GLEANINGS FROM THE PAPERS.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 99, 23 August 1879, Page 3

GLEANINGS FROM THE PAPERS.

Tho British man-of-war Osprcy is now in port, and although its gallant commander will probably bo the recipient of no public ovation, he nevertheless eminently deserves one. He •mved tho American settlers at Sitka from massacru fcy the Indians, after the stupid inefficiency of the United States Government had left them helpless and unprotected. In response to their piteous appeals he asanmod the responsibility of sailing t > theirrelief, and performed his sclf-as-aumad task with dignity and success. He is a naval officor not of the Mare Island or Pinafore sjhool.—B.P. Chronicle llith June.

A LoodoD chemist has named his live daughters (ilvcerine, lVpsinc, Ethyl, Methyl, and Morphia.

Sin is a thing to be hatod as long as you have strength to hate anything. It is said that Cain hated his brother as long as he was Ah,-!. Seamen aud soldiers, from habit, can sleep when they will and wake when they will. Captain Barclay, when performing his wonderful feat of of walking I.OUO miles in as many consecutive hours obtained such a mastery over himself thut be Fell asleep the minute be lay down. Tho faculty of remaining asleep for a length of time is possessed by .some individuals. Such was the case with Qiiin, the celebrated player, who would slumber for twenty-four hours successively ; with Elizabeth Orvin, who slept three fourths of her life ; with Elizabeth Perkins, who slept for a week or a fortnight at a time; with Mary Lyoll, who did the same for successive weeks; and with many others; more or less remarkable. A phenomenon of an opposite character is sometimes observed, for there are other imldivuiils who can subsist on a suprisingly .small portion of sleep. The celebrated General Elliot was an instance of this kind; be never slept more than four-hours our, of the tweuty-four. In all other respects be was strikingly abstinent, his food consisting wholly of

bread, water anil vegetables. Ju a' letter communicated lo .Sir John Sinclair by John Gordon, Esq. of Swine, mention is made of a person named John Mackey of Skerry, who died in Strathnavc, in the year 17l)7, aged ninety-one : he only slept on an average four hours in the twenty-four, aud was a remarkably robust and healthy man. Frederick the Great of Prussia and the illustrious surgeon, John Hunter, only slept live boms during the same period. The celebrated French General I'iehegro, informed Sir Gilbert Blaine that duriug a whole year's campaign he bad not allowed himself above one hour's sleep in the twentyiour. The Ballara! Star relates the following instance of effective Chinese surgery. See Ling, the Chineso who cut his throat with a razor, at Haddon, on Sunday afternoon, had the wound sewn lip by Dr. Jordon, and was removed to I'm- Ballorat Hospital. Since he attempted suicide by taking a large dose of opium he has been watched by a brother aud a eousin, who left him for a f»w minutes on Sunday, and having by some means obtained a razor, which he- must have concealed, he made a fearful gash iu the throat, and when discovered one of his countrymen seized a fowl, which he killed and skinned, aud wrapped the latter, feathers and all, around the wound, otherwise the unfortunate fellow would have bled to death before medical assistance arrived. Sell' preservation seems to bo and inherent principle in animals—a dread of pain and suffering, and a consciousness of death; which consciousness must be of the highest order in sosuo animals, since they feign that death as the last remaining struggle for self preservation when all Mother hopes have failed. An implanted knowledge of

•the termination of life must exist, or I its effects would not be feigned, nor tho anxiety for safety lie so paramount an object. It cannot be example that sets the fox to simulate death so perfectly that he permits himself to be handled, to be conveyed to a distant, spot, and then to be thing on a dunghill. The ultimate hope of escape prompts the measure, which unaided instinct could not have,outlived. What we, humanly speaking, call knowledge of the world (which is the main-spring of half our act, and plans), is the result of deepabxrv-limnai-Jj.hr. : ■■ rr.-id of the leading principles which inlluonce sobiety; and this would apply very well with fox iu relation t i fox. Bui. the analogy must cease here, and wo can only say that this artifice of the fox is an extraordinary display of high cunning, great self-confidence and strong resolution". There are many insects, particularly tho genus elater, the spider i .and the door-bottle, which feigned

