GLEANINGS FROM THE PAPERS.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 110, 8 November 1879, Page 3

GLEANINGS FROM THE PAPERS.

Captain Deinhardt ami tho officers of the Germau war-ship Bismarck, which is anchored in Farm Cove, gave a splendid ball ou board their vessel, on Wednesday evening. Some two hundred guests were present, including his Excellency Lord Augustus Lot'tus, Sir John and Lady Robertson, Mr. Justice and Mrs. VVindeyer, his Worship the Mayor of Sydney and Mrs. Roberts, Commodore Wilson, of H.M.S. Wolverine and Mrs. Wilson, Mr. P. A. Jennings, C.M.G., and Mrs. Jonnings, Lieutenant Loftus, A.D.C., Sir Alfred Stephen and the Misses Stephen, Sir William and Lady Manning, Captain Mathieuof the Rhin, Mr. Des Vooux, Lieutenant Governor of Fiji, Professor Smith, Lieutenant Horn of H.M.S. Sandfly, and many other officers of the ships of war in port. Tho Bismarck was splendidly decorated for tho occasion, and so well protected from tho weather that the rain which fell late in the night did not in tho slightest degree interfere with the dancing on the upper deck. Tho ship's band played a charming selection of danco music throughout tho evening, and everything connected with tho evening's amusement passed off with tlio greatest success.—S. M. Herald, Sep. 27. A treasure, hitherto known but to few, has just been brought to light and made accessible to tho public by photogiaphical multiplication. Tho treasure-trove is aii authentic portrait from life of Mozart. The fortunate possessor is one Mr. Kckert, a Berlin bandmaster, who received it as a present from his foster-father, Francis Forster, the friend and companion of the poet soldier, Theodore Korner's mother, whoso sistor, Doris Stock, was tho artist. The style differs from tho the usual portraits of tho 'greut musician, but is far more striking and effective. Tho reverso bears two inscriptions. Ono, " Given' to Forster," witton by Kornor's mother ; and tho other, " This likeness of Mozart, drawn from lifo by Doris Stock, in Dresend 1787, was given to mo by Theodore Komo'rs mother, and by mo to Karl Kckert, ; Berlin, 22 Muy, 1859. P. Forster." Tho portrait is in ornyons, a half length, in a'small oval, and represents Mozart in tho drees of tho period, with wide collars, frill, and hair brushed back and united in tho queue. Tho featuros are more finely cut than thoso of tho usual portraits aud bust, and bear a slightly hectio stamp. Tho uoso is rather largo and, with tho entire lower half of tlio face, somewhat prominent. Tho mouth has a peaceful, pleasant expression. But the impressive features are the fino and ample forhcad and the ccbantting oyos. The London correspondent of the Man- [ olidstor Guardiau states that Mr. HorI muzd Kinsaw bus returned to England,

