Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1869 — Page 1

THE KENSBMB UNION, ' hr, "JRJfE E. James, » JOSHUA HEALEY, ( Proprietors, omen in opposite B.bwrtul.., a ta Ad¥ance JOB WORK ,o »»

Selected Miscellany. TIIHKB OLD SAWS. b/ LUCY LAnCOM. Tr the world wenn cold to you, Kindle Jre. to warm It! Let their comfort bide from view. Winters that deform it. Hearts a* frozen as yonr own. To that radiance gather; You will soon forgot to moan, " Ahl the rheerlees weather. ' If the world's a wilderness, Go build houses In It I Will it help yonr loneliness On the wind to din ft? . liaise a hut however slight, Weeds and brambles smother; And to roof and meal invite Some forlomcr brother. If the world’s a vale of tears, Smile lill rainbows span it; Breathe the love that life endears, Clear from clouds to fan it. Of your gladness lend a gleam T'rtto souls that shiver; Show themlhow dark Sorrow's stream Blends with Hope's bright river.

Diaries of Dying Men—Revelations from a Coal Mine.

The JVert/i German Correspondent says: The opinion that the unfortunate miners in tljo Burg colliery were air immediately killed by the explosion proves incorrect, in the note book of the miner Baer the following entry has been found: “This Is the last place where we have taken refiige. J have given up all hope because the ventilation in the Segongottes shaft and the Hoffnungs abaft has been destroyed in three separate places. May God take myself and my relations and dear friends who must die with me, as well as onr families, under his protection. “Ernst Baer." In the Hoffhungs shaft, too, the following words have been found: “Janetz died. Richter left his family to God.” And again: "Farewell, dear wife! Farewell, dear children I May God keep you. “ Gottleib Heimann.” And lastly: “ Farewell, dear wife and children! I did not think it would end so. Obermann.” One of the name of Schmidt had pinned a-{Japer with the following words to the breast,Of his blouse :“ My dear relations, while seeing death before me, I remember you. Farewell till we meet again in happiness. The rest I must leave to you. Between 9 and 10 o’clock.” On the other side were the wordsj, “Dear wife, take ♦><)d care of Mary, fn a book in the bedroom you will 'find a "thaler. Farewell, deaf inothef and Misters, till we meet again.” All must have been over about 10 o’clock on the 2d. ;(>u - the 10th, two hundred and thirty-six bodies had been recovered. By Tar the greater part must have died suddenly., -The great grave was then closed, as soine time will probably elapse before the rest are recovered, on account of the masses of earth that obstruct the way. The rest will be btiried separately. Incalculable misery has been caused by this learlulaeeident.

Traveling Stones.

Tiuit have walking stones in Australia, and as wc are Informed they have traveling stones in Nevada. Here is * description : “ They are almost round, the' majority of them as largu »s a walnut, and of an irony nature. When distributed about upon the floor, table, or any other level surface, within two or three feet of each other, they immediately begin traveling toward a common canter, and there huddle up in a bunch like a. lot of eggs in a nest.' A single stone, romdvOd to the distance of three and a half tcct r upon being released, at once started off with wonderful and somcwltat /□Jmcal l celerity to join its fellows: Taker! away four or five feet it remained motionless. They arc found in a region that, comparatively level, is nothing but barren rock. Scattered over this liarren region are little itasins from a few feet to a rod in diameter, .and it is in the bottom of these that the rolling stones arc found. They are from the size of a pea to five or six- inches in diameter. The cause of tlirae stones rolling together is doubtless id >bdi found in the material of which they are composed, which apptork to be loadstone o¥ magnetic iron ore.”. ,

How Letters are Sometimes' Lost.

In clearing uji a Uflitfed States postal car that is mtn over the 6 route to New York, a few days hgo; tWoof the employees of the I’ostoflfcc Department, who have 1 exclusive charge of it found a large number of letters beneath and kt* the sides of a drawer that had prebaWyinot been entirely removed from tfa chest suice the car was built. The* envelopes were postmarked with various dates, covering several months. Instead ,pf turning the letters into the mail, as they should have done, fearing a charge of carelessness that might be made agamst-them; they Consulted together, am) Concluded to bush .the matter by destroying them, which they did by burning. Unfortunately tor the agents, one of the pair proved to be a “leaky vessel,’’ and let the secret out to a friend, who in a confidential way told ; an other person, and the affair finally reached the ear of a detective, at whose instance the guiltv parties were ’tasphnded from office until an investigationisbajltake place. Doubtless many valuable letters that .are missed from the mails from tithe. to time could be accounted for tor sinitlar jwiys. The matter has been kept very quiet, but one or two firms who pave lost letters of consequence are detertmued to probe it to the bottom.— BMbh Herald.

