Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 December 1877 — Page 1

gpte fljtmocmtU A. DEMOCRATIC NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY, BT TAMES W. McEWEN. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. One copy one year AI4W One copy six month* I.M One oopy three month*.. M Or* Advertising rate* on application.

NEWS SUMMARY

THE WAR nr THE BAST. Advices through Turkish channel* report a signal victory for Suleiman Pasha, he having captured Elena, a Russian position about twenty miles southeast of Tirnova, taking 5,000 prisoners and six cannon. Russian acoonnts'acknowledge a defeat, with heavy losses, at Elena. A Paris correspondent publishes a letter from a person holding a position of trust connected with one of the highest personages of the Ottoman empire declaring that the Turks are hopeless of suocess, and as soon as Erzeroum is taken and the Adrianople road threatened they will treat separately with Russia, and oede the free passage of the Bosphorus to the Russians rather than permit them to advance ou Constantinople. The Turks are trying desperately to relieve Osman Pasha's army, which is cooped np in Plevna. If the Czar’s army, which has surrounded it, forces it to surrender, the road to Constantinople through the western passes of the Balkans will be open. Huleiman Pasha, whose base is the powerful fortress of Shumla on the east, is operating with a relieving army against the Russian force nnder the Emperor’s son. If he can break it, he hopes to strike the army which invests Osman Pasha at Plevna. Huleiman Pasha has about 85,000 men, and the Russian force which he is assailing numbers, perhaps, 60,000, A Constantinople dispatch says : “ Ohaza Mukhtar Pasha's army numbers 25,000 men. This is considered insufficient to hold Erzeroum. Reinforcements will be sent him.” Mchemet Ali has ooniided to Baker Pasha (Col. Valentine Baker) command of a division. It is officially announced that the Russian loss between Nov. 10 and 17 was 3,153 men. The total loss since the commencement of the war is 74,858 men. The strength of the alliance between the three Emperors is daily becoming more apparent. During the oarly part of the summer campaign in Bulgaria it was the fashion for English papors to aasumo that Austria was friendly to the Turks and jealous of the encroachments of the Russians upon the D&uubian provinces. But that favorite illusion has long since been dispelled, and now, according to the latest advices, au uneasy feeling is becoming apparent in London lest the settlement of the Eastern question may be made in a manner unfavorable to English interests.

GENERAL FOREIGN NEWS.

The loading bank of Valparaiso, South America, has failed. Liabilities, .12,000,000. A London dispatch says the steamer Mizpah collided with an unknown vessel in the British channel, and both went down. Only ono man is known to have oscaped. The steamer European mil on a rock, during a fog, off the French ooast, and sunk in ten minutes. All the passengers and crew escaped in the boats.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

TCuwt. A savings bank at Concord, N. H., has failed ; depositors will receive 60 or 70 per cent. John 11. Burleigh, ex-member of Congress from Maino, and President of the South Berwick (Me.) National Bank, was killed last week by his horse shying off the bridge over Salmon Falls river. The National Exchange Bank, of Troy, N. Y., has collapsed. The New York police are arresting the sa-Joou-keepersof the metropolis by the hundreds for violation of the excise law. Destructive lire at Millerstown, Pa.; large number of stores burned ; loss estimated at 1200,000. West. Frank Rande, the outlaw, has at last revealed his name, which is Charles C. Scott. He says his residence is at Fairtield, lowa, where he emigrated with his parents in 1869, when 12 years old, from Washington county, Pa. He says his first crime was that of burglary, committed at Ottumwa, lowa, in 1871. A dispatch from Bismarck states that Deadwood, in the Black Hills, is besieged by hostile Sioux, and that the whites are in imminent danger of massacre. Troops had been ordered to move from Fort Lincoln, Standing Rock, and Fort Snelling on foroed marches. The German National Bank, of Chicago, Henry Greenebaum President, has closed its doorß. The bank has assets enough to pay its creditors dollar for dollar. Miss Alvina C. McKee, of Chicago, refused to pay her rent. She was sued by her landlord, and judgment for 142 obtained. Constable McElligott went to the house for the purpose of seizing Alvina’s furniture. Alvina, Justead of yielding up the goods, drew a revolver and Bhot the officer, inflicting a mortal wound, and now languishes in a cold, cold cell of the Cook County jail. The Rod-Ribbon temperance movement, the chief objeot of which is to persuade everybody to take the pledge of total abstinence, wearing a red ribbon as an indication of good faith, is moving on like a tidal-wave in the interior portions of the West. A new play by a local author is being produced at MoVicker’s Chicago Theater, which is pronounced by the press and public one of the dramatic successes of the day. It .is a dramatization of the intensely-interesting novel named “Sidonie, the Married Flirt,” which is also the title of the play. Mr. McVickor has secured a company fully up to the requirements in the production of the series of new dramas whioh he is presenting in rapid succession. The German Havings Bank, of Chicago, of which Henry Greenebaum was the President and principal stockholder, has yielded to the financial pressure and closed its doors. It is believed the bank has ample assets to proteot depositors against any loss. South. Five colored men were drowned in the Mississippi river at New Orleans, the other day, by the wrecking of a skiff in which they were attempting to cross the river. Oochrane & Fulton’s extensive whisky establishment, one of the largest in Louisville, Ky., as been destroyed by fire. Loss, 1300,000. Pinohba °k renonnoes all claims to the Louisiana Henatorship.

POLITICAL POINTS.

The people of Georgia have voted, by a maJority of 40,01)0, to locate their state capital at Atlanta. The new constitution is adopted by about the same vote. 3 The Democrats of New Hampshire will hold their State Convention at Concord, Jan. 16. To a request signed by every Republican member of the ?New York delegation save Mr. Chittenden, asking the President not to again «end in the names of Messrs. Roosevelt and Pnce as Collector and Naval Offioer in New or , the President, a Washington telegram burned a courteous but perempA Washington telegram says' “ the speeches xof Senators Thurman and Voorhees tot Sa-

JAS. W. McEWEN, Editor,

VOLUME 1.

indicating that the Democrats, as a body, intend to stand by the President’s nominations, and to treat the Tenure-of-Office act as unconstitutional.”

