Clippings.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 13, 9 July 1887, Page 4

Clippings.

Prince Jerome Nape leon ia writing a his tory ot Napoleon 1., to refute Henri Tsins's criticism ot his great ancestor. Advanced education in India is producing a curious effect on marriage in Bengal. The monetary demands of the bridegroom increase in proportion to the success he achieves st the University. B.As. and M.As. drive very hard bargains. Another Welsh centenarian ia dead. Mary Davies, a widow of 104, who has been living in Idanyerwys, was known as “ the Lampster Juvenile Pauper.” Until six months b foie her death she could move about freely, while she read her Bible easily to the last. 81 e Was born in Gwnoodfadwr, in the parish of Llanddybaeli, in 1783. Evidently Welsh air is favourable to longevity; for this makes the eleventh centenar.an recorded in the principality within the last three years.

In Lake Constance the waters are unusually low ; and relics of lake dwellings are being energetically sought for by local authorities. A large collection of weapons, ornaments, and domestic utensils has alreauy been obtained, part of which will go to the museum in Heberlingen, and the remainder to the Bosgarten Museum in Constance. The American Grower recently made a curious calculation as to what it costs to smoke. Basing its calculation on revenue returns, it showed that the United States pays every year for cigars and cigarettes 837,000,000, and 84,000,000 for tobacco smoked in pipes; to this it adds the cost of chewing tobacco, 810,000,000, bringing the enure tobacco bill or the year up to 831,000,000. The total lose from fires in the United States last year was 824,000,000, so that tobacco coats mote than twice as much as all the fires, great conflagrations included. Another important engineering enterprise was begun on June 1, The North Sea and Baltic Canal works were inaugurated on that date,

An interesting Wagner museum has been opened in Vienna. The relics have been gathered by a private collector, and are very complete, They include all Wagner's works, numerous portraits of the master and his surroundings, autograph letters and various documents from the Bayreuth theatre, statutes of the Wagner societies, and all accounts of the composer's funeral. Wagner’s writing and smoking paraphernalia, bis visiting cards, and hie knife, spoon, and fork are the most treasured souvenirs of all.

Ladies' hats made ot fir-cones are highly fashionable at French watering places. The cones are simply strung together over a wire shape ; and a bouquet of real field flowers is placed in the front. A history of the reign of the late King Alphonso of Spain is being prepared by the late sovereign's private secretary. Queen Christina spends several hours daily assisting him in arranging the necessary documents. A Frenchman is said to have discovered that the lifelike expressions may be restored to the eyes of dead persons by placing a few drops of glycerine and water in the corners ot the eyes. The effect is said to be startling. John Birchenough and Sons, silk manufacturers, of Macclesfield, have secured, for the fifth year in succession, the contract for navy handkerchiefs. The number required is 38,400 black twilled cloth silk, and this

will occupy 100 looms five months. A physician in Bussia who fails to respond to the summons of a patient is fined from 5 to 100 roubles; and, if the case is known to have been an urgent one, he may be sent to prison for three months. The legal fee for an ordinary visit is from 7 j to 15 cents. An acre of vines seven years old will yield two tons of raisins.

Statistics have long shown the terribly heavy rate of morality annually among infants under 13 months old. A large proportion of these deaths is unquestionably due to insufficient care during that critical period ; and to thoughtless exposure to wintry weather must be attributed the loss of many of these lives. Babies hardly a month old are sometimes made to face a cold wind trying even to the parents. The valuable library of the late German historian, Hanke, is to benefit our American cousins after all. Though the collection was marvellously rich in rare historical documents, gathered together for working purposes during Hanke’s long life, the German Government declined to purchase the library; and it has accordingly been brought for a North American University,

Professor Oscar Lentz, who has crossed Africa practically on foot, attributes his excellent health to having followed strict dietary rules. He never ate raw fruit, or drank unboiled water. He lived mostly on rice, chicken, and tea. Wine and spirits he never touched. He was also careful to avoid bathing in the rivers and pools ot dear water, so tempting to travellers, but which so often give deadly chills. He dressed in flannels, and exposed himself as little as possible to night air. In this way he passed unscathed through regions infected with marsh fevers, ague, and small pox. These are valuable hints to all tropical travellers.

A correspondent (“ J.D."), writing to the New ‘Zealand Times,’gives the following illustration of the soundness of the principles of free trade i—“ Suppose that these two islands were under separate Governments, and that Protection was introduced between them. That we in the North levied a duty on wheat and oats. True, our soil and damper climate do not so well suit these cereals, yet under protection this district could grow enough for local demands. Then, on the other hand, through greater severity of climate in winter, a market always towards spring in Dunedin for fat cattle from this province. But under protection Otago farmers could find enough lean beef at an enhanced price to feed their population. Freetrade is an unrestricted interchange of commodities where such can bo done to the benefit of the people as a whole, and I venture to think it is better that we import wheat and export beef. Will protectionists say that it would be advantageous to stop this or similar trade ? If not, at what stage, and where, do the benefits of protection begin ?”