The First Marriage in an Ohio Town.

One of tbef Cleveland papers has an inReserve. The "first marriage was celebratea in November, 1816, the Bridegroom being Levi Holcomb, and dip bride Laura Marsh. These being neither. clergyman nor justice of the peace In the township, it became a solemn question to the anxious couple to know how the knot Was to be tied. Deacon James/lifeSA* Jbd'hill lives in Harrisville, and ever ready to assist suffering humanity,, promptly votunteered Ms services to aid the Wring pair in their dire extremity/ Sotting jout Warren, he soon arrived there, and- was not long in finding »ho object of his search, who readily consented to accompany him tlm next day,"and legalize- the cerenumy. But there is many n slip twist thecuppnd ths lip. During the night Mt. warren was taken so suddentar ill that Jt was Impossible for him to fulfill his promise, The

THE RENSSELAER UNION.

VOL, I.

deacon, with that indomitable persever anceso characteristic of himself and of pioneers in general, next turned his steps toward Norton, where he knew Mr. Van Hernans, ah'acting justice of the peace, lived, in hopes of securing his services; but here again he was doomed to disappointment. The ’squire was out on a hunting expedition, and did not return till night, when he coolly informed the deacon that he was not at his service. The persevering deacon next proceeded to Coventry, where his efforts were crowned with success in securing the services of Esquire Heathman, who accompanied him, arriving at Harrisville—after the wedding should nave been. However, the ’squire thought it was never too late to do good, and therefore proceeded to tie the knot, and “all went merry as a marriage bell.”

A Visit to the City of Confucius.

Mr. Markham, an English Consul in China, has written an aoepunt of a visit to Kiu-foo, the city of Confucius, which has been printed with other reports of British Consuls in China and Japan. Mr. Markham says Kiu-foo is a city of no Importance, but tt may be called the historical city of China. There Confucius was educated, lived, taught and was finally buried. His birth-place, a cave, is in the Ne-shan Hills, some twenty li to the northeast. His representative, a Kungyth, or Duke of the Empire, dwells in the city, the whole of the north and west of which is taken up with the grounds of the Ducal Palace and Temple to Confucius, splendidly wooded. The temple is a building on a far more magnificent scale than any Mr. Markham saw in China. Here are numerous relics of the sage, some of the bronze censers, etc., bearing date B. C. 2800. The city has a population of about 25,000, which is composed chiefly of descendants of Confucius, eight out of ten families bearing his surname. The office of Cheshien, or magistrate, is hereditary in the family, as also are the official appointments. When the rebels occupied the surrounding country they spared the city of mandates, declaring that they only wished to destroy the unjust and corrupt rulers, but that Confucius’ descendants could not be so. Except the fact of so many families bearing the sage’s surname, which requires some little explanation, nothing could be more satisfactory Land it would be well for some of the rising generation if, instead of making books on the turf, they were to take a leaf out of the book of Confucius, who, we may be sure, never saw the face of a bailiff in Kiu-foo, and whose bronze censers were never profaned by the auctioneer’s hammer, like some people’s family plate and racing cups in these degenerate days. Tsin-hsien, the city of Mencius, is similarly dedicated to the memory of that sage; he has a fine temple, and his descendants are pensioned by the State.

Animal Sagacity at the North.

