Rensselaer Union, Volume 3, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 September 1871 — CURRENT ITEMS. [ARTICLE]

CURRENT ITEMS.

A handbook —A leger-de-main. The Slave of the “ Ring ” —A bride. An Aik of Importance —One’s' first breath. Provide for your old age with s policy in the Washington Life Insurance Company, of Now York. A hen without wings resides in Portland, Me. She is said to be an accomplished jumper, however. A fashion writer in a New York paper speaks of a recent funeral there, as “ the finest Drivale affair ever witnessed.” A box, containing a duck sitting on ten eggs wont a 3 baggage on the Knoxville Railroad in Tennessee, recently. The Mutual Life Insurance Company, of Chicago, is prudently managed, and ita claims are promptly met. Insure there. Honeymoons are so short in Chicago that bridal cars are proposed for thehprse railways, a tour out of town being too protracted. In the Swiss canton of Vaud, on the summits of the Alps, snow fell July 12, and the “ Tours d’Ai ” were covered with snow July 13. A pelican, shot Carson River, in California, a few days ornce, measured eight feet and eight inches from tip to tip of his extended wings. Joseph Rametti took his seat as a flute player in tho orchestra of the Boston Museum when it first opened, and has never missed plajingat every performance afternoon and evening, from that day to this, twenty eight years all told I He is a very regular blower. An American once asked the Emperor of the French to buy some ocean steamers, “the fastest in existence.” “Yes,” answered the Emperor, *• but the Americana would not sell me their fastest steamers unless they, had faster ones on the stocks.” Mr. Saxe borrowed a candle of a beautiful young lady. The next morning she found under the door these beautiful lines r “ You gave me a candle, I gave yon my thanks. And add a* a compliment justly your due— There Is not a girl in tbeae feminine ranks Who could, II she would, bold a candle to yon." Mauch Chunk, Penn., boaatsof a onearmed left-handed printer, Henry Eberle, who is as correct and rapid a type-setter as any typographer in the place. He also does the rolling and press work for **■ local papef, bn a Ramage hand-press, in excellent style. They have “Maiden Assurance Companies” in Denmark. A father may deposit any sum at the birth of a daughter, andYhe child receives during her minority four per cent. a r anally; at eighteen she cornea into & higher income, which is increased at stated periods through life. J. B. Hopkins, of Lockport, N. Y., who went to the South African diamond region a few months ago, lately found a magnificent 55J6 carat diamond, octahedron, flawless and speckles#, of that petmUar straw color that is so fashionable m England, and worth in the United States at least $75,000. The Boston Transcript, beintfs< an observant turn, has seen something which may be of interest to investors in mining stocks. It says: “We often notice that a shipment from the Pacific coast of bars of silver preccdt s the placing upon the market of shares in certain mining stocks; but no more silver comes afterward.” The English sometimes form the basis of libel suits. A man received one from his wife’s brother, on which it was w ritten: “ Your unmanly conduct to my sister is known to me. It shall be known to the world at large, if you donot reform, you coward.” The receiver of the epistle sued for slander, and got £39 damages. The Rothschilds are said to be such ton believers in luck that they never emuloy any one in any capacity who has beeh unfortunate. They always ask a man who applies to them for a situation however humble: “ Have you ever had any bad luck ? ’ and if the reply be in the amnnae tive he is rejected without farther delay. A couple of boys about twelve or fourteen yeats old, recently placed some obstructions on the track of the Erie Railroad, for the sake of seeing ** how far the locomotive would jump." Fortunately * freight train preceded the passenger train, and the obstruction was discovered in season to prevent another fearful accident. A young girl In New Haven haa been charged with attempting to burn a carriage Factory and a dwelling home, merely from “a desire to see the building* burn.” Youths who Incline to pastime* of this nature need some special training.. California’s latest curiosity is a roo*. ter with two sets of legs, one on his back. When he is weary of standing in his natural position, it is gravely he tom .a somereault and walks off upside down, and when he takes a drink he immediately turns oye* so as to swallow it the more easily. But it is in a free fin* that he shows to greate'r advantage. JW he is a terrible fighter, and when thus diverting himself, looks like a revolving wheel, turning somersaults _ incessantly, and kicking in every direction. Mr. WkLtOB MALOTT. a former, residing a few miles north of a turkey-goobler that is quite* curiosity. Some time since his mate laid a neat fall of eggs, and left them, revising to set on them, whereupon the gobtylex assumed that responsibility? and hatched out a brood of flvo young turkeys,. which he hag fad ever since. They arc now about four month* old, but he still takes them under his wings at night In the meantime the hen has hatched another brood, and jg run-