The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-01-20
VARIOUS ITEMS.

are III tue SOltu.
The Missouri river is Tow frozen over, and a.
ready hundreds of negroes have availel them
selves OF the bridge OF freedom, or, in other
words, have emigrated from Missouri TO Kansas
/ Never did an Irishman utter better bull than
did an honest John, who, being asked by friend
Has your sister a son or a daughter 60 answer
ed " Upon my life, DO not yet know whether
l an uncle or aunt"
Tom Thumb retires or a quarter Of { million
This is but a fair Illustration Of the strange
freaks Of fortune, these topsy turvy times. Il
seems essier 10 make a fortune by Anlsnsss than
by greatness.
There is an old gentleman living in Bolton.
CT, who now has in tie United States service
four sons-n-aw, seven grsndsons, thirteen neph-
eWs, AID one daughter las hospital nurse)-in
all, twenty FIVE OF bis family connections. A
good representation.
The Detroit Free Press furnishes an abstract
statement OF disasters on the lakes, which have
occurred during the navigation Of 1868 The
number OF disasters which took place the pas,
year OF SO. and OF the season previous rs. By
far the greater part OF them have taken place on
the ST. Clair fats, as has been the case in former
years.
NJ. Arago, the celebrated French philosopher,
had fashion y ben lecturing in public OF seek
ing Tor the dullest looking man IN his audience,
ard rivetinc his gaze on him. he talked az him,
all the Frightening face told that he had made
All clear, plain and Interesting 10 this person. and
therefore the same 20 al present he aroused
the attention OF an assembly Ia remarkable
degree by his firm eucidations Of deeply scien.
thc princinles-and this procedure was the key
TO his success.
Il appears bv returns published by the Siats-
tica Society Of Paris. that there sre az present
3 sl5.S47 soldiers under arms in the / ; Euro
pesn States, containing population OF 2s9. .4s5,-
1873 souls The standing armies cost annually
2.S2l ,4O9 545 francs. or about Si4 francs per
man IL appears further that for every rs in
habitants one L. taken for the military service,
and that the armies cost 50 per cent. OF the total
expenditures OF the various countries by which
they are maintained.
STEAN BUGGY IL BRoADwAY.-A new kind
of cauiage has made its appearance on this
crowded thoroughiare--a two horse buggy pro-
PEELED by its own private steami This Is a Yam
kee result OF the Central Perks getting OF Fash
ion upon wheels IL is a Boston invention.
mar uiactured bv Roper and Austin, and goes
safely on any grade-no danger from fright or
stumble, nor whatever from vicious ruunings
away. A hod OF coal ruus Il thirty miles The
I inventor Is desirtu- OF matching II against any
irot,ing horse in the world for one thousand
dollars.
Tie Board Of Works in the city Of Chicago
have given the preference 20 wood pavements
over those OF stone a. being The most durable
OF any kind vet used there. The following is a
description of the method Of constructions Lay
down flooring of one inch boards bed Of
sand coat the floor with ssphatum stand on
cud blocks Of wood SIX iuches high by three in
ches thick and nine inches in length, IN TOws
about inch apart, divided by strips Of boards.
Fail ia these open narrow spsces With aspheltum.
/ There are SIX miles Of ihese pavemeuts in Chi
cago, which alter six years constant wear, are
+ found to he nearly as perfect as when laid down.
Plaids are en- regle in Paris this winter. A
recent letter says:
/ Everywhere We 90, be il to the Champs Eys-
ees, to the Bos, or 10 the Tuleries gardens
the great playground OF the Partisan juvenilites
to uodisies or mantua makers, 10 the silk mer-
GERS or cloak warehouse, nothing but plaid meets
the eye. There seems TO be a positive mania
for these gay patterns; and literally from head
10 foot they are worn. We see plaid bonuets.
plaid feathers plaid ribbons, plaid neckties, plaid
dresses, plaid trimmings, plaid shawls and man
ties, plaid petticoats, and even plaid ELK stock
ing. To this long list ! caa make many add-
tons There are plaid chenille hair-nets, plaid
ribbon head cresses plaid chenille friuges. plaid
ruches, aud even morning caps are now trimmed
with loops rosettes formed with a variety Of mar
row ri5bon-velvets, arranged 20 as to produce
the effect of plaid
The Sunday limos saws, spicily: "In the
Central Park, the other DAY, we counted forty
carriages driven by servants in livery. Twenty
fee wears ago it would have been difficult 20
nnd-setting aside The attendants OF foreign
mini-ters-hall that number OF livery servants
in the United States Every year are more
and more the raree-show splendors of European
aristocracy We shall soon have a. much gold
leaf on our gingerbread as they. Ii seems 20
u that some thirty years ago, such beings as
plain republicans existed. Where are they
nows The late William L. Marcy, when Secre-
tarv Of State, issued a manifest against putting
court suits On the backs of American ambassa-
dors Since this We have got into courtly Ways
al home Tnsel trumpery, and etiquette reign
supreme az the seat OF government. Look at
the ogarterngs of some OF our ne0 first families.
TIE panels OF their carriages display coals Of
arms that you would hardly knos from some
Of those that date from the days Of the Crusade.