American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-04-24
CURRENT ITEMS.

In the darkest night fishes pursue their
usual movements the same as by day
light.
SERPENrs of all species shed their
skins annually like sea-crabs and lob
sters.
THERE were $24O, 100000 worth of
chemicals exported from Great Britain
last year.
THE Presbyterian, speaking of the re-
lief fund for disabled minist ers in its de-
nomination, says $50 families dependent
on this fund are still unsupplied.
THE quantity of iron to be used in the
construction of the Centennial building
will aggregate about 5000 tons, OF
which more than five-sixths will be
wrought.
THE Cherokee ADVOCATE asserts that the
Indian Territory has suffered proportion
ately greater losses and has proportion
ately more destitute families from drought
and grasshoppers than either Kansas OF
Nebraska.
MR. JAMES LICK has subscribed 81 500
to the Centennial and is expected to sub
scribe g., 500 more. What Mr.. Lick may
give away is not a matter of much con-
sequence The real interest attachin g
to Mr.. Lick's gifts is the question when
he proposes to take them back again
Graphic.
Brown, the mind reader, is in Phila-
delphia, and has an easy job. Here, "
says man, "Fm thinking about some
thing. now tell me what it isl And all
Brown has to do is to slap his hand on
that mans head, look wise for minute
and cry out, 1.-The Centennial" and 10.
another convert is made.
THE new compulsory educational law
of Maine requires that children between
the ages of nine and fifteen years shall be
sent to school for a period of at least
twelve weeks each year, unless excused
for cause upon the certificate of a physi-
clan. 1t Is made the duty of the School
Committee or Town Supervisor to enforce
the several provisions of the act.
THE photographic office at Paris has
begun process of engraving ON copper
which promises, by its rapidity and the
moderation of it's price, to be very widely
useful 1t consists in substance, first, in
covering plate of copper with a thin
shell of adhering silver, upon which is
spread a thin layer of cOlored varnish
second, in drawing thereon, with dry
point, the lines of topography, and letter
ing, precisely as one engraves with a
diamond upon stone; third, in corroding
the traced parts by means of the per-
chloride of iron.
AMONG topics most discussed at the
late openings was the rumOred revival of
crinoline. 1t was said at one house that
some of the most fashionable customers
had ordered hoop skirts, and large tour
nures were readily sold everywhere.
Some of the most fashionable modistes
have no faith in the return of crinoline,
as all their newly-imported dresses have
narrow skirts, and the Parisiennes at
present are wearing very moderate
tournures. The preference here is for
elaborate bouffant tournures that extend
far down, making the dress project
sharply out quite a distance behind, but
SO slenderly that nothing is added to the
sides, and leaving the cliBging, sheath
like front of the dress Unchanged
Ha7per's Bdzar.
THE Washington correspondent of the
Cincinnati Gazette writes: "Such a
ludicrous affair happened at the Patent
Office the other day. The father of the
famous Baltimore quartet, which created
SO much comment and interest this win
ter, made his appearance one day this
week before the clerk N charge, hat in
hand. Il want a copyright said pdter-
of physique. For what?' asked the clerk
in his most urbane manner. For my
four children, replied the father deter
minedly. Three of the little ones have
died, but the fourth is still alive, and a
photographer in Baltimore is selling pict-
ures of the entire group and making
money by the operation, and if there is
any money to be made by selling pict-
ures of my own children want to be
the gamer. So would like copyright
to sell these photographs myself The
poor little man was very much discom-
flied upon learning that copyright Sc
cured could not emblazon the photo
graphic cards of his beloved quartet"