death when seized by Hie linnd. -Exchange. On Saturday evening last a gentleman, residing oloso to tlio Foundling Hospital, Ashfield, was agreeably surprised to find attached to his gate a carpet ling containing a female child, about a fortnight old, wTioso real and peraonal estate, judging from the letter, of which a cony is subjoined, appeals to consist of the empty gloss feeding bottle which was keeping her company, The epistle was addressed to the matron of the institution referral to above, and runs thus: " Dear Madam, —Fleam to be kind to this dear little, girl for it is hard hard fur me to part with her; hut lam a poor girl, and have not the strength to work for its support but if things turn out bettor than they arc at present, 1 will send money for its maintenance. Please call he» Hilda M'Carthur, and a fund mothers blessing will bo your reward. For the present, I do wish it was in my power to keep the dear little lamb, and the great (Jod above, who is tbo only witness to my sorrow at this moment, "will forgive me for this cruel act; but I hope 1 may yet perhaps, in after years, show her a mother's care, for a mother's love she has already. And now I one© moro beseech you to bail Mr tho name mentioned aliove, and to be kind to kcr, for she is very good. Ami 1 remain, my dear madam, -A Mother in snd, and trouble."— Town and <.uuulry Journal July lSlh

Tl.t- Warms umwpmuleiil of the Eastern Budget writes m follows: "The attitude of the Poles in and out of guttl with regard to the i>i..!ii!ionarv movement which is maialy directed against property and religion,and which does not promise an) advantage for the Palish cause. Hut when the news of the attempt on the Emperor's life reached this city some of the more eminent of the Poles here waited upon General ZoUobuoto express their gratification at the failure ol tho attempt, and au address was taken t., St Petersburg by a small deputation, which, however, was not received by the Emperor, as he had given ordeis not lo admit aiy deputation, into the palace. The Polish Press in Ualuu and Posrn express some dissatisfaction at this demonstration of loyalty, which they say had been got up by the Russian authorities. A suggestion made by the Czas of Cracow, that tho I'Jiisb nation should engage in a co.ulliet with Xihilsm, was with .. storm of protests by all tho Polish pa,„„.s. Xi|,fii MU * ,| ley say, is tho fruit ol Czurism, uud the two should bo hilt t„ |i.r U t , JU , ,;,,. buttle by tiieuiselve.,." The following story of a miraculous escape from death 'is related 1,,- tho Ovens and Murray Ad\erli.ser of the ilit ultimo:—! u.- d„y last w.oic a young man named lied was cng.i'-ed at _ the forge in connection with tho claim of the Pride and .Stranger's Itocf Hillsborough, sharpening some pickaxes, and as is customary, tie.-re was a tui> containing water iu which the heated metal is plunged mi 000 lit alter being shaped, standing near, and in this instance Hell had placed in this the picks ho was sharpening, and in thrusting in one a great explosion followed which blew the contents of the shell even to the anvil, to the four winds ;:l icavon md compki ly wrecked tlu edilico. .Now comes the most remarkable part of the story, for the young man sustained no bodily injury with tho exception—as may lie conceived—of n severe shaking of his nerves, although the lops ut his boots wenblown away, as were the legs of his trousers past tie- thighs. Uis surmised that a quantity of dynamite must have fallen into the water from an overhanging shelf, and the heated iron coming in contact with it caused the

