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GENERAL JOUBERT. COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF BOER ARMY. He Is a German-American by Birth and Once Led ft Force That Annihilated an Army of British Redcoats. As commander-in-chief of the Boers, in South Africa, Gen. J. J. Joubert is the man who may be called upon to as sume the task of trying to whip the English forces In battle. Gen. Joubert is an American, having been born In Uniontown, Pa., in 1841, and few men have had a more picturesque career or know so much about the relation of the Transvaal to the Swaines. When 14 years of age he left this country and went to Holland. His taste for war was always keen, and when the rebel lion broke out he came to this country and served under Gen. Weitzel. After the war he returned to Holland, and later went to South Africa, When the rule of the English became intolerant to the Dutch of Cape Colony and Cape of Good Hope, and many of them went north to the Transvaal, Gen. Joubert went with them. After he had assist ed materially in driving out the wild beasts, conquering the savages, settling the country, discovering and develop ing the diamond fields, the English suddenly discovered that they had a claim to this far-away country. He •*' / m Y/, iiiiii ;i z2i m // 4 Uli 4 S A mm w w GENERAL JOUBERT. was only a plain Boer, or farmer,when his fellow-subjects determined to resist the British. In 1881, at the head of a handful of Dut'ch farmers, be met the British army at Majuba Hill and put it to flight after great slaughter. This secured liberty for the Boers, and they accordingly look upon Gen. Joubert, now vice president of the South Af rican republic, as the Washington of their country. Gen. Joubert visited this country in the latter part of 1890 !for the purpose of arranging an exhibit at the world’s fair for South African products. While in New York the Hol land society arranged many receptions and dinners in his honor. A BIG UMBRELLA. One of the novel attractions of the forthcoming Parisian World’s Fair is to be a gigantic umbrella, which will shelter 30,000 people. So many (people have met with the unpleas antnesses incident to a sudden fall of rain when attending an exhibition, and 'have tried to crowd into the already flver crowded refuges from the storm, ! that the idea can hardly fail to meet with approval. It is to a Frenchwoman, Madame Percha-Giverne, well know in the gay cap.tal for her inventions in parasols and walking-sticks,that Paris is to owe this gigantic umbrella. It will be more than three hundred feet in height, and will he supported by a metal column, the base of which will be more than one hundred and twenty feet in diameter. The covering will be four hundred and fifty feet across, and -will be decorated with designs in col ored glass, which will serve at night to illumine the exterior and interior with electric light. The inside of what may he termed the handle will be divided into four stories, three of which will be under cover, and the fourth above. In each of the covered stories there is to be a cafe. Concerts and theatrical perform ances will also be given in these build ings. On the fourth floor a restaurant sheltered by a movable cupola, will be under the management of one of the principal firms of Paris. It has already been engaged by this firm. Comfort able elevators will convey visitors to the top. Whence Cam© the Japanese. The people of Japan have shown such adaptability to European ideas that particular interest attaches to the conclusion of a writer ln the “Transac tions” of the Japan Society that the ancestors of the present inhabitants of Japan built the sepulchral chambers called dolmens in that country. No similar dolmens are found anywhere in Asia until the search comes westward to the shores of the -Caspian sea, “and for more closely allied forms it is nec essary to go yet farther to Western Europe.” It is shown that the orig inal inhabitants of Japan, the Ainos, were driven out by invaders from whom the present inhabitants are de scended. Picnicker’s Delight. It is always a new sandwich filling. Here is the latest, the delight of sum mer picnickers. It is compounded of grated cheese, whipped cream and the crispest, most tender ceiery stalks— none other will answer. Ohop the celery very fine, mince it, in fact, and chill on ice. Add the cheese as a sea soning just before the whipped cream is lightly tossed with the mixture to he spread on dainty, crustless squares, oblongs and triangles of thin bread. COURT HISTORY. Published Kverjr Pew Centuries In ths Flowery Kingdom. The Chinese court historian's wort doe-s not see the light until the reign ing dynasty comes to an end. In this way these Celestial historian have an opportunity to describe most truthful ly the virtues and vices of the various rulers, and the real significance of the events which take place during their regime. They can write what they please without fear of