Newspaper Page Text
Times bsvs changed since the da; i
when Sidney Smith naked who rend an j
American book. Now tho London Globe ■
speaks of “English and American liter-
ary classics."
Tho carrier-pigeon serrico in Paris i»
now moat carefully organised, and tho
lntost census showa that thcro are 2,600 !
trained birds, which cantuko despatches
in and out of tbo capital in tho roughest
Weather. Somo are taught to go to tbo
neighboring forts and towns, others to
distant parts of tho provinces.
A recent project among astronomors is
beginning to tako deflnito shape. The
French Acndomy of Sclcnco proposes
holding an international conference in
Paris next Spring to arrange for tho
preparation of a photographic map of
tho entire heavens, this great work to
be simultaneously carried forward by ten
or twclvo observatories scattered over the
whole globe.
Tho Oestcrmyra and Uleaborg Rail
way, sanctioned by the Finland Parlia
ment in 1882, was iluishod and opened
for trafllc recently, Uleaborg, on tho
Gulf of Bothnia, where tho terminus is
situatod, is in latltudo 03 degrees N.
The railwuy is about 200 milos long, and
is a single lino. It cost about $4,000,-
000, und is the most Northorn railroad
in tho world.
An interesting utid Instructive review
of the Southern iron trado Is given in the
New York Tribunt by its correspondent
of other days, Mr. Z. L. White, late of
the Provldcnco Star. Millions of capi
tal lmvo gone into the business, nnd mil
lions more nro going into it every year.
Eighteen now furnaces nro building in
the region now, nine of which are la
Birmingham.
Tho latest exploring crazo takes tho
form of a plan to attempt tho discovery
of tho South Pole. A vast amount of
corrtspondanco concerning tho mattor
has taken placo, and tho plnn is to send
out nn international expedition in 1883.
Savants pretend to know that in that
particular year the Antarctio Ocean will
bo comparatively nnd unusually freo
from ice, and it is hoped that tho secret
of the poles which tho north has so de
fiantly and successfully defondod may bo
wrested from tho south. Tho scheino
will probably end in fresh loss of life,
with tho usual scant returns.
It is reported that Armour A Co. of
Chicngo, tho lnrgost manufacturers of
bogus butter, liave sont out their agents
to various oity markets, und by paying
tho tux for tho retail doalors in oleo-
margarine have secured iron-clad con
tracts from tho small dealers that thoy
will buy only from Armour A Co. This
is similar to tho systom in England,
where gront brewers pay tho taxes of
public houses and saloons, on condition
that they purchase thoir alo and beer
only from thoso paying the tax. Tho
oleomargarine men fight hard to preserva
thoir “industry.”
An important agricultural improve
ment is announced by tbo London Timet
in tho introduction of a now sort of
potato. The origin of tho disastrous
potato rot is said to lio in the inability
of the potato from tho Andos, which grows
nnturally in a climato where ram is
almost unknown, to ndnpt itsolf to tho
wet soils of our lovols. It was believod
that it the potato could bo propagated
from a spo<ics indigenous in a marshy
soil the evil might bo remedied, nnd tho
experiment might bo inndo of raising
potatoes from a species found by Dar
win growing wild in tho Clionos Archi
pelago in Bwninps. Whether tho theory
will now stand the test of practical ex
perience of coursu still remains to bo
proved, but if it will, tho advantage is
cue of very decided importance.
Tho enlargement of tho Suez canal, a
project often discussed aud now deter
mined upon, marks au important epoch
in tho world's aoramercc. Tho success
of tho canal from every point of view
was established years ago, nnd it was
becoming nluiost as urgent a question
how to cope with this success as in the
case of tho elevated railroads In this
city. It has now been resolved to ma
terially enlarge tho capacity of tho canal
by broadening it, and unquestionably
the great expenso involvod in the under
taking will be more than mot by tho in-
creased trulUc thereby mado possible. It
is a question how far a successful canal j
or ship railroad across the American
continent would affect tho future of tho
Suez canal, but the outlook for a Pana
ma canal is not hopeful enough to enuso
much anxiety to stockholders ill tlieriv.il
route. And, in any case it is to be pre
sumed that the ordinary laws of trado
would build up a business in proportion
to tho facilities, however greatly they
might bo increased.
| The late King Alfonso of Spain is not
i yet officially buried, although he lias
just been dead a year. According to
' rigid Spanish etiquetto royal personages
must becomo "mummified” before being
finally laid to rest, und so their coffins
are pluced in a special chnrabcr in tho
rock, where water fulls constantly upon
the corpse until it is completely potrified.
So tho body of tho late king Is still un
dergoing the process.
A dispatch from tho City of Mexico
I informs us that tho brutal nnd degrad
ing sport of bull fighting, which for
years has been prohibited at tho Mexi
can capital, is again to bo liconscd
thcro. This announcement goes with
otlior items to show a reactionary senti
ment in Mexico that bodes no good to
that rcpublio. Civilization and bull
fighting do not mix. But perhaps wo
ihould not cast a stono at our neighbor
so long as we tolerate ‘Slugging” as a
national amusement.
The Boston Cultivator uvorsthat "tho
benefits of farmers’ clubs nro so grent
that ono should bo organized in every
rural neighborhood. Tlicso local clubs
may not bo widely hcrnldod or thoir
reports publishod in tho papers, but
they may prove evon more useful to
their participants than more pretentious
organizations. A local 1ms tho advan
tage that each member knows his neigh
bor and his methods of farming. There
is littla chance in thoso for theorists to
air thoir views with popular applnusc,
while all tho neighborhood knows wall
tliut their fine theories nro often flutly
contradicted by tho practica of tho
most slovonly nnd unfarmorliko meth
ods."
Two Boe Stories.
A painful instance of tho terrible con
sequences of provoking bees is connected
with ono of tho loveliest sights in India,
tho famous Mnrblo Iiocks of Jubbulporc.
Thoso rocks form a gorgo through which
tho grent river Nerbudda flows, and tho
mnrblo formation extends for about a
mile. Tho dazzling wulls which shut in
tho river nro studded with pendent bees'
nosts, nnd for any ono proceeding in a
boat down tho narrow channel to disturb
tho bees is a fatal proceeding. If auy
warning were required, it is given by a
tomb which stands on tho outskirts of
the villago just above tho gorge, to tho
memory of ore who was stung to death
in this beautiful spot. Actuated by n
foolish impulse, be fired his riflo at ono
of the nests, whereupon tho bees came
down on him in such numbers that ho
attempted to save himself by jumping
overboard. The relentless insects, how
ever, s.ill pursued him, with fatal re
sults.
. A friend once told mo that as ho was
driving near a villago somo milos fro.n
Jubbulporc, ho and his servant and horse
were attacked by bees without any ronl
provocation. Tho enemy crowded round
in such numbors that tho situation be-
camo serious. After receiving several
■tings, aud finding tho horse, too, be
coming restive, my friond resolved to
snvo his own lifo and that of his scrvnnt,
both of which were really in jeopardy,
nt tho risk of a littlo discomfort to other
people. Accordingly, ho whipped up
his horso nnd raado for the village, a
cloud of bees keeping up with tho trap
without the least effort. When tho vil
lage was reached, the bees, as my friend
anticipated, found so many other objects
of interest, that they distributed their
attentions with less marked paitiality
than hitherto. In other words, tho
cloud left the trap nnd scattered among
tho villagers, who were, however, so
numerous that two or threo stings apicco
probably represented tbo total damage.
Tho expedient was not, perhaps, a
charitable one, but in tho circumstances
was, I venture to tliiuk, justifiable.—
Chamber* Journal.
Legal Lore.
Kosciusko Murphy recently passed his
examination, and is now a member of tho
Austin bar. His strong card it in getting
tho truth out of witnessos. Tho follow
ing is a sample of his system of crosi-
exutniuntion.
“Are you a married mini''
“Nn, sir; I am a bachelor.”
“Will you please tell this court and
jury how long you liuvu boon a bachelor,
and what were tho circumstances that
induced you to becomo ouot”—Tex u
Siftings.
A Rein tly for Ills Cold.
! "Why, Joe, that's an awful cold
you’ve got. I’ll tell you what to do.
Take a lemon ’’
‘‘Bill, you value my friendship, don't
you?”
“Why, of course I do."
“Then forbear. Leave i^o alone with
my cold. I’vo had 130 rusScdios bue-
gesto 1 to me, aud I’ve nfljP'go: a block
from home yeti"
MINT MATTERS.
The San Francisco Mint tho
Largest In the World.
A Worn Out Carpet that Yielded $3,300
When It was Boned.
' The mint at San Francisco is tho larg
est in the world. It has done, in its
time, tho largest business of nny mint in
tho world. In tho fiscal year ending Juno
1 30, 1878, there was coined at this mint
' $84,007,600, of which $41,030,600 was
gold; in the same year tho Philadelphia
: mint only coined $22,733,819, of which
,$10,802, 800 was gold. In the fiscal year
ending Juno 30, 1886, tho total gold
| coluogo of tho Unitod States was $24,-
801,128, of which San Franciseo coined
$20,867,600. Philadolplda and Now
Orleans coined most of tho silver, ap
parently because it was thought well to
givo the mints at those places something
to do.
A comparison of tho colnaga of tho
mints of the world will show how few
of thorn approach San Francisco in the
volume of the gold coinage. Tho fol
lowing are the figures for the last fiscal
year:
Countries.
Mexico,
Great Britain,
Germany,
Austro-Ilungary,
Sweden
Spain,
Russia,
Bsn Francisco,
Gold Coinage.
$ 83a,0,18
11,300,811)
13,703,494
1,244,9.6
1,023,430
4,988,004
10,840,548
20,857,500
How "the Mint" of the Unitod States
came to be located at Philadelphia ia a
story of provincial jealousy. Whon
Philadelphia lost tho seat of govern
ment her people refused to bo consoled,
and were mutinous in their temper. To
pacify them it bccumu necessary to givo
them something, and the Mint was fin
ally settled upon as tho peace-offering.
In point of fact it is sadly out of place.
There is no silver or gold produced in or
noar Pennsylvania. Philadelphia is not
a great center of trado liko New York.
Tho bullion which is converted into
coin at tho Philadelphia Mint either
comosfrom tho West or from Now York.
It would bo much simpler to coin it
near the place of production or at tho
placo of distribution. But whenever it
is proposed to movo tho Mint Pennsyl
vania is up in arm-. They regard it os
tho patlaiium of their sovereignty. The
only thing the Governmont can do is to
keep the Philadelphia Mint going on
odd jobs, but to do tho real coinage of
the country at San Francisco.
This city has always been usod to a
metallic currency. Long before the
United States hod a mint hero Moflitt A
Co. coined $5, $10 nnd $60 pieces for
tbo convenience of tho people, and they
obtained a general circulation. Whon
the Mint was established the Unitod
States money drovo out McUltt’s money,
and it fell to a discount of 10 to 20 per
cent. People would not tako his fivc-
dollar gold pieces for more than $4, or
his eagles for more than $8, though his
coin was 1,000 fine, and tho United
Statos only 900. But in all civilized
nations tho power of coining money is
rognrdod os nn nttributo of sovereignty,
and people could novor feel certain that
at some timo or other Moffitt might not
debase his currency.
Perhaps tho most curious feature of
mint is tho care which has to be taken
to avoid a wastago of gold. Where
enormous quantities of gold are' hauled
about from room to r room, melted and
re-molted, rolled nnd re-rojicd, filed nnd
stamped and chipped und hammered,
thcro must of course lie soma loss by
frictiou. The employes of the mint do
notgreaso their palms,as tho old bankor
did, in order that every time ho received
or paid off u deposit a pieco or two
should stick. But in spite of their ut
most cure somo particles of gold will
float into tho air, and finally fetch up in
tho dirt. To avoid loss from this
source tile most important floors
covered with nn iron grating, which is
only removed at intervals. All sweep
ings, both from those roams and from
thu other rooms which are swept daily,
are carefully preserved and treated like
gravel on a gold bar; that is to say, they
nro washed for gold, with quito satis
factory results. At regular stated
periods nil carpets, gloves, aprons, etc.,
nro burned, and tho ashes carefully
| sifted for gold. Tho Inst carpet which
I was taken up and burned had licen on
(lie floor forseven years; it yielded no
, less a sum than $3300 in gold when it
i was liurncd.—San Francisco Call.
Ho Knew.
1 "Wlmt is more awful to contemplate,”
aid a lecturer, glaring about him, ‘‘than
I the relentless power of the Maelstrom?"
i And a hcc-peckcd-looking man in the
■ rear of tho budding softly replied;
| “Femalcstrom." ‘
An “Odd Fish” Ont of Water.
A story was told tho other day In
Washington about Jim Green of Missou
ri, a “character” of tho unti-bollum days.
Green always made a point of tho fact
that, so far as ho know, ho had never
bcoa to church in his Ufo. Ho had boon
to eamp meeting once, ho said, but hs
did not remember that very well, and he
really had no idea what a church service
was liko. Somo of his colloagucs In tho
Senate labored with him to get him to go
to church just to hear what ho would say
about it when ho got back. It took threo
or four weeks of persuasion, but finally
Green went to church. When he got
back to luncheon at his hotel a large cir
cle of frionds sat solemnly awaiting his
report. "What church did you go to?"
was the first quostlon asked. "I don't
know, I’m sure,” replied Green; "it was
a brown church up on Third street.”
They gathered from this that he had at
tended old Trinity Episcopal. “Well,
what did you think of it?" thoy contin
ued. "O, I'm not n good judgo of
churches,” said Green; "haven’t I told
rou that I never was in a church before
n my life? I don't know anything about
them.” “O, well," they persisted, “what
did you think of this one, anyway?''
"Well," said he, "if you must have it, I
thought thcro was too much reading of
the journal and too littlo gonoral debate.''
—Troy Timet.
An Absent Minded Senator.
A Washington letter to the Cincinnati
Commercial Gazette snys: Some of tho
anecdotes about Sonator Camden’s ab-
sentmindedness are amusing. Tho dny
before his daughter was married to n
young lieutenant in tho army Mr, Cam
den was sitting at his desk writing. Tho
Lieutenant camo in and spoko to him,
and Senator Camden conversed with him
for a moment and tho young man bowed
himself out. Mr. Camden turned to a
brother Senator and said; "I have seen
tliut young man before; do you know
who lio is?" “Yes," was tho answer,
'ho is tho young man who is to marry
your daughter to-morrow." Another
time the Senator received and accepted
nn invitation to dinner at tho house of
Senator Gibson. A fow days afterward
ho fonnd lying on his desk tho invitation
to tho dinner. "Soo here, Frank," ho
said to his privato secretary; "here is an
invitation to Gibson’s dinner. I must go
right up thcro aud apologize to the Sen
ator for not attending. 1 forgot all about
it.” “But, Senator,” said the private
secretary, “you went to tho dinner.
Don’t you romembor I got the carriago
nnd saw you off?" “Why, yes,” ox-
cluimed tho Senator. “I remember now.
I was there. I am glad you mentioned
it. I would havo mado a bad blunder.”
The Mistake* ofLIfe.
Somebody has condensed the mistakes
of life, and arrived at tho conclusion
that thoro are fourteen of them. 'Most
people would say, if thoy totd the truth,
thcro was no limit to the mistakes of
life; that they were like the drops in the
ocean, or tho sands of the shore in num
bers but it is well to bo accurate. Here
then, are fourteen great mistakes: It is
n grent mistake to sot up our own stan
dard of right and wrong, und judgo
people accordingly; to moosure tho en
joyment of others by our own; to ex
pect uniformity of opinion iu this world;
to look for judgment nnd experience in
youth; to endeavor to mold all disposi
tions alike; not to yiold to immaterial
trifles; to look for perfection in our own
actions; to worry oursclvos and others
with whnt cannot be remedied, nnd not
to alicviato all that noedr alleviation as
far as lies in our power; not to mako al
lowance for tho infirmatlcs of others; to
consider everything impossible that wo
cannot perform; to bolievo only what
our flnito minds can grasp; to expect to
be ablo to understand everything.
Let Her IM.
FirstFarmer. “You say you can’t
take forty dollars for that cow?"
Second Farmer. “Can’t do it."
"Bat yesterday yon tolo me yoa’d sell
her for forty dollars."
“I know I did, but Til have to back
out."
“What’s the matter?"
“You see that cow belongs to ray
wife, and she says she will sob herself
into hysterics if I sell her. It would
break her heart."
“All right—it’s no trade."
"Isay."
“Well, what is it?"
“Make it forty-five dollars, nnd we’ll
let her sob.”
To bo Got Without Labor.
“A man can get nothing without la
bor,” said a woman to a tramp who
declined to saw some wood iu exehun -e
for a dinner.
"I know better than that,” ho replied
:.s ho turned awny; "he can get
hungry."
Recompense.
Every summertime, when roses fads,
Fads one more rose.
Every autumn, when the dead leavs fall.
One more loaf goal.
One more bird flies with the flying year.
Fleet-winged and strong—
Leavs another empty nst, whore broofM
Bat echoing-tasw.
But each frost time; when the hsaveat aroh
Gleams cold sad for,
Through tho trembling twilight glooht
ascends
Another star.
Sometime all the rosea will be goo*.
The leaves, all dead,
Fill the paths with heaps of rusty gold.
While overbold,
Only empty nests, forsaken, All
The braoebs bare;
Only songs of wandering minstrel winds
Sweep Toandthem there.
Yet, what matter, Soul? Thy recompense
Look up and see—
Where, with counties stars o’sr-briauns^t
the sky
Spreads over thee.
When no more rarth-muslo sounds, than*
sweet.
Will greet thine ears,
Seraph music wafted down, post tar
Mlst-sllversd spheres.
—Albion M. Fellows fn the Current,
HUMOROUS.
Every miser should have a chest proa
tcctor.
The greatest wag ever known—A wo
man’s tongue.
Men who rnnst draw tho lino somo-
wlierc—Surveyors.
After the sweets of mnrricd life depart
tho family jars rcmuln.
Hostlers are novor on good terms to
gether. There is always a hitch among
them.
“I'll take your part,” os tho dog said
when ho robbed tho cat of her portion of
tho dinner.
If a dealer in gravo-stoncs wero to fall,
somo newspaper would bo sure to rofor to
tho disaster as “a bust in marble.”
An Indian idol has boon discovered la
tho west. This Is not os strange ns if oa
Indian had been discovered nt work.
An ordinary Bmall boy is never so hap*
py ns whan ho is standing under a saft
that is being hoisted to the fifth story.
A butt frog can sit on a bog and crook,
And dive in tbo pool just for play;
But be can’t wag his tail and show his d*>
light.
Because he ain't built that way.
A Michigan woman kicked a bear t»
dentil a few days ngo, and now her hus
band never contradicts anything sho
snys.
Thcro is everything to discourage %
■nan who sells medicines. His best orti
clo is pretty sure to bo a drug on tho
market.
Daughter—Momma, I’m crazy about
this palmistry. Mother—Tho pa mys
tcry I'm crazy about is where your father
spends his evenings.
Misery loves company, and company
causes tho good housekeeper agreat deal
of misery, too, when she hasn’t anything
cookod in the house.
Many n young man who has boon too
bashful to propose to a girl has had hor
father eomo into tho parlor at olevea
o’clock nnd help him out
“Were you over engaged in a duel.
Col. Blood?” “Yes, sir, I was, sir.”
"Did it terminate seriously?” “Yos; X
was arrested and fined $10.”
Women who liavo a habit of turning
round in the street to inspect other wo
men’s dresses will learn with envy that a
fish 1ms been found which has eyes in
tho back of its head.
Wo wish to inform our poetical con-
tributors, remarks a western editor, that
spring poetry will no longer be received
by ub, ns we nro now using steam heat
instead of a stove.
A Cedar Springs, (Mich.,) young man
called on a young woman the other eve-
ning and fell asleep, in his choir with on*
arm around her wniat. Whon he twoko
ho found that he was embraoing a oh urn
aid that tho girl had gone.
“Augustus, dear,” said the gentlO
girl, tenderly pushing him from her ah
tho moonlight flooded tho bay windo#
where they wero standing, “I think you
hod bettor try somo other hair dye; your
moustache tastes liko turpentine.”
Kept Waiting.
“Your resturaut gives a man a good
appetite."
“Glad to hoar you say so.”
“Makes a man hungry to como la
here. ”
“You flatter mo.”
‘‘When I came in I,ere, I don’t lmvo n
bit of appetite, but before I go out I am
hungry as a boar.”
“Why, bow’s that?”
“Havo to wait so long nftcr giving my
ordnrto the waiter I nearly starve to
death."—Lynn Union.