Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-09-30
VOL, LXXN

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The AUrUMS-TiME -1n the eternal round
of seasons there is nothing strange; aud yet
very common and pleasant custom 1t Is, as coe
goes out and we stand upon the threshold OF
another, to take survey Of both When grim
old winter sets his snowy foot and icy grasp
upon US the soft balmy airs of spring are anti
cpated wholly with delight. Neither drlzzlng
rain, nor omni-present slush fnd a place IN
the mental picture But soon these are palpa
BILE enough-uncomforta palpable, and
might be insupportabc, but for the cxpecta
ton of the approaching delights Of summer,
whose clear skies, and rich vegetation in turn
lead us to forget the sweltering temperature
and long Groughts which in due order assert
themselves and iucline ever discontented hu-
mauity to cast another glance forward-thls
time to autumn, the season now opened.
Of all seasons autumn promises most, and
disa appoints least. Melancholy it may be, vet
its melancholy brings no touch of pain. There
is death 10 the wailing winds dlrge they
seem to chant for the witherlng leaves. falling
fruit and decaying flowers, even as the fresher
breezes of spring are natal anthem. But 1t
is death dealing with maturity, and however
sad but fulfilling its mission at Datura and
bcfttipg period. The process is suggestive of
camness and repose, and every surrounding
helps to produce that effect. If man is iufu-
enced at all, it is iuto quetcr, more thought
full mood, aud for once he feels measurably
we'll disposed to lDger, content with the pres
rf -
Golden roads; fields and forests in purple, yell
low aud russet; delicate, many-tinted twiights
and all soitencd, subdued and invested with an
additional charm by such haze as that which
belongs to our lndaD summer-there is at no
other time so exquisite treat for the eye.
LADIES AND VINEGAR. Taken in modera-
tiou there is no doubt that vinegar is beneficial,
but in excess it impars the digestive organs.
Experiments on artificial digestion show that,
if the quantity of acid be diminished, digestion
is retarded; if increased beyond a certain point
digestion is arrested. There is reason, there.
fore, in that vul gar notion, unhapplly too often
relied on, that vinegar helps to keep down any
alarming adlposity, and that ladies' who dread
the disappearance of their graceful outlines in
curves of plumpuess expanding into fat may
arrest so dreadful result by liberal potatioDs
of vinegar, but they can only so arrest it at the
far more dreadful expense Of their health. The
amount Of acid which will keep them thin will
destroy their digestive powers. Portal gives
case which should be warning: "A few years
ago young lady in easy circumstances enjoyed
good health; she was very plump, had good
appetite and a complexion blooming with roses
aud lilies. She began to look upon her plump
ness with suspicion; for her mother was very
fat and she was afraid of becoming like her.
Accordingly she consulted woman who ad-
viscd her 10 drink a glass Of vinegar daily. The
young lady followed the advice and her plump
Dcss diminished. She was delighted with the
success Of the experiment, and continued it for
more than a month. She began to have
cough; but it was dry at its commencement, and
was considered as slight cold which would go
off Meantime from dry it became moist, a
slow fever came on and a difficulty of breath
ing; her body became lean aud wasted away;
night swelling Of the feet and of the legs sue
ceeded, aud diarrt ra terminated her life "
Therefore, young ladies, be boldly fat! New
er pine for graceful slimness and romantic
ralior but if nature means you to be ruddy and
rotund, accept it with laughing grace, which
will captivate more hearts than all the paleneSs
of a circulating library.
the subject of precious stones appears in re
cent number of the St. Petersburg Gazette. NJ.
Gibson, the author, has just completed jour
uey round the world, undertaken for the cx,
press purpose of making ilqaireS into this
branch Of trade. From his researches it ap-
pears that. owing principally to the plentiful
supply from the South African fields diamonds
are at lower price than they have been tor
ten years past. Pearls and emcralds, on the
other hand, arc at IA premium. At New ork
n opal about the size of modcrate-Szed olive
would fetch, at the present time, about 2200
routlcs, sapphire OF the same size would be
worth 1900 roubeS, an emerald 10000 dia-
noud 200 and a ruby $4,000 10 Europe
these prices would vary somewhat, opalS and
Sapphires fetching more and cmcraIds less.
Pearls are now brought from Central America,
California and the Persian Gulf, but they none
Of them rival those of the East Indies. The
diamonds annually imported FROM South Al
rics into Amerca are worth about seven mil
lion ronbles, and the importation into Europe
yerages about the same Many of them are
Of good size. and nearly all, without exception,
of yelowish tinge, the sequence being
that diamonds OF similar color have actually
gone down - per cent. in the market. Dla-
monds, indeed, would have fallen lower in
value lau IL uul ueeu ttdt lhe ieahEalloh VI
enormous fortunes 10 America through petro-
leum and military contracts created au exces-
sve demand. \ similar depreciation in the
price of diamonds was oceasoucd at the time
of the discovery of the Brazilian diamond mine,
Gocouda haring previously supplied the mar
kct. But the stones Soou regained their orlgl-
nal value. aud it may be confidently expected
that the effect Of the African diggpgs will be
also merely temporary.