The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-02-05
PERSONAL. AND PECULIAR

Paul La wrence Dunbag, the young me-
gro writer of verse, who lives in Dayton,
Ohio, is to give parlor readings In Eng.
land during the coming summer.
Sir Isaac Pitman was. knighted because
of his improvements 10 shorthand. That
was in England. Such is the ingrati-
tude Of Republics that in this country he
cunld not have got elected village con-
stable for 1T.
Mrs. Hicks. Lord has been outdone in
post norton generosity to servants by
the late Nine. Brasseaux OF Paris. This
eccentric lady, widow, used to give a
dance once week to the five pretty
maids who attended her, and by her
will she lefE about S400, 900 to be divided
among them and among some of the
guests who frequentsd the parties.
An old rail fence that Lincoln is said
to have built is pointed out to credulous
strangers on the premises of a Marion
County (Ky.) distillsry. Lincoln's
father and the father of Jefferson Davis
were neighbors in that region, and are
said to have fought side by side in little
brush with Indians near where the town
of Springfield, KY, now stands.
Bjornsterne Bjornson, whose son mar
ried Ibsen's daughter, speaks thus Of the
dramatist's pessimism: "lbsen is no
Norwegian. His ancestors were Scotch,
as might be seen from his Calvanistic
beliefs and his gloomy views OF men and
life. It is lamentable fact for the Nor
wegians, but pessimism has been brought
into Norway by a foreigner.
The famous Chat NOR tavern of Paris,
which has just closed its doors. was for
years the haunt Of artists, poets and mu-
sicians. It's appearance was that of hos
telry of the Middle Ages A herald an
nounced eaoh guest as he crossed the
threshold by blowing trumpet The
visitor was received by NJ. Sails in per-
SON in a room lined with pictures OF
hlnck oats with glistening eyes, revsling
by moonlight on housetops. A waiter,
disguised az an Acade mician, came to
take his orders, addressing him in the
peculiar ia rgon Of the house. Young ar
tlsts with long hair, long thread bare
frock coats, and large bows, would come
in and sing original songs. accompanied
The Dresdener Anzeiger is, perhaps,
the only daily newspaper which is owned
and operated by city. 1t was be-
queathed to the City Of Dresden by it's
formed proprietor upon the condition
that all profits arising therefrom should
be spent upon the public parks.
It is said that when Ii Hung Chang
was deprived of his vioeroyalty and sum-
moned to Pekin he was obliged to distri-
butte among court Off Gals and other
funotionaries the neat little sum of
5000, 600 taels in order to protect. limself
against the attacks of his political enc
mics. Being diplomat of long expert
enoe old Ii had DO difficulty in placing
his money where it would do the most
good.
Republicans Of Wyoming whisper that
the placing of woman on their ticket
for presidential eleotor defeated the
whole plumbers and brought about the
electiun of the Populist candidate for
Congress. Even the women of the state
failed to rally in full strength for the
ticket bearing the woman nominees
name.
In 1870 the property Of the United
States was valued, according to the CEN
sus of that year, at s24, 300, 900, 600 in
gold. In 1890 that property had in
creased to s65, 600, 600, 600, q gain Of SAL, :
O00, OO0 600 in 20 years or more than y. :
900. 600 0OO year. In that 30 years the
United States accumulated nearly twice
es much as il did from the first settle
ment at Jamestown to 1870
A few years ago, 1900. 900 bronze 2-cent
pieces were set a6oat. Three million Of
these are still outstanding. Three mil
lion Scent nickel pieces are scattered
over the United States, but it is very
rarely that one is seen
Insresponss to an invitation from Rob-
ert Louis Stevenson to visit him in Sa-
moa, Conan Doyle asked the great ro-
mancer how one got there. "Oh," said
Stevenson, "you go TO America, cross
the continent to San Francisco, and then
it's the second turning to the left,
Nenr Washington Square, in New York,
there is housed "a small clu Of Bohemi-
ans the walls Of whose quarters are
niodestly covered with tinted burlap.
On these walls all visitors of note are ex-
pected to writa their names and senti-
ment original to the occasion. Ii is told
that William Dean Howells dropped in
one day. looked around and wrote: -
oan'5 think Of a thing. William Dean
Howslls." A jester happened by and
William Dean Howells.'
Mrs. Emma Forsythe, an American
woman, who owns $50, 600 acres of land
in tho South Sea Islands, is most ener-
getic woman, employing several hundred
natives as we'll as many Europeans, on
her plantation. She was left q widow
at Is. with scarcely enough money to ex-
ist. but she has am assed large fortune.
1t is stated that recently e young I'M
bsnefcad clergyman in nm English SUBJ
urban parish received a spontaneous and
unsolicited offer from a lady member of
his fiock Of her '5eart, money and
hand" In reply the spinstsr was advised
ny the uusentimental cleric to give her
heart to the Lord. her money to the poor
and her hand to the man who asked for
it.