WASHINGTON NOTES.

A large number of the President’s nominations failed of confirmation at the extra session of the Senate, and Attorney General Devens has given it as his opinion that the failure to confirm the new officers appointed in place of old officers virtually reinstates for the time being, and until the future action of the appointing power. The only Republicans voting with the Democrats for the confirmation of Fitzsimmons as Marshal of Georgia were Conover, Patterson and Stanley Matthews. A Washington telegram says “the silver men are much discouraged at the President's message. They are now certain that any bill which would be acceptable to them or the West would be vetoed. The anti-resumption men are also disheartened, aDd feel confident that there is no further use at present of pressing their measure.” A Washington dispatch states that “Judge Humphreys has delivered his opinion in the habeas corpns case of Senator Patterson. He denies the power of South Carolina to vacate Senator Patterson’s commission, which must ooutiuue until constitutionally revoked in purguance of organic authority.” A new Democratic journal called the Washington Post has made its appearance. The staff consists of Stilson Hutchins, proprietor ; John A. Cockerill, managing editor; A. G. Buell, editorial writer, and Messrs. Aiken and Marks, assistants. Secretary Sherman has signed another call for the redemption of 110,000,000 worth of Government bonds. The Democratic caucus of Senators has as signed Voorhees to the Finance Committee ; Jones (Fla.) to the Committee on Naval Affairs ; Butler to the Committee on Military Affairs; Harris to the Committee on the District of Columbia, and McDonald to the Committee on Indian Affairs, with the understanding that he will give way to Eustis, should the latter be seated. Mr. Blaine has relinquished the Chairmanship of the Civil Service and Retrenchment Committee in favor of Teller, and, taken the Chairmanship of tlio Committee on Roles. A Washington dispatch states that the evidence in the naval inquiry into the causes of the loss of the Huron has all been taken. A formal decision will not be made for some time. It is stated that the decision of the court will be that the Huron was lost by an error of judgment in the commander. His course was right, and he had the fullest confidence in his observations, which probably were correct, but he failed to take sufficiently into aooount the fact that his vessel was very long, drew a comparatively small quantity of water, and offered little resistance to the sea, which in the gale was setting in so strongly toward the land. The ship was heading right, but had been forced out of its course by the gale and the tide.

MISCELLANEOUS GLEANINGS.

A steamship disaster in the Pacific Ocean is reported. The Atalama, having on board fifty passengers, and a crew of forty—ninety persons in all—is the unfortunate vessel. Seventy of those on hoard perished. Advices from the Texas border report tha Col. Young had crossed the Rio Grande in pursuit of depredators, and encountered a body of Mexican Indians. In the fight that ensued two of the latter were killed and three wounded. Col. Young burned the camp and property of the Indians. Twenty-four car-loads of silkH and teas have just arrived in New York from San Francisco by rail. The cargo, which was valued at 15,000,000, is believed to be the largest continental shipment ever made.

FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.

Monday, Dec. 3.—Senate.—The extra session met at 10 o’clock, and after a session of an hour and a half adjourned. The regular session of the Senate began at noon, the President’s message and the various department reports were read, and an adjournment was voted till Thursday, Dec. 6. House.— Nothing was done In the House beyond hearing the message and accompanying documents read. Tuesday, Dec. 4.—Senate.— Not in session. House. —Bills were Introduced and referred as follows: By Mr. Townsend (0.), to aid vessels wrecked or disabled in waters contiguous to the United Btates or Canada; by Mr. Dibrell, levying a tax on incomo ; by Mr. Baker (Ind.), a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the constitution prohibiting the payment of any claims for damage growing out of the taking, use, or destruction of property during the Rebellion ; by Mr. Hartzcll, to substitute greenbacks for the issue of national banking associations, and to pay the full amount for all bonds deposited by them in the treasury in accordance with the terms of the contract expressed on the face of said bonds, the bonds so redeemed to l)e canceled; by Mr. Hubbeli, diriding Michigan into three judicial districts; by Mr. Ellsworth, providing for general amnesty.... Mr. Frye, from the Judiciary Committee, reported l ack the bill prescribing an oath of office which eliminates from the statutes the law which prescribes the taking of the iron-clad oath. Passed. Also, a bill repealing Bec. 820 of the Revised Statutes, which provides for the disqualification of any juror who has without duress or coercion taken up arms in defense of any Insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or who has given aid or comfort thereto. Passed. Wednesday, Deo. 6.— Senate. —There was no session of the Senate. House.— The House spent considerable time m wrangling over the Jurisdiction between the Commerce and Railroad Committees on the subject of the respective control of the two committees over river and harbor bills. The matter was settled by reference to the Committee on Rules.. .Mr. Townshend, of Illinois, introduced a bill to repeal the existing statutes for the renewal of patents, and declaring it unlawful hereafter for the Commissioner of Patents to renew or extend any patent or design whatever. The bill was passed.. .Mr. Harrison, of Illinois, introduced a bill to provide for an income tax. It proposes to levy upon the incomes of all United Btates citizens which may be over SI,OOO and under $2,000 annually a tax of 1 per cent.; over $2,000 and under $3,000, 1% per cent., and graduating the scale up to and including $23,000. Over $23,000 and under $35,000, a tax of 3 per cent.; over $35,000 and under $50,000, 4 per cent., and 5 per cent; on all incomes in excess of $50,000. Thursday, Dec. 6.—Senate.— A number of petitions were presented and referred. ...A resolution was intAxluced by Mr. Burnside, and adopted, asking the President to transmit to the Senate the correspondence had with our Ministers to France England and Germany in regard to the FrancoPrussian war.... Mr. Ferry presented a petition of citizens of ' Michigan in favor of the passage es a bill to authorize the coinage of the standard silver dollar.. The silver men achieved a decided victory in the Senate, and developed an unexpected strength. Mr. Allison’ who has charge of the House Silver bill, moved to make it the special order for Monday. Dec. 10. Mr. Morrill moved to postpone the matter to Jan. 11. This was rejected by the onesided vote of 17 yeas to 40 nays. The motion of Mr. Allison was then agreed to by 41 yeas to 18 nays There was a lengthy debate, in executive session, upon the question of the relative rights of the President and Senate in the matter of official appointments. The President renominated the New York Custom House officers who fell by reason of the expiration of the extra seeelon. A large number of other nominations were sent in. John B. Hawley, of Illinois, was confirmed as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. House. —ln the House the only business of importance was the threefold report from the Elec«,T!!w2S D ?? 1 l tt £J 5n the Colorado case-one to entitled to the seat, rightful claimant, and »>y Mr. Oox, of Ohio, claiming that lß ß*l ‘lootlon. and remanding the the pW 0 of Colorado..?.The FOBt-Boute bill was passed,.. .Mr. Joyce wanted to introduce a resolution censuring the Snaniardn for their barbarities in Cuba, Friday, Dee. 7.-—Senate.—The House bill tot tin relief ot tbe sufferers by the wrack of the

