General News.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5277, 16 December 1885, Page 2

General News.

En Avant, the organ of the Salvation Army in France, announces the arrival in Paris of a Major Fakir. The Major would appear to be an individual of ex* iraordinary sanctity in the view of the Salvationists. He has performed many pious actions, notably amongst them being the fact that one Jay, before bis conversion, ho wrote the name of God upon 20.C00 slips of paper, and cast them into the river to sanctify the fishes there* in, and the souls of those who eventually devour them. On another occasion he remained three days and nights up to his neck in water, without stirring or eating, by which, says a Paris contemporary, the degree of sanctity obtained by the Major I may be fairly estimated.

A book is announced at home with an odd title, "How to be Happy Theogh Married," being a Handbook of Marriage, by a Graduate in the University of Matrimony. The author is the Itev. B. J. Hardy, an army chaplin, and his work is described as " a useful companion for the honeymoon!", .■ ,

In a report from the Rational Dressy Society, New York, .is the following paragraph:—" In California several ladies, accustomed to ride constantly, complained of the unnecessary fatigue to which they were subjected by the use of the side saddle, and many said that on mountain excursions in the summer time they frequently rode with ordinary, saddles, adopting for the occasion a kind of Bloomer costume." Whither are we drifting?

The Dahomey army which lately invaded the territory under French protection in the neighborhood of Porto Novo was largely composed of the Amazons of the King's body guard. Their fighting powers are said to be quite equal to those of the male combatants in the same army, and they are very much more cruel. The young recruits of this singular regiment are taken to the field of battle after the action, and there they are practised in cutting the throats of the wounded and in mutilating the dead, as a preparation for their sanguinary mission. Celibacy is enjoined on the Dahomey Amazons under the moat terrible penalties, and the course of drill which they go through so com* pletely unsexes them that no trace of female weakness or—what constitutes an additional security—of female grace survives it. They are inveterate smekers, and equally inveterate drunkards, most of their time being passed in disgusting inebriety. They advanced when they made their last inroad to within two hours of Porto Novo, where there is a French garrison, and succeeded in carrying off something like a thousand captives, who are doomed to perish in the next hecatomb at Abomey. The " peculiar institution " of Dahomey has well-nigh depopulated the districts round the capital, and it was found necessary to go farther afield this time to procure victims for the next orgie of blood.

In one of the former fierce Queensland droughts, the late judge Blake being on circuit stayed for the night at a wayside bouse of entertainment. Next morning the landlord discovered his guest taking his morning bath in the only lank of water on the premises. He expostulated with his (undressed) Honor on the impropriety of what he had done, " What does it matter," retorted the judge, "I haven't soaped myself!" -

In Australia, near Maryborough, the widow Golightly paid a real tribute to the memory of her deceased husband. She did not merely insert a 4| inch newspaper intimation of her sorrow, rounded off with a couplet of bad verses. No, indeed, the widow G. did the thing handsomely—gave a party on the anniversary of the death of the lamented G., and ia the enthusiasm of the supper-table said to her guests:—" How glad dear John would be when he looked down from. Heaven to see bis friends ecjoying themselves." ; ,

The present Queen of Roumanta, now* forty- two years old, has had a romance career. She was born in a quaint little white country house on the banks of the Rhine, and wts a great romp in girlhood, fond of outdoors and fairy stories, impatient of control, self reliant, and with an extraordinary poetic talent. Her ambition, after much travel, was to be a teacher, bat Prince Charles of Hohenzollero, whom she had met during her absence from home, asked her to become his queen. It is fifteen years sinqp she was married. She has seen much sorrow, has written] much poetry, and has Yon much'love.

In connection with the reported deaths from bee stings, it ia said that several years ago a party of natives on the coast, who bad been eating freely of honey, ahaufc this season, were seized with symp« toms of poisoning, and some of them died. The natives attributed the deleterious property of the honey to the flower of the waioribi, a poisonous shrnb.g'rowiogin swamps, which is in bloom about this time of the year. The matter is of sufficient interest to warrant farther inquiry.