Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-03-07

eAceeulnS eiSuL lilies, MY Sehts
MAN AS A STUDY.-''The proper study of
mankind" it is said, ''is man and it has been
said with even greater truth, that there is no
greater mystery to man than man himself. In
locking over our exchanges we come across
some curious figures, showing what any one at
tanning the age of fifty years has accomplished.
According to u French statstician, the average
man has at that age, slept 5000 days, worked
$500, walked 500 days, amused himself 1000
days, spent | 800 in eating, and been sick 500
day. He has eaten II 900 pounds of bread,
10000 pounds Of meats. 1000 pounds of vege
tables, fish, etc, and drank 1000 gallons Of
liquids. There are 1920 days in half CT n
tury, aud from the above statement it would
seem that man slept one third Of the time.
ln his animal character, man Is the most de
Structve of all creatures, and while apparently
satisfied with himself, to all subordinate crca-
ton he must appear terrible and repulsive
monster Even in the reptile he must excite
more instructive dread and become more hide
o,ls than the reptile is to him. 10 crafty his
appettes and the pride of the flesh, he spares
nothing that possesses life guarded by
strength inferior to his own. All animal and
vegetable nature, as it were, passes through his
rapaciuus and insatiate NAV, and III his won
d,rtul and peculiar economy might be detected,
if science only owned the analytical tests, the
essential principles pervadiug all pre- existent
tnrm Of vitality 1t has been said, in this con-
ucction, that man is the only animal that con-
Scously values the qualification Of its sensual
appetites, more than it does its own selt-pre-
servation. Nine men out of ten deliberately
pursue course Of living that they know tends
10 shorten their days, and yet the fear OF death
is their most dreaded thought. The study of
Il ho op,;poptl,, h,1tI
invariably prove most 'perplexing, if not un-
profitable one Man is, among mysteries, the
most mysterious.
THE YEARS PRoDUcT-It is officially re-
ported that the value of the farm products OF
the United States during the past year-ex-
ceptipg the live stock amounts to s.. 2.445,
OOO,0O0 This represents the years gross re-
,ceipts, and it looks immense enough. But
great deductions are to be made from it, be-
fore we can approximate to the clear profits
of the year. The living expenses OF our
10000 900 of people, for instance, are first to
be taken out; then all the taxes, and the debts
falling due end the interest at least on the
others must be sub,racted. We should find on
examination, therefore, that the real proht on
last years production is not so great after all.
We see that David A. Wells, in a recent lee
ture, estimates that if the whole accumulation
of the country was equally divided each lndl-
vdual would receive but $l75. This shows
how closely the world lives, from hand to
mouth. A year 5 cessation from work would
bring she greater part of mankind to, starva-
ton, even if they were as we'll Oft Oh the aver,
age of the people of the Uuted States-whlch
they are very far from being. Mr.. Wells also
estimates that the permanent accumulatlons OF
the English nation for the last 500 years
amount to about $50, ,00O, 100000; those for the
United States for the last $50 years amount to
about $25, ,000, 100000.
WHAT WAS FOUND IN A TRUNK-A few
days ago two gentlemen were desirous OF each
purchasing trunk, and to effect the same
went to an auction house The sales were 10
progress when they arrived. Very soon sever
al second hand trunks were offered and our
friends bid on them. One Of them purchased
iue-looking article of the kind wanted and
then bid on an older and much worn one tor
his friend The latter, however, refused to ac-
cept the purchase on the ground that the
trunk was not worth the money paid tor it
six bits Having it on his hands, the gentle
mar resolved reluctantly to make the best OF
a bargain, and had it sent to his room. There
he proceeded to open it, when he was surprls-
ed to fud that it contained lot OF artclcS,-
Among them he found bundle of letters, APP
parently showing that the trunk had once be-
longed to military officer, who had been sta
toned at some camp in Arizona. After rum
magng about for a while and regetting his
foolish purchase, he found 10 the bottom
small bag containing several rich specimens OF
gold bearing quartz, some moss agateS ana
beautiful large amethyst. These relics OF
who informed him that the moss agates were
unusually fine, and worth $75, The amethyst
proved to be rare specimen and was valued
at $2OO.-San Francisco Alta.
DOGS The Richmond Enquirer says:-lf
one dollar could be collected on each dog IN the
State, the aggregate amount ($3OO,O ,O00) would
pay the cost Of sending 60, 900 children to the
public schools for FIVE months, or 100000 chill,
tiren for one month. For every dog put out OF
the world under good dog CLAW, ten sheep
will come into the world. The death OF the
clog saves $40 a year, and the birth OF the
sheen makes $40. so there is $50 profit in each
case. IflOO 600 bood-sucking ours and egg
sucking fees should suffer the extreme penalty
of the law, and 100000 sheep should succeed
them, we then shall have saved 81 l,OOu,OOO III
dog feed, and made $4,000, ,OO0l In anuual pro
fit on the sheep, by which our people Would L, De
$1,000 900 better off than they are now. ne
increase of the dogs is the aggravatlon OF pow
erty; the increase of sheep is the multphca-
ton of riches The deceased ours yielded no
tax; tie focks of sheep will make no delin-
quent list. When the wool CLIP. and the iauno
crop put money into the farmers pocket "heu
the rag weed gives places to the white clover "heh
the busy barrens and rugged mountains tTLh 1
out muttons finer than ever ranged tne cha:S ca:S
downs Of England then will poor land find BID d.
ders, and pastoral scenery gladden. our weary
vision
The largest and heaviest woman IN Paris
died recently Her weight was i've, hnnoreu
and fourteen pounds. She was named ueno1',
and IN lS4S appeared at national fete as u.e
"oddess Of Liberty, at which time hcr neufe
Was quite slim.
Arizona Territory does not owe dollar. anu 10