GOSSIPY ITEMS.

Bush Advocate, Volume I, Issue 73, 23 October 1888, Page 2

GOSSIPY ITEMS.

(From Home Papers.) "Wedding trips in. a canoe are the latest fashion in the United States. The Athenceivm understands that the following is to be the title of Sir Morell Mackenzie's new work — viz., "The Fatal Illness of Frederick the Noble." The Duke of Westminster has divided twenty-five acres of land into quarter-acre allotments, which he has let to one hundred mechanics and labourers. The scheme is a great success, every allotment having been takon up. The Duke charges £5 por acre rent, which covers tithes, rates and taxes. A sister in law (ft Lisz.t has just died at the age of seventy-five at Temeswar. She was so poor that the expenses of her funeral had to be borne by the municipality. A woman is the keeper of a lighthouse at Michigan, a post which, she has occupied for a quarter of % century, - ;

■ : .*-».,. v. i.' . .... „'.■ ..■■..•".• — ' -,- " * : ; .rV:CiJKe;iEin^piyisionof the National ' Association, for Journalists hasapproved, of , the admission of -properly qualified lady journalists to membership. . ; Miss Ormerod, the entomologist, " estimates, the inroads of insects /this year upon the crops to be so serioud that they have caused a deficiency of at least 33 per cent. v The chief depredators are the plant Hoe or aphides, but a new pest has appeared in the beet carrion beetle, which, makes a clearance wherever *ft goes. "Miss Ormerod also says that if the sparrows are allowed to drive 'away ihe martins and the , swallows we shall suffer dreadfully, as the wheat and other crops will tKen suffer more from insects which these birda %^uld have, demolished. A bone; cave; hais been discovered in Deiys^re, near Bfassington, and midway between .Matlock and Wirksworth, which has been examined by ; Dr Cox and Mr A. Cox, of the Derbyshire Archaeological Society, and by Professor Boyd Dawkins. The results are considerable, and it is intended to apply to the British Association for a grant towards further excavations. -.-..-iA. doctor who Was present at the exhibition of the phonograph at the iPresß;&ub was, ho says, very much interested with the proceedings on professional grounds. Hei thinks the instrument can be utilised for recording the results of sounding on the chest, and that great advantage would .accrue, from bring able to compare " the v sounds recorded at various fames. • ",'-■;' Saratoga springs is being treated to a. ?f sensation "by George Law, an eccentric , jTew.' York millionaire, ■- who I 'has 'given all Jiis club friends presents of ; expensive' j ewels to the amount of .many thousands of pounds .'." His i passion Has been to make a gift to every friend he met of axing the value of £100. He has an income of £50,000 per annum, one half of whichhe expends in presents at his. annual visit' to Saratoga. Fashion papers are stating that "Blackbirds, large and small, will be greatly worn as hat trimmings this winter;"' Let the Selborne Society take .note; let ridicule, sarcasm,; kindness, . or any .other means be employed to prevent this cruel waste of beautiful life. Let greats ladies, from princess downwards^ agree not to appear wearing such barbarous and savage " adornmenti" Scientists tells us that at early period in the history of the universe what is now the sun had not its present form, but that its elements existed as a diffused nebular mass. At that period there was only diffuse light, but, as development proceeded, the nebular mass became condensed into what we now know as, the sun, which ministers, so much to r the light, and life of our planet. . An American expert declares that he knows of at least six hundred counterfeits' of the old masters which are now hanging in private galleries in the United States, and all of whioh were originally purchased in Europe at very high prices. That cats have often been pets of distinguished persons, the world well knows, and it now learns that to the list of cat lovers must be added those celebrated contemporary writers, Mme. Judith Gautier, Francois Copp4&w and Leconte de Lisle, who, we are told, all work with these favourite animals beside them. No doubt, it is Pussy's quietude of posture and air of thorough {content which N attracts the literary, mind, on which, very * possibly, they have a soothing influence*