Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 September 1888 — A Journey With the Star of Empire. [ARTICLE]

A Journey With the Star of Empire.

It will even be safer to travel on a railroad car than to ait down at home. A n Australian is said to have designed a truck to run before every train, at an adjustable distance, bv an electric current transmitted from a dynamo on the engine. If the truck comes in collision with any body in front certain glass tubes, in which the current is conducted, are broken. The current is thus broken, and at the same moment the brakes of the train are automatically applied. This may or may not be a working discovery, still there is sure to bo some method ere long, for making high-speed travel almost alwolutelv secure. The lot of otir criminal classes seem demonstrably to be a short one and a tough one. It lias actually no ameliorations. “Out of 60.000 prisoners, more than one-half are between the ages of 17 and 30.” It takes but three generations to nse up a stock that runs to vice. The average life of Vicious people is less than one-half that of people of virtue. A recent writer complains that science creates a code of morals that consists in health. Is that not precisely why we are so deeply indebted to science that it is enlarging and lengthening the span of life, and at the same teaching us what valuable things life can achieve? industry in America has grown faster than the fruit industry'. No matter how fast the gardens and orchards are planted, the demand increases faster than the supply'. What is better, the bulk of consumption is by the laboring classes. The costly California products go to the tables of the rich, but the poorer classes not only eat abundantly of home products, but of the orange and banana. We even know of small clubs of laboring men who send South club orders for choice oranges. A large wholesale dealer reports that -liis orders from one small town of mill operatives are nearly $2,000 for fruits and vetetables in a year. There are two Bides to the sanitary problem—one the removal of filth and poison, the other the furnishing of health-inspiring foods, especially fruits. » A Successful Book Agent. Book ageuts, like poets and artists, must be born. They can not be made. A good address, tact, brilliant conversataonaT powers, and both veracity and unveracty are the inborn elements necessary for the successful book canvasser. That the fascinating and suave manner of the average professional book agent is irresistible is proved by the fact that there is hardly a person in the United States who, at some time or other, has not subscribed for a book that he did not want. Some years ago, says the New York Press, one of these agents visited a small hamlet in the State of Michigan selling “The Koyal Path of Life.” He had just nine books in his valise, and he was determined to sell all of them that day. The first man whom he approached was prominent in the church. “You would better calP up at the house and see my wife, for she buys all the books,” said the man, good-natured-ly. But with the customary pertinacity of the guild the agent made a sale. His success continued until, about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, he had sold seven copies of his book. He was axious to get away and determined to sell the remaining two copies, so he called on the wife of his first customer and, first being careful to ascertain that her husband had not been home since morning, he sold her one of his books. When the husband came home he gave his wife a parcel, saying one of those confounded book agents talked me into buying that book.” “What!” exclaimed his wife, “a book! Why, I bought one, too.” When they' compared notes they found that they were well supplied with, “The Royal Path of life.” The man was furious, and while he was putting on his boots to go down to the station to get square with that “villainous agent” a neighbor rode by, £nd the irate man shouted to him to detain that book agent at the station, as he wished particularly to see him. When the neighbor reached the station the train was in sight. “My friend, Mr. , wishes very much to see you before you leave he shouted. “Oh,*yes,” said the agent, blandly, “he warns one of my books, and I have just one left.” “Howmueh is it?” said the man hurriedly, for the tr&in was at hand. ‘Two dollars ” ~ “Here’s your money.” ’ “The train moved "off, carrying the book agent, just as the excited church member, in hot haste, came in sight. Hia anger at the latest imposition may be imagined. _

Tid Bite. He (in New York): Yes, darling, I’m going West to try and make money lor you. Then we can marry. She: Oh, the wild, far. West! The Indians! The danger! The grizzlies! The deadly blizzards! Oh! He: Fear not, darling; Igo no further West than Jersey City. “*■*' -4