censure, for they know that their work will not be published as long as the reigning dynasty lasts. This has been the rule for more than 2,000 years. The duty of these historians is to write a plain account of all the events that occur during their tenure of office. At regu lar intervals their completed work is taken from them, and is locked up in an iron safe or vault. There is remains until the first member of a new dynas ty ascends the throne. It is then given, with all the other histories in the vault, to the court historian who is then living, and from the mass of documents he is expected to prepare a truthful history of the dynasty which has just expired. The present dynasty has been reigning since 1644, and con sequently no court history has been published since that date. ABOUT BERNHARDT. Mme. Bernhardt gives the following account of her admission Into the Con servatoire: "Auber was present, and asked me: ‘Your name is Sarah?’ ‘Yes, sir.’ ‘You are a Jewess?’ ‘By birth, sir, but I have been baptized.’ ” Sarah then recited two verses of “Les Deux Pigeons,” and was'interrupted. "That will do; you are admitted.” Then came the business of selecting the right class. Beauvallet declared for tragedy, Regnier for comedy, Provost for both, and Sarah selected both, and thus de voted herself simultaneously to the culture of the two muses, Melpomene and Thalia. It seems that at first the future queen of the stage did not care for it in the least. Above all she hated her daily journeys to and fro in the omni bus, “and to this day I detest promis cuous assemblies and miscellaneous crowds.” Mme. Bernhadt next assures us that she was never able to win a first prize at the Conservatoire, only a second, and that but once, and for trag edy. After a year's study at the Con servatoire, Mme. Bernhardt passed into the company of the Theater Francais, and made her debut in Racine's “Iphi genie.” She writes: "My arms were so long and so thin that when in the scene of the sacrifice I uplifted them before the altar the house burst into a roar of laughter and I was mortified to tears. I next played Valerie in Scribe's play of that name, with Co quelin as Ambroise, and I was success ful. But even then I could not over come my innate dislike for the stage. I never put foot inside the theater ex cept for rehearsals and performances.” In 1879, as all the world will remem ber, Sarah Bernhadt went to London for the first time, appearing in “Phe dre.” She at once established her po sition in that country and was not only a success on the stage, hut the “lion ess” in chief of the London season, every fashionable hostess seeking the privilege of her acquaintance, and no party was considered complete with out her presence. STRIKES A POPULAR CHORD. State Senator John Ford, of th. nineteenth district of New York, came into unusual prominence a few weeks ago through the passage of a bill pro posed by him, under which valuable franchises are to be taxed as real es tate. The importance of the measure may be reckoned from the fact that under its provisions fully $1.5,000,000 a year will be added to the income of the state from the tax levy. New York city will be the beneficiary to a very I 4 m 7 A \i SENATOR JOHN FORD. large extent, The necessity for cer tain amendments to the measure was the occasion for the calling of an extra session of the legislature by Governor Roosevelt. Senator Ford Is still a young man, and has been known in New York city politics for less than seven years, Already, however, he is being talked of as a possible candidate for the mayoralty, all on the strength of the franchise tax measure. A Picked Nine. There was a game of baseball the other day at one of the local hall parks between a local team and a picked nine. A clerk in one of the dry goods stores got the afternoon off and took his girl, who was not a connoisseur of a ball game. In the second inning the ball came skipping into the grand stand and the umpire called "foul.” “Say,” said the wise girl, “why did he call that ball fowl? I didn’t see an? feathers on it.” “Didn’t I tell you that It was a picked nine?” he replied. AUTHOE OF BEN BOLT THOMAS ENGLISH IN HIS EIGHTIETH YEAR. 4Tonr Daughters and Two Sons Lighten the Last Days of the Llterateur and Statesman—lie Tells the Story of a Great Song:. Thomas Dunn English reached the age of 80 on Thursday, June 29. This statement takes an additional signifi cance when the fact Is recalled that Dr, English is the author of the most popular ballad ever penned by an Am erican, and that long before most of us were born be bad won an International reputation and was engaged in direct ing literary bombshells at Edgar Allon Poe. He now lives in delightful re tirement in Newark, N. J., but can look back at a career that has com passed at times the vocations of law yer, physician, poet, Journalist and pol itician. That he has achieved credi table success in most of these lines of mental activity compels the convic tion