having completed the work of his teeond Assyrian expedition. Ho brings with-him a rich collection' of objects which have been acquired during tho year. Tho results of the last journey are of a more varied character than those of any expedition which has taken place since the early explorations conducted by Sir A, 'H. Layard. Commencing operations on, the mounds of Nineveh, Mr. Eassam succeeded in exploring a site which was regarded as forbidden ground. This was the mound of Nebby Yunus, tho supposed tomb of the prophet Jonah. In "-this mound he discovered remains of palacese rented by Esarhaddon and Sencherib. His labours on the mounds of Nineveh havo resulted in tho recovery of a large number of inscriptions, many of extreme interest. Passing southwards ho visited Nimroud, he continued his labours in the Tetnplo of Venus. This, building, which he discovered in his former expedition, was now thoroughly examined, and found to bo a large open temple containing shrines of several diotics. There are also found a number of seats arranged in parellel rows, forming a centre aisle from the chief altar. Tho plan now recovered seems to favour tho idea of its having been a species of forum where religious and other councils were hold. The explorations in Assyria havo discovered many valuablo monuments. Mr. ltassam extended his operations into fields untouched since the timo of Sir A. H. Layard's expedition, and he was able to carry out a series of explorations on the mounds of ancient Babylon. Here his discoveries have been most brilliant. In a mound hitherto untouched he discovered a palace of Nebuchadnezzar's with rich enamelled columns, beam 3 of the Birs Nimroud, the site of the supposed Tower of Babel, have proved that tho destruction of this 'great edifice was due, not to lightning or hostile attack, but i volcanic eruption, which bad torn and shattered ho edifice. Mrs. Lydia Maria Child, the authoress, and anti-slavery agitator, is now 77 years old, and lives at her old homo in Wayland, Mass, [n the eouise of a recent Conversation with a writer in the Boston Herald she spoke of Garrison as a firm believer in spiritualism, and added: " Whitticr admits that there is something very mysterious and unexplained' in it. He told me that there was' and old Quaker whom he now when ho was a lad, who was renowned for his prophecies. He very often spoke under the influence of the spirit. Whittler sent mo a copy of prophecy mado by tho old man in 1803. It began by foretelling a great split in the Church, which would commence with the Presbyterians, and include the Friends. We have since seen the Presbyterian divide, and the llicksito trouble among the Quakers. Then the old prophet said ho saw a great "trouble about tho slavery question, which would end in a war and emancipation. Ho foresaw, finally, a grand of tho Churches into an established Church, and ruled by it. And ho saw also a military despotism of the country, though this would only be for a while. Now this was a remarkable prophecy, and all but tho last two statements have been fulfilled. Mr. Tracy TurncreUi offered to tho 112 towns, representing 50,000 workmen, to return tho amount of their subscriptions to the Beaconsfield wreath, provided application was made boforc July 14. Tho offer was accepted by only ono town, Leeds which will havs its live pounds returned. Mr. Turnorelli intends exhibiting the wreath in largo towns and lecturing upon it. A practical gentleman named Mr. G. T. C. Barlloy reminds us that an ounce of bread wasted daily in oaeh househoubl in England and Wales is equal to 2S, 000.000 loaves a year, tho produce of yOO.OOO acres of wheat, aud enough to feast annually 100,000 people. An ounce of moat wasted, says this terriblo mentor, is equal so 300,000 sheep. Wo havo not tried to verify these calculations. Of General Grant and his wifo in their poverty-stricken days of 1801 this story is told" Ho had gono from frelaua to Springfield to get a captaincy in a regiment then being organised, and in his absence Mrs. Grant went to ono of the Gelana shops aud asked for a barrel of flour or credit, as sho bad no money. Her request was refused, when a bystander, who was also a merchant, approached and told her sho could have anything sho wished from his store. This kindness in time of need was never forgotten by Grant. Another important fact has beon disdisoovored by physiologists—namely, that tho saliva of an infant, boforo it has its teeth, is incapablo of converting starch into sugar. This explains at onco why all attempts at substituting farinaceous food in place of mother's milk, in tho oaso of infants, invariably fail. Such children cannot digest starch, and uro underfed, or ovou starved, dying finally of morasinus. Starch, arrowroot, tapioca, &c, aro useless, because indigestible for children, boforo thoy havo cut their teeth. ' More servant gnlisin. The other day a large parcel mKresscd to Miss Brian Bom arrived, and, on being openod in tho presence of lior mistress, (Juwlosed a grand silk dress, trimmed with tho' molt fashionablo allowance cf lal-do-ruls. " Surely you aro not going to wear that dress here, Biddy," «aid tho mhtross to the red-armed muid. »Och, ihuro, no mam, it's mo Exhibition drew, and I'll lavo yon week nforo 1 wears it. Shuro, tho not quito i udy yet, »0 there's lio hurry."

' Money is not such a scared commodity in Tasmania. Tho Tasmauian Mail gives an instance of this: —" okl man lately in, _Hobart Town whoso appearance betokened anything hut affluence, bid for a number of shares at a sale, and offeitxl the knight of the hammer his cheque for £BOO in payment. Very doubtfully tho paper -was presented at the bank upon which it was drawn, when it was explained that the bank had a large sum of money to tho 'credit of tho name of tho drawer: but, as the depositor had not been heard of for tho last twenty-seven or eightyears, tho presentation of the cheque caused no little surprise. Inquries were, however, instituted, ami the buyer of tho shares duly proved his identity, and secured tho transfer of tho cash." Poor old ' fellow, he must havo beon ignorant of the meauiug of tho word interest, for the money had beon standing to his .credit as a current account all the while.!