According to the Esquimaux, the seal constructs its habitation beneath the surface of the ice in such a manner that it can enter it from the w^ter. below; here the young seal passes its infancy, and when the returning heat of summer has destroyed its igloo or dwelling, the young seal is bld enough to take care of itself; but this mode of lodging its young beneath the ice is well known to the bear, who with its keen sense soon detects the whereabouts of the seal’s nursery, and in order to gain an entrance, the bear, retiring a. short distance, makes a spring, and comes down with all his weight on the roof of the igloo, crushes it in, and immediately seizes the young seal with its paw. Here It might be supposed the hungry bear at once devours his prey; but no, it is far too wary to do so; it knows full well that where a babe is there must be a mother, and that she will be in search of her darling, therefore the bear scrapes away the snow from' the seal holo, and holding the young seal by the flipper, allows it to flounder about, and When the mother approaches, the bear slyly draws the young seal towards it until the old one is within reach, when he seizes her with the other paw, and thus captures both. The mode in which the bear captures the seal on the ice is very similar to that followed by the Esquimaux. When at a distance firom the seal, the bear throws itself down and stealthily crawls or hitches along towards the seal, and if the seal looks up it lies perfectly still and makes at the same time a noise which lulls the seal; the bear repeats the operation until it approaches its victim so near that es cape is impossible, when it falls a prey to Bruin’s ap petit J. Another mode of obtaining food by the bear is to watch from a cliff the movements of the walrus, who are fond of sunning themselves on the rocks, and when one of these has taken, up a convenient position for the bear’s purpose, the latter lifts a large piece of rock, and, with astonishing accuracy, throws it dow mon the animal's head. If the walrus is only stunned, the bear runs down, and with the rock hammers its victim on the head until, jt is dead. When attempting "to capfuri a'seal hrwater, the bqar sinks his body beneath the surface of the sea, leaving only the head above water, which resembles a piece of floating ice; when.tb& seal rajsep ita head above the surfece,. Bruin<qufetiy sinks, and swimming under the seal seizes it.

The Heat from the Moon.

Lord Rossr has been measuring the heat that comes to us from th* moon. Using one of his great reflecting telescopes as a burning mirror, he has condensed the moon's rays upon one of the most delicate of heat gaugers—a thermo pile. Without being able to determine by what fraction of a Fahrenheit’s degree; the inner warmth increases the temperature of the terrestrial atmosphere, he has found, as an apthat from the sun. He conceives that the variation of heat from one satellite follows the same law as that of its light; < e., that we liave the moat warmth from the full moon, and least from the nearly new. By comparison with a terrestrial source of heat, Lord Kosse estimates the actual temperature of the moon’s surface at lunar mid-day to be about 500 degrees Fahrenheit The scorching results frfon the dew rotation of th*moon, which makes its day equal to ouf month, and from the absence or any atmosphere to screen the lunar world. Years ago, Sir John Herschel, wb® has more than once proved himself a prophet by his sagacious inferenrea, remarked that “The surface of the fullmoon exposed to us must., necessarily be very much heated,, possiblyto a degm much exceeding that* of bailing. water/ Fan tenaUa and his followers to the con trary notwithstanding, the moon can be no place for living beings, unless they are MlMMDders,

RENSSffiS.EE JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA, SEPTEMBER 23, 1869.

Weekly News Summary.

FOREIGN. Lady Palmerston, widow of thp late Lord I’aJmerston, died op the JJth n Paris advices of the) 12th state titai Gen. , Sickles’ late note to the Spanish Government declares that though the United States had not yet recognized tho insurgents in Cuba as belligerents, yet if the situation in the island modified soon they will take steps to that efid. In the meantime it was reported that Spain would immediately {Uijpatch 24,000 troops to Cuba. jay - • There arfiSpimors frpin Paris that the Emperor Napoleon -brands to abdicate—probably in favor of his son. The Emperor has recovered from his illness, but it is liable to return—hence his reported determination to resign. A fearftil hurricane has swept over the north- part of France, causing much damage to crops and other property. A letter from Cuba, under date of September!, says that news of recent successes of the Cubans had given an- impetus and life to the patriots’ cause which would prove irresistible. The Spanish troops everywhere were demoralized. The writer honestly believed the revolution would succeed, and the independence of Cuba be attained. The writer states that all along the Egrtqntjppast of the island the people very verge' of starvation, and were by hundreds from disease superinduce by want. ‘The once beautiful and luxuriant island is now a barren waste, and, should the war .be prolonged six months, it will be almost uninhabitable. Rio Janeiro dates to the 28th of July state that according to the Paraguayan accounts a sharp engagement had occurred between them and the Brazilians, in which 60 of the former and 200 of the latter were killed. It is stated that Minister McMahon denies the charges against Lopez, and says he is intelligent, polished, courageous and conversant with European manners and diplomacy. At Konigsberg, PrilSsfA, during the festival in honor of the visit of the ’King of Prussia, the railings of the bridge, overcrowded with spectators, broke, and ntany were precipitated into the river. Twen-ty-four bodies were recovered. A subscription has been started in London for the Avondale mine sufferers.

