The Portland daily press., 1892-07-09
PERSONAL AND PECULIAR.


A reunion of Gen. Grants family, in
Guiding ali of the grandchildren, is pro-
posed for next autumn.
Galileo's first telescope was made from
part of lead waterpipe, in each end of
which he cemented common spectacle
glasses.
1t has only been eighty-one years since
the first tomatoes were introduced into
America. The original plant was culti-
waited as vegetable curiosity at Salem,
Mass.
A pound of silk cocoons, spun in one
continuous thread, would inclose an area
], 1,12S miles in diameter. A small penny
reel of twist" has over $4,000 yards of
silk in its makeup.
The exact geographical center of the
United States is marked by grave-the
last resting place of one Maj. Ogden, who
is buried on little knoll short dis
tance northeast of Fort Riley, Kan.
A wire-netting fence 500 miles long is
one of the late Australian wonders. The
fence separates the colonies of New South
Wales and Queensland, and it's object is
to keep the rabbits out of the latter
country.
Mummies taken from the Egyptian
tombs, beaten into fine powder and mixed
with oil for paint is one of the latest in
dustries at Cairo. The color of this
human dust paint is a rich brown of
lively tone.
Mr.. John W. Hobard, at one time one
of the wealthiest and most successful
brokers in Wall street, died at the Essex
County, N. j., Insane Asylum on the
night of July 4. He we born in New
York city on Sept. 1, 1881.
At the castle of Simonetta, Italy, there
is an angle in the building which re.
echoes a pistol shot sixty-one times.
The echoed reports from twenty-one to
thirty three are always louder than the
report of the shot itself.
Lord Tennyson has been cruising about
the British Channel in Colonel Croziers
steam yacht, the Assegai, accompanied
by Mr.. Hallam Tennyson. He visited
Jersey and Guernsey, and during his
stay in the former island was the guest
of his brother at st. Ewolds.
Those who are interested in the clothes
DR.. Mary Walker has constructed, may
find the description of those she now
wears amusing. Her creaseless trousers
are of black broadcloth, as is also her
Prince Albert coat. From her throat
turn back the points of a standing collar
that is fastened with diamond stud.
A black and red four INLAND tie is orna-
mented with large carbuncle scarf pin,
set in pearls. A butternut brown over
coat, buttoned CATERS, brown dog-skin
gloves and a silk hat complete her cos
tune.
When Mrs. Hopkins-Searles died it was
said that her husband, Edward F. Searles
intended to perpetuate her memory by
giving Hopkins Castle on Mob Hill, San
Francisco, to the San Francisco Art Asso-
citation. Mr.. Searles recently made such
an offer of the buildings and grounds,
but the art association has debated as to
its acceptance, because it would cost
| $40, 200 year to maintain the building.
1t is probable, from what the officers of
the association say, that Mr. Searles will
share this burden. This building is one
Of the finest on Mob Hill The decora-
ton of some rooms cost $50, 900 each, and
several of the chandeliers cost $4,000 each.
The house is well fitted for an art gallery
Galusha A. Grow, who was Speaker
of the House of Representatives from
1868 to 1866, was guest at a Chicago
hotel recently. He is sixty-nine years
old. When first elected to Congress Mr..
Grow was only twenty-six years of age.
and had the distinction of being Che
youngest member of the House. The
most sensational episode of his public
career was his pugilistic encounter with
Keith of South Carolina, as the result of
dispute about slavery, in 1861. The
affair took place just previous to the
withdrawal of the South Carolina dele
cation from the House and resulted in
Mr. Keith's stretching his length on the
floor, for Mr.. Grow, though Northern
mndsill, possessed good lighting quail
ties.