that he might have mounted high er had he given his energy and ability to one thing only. Dr. English, who was born in Philadelphia, was an only child. His father died in his early boyhood. "When I was 6," said he to the writer not long ago, “I could read and write, at 8 I was at the head of the class in the private academy where I was educated. I was endowed with a remarkable memory, and was that little honor, a show boy. But Wil son, the master, was cruel. The rod was never out of his hands. Then Dr. English paused to repeat these two well-known lines: "And don’t you remember the school, Ben Bolt, With the master so cruel and grim.” ".Those lines,” the doctor went on, “came to me as a reminiscence of that schoolmaster. I have never forgot ten him. That hatred of tj r ranny and injustice which has always tieen my strongest trait began thus early. I mm % m, % 5% 47 7A mm, % 7s V\ fl 44 fl |l Vi \' / Vj y d m V/, ■ i * THOMAS DUNN ENGLISH. could not stand his uncalled-for pun ishment,-so one day I went fishing and I fished on for a week. Wilson com plained to my father of my truancy. I explained how brutally I had been treated, and wound up by saying to my father that I would not go back, and that if forced to return I should try to kill Wilson. I never went back, but was sent instead to a Friends’ academy at Burlington, N. J.” Then Dr. English told of another school, and the facility with which he acquired Greek and Latin, This was his preparation for entrance into the university of Pennsylvania, where he took his medical degree in 1839. Al most immediately thereafter he began the study of law and was admitted to the bar of Philadelphia in 1842. Mean while his literary career had begun. “I had made verses very early,” said he, “and of course wrote bad ones. Once I dropped into the contribution box in the United States Gazette of Philadelphia, when Joseph R. Chan dler was editor, the copy of some verses. It was printed, properly tick eted ’T. D. E.,’ and oh, how I chuckled! I was then 15. I wrote more verses. I somehow had what might be called a fatal acceptance, and was constantly finding my way Into type. One fine day a song was printed, and there ap peared my verses arranged to music. Then, Indeed, I thought I had been launched.” As a matter of fact, Dr. English was already recognized as a writer of promise when, in 1843, Nathaniel P. ■Willis, who, with George P. Morris, had lately revived the New York Mir ror, wrote to the young medical prac titioner, whom a chronic throat trou ble had forced to abandon the law and who was pursuing literature as a pas time, asking for a sea song which he thought would help the venture along, “I started a sea song,” said the doctor, “but stuck before I got half way through—a not unusual experience with those who set out to write poetry to order. A few days later, falling into a reminiscent mood, I produced four stanzas and a half of something else, patched on a few lines of the unfinished sea song and ‘Ben Bolt’ was complete. I sent-It to Willis with a note telling him to burn It if It did not suit him, and that I would send him something better when more ln vein. I did not give the song a title, and signed only my initials, I thought so little of it.” "Willis was pleased, with the song,” continued the doctor, "and published it with some prominence In the New Mirror of Sept. 25, 1843. To my sur prise it won quick popularity. It was copied, without credit, ln the English papers, where of course it was as sumed to be of British birth. After I saw it in print it occurred to me that the song would go well to music, and I spoke to several composers about It, but they all told me that It wouldn't sing. I thought it would and took the matter into my own hands by writ ing some music for the words myself. However, my music did not become so popular as that coupled with it by Nelson Kneass, son of a celebrated actress of the period. It was in 1846 that an English barn-stormer, having seen the lines in an English newspa per, recltectf them to Kneass, who was in need of a song. The latter prompt ly adapted an old German air to the song and sung it in Pittsburg in a mel odrama called “The Battle of Buena Vista.” In 1879 Dr. English took up his residence in Newark, where he was in turn associated with the Morning Register and the Journal, and where in 1890 he was elected to congress. He was re-elected two years later over men who were generally regarded as being much more "popular” than the doctor. SMOKES CIGARETS. Since the beginning of the summer season residents in the vicinity of the Mexican embassy have been surprised to see a beautiful young woman emerge from the embassy smoking a cigaret. She dresses in light summer attire and is invariably attended by an escort. During her walk she continues to smoke and seems entirely unconscious of the attention attracted, and goes through all the graceful manipulations of the cigaret in a fascinating manner. Her escort does not smoke, but de votes all his attention to the fair daughter of the land of the cactus. The woman is Senora Perez, the wid owed daughter of the Mexican ambas sador and Senora Aspiroz, and her es cort is her eldest brother. The cigar- Jr W !