Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1893 — A Disability. [ARTICLE]

A Disability.

Tobacco may not be a necessity of life, but it is so rated by the Navy Department. One hundred and twenty-five thousand pounds are bought annually for our marines. Only the best, pure, natural leaf is purchased. When whittled into lit * tie chips it makes a strong smoking tobacco, and is satisfactory to the The monetary stringency has resulted in an increase of paralysis and all other nervous diseases. Nerve specialists are reaping a harvest. Suicides are also largely on the increase. The poor bankers and brokers do seem to be having a rough time of it. Singular as it may appear, however, it is the men having comparatively small interests at stake who are the principal sufferers from this worry and strain that is breaking down so many men. The ancient Egyptian obelisk brought to this country some years since and re-erected in New York, has recently shown alarming signs of decay and disintegration. The crumbling condition of the stone is attributed to the climate, the storms and frosts of winter being too severe an ordeal for the quality of stone of which the shaft was made. Melted paraffine has been applied to the ■pots that are showing signs of decay and it is believed that further damage can be prevented in this way. The indomitable energy of the western character was forcibly illustrated recently by Mayor Willard of Argentine, Mo., in an encounter with a stupid alderman who dared to oppose him in some matter of local interest. The argument ’ became heated and the Mayor thought to convince his opponent by striking him with a cane. Failing in this, the Mayoi' being a one-legged man, unbuckled his wooden leg and using it as a weapon soon routed his antagonist.

The civil war in Nicaragua is in full blast. This is a new war the old condition of things having changed within a week or two. The constitutional President, Gen Sacaza is a fugitive in this country; the leader of the revolutionists, Gen. Machado, is in prison at Leon: and ex-President Zavalla has been proclaimed dictator; the cabinet is at loggerheads; Gen. Monteil has taken the field; the most eminent Nicaraguan statesman, Zelaya, has turned up at Granada, with forty heelers; the funds in the'Leon bank have been seized; the American Minister to Nicaragua is in danger at Managua. The uproar is increasing. Things are red-hot. The regular army is supposed to consist of 2,000 men, but has been dangerously weakened by desertions, and the most any day. Cheerful country. It is a fact, surprising but worthy of comment, that the financial storm that has proved so disastrous in the West, has scarcely created a ripple on the surface of the business sea in any part of the South. This happy condition pf affairs, in what has been regarded as rather an unpromising part of the country, is attributed to a variety of causes. There has been comparatively little speculation among the leaders in financial circles in that section. Their manufacturing enterprises have had a solid capital coupled with unparalleled natural advantages which has assured a handsome profit. The cotton crop has been more readily available than the Western staples of corn and wheat, and the reserve of capital in the hands of the Southern people is said to be proportionately greater than among Western people. This condition of affairs in the South will be gratifying to the whole country, and will naturally have a tendency to increase the growing prosperity of “Dixie.”

Cglouado silver men continue the agitation of the silver question. They are firmly convinced that their great staple product is the proper matcilal for the circulating currency of the United States and the world at Large. Notwithstanding that the constitution of the L’nitodStates provides that Congress alone shall have the power to control the currency and that United States mints shall have sole power to coin money., the attorney-general of the Centennial State has recently rendered an opinion, in which he says: “There can be no constitutional objection to State'depositories for the storage of silver bullion and the issuing of eertifioatas thereon. They will rep-

resent a fluctuating commodity and the certificates will fluctuate accordingly. The certificates will be in no sense money. They can be sold in open market, and serve only as tokens of a sale of so many ounces of bullion.” This souhds reasonable, and could with propriety be adopted by all States or Territories when there is a glut of the white metal, if the owners of the bullion think there is any advantage to be gained by the arrangement. Under proper restrictions, the bullion being a nonperishable article of merchandise, the scheme might prove of value in facilitating trade.

The movement, originating in Chicago, to raise a fund for the relief of the Duke of Veragua, is now attributed-to a sort of “fellow-feel-ing" on the part of the untitled aristocracy of the great western metropolis, for it is said that the illustrious nobleman lost his ancestral fortune by dealing in the same commodity in which the opulent “nobs” of Chicago amassed their respective piles, although the “beef’ in which the Duke sunk his dollars was very tough indeed. Some years ago the enterprising Veragua imagined that he saw glittering possibilities in a company of which he was the head that proposed to introduce Spanish bull-fighting in Paris. It was thought that the gay capital would turn out en masse to see the imported torreros and frantic bellowing animals. The enterprise started well. One “entertainment” netted $15,000 and the first three months profit amounted to $240,000. But the fickle French soon tired of the sport and the venture finally proved a disastrous failure in every way, greatly to the credit of the Parisians and the detriment of the Duke’s exchequer. Thus it will be seen that Veragua’s connection with the beef industry, that great and important factor in the prosperity of Chicago, hqs been of great service in his hour of adversity. Had he lost his money in some other line of industry it is doubtful if the speculators of the World’s Fair suburbs would have taken so lively an interest in his welfare.

It was evening. The great whaleback excursion steamer Christopher Columbus lay at the wharf at Milwaukee, far up the winding river nearly a mile from the lake. Tired but happy excursionists thronged the gang plank and were lost to view in the vast interior of the mighty ship, or crowded the upper decks seeking comfortable positions for tile return trip to Chicago. Promptly at the hour foi’ departure the hawsers were cast away, the gang plank removed, and slowly the vessel with its living cargo followed the puffing tug toward the east. But hold! A lady and child are left behind. Too late to get on board, they frantically rush to the water side. “Follow the ship to the mouth of the harbor and a tug will put you aboard,” is called to them. Breathlessly they run, accompanied by their friends. Lusty cheers from the great crowded ship encouraged them. Square after square thev keep pace with the monster vessel. At last the outer bend of the river is reached by the delayed passengers the more fortunate excursionists, and the iron ship. _A- rush is made for the last landing. Cheer on cheer greets the belated and breathless passengers. Hoarse whistles from tugs and steamers catch up the refrain. The waiting tug at the bend bend casts loose and the crew, alert and ready, grasp the child and hurriedly transfer her to the little vessel. Already the tug is under way to keep pace with the ship they hope to board. Turning to help the young lady, with the greatest alacthe sailors met with an obstacle—temporary but insurmountable. The lady had stopped to kiss her friends! This ceremony being concluded, the excursionists cheered more loudly than ever, the steamboat whistles bellowed, the tug bells rang, and the sailors seizing the fair but dilatory maid, hustled her onto the deck of the tug, and soon landed her on the ship which had proceeded uninterruptedly on its way.

Detroit Free Press. The applicant for a pension was asked to step forward. “You have applied for a pension?” said the examiner. “Yes sir.” “Were you in the army?” “Of course.” “What were you, officer or private?” “Sutler, sir.” “Oh! Well, what is your claim for a pension?” “Rheumatism, contracted in the service, sir.” “Ah! What’s the cause of it?” “The soldiers of the company ducked me in ice-cold water, sir, for charging four prices for everything, sir, and I’ve been a sufferer every day since, sir.”