Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 April 1894 — NOTES AND COMMENTS. [ARTICLE]

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

In all Africa theie are 727 white missionaries, 1,096 native preaches, I 776,960 adult native Christians and I 225,000 school children, a grand total 1 of 1,004,788 Christians. As Ohio judge has just refused a divorce to a woman whose complaint against her husband was that he “objected to building the morning fire, and did refuse, without love or just cause, to take her to the World’s Fair.” / Wisconsin ought to be in a happy frame of mind. Her debt is wholly owed to trust funds for the benefit of various institutions, her property of various kinds amounts to more than $15,000,000, the assessed value of taxable property is $654,000,000, and she had in the treasury in the last week of February nearly $2,000,000. Fourteen women known as the Grey Ladies of London have dedicated their lives to working among the poor of Blackheath. The population of this district amounts to over 70,000, and the Grey Ladies, so called from the habit they wear, visit the sick and try to educate the well. They have one day a week for rest, but with that exception devote themselves entirely to the people around them. According to a recent issue of The London and China Telegraph, the cotton interest in Japan is going ahead in a most remarkable way. In 1888 the production of cotton yarns in Japan was less than 1,000,000 pounds weight. In 1892 it had risen to more than 64,000,000 pounds. This result is due, of course, to the cheapness of labor in Japan, which renders the cost of production even less than in India. At a recent conference in Edinburgh, Miss Morley, of London, touched on the life and work of a barmaid. The number of women in licensed houses in London was estimated at 120,000, the hours being 15|, 16|, and 18| per day, 7 to 9 on Sunday, and only one Sunday off per month. The women suffered much from varicose veins, resulting from the constant standing, and were also largely subject to alcoholic poisoning. Among the numerous talismans which the Shah of Persia carries with him on his travels is a circle of amber which fell from heaven in Mahomet’s time and renders the wearer invulnerable, a casket of gold which makes him invisible at will, and a star which is potent to make conspir--ators instantly confess their crimes. But that talisman of good health and morals, the bath-tub, the Shah does not carry about. In place thereof he has vials of Araby odors with which he perfumes his royal carcass. Charles W. Scuffins, of Breathedsville, in western Maryland, was induced by a recruiting officer at Booneville to enlist in the United States army. The new soldier reappeared two weeks later at Breathedsville, and a despatch from Washington, whither he had gone after enlistment, asked for his arrest as a deserter. Three citizens arrested him and held him prisoner over night, when there came a second despatch from Washington to say that he was not a deserter. Scuffins then brought suit for damages against the chief of his captors, and the court has just awarded him SBSO. A government publication pictures two Alaskan families of Eskimos, one civilized, the other uncivilized. The latter are clad in skins and have sullen, incurious faces, while the former appear in rather ill-fitting civilized garments and were evidently alive to the presence of the photographer. Perhaps the most striking contrast, however, lies in the eyes. Those of the civilized Eskimos are well opened, while those of the others are mere slits. Doubtless this difference tells the story of differing household conditions. The uncivilized Eskimo dwells in a dim, smoky hut; his civilized fellow has learned to live in the light. The Atlantic coast below the mouth of Delaware Bay, and at least as far south as the Sea Islands that fringe the shore line of South Carolina and Georgia, has many shooting lodges and club houses belonging to wealthy Northerners. The land in its usually wild state, save where it is suitable for cotton growing, fetches very low prices, and a great domain may be had at trifling outlay. The chief expense is for building and maintenance. It is said that Northern sportsmen have invested $1,000,000 in Currituck county, North Carolina, alone, and there are many thousands of dollars in such investments from that point northward to Cape Henlopen. A large pasture will be fenced in on the reservation north of the Cheyenne River this summer by Fred Dupree, an old Frenchman, who is known as the “Cattle King,” for his herd of buffalo. He secured permission from the Government to fence in all the Government land that he required and it has also offered him any other assistance he may need in preserving the herd. This is the largest herd of buffalo in the world at present, and the preservation and increasing of it are very essential to prevent the breed from becoming extinct in a few years. Henow puts the buffalo in a corral each night, and is getting them tame, so they are now much like domestic stock. One of the peculiarities of railroad construction is found in San Pete County, Utah. It is that of the San Pete valley, a little narrow-gauge line extending from Nephi, where it connects with the Union Pacific to Manti, the county seat of San Pete County. The little road is forty-four miles in length, and parallels the Rio Grande Western for almost half the distance. This narrow gauge is owned and operated by an English syndicate,' independent of the Union Pacific system. It cost something near SI,OOO, - 000, with one engine, a combination coach and a few freight cars in operation. The road has been sold or bargained twice to the Union Pacific and once to the Rio Grande Western for prices ranging from SIOO,OOO to $250,000. A sixteen-mile extension has just been completed at a cost of $250,000. Since the line was completed to its present terminus all passenger and

freight traffic has been absolutely free over the entire line. This is done for the purpose of freezing out the Rio Grande Western or probably to force that company to purchase the little road.