/ > <■ / A. SENORA PEREZ. ets Senora Perez smokes are product of Mexico and her way of smoking them is so distinctly Mexican that no one could possibly object to it. Enough to Stop It. Customer—I could not make the watch go to save my life. Did you have to do much to it? Jeweler—Oh, no; we took that picture of your wite out of the case, that was all.—Answers. Chestnut Flour. In France among the poorer classes the absence of flow Is replaced by the chestnut, which is dried and ground. HE SUCCEEDS DINGLEY A NEW FACE FROM MAINE IN NATIONAL CONGRESS. Charlefl K. Uttlefleld Recently Klected ln Second Diatrlot Started I.lfe as a Carpenter— One© Attorney General of the State. Charles E. Littlefield becomes the successor of Nelson Dingley, Jr„ as the result of the second congressional district of Maine. Starting life in the role of carpenter, he became successive ly lawyer, representative and attorney general. This shows the inherent power of growth which has character ized him. Mr. Littlefield was born at Lebanon, York county, Maine, on June 21, 1851. He obtained his education at the high school at Week’s Mills, and at home under the tutelage of his father. At the age of sixteen he took up the carpenter's trade. Rigid economy enabled him to go to Rockland In 1874, and study law in the office of Rice & Hall. In 1876 he was admitted to the Knox county bar, hav ing passed a perfect examination. Gen eral J. P. Chilly was aseociated with him in the practice of law for a time, and Mr. Littlefield’s eloquence soon brought him a rich practice. Later he took his brother, Arthur S. Littlefield, into partnership. His ability as an orator naturally led him into politics, 1 4 I! % 7/M hi ,i ' % m 8 m ! Jlh [/ ppif * CHARLES E. LITTLEFIELD. and his career in this line- began with a term in the common council. In 1885 Mr. Littlefield was chosen to represent his district in the state legislature, and upon his re-election two years later he was -unanimously chosen speaker of the house. The hardest political battle he has fought resulted in his election as attorney general of the state. In the caucus preceding it he defeated F. A. Powers, of Houlton, by thirty votes. With the exception of Thomas B. Reed, Mr. Littlefield was the youngest attor ney general the state had ever had, and during Lis term he carried to a successful conclusion much litigation of importance to the state. Among the most important cases was that of the state against the Grand Trunk road for taxes, which the lower courts had decided adversely to the state. Mr. Littlefield gained the victory in the Supreme court of the United States and secured over $200,000 for Maine. He was made chairman of the Maine delegation to the Republican conven tion of 1896. In the latter assembly he seconded Thomas B. Reed’s nomina tion, and by refusing to abandon his candidate he alienated some of the political powers of his state. Pretty Re B uiar. ,« The reliability of the law of aver ages is strikingly shown in the carry ins* of the mails between London and New York. This service has been in the hands of an American line of steamers. The returns to Parliament for the year 1894 indicate a remarkable degree of regularity. The distance from St. Martin’s-le-Grand-—the site of the London postoffice—t*y way of St. Paul’s churchyard and Blackfriars Bridge, to Waterloo Station and thence by rail to the ship’s side at Southamp ton, is eighty and one-half miles; from the dock at Southampton to the pier at New York, the distance is three thousand and sixty-nine nautical miles and it is assumed that the New York postoffice is half a land mile farther— total distance, three thousand six hun dred and thirteen and one-half statute miles. The mails carried by the City of Paris and by the City of New York, respectively, cbvered this great dis tance, on an average, outward from London, in seven days, six hours and fifty-five minutes, while the inward journey to London was made, on an average, in seven days, six hours and fifty-six minutes. This regularity was secured against all Setentions in the crowded streets of the two cities, the difference in sailing routes across the ocean and the chances of fogs, storms, and icebergs on the Atlantic. JSusiness Announcements. Sometimes advertisements are funny enough to deserve gratuitous circula tion. The following are from England, but they will be appreciated by read ers in this country: Two menageries arrived in a border town, one of which was under the management of Signor -, and the other under that of his wife, traveling respectively on their own account. Here they decided to unite their forces, and the fact was intimated on the bill thus: “Owing to the arrival of my wife, my collection of ferocious