The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-17
MANY PICTURES IN
ATT|CS OF LOUVRE TO
Be S0LDAT AUCTION
Have Been Accumulating
for Over a Century.
Many Copies of
Masters


Paris, August 1e.-( -(special)-Th i'm
mense collection of pictures many of
them copies of famous canvasses, which
now cucumber the cellars and garrets of
the Louvre galleries, are soon to be sold
at public auction.
These pictures have been accumulating
for over a century, and it is doubtful if
even the Louvre authorities themselves
Know what is there. Most of them are
copies of old masters which were made
by artists in the course of their study, and
then abandoned. Many a picture of
value may be discovered under the dust
of years. Doubtless a number of them
were executed by artists who afterwards
became famous. The sale WILL at any
rate, afford amateurs an opportunity of
obtaining copies of their favorite picture
at a comparatively low price. Lovers of
the lost "Joconde" will have the choice
of more than hundred copies.
NapOleon's Coat
Some days ago a group of visitors pass
ing through the Army museum at les In
valides, examined the glass case in which
the personal relics of the great Napoleon
are displayed.
! To their horror, they saw three holes
in the skirt of the celebrated grey over
coat Spared by bullet and she'll the
famous and legendary garment is in i'm
ninent danger of destruction by the in
exorable domestic moth. The gallant gem
eral who is in charge of the museum was
at once advised, and measures have been
taken to make the existence of moths in
the precious case impossible.
Gypsies Cause Trouble
One million gypsies, with neither home
nor country, move across Europe every
year from east to west with the beginning
of summer. Nowhere are they wanted,
everywhere are they eyed askance but
still every year they wander and the au-
thorities of the countries they cross dread
their coming and are relieved when they
go.
There is always trouble at the frontiers.
Here the wanderers are stopped. ques-
toned and often imprisoned as vagrants,
But there is nothing to do but finally let
them go, and they invariably return the
next year. An effort to and and protect
these gypsies, and incidentally the per-
picked authorities, is being made by a
Swiss clergyman, H. Ecuyer He has or
ganized a society, one of the purposes of
which is to instruct the gypsies in the
Christian religion, for these nomads are
all pagans. The success of Mr. Ecuyer 5
efforts, however, is considered very un-
certain.
Swiss Glaciers Subsiding
The levels of the various glaciers of
Switzerland are slowly subsiding. In other
words these hugh, slow-moving rivers of
ice and snow are gradually drying up for
the reason that their volume is yearly de-
creasing. In future years they undoubt-
edly will present an appearance consider
ably differnt from what they do today
The gradual subsidence of these ice
fields is established by statistics which
the Swiss Alpine club has compiled from
observation of some 80 of the most ims
portant glaciers. These figures show that
the greatest glacier the "Alebsch," sub
sided 10 feet in 1912 despite the exception
ally cold weather, IS feet in 1911, and rs
feet in 1910 The "Ronegletscher' SUBJ
sided 36 feet in 1912, 80 feet in 1911, and 40
feet in 1910. The two "Grindlewald' ga-.
ciers increased by 65 feet during 1872 but
had diminished 130 feet the year before
Since 1893 these two glaciers have subsided
over 1000 feet.
Forecast Ferdinand's Future
| Recent happenings in Bulgaria have
| brought out the story of an interview 10
years ago between the present king of
Bulgaria and a French diplomat, who told
Ferdinand his fortune from a pack Of
cards with remarkable accuracy
In 1903 the story goes the late NJ Man
oini was recretary of the French lega-
| tion at Sofia. On night at reception at
the palace the present king. then merely
Prince Ferdinand, called him into a little
study and asked him to read the future
M. Mancini asked for pack of cards.
and after certain manipulations said: 'T
see your influence and your power cease
| lessly growing. Other rulers listen to your
| voice Your armies become more and
more formidable. The year 1912 stands
out above all others; your fortune In that
| year will be meteoric."
$50 ! must wait for nine years." NUT
tered the prince thoughtfully. "But tell
me, what do you see In 1892
| After 1912 the cards are blank; they
| tell me nothing answered NJ. Mancini
| NJ Mancini's brother diplomats, how
ever, were not satisfied with his last an
swer. when they heard of the consulta-
i tion. Pressed with questions, the young
attache finally said: II could not tell the
prince what I really saw in 1913, for in
| that wear the "a rds sDelIed disa