The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 3, 1896, Page 18

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, MAY 3, 1896. Z 2 ] f ——— [Dr. “Entrefort ‘was greatly startled when I asked him this -question: “Is it not possible that: & persofi ‘may conceive & purpose so absorhing ‘and’ overmastering and so deeply grounded in-a violent passion that it will per- sist: for-an_appreciable time even after the | supervention’ of. déath?” "<“Why do you ask that?” heeXclaimed ‘excitedly. Then I told him of & singular oceurrence which had fallen under my observation. * In brief it was that ol | & man’ who, dfter liis aorta’hed been severed | by aknife in the ‘hands of an enemy, pursued | his adyersary: for'a ‘third of & mile and then | fell dead.. At theé autopsy, which I attended, | the surgeon: remarked: “This man had-been dead sometime’ before he fell, and while e 2 11 pursuing his assailant.” “What he ly- meant,” said Entrefort thoughtfully, “was that the. man had béen virtually, not really, dead: but he had uttered a remarkable truth- unwittingly.” Have-you ot observed the wonderful power of the will over the hody? Have you 116t seen death held at bay for hours Dy sheer will force and witnessed its unneces- sary advent. by 'a succumbing of the will ? The subject - 15 . exceedingly complex and mysterious, as I am’ able-to- show you by nar- | Tating @ strange occurrence.” He thereupon told me the subjoined story.] Z RINCESS- EOLIE, in whose father’s palace 1| was for a time court physician, had a morbid-pas- sion for music. It should be ex- | plained that she was very you beingin that unformed condition peculiar to many -girls who bave passed childbood and ‘are not-yet complete- women. Her case was-the strangest I had ever seen. Her intellect was of - surpassing brilliancy and ber nervous condition that of pro- longed ecstacy. Allthe hysterical tenden- cies peculiar to. one of her lawless tem- pérament were centered in music of the grotesque * -and outlandish order. She reveled in the weird Hungarian creations of Liszt, maintained a Chinese orchestra | and lived in the queer mysticism of Grieg. For the profundity and majesty of Beetho- | ven, tlie ‘dreamy beauties of Mendelssohn and the brilliancy of Chopin, she could | caitivate no regard. Only wild departures irom theé. average claimed her attention, and . her- passion for these was as uncon. | trollable as it was danzerous. With ‘this she had an uncommonly sweet and affectionaie disposition and was exceedingly eraceful.and pretty. It was clear to.‘me that this odd musical taste was merely an indication of a profound | psychological condition that at any time might turn to some other manifestation. That she had not yet fallen rashiy and violently in love I was satisfied was due to the fact that all the superlative qualities of her nature tad found vent thus far ina fondness for weird music. I dreaded the ne when her morbidness might make a startling departure. 5 One of the ladies of the court had a son Who, after a long stay abroad in colleze, returned and renewed his childhood ac- quaintance with Eolie. Fle wasas strange in his way as she ‘in hers. He was about 2lyears old, and though possessed of a fine mind' had barely escaped a disgrace- | ful failure to complete his education. . His | bent ‘was for music, but his mother, re- | garding that as' ‘an ignoble profession, | albeit a graceful accomplishment, did ali in.ner power to suppress the tendency and force hini into one of the learned profes- | sions. As a result he returned to: the | world sadly crippled in mind, unhappy in spirit and with a wasted body and a smgu- lariy.pathetic expression of face. He was slight and delicate and his- gentle beauty | was more like that of -a girl than a man. It seemed 10 me then that he and the Princess, wid-ly separated as they were by social barriers, were destined to suffer each on. tie other’s account. L As their renewed acquaintance krew closer each became aware’of an intangible . barrier reared betieen them, bus they were ignorant of its character. The truth was -that ‘she: wis vastly his intellectual su- perior, -warped and twisted though she was at that time. It was impossible for him to imagine the profounder depths of her: character, her: infinite capacity for love, the passionate protest of her whole nature “against’ the conventions which restricted. her freedom and which as yet she sought to violate only by indulging a morbid taste for lawless music. All that he could see was that she loved music of that kind.. This was so’ contrary to his : own ¢onception of the beauties residing in that exquisite art that he was thrown into despair,.and tortured himself with pitying that in her which he could not under- stand. That she exercised an indescrib- able fascination over him was manifest. He. felt it indefinably, butasit brought pain instead of pleasure he couid do no more than nurse his wretchedness and persuade- himself that it was impossible for them to love each other. Not far from the summer palace of - Eolie’s father was a grand cathedral ‘with _wonderful chimes and a noble