Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1895 — PEOPLE. [ARTICLE]

PEOPLE.

“With clouds Hecovereth the light, and commandeth it not to shine by the clouds that cometh betwixt," The world’s oats crop for 1894 is estimated to be at least 10 per cent. larger than in any previous year. For the week ending Dec. 1 the re-ceipts-at New York exceeded those of any week in the last decade. Lower prices are predicted. Mrs. Cleveland is said to bo wearied of society and would gladly stay at home with her husband and babies if custom would permit. This is certainly not to be wondered at. High official society, balls and late hours, flunkeys and coarser politicians, and all the crushing, grasping, greedy herd of self-seeking people who throng the Presidential levees, are certainly quite enough to make any sensible person exclaim: ‘‘Vanity of vanities.” Austria, and all tributary countries and provinces, is said to be the only country in the world that*“taxes the interchange of ideas.” All persons receiving newspapers must pay one cent for each copy received, though all the postage may have been prepaid. The one cent is a tax in addition to the postage. The “unfettered press” we read about is an unknown institution in the unfortunate empire ruled by Hapsburg’s benighted princes. The International Conference of the Epworth League for 1895, will be he’d at Chattanooga, Tenn., June 27, 28, 29, 30. The great scenic and historic attractions of this booming Southern city, as weli as superior hotel and railroad facilities, influenced the general committee in making the selection. An atteridance of 15,000 is confidently anticipated. One great open air meeting will bo held on Lookout Mountain. The League now numbers 1,000,000 members in the United States. School booksare now considered a prolific source of infection for many diseases peculiar to children, and with good reason. The Boston Board of Health, in providing for the disinfection of a school room that was recently closed because of the diphtheria epidemic, ordered all books that had been used in the room to be burned. The walls, desks, chairs, j door knobs, slates and pencils, and : every exposed surface, were washed with a solution of corrosive sublimate. nra——BtfCTM■—n—in u u

A new electrical transmitter is said to have been accidentally discovered by a Buffalo electrician which vocalizes a telegraph message. The operator will hear the human voice instead of the ordinary clicking. A flying telephone cable has also recently been perfected by Gen. Greeley for army corps service, By its use communication may be at once established between points a half-mile or more distant without the usual insulation. The possibilities of electrical development do not appear to have been exhausted. Louisville as a pork packing center has fallen into the “sere and yellow leaf.” Fifty years ago there were eight firms extensively engaged in the business, and their operations required large sums of money. In the winter of 1853 405,000 head were killed in the cities about the Great Falls of the Ohio, and the trade of the merchants engaged in the traffic extended all over the South. There are now but three firms engaged in the business and ■the aggregate output cuts no figure, comparatively, in the enormous total of commercial transactions at the Gateway to Dixie Land. Some time ago enterprising thieves stole a two-story house at Chicago and expressed regret at being unable to carry off the lot Their success appears to have inspired their brethren at Indianapolis with jealousy, but tfyeir emulative efforts bo far have been quite feeble. The best they have been able to accomplish in this direction was to carry iff an assortment of freshly planted fruit trees. The robbery was reported to the police, who will try to recover the orchard at odd spells when they can spare the time not already occupiedjn carrying out the Superintendent's vigorous anti-sa-loon policy. The Big Four railway has bought a tract of land at Benton Harbor which will be improved with a ship canal, and a complete terminal'system will be arranged for the Michigan division at that point. This great railway is constantly reaching •at after desirable property. Its

freight yards and depot at Indian, apolis are perhaps the most comp let< in the United States; and must be seen to be properly appreciated. A brief description will convey no adequate idea of their extent and many conveniences for the handling of their immense freight traffic at that central point. John Burns, M, P., now traveling in the United States, appears to have some very peculiar ideas. He will not address an audience that has paid admission fees to hear him. Mr. Burns is an engineer and was receiving sls per week when British trades unions wanted his services, and proposed paying a handsome salary for them. Mr. Burns refused !to accept any advance and his leadi ership has only cost the unions sls ' per week since he became their advocate. This information, if true, is quite refreshing. Such a course adds immensely to the influence of a labor advocate, and is in striking contrast to the methods of many of our American agitators who are known to bf “in it for the stuff.” “Wimmin is rum critters,” sale Sam Weller on a celebrated occasion, but Sam had never -heard of Mrs, ! Kellar, wife of the magician, wher he made the astute observation. : Mrs. K., according to newspaper reports, is certainly the “rummiest” o her sex. At Indianapolis she is al- ■ leged to have d wel t too lon g with a “floin bole,” which resulted in a i case of plain drunk. The Professor ■ endeavored to reason with his erring ! spouse in a drug store, where the lady was purchasing a fresh supply of animation, when the gentle dame laid him out with a soda glass holder on the first round. At last accounts. “Betsy and I were out.” and the performances of Kellar’s aggregation : were being sadly interfered with on account of the absence of the aforesaid energetic Amazon. Queen Victoria may be a very nice old grandmother, but if the death of Sir John Thompson, the Canadian Premier, was caused by her obstinate adherence to established court customs, as has been reported, the world will be very glad to hear that she has resolved to devote the remainder of her valuable existence to her maternal duties. The good Queen is said to insist that courtiers, when in her presence, fshall remain standing, no matter how long the audience may continue. She site in dignity on her throne, while matters of state are discussed by statesmen, who must stand in a respectful posture —often for hours. Mr. Gladstone, of late years, has been graciously permitted to sit down, because of his advanced age. The audience granted to the Privy Council, at Windsor, at which Sir John Thompson attended, lasted one hour and twenty-five minutes. Immediately on his release from the chamber, he staggered to a chair, immediately became sick and died in seven minutes. There is little doubt that Sir John’s life was sacrificed by this rigid adherence to established royal forms.

By r his will the late Wm. T. Walters directs that his valuable art collection be kept intact as the prop- ‘ erty of one of his two children who cares to take it at an agreed valua- : tion. I Although Jules Verne’s works have earned untold fortunes for his publishers,they have brought to the novelist only $5,000 a year on an average. Rev. Dr. Charles H. Parkhurst has a double in the House of Representatives in the person of the new i Alabama member, Mr. Harrison, 1 elected to fill out the term of Gov. Oates. Mr. Harrison bears a striking resemblance to the New York reformer, which is hightened by his gold rimmed glasses. The likeness is so noticeable as to be the cause of i general comment. Mr. Stead, ringing the changes upon his famous title, has been talking about what would be expected of Women if Christ came to London. Among the responsibilities which be thinks should devolve upon women are the guardianship of the aged, the children, the unemployed and the deserted mothers, the amusement of children, and the relieving of the monotonous lives of the bedridden. But he thoughtlessly neglects to lengthen the days or increase the strength of the workers. Lawrence Irving, the second son of the actor, will probab'y make authorship his profession. He has IVvolume of prose in preparation, and is also about to publish “Godefroi and Yolande,” a mediaeval play, for which the fantastic Aubrey Beardsley has made three '(lustrations. There arc about half a dozen characters in this piece, and it deals with the love of “a master clerk”, for tbi heroine, in whose»eastle he is a sort of secretary. Mr. Lawrence Irving is now twenty'-two years old, and was intended for the British diplomatic service. He las been sta tioned in Paris and in Russia, being three years at St. Petersburg.