Ex-Minister Washburne writes to London papers reciting the barbarities of Lopez, and says that there are but few foreigners now in Paraguay, and they only pchnitted to live because they are useful to the Dictator. If they succeed in escaping they will have to thank the fortunes of war only, and not the protection of their own governments. The General Synod of the Irish Church assembled in Dublin oh the 15th. A protest against the act of disestablishment was passed unanimously. - The Emperor Napofton presided at the Council of Ministers otttehe 15th. The official journals announce that his health is restored. Tlie European International Workingmen’s Congress convened at Basle, Switzerland, on the 14th. The attendance was large. A. O. Cameron, of Chicago, made a long speebh, and iavited the delegates to visit America in 1870. The Madrid Impartial of the 15th says that General Prim has sent a telegraphic dispatch: to the government doctaring tliat he will hesitate at no sacrifice-to subdue the insurrection in Cuba. ~ A dispatch from Madrid on the lOth says; “ The difficulties nfift the United States on account of Cnba are in a fair way of settlement.” "• The Paris Gfiulois states that the majority of the Prince Hnperial will be announced on his next birthday,, March 15. A National Tenants’ League has been organized in Ireland, which derhands a perpetuity in land tenures, the placing of rents on a fixed basis, and the abolition of distress for rent.

Admiral Hoff, lately in command, of the United States squadron in Cuban wafers, informs Secretary Robeson that the struggle in Cuba will be a protracted one, -unless some outside interference takes place. The Londbn Tintw of the 16th, speaking of Gen. Sickles’ to the Spanish Governmentffljlfc *tMwiN»ao doubtbut that the alternative offered Spain is abandonment.of the island, or American recognition of the insurgents.” It adds s “ The probabilities are that we are on'the eve of serious events. The struggle jvill be hopeless so for as Spain is concerned, but the Government Cannot resist the impulses of the people. J flatpe of Spanish pride is fast kindling, and the ment in striving to check it. will soon be

extinguished.” The sculling match between Walter Brown, the American, and Joseph Saddler, of England, will come off on October 7, on the Thames, from Putney to Mortlake. The Indian mail steamer Carnatic has been totally wreqlted in the Red Bea. Five passengers, nirie-of the crew, and fifteen nativea wero miiMng, and supposed to be drowned. wltoand a large amount of specie for London, were lost. . , * * 5 . DOMESTIC. New York detectives .have gained possession of the lithographic stone from which the counterfeit five-dollar greenbacks that have bean extensively eircuTatedtnthe Bonth and Southwest,'’have been struct. From this' stone alone at least |500,000 of spurious notes have been printed. The Avahdale- disaster leaves seventythree widows and nearly 300 children as objects of public charity. The incendiaries who *»t' fir# -trt the snow-sheds on the Central Pacific Kailroad,»aa» Uurßutuujil, a few weeks dpoe, bavs been arretted, «'

OUH COUNTRY A.IND OTJR UNION

A Washington telegram of the 14th says:-.“Recent letters from Minister Motley express dissatisfaction at the policy which he is instructed to pursue in regard to the Alabama claims. He writes that the temper of the British Ministry is decidedly favorable toward reopening negotiations for a settlement of the question, and that if he was permitted to open up the subject again, the chances arc that a treaty coiild be agreed upon alike satisfoctory to both sides." The amount obtained by the robbers who recently broke into an American Merchants’ Union Express car, on the New York Central road, between Utica and Albany, amounts to SBOO,OOO. 4 The Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Company have given $20,000 for the relief of the Avondale sufferers. The company do not believe the fire in the mine was the work of incendiaries, but the result of the carelessness of a miner, who descended the shaft with a bundle of hay, which became ignited from the lamp [Carried in his hat. The pastor of the Avondale Welsh Baptist Church, who delivered the ftineral discourse over the suffocated miners, states that all but three of the male members of his church had perished in the mine. The Philadelphia contributions to the Avondale fund amounted to over $20,000 on the 14th, and were still increasing. The grand jury of Monroe County, Dlinois, have found indictments against McCoole, Gallagher and Allen, for violation of the statute law, in fighting a prize fight within that county, and have issued a warrant for their arrest.