organ. : The bellringer was a man with a singularly ili- favored and sinister face. He had been a servant of the king’s household from birth and had always been a devoted slave to the beautiful Jittle girl Eolie. It was never suspected, now that she was enter- ing upon' womanlood, that this strange creature had ever cherished for her any feeling otber than that of a slave. He had encouraged every whim and vagary that . seized her, and when her odd musical taste bacame dominant he had mastered by dint of stealthy and indefatigable labor s0 much'of the principies of harmony as enabled him to produce weird and gro- tesque effects on the cathedral organ. Thus it haa come about that many a time Le'had induced her to visit the cathedral by.stealth, where he would play for her the fantastic creations of his own brain, It was-doubtless by design that this fel- low had- studiously kept himself from m observation: When it was 1oo late I rea{- ized-the -savage character of his heart and understood the fearful malady which made him the. central figure of. one of the stran;est tragedies that the world has seen. Kolie's knowledge that she was so unlike other giris naturally made her se- cretive and at the same time developed a very strong self-reliance within her. For all her sweetness, unselfishness and affec- tion she had a will, which, being master- -ful and as yet uncultured, took the form of adesperate_stubbornness that nothing could check. In order for it not to be visible she resorted to secretiveness. It never oceurred to her innocent nature that the strange, savage bellringer cared for her other than as a faithful slave. In- need, his striking dissimilarity to other men was one aF the main bonds that bound'her to him. He had coarse, rebei- lious-hait tinged with gray. Hissunken | rible force that no human agency could re- zontal furrow 1n the skull. His eyebrows were stiff bristles, long and shaggy, and underneath them his small and exceed- ingly sharp gray eyes burned and blazed with a shifting luster. His heavy jaw and coarse lips were partly hidden by a ragged growth of hair. Altoether, his aspect was ferocious and forbidding, and a student of morbid conditions would at once have rec- ognized the terrible things that lay hidden and suppressed in his nature, to break forth'on sufficient provocation with a ter- strain. This uncouth, slouching, night-haunting figure exercised an influence over this young girl that no one suspected, so care- fully Jaid were his plans, so clear bis under- standing of - her character and so sly the method of his procedure. It is not diffi- cult to imagine that when the childhood companion of the beautiful girl reappeared on the scene the suspicion, cunning and ferocity of the bellringer were roused to renewed vigor and activity. As for the young man, whose name was Charles, he nursed his aching heart, mis- | taking for mutual antipathy a mere lack | of undeveloped sympathy. When he had | thoroughly come to understand ihe strange | W -IS-OMNIPOTENT- [ ORROW which his mother had laid, the young man entered the cathedral. He was ig- norant alike of the two women who stood with beating hearts behind the portiere leading 1o the vestry and of an egually silent and stealthy aunditor who crouched near him behind a bench against the organ rail, where, fingering the keen edge of an ancient sword which he bad taken from the King’s armory and sharpened for this night’s work, he held a bandkerchief to his mouth to smother the rasping breath that whistled in his windpipe. The two women. had quietiy let them- seives into the cathedral through a private entrance and had made no sound that dis- turbed the throbbing ears of the bell- ringer, and he was as ignorant of their presence in the vestry lobby as were they of his in the organ loft. The young man was accompanied only by a faithful ser- vant who came to pump the organ. The night was moonless, but the stars shone with a fine brilliancy, and their light, sifted through the high stained windows, filled the vast and solemn chamber with a_radiance so gentle that the definition of allobjects was vague and uncertain. Eolie had embarked in the adventure artly through lack of fear jong banished gy similar escapades in the past with the beliringer, partly through idle curiosity and partly in hope that her old friend was really a genius of the order she loved. Hence her anticipations were keen and anxious. Every nerve in her exquisite organization was eager and alert. Her lips dumbly framed a fervent prayer for the fultiliment of her hop As thus she | stood absorbed and waiting, the hard, shrewd woman who accompanied her ac- knowledged to herself that she had never seen a picture so radiant and beautiful, so full of grace and sweetness. The first note stole soitlv through the edifice. Others followea; the great un- conscious struggle with fate had begun. The strain upon the anxious mother was severe. Though herself having neither ear nor soul for music, she had believed her son when he had told her that he had composed a masterpiece that would send his fame ringing throuzhout the earth. As he