Miscellaneous.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1794, 5 January 1884, Page 6

Miscellaneous.

CJortscliakoff and the €zar. WnEN tbo Russian Nihilist Hartruann's extradition was refused by Franco, the Czar Alexander II became very much inoensed and ordered M. de Giers to forward an angry protest to the French Government. General Gortsohakoff, then very old and ill, caused himself to be carried to the Winter Palace, and after a long and stormy interview with the Czar, succeeded in correcting the arrogant tone of the Imperial note. M. de Jomini was intrusted with the getting np ol a new one, but the German Ambassador managed to impress on the Czar's mind the notion that it was too conciliatory in terms. So Alexander II wrote on the maigin, with hia own hand, some observations destructive of all the friendly spirit of the diplomatic instrument. Gortschakoff could stand it no longer. " Tell the Czar," said he to his staff officer, "that I can not put my name at the foot of an historical document which will be harmful to a country I served so devotedly for more than sixty years. I am now too weak to fight against my master's will, yet strong enough to be able b send in my resignation." " Tall Gortschakoff," Alexander replied, " that he will die, as he has lived, in the skin of a most stubborn being, and bo it done as ho wishes ! "

The German Emperor's Early IiOVC. 1 Bkkoke leaving Beilin for Ems the German Emperor paid a visit to Fraulein yon Schcerf, who had not boen in Berlin for many years. Fraulein yon Shooif is the old lady to whose apartment on the third floor the Emperor climbs daily and takes his coffee when he is in Weisbaden. Fraulein yon Shoorf was a maid of honor at the Prussian court when the youthful Prince WiJliara took part in some tableaux vivants, which were arranged after scene? in " Lalla Rookh," during the festivities which followed the marriage of his sister Charlotte with the Emperor Nicholas. One of the young ladies who figured in the.«e tablevv vivanti was the Princes 3 Kadziwill, celebrated for her beauty, who, it was said at the time, died of broken heart because Prince William was not allowed by his family to marry her. Fraulein yon Shcerf was in the confidence of the two lovers, and the Smperor has kept up a friendship with her ever since. — London World.

A Will in Rhyme. A curious specimen o£ a will in rhyme is that of a John Hedges. The original may bo seen at Somerset House, England : The fifth day of May, Being airy and gay, And to hyp not inclined, But of vigorous mind, And my body in health, I'll dispose of my wealth, And all I'm to leave, On this side the grave, To someone or other, And I think to my brother, Because I foresaw That my brethren-in-law, If I did not take cave, Would come in for their share, Which I nowise intended, Till their manners are mended, And of that, God knows, there's no sign. I do therefore enjoin, And do strictly command, Of which witness my hand, That nought I have got Be brought into a hotch-pot ; And I give and devise, As much as in me lies, To the son of my mother, My own dear brother, To have and to hold All my silver and gold, As the affectionate pledges Of his brother— John Hedges.

Ail English Peer as a Manufacturer. London Truth says : Lord Sudeley is building a large jam factory on his estate at Toddington, in Gloucestershire. Two years ago he planted there 93,000 gooseberry trees, 167,000 black currant, 20,000 plum, 3,000 apple, 900 pear, 9,000 damson, 500 cherry, 10,000 red currant, 23,000 raspberry, and 100 cobnut, and fifty-two acres were planted with strawberries. At tho same timo 100 Scotch firs and 10,000 poplars were _ planted for sheltering puiposes.

A Search for Pharaoh's Host The Abbe Moigno has formed a company in Paris and has raised $150,000 for the purpose of dragging the Bed Sea and Bitter Lakes in order to- recover the . chariots, treasure, arms and other remains of Pliaroah's host, which he believes to lie there covered -with a saline deposit. The research will be prosecuted by divers. The expedition ia ready to leave Marseilles, and is only detained by the outbreak of cholera at the Betf-Sea poria., . - ■"

The Ccylonese World's End. Thkre is a place in Ceylon called- the world's end. You stand on the edge of a plateau, and look over a preoipice 5,000 feet in height. I£ you tumble, you tumble about a mile. One step will do the business. It is certainly the end of the world aa far as the unfortunate tumbler is concerned.

Wheat for Twenty-five Years. Thk London Times has published the following figures of the imperial averages of prices of wheat from 1858 to 1882, which are worth preservation :— 1858, 44a. 2d. ; 1859, 435. Oi. ; 1860, 533. 3d. ; 1861, 555. 4d. ; 1862, 555. 5d. ; 1863, 4ds. <hl. ; 1864, 40a. 3d. ; 1865, 415. lOd. ; 1866, 495. lid.; 1867, 64?. 5d. ; 1868, 635. 9(1. ; 1869, 48s. 2d. ; 1870, 46a. lid. ; 1871, 56?>. Bd. ; 1872, 575. ; 1873, 583. Bd. ; 1874, 555. 9d. ; 1875, 45 a. 2d. ; 1876, 46*. 2d. ; 1877, 565. 9 d.; 1878,463. 5d. ; 1879, 435. lOd. ; 1880, 413. 4d. ; 1881, 455. 4d. ; 1882,459. Id.

A recent issue of the Philadelphia Telegraph describes the rooms which Mr. G. W. Chikls, proprietor of the Public Ledge*, has fitted up for his city editor and reporters at an outlay of some five thousand dollars. City Editor M'Wade will make his assignments while sitting in a rocking-chair which is described as a wonder of ease and elegance, before a desk especially designed for him. His feet will rest on an Axminster carpet of beautiful design, and the light from without will be subdued by curtains of old-gold fabric suspended by brass rings from bars of beaten copper. lie will be separated from his reporters by p. partition of stained glass set in lead, the beauty of whioh is said to surpass everything of its kind that has been seen in Philadelphia before. The reporters will prepare their copy at walnut desks under costly brass chandeliers filled with both gas and electric burners. On the floor of walnut and ash are heavy Turkish rugs. The wall-paper of both rooms is rich and costly. The rooms are said to be the finest of their kind in the world.