The Evansville and Cairo packet Phantom exploded her boiler on the 15th, at the foot of Cumberland Island, a few miles above Paducah, Ky. George Nicholson, the first clerk, and three others were killed, two are missing, and eight wounded. The boat is a complete wreck, and was uninsured. A Washington telegram of the 15th states that the Administration at Washington has not, contrary to report, restricted Minister Motley in the reopening of negotiations for the settlement of the Alabama claims A telegram of the same date also says “ it is ascertained from a reliable source that General Sickles was not authorized to make any demand upon the Spanish Government. He was instructed merely to act discreetly, but with earnest ness, as mediator between that power and the Cubans, on the basis already published for the independence of the island.” The printers lately engaged in the Erie (Pa.) Republican office, and who were, leaders in the late “strike” there, have been arrested by a sheriff, at the suit o the proprietor of that paper, for damages caused his office during the said “strike,” amounting to $5,000 They will be tried next November, and are meantime released on bail.

The coroner’s jury in the Avondale mine disaster have returned the following verdict: “ That the said Palmer Steele, and others, came to their deaths in the Avondale mines; that the cause of their death was the exhaustion of atmospheric air, or a prevalence of sulphuric and carbonic acid gases in the said Avondale mine, caused by the burning of tho head house and breaker, at said mine, on the Sth day of September, thereby destroying the air courses leading from the mine through the shaft; that the fire originated from the furnace and entered the mine from the wooden bracket in the upcast air course, leading from the bottomfof the shaft to the headhouse.” Commissioner Delano has appointed a large number of assistant assessors, whose special duties will be to reassess incomes in the large cites, and the work will be commenced immediately. Cpstoms receipts for week ending September 11, $5,501,366. The freight depot of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad, at Cleveland, was entirely destroyed by fire on the 17th. The loss will probably amount to over SIOO,000. No insurance on building or contents.

PERSONAL. President Grant arrived in New York on the morning of the 10th. The Rawlins subscription fund in New York had reached $41,000 on the 11th. The Cuban Junta at New York, in appreciation of Secretary ,Rawlins’ strong sympathy for the Cuban cause, have presented Mrs. Rawlins with $20,000 in bonds of the embryo Republic, and a hearty letter of condolence. Ex-Senator Frelinghuysen, of New Jersey, has been tendered the mission to China, but he declines the appointment. Secretary Cox has appointed a colored man on the examining corps of the Patent Office.

The “ Red Stocking ” Base-Ball Club of Cincinnati hkve started on an excursion to California. Ex-Secretary Sewatei will start from San Francisco for the city of Mexico on the flOth inst / . ...jw— —- The recent billiard match at New York for the championship of America and SI,OOO was won by Decry; he making 1,500 points to 1;228 by Foster. POLITICAL. The recount of Votes in the late election of Safi Francisco is completed. Large discrepancies were found. Selby, Hanna and Freeman were elected. Selby’s majority is 110. The' following are the names of the Republican candidates in Minnesota: For Governor, Horace Austin, of Nicollet County; for Lieutenant-Governor, Win. A Yale, of Winona; for Secretary of State, Hans Matteson, of Meeker; for Auditor of State, Charles McHrath, of Nicolet; for Treasurer, Emil Munch, of Pine; for Chief Justice of Supreme Court, C. G. Ripley, of Fillmore; for Attorney General, F. R. E. Connell, of Hennepin; Cferk' of Supreme Court, Sherwood Hough, <>f Hartley. \ * * -'V ' Charles Whittlesey, the defeated Wells candidate for Congress in the jpeundrla

(Ya.) District, has been appointed by General Canby Attorney General of Virginia, vice Bowdin, resigned. The official returns of the election for Delegate to Congress in Idaho, on the 10th of August, are as follows: T. B. Butler, Republican,2,2lß; J. K. Shafer, Democrat, 3,102; J. J. May, Independent Democrat, 64. Shafer’s majoftly, 820, Lieut. Gov. Johnson and sixteen Republican members of the Arkansas Legislature have called a State Convention to meet at Little Rock, on the 13th of October, for tiie purpose of forming a liberal Republican party on the basis of universal suffrage and universal amnesty. By the provisions of the new constitu tion of Virginia the stay law is abrogated, and the Legislature is prohibited from passing any law to stay the collection of debts. The Maryland Democratic State Convention to nominate a candidate for State Comptroller will meet at Baltimore, October 7. The Republican Convention will meet at the same place, October 13. General Sherman has ordered the election in Texas, which was originally fixed for the 30th of November, to be extended through four days, on the suggestion of General Reynolds that a fair election could not be held in one day.. The same extension, it is said, will be given in Missippi if required. Returns from the Maine election, received in Augusta on the 16th, “ from 831 cities and towns, give Chamberlain 41,671, Smith 30,708, and Hichborn 3,979. Hichborn’s vote will not exceed 4,500, and Chamberlain’s majority will be 7,500. The Senate stands 27 Republicans, 3 Democrats, and 1 doubtful The House will probably stand 126 Republicans, and 25 Democrats.” The Virginia State Central Conservative Committee have adopted a resolution advising against the election of United States Senator at the meeting of the Legislature on the sth of Optbber. The Governor of Oregon has appointed three delegates to the St. Louis National Capital Convention.

