Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 November 1888 — SO [?]E ODD THINGS. [ARTICLE]

SO [?]E ODD THINGS.

A British sportsman recommends that tbp Bantam, which is particularly pugnacious and active, be turned wild, in the hope,of having it become an available bird for sport. A thief who stole 500,f00 francs from a bishop in Belgibm, for which he was convicted and imprisoned four years, in Montreal, the paradise of embezzlers, issuing certain brokers there for the proceeds of the robbery, which he claims to have deposited with them before he was convicted. The brokers make no denial of having the money. A small boy has recently found a fine topaz on the Bald Face mountain in Chatham, N. H., and sold it for a small sum to a man who realized S6O on it after it had been cut and polished. Several others of less value have been found in the region, and they are mostly white. So close is the resemblance to diamonds, it is said,that only an expert can tell the difference. A Portland (Me.) man has a proposition for Congress which wquljJ enable American fishermen to gain all the bait needed on Yankee shores.' He would have an appropriation of $25,0:0 from the government to establish a system of traps along the whole Maine coast, and, having tried the experiment himself, he feels sure it would nay. He has supported for some time a s‘',soo trap in Portland harbor, and caught herring enough to supply both Maine and Massaebusetts schooners, making the business pay a good profit. The Missouri court of appeals has given great jov to the railway deadheads. mud lire-judgment of—a-lower court, wTuch decided shat notwithstanding the holder of a free pass agrees to assume all risks of accident, yet it is the duty of the railroad company to do all That human case, skill, and ingenuity can devise in the way of safe coaches, tracks, and machinery, and to keep the same in proper repair, and even if the

passenger were a free rider they were liable for damage that might follow a disregard of these precautions. Says a St. Louis undertaker: “The daily death list in the newspapers is consulted by more people than those who have an idle curiosity to know who is dead. <Jhtrjng a campaign candidates for offices are anxious to attend funerals that are liable to congregate men of influence. A certain class of lawyers are on the lookout fer damage suits. Tombstone dealers take notes, with a view to business in —the future. Insurance agents make a memorandum to call upon the surviving relatives in due time. The class who want free carriage rides scan the column attentively.” _9 ■ 0 A mania for gambling seems to have invaded some of toe posts on the Pacific slope, as O. Howard has issued a general order calling the attention of; officers in his division to the fact that 1 “the vice of gambling is prejudicial to I good order and military discipline.” All persons in the army, therefore, who ’ shall within any military reservation ! play games of chance for money or other valuable consideration will be subject j to trial bv court-martial. It s reported that in consequence an abnormal activ-1 ity has been imparted to the training of ' jaCkrahb’jtsAo run steeuk chases.this be- I ing the only amusement left at some of the stations on the pjahis. ' ■ r .. A'