The Democratic sentinel

gon, delivered • long speech in rapport of hi* bill to extend the time for the completion of the Northern Pacific railroad. House. —The proceeding* tn the House were exceedingly dull. Mr. Stephen* introduced a bill amendatory of the act incorporating the Texas Pacific Railroad Company; Mr. Cox, of New York, offered a bill to reorganize the life-saving service, and Mr. Wood, Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, reported a concurrent resolution for the adjournment of Congress for the Christmas holidays, from the ISth of December until -Jan. 10, which was passed.

Confirmation of the Report that a White Man Is Held by Sitting Bull—The Government Taking Steps for His Release. It was some time ago stated in newspapers that there was a white soldier held as a prisoner in Sitting Bull’s camp, but everybody supposed that it was merely a camp-fire story in print. Gen. Terry, however, gives it official attention, and writes as follows to the War Department: Sib : On my recent visit to Fort Walsh I was accompanied by a young half-breed named Baptiste Shane, who acted as interpreter for the Commission to meet Hitting BulL After we had left Fort Walsh and were on our way to Fort Buford, he informed me that last spring he was in Sitting Bull’s camp, and there met a white man, who said that his name was Martin Ryan ; that he had been a corporal in the Seventh Cavalry ; that he was taken prisoner in the action of June 26, 1876; that he had been held as a prisoner ever since that time, although he had ma,de several attempts to escape. Shane also said that while talking to this man he was interrupted by Sitting Bull, who ordered him away from the lodge in which they were conversing, and that this man Ryan is kept painted by the Indians, so as to be hardly recognizable as a white man, and is married to a daughter of Spotted Eagle. Shane is, I think, a truthful and trustworthy voung man, and, moreover, a reference to the list of killed and wounded in the action of June 26, 1876, shows that Corporal Ryan, of Company C, Seventh Cavalry, was reported as killed. I respectfully suggest that a demand be made on the proper authorities for the release of this man from imprisonment, and his restoration to his country. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully your obedient servant, Alfred H. Tebry, Brigadier General Commanding. Secretary McCrary at once sent a copy of Gen. Terry’s statement to the Secretary of State, with the following letter: To the Honorable the Secretary of State: Sir : I have the honor to transmit for your action a copy of a letter from Brig. Gen. A. H. Terry, relative to the reported capture of Corporal Ryan, of the Seventh Cavalry, in the engagement of June 20, 1876, and his retention in captivity by Sitting Bull, and beg to request that you will cause the matter to be investigated, and, if the facts are proven to be as alleged, that a demand be made on the proper authorities for the release of this man from imprisonment. Verv respectfully your obedient servant, George W. McCrary, Secretary of War. Secretary Evarts has addressed a letter on the subject to Sir Edward Thornton, at the British Legation, who in turn has communicated with the Governor General. of Canada, under whose supervision Sitting Bull now lives, and through him Maj. Walsh will be instructed to ascer- i tain in some way if this remarkable story is true, and, if such a man is held by j Sitting Bull, to demand his release.

The German fortifications on the Russian frontier are being pushed forward so rapidly that they will probably be completed before the stipulated time, which is the end of the year 1880. Of the nine detached forts around Posen, three will be handed over to the military administration next year, three more in 1879, and the three others in 1880. The enlargement of the fortress at Thom will be proceeded with next spring, and live detached forts will be built around it at the same time. The outer forts at Kouigsberg, of which there will be five, aud a sixth fort which was commenced two years ago at the village of Quednau near the city, will all be finished by the spring of next year, and Kouigsberg will then be defended by twelve forts altogether. An equal degree of activity prevails in the other strong places on the Russian frontier of Prussia.— Pall Mall Oazcfte.

Mrs. Gen. Sherman has written another letter against dancing. She says that she has noted “the wail of the wounded and the guilty” dancers since her first denunciation of the amusement. “It is not to be expected,” she continues, “that young girls, who are unconscious of evil in the beginning, should reflect long enough to summon the moral courage to resist the allurements of the dauce unless with encouragement and support of their parents. To the honor of pure maidenhood be it said, however, that there are young girls who decline from instinctive delicacy, even when their parents would have them join the throng who dance down the brqpd road of worldly pleasure.”

The Wealth of William H. Vanderbilt.

The fortune of Mr. Vanderbilt is generally estimated at $100,000,000. Men who ought to be well acquainted with his affairs say that he could at any time realize $75,000,000 under the hammer. A pleasant feature of his already very pleasant position is that by looking at the stock indicator he can figure out how much he is worth at any moment of the day with greater precision than most men can, though they have much less to figure out— Appleton's Railway Guide.

Regulating Commerce by Railroads.

Mr. Towushend, of Illinois, has introduced a bill in Congress to regulate commerce by railroads among the several States. It proposes to require the railroads to receive and transport freight cars of other companies without charging anv greater rate than is charged where the cars are the property of the road over which they pass. It prescribes as the penalty for any violation of this provision a forfeiture of three times the amount of damages sustained by aggrieved parties, to be paid to the latter.

A minister having preached against social abnomuties to his congregation, was a few days after waited upon by a committee, presenting him a set of resolutions not very complimentary, to say the least. Looking over the string of abuses, each beginning with “whereas,” and the names of the committee signed at the end, he remarked, “ Where asses like these draw up resolutions, whereases like these must be expected.”

A lawyer the other day went into a barber’s shop to procure a wig. In taking the dimensions of the lawyer’s head, the barber exclaimed: “ Why, how long your head is, sir 1” “Yes,” replied the legal gentleman, “we lawyers must have long heads.” The barber proceeded about his vooation, but at length exclaimed: “Why, sir, your head is as tbiofc aeitisiang!” Kaofc*to»* Yrijwed,

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1877.

CORPORAL RYAN.

Germany and Russia.

Dancing Denounced.

Whereas.

His Head.

“A Firm Adherence to Correct Principles ”

ECCENTRIC TRAIN.

Hl* Very Long East-Abstaining from Eating or Drinking for Six Day*. [From the New York Sun.] George Francis Train was found in bed at 5:30 o’clook last evening, in a small $3-room of the Phoenix House, Broadway and Twelfth street, close up under the roof, where the air is pure. He pays $2 a week only, because ho took the room last May, when the house was being refitted, and submitted to a good many consequent inconveniences. The waiter that conducted the visitor to the room looked bright. He carried in his hand a pitcher of water. It was the first drinking water that Mr. Train had ordered for six days. By the side ot the single bed were an apple and a biscuit. During two hours of conversation, Mr. Train nsed the apple once to illustrate the position of the world as he stood above it on a mountain; but he did not touch the biscuit nor take a sip of the water. Yesterdav morning at 8 o’clock, he said, had completed a period of six days since he had taken food or drink. Dr. White had called on him and urged him to eat. The doctor was of the opinion that he was troubled with gastric fever. His tongue was very much coated. Judge E. L. Fancher, who had delivered Mr. Train out of the clutches of Judge Davis, had met him and said : “ Mr. Train, after I delivered my decision in your case, you advised me to take a Russian bath. Now, I advise you to go and take a Russian bath. ” Mr. Train’s family then went to him and urged him to eat something. This was too much. He could not resist their appeal, or rather when it was made he felt no inclination to resist it. Psychology would explain that, too. So yesterday morning his family had some oatmeal and water prepared for him, and he eat about as much as he could have held in one hand. On his way to the house he had stopped at a pump, and was able to drink a little water. At noon he had eaten half a biscuit. That was all he had eaten in six and a half days. The biscuit on the table was for his supper, but he did not care to eat it. He had felt a slight desire for water, and so had ordered some. It was his usual bedtime. He usually remained in bed fourteen hours. During the six days of fasting he had lost about ten pounds in weight. His eyes, he said, had lost their peculiar luster, and his knee-joints had become weak ; but, after eating the handful of oatmeal, eyes and knees alike had been restored to their normal state. It was not the nutriment contained in the oatmeal that had caused this, but the mechanical action of the stomach, which had ceased for want of food, was again set going, and so disease was averted.

“ The time will come,” said Mr. Train, “ when I shall be able to fast for thirty days. In the meantime I have proved three things. The first is, that all the stories of terrible agony in starvation are a humbug. They are inventions of people who want to glorify themselves because they have an opportunity.” Mr. Train’s usual fare for months past, he says, has been : For breakfast, five penny rolls, 5 cents, and a cup of coffee, 5 cents; for dinner, 10 cents’ worth of potatoes and bread, and 5 cents’ worth of baked beans; for supper, a cup of coffee, 5 cents. The total cost per day was 30 cents.

A New England Tragedy.

One of the most horrible murders ever committed in Berkshire county, occurred in the north part of Sheffield, about four miles from Great Brrrington, recently. David Stillman and his wife, both about 70 years of age, who lived alone on their farm in a retired road, were murdered by a negro with an ax, their heads being horribly mutilated. The old man lay upon a lounge, with three deep gashes on his head, and blood spattered upon the wall and ceiling over head. Mrs. Stillman was found lying on the cellar bottom at the foot of the stairs. She was evidently struck ou the head with an ax, laying open her temple and imdoubtedly killing her instantly. The indications are that she fell upon the top stair and tumbled thence to the bottom. The boy who did chores for the old people left about 5 p.m., and met a colored man named John Ten Enyck, who inquired if the Stillmans had any butter, and if they had company. Being told they had no company and the boy not knowing about the butter, the negro went on. The boy, on going over to do the chores next morning, discovered the murder. On the table was a pail of butter and the steelyards, showing that Mrs. Stillman had got some butter out to sell, and was then murdered. The murderer was arrested and brought to the place, and the body of the murdered man shown to him, and he denied ever having seen him before, but Ten Enyck had blood on his pantaloons and had about sls in money, while it was proven that he had none before. Great excitement prevailed, and the Sheriff’s posse with difficulty restrained the excited citizens from lynching the prisoner. The Stillmans owned the farm on which they lived, and were well-to-do people. One son is a Methodist minister, preaching in Connecticut, and another is a miller in Sheffield village. The town has been terribly excited by the tragedy, but is getting quiet now, as it is thoroughly believed the officers have secured in Ten Enyck the perpetrator of this shocking crime. —Boston Herald.