A Father Sacrifices His Son’s Life to Save a Passenger Train.

A moot notable and wonderful instance of devotion to duty was shown by the bridgeman of the Newark and New Jersey Railroad yesterday—indeed a devotion that seeme unnatural, for the man in question sacrificed his child’s life to Save the lives of others. James Decker, the man in question, is employed to open and close the drawbridge on the Passaic river. Yesterday morning Decker as usual was employed upon the bridge, accompanied by his son, a lad of ten years. Some vessels requiring to go up the stream the bridge was opened by Decker and the boats permitted to pass through. There was not much time to spare in dosing the bridge, a train being due there in a few minutes. Slowly the bridge turned on its table, and when within a few yards of its proper position Decker heard the shrill whistle of the locomotive on its way to the Jeasey depot. At almost the same moment he heard a cry for help coming from beneath the bridge, and looking down into the water he observed, with horror, that his son had fall en into the river and was struggling for life. He could easllv have lumped down into the water atpl saved his boy, but the train was coming on at a rapid pace, and the bridge was still open, and to save his son was to insure the destruction of the train. Parental love is strong, and it was strong in Decker; the first impulse of the father was to leave the train to its fate and save the boy, but the devotion to duty overcame parental affection, and he instantly determined to save the train by closing the bridge. The draw was arranged with all the speed possible, and then Decker rushed to the assistance of his child, but It was too late, for the boy had Sunk, to be seen no more alive. He obtained assistance, and in a few minutes recovered the body of the poor little one. Great indeed was the father’s grief, although he did not regret the decision that ended his son’s life. This is an event almost without a parallel, and seems quite as improbable as are many of the scenes described in the yellow-covered literature of the day. There are few Deckers in the world. His action was so thorougly unselfish, so noble, as to appear not only Improbable, but unnatural.—New York Star, lltA

Terrible Adveniure of a Lion Tamer.

Mr. Lucas, the Hon tamer of the Hippodrome in Paris, recently had a narrow escape. He went into the cage where there were two lions and two lionesses, with only a whip in his hand, instead of the heavy cudgel which he generally carries. A lioness, presuming upon his being unarmed, sprung upon him, and seized him by the nape of the neck. A cry of horror arose from the spectators. Many women fainted, and others rushed out of the theatre. The other lions, attracted by blood, , rushed upon Lucas, and bit and scratched him severely. In a few moments he would certainly have been killed had not one of the assistants, who was not in the habit of entering the cage, come forward and knocked the lion about the head with an iron bar. It is re ported that Lucas said to him, “Go away, leave me to die alone." The man dragged him away from the Hons. The doctors discovered no less than thirty-one wounds. It is feared that if he recovers he will be a cripple for life. The heroism of the man by whom he was rescued, is the theme of enthusiastic praises. M. Arnaud, the manager of the Hippodrome, had the presence of mind to close the door of the cage after the faithful servant got Lucas out of it otherwise the lions might have made a raid upon the audience.

Suring the month of August, 68 steame, 48 ships, 109 barks, 189 brigs, 92 schooners, and 11 other vessels, arrived at the port of New York. The amount of merchandise imported and naying duty by weight, was 229,817.078 pounds. This does not Include coal ana salt, which amounted to 80,000 tbna. The exports of Weighable merchandise for the same periodwere 12,577,56 ft pound*. The imports of wine, gin and brandy, amounted to 480,004 gallons, and of molasses, etc., to 1,346,328 gallons. In addition to the above, »W,I(W bf.'lM of liquor were imported,

NO. 52.

CURRENT ITEMS.

