The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-02-19
HOUSTON POST LETTER BOX.

| Wv VOi LLi LIN UVH'
tThis department lie intended to answes
| questions that are OF general interest It's
main object Is 70 supply out Of the-way facts
s anu curious 'n,s n u,r , Questions 2,
business or personal addresses will be given.
Al correspondence should be addressed to The
Letter Box, care Houston Post. OWING to this
large number OF questions received answers
can not always be given promptiyA
| Please give~sne names OF q few noted "old
mnids' CT history and romance. and ohl,se
One OF Them.
Hannah More was one OF the most impor-
tant spnsters. likewise Harriet Martincau.
Anne Barbara Absch was Swiss painter Oh
FLATS; Saint Agatha remained single at the
cost OF her life. having been laid on live Goals
mingled with glass, rather than submit TO the
attentions of Quintianus. governor of Sicily.
Hannah Adams Is 4 celebrated writer You
know about Joan OF Arc and Agostina, the
Maid OF Saragossa no doubt. The Jewcss.
Grace hgullar, is another splendid character
WHO preferred cellbacy Lucy Aiken, an Eng
ISL literary woman, another. Eliza Leslie
was also distinguished in her time and In her
way. having, as one OF her bographcrs put 1t,
"succeeded beyond what females usually do !"
Mile. Lenormand Is noted spinster OF tho
French, having been prophetess Mary
Elizabeth Lee was noted writer OF prose and
verse, and was born in Charleston, s. c., IN
1915. Hannah Lee was another writer OF re-
pute OF course you will recall Miss Frances
Willard, Miss Susan b. Anthony and poor
Mary Lamb, sister of Charles Lamb, among
your collection OF feminine antiques who have
been distinguished. Florence Nightingale is
another noteworthy character. Miss Louisa
Alcott ought to be considered among some OF
these. besides. and Grace Greenwood" other
vitae Sara Jane Clarke. md the three Brontes
Laura Bridemnn, Charlotte Corday, Eliza
Cook. Fredercka Bremen, Miss Cooper, daugh-
ter of Fenmore Cooper; Queen Elizabeth,
Maria Edgeworth.
1 Has any reliable news been received from
Prof Andree, who started to sail over the
north pole in balloon? q What place did
h. start from. and At what place did no ox-
tante across the pole from the place he start
ed from and where he expected to arrive att
A.B.C.
Andrec's balloon, orncn, left Virgo, Spltz-
bereen July II, 1897. The object OF the ex-
petition was to find the north pole. The only
Trustworthy news received from him has been
by carrier pigeon. a message dated two days
after his departure, stating that good progress
northward had been made. latitude So degrees
BENG passed. As the first three days were ex-
pected to be the most dangerous, this was re-
glrded as a good augury of success and an
Indication that the explorer had crossed in
safety the open sea north OF Spitzbergen ana
reached the beginning of the ice pack. There
have been reports from time to time OF the
taking OF pigeons supposed to be from An
dree. but some OF them seem to have been
from among large number OF birds released
by pigeon flying associations in Heligoland.
There have been reports, also, that the bal
loon had been seen. but none have received
cfcdeoce. An article In the Century Magazine
for November. 1897. gives an account Of the
expedition.
What steps shall take to enable me to be-
come a members Of the Daughters OF the
American Revolution? k.W.M.
Write to Mrs Kate Kearney Henry. 9o2 r
street washington. n. C. Mrs. Henry is the
corresponding secretary general OF this or
ganization Your application for membership
must be Endorsed by at least one member OF
the National society. This Is submitted TO the
registrars general OF the order, who report on
the question of eligibility to the board of
management, and upon its approval the appi-
cant is enrolled az member. According to
the constitution Of the organization. any wo-
of the age OF Is years and who 10 descended
from an ancestor who with unfailing loyal
N. rendered material aid to the cause OF inde-
neudence. recognized patriot. as soldier
or sailor. or as civil officer In one of the
several colonies or States, or of the United
Colonies or States" provided that the appl-
cant shall be acceptable to the society.
Please tell where. when and by whom JET
ferson Davis was captured and what kind OF
n earb he had on, whether that of male or
female? This is asked to settle n DISPUTE.
A.G.
Mr.. Jefferson Davis was taken prisoner n
May 1865. near Macon. Ga. by Colonel
Pritchard's command. He was dressed in his
usual way. but had hastily caugh; up what
he supposed to b. hrs ogercoat, but watch
proved 10 be his wife's long wrap. and his
wife lad thrown shawl over his head when
he left the tent. But when he was challenged
by the soldier who intercepted him he threw
OF both oyercoat and shawl aud answerei
him rather dehantly. His plan was TO rush
IN 10 the soldier, throw him Off his horse.
lump into the saddle and escape but the plan
was unfortunately upset by bis wifes run
ming up to him and throwing her arms about
him. The time thus lost was fatal and he
was captured and led off to Imprisonment
What is is the meaning of the word Crack
or as APPLIED to the inhabitants Of Georgia
and other Southern States? F'I.W.
1t is said the name originated at Gainesville.
Fla In this way: Before the advent of rail-
roads the supplies for the interior towns OF
til, state were sent by sea to Fernandina or
and then hauled by mule to their
destination. The arrival OF mule team at
town was quite an event. and was almost as
welcome as a circus. The regular mule team
to Gainesville got there usually about sun
down and camped IN grove about mile
from town. The next morning early they made
their presence known by tremendous crack
ing OF their blacksrase whips, and the word
passed quickly through the town that tho
whip crackers" had arrived. which term was
soon abbreviated to simply "Crackcrs."
1. Give me the history of Cleopatra. o Who
was Luoreta Borgia2 p.
!. Cleopatra was born In Egypt 60 u. c..
and shared the throne with her brother
Ptolemy. but an attempt to dethrone her
was defeated bv julius Caesar. She fas-
cinated him. and afterward Antony. with
her wonderful charms. and finally losing her
power she committed suicide Read Rider