progressed steadily into the heart of his composition she stood with bated breath anxiously watching the dimly seen face of the radiant maiden beside her. To her unspeakable dismay Eolie, at first eazer and transfixed, soon began to relax and shrink within herself. A moan of disappointment escaped from her lips. She was listening merely toa wretched jumble of incongruous commonplaces, in which outlandish harmonies were mis- from the stool and they rolled together to the floor. She whispered her love, but there was neither voice nor pressure ix re- sponse. She sought the handsome face thatsbe might rouse it to consciousness and recognition with her kisses. A warm, sickening fluid covered her lips. . . She found that ner lover’s head had been sev- ered and was gone. After that the doors of an asylum for the insane closed upon the history of the beautiful Eolie. OHILDREN OF PRESIDENTS. A Daughter of Andrew Johnson Still Living in Teunessee, The living representative of the blood of President Taylor is the daughter of Jeffer- son Davis, although Miss Winnie Davis’ main source of pride is in her title of “Daughter of the Confederacy’’ more than in the fact that her grandfather was in the White House. Report says' that the breaking of the engagement between Miss Davisand a prosperous business man in Central New York was bronght about by her fiance’s objection to the publicity which goes with such popularity as the handsome and attractive Southern woman enjoys. Mrs, Davis, who is her constant companion, is her stepmother. Mrs. Davis was the rich New Orleans woman, owner of “Bevoir,”” a fine estate in Mississippi. She was a fervent admirer of Jefferson Davis, and made a will leaving her large property to him. He decided to.occupy the estate before the death of the widow, and so he married a second time. Mrs, Davis has written a biography of her hus- band, but on account of the failure of the vublishers, Belford, Clarke & Co., the en- terprise was a very costly one for her. Robert T. Lincoln is the only surviving child of his great father. He was married soon after the assassination of President Lincoln to Miss Mary Harlan, the daugh- ter of Senator Harlan of Towa. Harlan was Secretary of the Interior under Lin- coln. Robert Lincoln has been successful. In his position as Secretary of War during he "administrations of Garfield and Ar- hur, and as Minister to England, under Harrison, he has been greatly aided by the social talents and popularity of his charm- ing wife. The sad death of bis promising son, Abraham, has cut off his branch of the family from a continuation of the family name. : The two daughters of the family are in- teresting women. Mary, who is the wife of Charles Isham of New York, has a fine boy 3 years old, who bears the name of Robert Lincoln Isbam, and who is as full of promise as may be in one of his tender years. 2 £ Jessie Lincoln, the other daughter, is 19, very attractive, very inteliigent and a good musician. Robert Lincoln is a Har- ot {- Ve il @ EOLIE STOOD LISTENING TO THE CTTIER S T B 22 iyl - [Sketched by a “Call’ artist.] UNEARTHLY MUSIC, current in which Eolie's musical taste flowed he unconsciously turned his own attention thitherward, with no intelligent purpose in the act. He studied Wagner, Liszt and Grieg, and forced an unnatural belief in his mind that they really opened up a wonderful vista in musical conception. He could not realize that their productions were utterly and irreconcilably antagon- istic to everything in his nature, and yet, like one who in grief or despair turns to hashish for relief, he saw in the music of those masters, not the true philosophy which inspired it, but a confusion of fan- tastic, unwholesome and intoxicating pic- tures. It was upon this intoxication that his neture, urged by something which he could not define, fed gingerly at first and then ravenously. The result was that he eventually pro- duced a composition of his own, which, in his opinion, contained the essence of all the element§ that had fascinated Eolie. He practiced it unceasingly on the cathe- dral organ, mever suspecting that two burning gray eyes watched his every movement and expression with unflagging patience, haired and vindictiveness. What thoughts may have forced themselves through the dark and deformed mind of the bellring‘evr will never be known to mor- tal man. e can infer nothing except what was indicated by the fearful denoue- ment. - Charles’ mother was aware of her son’s actions, for it was necessary to his weak nature that he should have a confidant, and that the keeper of his trustshould be & woman. She was strong, able and diplo- matic. Why shonld not her son aspire to become the husband of a Princess? True, from her point of view Eolie was merely a willful, selfish creature, lacking in the wholesome graces of womanhood, and alto- gether unworthy of the respect of well- regulated persons; but it is something to be mother-in-law to a Princess and in time mother to a Prince Consort, with the reins of a great Government held securely in hand. As for Eolie’s vagaries, the severe discipline of a mother-in-law