Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1849-01-05

man can die for half price, compared with
their cost few years ago.
STANDING ARMIEs.-I condense, from an
GRAFTON pronounced by Charles Sumner, of Bos-
ton, on the Grandeur of Nations, the following
statistics in reference to the standing armies Of
Europe:
"The standing army of European Christen-
dom, exclusive Of the navy, is, to wit: Great
Britain has 100000 mem France $50, 900 men
Russia 100000; Austria 276,000; Prussia 50,-
600. The cost Of this immense unproductive
mass of human beings amounts, at a moderate
calculation to the appalling sum Of 1856, 900, 900
per annum. This is the cost of this standing
army; now what is the loss by the withdrawal OF
two millions of hardy, healthy men, in the bloom
of life, from useful, productive labor2 1t costs
about $500, on an average, to rear a soldier, and
the value of his labor, if devoted to useful OBJ.
jects, would be $3.50 year; so that in setting
apart two millions Of men to be soldiers, loss
OF $l,000,000,O00 is sustained on account Of their
training, and loss of SS00,o0o,000 annually, on
account of their labor"
No wonder that starvation, poverty and igno-
rance should continue under these outrageous,
distressing and absurd systems Of government.
When shall education and TRUE Christianity
remove these heather denominations, and turn
their "spears into plow-shares and their swords
into pruning-hooks ?"-O. S. Fo,cler.
He HAD HER THERE "A very respectable
looking lady stepped into store on Washing
ton street few days ago, to buy steel retcule ;
the clerk handed out variety Of sorts, sizes and
prices, all of which the lady deliberately viewed
handled, and commented upon until at length
having made a selection of small one, at $3.50,
she gave the clerk ten dollar note TO deduct
that amount; the clerk went to the desk, and
returning, gave the lady her change.
"Why, here's but two dollars and half"
says she.
EXACTLY, madame" replied the clerk.
"Well, but gave you ten dollar bill, sir"
Precisely, madame" said the polite clerk.
"This bag is two dollars and half, is it not 2"
says the lady, holding forth the purchased reti-
cule.
1.-TWO dollars and half is the price, madame"
"Then why do you take out seven dollars and
half, sir 2"
"why madame, this reticule is two dollars and
half"
"very well, sir" says the lady.
"And that one attached to your dress, beneath
your cardinal is fee dollars more p said the
complaisant clerk, raising up the lady's cardinal
and displaying very handsome steel bead reti
Guile there secreted. The lady became quite ag
tated but the humane clerk assured her it wa:
all perfectly right
'You don't for a moment suppose, sir" said
the lady in a low and husky voice, "that in
tended"
30, certainly not, madame !" said the clerk.
10, its all right madame, perfectly correct,
continued the clerk.
"Good morning, sir" said the lady, bowling
and grinning ghastly smile.
"Good morning" responded the gentlemanlY
clerk, bowling the lady safely off, out of thu
premises No fancy sketch, this.-BOsion Nail
A FEMALE BEAUTY.-Wm Sturgs, Esq.
of Boston, lately delivered a lecture before thu
Yarmouth Institute, on the Indians of the Nortl
West Coast, among whom Mr. Sturgis spen
several years. more than half century ago Ill
described the Indians as they ,oere, not as they
are, after an acquaintance of.6fy years with tn
whites
He spoke Of the custom Of females, by mean
of wooden contriyances, causing the under Iii
to grow out nearly horizontally nearly the siz
of a mans hand, presenting most unsightl
appearance, as shown in native cut he exhit
tied. This was called a wooden lip, and deem
ed an essential requisite of female beauty.
any of our fair readers should feel disposed I
laugh at this absurd folly, they should remembe
that the forest maiden would stick out her hug
lip at them for COMPRISING and dstorting thei
waists.
The speaker related several amusing scent
in his own peculiar way and manner. That
an aged matron of the forest, with lip projectin
three inches, and made last by wood appliance
claiming all whites as her children, and exerci
ing the mothorly privilege of kissing the cal
tain and all hands, must have been most a
fectionate and smacking scene, and worthy Il
pencil of painter.
DEATH OF THE RIGHTEoUs.-I once met {
the sea-shore, said the Eastern poet, Saadi,
pious man, who had been attacked by tige
and was horribly mutilated. He was dying, az
suffering dreadful agonies. Nevertheless,
features were calm and serene, and his physic
pain seemed to be yanquished by the purity
his soul. ~ Great God" said he " thank III,
that | am only suffering from the fangs of Il
tiger, and not from remorse."
g. There has been sleigh-ride across Il
Niagara suspension bridge On Christmas da
Mr. Ellet, the engineer, with friend drove ov
this structure, in Sleigh and back. The hor
went at brisk trot.
81 A recent freshet in the Wabash riv,