Too Smart for Him.

A police inspector on being informed that a restaurateur in his biahwick was serving game out of season, visits the restaurant in mufti, and orders dinner. “ Waiter,” says he. “ can you give me a salmi of partridge?” “Sertingly, sir,” replies the waiter, promptly, and yells to the cook, “ Partridge for one.” The inspector finishes his dinner leisurely, and then says to the waiter, “Ask the boss to step this way a minute. ” “ What for?” “I wish to notify him to appear in court to-morrow, and answer for selling partridge out of season.” “ O, I guess it ain’t worth while bothering him abont that.” “Doas I tell yon. I am the police inspector, and have secured the necessary evidenoe against him.” “O, I spotted von, and guessed what yon were after. It wasn’t partridge you Police inspector (uneasily)—“What was ik then ?” Waiter (cheerfully)—“ Crow !”

Spunky.

A little girl in North Yarmouth, Me., aged about 3 years, was taught to pray by her mother, who, however, could not induce the child to kneel. The infant was willing to pray, but not to bow the knee. The other morning the family h<w4 #»« fftl “Flew®, <»©<t

send me down a white rabbit.” No an swer being heard, the child continued, “Did you hear wkat I said? Why don’t you answer ?” Another pause, when the child spoke up spunkily, “ Oh, I know what you want. You want me to get on my knees, but I won’t.”

CONCERNING LONGEVITY.

What Is Shown by Life Insurance Tables. Our modern life insurance tables contain very accurate approximations to the average age attained by civilized mankind, and, being founded upon the best attainable statistical information, can be relied upon. It would appear that the chances of the child who reaches the age of 10 years in fair health for arriving at the “three-score-and-ten,” designated by the Psalmist as the reasonable limit of life, are 4 ont of 10; that is to say, there are 40,000 men and women alive at 70 years of age ont of every 100,000 who reach the age of 10 years. Only 1 in that 100,000 may expect, however, to round out a full century, although 10 may live to see 95 and 100 up to 93. The fewer deaths occur between the ages of 25 and 28 inclusive, at which period men and women should be in the very prime of their lives. Of:the 100,000, 750 will die the first year; then the annual number of deaths will gradually decline to 718 between the ages of 25 and 28, after which they again increase, until at 51 they reach 1,000 per annum; at 60 they number over 1,500; at 66 more than 2,000, and, between the ages of 73 and 74 they reach their maximum at 2,500 each year. At 75, there being but 20,000 of the original 100,000 remaining altogether, they commence to decline again. At 80 the number of deaths annually is about 2,000; at 87 it is less than 1,000. For the benefit of those curious in such matters, the following table may be of interest, the estimate being based upon 100,000 children of either sex, who have reached the age of 10 years, showing the whole number that will live to the ages mentioned: 90,000 2315,000 83 80,000 37 2,000 85 70,000 50 1,000 90 60,000 68,500 91 50,000 651350 92 40,000 70 100 93 30,000 73 25 94 20,000 .77 10 95 10,000 82 1 100 The deaths average less than 1 per cent, per annum of the whole number np to the age of 51, although amounting to upward of 10 per cent, of the number surviving after the age of 41. Thenceforward the annual percentage of deaths increases very rapidly, until at 93 it amounts to nearly the entire number of survivors.

Gale’s Great Walk.

The number of persons who passed through the wickets of the several entrances to the hall as the end of Gale’s one-thousand-mile walk drew near exceeded 10,000. Whatever doubts had previously existed among these and other people as to the Cardiff man’s power of accomplishing this feat—and if there had been no doubts there would have been no wagers—the universal feeling on the last day was one of certainty. It was almost a foregone conclusion that Gale would not only finish his performance, but would do so in perfect health and with positive ease. His only drowsiness has been at night, when, in fact, most other people are inclined to sleep, and so remarkable a control has he acquired over his habits of body that he can and does sleep as he walks. From 10 p. m. till 11:30 has been the usual period of his fast sleep. Then he would become wakeful for an hour or two; then sleep pretty soundly for half an hour, and finally take a doze, or halfslumber, between 4 and 6 in the morning. After that he was wide awake for the day, and could always talk briskly about himself and his undertaking. At 9 o’clock on Saturday morning Gale ate a mutton chop for breakfast; he had a good dinner of roast chicken at 2, and at 5 he diecussed a sole. But though his appetite was nearly as good as on Friday, when lie was not only well in health, but calm and self-pos-sessed, the excitement of the finishing day, with its crowds, noise and preparations for a public demonstration affected him naturally enough. He felt sick, his pulse was somewhat weaker than on any previous day, and, for the second time only since he began his walk, a small dose of Draniiy was given him. This had a complete restorative effect, and shortly after it he had tea, toast and an egg. The only alcoholic stimulant he has taken since the beginning of his task has been brandy, the quantity in all amounting to four table-spoonfuls. He had increased his pace notably in all his last quartermiles; and with this excessive energy came a feverish heightening of the pulse, easily to be accounted for by the shouts, the loud music, and the general tumult of the incoming crowds. His last quarter-mile but one was actually raced in 2 minutes 42 seconds; and the little crowd that followed had to break into a scrambling sort of trot. Then his pulse was as high as 120, but it subsided in about a minute to 112. Then, at 10:50, the bell rang for the last time, and Gale came out of his tent amid great noise of cheering and triumphal music. Every one expected he would make an attempt to beat his hitherto best time—2 minutes and 25 seconds—but few thought him equal to the wonderful pace he actually showed. A little crowd again went round with him, but not one of them could maintain the walking step, and the extraordinary spectacle was beheld of the fresh men trotting to keep up with one who had all but walked a thousand miles. Cheer upon cheer rose from all parts of the crowded hall, drowning the most strenuous efforts of the band and sending the excitement up to fever heat as the last few yards were rapidly covered and the great task was finished. Then, without waiting a minute, Gale was escorted through the crowd to the judge’s stand, where Sir John Astley girded his waist with a belt of crimson velvet and massive silver. But the belt was too large, so, amid much applause and some little merriment, it was slung across one of his shoulders. —London Telegraph.

