St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-08-08

versity from 1869 to 1885, and was
vice. president, 1979-1S95. He held
the chairs of English literature, bellies
lettres, history and political philo-
sophy He became editor of the
Arena in 1897, in which position he
remained until 1898, when he became
literary director of a publishing COM
pany in New York. His works in
clude several histories of the United
States, biographies of Garfield and
Blaine, Gladstone and others, and he
was also editor of several cyclopedias.
1t is believed that in few weeks
Sarah Bernhardt will be made
Knight of the Legion of Honor. AS
long as ten years agoit was proposed
thus to decorate her, but the OBJ
jections in certain official quarters
prevailed. For many years the stage
was bar to the bestowal of the red
ribbon, even upon a man, and it is
only of late that custom has altered.
Indeed, decorations given to actors
to NM. Mounet. Sully and Couquelin
aine, for instance-are even now con-
ferred upon them supposedly for ser
vices rendered in tuition at the Con-
servatoire, not on account of their
dramatic careers. Only one actress,
Marie Laurent, has received the rib
bon, and it was conferred upon her,
as was strictly specified at the time,
not on account Of the distinguished
place held by her in her profession,
but for her philanthropic work in
founding and managing an orphan
age for actors children.
The value of the estate of John
Ruskin was the most interesting Of
the many surprises contained in his
will. When the great economists
father, John James Ruskin, died in
1864, he left fortune sworn to as
worth $1,OOO,OOO, but which was
really valued at 81, 100000. Practi-
cally all this was inherited by John
Ruskin. Yet the gross value of the
estate probated is considerable under
100000. Where has all of the great
Ruskin fortune gone ? everybody asks.
He spent his money freely in trying to
prove his theories to be correct. Thus
his fortune slipped away until at the
time of his death there was left only
about the twentieth part of the orig
inal.
Among the British Civil List pen
sions awarded during the last fnan-
cial year are 5000 year to
Alfred Austin, Gas Poet Laureate; ~
500 to John Sims Reeves, "in
consideration OF his eminence as a
singer, and of his straitened circum.
stances" and SIPS to Herman
Charles Merivale, I'm consideration
of his literary work and of his strait
ened circumstances.
The Sultan of Turkey has given
Joseph Linden Smith, of Boston, per.
mission to make drawings of the
great Greek sarcophagus from Lidon
which was discovered in Phoenicia If
1887, and is believed to belong tc
the fourth century B. c. The Sultar
; has decorated Mr.. Smith in recog
milton of his skill, and likewise Mrs
Smith "for her beauty, intelligence
and virtue"
e Russell Sage, one of the mos
$ unique figures in American 6nancia
= circles, and the one Of many men wht
+ has accumulated an enormous for
n tune in Wall street, celebrated hi
eighty-fourth birthday, August 4
a and is apparently as strong ant
healthy as he was twenty years ago
e His business faculties are as keen a
: when he was young man.
t Great preparations are being mad
S for the Sultan's silver jubilee on Aug
& ust 81, when he will have bee
Il twenty-five years on the throne
70 Poets and historians are busy writ
t ing accounts of all he has done 70
his subjects. These will be translate
II and published in all languages.
!. DR.. Daniel Bonbright, the dean {
the Northwestern University, i
q Evanston, Ill.,, has been chosen to a.
x sumo the duties of president until
r permanent successor to DR.. Henri
as Wade Rogers is appointed. He is
n graduate of Yale, class of 1850, an
: has been member Of Northwestern