeed. To do that she
built up through hard work She
had two years of the work at the L.yceum
school in New York, which she SAYS
is so severe that the most critical manager
seems tame in comparison. Miss Sprague has
the same scharming manner that has
made her mother, Mrs. Kae Chase Sprague
the queen of America. She has very dark eyes
and hair, and impresses one at once with her
sincerity and earnestness. In her true claim to
social distinction. and refusing to sacrifice true
art for q flash of superficial advertising, she has
IN her youth commenced the reaction toward
the stage becoming elevated. We will hear of
her when the many society actresses are long
since forgotten.
Mr.. AND MRS LTTTLEDALE's adventurous
journey across the Pamir and the Hindu Kush
into India will bear fruit in a volume of travels
which should be one of considerable interest.
The travellers left Odessa in the early summer,
and, crossing the Caspian, reached Osh in the
heart of Central Asia, in May. They were
accompanied by Russian and Persian inter
prefer, and SIX or seven followers. After fol.
lowing the Gulcha river the three passes crossed
we're from II, coo to 1850 feet high. The Bash
Gambaz Pass was blocked with snow, so the
Ahchur river was followed and the Kharrosb
Pass crossed, after which descent was made to
kla PanJab, in Afghan territory, The scenery is
described as magnificent, a high range with
glorious peaks bounding the view to the south
separating the Pamr from Wakhan CROSSING
the kojigit Pass, the party reached the Little
Pamlr, and then, going along the Wakhan river
arrived at Sarnad on July 12. Sarhad is in
Afghan territory aud the Afghans were friendly
though there appears at first to have been
some commotion, the party being suspected of
beng spies. halt OF ten days had to be made
to fit the travellers for the arduous work of
crossing the Hindu Kush. Crossing the Wakhan
ana over the Darkot Pass, they arrived on Aug.
s, at Gilgit, where they were welcomed by
Lieut. Manners Smith and DR.. Roberts.
GEORGE w. CHILDs left his office Christmas
night, says the Philadelphia Record, happy in
the conviction that he had made a hapnv
Christmas for many of his fellow-creatureS
Durlng the day he distributed up ward of $50 900
In checks and cash, besides hundreds of books
and other nice things. Of the large amount of
cash which he gave away $4,000 went to his
employees in the Public Ledqey building Each
individual received his present inclosed in an
envelope bearing his name and the amount in
every case was regulated according to the re-
clpent's worth. No one was overlooked from
the basement to the composing room. Each of
the Office boys received $50, while some of the
editors gifts were up in the hundreds
The checks ranged in value from SIO0 To
$500 each. Mr.. Childs personally placed the
gifts IN their envelopes, so that no one should
know how much he gave each person. Not
even was the cashier, Col. Nuckle taken into
the secret. All the latter did was to furnish
Mr.. Childs with much cash in 800 bills SO
much in $50 notes, and so much in big crisp 500
greenbacks. Nor did his good WORK end here.
for when he started homeward it was with a bie
pockettul of bank bills ready for distribution
among his domestics. my greatest hanninesS
at Christmas" he modestly said comes rom
the fact that l am able to give happiness n
others, and thank God that he has placed il in
my power to do this"
THE FAMILY Of De Lafayette is extinct. It's
last male member, M. Edmond de LAFAYETTE
grandson of the great general, died Yesterday
morning, at the age of 72. He entered pub ic
a 1nn- 1fk