Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 March 1878 — PERSONAL AND LITERARY. [ARTICLE]

PERSONAL AND LITERARY.

—The Kentucky House of Representatives has voted SIO,OOO to build a monument to Breckinridge. —Measurements of 1,500,000 American white men give 5 feet 7 J inches as the average.— Dr. Foote's Health Monthly. —Peter Royal, of Lee, Me., is 110 years old, has a daughter who is eightyfour, and two sons, one eighty-two and one eighty. —Senator Withers’ son, of Virginia, is the first victim of base-ball this year, having been struck on the head with a bat slung by a player who was in a hurry to make first, receiving serious and probably fatal injuries. —Mr. L. W.» Coe, one of the members of the Connecticut Senate, allowed himself to be elected with the odd proviso that whenever his business demanded his time he should be given leave of absence. He has accordinglywithdrawn from the Senate and will sail for Europe in a few days.— N. Y. Evening Post. —George Ladd, a mathematical prodigy whose performances have for years excited the wonder of the citizens of Brattleboro, Vt., died recently at the Poorhouse in that place. If given, for instance, the number of miles from Brattleboro to Washington or any ot her point, he would immediately and accurately give the number of feet and inches. He had never received even a common school education. —At South Hadley, Mass., the following story is told of Senator Kellogg, of Louisiana, of what happened years ago when he was working at his trade there: He belonged to a militia company, a good many members of which had become very tired of drilling. Various plans were suggested of getting rid of the duty-, and finally the suggestion of Kellogg that everybody chosen to office at the approaching election should decline was thought to be just the thing. But when the time came and almost everybody had refused the Captaincy and Kellogg had been chosen, he very coolly accepted the “ unexpected honor” with thanks. —The little brown cottage in Springfield, 111., in which Mr. Lincoln lived before he went to Washington, still remains almost as he left it, furniture and all. It is related that it had at first but one story, and that Mrs. Lincoln for many years unavailing’y teased her husband to raise the roof, At length she seized an opportunity when he yyas attending court in an adjoining town to employ- workmen and have the half-story added, windows put in, paint put on, all completed—save payment of bills—before his return. Coming up the street, he comprehended the situation at a glance, but, feigning bewilderment, and pretending not to recognize the old place, he walked past as if searching for home, till his wife—who was watching behind the shutters — called after him: “Abrim! Abrim!”