Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-07-20

49,
she said: Its an extraordinary thing,
but if you didn't speak French so we'll,
1 should take you. from your beard, to
be the Grand Duke" And she blurt-
ed out the visitors real name. De-
sirous Of protecting his incognitio, the
grand duke Indignantly disclaimed be-
ing a Russian, and added, in an en-
phatic tone, Il detest the Russians
You do, do you?' said the girl,
promptly springing to her feet, I'll
teach you not to like our friends, the
Russians" And she dealt the grand
There was nothing for it but to pocket
the affront with as good grace as pos
sible, but the grand duke, cuffed, no
doubt, for the first time in his life, beat
a prompt retreat from the establish
ment
Royal Women.
Great anxiety is felt with regard to
the health of the Crown Princess of
Roumania, by far the prettiest and
most charming of all the descendants
Of her grandmother, Queen Victoria.
1t seems, writes the Marquise de Fonte-
noy, that her heart is seriously affect
ed, especially since the suicide of her
only brother, the Prince Of SaXe-Co-
burg. The princess is the most elegant
and chic of all the princesses of blood
in Europe. She has been the heroine
of a number Of entertaining episodes,
none of them, however, of a scandalous
character, and the worst thing that has
ever been laid to her charge was that
in a moment Of mischief she snapped
her kodak at her nearly equally beau
tiful sister, the grand duchess Of
Hesse, at the moment when the latter
had just emerged from the mud baths
at SchwaIbach and was clothed in moth
ing but the very thinnest coating Of
mud. 1t would have been all very well
if this portrait had remained in the
possession Of the two sisters. But the
crown princess was SO delighted with
it that she sent copies of it to various
relatives, and, unfortunately, some
copies of the picture eventually found
their way into other and more pro-
fame hands. This has sadly impaired
the close intimacy which formerly eX-
listed between the two sisters, who at
present are scarcely on speaking terms
with one another.
nlustrious Lines Extinct.
The fact of Oliver Cromwell's direct
descendance being extinct prompts a
student Of history to note how many Of
Englands illustrious men are now I'M
represented by direct line. The list of
names of lights in literary history con-
tains those Of Chaucer, Shakespeare,
Spencer, Milton, CowIey, Butler, Dry
den, Pope, Swift, Addison, CoWper,
Goldsmith, DR.. Johnson, Scott, Byron,
Shelley, Keats, Tom Moore, Charles
Reade and r. L. Stevenson. Among
naval and military heroes, states
men and politicians, Sir Philip Sid
ney, Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Francis
Drake and Nelson are no longer or
never were represented by male issue.
The Duke of Marlborough is not de-
scended in the male line from the great
Churchill, whose only son died in in
fancy, hOnOrs and estates passing TO
his daughters Lord Peterborough had
sons, but no grandsons; SO fll-starred
STAFFORD. Horace Walpo1e was the
last male descendent of Sir Robert Boil
ingbroke. Bolingbroke died childless.
Pitts direct heirs ceased in 1885, and
the rival house of Fox lasted but lit
10 T1,,,-I- or only
died in early manhood.
AS with the statesmen, so with the
philosophers and scientists. Neither
Bacon, Newton, Locke, Davy nor Stu
art Mill left a son to inherit his fame,
while Historians Hume, Gibbon and
Macaulay were never married. Among
great painters, Reynolds, Lawrence
and the late Lord Leighton were
bachelors. Hogarth perpetrated a ro-
mantle love match, which was fruitless,
and Turner, the great magician of COL
or and canvas, twice soured by early
disappointment, never married. Han
del, who may almost be claimed as an
Englishman, had no wife but his art,
while Of the giants of the footlights,
David Carrick and John Kemble died
chi1dless, and the direct male issue of
Edmund Kean ended with the death
of his son Charles
Gibraltar Cave Bandits.
Smuggling still forms a regular and
cathbound secret profession in the
land Of the hidalgos. It's operations
have lately been quite active about the
coast near Gibraltar. Several murders
have been committed within few days
recently on Spanish soil near the Brit
ish frontiers by a band of smugglers,
the victims being members of the Com
pania Tabacolera, a sort of customs de-
tectives for the prevention Of tobacco
smuggling. Upon request of the Span
ish authorities the chief of the Gibral-
tar police, accompanied by a marine
police officer and a lieutenant of the
Spanish militia, proceeded in a launch
to the back Of the Rock to search some
caves. With the aid Of rope ladders
they entered a cave at the height Of 10
feet from the sea, where they found a
Spaniard, one of ten murderers, guard |
ing part Of the bands provisions and |
stock. The bandit gave cons derable |
trouble to the invaders of the cave, |
but was finally cornered and in a |
wounded condition lowered to the boat |
by means Of ropes. In times OF yore
these caves Of Gibraltar have been the !
lurking haunts of pirates and SNUG
glers.
GAMMA CULTURE.