Local Brevities

The coasting on Madison street this winter hits been the best in years. Tho late rains played havoc with the sleighiug, especially on the country ronds. Three carloads of oak lumber from Britton were received by the Michigan Furniture Company last Saturday. t Aretus Dunn, of 49 East Washington street, feil on au icy sidewalk, last Saturday, dislocating his shoulder. Flags throughout the city have been at half-masfc this week, on account of the death of Ex-Secretary Blaine. W. W. Bliss bas sold his billiards business in the Masonic block to S. E. Sheldon, who is now in possession. Taka Káwada, a Japanese, lectured at the Church of Christ, Mondáy evening, on 'The Status of Women in Japan." _ The new abstract flrm of James Kearns & Co. has conmienced business. The first abstract made contained twenty transfers. It takes all the self-gratulation out of shoveling the snow from one's sidewalk whenthe street commissioner has rdered you to do it. Paul Schall took a colored boy named George Hopkins to the reform school, last Friday, in compliance with the sentence of Justice Pond. There will be an important meeting of A. O. H. on Sunday afternoon, at four o'clock, at their hall. Every rnember is requested to be present. Sheriff Kellar, of Oaklaml county, was here last Priday serving subpoenas n the case of Deputy Sheriff Eaton, of Ypsilanti, for shooting Jacob "Grifñn. There was only one of the legislative coininittee that could be induced, last Mday, to visit the dissecting rooms. Ie was accompanied by several of the egents. __ Vett. Armstroiig has been engaged as advance cartoonist for the Univeisity Minstrels. Besides receiving a good salary, his traveling expenses will be paid. The University Magazine for January is an excellent number, and contains portraits and biographical sketches of distinguished graduates of the University. There was a heavy rain on Tuesday evening, and it froze as fast as it feil, forming an icy glare on the sidewalks. For comparatively safe walking everybody took to the streets. The University of Wisconsin has accepted the challenge of the U. of M. to au inter-collegïate debate. The contest will take place at the University on the 31st of March. And now two more "drunks" will peep through the bars for live days each, one being .John Ilerdler and the other John Watt. It was so ordered by Justices Pond and Butts. "Myths and Miracles, or Jesus the Wonder Worker," will be the topic of the lecture next Sunday evening, in the First M. E. church. The morning topic will be "Jesus the llabbi." lleuben Armbruster, of Pittslield, entertained a large number of ladies and gentlemen from thi.s city, last evening, and they spent many pleasaut houis in inirth and song and dance. The mo'utfaly pomológica] meeting will be held at the court house tomorrow aftenioon at two o'clock. Tlie topic for discussion will be general pruning and small fruit culture. A number oí' books oh political science, socialism and politica were received last week iïom Londoii, attbe University libiary. They are being catalogued; un) will soon be ready for use. Mis. Gáyley Brown, of íhis city, at one time a ruissionary to Oliina, addressed the Womau's Foreign Missionary Society of the Fort street Presbyterian church, Detroit, on Wednesday af tem ooii. Mis. S.M. I. Henry, national evangelist of the VV. C. T. U., delivers au adilress at Newberry Hall this evening at 7.-:-!(i. On Sunday moruing at 9:ló she will speak in the same hall on 'Social Purity." A photographer h-om this city has established i branch studio at Hamburg, and is doing a land-oflice busiQ6ss in depicting the human face divine as exeinpliiied in tliat intelligent community. The Aun Albor Rifles will have a carnival at the Palace rink on Wednesday eveuing, February i'i'. The admission lor gentlemen will be fifty cents; for spectators, twenty-live cents: ladies in inask free. The urangements tbr the carnival are in competent hands, ; and au evening of clean pleastire may be anticipated. A memorial service in honor of l'hillips Brooks will be held at the Unitarian cliuch next Sunday morning. Mr. Sunderland will speak on the life, the work, and the inlluence of the great preacher. Rev. Anna II. Shaw, of Boston, will speak in the Unity Club course this evening on "(od's Women." This is the first opportunity ever ofïered to the people of Ann Arbor to liear this distiuguished lecturer. The amount of business recorded at the T. & A. A. depot in this city for last year exceeded that for 1891 by $29,756. It is further worthy of remark that this road neverhas any serious trouble with its employees. Next Sunday morning llev. J. T. Sunderland, pastor of the Unitarian church, will speak on '; Phillips Brooks," which he can the more fittingly do because of having been an intímate friend of the deceused prelate, ■ The incipient January tbaw of Saturday, and subsequent freeze-up during the night, made the sidewalks a glare of ice on Sunday, and the grotesque struggles of pedestrians to maintain their equilibrium were exceedingly amusing. There oecurred a masquerade ball, last Friday evening, at the Freedom town hall, at which about two hundred were present, with forty in mask. Music was furnished by a Saline orchestra. A large number from this city attended. Professor John Fiske, of Harvard University, will speak tomorrow evening in university