Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-01-25

at the Tuilleries. The Embassy was receiysyd
with the usual courtesies, and the Emperor ex.
pressed MS satisfaction at the step w hich China
had taken. The Italian Parliament is debatinr
with much vehemence the obnoxious mill tax
the imposition OF which has lately caused SO
much disturbance throughout the country.
TIE OLD RAcED DYING Our IN MAssAcHu-
sETTs.-A Boston correspondent writes that
the decrease in the number OF children in Mas
sacbusetts is subject for our alarmists to
ponder upon. Many towns in the State ha We
been settled over two hundred years and their
history includes from six to eight generations.
Ihe records OF many of these towns have been
examined by State Official with respect TO the
relative number OF children in each generation
and 1t appears that the families comprising the
hrst generation had on an average between
eight and ten children. The next three genera
tons averaged between seven and eight TO each
family; the fifth generation about i've, and the
changes are rs suggestive as they are startling
Now IL is rare to find married persons having
one, two, or three children. This, also, is the
testimony OF physicians who have been exten.
sIvely engaged IN the practice OF medicine
from twenty to forty years in the State lit
were not for foreign emigration Massachusetts
would run out soon. As il is, the Irish servant
is now portion of its existence
ENGLISH oRcHEsrRAs and instruments are
tuned to higher pitch than is adopted in any
other country In the world. The result is great
brilliancy y OF effect. but il is seriously com
planned OF by vocalists. An effort is now
standard, but like all innovations il meets with
decided opposition. Ii is useless to tell
musicians that the pitch has been constantly
rising and Is far above that In use fifty or a
hundred years ago. 1t is equally idle 10
descant upon the serious consequences TO sing.
ers, whose voices are subjected not only To- a
greater strain but to more constant use than
formerly. Ii involves a change and that is
enough TO draw out opposition to it,
however those having the matter in charge,
are determined not to allow the reform to fail
An MI n aOtf al
cured valuable coadjutor in Mr. SIMS
Reeves the eminent tenor. This gentleman has
decidedly 'struck" against the English pitch.
and declares he will not sing or attam pt 10 sicp
10 such standard. France long ago settled
the matter by SIMPLE decree. but that style OF
bringing about musical reform has not come 10
vogue in England.
A CASE OF SUSPENDED ANIMArIoN.-Dn.
las Saturday, farmer named John Foster.
about fifty years of age. living near Van Vert
Ohio, while seated conversIng with his family
suddenly dropped out of his chair apparently
hfeless. Medical assistance was soon OBTAINED
ana upon examination LIE was pronounced to
be- exunct. Accordingly preparations Were
made for the burial, which was TO take place
on Monday. Arriving at the grave ward the
coffin was opened for a last view of the sup
posed lnanimate remains, when unmstakab
signs Of life was discovered. The brow was
covered with perspil alton, and the body had
every appearance OF being in natural and
healthy sleep. His friends Were prevailed M.
on 10 take the body home, where II remains up
to the present time in the same condition.
THE JAPANEsE.-Captain Brown of the Ia
panese ram Stonewall, employs the following
language concerning japanese affairs In a pri-
vate letter published by the Indianapolis
Journal: They are the slowest people TO think
and act in the world. The seat of war is only
about a hundred miles from this, and any
news IN regard to fights is always a month old
to lie, even when the truth would better
answer their purpose, and l really don't
believe that any Of the ministers who reside
here know anything more OF what is going on
outside YokohOma than / do, and l know
nothlpg No one ever expresses an opinion,
and 1t 10 only lunatic who would attempt 70
write an account OF the present compli Gated
state OF anairs, or he certainly would become
deranged before he finished the paper"
The v ATERFALL A LIFE PRRsRRvRR.-
quently amuse themselves BY shooune pigeons,
and while engaged in that innocent and appro.
pirate pastime on Tuesday morning, 6all,
III nIeo Iom inc gun they were using, passed
house, No. E6 Fourth avenue, and struck
lady who was seated in the room Fortunate.
J, however, the lady was attired for the street,
ana among many other indispensable articles
wore chignon Of large dimensions, and being
seated with bsr back TO the window, the
'cead!y missile struck the waferfaill the size
and consequently protected the skull. This is
not the hrst instance wherein q lady's lite has
been saved by q waterfall.
MURDER IN A PRIsoN.-A HE convict in
the penitentiary at Columbus, Ohio, named
JAMES English, murdered M. II. Pennell,
fsls man OF one Of the shops Of the institution,
on Wednesday, because he threatened 70 re-
port him for neglecting his work English At
tackled Pennell In the shop with q hatchet
while the room was full Of workmen. He cut
his head open, and after he had fallen made
second stroke at him, hacking his neck horri.
bly,. English was placed in the dungeon. He
has before committed two murders.
HIGH HKRLs.-The Scienhfic American tells
its readers what every physician and student
of ply siology knows about the silliness ard
harmfuilness OF wearing high. .heeled shoes
When the heel il raised, - ID the present Gus.
tom, the bones OF the thigh, pelvis, aad leg, as
well as the foot, are thrown into an abnormal
position; and while The bones maintain then
piasticity, the effect Of such unnatural tens,ou
h s1re 70 - perpetuated IN TIE shape o. crook.
ed shins, handy legs, elephantins toe joints,
and . cramped, ungracsfu1 gait.
o0ln Minnesota they have sstorchl,gnt
sleigh ridea." made brilliant b. yansparsncies
and eplivened BY music.