St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-12-31
FOREIGN GOSSIP.

The lace bark tree grows IN the
West Indies. It is q lofty tree, with
ovate. entire smooth leaves and white
flowers. 1t is remarkable for the te-
nacity of its inner bark and the rcadi-
ness with which the inner bark may be
separated after maceration in water
into layers resembling lace.
In the kitchen of Richard I. Of En-
gland 800 persons were employed, and
the queen had like number to attend
upon her service. During a famine tho
king entertained 1900 persons daily.
He valued himself on surprising in
magniicencc all the sovcreigns OF Eu-
rope. and lived as il he possessed mex
haustible treasures.
lin the year 1861 q gathering Of no
bility and gentry took place at New
castle, England. to celebrate q great
anniversary, when. on account OF the
number Of guests. each VI required to
bring his own dish Of meat. OF course
there was a sort of competition in
which strove for pre-eminence: but the
specimen Of Sir George Goring was con-
sldercd the masterpiece. It consisted
Of four huge. brawny pigs. piping hot.
bitted and harnessed with ropes Of
sausage, all tied to o n,onstrous bag
pudding.
AT an entertainment in London for
the benefit of a certain fund there was
given q representation OF 'the old wom-
an who lived in her shoe" The NAM
moth shoe, which was at least nine feet
high. with the width and length in pro-
portion. was filled with many children
from three to ten years old. The old
woman herself was clever young girl
of sixteen. who taught her children to
dance, sent them out to walk, gave
them singing lessons. endeavored to
put them to bed in the shoe and did
many other funny things that delight
ed the audience.
An instructive and pathetic custom
still prevails in Munich. Every desti-
tute child found begging in the streets
is arrested and carried to a charitable
institution. On his arrival he is photo
graphcd-dirt. rags and all. After be-
ing maintained and educated, when he
quits the institution to begin life the
aforementioned photo is given him.
and he is required 10 make solemn
declaration that he will keep il as a
reminder of the wretchcd state from
which he was saved and the kindness
shown. The charity has received many
gifts from its reclaimed waits.
The new British house Of commons
is much older than the one that pre-
ceded it: that is. the average age of its
members is much greater. The ages
range from twenty-five to ninety. II
has two members only twenty-five
years of age. and Mr.. villicrs is again
the father Of the house, being ninety
years of age Four other veterans are
Isaac Holden. eighty-five: Mr.. Glad
stone. eighty-two, and c. Wright,
eighty-two. II has forty members
whose ages range from twenty-five to
thirty. 14s from thirty-one to forty. 197
from forty-one to fifty, 173 from fifty.
one to sixty. seventy-eight from sixty
one to seventy. and four from eighty
one to ninety.
In the early days of England we'd
ding rings were made of rushes, but in
tutS 0Kc even IuoEc CuEiouS uu eCt Ia %
are sometimes pressed into service when
emergency demands it. Many cases are
on record where rings of brass or iron
and curtain rings and door keys have
taken the place Of the bands OF gold
which nervous grooms have mislaid.
One bride is said to, have been married
with . leather ring, cut from \ finger
of one of her gloves, and another en-
barrassed young couple were relieved
by . suggestion from the minister that
the wedding ring be cut from visiting
card. Quakers and Swiss Prctestants
do not use rings at their marriage cere-
monies The Irish have q strong objec.
tion to any but gold weddings rings. In
st. Kilda wedding rings are made OF
wOrSscd