would be sufficient to chip their wings and prevent their soaring. . Tbis able woman knew that her son was in love with the Princess, that he was un- aware of the fact, that be had turned bis attention to strange music for the uncon- scious purpose of winning her affections and that he hoped by his production and execution of this composition to accom- plish that end. With all tact she encour- aged her son, getting closer and closer into his confidence. With infinite skill she let Eolie into the secret by degrees without the knowledge of her son. At last, after tedious intriguing too wearisome for the telling, she nrmnged with Eolie to visit the cathedral with her on a certain night when Charles, who had now mastered the difficult technique of his com position, would be able to play it successfully, and so, un- wittingly, make the finishing stroke, #arebead was deeply creased with tl}ori- 1 All unconscious of the innocent plot taken for the expression of wild emotions and furious passages resembled the bur- lesque ravings of a clown. The mother's heart sank within her. All at once, however, a wonderful change came over the playing. It waslike Eassing instanuy from a ballroom into a | attle. The inane echoes of the common- places to which they had been listening were smothered in the remoter angles of the cathcdral by a grand outburst of pas- sionate music_such as no_ear had ever heard before. Memories of Liszt and Grieg were crowded out by the less sane but immeasurably more appealing strains that now sprang full-armed and terrible from the bowels of the organ. Eolie’s sttitude was now that of un- speakable rapture. This music was the quintessence of all for which Eker soul had Keamed—wns the full, rich meat that fed er svirit so unstintingly where Liszt and Grieg had only tantalized it with morsels that did not satisfy. Thus she listened for an indefinite time to this wonderful rhapsody, laving and gorging her soul in its rich, unearthly barmonies. Her brauty assumed the character of her inspiration; it was inde- scribably radiant and uplifted. While the mother was regarding her with triumph- ant satisfaction a stealthy figure slipped through the portiere and brushed her skirts in passing. It was that of a man with rebellious ~bair, shaggy brows and gleaming eves. In one hand he bore a sword, in the other an unnamable thin that transformed the mother into ice. It was no larger than a man’s head, and though the light was dim, its resemblance to that object and to a particular one most precious in all the world to her made the mother sink senseless to the floor as the crouching figure disappeared into the deeper rear recesses of the church. 8till Eolie stood listening to the un- earthly music, which now was growing wilder, less coherent and fainter. From the creation her spirit turned to the crea- tor. Unconscious of the inert form ly- ing shapeless on the floor beside her, she pushed her way past the portiere and ina trance socght the organ loft. Up in thet dark retzeat was all that her nature loved and lorged for, sitting concrete and em- bodied ar pouring out to_her the wild raptures .f that love for which her nature had so bi'ndly yearned. Blessinfi God for the unspeakablée happiness which he had breught into her imperfect and starving iie, she ascended the steps to the loft, hardly Greathing, pressing a hand upon her stifling heart and constantly whisper- ing thanks and praises to Almighty God. Bhe approached the organ seat. Her lover’s form:—her own lover's, now and forever—was faintly discernible as she neared it. It was swaying unsteadily just as the music was becoming disorganized and unintelligible and soulless. With no thought of the maidenly modesty that ‘was so strong a part of her, she threw her arms about the playerin a transport of love at the moment when he was toppling | through the male descendants of President vard man and a successful lawyer in Chi- cago, The name of Johnson gained no luster Andrew Johnson. His three sons—Charles, Robert and Andrew—never took life in a serious way, and their lives were short and of little signiticance outside of a very narrow sphere. The ?rommem figure among the John- son chfldren was Martha. She was mar- ied in 1857, at the age of 20, vo Judge D. | T. Patterson, a man much older than her- self, who was prominent in the politics of the time and who was sent to the Senate from Tennessee. Mrs. Patterson was lady of the White House during the adminis- tration of President Johnson, and was a graceful and popular hostess. Her father left her by will a large estate near Green- ville, Tennessee. er husband retired from politics and spent his last day on the farm which has since been the home of his widow. Mrs. Patterson’s chief delight and care is in the little grandchild, whom she has had with her since the death of the child’s mother—her daughter Belle. Mrs. Patterson’s son, Andrew_ Johnson Patterson, holds a_consulateship at De- merara, British Guiana. He is of an esti- mable character, but is lacking in am- bition and individuality. . Mrs. Patterson has always exerted the influence of a strong