The Portland daily press., 1892-05-04

100000 with which to build a hospital
for little children in her own city 1t is
her purpose also to take subordinate
position in the convalescent ward of the
hospital.
An interesting discovery has just been
made in the neighborhood of Rome,
about half mile to the north OF the ia
nous Villa Livia, at Prima Porta, on the
Via Flaminia. By the merest accident,
in the open campagna, have been found
the remains of most spacious villa. So
far the discovery consists of the pave
ments of nine rooms, all of them exc
cuted in the most beautiful colored mo-
saics.
Verdi, the Italian compose, recently
wrote the following letter to an Italian
journalist: II have, my dear sir, nothing
to write worthy of publication in the
'Geneva-Iberia.' However, as you have
spoken Of agriculture, in which am
only an amateur, should like to express
the wish that more attention be paid to
it IN Italy. What source of wealth
that would be for us! Fewer musicians,
fewer lawyers, fewer doctors, and more
farmers-that is what | wish for any
country"
DR.. Fridtbj of Nansen, whose expedi
ton to the North Pole will start next
Thursday, has chosen three companions
for his perilous journey. They are Cap
tain Sverdrup, relative of the late Nor
wegian prime minister; Lieutenant Scott
Hansen of the navy, the astronomical ex-
pert, and Captain Ingebrigtsen of Tromso
fearless fellow who has already gone on
many dangerous expeditions. The pre-
parations for Nansen's expedition are
about complete.
In an interview with Mr.. F. c. Burnard
in the Strand Magazine, the writer tells
that in Mr. Burnand's study is little
wooden stage on which he works out all
his situations when play-writing. It is
model of the stage of the old Royalty,
and Mr.. Burnand uses figures for his
characters, just as Mr.. w. S. Gilbert
does, and, in the old ''New Royalty day
Patty Oliver would often have the wood
en- characters dressed up in diminutive
silks and satins.
There is peculiar fitness, says the
Pail Mall Gazette, in the circumstances
of Mrs. Oliphant's undertaking to write
the life of DR.. Thomas Chalmers for the
English Leaders of Religion Series. 1t is
just thirty years since the distinguished
novelist gave to the world, in two vol
umes, a biography of Edward Irving, for
some time Chalmers's assistant in Glas-
gov, and the centenary of whose birth,
by the way. occurs in August this year.
Among all the works of Mrs. Oliphant's
versatile pen, her life of Irving has con-
spicuous literary distinction.
Among the very wealthy guests at the
St. Augustine hotels during the season
just closed were John Jacob Astor and
his wife and the Pullmans and Armours
of Chicago. Mrs. Astor was conspicuous
for the simplicity of her costumes. She
wore at times plain muslin and gingham
dresses and was often seen in tennis
suit. Their apartments were inexpen-
sive and had no bath attached. The
Chicago millionaires were quite exclu-
sive in their ways, and young Mr.. Ar
mour excited the particular wrath of one
dining room attendant. The youthful
Cresus spoke sharply to the man at din
ner one day and the water, resenting the
reprimand, retorted, ''Mr. Jack Astor
over there never orders us around that
way"