Hall on "Alexander Hamilton," in the Students' Lecture Association eourse. The professor is one of the most brilliant speakers and writers in this country. The cracking sounds we have heard these frosty mornings may have been caused by the disruption of those resolutions of reformation made at the opening of the new year, whieh in rnost cases have vanished like "the baseless fabric of a dream." The ladies' society of Bethlehem ehurch met last evening at the residence of Mrs. George Walker, on South Fifth avenue. The young ladies society of the chuieli held a meeting the same evening at the home of Miss Anna Dieterle, on West Liberty street. llon. Stephen A.Douglas, of Chicago, has accepted an invitation to deliver the annual address before the law students on Washington's birthday. We expect to see University Hall crowded to its utmost capacity to hear this eloquent son of the "Littlo Giantv of American politics. Those who have not visited the i museum reeently ;will flnd much proveruent in the arrangement of a i large number of the animáis of Michigan. They have been placel in groups or families, so that on e can coinprehend at a g lance what relation the animáis bear to eaeh other. ïhere will be no f nll mooii Uiis month, a thihg that bas not happened beioire in many years. January had two full moons, and April will have two. The cause oí the inability of the moon to get "full" this month may be accounted for by the unusual activity of the temperance people. A body consisting of meteoric irou estimated to weigh ten tons, has been discovered near San Antonio, Texas. The large meteor which recently passed over this locality was steering just about in that direction, and the conclusión is perhaps justitiable that the mass found is identioal with our brilliant but transitoiy visitor. 'Let him that Standeth take hoed lest he fall," was au admonitiion strictly in order last Monday, the sidewalks being a continuous glare of ice. Most people wisely preferred the miildle ot' the street as sal'er for walkitg, even at tlie other risk of being overrun by teams. We are awaiting reports from those who have sat down involuntarily. Welcta Post, G. A. B., has leased the .1. T. Jacobs hall for live years at i nominal rent. ïlie Pust luis now 1O." active members, and in the past ten years thirteen niembers have died. Through the courtesy of the Post the W. K. C. and the Sons of Veterans will occupy the same hall. Comtoander Sessions appointed the standing committees this week. The sophomore hop, last Friday e ening, was a pronounced suceess. The programs were quite elegant, having a beautífully engraved cover. There were twenty-four ivumbers on the program, mostly waltzes. There were iifty couples in the grand march. The majority of the young ladies present were f rom the University, with a niimber from IJetroit, Kalaoiazoo and Ypsilanti. Many of the toilets were quite elabórate, and the decorations simple but in good taste. The names of the ladies acting as chaperones were given in last week's Argns. The third Sumlay lecture on " The Man Christ Jesus" wasgiven in the M. E. cliiirch last Sunday evening. It ctiscussed the social and historical movements of Jesus, his home, his native land, his countrymen, the kitchens, the farms, and the schools of that era. LHiring Sunday night some practical joker hungcrepe Ón the door of a South Main street saloonkeeper. When the proprietor arrived on Mondav morning and sawthe ominous attachment to his front door, he feit in anything but a funereal mood, except that he would have been gratifled to have an opportunity to place the perpetrator in condition tor filling a cheap pine coffin. Dr. Nancrede, of the Medical department, banqueted the members of the Washtenaw County Medical Society at the Hawkins house, Ypsilanti, last Fiïday evening, soine tvventy members being present. The enjoyment lastert until eleven o'clock, when the departure of the inexorable motor eompelled the Ann Arbor doctors to indulge in a final haiul-shake and board the train for home. The Ilobart Guild büliard room, which lias heretofore been open only ;o members liolding annual tickets, will now be opened to all members every afternoon, except Friday, from 'our to six. A charge of ten cents per ialf hour will be made for use of the ;ables. The gymnasium will open Friday afternoons within the same iours as above, exclusively for ladies, who will be in charge of a matron. A bilí has been iutroduced in the legïslature by Representative Glueeklich for the taxation of all real estáte except ;hat used for public buildings of the United States, state, couijty, township, village, city, or school districts. Public ibraries, scientitíe institutions,and the property of G. A. K. Posts are also exempted. Thus churches aud parochial schools would be taxed while public schools would be exempt. The Atchison, Kansas, Daily Champion of January 14 speaks of the death n that city the day before of Orlando 3. Pryer, who was the son of Benjamin and Emeline Pryer of Ann Arbor. VIr Pryer was flfty-eight years old and lad resided in Atehison for a number of years. The Champion says of him, "He was a man of many sterling qualities and had a host of friends in this city.'' Chas. S. Millen, of the firm of Schair;r & Millen, has a record for good iealth that is to be envied. For upivards of sixteen years he has not