and beautiful charac- ter. Her father found in her the attrac- tive feminine qualities that he appreciated in the daughter, and she took the place that his_sons should have taken in the. serious affairs of the family. She inherited ~DEAD BIR® BOUT sixty years ago various processes of copying pictures were brought to practical perfec- tion. These consisted of steel, copper and wood engraving m:\d lithography. Since then nearly every pic- ture that was ever painted has been repro- duced and scattered all over the world. Aside from religious and patriotic subjects, which have certain interests for certain peoble regardless of pictorial merit, it is not hard to conclude which pictures have been most popular with Americans. Not the esthetically cultivated Americans, but the people who make up the bulk of popu- lation of our land. Most of the originais of the pictures that can be found in three-fourths of the Amer- ican hames to-day were painted between forty and fifty years ago. They are all pictures with a powerful sentiment and the demand for reproductions of them is greater to-day than ever. These are not pictures that our artists rave over for their technique. There are no ‘Nocturnes,” “Crepescules” or “Sym- phonies”” among them. Nor are thereany examples of the impressionist school. But the pictures the American people have taken into their homes will live when all the others sre forgotten. Why? Princi- pally because they tell some sort of a story. There is something in them that appeals to the people and puts them in sympathy with the picture. There are nearly thirty of these pictures that can be bought at al- most any art store in the land, and the demand for them shows no signs of abat- ing. How many pictures painted these davs will be ever known, except to con- noisseurs, fifty years hence? The pictures that bave been popular in America for the last haif century cer- tainly show us asa highly moral Nation in artistic taste, at least, for most of them are as pure assnow, and those that may depart from this high standard are either conflicts between animals or some joily carousal of good-natured feilows. There never has been a vicious or pernicious pic- ture popular in the United States, although plenty of them have been offered for sale, and there were no laws aganst them until late years. This is in strong contrast to France, where the mosc popular picture is “Leda and the Swan.” Only a brief mention can be made in this article of the pictures that have held the hearts of the American peopie for over forty years, and a glance over them will recall to mind many old friends. The most popular picture in America to- day, if not in the world, is Sir Edwin Landseer’s ‘“‘Midnight Call,” but all of Landseer’s pictures have been popular ever since the first engravings of them were brought to this country about sixty years ago. Landseer's work is masterful in drawing and color and as full of senti- ment as anything of the old masters. ‘What human being could look upon even an engraving of the “Midnight Call” and not be impressed. As alandscape alone it would be immortal. What beauty there is in the solemn glory of the silent winter night. The distant ice-covered mountains stand sharp against the deep, cold sky filled with glittering stars, and the inky depths of the lake send off clouds of mys- tericus mist. In the foreground the sur- face of the snow ghstens in the pale moon- light and throws the powerful, di nified form of the elk into strong relief. At least ten of Landseer’s pictures are popular with all classes in this country. “There Is Life in the Old Dog Yet” is a tragic incident of the huminF field filled with a sentiment that appeals toeverybody. ‘The Monarch of the Glen’ has a constant sale as well as ail of the others that are so well known | that no mention of them is necessary here. Marine pictures have beeu surprisingly goplflll‘ in this country. Those by Turner ave held the palm for the Jast half cen- tary, “The Canal in Venice” being the most in demand. Thousands of copies of this picture are still sold annually. In the same class are Stanfield’s pic- tures. They were painted about 1855 and have had their share of public favor. His beautiful picture of “Lake Como” has been a source of constant pleasure to mil- lions of people. His “Portsmouth Harbor” and “Making Port” are also still in great demand. ‘Who has not seen and admired Sir Joshua Reynold’s ‘“Age of Innocence?”’ It has been painted about 120 years and is constantly growing in vopularity. The picture of ‘“Mme. LeBrun and Her Daughter” has always been a favorite with toe American people. It is certainly a magnificent piece of painting and the sentiment of the work is tender and pure. The picture of Countess Patocha, painted by an unknown artist, has been a public favorite ever since it wae put on the market. It is known to be about 150 years old and it is held in favor simply by the sweet expression of the face. About the year 1834 “The Truant” was painted by J. Webster. It was not en- graved for many years, but has held the original still holds the place of honor. “The Broken Window," by W. H. Kmght, and “Stepping-stones,” by Wetherington, are gxcmrcg that for many years were used in the public-school books. ™ Engravings of them are still in demand, but not as much as formerly. The most popular picture ever painted by a woman, and also one of the first to be engraved, is “God’s Acre,”” by Miss Os- born. She painted it in Germany in the lutter part of the '50’s and it sprang into fayor in this country just after the war. It 1s aistinctively a’ German subject, but the sentiment in it appeals to all. No knowledge of art is necessary to make the beholder sympathize with the two little girls who are braving the blizzard to lay | flowers on the grave of some departed loved one. This appears to have been Miss Osborn’s most important picture, as further trace of her cannot be found in'art history. It may be that she married and painted under her new name, although such is not customary. The “Children in the Wood” is the title of a painting by John Thomas Peele, painted in England about 1850, that has never lost favor. The sentiment of the work is most pleasing, although the exe- cution is not what it might be. Peele was born in England in 1822, but came to est hold on the American taste, and more- of the reproductions of their Works are sold in this country than those of all the other nations put together. R _With the exception of a few patriotio Flcmres American artists have done very ittle in the way of catering to the taste: of the people. Very few of their work: have ever been popular, and to-day there- W is no demand for any except compara- « tively new pictures. The artist Inman once psygm.e & picture called ‘“Mumble’ the Peg’” that can still be seen in many -! homes, although it might be difficuit now to find a copy on sale. “There is not much sentiment in this work, but the two boys at play make a pleasing picture. “The 01id Oaken Bucket” held the public taste for awhile, but is mighty scarce now. The reproductions of the works of French, German, Spanish and Italian painters have been almost entirel(fv sold to- people who are highly educated on art matters. PRESERVING BRADDOCK'S ROCK. ‘Where the British General First Landed in America. A movement has been started in Wash- ington by the Sons of the American Revolution for the preservation of Braddock’s rock on the Potomac, where | the British first landed in the district. The historic spot is in imminent danger of being covered by the dumping of refuse. Braddock’s rock is upon the site occun- pied by the British and provincial troops. in April, 1765. The British troops landed there from their transports, the Sea Horse - and the Nightingale, and 'there pitched their tents on Aprii 14,1755. It1sa matter of tradition that Washington, then an.- | officer of Virginia colonial troops and later | atd-de-camp “to Braddack, was camped | also on this very hill, and was so im-" vressed with the beauty of the site and of | the surrounding country that he was sub- . “GOD’S ACRE” BY MISS E. OSBORN. The Most Popular Picture Painted by a Woman. America when quite young and got most of his art eaucation in the wilderness on the shores of Lake Erie. He spent the last years of his life in London. The great portrait-painter, Gainsbor- ough, has produced two pictures that live in the hearts of the American people, al- though the subjects are distinctively un- American. ‘“‘Cottage Children” depicts two little tots in rags, but they have sweet faces that lose none of their charm in the reproduction. It is somewhat difficult to conceive why the American people should bl“y portraits of the “Duchess of Devon- shire.”” beautiful woman with a kindly face, but that hardly seems to be reason enough for the sale of thousands of copies annually for a period of forty years. The list of popular pictures might be continued, but those mentioned are enough to give an idea of the taste of our people. It will be seen from these that the most popular pictures in this country have been painted by English artists, who seem to have the ability to paint simple subjects so that they can be appreciated by the people of every nation on the face of the globe. It may be that the most of those who bought these pictures did not know that they were the works of English artists. Most likely they did not care who painted them. They bought them because there was something that Kleased them. They could see more in “The Soidier's Dream® and “News From Home” than in a fine piece of technique. Allof which goes to prove that “‘art has no country.” There is no disputing the fact that the American people want the pictures of the And yet American paint- English school. To be sure it is a picture of a | sequently led to choose it for the lacation of the National capital. Thisis the very spot which he, in_1796, designated as the location for the University of the United States. Braddock’s rock has been known by this name ever since the time of Braddock’s departure, and is still so known by old in- ‘hugilnms of the vicinity, among whom are several who remember when it was touehed by the waters of the Potomac, since diverted further southward. In the report of the Washington Astronomical Observatory for 1871, appendix No. 4,is a reference to Braddock's rock under this name, and to the fact that it was from this point that Braddock marched toward Fort Duquesne. It is also recorded here that Colonel Peter Force, the well-known antiquary, during his lifetime, repeatediy. fiointed out this as the rock on which raddock’s landing was made. Further authentication can be found in Braddock’s journal of this expedition.