The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-04-05
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES.

Signorina Rosina Pence, the great
singer. for whom Verdi write III Tro-
vatore." died at Porretta, a bathing
place near Bolonga, Italy. She was
seventy-one years old.
The Samoans, 1t is reported, will
erect an obelisk over the grave OF
Robert Louis Stevenson which from
its great height on the Vaea Mountain
will be a conspicuous landmark from
the sea.
1t is estimated that the number OF
Jews in London is between 100 200 and
100000. There are 1884 Jewish
children attending the London Board
and Jewish Voluntary schools OF the
lower grades. so that the total NUMBER
is probably not far from 10000.
The only woman chemist in Paris is
Vassar girl, Miss Ida Welt. She has
distinguished herself at the University
of Geneva and at the University OF
Paris. The Academy Of Sciences has
lust published her Researches on
| Dissymmetrical Hydrocarbons.
Wilford Woodruff president Of the
| Mormon Church, has for years culti-
/ waited a farm of forty acres with no
] 0tnDT
and those Of his family. His wife and
/ daughters raise chickens, preserve
/ fruit and run a dairy, while his sons
raise hogs and do general farm work.
Sixty-three years ago Daniel Web
ster had Isaac Bassett appointed
page in the Senate. Fifty-two years
ago the special position Of doorkeeper
was created for him, and he has held
Il since. He now has the distinction
of having been in the service OF this
Government longer than any man liv-
ing.
DR.. Edward S. Holden, director OF
the Lick Observatory, has just receiv-
ed through the Secretary of State OF
Sake -Meiningen, the diploma and cross
Of commander of the Saxe-Ernestine
order. This order was founded In
1890 and reorganized in 1888, and It's
honors are conferred in recognition OF
DISTINGUISHED services in high official
positions either military or CIVIL.
J The large majority Of contemporary
J authors Of international fame are
small men physically. Kipling, Bar
rie, Jerome, Howells, Stockton, Stead
man. Mark Twain, Bret Harte, Boye'
sen, Saltus-none of them is above
medium height and several Of them are
: actually diminutive. Marion Craw
ford and Conan Doyle are tall, ath
letic-looking men, but they are the ex
ceptions that prove the rule.
After all, it isn't so astonishing tina
the model for Artist Gibson's typica
American girl should be Irish. Adj
. Rehan. the Juno of the American stage
is Irish, too, and she was chosen be
: fore all others as the model for tn
famous Colorado statue. Nor is MI
Gibson the only artist who has per
ceived the wonderful beauty OF hi
!; model. Perhaps the highest tribut
paid to her charms Of person wa
. when Daniel C. French chose her a
l the model for his noble statue OF tn
!; Republic, which occupied the post Q
j honor at the Worlds Fair in Chicago
Boston Herald.
Philo Norton McGiffin, who is com
a mander of the Chen-Yuen, the larges
warship of the Chinese navy, is ma
tive of Washington, Pa. He was stu
dent in Washington and Jefferson co
. lege in his native town for two year
. and then entered the Naval Academ
a at Annapolis. His father, Norton Nj
= Gifin. was a classmate Of Mr.. Blain
in Washington college. After h
graduation from Annapolis he continl
ed two years in the United State
navy. and then went to China to sery
in the war against France, havin
command of a gunboat. He afterwar
superintended the building of iroi
clads in England for China, one
which he now commands.