lost jne hour out of his store by reason of sickness. Wliere is another rúan who 3an say as mach? Mr. Millen is alsvays at his desk when not out of town an business, and there is probaBIy not a more methodical man in his every day life in the city, than he is. - Courier. The Iuland League entertainment for next Monday night, February 6, will consist in a lecture by Professor II. L. Willett, of Betbany College, West Virginia, Ilis subject wíll be "Savonarola." Mr. Willett, who has made a special study of the life and times of Savonarola, one of the reate.st of the early reformera, has prepared a most excellent lecture on the subject. All who have heard it speak very highly of it. The University Minstrels will make their tirst public appearance at Ypsilanti on Washington's birthday, and will play in this city on the 25tn inst., and at Detroit on the 30th of May. l?hey will also give entertainment at Coledo, Saginaw, Grand Rapids and Plint, the dates fov which have not vet )een settled upon'. They are eonsiderng whether to accept an invitation to irive an entertainment in Toronto, Canada. James Kay Applebee, of Boston, spoke Sunday morning and evening at the Dnitarian ehurch. His evening subject was '■John Wesley." On Monday and Tuesday evenings he gave his last two Shakespeare lectures. Subjects, "King llenry V., a Drama of War," and "Shylock, a Lesson of Religious Courtesy and Cbarity." His lectuies given last week drew large houses, and were masterly interpretations of' the two historical plays treated. Tlie f ollowing reminiscence of Jamea G. Blain is furnished by the Washington correspondent of the New Haven Register: Five years ago James G. Blaine having been told of many wonderful predictions by an astrologer (as he ealled himself) consenteel to have his fortune told. Mr. Blaine, it neeil harclly be said. was not a believer in the propbetic powers of the alleged "astrologer," and was inelined to Iangh at those whose gullibility enabled these impostors to exist. Many cornnion-place statements, the story goes. were given by the astrologer, but one impressed itsell' upon the minds Of those to whom Mr. Biaine afterward related the incident. That was that Mr. Blaine would die in 1890, and before the 28th of January. Mr. Blaine's death occurred on Jan. 27, 1893. Dr. Markley's talk Sunday morning at the S. C. A. chapel services was listened to by a good crowd. He'discussed the subject oL "The Religious Life in our American Colleges." He treated the snbject under two heads: "ïhe Religious Life Itself," and the manifestation of this life in the various organizationa of college students, He used Harvard and Oberlin as examples, and contrasted the reliaious work of one with the other. And finally, he spoke of the proper attitude of a Christian man or woman toward religious work in college. The Grand Lodge, F. & A. M. elected the following offlcers last week: Grand master, George E.Dowling, Montague; deputy grand master, William H. Phillips, Menominee; grand senior warden, Edward I. Bowring, Grand Rapids: junior grand warden, John J. Cartón, Plint; treasurer, II. Shaw Noble, Monroe; secretary, J. S. Conover ,Coldvater; grand lecturer, Arthur M. Clark, Lexington; grand chaplain, Rev. George J. McCandless, Mt. Pleasant; grand senior deacon. L. G. Winsor, Reed City; grand junior deacon, James Bradley, Port Huron; graml marshal, J. H. Chase, Lansing; giiind tyler, Alex McGregor, Detroit. A sinall boy in one of the public schools not a thousand miles fron Aun Arbor, was required to write a composition on King Henry the VlIIth. He valiantly tackled the job.and the following was the unique result: " King Ilenry VIII. was the greatest widowes that everlived. Hewasborn at Annie Domino in the year 1066. He had S10 wives besides children. Thefirstwas beheaded and afterwards executed, and the second was revoked. Henry VIII. was sueceeded on the throne by his grandmother, the beautiful Mary Queen of Scots, sometimes called the Lady of the Lake, or the Lay of the Last Minstrel." On February 17, 1882, the late James G. Blaine delivered the formal eulogy npon President Garfleld in the national louse of representatives, of which the ollowing is the closing paragraph. In eading it one tenderly inquires if the great statesman himself in his dying noments feit on his brow "the breath of the eternal morning-' and "read the mystic meaning which only the wrapt and parting soul may know." Here are the words which few but himself could have so well chosen: "Gently, silently, the love of a great people bore ,he pale sufferer to the longed-for ïealing of the sea, to live or die, as God should wil!. Within sight of the heaving billows, within sound oí its manifold voices, with wan, fevered face, tenderly lifted to the cooling breeze, he looked out wistfully upon the ocean's chauging wonders and its fair sails whitening in the morniDg light; on its restless waves, rolling shoreward to break and die beneath the noonday sun; on the red clouds of evening, reaching low to the horizon; on the serene, shilling pathway of the stars. Let us think that his dyiug eyes read the ïnystic meaning, which only the rapt and parting soul may know. Let us believe that in the silence of the rèceding world he heard the great waves breaking on a farther shore, and lie. feit already npon his vvasted brow tlie breath of the etenial morDÍDg."