As to the probable date and occupation of the floor, it may be observed that the site of this pavement was near the center of the western Roman town.  It is near the Jewry Wall, that is, near the military station and fortress.  It was obviously the principal house in the place, and as clearly, therefore, the residence of the Praefectus, the local representative of the imperial power of Rome.  The Roman occupation of the district began with the propraetorship of Ostorius Scapula, A.D. 50.  He was succeeded in 59 by Suetonius Paulinus, who passed through Leicester from the Isle of Anglesea when the insurrection under Boadicea broke out.  In the service of Suetonius was Julius Agricola, who was elected consul and governor of Britain about the year 70.  He is commonly described as a wise and good governor, who introduced the arts of civilized life, taught the natives to build, and encouraged education.  He left Britain about the year 85, and from that time to the decline of the Roman power is but about 300 years.  We shall not be far from the truth, therefore, if we assign this work to the time or even to the personal influence of Agricola, 1,800 years ago.—­London Times.

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Some time ago we published the fact that the Empress of Germany had offered a prize of $1,000 and the decoration of the Order of the Red Cross to the successful inventor of the best portable field hospital.  Wm. M. Ducker, of No. 42 Fulton St., Brooklyn, sent in a design for competition.  A few days ago Mr. Ducker received notice that his invention had won the prize.  Another instance of the recognition of American genius abroad.

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THE BARBARA UTTMANN STATUE AT ANNABERG, SAXONY.

The question whether Barbara Uttmann, of Annaberg, Saxony, was the inventor of the art of making hand cushion lace, or only introduced it into Annaberg, in the Saxon mountains, has not yet been solved, notwithstanding the fact that the most rigid examinations have been made.  It is the general belief, however, that she only introduced the art, having learned it from a foreigner in the year 1561.  The person from whom she acquired this knowledge is said to have been a Protestant fugitive from Brabant, who was driven from her native land by the constables of the Inquisition, and who found a home in the Uttmann family.  However, the probability is that what the fugitive showed Barbara Uttmann was the stitched, or embroidered, laces—­points, so called—­which are still manufactured in the Netherlands at the present time.  It is very probable that the specimens shown induced Barbara Uttmann to invent the art of making lace by means of a hand cushion.

[Illustration:  Barbara Uttmann, inventor of hand cushion lace.]

Very little is known of the family of Barbara Uttmann, which was originally from Nurnberg; but members of the same migrated to the Saxon mountains.  Barbara’s husband, Christof Uttmann, was the owner of extensive mines at Annaberg, and was very wealthy.  She died at Annaberg, Jan. 14, 1584.