Birmingham age-herald., 1895-09-18
FRESH FOREIGN NOTES.

The new diamond just brought out in England is called the Salisbury diamond, because the stone has a fancied resem- bance to the head of that gentleman. Faint markings are placed on the stone to suggest eyebrows and the line or the ear and beard. The diamond weighs eighty carats and is of clear white color There is an English jeweler who has a fancy for arranging opais to per fectly resemble the feathers on bird wing He has just put on exhibition a wonderful diamond necklace, which is not apt to be duplicated. It is composed of black diamonds, each set in white dia- monds It has taken him several years to collect the black stones. some of which are very large. Another beautiful orna- ment is a necklace worth $60,000. It is of pigeon-blood Burma rubies each stone encircled with white diamonds.
 A new book has just come out in Eng land, called Ideal Husbands" which is causing some amusement Six well known women contribute their views on the subject. Lady Jeune admits that In a family one person must govern ana that it should be the husband. She says he is best at a distance; he should be away from home as much as possible, but when he does come home should find his wife ready to intelligently sympa- thize with his business. The wife must
  "Women are to know all and men are not to be permitted greater liberty and indulgence than women.' Mrs. Lynn Lln~ tons contribution says the ideal hus- band is the man most able to make him. self respected.
 The French papers have been exercised about the health of the Empress Victo- ria Augusta since the Figaro stated that it was breaking down and that her inn perial majesty had lost all taste for food-an exceptional state for one of her caste. She has, says one paper, taken refuge in the solitude of Wilhelmshohe without her children. There she spends long hours wandering by herself In the park of the royal dwelling in which Ma poleon III was prisoner of war. Her august spouse, nevertheless, continues his feverish and vagabond life, only pay ing relative attention to the suffering wife.
 The Bois de Boulogne, the great Paris ian pleasure ground, costs f20,000 year to keep up, but according to the latest statistics the authorities manage to con tribute f1O000 a year towards it's own support. The major part of this sum is composed of rents of pavilions and res taurants, though the race course and skating basin are decidedly lucrative properties. Ice cream vendors can af-
 
 privileges and the very ducks yield a handsome profit.
 Ostend will become a really magnificent watering place if the extensive plans Tor it's improvement are carried out. one scheme is to build palatial hotel, with concert hall and gardens along the sea front beyond the royal chalet, besides handsome villas The king of the Bel gians also intends to lay out public gar dens at Mariakerke-the little bathing re. sort at the end of the digue to the west-1 and present the land to the town, so that the sea front of the fine buildings and gardens will extend right from the Os- tend pier to Mariakerke.
 Cremation has so increased in favor in Paris that second columbarium for the funeral urns must be built at Pere la Chaise. the original building being quite full About 200 cremations take place an- nually at the cemetery.
 "Tea pegs" are highly popular with thirsty souls at the hill stations in India Delicately favored tea is brewed very strong and drank cold with an equal quantity of soda water.
 According to a report to the depart ment of state by Consul Eugene Ger main, at Zurich the destruction of vine yards in Italy by an insect, commonly known as the vine louse, has been enorm- ous. Since the appearance of the in sect in that country it has totally ruined 2S2 529 acres of vineyards and 1S6. 160 acres nartlv s:o Sirily has been and ig still the