Tub Jews of Cincinnati own |10,000,000 of property. Lamaktine’s old buggy sold In Paris for sixty, dollars. Milwaukee has been importing sparrows to clear her shade trees of worms. A Connecticut man went to Ohio fiftynine years ago, in 47 days. Recently he returned in twenty-seven hours. I ILuoas, the lion-tamer, who was attacked by a lioness during a performance at the Paris Hippodrome, has died of his wounds. Professor Elton,of Brown University, has founded a thousand-dollar scholarship in that institution in memory of his wife. The parties who leased the fence around the new postofflee works in New York, for $220 000™ Bt ex P €ot reahae A rheumatic San Franciscan.’bathed his aching joints in coal oil and then tried to light his pipe. A friend put him out with a carpet. At the last meeting of the class of 1833, Yale, fifteen were present, and of this number four reported ten children each. The Medical Faculty of Paris have recently conferred the degree of doctor of medicine upon three ladies—a Frenchwoman, a Russian and an American.

One of the London papers accuses Prince Alfred, when he was a middy, with hawking photographs of his royal mother among his fellow-midshipmen. A man in Texas being bitten on the foot by a tarrantula, his foot and leg at once began to swell and pain him terribly, and in five hours he died. • California has also a female heroine, who has saved nine or ten lives, but her name will kill her prospects—“ Big Mouth Moll.” Tint London General Omnibus Company reports that the number of passensera5 era carried during the half year ending uly 1,1869, was 20,157,926, against 39,313,812 for the half year ending July 1, 1868. Davis Hart’s little six year old son was run over at East Boston a few days ago, and injured so that he died in an hour. When his rather arrived at. the scene of the disaster, the child said, “Don’t whip me, father, I’ll never do so again.” The New York Commercial Advertiser states that a prominent merchant of that city who is sane has been placed in the Bloomingdale Asylum to prevent his' revealing a tamlly secret He has since been declared sane and released by the courts. Since the government began to print currency, Treasury detectives have captured about one hundred counterfeit plates of all kinds. Orders have been given to melt them, with the exception of two br three, reserved on account of unusual features.

A woman in West Stamford, Conn., recently picked from one stalk, raised from a single pea, one hundred and eight pods, and there were forty-five more that would be ready to pick in a day or two. Besides these, there were numerous blossoms on the same vine. The principal German watering places have been visited during the season just closed in numbers as follows: Wildbad, 2,972; Wildungen, 640; Elms, 5,895; Zoplitz, 1,183; Maribad, 4,394: Kissengen, 4,943; Carlsbad, 11,150, and Baden Baden, 21,954. It is said by an old trapper in the Rocky mountains, that the winds are milder and damner than formerly. It seems, too, that the rail of rain is more frequent and copious in Utah and other parts of the far west than formerly, and the rivers have increased in volume. . A private letter from a Canadian gentleman to a friend in New York states that Prince Arthur, moved by the expression of good will and friendship which the American newspapers have been pleased to utter, has resolved upon paving a visit to the States in the course of the winter.

A few days ago a little daughter of Dr. M. Bratt, of Maysville, Ky., while playing “ hide-and-go-seek,” conceived the idea of -secreting herself in a trunk. She closed the lid, and, as the trunk was supplied with a spring lock,T»he Was securely fastened therein. When found she was nearly suffocated. A citizen of London, Ontario, who pulled the ear of a small boy in church to keep him quiet, has been lined 61 for the onense by a Magistrate, who considered that an assault had been committed, in that the pulling of the boy’s ear was unnecessary, and seemed to have been done for punishment Water is so scarce in Philadelphia that the milk is spoilt ■ The Philadelphians complain that a thick yellow scum accumulates on its surface, which they don’t remember to have seen when water was plentiful. The milkmen preserve an obstinate silence, and are equally surprised with their customers.

A cobrebpondery in Japan says that there is, a few miles from Yokohama, an enormous bronze statue forty feet high, of a noted Japanese warrior named Dlaboots. It was erected in the eleventh century. It is formed of large plates of bronze, skillfully Joined together, and the storms of eight centuries have made but little impression upon it. Mr. Benneson, an Englishman, who had paddled a canoe up the Rhine and down the Danube and Volga, has started for a similar journey from New York to New ?rleana. He will go by river and canal to hiladelphia, Baltimore and Washington, to Pittsburgh; thence by the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, and thence to Galveston or some other Texan port. , Jean Mathia, of San Francisco, met bis death In a most summary manner, a few days ago. A very large ox was being drawn by a windlass to the ring in a slaughter-house, where Jean stood ready to knock him down. The ox struggled fearfully, and finally broke the rape, and as soon as he could recover his balance he made a lunge at the butcher, pinning him through the heart to the wall, and killing

