Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 81, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 June 1899 — [??] [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

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The reported sudden and frightful death of the gypsy Rigo, husband of the Princess Chimay, from the bubonic plague re-

calls the frightful ravages of the same dread disease in previous years. Not since 1879, however, has there been an outbreak of the plague i on European soil. As' far back as the third century there are records of the ravages of the plague in almost all parts of the civilized world. After 1665 the plague was not known as an epi-

demic in England, though in 1664 there were 70,000 deaths from it in London alone, out of a total population of 460,000. In France in 1720 a total of 60,000 people were carried off by the plague. The last outbreak of the plague on European soil was in 1879 in a settlement on the banks of the Volga river. But the plague has by no means lost its terrors, for in 1896-7 it carried off in India 170,000 people. The plague is often fatal in a few hours after the victim is attacked. There has never been an outbreak of the bubonic plague in the United States.

Instead of being Duchess d’Arcos, the wife of the Spanish minister might now be Mrs. Admiral Dewey, which Americans

at least will regard as a prouder title. The duchess, who is American born, was Virginia Lowery, a Washington belle. Dewey fell in love with her, as did the future duke, then Count Brunetti. Miss iLowery’sfather thought Dewey was a bad match, and did not want her to marry the 'count because he was a

foreigner. She gave the Spaniard a vow to marry no one else, refused Dewey, and years afterward her father relented, when the count was made a duke and was made minister to Mexico.

Viola Olerich has been astonishing Lake City, lowa, people by her precocity.

She was adopted by Prof. Olerich when she was a few weeks old. Prof. Olerich has long cherished the theory that the customary methods of training childrenare wrong, and he has invented a system of blocks, pictures, etc., for home use. Little Viola is the first pupil under the new system.

Though but 2 years and 3 months old, she reads, calculates hard problems and “knows 3,000 nouns.” She “knows” the names of all the States and capitals and “is versed in physiology, botany, astronomy and other sciences.” She is perfectly healthy—as rosy as a rose itself.

Barry McCormick bids ftiir to become the star second baseman of the National League. He is practically a man without

an error, a remarkable record, taking into consideration the number of chances he has had. In the second game in St. Louis he made a misplay that approached an error, but the majority of the scorers let Barry have the benefit of the doubt and gave the batter a hit. In his first

fourteen games this season he accepted the twenty-four chances offered him. His batting average is .288.

The Duke of Abruzzi has left Rome for Norway en route for the polar regions. His royal highness took leave of the king

and other members of the royal family, who all wished him good lack in his expedition to the north pole. The duke will leave Franz Josef Land for the far ‘ north immediately. The preparations for the expedition have been completed. The royal explorer thinks

his voyage will occupy two years. He has high expectations of the scientific results of the expedition and is sanguine of finding Andree. The home of Walter R. Dinmore, in San Francisco, is suffering from too many relatives-in-law. Mrs. Dinmore has

brought suit for divorce, and Mr. Dinmore is suing half a dozen relations for $50,000 for damage to his business, and will I ask for another $50,000 for his wife's affections. One sister-in-law persisted in mak-

ing her home with the Dinmores, entertained entirely too many visitors, and gave too many pink teas. Then she devoured sentimental novels, and persuaded her sis. ter that she was unhappy.

"OTSJSStt*

RIGO.

DUCHESS D’ARCOS

VIOLA OLERICH.

M’CORMICK.

ABRUZZI.

MRS. DINMORE.

SHOT BY THE FILIPINOS.