explosion. 'i'ko. Kulmirie <vjrresp.in<lcnt of the Tamworth News, writing on -him- :t, says:—"l do nut suppose you over beard of a lobbur being shot with a quoit. Well, on iij'l June last, three mnn cima In Mr. Joshua Kudu's Morton Inn and obtained permission tu sleep in a statw room. 'l"i-i.- following looming a ■X.i; \1 :t boU'~: f :■] H-'f;i u- v stc.bn from the !.;ir, and 01 f the throe men was accused of stealing the grog, during tlio afternoon this man took a saddle from the harness-room and then saddled up Mr. Hose's Drummer colt, lie nexl broke the handle out of the stable br i, and, mounting, the horse, galloped by where Mr. Itoso was playing ijuoits. In passing, he struck at Mr. I:use with the broom handle, and sang out, ' Good day !' (lid josh then Lin. w one of his ijuoits and made 'aringer' en the fellow's head, knocking him out of the saddle. The fellow was brought before the Biugera Uctrih on Saturday last and committed for trial. Well played, Josh !" This apt presentation ol the salary question comes from the Sterling, 111!, Gazette :—" The kitchen girl can pave more than the teacher. Lady teachers in .Sterling receive on an average, about sill per mouth, which for nine months a u Mints to S'VM) h'l't v-twciweek's 1,.,:ti,1, :,; si::,o. .•-::!• forty we. ks washiiigul Si S+o chillies, SUM incidental expenses Sl>:) total, So'.U salary ; s:»i •. loss, >:S4. Kit.-hrn girl-forty-two we.-l;-., a: s_ >K>I board, nothing; wn !i----pense.-, j.lO balance, St I. The ahove ligurcs will show a balance in favour of the kitchen girl of j,,.s per annum. The teacher cannot, if she would, do her washing or sewing during the school year. The teacher must dress well or she cannot hold her situation. She must spare time and money to prepare for her work. The only preparation the kitchen git I needs is a strong arm, a sinewy hand and

ii willing heart." Downright hard work is issscntial to success in anything that ia worth doing in the world. X" unlive ability relieves a man from tho necessity and persistent application to whatever ho undertakes it' lio would lio efficient in his endeavours. This is as true for men of brilliant genius as for those of moderate capabilities Indeed, it is commonly recognized by them more readily than by inferior minds. "fact is," says* Buskin, "that a man of genius is always far more ready to work than other people, and get so much more good from the work that he does, and is often so little conscious of the inherent divinity in himself that ho is very apt to ascribe all his capacity to his work, and to tell those who nsk him how he carao to be what ha is: If I nm anything, which I much doubt, 1 made myself so moroly by labour." So, it' 0 'man thinks he lias goutus in one direction or another, he will bost.provo it by working bard and persistently at anything ho undertakes in that direction. His genius will prompt him to labor, not relieve him from labor. The Sunday School Times gives this advii'o to its aged and youthful ivud

The Be-.liu National Zeituug announces, on the authoiity of a dip>oma-ti->t at Vienna, that the German army is to be strenghtemd by tin; addition of SO latteries lit artillery. Some weeks ago a report wta current that the strength i.f tii- army corps stationed in Ataw-lor-raine was olniut to bu increased ; but the I semi-official joaruala denied that there was any intention of altering the military situation in Alsace. It would, however, now appear that it is not a single army corps, bat the whole body of Gorman artillery, which is to receive a notable augmentation. The late Prince Imperial wan subjected to many little annoyances during hi- brief stay al Capetown, Xol tin-least is thin following : —Lady Krere, in honour of the arrival of the Prince, issued cards of invitation for a grand ball to be held a! Government House, it is customary at the Capo tliat the royal nuns should appear on the earns. The order was given to the printer in the usual form l.ut the typographer, being a funny man, in> trail of printing Urn royal arms, substituted n portrait of the Duke o! Wellington—the hero of Waterloo. The hoax was not discovered until all the inviu.tiuns had been issued, and it was too late to remedy the act of the mnuvaisplaifant New York, Juno 14th.—The Sun today, referring to the treaty of Germany with Samoa, says: Bismarck recently laid this treaty before the Bandesrath, which body approved it and attached there to tariffs of provisional agreements with the Chiefs of the Ellice, Jaluit mid Hallick groups of islands. It would not be surprising, eventually, to find Germany, by courage and skill, placing herself in front of the United States in her relations with Samoa and our former advantages largely frittered away. It is already announced that Germany is negotiating with .Japan for a treaty like the abortive one which our country made, but which in her hands will not prove abortive.

A German physician has demonstrated that early rising is a bod habit. He has taken the trouble to collect information a> to the habits in this respect of several persons who have lived to an advanced age. and he finds that in the majority of the cases the long livers have indulged in late hours. At least eight of ten persons who attained the age of eightv years and upwards were in the habit of not retiring until the early bonis in the morning, and remaining in bed until the due was far advanced. On the other "hand, he has failed to discover, after careful observation of the health of several early risers, that it was in any degree better than that of a similar number of late raisers, lie thinks that so far from any decided benefit being gained by getting up early in the morning it rather tends to exhaust physical power and to shorten life.—Tribune.