The General Land Office is in receipt Of returns from the following district land offices, showing a disposal, during the past month, of 26,687 acres of the public domain: Steven’s Point, Wkt, 19.088; Bay - field, Win, 2.835; Greenleaf, Minn., 6314, and Dakota City, Neb., 6,350. The greater portions of these lands were taken by actual settlers, under the Homestead aft, and the remainder was sold for cash and located military land warrants. ■ A law suit in San Francisco rested ftpop the date of the death of a man whose body was found n an advanced state of HArtAmnnffiltinn ft?: th* mnnnfffiitii Ha hid

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wandered off insane and perished of starvation, and meantime a <IO,OOO policy on bis life had run out. The insurance company claimed that it took him five days to starve to death, and the widow that he died in four. The jury said that the widow was right and that the policy was good. The Toronto Christian Guartfinnsays of the wife of Commodore Vanderbilt: ‘•Mrs. Vanderbilt belongs to a wealthy Southern family, her mother being a cousin of Mr. Vanderbilt's. She is a relative bf Blshop McTyelre, of the Southern Methodist ChUrch. She is about 30 years of age; tali and queenly in -form, and beautiful in feature, and. what is better, is an accomplished Christian lady, a worthy member of the Methodist Church, and an active worker in church and Sabbath School work. The architect of the new Boston Post Office advertised recently for proposals for furnishing the cast-iron columns needed for the basement story. Several proposals were made; one party in Providence proposed to do the work for <20,064.61, and another, st West Point, for <20,064.44—a difference of only thirtyseven cents. The contract was awarded to the lowest bidder, ns the parties were equally responsible. It was evident that the proposals had been made upon the same scale of charges, and at the same rate per pound. The successful bidder said he thought some one would bp apt to make the offer, and therefore took out one cent each on thirty-seven pillars.

The Population of the Globe.

There are on the globe 1,288,000,000 of souls, of which 360,000)0 are of the Caucasian race. 552,000500 are of the Mongol race. 190,000,000 are of the Ethiopian race. 170,000,000 are of the Malay race. 1,000,000 are of the Indo-American race. There are 3,642 languages spoken, and 1,000 different rellgfons. The yearly mortality of the globe is 33,333,333 persons. This is at the rate of 91,554 per day, 8,730 per hour, 62 per minute. So each, pulsation of the heart marks the decease of some human creature. The average of human life is 33 years. One-fourth of the population dies at or before the age of seven,years. One-half at or before 17 years. Among 10,000 person one arrives at the age of 100 years, one in 500 attains the age of 90, and one in 100 lives to the age of 60. Married men live longer than single ones. In 1,000 persons 95 marry, and more marriages occur in June and December than in any other months of the year. One-eighth of the whole population is military. Professions exercise a great influence on longevity. In 1,000 individuals who arrive at the age of 70 years, 42 are priests, orators or public spencers; 40 are agriculturists, 33 are workmen, 32 are soldiers or military employes, 2f> advocates or engineers, 27 professors and 24 doctors.., 4 Those who devote their lives to the prolongation of that of others die the soonest There are 386,000,000 Christians. There are 5,000,000 Israelites. There are 60, Asiatic religionists. There are 190,000,000 Mohammedans. There are 300,000,000 Pagans. t In the Christians Churches: 170,000,000 profess the Roman Catholic. 75,000,000 profess the' Greek feith. 80,000,000 profess the Protestant.

—A conceited student of Andover once presented a sermon to Prof. Park, which was so grossly defective that it received no criticism at all. This feet led the writer to suppose the sermon to be one of great merit, and, some days after, walking with the professor, expressed his delight that he had been able to produce a discourse so faultless, and asked Prof. Park to suggest a suitable hymn to accompany its public delivery. The professor replied he thought of rone so appropriate as that well-known lyric. “ Now I lay me down to sleep.” The student disappeared. —— « <»■ ■«— —A contribution was recently taken in one of the churches in Northampton, Mass., and the day following, a man who counts his property by hundreds of thousands, called on one of the elders and said: “ I made a mistake yesterday, and put into the box ten cents when I meant to put in five cents!“

THE MARKETS.

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