The Indianapolis journal., 1896-03-23
ABOUT PEOPLE AND THINGS.

The will OF the late Mr.. Alexander Mac
milan, head OF the publishing firm of that
name. has just been proved in England, and
MS personal estate Is valued, In round num-
bers. at flS00O0
Kate Field says that while she was in
England she was asked in good faith wheth-
er the language taught in the public schools
OF the United States was English or Amer
ican. . Oh, American / replied" says
MISS Field. :" English is dead language.
l is only learned by university men who
go in for classics"
Cecil Rhodes came near having a novel
experience in London, one of his former
dancing masters who advertises to teach
al society dances. particularly the skirt
or the. great African. Truth heard of 1t.
made fun of the project and the enterpris-
ing master OF the dance came to grief
The Transvaal penny is a noteworthy
coin, and for more reasons than one AS a
specimen OF coinage it is fairly good-bet-
ter, perhaps. than its English equivalent
The reverse is ingeniously significant; the
lion stands for African savagery. which.
the Boer has vanquished, transported on
ms war charlot, the trek-wagon The OBJ
verse shows President Krugers head
Prof. Roentgen is somewhat annoyed at
his sudden fame. He is of course great
worker, but his discovery has entailed upon
lTkSOme.
From all parts of the world he receives
letters from people who want to know
you know" AS the Professor is a very
kindly and courteous man he finds his cor
ent.
The name of trolley cars" now COM
monty applied to electric street-railway
cars. was derived from the trade name o.
the upwardly projecting pole which makes
contact with the overhead wire, and which
was first called trolley pole" This pole
peing the most conspicuous difference be-
as trolley cars
Talking of parliamentary success, OBJ
serves the Buffalo Commercial, there is a
story that Mr.. Disraeli once said of Sir
William Harcourt: He has the three es-
sential qualifications for success in politics
"a nne person, a loud voice and no prin-
William Harcourt. who observed that leav-
ing out the first two qualifications 1t might
almost be applied to Dizzy" himself.
1t is not often that bishop creates q
priest canon on the boards of a theater
But this took place in Paris recently at
the presentation in the hall of St Pierre
de Chaillot. of THE Nativity" written bv
Apoe Jouin., curate of st. Medard. The
able directed personally the production of
his play and Monsignor Matthew, Bishop of
Augers, wishing to show his Appreciation.
appointed the able canon of his cathedraI.
amid the piaudits of the hearers
A professional advocate of the devil. ap-
pointed by the Roman Catholic Church.
Mon. Agostino Capara. died recently in
Rome. This officer is known as the adj
vocatus diaboli. His duty is Ito present
the objections to the canonization of any
person proposed as new saint, and to
cast doubts on his miracles" There is an
other officer known as the advocatus Del.
who takes the other side. The expression
Advocate of the Devil" is supposed to
have Its foundation in this passage of
scripture: For the accuser of our breth-
rem is cast down, which accused them he
fore our God day and night"
Nine. Melba has been singing seven
years. Her maiden name was Mitchell.
Her father was Scotch and her mother Span
ish From her mother she inherited her
musical gift. At seventeen Melba married
Mr.. Armstrong. Her unhappy married
life, her commentator says, led her to take
up public career. The artist has three
brothers and three sisters One of her
brothers Is a remarkable singer When her
father was appointed commissioner from
don exhibitions he took his family with
him to Europe. Soon after her arrival
Melba began to study with the great Mara
chest. whom she has never left for any
other teacher She made her debut in RrlIs-
sells in 1883.
Dickory, dickory dock
The mouse ran up the clock;
Then the clock struck oft and shocking:
1t was worked in red and blue
On the side of Sister Katie's silken stock
ing.