The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-04-06
The Game of Life.

statement from the Bureau Of Statis-
tics OF imports of the United States,
for 1869, it is possible to extract some
web we call life. Here, in the grin,
lifeless figures that spread before us in
almost endless prOfusion, are. the re-
cords of our health and our sickness,
our meat and drink, our faults and our
vices, our pleasures and our tolls.
To take them as they come, we
first touch the article Of amusements,
and find that the duties Inst year on
imported playing cards we've $5,l62.
20, and those on chalk for billiard
cues S309, so, fearful exhibit OF mas
culine vice, no doubt some fair one
will think, bnt let her wait Her little
eccentiicities have a place in the pic.
turr. Beauty calls for 99,2I5,5O tor
beads, 81 ,S20,25 for her fancy fans
and S396,:,S7 for the dressed feathers
which decorate the little clam shells
that the girl of the period puts upon
her comely head under the name of
bonnet.
Turning to the matter of drugs the
physician will find an au full signiti
caucc in a duty of SS.s33,75 on ergo !;
of 1927 ,49I.SS for Opium simple; and
Sl5o.7lS,75 on opium prepared for
smoking. Calomcl. on the contrary,
with which the Faculty are said to
desc, only calls for Sl,3o4, go and ipe-
cac, S5.535, so.
Coming to what we eat and drink,
coffee pays duty of .54O,7is.S3 !;
nj fs, mi, III 4
reconstruction which takes Cuff out of
the field and sees him to making laws
aud constitu,ions--is imported in such
vast quantities that the duty acsre-
gate 1896, 6l0 63. Tea calls for 50, 7s5.
ABB IS; molasses TO- 81, los 300 I6, and
sugar for $50, GAS, 235 80 in which two
latter items we see once more the fine
effects of taking the negro ont If the
cane field and putting him to legisla-
| ting like n learned COW.
Mems vices do not make SD great a
show as thS constant l.arping "n that
theme would lead one to suppose, and
it is with pleasure we mention the cir
cumstance, inasmuch as it is II f,et be-
lief that the great mass of mankind are
much better than we take them to he.
Fusil OIL the gentlemen VIII" lately
made such a sensation throughout the
country, only calls for Il duty Of SIO.3IO,
which is ii little remarkable consider
ing the wonderful tales that have been
spread abroad respecting his universal
use and presence! For sesars there il
paid duty of 81 ,237 $50 OF; for meer.
scllaum pipes, Sl53,S35 Is, and for the
dandy's walking st ok, $l3,OS5 so. This
is not SO very bad a record for the friv-
oliies of man, but, says one, how about
liquid? We are coming to that. On
the brandy and the wine imported into
the United States during the year 1869
the duty was S5,lll, 1892 so.
This is terrible, of course, but it is
also terrible to know that in the arti.
Gle of silk dresses alone. lovely .wnmar
calls for duty OF 35,95l, 9S3 TO which
rather SIS. es" mems toddics, and goe.
$500, 900 better. Lovely womam's In
ees, also, cost 1869, 537 60; her vel
vets 1924, 2l2 81, and her dainty rib
hons S2,249.799 SO. Add to this tn,
small miscellaneous item of s., 22l ,3l(
50 for silk mixed goods and the fcmi
nine exhibit rather OvertOps the NAL,
item OF $6,771 GO on silk vestings. HUI
man hair tor chignons pays duty o
sI2o, $50 90 and cordials, liquors, etc.
sl0I ABB IL. Railroad iron pays SO
5l3,G5S 80 duty. and woolen dress
goods SI2 O6i ,2295 40. Diamonds an,
gems pay Sl9O,72a 20; Brussels carpets
ca!l for 81 .l66,337 10; perfumeries an,
cosmetics 1927 ,2223 10. Sugar cand,
for the little ones pays duty of S., AZ!
45, and the canaries that triil SO sweet
~ in our houses call for duty of S31
4:6 on the seed they eat.
And thus go the items which max,
up duty on imports Of Sl77,l5l, l2'
26 gold, for 1869. Truly map of lii
and, by way of winding mp this reviey
in manner to defend poor men, ",
give the duties in some chief article
used by him as compared with some o
the few little cheap things required b,
lovely women: