Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-03-19

"a Wiz It'll u WIZ IciI) ID pAhCc&A III CtaCu
little cup; just one gill Of water, while
boiling, is poured in each, and the
faster counts the minute; now he sits
down and scans the liquid tea as the
vapor rises from all the samples. In
meditation deep, he is lost to the outer
world. He then agitates each little
pool, as if to call up some tiny nymph.
His penetrating eyes scan the various
shades from light to dark. He now
inhales their ETHEREAL odors. The twitch-
ing of certain muscles shows the effect
of appreciation or dislike. Thus he
continues unto the end, deep in con-
temptation. Thunder, lightning, artil-
lery, cannot arouse him he is lost to
all other thoughts; it is tea, and tea
alone, that absorbs his whole attention.
The rounds are gone once more
From the little spoon he sips the steam
ing liquor. He does not drink it quick.
~, but as though he feared it would
burn, or that he would lose it's delicious
flavor. He twirls it around in his
mouth, as it were extracts its quality
then expe1s it. Each infusion shares
the same criticism and with intense
thought he sums up all the character
istics. The result fixes the value each
shows it's worth from the figure
he has made. Thus all the teas of
commerce are valued by the experts.
Observe the list of prices: Only half
a cent difference in price between some,
and as much as 81 between others.
Who would have thought there was so
great difference in value? The widest
range ut the present day in the value of
tea is from 20 cents to ST. so per pound );
in many instances varying but little in
value from one to the next up to the
highest. (These are wholesome prices.
As an article of merchandise in this
tea has been sold as high as So
per pound (wholesale.) In China it is
said to sell as high rs IS for the finest
of spring pickings or Mandarin tea-a
perfect white Pekoe leaf, which is sell
dom or ever exported from that coun-
to Russia. The writer has
seen a similar description of this tea,
which has been grown in India, in the
Upper Assam Tea Company's planta-
ton, and which was sold at the Com
mercial sale-rooms, in London, Eng
land, for Sc. so per pound, gold.
-, This tea was exported from London to
St. Petersburg, the Russians, after the
higher classes of Chinese, being the
of the best grades of tea
grown, and which is sent to them over
land by caravans.
The question arises, Wherein is the
difference in value? So far as the great
mass of the people are concerned, wa
answer, Where? As with the dainty
and most costly breakfast of the Egypt
ian Queen, consisting of sample olive
with its envelopes, or bottle of wine
bought in Knickerbocker times at 60
cents, and laid away in some rustic old
cellar till now, when some modern Mark
Anthony, with more money than brains,
will give $40 for the coveted liquor so
with tea. One that is sound and pure
costing now about GO cents at whole
sale, should be good enough for gener-
al use, taking from it all mystitiation
and fancied worth. But the fault of
our tea is more in the improper selec-
ton of it by the ignorant, and the sell
and meanness of the unprinci-
pied adulterators of it than in any de-
ficiency Of onality or amount of tea
imported to this country for the low
price above stated. Ask the profession
al tea-taster Chere are but few in this
country,-say a dozen men, all told,
among the thousands who deal in teal !;
ask him if those fancy prices do not
SAVIOR more of fancy than of real value.
Juvenile Labor in Massachusetts.
The annual report Of the Massachu-
sets Labor Bureau. just issued, con-
tains many interesting statements
concerning the employment of children.
The report says that the Bureau had
difficulty in obtaining answers to its
letters Of inquiry in a very large num-
Der of cases. Twenty-one towns, how
ever, reported ], $3.50 children under ten
employed, while twenty-eight more re-
ported that such children were employed,
but gave no numbers. Twenty-eight
towns reported 1,723 children from ten
to fifteen employed, who had mot received
the legal amount of schooling, and
twenty-nine towns reported children
thus employed, but gave no numbers.
These figures, in the opinion of the
Bureau, very inadcquately represent
the number Of children really employed.
Quite number of towns and cities have
half-time and evening schools. "Upon
this subject of the education of mill
children" says the report, "there can
be but one Opinion-that the matter is
not attended to, either by the State or
local authorities; that Legislation is
needed to compel attendance, to punish
illegal employment of children, and to
provide proper schools for the instruc-
ton Of operatives along with work.
Personally" it continues, 1--WE believe
in the most extreme legislation in this
direction, and, could we have the power
given us, we would not allow girl I'M
der sixteen years of age to he employed
in any kind of factory or workshop.
If she could be free till she reached the
age of twenty, mankind would be the
gamer. This is physiological matter,
and the result of our investigation OF
facts in this connection, and our careful
consideration OF the subject, leads us
to express the hope that, if no other
subject connected with the labor ques-
ton is thought worthy of Legislation,
this may be selected for Legislative
study and action. No argument is
necessary to convince people of the i'm
portance of giving the years under six.
teen in girls life to the growth and
development of her organization, on the
healthy condition of which SO much de-
pentls-her own health, happiness, and
usefulness, not only to herself, but te
those dependent upon her, either fol
care or sustenance."
Simple Method Sharpening OF Razors
1t has long been known that thu
simplest method of sharpening a razo
is to put it for half an hour in water t.
which one-twcntieth of it's weigh
of muriatic or sulphuric acit
has been added, then light.
wipe it off, and, after few hours, Sc
it on hone. The acid here supple
the place of milestone by corrodin|
the whole surface uniformly, so tina
nothing further than Il smooth polish i
necessary The process never injure
good blades, while badly hardened one
IRE frequently improved Ivy it, altlloug
the cause Of this Improvement remain,
unexplained.
The middle ages-Generally betwee
thirty and forty,