—Buffato Com- mercial. ———————— Jenny Lind Sang for Him. Edward V. Eccles, the veteran musi- cian, who died within the past week at his home on North Thirteenth street, was fond of telling this anecdote of his youth: “It was about the beginning of the war,” heinvariably began. “I was:then a clerk in a large music-publishing house on Chestnut_ street. One day a well-dressed, quiet little woman entered the store and asked me to show her some music of a classical nature. We struck up quite.a conversation, in the eourse of which I asked her if she had heard the great Jenny Lind, who was then the talk of the President Johnson’s brill iancy in conver- sation, and even now, while she leads an almost excluded life, and is a rhenmatic invalid, she is by no means lacking in in- fluence. She has outlived her sister Mary, who was three times married. Her first husbaud was Daniel Stover,a rich and prominent man. After his death she mar- ried W. R. Bacon. Her son, Andrew John- son Stover, lives in Carter, Tenn., and is a. helpless invalid.—Chicago Record. e Helped the Fish Over a Dam. Water in the Des Moines River at Des Moines is higher than for three years past, and millions of fish have come up the stream, having been able for the first time in several yearsto pass the dams below the city. The big dam here effectually barred “their further progress, and great shoals of small and large fish swarmed be- low the dam. A large_number of sports- men went to the dam with seines and nets, and even buckets, and tossed thousands of the fish over the dam into the calm waters above. It is estimated that 1,000,000 fish, “ THE MIDNIGHT CALL,” BY SIR ED fayor of the public ever sinca it was the market. ‘‘The Woodland Gate, Collins, has also been a favorite tha stantly grows in populanty. “The Woif and the Lamb” was painted by W. Mulready in 1848 and was followed by many others that have never been lost sight of, Constable produced his “Valley Farm” in 1849, and althouch it was typi- cally English in characier it has always been a favorite in American homes. It is acknowledged to be one of the finest land- scapes ever painted. In the year 1850 three pictures were pro- duced that at once became famous and ut on ¥ by J. t con- mostly small, were helped over the dam in the last two days. It is the first time that any considerable number of fish have been placed in the waters above that city.—St. Louis Globe-Democrat. e ————— The crocodile hears remarkably well and has the rudiment of an outer ear. bave never lost favor. The best known is, berhaps, ‘ Blindman’s Buff,” by Sir David Wilkie, Lady Godiva,” by S. Jones, and ““The Tired Soldier,” by Good- all, are both still in great demand. i‘he“Dud ‘Robin,” by H. Thompson, inted in 1852, is a picture that has been mitated by dozens of artists, but the WIN LANDSEER. The Most Popular Picture in the World. ers as a rule condemn British pictures as “bad art.” These men copf the tricks and fripperies of the French school and wonder why they cannat sell their pic- reproductions of the works of English painters. Nor does the American taste show any lar modern picture in this country to-da; is ‘‘Wedded,” by the late Sir Frederi: Leighton. mand. *“Wedded” is similar to other tures that have held the public taste. painting is perfect in execution. tures, while the American people are spending millions of dollars annually for disposition to change, for the most popu- 1t has been painted about ten yearsand engravers and publishers still have all they can do to supply the de- ic- £ It is a picture with a classic background, but with a sentiment that is always modern. In this case the sentiment is presented in a pure and beautiful manner and I_.Ee The other British painters also have the great- town. She laughed and said, ‘Oh, yes, T have heard her. Have you? 'I told her that I hadn’t had that ‘pleasure, and that I had very little prospect of hearing her, the price of admission was so high. She laughed again, and then she handed me a song she had picked out, and asked me to {flpy the accompaniment for her while she ried it. She sang so beautifully that I played like one in a dream. When she had finished she thanked me, and with a rare smile, she said, ‘You cannot say now that you have never heard Jenny Lind! She thanked me again and left me dum- founded.””—The Philadelphia\Record. ————— In the American civil war one out of every sixty-live men was killed, and one , in each ten wounded. In Napoleon’s # early wars one out of each twenty-eight® was kllled,'und in the early British con- flicts as high an average as one death to each nineteen engaged 1s reported.