The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-06-28
MISCELLANEO

The force of his own merit makes
his way-a gift that heaven gives for
acknowledgements.
Dido, of Carthage, was widow at
the time she captivated AeneaS. Ac-
cOrding to the most reliable records, she
was endowed with great prudence and
political sagacity, and Carthage owed
its subsequent prosperity to her fore
sight.
Hence, when anatomistS discourse
how like brute organs are to ours, they
grant, if higher powers think fit, bear
might soon be made a wit, and that,
for anything in nature, pigs might
squeak love odes, dogs bark satire
Prior.
What we count the ills of life are
often blessings in disguise, resulting in
good to us in the end. Though for the
present not joyous, but grievous, yet, if
| received in a right spirit, they work
out fruits of righteousness for us at
last.-M. Henry.
-Shoemakers lasts are now turned
in the swamp by machinery, and in
great quantities. The most skillful
| shoemakers purchase lasts in an unfn-
ished state at low prices and finish them
to suit individual customers. The fin
ished lasts wholesale now for whSt
seems a trifie compared with prices
when lasts We're made only by hand.
Lasts made to order still cost from S. to
S. a pair.
The work of preparing catalogues
for the great sales of art objects held
now and then in Europe and America
is a matter of great expense and much
time. Such an illustrated catalogue is
now being prepared in this country.
| One of the most skillful of artist en-
gravers has been engaged off and on for
several years in preparing illustrations,
| and by the time letter press and illus
tratiOns are all ready the catalogue will
have become an extremely expensive
volume.
Nine de Pompadour (Mme. d Es-
tiolles) was grass widow" Her hus-
band made great row about her con-
nection with King Louis and was
promptly banished, but begged to be
| allowed to return, promising to behave
himself, He was permitted to come
back to Paris, but had the indiscretion
to write hera complaining letter, which
she showed to the king. and NJ. d'Es-
tiolles was given his wall<ing-papers in
short order.
A recent Ohio lawsuit, involving
the ownership of 1.500 acres of valuable
real estate, was settled by the aid of
photography. The turning point of
the suit was as to whether an old deed,
executed seventyfve years ago. had
five signatures on only four. There
were spaces for five, but only traces of
four visible. The clerk of the court
was ordered to have the deed photo
graphed by an expert. He took it to
Washington for that purpose. The
negative developed some evidence of
the missing signature, but on charging
it ten times the whole name came forth
distinctly.
The younger Agrippina, the daugh-
ter of the widow of Germanicus, was a
widow of entirely different species
from her mother. When young girl
she married Roman gentleman, who
soon after died under suspicious cir
cumstances. She next captivated a rich
old patrician. who also died very soon
after the union. She then fascinated
her uncle. the emperor Claudius. and
persuaded him to marry her. She is
believed to have had hand in his
death. as also in that of several persons
who opposed the accession of her son
Nero to the imperial throne. After in
Vulnerable crimes she was finally put
to death by command of her equally
infamous son.
There is a printing office in Vienna
the sole employment of which is the
announcement of fetes, plays. concerts,
etc. nothing else being printed but
placards The proprietor of the estab-
lishment has many persons in his serv-
ice who thoroughly understand the
most striking way of announcing such
matters to the street public by unique
arrangement of alluring words. The
monster types used are all wood; the
, effect of the great cololed letters upon
mems eyes and fancies is always specu-
lated upon. In the pictorial announce
ments of estates for sale the letters are
often composed of pictures of castles
and rural views. the effect of which is
very catchy" and sure to please the
eye.
There are good many middle aged
and elderly people who are grieved on
account of the increase of their rotund-
| ity as they grow older. The late Ed
mund Yates, of London, who had been
particularly proud of his light and
shapely figure in early life, mourned
its loss when he had turned forty, and
mourned yet more afterward when he
got beyond 200 pounds. 1t is said that
Howells, the novelist, often tells how
he wishes that he were as slight as he
was thirty years ago. Gen. Miles, who
was slender young officer during the
war, is now, to his grief, one of the
heaviest men in the army. There are
ways and means by which man or
woman may restrain the undue extern
sion of the physical frame, but few of
the people who have attained great
bulk feel disposed to make use of the
means of reducing it.
Mr. Robert f. Walsh, in the Popular
Science Monthly. thus recalls the origin
| of the present menhaden industry; II
was in 1850 when an old lady, Mrs. John
Bartlett, of Bluehill, Me. boiling some
1. +. 1. l.