Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 September 1874 — CURRENT ITEMS. [ARTICLE]

CURRENT ITEMS.

What sublime courage was that displayed by the Nevada woman, who, when the stealthy savage approached her, just pulled off her hair and gave it to him! A Kentucky exchange says: “ With the beginning of the year we will reduce pur business to a cash basis. Cordwood and potatoes taken for subscriptions.” The first piece of artillery was invented by a German, soon after the invention of gunpowder, and was first used by the Moors at Algeziras, in Spain, in the siege 1341. When a horse reaches ten or twelve years of age don’t kill him because he is getting too old. Goldsmith Maid is over seventeen, and is showing considerable activity yet. The Detroit Free Preen anxiously remarks: “Of course, one can more or less contemplate a common rolling-pin, but when they send a cargo into this State with lend run into the ends what is to become of personal liberty?” The Milwaukee Sentinel has the following statement: “The grasshoppers on their way south stopped a railroad train and got copies of the St. Paul papers. When they read that only a small portion of the "crops had been destroyed they started back to finish up the job.” A movement is being made to introduce the prairie-chicken into various waste tracts in Europe and America, and with every prospect _oLsuccess. It is stated that, a few years ago, several pairs were transferred to a district of Maryland, and that, in consequence of proper protection, the progeny already amounts to several thousands.

A Distinguished gentleman, whose nose and chin were both very long, and who had lost his teeth, whereby the nose and chin were brought very near togethr er, was told: “ I am afraid your nose and chin will fight ere long; they approach one another very menacingly.” “I am afraid of it myself,” replied the gentleman, “for a great many words have passed between them already.” A bequest of $150,000, intended by Dr. E. R. Johnson, who died in New Bedford two years ago, to establish a charitable institution for colored jicople in that city, has failed in its purpose from a singular fact. The will, written by the Doctor himself, provided that the above bequest should be available on condition that his daughter should leave no “heirs.” He probably meant, on condition that she left no issue. Although the daughter died without children, her mother was her legal “heir,”.and the bulk of the property now goes to the latter’s relations. The finest specimen of silver ore ever produced in Colorado is now being carefully detached from its position in one of the Caribou mines. It is eight feet long, four feet wide, and fifteen inches ,in thickness; its weight is estimated at four tons at least, and it is covered with nuggets and scales of pure native silver, some of which, -as an eye-witness observes, are large enough sot door-plates. The proprietors intend to exhibit their specimen at the coming Territorial fairs, after which they, will ship it to New York, where it will • remain until.lß76, when it will be taken to Philadelphia, to be bn exhibition at the celebration of the centennial.— Denier Tribune-. While W. Reeder and other gentlemen were fishing in Green River, Ky., recently, they were thrown into the utmost consternation by ® appearance of a dreadful monster, in the shape of a fish, moving slowly up the river, its hack fins protruding some six feet out of the water. Mustering up courage, Mr. R. and his friends got in a skill and pulled out near the monster, and when within a. hundred feet of it the creature sank. They moved forward to see if it could be observed beneath the surface, as the water was'very clear. In a few moments it arose within forty feet of them and they could see its full gigantic form, which was about fifteen feet long and three feet in diameter at the middle, with large fins on its back and side, six or seven feet long; its head was fully one-third of its entire length; one prong of its tail was about four feet wide and six feet long.—'■ LouitrnUe Commercial. Two years ago, Joel H. Mansfield, of San Francisco. Cal., having become enamored of Miss Mary Hein, and having failed to impress? that young lady as favorably as he desired, met her on the street one afternoon and blazed away at her with a pistol. She was with another young man at the time. Mansfield fired three times at her. Two of the shots took effect, and for some time Miss Hein's life was-in danger. Mansfield was tried two or three times for the assault, but each time the jury disagreed, and finally, the patience of the prosecuting oflicers being exhausted, a nolle prosequi was entered. The sequel to this romantic affair is that a few. days ago the County Clerk issued a marriage license * to Mr. Mansfield and Miss Hein, and during the week they were made one: flesh. ‘No place in the world can beat California tor romance. , ,