Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 August 1887 — Why Junks Have Eyes. [ARTICLE]

Why Junks Have Eyes.

The indications are that the weather will be quite cool and endurable in December and January next Hope on. - Authorities seem to agree that Boodler W. J. McGarigle cannot be extradited. Well, then, good-bye, "McGfiflIn ancient times kissing a pretty girl was a cure for a headache. It is difficult to improve upon some of those old time remedies. Kentucky, the homo of Bourbon whisky, beats Phil Thompson, distiller, with a prohibition candidate. The world do move. .... Henry Grough's land confiscation party is said to number at present 75,600. Evidently the “no land ownership” idea is not making remarkable headway. If Mr. George is disappointed with his work in the cities, he might try the rural districts; he might possibly learn a thing or two with profit there. The Standard Oil Company has been striving hard to get into Indianapolis with its natural gas on its own terms. The council of that city, however, passed an ordinance very different from what the company wants, and refuses to amend or modify it. Indianapolis, probably, may not get natural gas as soon as it would by complying with the great corporation’s wishes, blit'it will have the satisfaction of knowing that when it does get it, it will be. at fair prices. The people almost to a man approve of the delay.

Tobacco dealers and producers have formed a strange combination to boom up prices. Some time ago private firms, calculating upon a big crop, contracted to deliver tobacco this fall to France, and Spain at a very low rate. Prices, which had been stiff, broke, and dealers and planters throughout the country claim that they have been in this way very'maetrially injured. Now they are preparing to retaliate, and propose to do this by reducing the crop. Just how they can succeed in this respect it' is bard to say; the acreage today is exactly what it was a week ago, and the crop is in excellent condition. But this simple announcement has already stiffened up prices. Here is a fair example of pure and unadulterated speculation and its effect on the market. The same con litions which existed last week in the tobacco market rule to-day, and yet upon the simple announcement that a clique will withhold a portion of the crop from the market prices go up. Like Wilßhire’s big wheat corner, this artificial bolstering up may meet quite as disastrous a crasn for the parties concerned. A well-known citizen ot Daviess county, Indiana, says the Indianapolis Journal, recently died, leavingan estate of about SIOO,OOO and no will. His widow and. eight grown children concluded they could settle the estate without ‘ffawing”about, it so they met at the old homestead and in the presence of trusted friends for witnesses proceeded to do it. The mother told the children they might have all the property; she would be satisfied with whatever they gave her. Not to be out done in liberality, they united in- giving her the home place and all that was on it. together with $3,000 in cash. Each heir shared the remainder of the estate equally, the assets being mainly in cash and title deedsj to land. Two of the heirs declined to take the full amount awarded them on the ground that they had received an advance during the lifetime of the father and therefore were not entitled to bo much. This was equalized, the division proceeded, and the whole business was settled at one sitting without a word of disagreement or the intervention of a lawyer. There is a pretty moral in this incident.

All the Year Round; Chinese junks and boats k have eyes carved or painted on the bows, which are usually supposed to be a mere fanciful form of orhamenta'ion. But they have a real meaning, as Mr. Fortune found. In going up one of the rivers from Ningpo, he was startled one day by seeing a boatman sieze his broad hat and clap it over one of the “eyes” of the boat, while other boats on the stream were similarly blinded. Looking about for an explanation he saw a dead body floating past, and he was told by the boatman that if the boat had been allowed to “see” it, some disaster would surely have happened, either to passengers or crew, before the voyage ended.