wild animals Is considera bly augmented,” This was the work of a foreigner. It is thought to have been fairly outdone by a native who hung out the following from a traveling ex hibition of waxwork: “The public is invited to see Her Most Gracious Maj esty, Queen Victoria, in waxwork, as large as life, and other curiosities.” DICKENS' “EDEN." American Vi llano H« Hurt l n Mind In “Martlji Chaizlewlt." The place Dickens had in mind when he sent young Martin Chuzzlewit to the highly-advertised city of Eden, and where his chief character, as well as hundreds of other men whose names are not celebrated ln story, met wiu such great disappointment, was a scattered settlement situated on the Mississippi river, called Marion City, a. village which, if it had attained to the importance designed by those who urged the project, would have been the greatest city known to the ancient or modern world. Lots in Marion L.i.y were disposed of at a premium, and many esteemed themselves very for tunate if able to obtain ground there. In the spring of 1836 the first event occurred which was destined to event ually cause the total abandonment and destruction of Marion City. The great Mississippi, swelled by heavy rains and melting snow, rose to an unusual height, and completely flooded the town. People became disgusted with the place and began to leave. Several years later the village was almost de stroyed by a great fire, A terrule wind storm visited it and unroofed many houses and completely tore oth ers to pieces, and when, in addition to this, the river again rose to a great height higher, in fact, than ever be fore or since—people hurried from it in precipitate haste, and today the site looks exactly as the great novelist de* picted it. DEATH OF AN AUSTRIAN ACTOR The V ienna Imperial Court theater laments the loss of one of its most fas cinating members—Emerich Robert,, second in popularity only to Adolf von Sonnentha], who has just visited the United States. Like Von Sonnenthal, Robert was by birth a Hungarian and native of Budapest, his real surname being Magyar. Born in 1847, Emerich Magyar came to Vienna at the age of 9 to pursue his studies at the Acade mical Gymnasium. Here he soon dis tinguished himself in the German classics and for his extraordinary declamatory talent. On the sly he would attend, unknown to his teachers and parents, a small suburban theater —Prince Suikowsky—and here, taking the name of Robert, while still a boy, be was engaged to act in minor parts. Persuaded at 17 that the stage was to be the field of his career, he became a pupil of the eminent court actor, Lew insky, famed as one of the most emi nent of Austrian reciters. It is un questionably Lewinsky that Robert owed much of his ekrly success, and, encouraged by his master, Robert pre sented himself as a candidate for the Stadt theater to the famous intendant, Laube. “You seem to have a deal of talent,” said Laube, at the end of a rigorous examination, “but as to en gaging you, no, I could never do that, for you are far too ugly. You blink with your eyes, and, besides, your face iss too board.” Although Robert subsequently developed into a hand some man, in his hobbledehoyhood his appearance was not prepossessing. After much hard study he next tried his fortune in 1SG5 at Zurich, where he met with defeat, but on May 1, 1866, he became famous as Arnold in “William Tell.” Elated with the thun dering plaudits of the audience he had infatuated ringing in his ears, he re turned to the boarding house where he was staying. “Herr Robert,” said the Swiss householder, his landlord, sternly, "I visit the playhouse once a year, on Schiller’s birthday, to attend the performance of ‘William Tell.’ Annually this visit has been a source enjoyment to me, hut tonight it was I no sucl1 thing, for whom should I dis cover on the stage but you, Herr Rob ! ert . 1 have always regarded as a respectable man. I admit to my ! bouse only men of the highest respect ability, and little did I imagine that I U , ... ! ,w f: > £ ft v 3/1, m w 7 /Z .) r EMERICH ROBERT. harbored an actor, Go and seek ac commodations elsewhere, for I cannot and will not give you shelter, even for a single night." Manufacturing Fog. Among the means of protecting fruit trees against frost, practiced in Cali fornia, is the production of fog by a generator in the form of a wagon, in vented by Mr. George F. Ditzler. The wagon carries a sheet-iron tank, the upper part of which is filled with wet straw, or similar material, kept moist by the automatic injection of water from a cask, while near the bottom is a grate upon which tar is burned, a blast, operating by a revolving fan, serving to maintain the combustion. All the heat is compelled to pass through the wet straw before reaching the air, and in consequence the wagon is buried in a dense fog, and as it pass es between the rows of low trees, it envelops them in a mist so thick that the driver is frequently compelled to lead the horses.