The Vanderbilt Will Case.

Commodore Vanderbilt’s heirs have renewed the contest over the old man’s will in the New York courts, the dissatisfied children again basing their claim* or a greater proportion of the estate than was bequeathed to them on the ground of manias and diseases rendering the father unfit to dispose of his property with fairness and intelligence. More revelations of domestic scandal are expected, unless William H. Vanderbilt, who stands as defendant in the case, shall consent to make liberal overtures the disaffected ones.

In October New Orleans exactly trebled her usual grain shipments.

THE SILVEB QUESTION.

Another Letter from Thorlow Weed—He Explain* How the Demonetizing Fraud Was Perpetrated—Gen. Grant on Silver a* a Standard. To the Editor ot the New York Tribune: I find myself unexpectedly stigmatized as an “ Inflationist” and “ Repudiator.” I say unexpectedly, because, during considerably more than half a century of journalism, my efforts were uniformly in favor of a sound currency and against repudiation. Conscious only of a desire to be useful, I can afford to be misunderstood, or even misrepresented, especially so while advocating a silver standard, the authority for doing so being derived from the constitution of the United States. Under that authority the Government has borrowed and paid thousands of millions of dollars in ooin. No one questioned the money value of silver. It was equally precious with gold, until in 1873 it was secretly demonetized. A bill ostensibly intended to regulate the Government mints contained a clause demonetizing silver, but so cautiously drawn as to conoeal its purpose. Nothing appears in the debate showing that any member of Congress was aware that a bill, apparently harmless, not only deprived the country of one-half its monetary power, but was in violation of the constitution. The title of the law of 1873, as will be seen, furnished no intimation that it contained such a sweeping clause: “An act revising and amending the laws relative to the mints, assay offices, and coinage of the United States. ” The conspirators, however, did not accomplish all they desired by the act of 1873. The following section found its way into the Revised Statutes, which were enacted in bulk in 1874: The silver coins of the United States shall be legal tender at their nominal value, for any amount not exceeding 15 in any ono payment. The Chairman of the committee, who submitted the report, assured the House that it contained nothing but what was found in the special and separate enactments of Congress. And yet there was nothing in any act of Congress giving the semblance of authority for the section above quoted. The double frauds were perpetrated without the knowledge of those who voted for them, and without attracting the attention of newspaper correspondents. Nor did the President, in approving the bills referred to, know or suspect that either struck a fatal blow at the interests of the country and the welfare of the people. In a letter written by Gen. Grant, dated Oct. 3,1876, seven months after the passage of the law relating to mints, etc., he said :

I wonder that silver is not already cojning into the market to supply the deficiency in the circulating medium. * * * Experience has proved that it takes about 940,000,000 of fractional currency to make the smaller change necessary for tho transaction of the business of the country. Silver will gradually take the place of this currency, and, further, will become the standard of values, which will be hoarded in a small way. I estimate that this will consume from 9200,000,000 to 9300,000,000 in time, of this species of our circulating medium. * * * I confess to a desire to see a limited hoarding of money. But I want to see a hoarding of something that is a standard of value the world over. Silver is this. * * * Our mines are now producing almost unlimited amounts of silver, and it is becoming a question “What shall we do with it?” I suggest here a solution, which will answer for some years, to put it in circulation, keeping it them until it is fixed, and then we will find other markets. The President did not know that he had approved and signed a bill prohibiting the coinage of a currency he valued so highly! It was not until 1874, when the Code was adopted, that the coinage of subsidiarv silver was authorized, and became a legal tender for $5. And finally, when these frauds, perpetrated to keep gold at a premium for the benefit ol bondholders, became known, no word of reprobation has been heard. The press, generally alert., vigilant, and outspeaking, has no word of condemnation against a conspiracy to cripple and oppress the industries and labor of the country. On the contrary, our leading Eastern journals bitterly assail those who labor to restore to the country a money standard of which it was fraudulently deprived. We are stigmatized as silver inflationists for asking the Government to re-establish a financial basis under which the country and people were prosperous and happy for more than eighty years. This question, stripped of sophistry and verbiage, presents a naked issue of capital against labor. Shylocks, ever rapacious, are struggling to “keep up the rate of usance.” In maintaining the one standard—thus narrowing our specie basis one-lialf—they will strengthen and perpetuate their advantages. There has been, as there must be, between the thousands who labor and the hundreds who enjoy the fruits of such labor, an irrepressible confliot. It is the duty of governments to see that the faces of those who labor are not held too closely to the grindstone. The country is threatened, as is usual when capital takes an alarm, with the return of the bonds held abroad, should the holders be asked to reoeive their interest “in coin.” If foreigners choose to return bonds because we offer to pay them in the precise currency they agreed to receive, I do not see that either our character or our pocket will be seriously affected. Foreigners, during our civil war “ made haste slowly” in the pur •hase of our bonds. Nothing of friendship or patriotism was manifested. Capital, ever cautious, doubted and waited a long time in Germany, and still longer in England. Most of their investments were made when their bonds cost them but 60 cents on the dollar. They have been receiving their interest in gold, until it is proposed to pay “in coin.” If for this reason they choose to send home our bonds we can afford to reoeive them, having large amounts of money seeking profitable investments. Nor is this the only method of intimidation resorted to. We are told that if the money standards of the constitution are restored the Syndicate will suspend its negotiations. How far this threat will be carried remains to be seen. The Syndicate is not a benevolent institution. It will go on with its funding operations, or discontinue them, according to the interests of the parties conoemed. If, by a return of specie payments, upon a basis broad enough to meet the requirements of our commercial and manufacturing enterprises and industries, prosperity should follow resumption, the lamentations of bondholders at home and abroad would no longer be heard. I perceive that Mr. Wm. E. Dodge and Mr. A. A. Low, eminent alike as merchants and as citizens, were among the distinguished gentlemen who went to Washington to oppose the passage of the bill remonetizing silver. My respect for these highly intelligent gentlemen is so great that I should be gratified to learn whether, during their Tong and creditable oomiwiwiaf life, they were embar-

$1.50 oer Annum.

NUMBER 44.

rassed in the acquisition of their large fortunes by the use of silver in common with gold as a standard ? The experience of Mr. Low upon this question would derive a special importance from the circumstance that his commercial relations existed with nations whose currency was almost exclusively of silver. In their raid against silver, our Eastern bankers and journals find their strongest argument in the circumstance that the silver dollar is not worth even as much as the greenback dollar. None of them, however, seem to remember that the greenback has the protection of the Government, while silver was deprived of that protection by deception and fraud. When, by the repeal of the law of 1873, silver, like gold, becomes a standard, the relative value of each will approxi-mate-silver going up and gold ooming down. If, for any reason, a law restoring the financial policy of the Government under which the country enjoyed unparalleled prosperity to the disastrous hour that slaveryjsought the destruction of the Government and dismemberment of the Union, the responsibility and the consequences will rest upon the aggressive, rapacious, uncompromising spirit of the worshipers of gold, supplemented, I am constrained to add, by the bulldozing course of the press. T. W.

When Will the Good Times Come?

When the masses of the people are out of debt, and have money in their pockets representing their net surplus earnings, then there will be a permanent revival of business end prosperity and not before. The disappearance of the premium on gold will not bring good times. Instead of paying debts such event will increase the burden of debts and taxes. Before the people can have surplus money in their pookets they must earn it, and be allowed to keep it and use it after they do earn H, The following measures are necessary to a permanent revival of business and industry: 1. Repeal the Resumption act which seeks to accomplish an impossible and unnecessary thing, and stop contraction. The threat of resumption and the consequent contraction of prioes. prevents the investment of what little money there is in the enterprises that would employ the labor of the oountiy, and add to the general wealth and ability to pay debts. 2. Substitute full legal-tender Government paper money for national-bank notes, thus securing a better paper money, and at the same time cancelling $300,000,000 of the bonded debt, and saving, in interest upon such bonds alone, about $18,000,000 a year. 3. Pay off in greenbacks such bonds as were by the original contract made payable in greenbacks, and thus save an additional $30,000,000 of interest annually. 4. Remonetize silver and issue full le-gal-tender Government paper money to buy silver bullion, coin the bullion on Government account, and pay off with it such bonds ns are payable in coin and subject to call, and purchase and cancel such bonds as are not subject to call. 5. Issuessoo,ooo,oooof 2 percent, interconvertible lawful-money bonds in small denominations, in which the working people may invest their savings, which will thus absorb the surplus money, not needed for legitimate business, prevent fluctuations in prioe and put the funds of the poor where Christian savings-bank Presidents cannot steal them.

If these propositions look too formidable and imply a great undertaking, it is only because we have done so much and gone so far in the wrong direction. But, if we don’t do this, what will we do ? It is do or die. To cajole oneself with the blind belief that good times will oome, debts be paid, industry revived, and the people made happy by some mysterious and occult process, known only to a select few professional financiers, is to believe a lie. The recent report of the Silver Commission estimates the total indebtedness of this country at about $13,000,000,000 ( thirteen thousand millions of dollars'). This is more than one-half the present cash price of all the property, real and personal, in the United States. Think of that will you ! One-third the working people of this country, by whose muscle and energy these debts are to be paid, if ever, are either idle or working on half-time and little or no wages. Think of that! The annual interest on that indebtedness is estimated to be about $1,000,000,000 o one thousand millions of dollars ), or as much as the earnings of three millions of men, the year round at $1 a day. Think of that, too ! That is only the annual interest burden, to say nothing of the additional labor necessary to pay the principal. And do not forget that the so-called resumption of specie payments will not pay a single farthing of this indebtedness, nor reduce its burden by a single feather’s weight, but, on the contrary, add immeasurably to that burden. * There is no comfort in the reflection that we have had hard times in this country before and survived them. The debts are the great obstacles at present. There were hard times in 1840 and ’67 and at other times; bat there was little or no debt nor taxes. There were no railroad debts then. There was but little Government debt then. There were no municipal debts then, and taxes were hardly felt. It is not so now.—lndianapolis Sun.

Climate Changed by Cultivation.

There is a general belief throughout our Western country that marked changes in climate are consequent upon the settlement of a region, and tnat, in fact, these changes become perceptible within a few years whenever a railroad is laid through a new oountry. Mr. Landsborough, an explorer of note, adds to the evidence in favor of this notion, by his observations in Australia. Keeping sheep is no longer so profitable there as it used to be, but, on the other hand, large tracts of land that were worthless before have latierly beoome fit for agriculture. There is a decided increase of forests and of moisture in parts of Australia, giving hope that eventually the whole interior desert may be reclaimed. The direct effect of sheep-raising has been to keep down the tall grass which formerly afforded material for destructive fires. The trees, young and old, had been periodically burnt by these fires, until jthe country becoming'almost treeless, its climate had been rendered arid and its soil sterile. If the facts in Australia can be established, they will afford the most remarkable instance yet recorded of climate being; modified by the labors find enrxornsdings of man.

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THE MISTLETOE. In ancient times the Druid priests, With many a solemn vow, Gathered thy branches, sacred plant, To crown the priestess' brow ; And chanting grave, mysterious hymns, With measured steps and slow, They marched beneath the old oak-trees. Bearing the mistletoe. How many a legend, strange and old, Around thy branches clings, Of superstitions fierce and dread, Of wild, barbaric things 1 What curious rites on Salisbury plain, What grand and pompons show Of Celts and Northmen, hast thou seen. Mysterious mistletoe! Those cruel, superstitious years Long since have passed away; A fairer priestess than of old Blesses thy leaves to-day. Trooping across the snowy fields The laughing maidens go, To gather for their festival The Christmas mistletoe. The hall is bright with Christmas cheer, And youths and maidens fair, With innocent and happy hearts, Have met together there. With purer, deeper reverence Than Druid priest could know. The lover kisses blushing cheeks Under tho mistletoe.

WIT AND HUMOR.

The more hat a man can buy for $2 the less bonnet a woman can buy for $20, and yet some folks say this world was slung together in a perfect manner. — Cincinnati Breakfast Table. A little girl saw her father making a wooden egg, and, learning the use to be made of it, she ran off to explain the matter to a visitor, prefacing her excited story with the caution, " Don’t you tell the hens I” If there is anything that sets a woman deranged, it is to have her hnsband endeavor to draw the cork from a whisky bottle with her best carving-fork, and leave one of the tines firmly imbedded in the cork. “Do you know where I can get room to store a load of salt?” asked a countryman of a Boston clerk. “Perhaps my father can accommodate you,” was the reply; “he has plenty of salt-rheum on his hands.” A distressed mother writes to a newspaper for advice, which she gets thusly: “ The only way to cure your son of staying out late o’ nights is to break his legs, or get the girl he runs after to do the housework.” “She is a perfect Amazon,” said a pupil in one of our schools, of his teacher, yesterday, to a companion. | “Yes,” said the other, who was better | versed in geography than in history, “ I noticed she had an awful big mouth.” “ Pomp, was you ever drunk ?” “No, I ’toxicated wid ardent spirits once, and dat’s enuff for dis darky. De Lord bless you, Caesar, my head felt as if it was a wood-shed, while all de niggers in de world appeared to be splitting wood in it.” It makes even a good Christian’s lip quiver and a half smile to creep over his usually stolid countenance to see the mosquito, with a blanket round bis emaciated form, rubbing up against the refrigerator, preparatory to leaving for a better world. “Ah, love!” she murmured, as they wandered [through the moonlight, ‘ ‘ah, dearest, wny do the summer roses fade?" He happened to be a young chemist of a practical turn of mind, and he replied that it was owing to the insufficiency of oxygen in the air. A young Jerseyman who had been at his club meeting the night before could not eat, but sat innocently toying witli his fork on his plate. “ Why don’t you eat your sausag.,asked his wife. “ Oh,” said he, “I’m trying to carve my namo on the bark.” A boy was sent for a doctor, his mother being ill, when looking down the street he saw a great crowd. Then came a struggle between duty and curiosity, but he finally started for the crowd, saying : ‘ ‘ The old lady’s pretty badly off, but I know she wouldn’t want me to miss that fight. ” Mark Hamilton, speaking of a belle, who was a great favorite, said : ‘ * She has a mouth like an elephant!” “Ol), Mr. Hamilton,” said a lady present, “how can you be so rude?” “Rude, ladies, rude! What do you mean? I say she has a mouth like an elephant, because it’s full of ivory. ” An honest man may be about as hard to find as a plumber with a mortgage on his house. We won’t quibble about it. But when you do stumble upon him he has his trade-mark upon his face, and, whether in home-spun or store clothes, might walk through the town with an umbrella under each arm without fear of unjust suspicion.— Breakfast Table. TeK MEERSCHAUM. Scorn not the meerschaum. Housewives, you have croaked, In ignorance of its charms. Through this small reed Did Milton now and then consume the weed ; The poet Tennyson hath oft evoked Tho Muse with glowing pipe, and Thackeray Joked And wrote and sang in nlcotinian mood ; Hawthorne with this hath cheered his solitude; A thousand times this pipe hath Lowell smoked ; Full oft have AJdrioh, Stoddard, Taylor, Crancb, And many more whose verses float about, Puffed the Virginian or Havana leaf; And, when the poet’s or the artist’s branch Drops no sustaining fruit, how sweet to pout Consolatory whiffs—alas ! too brief ! —Harper's Magazine for December.

Centennial Awards.

The Executive Committee of the Centennial Commission have about closed the work of that body. The following is the list of awards, and of the total number of exhibitors, and the percentage to each country represented : Exhib- PerNatlons. Horn. Award*, centagc. United State* 8,626 6,184 60.22 England and Colonic*, including Canada..... 3,266 1,621 48.78 France 1,315 687 63.00 Germany 1,100 605 66.06 Austria 560 294 61.94 Switzerland 322 200 62.11 Belgium 456 263 55.48 Holland 886 195 68.20 Denmark : 76 30 39.37 Sweden.... 494 212 42.91 Norway 227 142 62.65 Italy 811 468 66.28 Egypt 31 21 67.77 Tunis 20 8 40.00 Orange Free State 10 6 50 00 Luxembourg 10 9 90 00 China 71 43 60.66 Japan 814 142 46.22 Sandwich Islands 76 12 16.79 Brazil 705 438 61.84 Argentine Republic.... 880 83 9.43 ChiU 82 41 60.00 Pern 67 8 6.26 Mexioo 304 75 24 66 Spain 2,926 863 39.70 Portugal 1,921 1,008 62.47 Turkey. 1,406 86 6.11 Russia. 742 450 60.64 Venezuela 60 27 67.60 Total 26,936 18,148 48.27 The population of Richmond, Va., has doubled since the war, and her manufactories now number 361. The sales in 1876 reached the sum of $22,424,800, her wheat and corn mills producing $2,857,000, her forty-one tobacco factories $12,038,300, and her iron works $2,082,780. The Circuit Judges in England are now assisted by Commissioners, selected from the bar, who reoeive S6OO, besides a payment pf S6O a day while so occupied.