, 1874-07-18
FAMILIAR TALK. .


., FAMILIAR tai r..
/ =. Suicide IN EUROPEAN ARMIES
From body Of statistics showing tho COM
raratlYa prevalence Of suicide in the diYoront
European arnllos, II. .appoars that tho CRIME "a
thfoo timos moro common among tho military OF
England than among civilians. Iu tho Dolrinn
army, the ratio of auctdea Is ono-fourth croator
than In tho British army, In tho prlsaian' army,
It is almost tyice Creator; In Tho French army'
.ono-third larger, and, in tho Austro.I Hungarian
army, It Ia moro than twioo creator. Tho oxoepa
| Of suicide in THO Pruselan army Ia sscrbed 10
tho: oxtromoly. large number, Of consoripta IN
proportion to tho population, and to tho sovority
! Hungarian army Ia explained partly ,by otju,o.
logical causns., blavB, having tho Or;ontn1 In.
dinereuoo to lifot with tho ,Weutsrn .impatieuco
o. grievances, are mora disposed to suicide thon
1udo-Europenn racea..,
-! B1LEs.
Reports gratifying to tho soul Of tho fair sor.
which loves to array itself In silk and satin, ara
.roceivcd from tho various countries whore tho
silkworm is raised. Tor some timo past, an an-
nual]y.1aourring epidomlo has committed torri-
ble ravagos amopg tho little coooon-bptders,
ana consequently kopt tho price Of silks at i
high figure 10 all tho marko&s. But, this acason,
hopeful change ia recorded. Owing to tho tlno
weather, or some othor cause, tho silk-crop Is
abundant IN Europe, in. tho Levant, and in
China. In Spain, cocoons, aro 25 to so per
oent. cheaper than.: last yaar. In Trance, tho
prices arc bl: per cont lower. In, Italy, the
harvest tsI tho. most prolific ever known.
SUD cocoons haTe fallen 40: por,, cont. Similar
accounts. come from tle countries Of tho ,Ie-
yant and from: China. Tho existing stock il also
heavy and. evidently tho time Ia at hand when
ladies' can again indulge their taste and supply
their need by the purchase Of etltfabrics at tol-
erabla prices. Tbs only difficulty in tho way.
ta that of parauading retailers to accommodate
themselves to the altered circumstances, TLcv
have, 30 long been accustomed to charge heavily.
for Hslk-gooda on the plea Of scarcity, that the
temptation. will be gteat to continue tile prao-
tice, In order to reap an Increased profit.
=. j. ~ TAXES on THEATRES.
Theatrical managers In Francs have lately been
bringing before the public an energetic COM
plant on the subject Of the !" tax for tho poor
which every theatre ia required TO pay out Of its
receipts. The tar waH originally imposed many
years. ago. at period whom Players in Franco
and elsewhere, were regarded, and officially do
scrihod, as "1ogies md yagabonds."., IT was
probably. the idea that out Of, this worthloss
class some boneAt should accrue to the commute
nifty, and therefore they woro compelled by Inv
70 ,assist In, the support Of tho 1ndigent. In
Now York City: only two years ago, IN enact
ment was passed whereby the thentres are forced
to pay smart tax for tho benefit of tho ''Booiety
for the Reformation Of Juvenile DelinqnentH,h
Each theatre must, in answer to- the ordinance.
procure license to open 1tR doors, for which tho
charge is fixed at $3.50 for periods less than
throo months, and $500 for periods exceeding
three months and 'lesa than q year., Cirouaes
and concsrchallR IRE let or with the payment Of
$l6o Tor three-months lccnso. Tho proceeds
e. tn,e tx s aredevotod entirelyto the suppress
question 0r}HBa. Ara TIM ,1n,. w.