Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-12-08
NO. 40.
VARIETIES.

"A western exchange says that Ten
nossee man went to Texas few years ago
with only $500. lie is now worth 100000
in cattle and his children are drunkard5 or
worse. There is an opportunity for choice
in the inference to be drawn.
"A few days ago at Delphi, Ind, man
named Grisi, who had seen better days, at
tempted suicide by filling his mouth with
gunpowder and applying lighted match
to it. lie only succeeded in blowing ont "a
few teeth and burning himself badly.
An Englishman was accostod thus;
"What would you take to stand all night
in the tower of ST. Paul's?" "a beef steak
and pint of beer" was the frank reply.
Tho next one thus accosted was a Scotch
man. Says Sandy: "What'I ye gio7"
Lastly came along Patrick, and when ask
ed what he would take TO stand all night in
the tower of st. Paul's, he wttily answered,
"An' sure an I'd bc apt TO take bad
cowld."
DIR. Forbes Winsow, who is regarded
as one of the most able modern authorities
on mental arrangement, records it as
startling fact, not mere rumor, that over
10000 persons of unsound mind are con-
fined in lunatc asylums in the United
States, driven mad from over-excitement
by Spiritualism DIR. Winsow adds that
insanity from this cause is now very preva-
lent in England, and is increasing day by
day.
The earth is losing its reputation among
men of science as measurer of time.
Prof. Simeon Newcomb has made the last
OF a series OF calculations, reaching from
Herschel down through HALEY, La Place,
Adams, Delaunay and Airy, which result
in proving that thele is retardation in the
turning of The earth upon its axis. New
ertheless, we shall he obliged to put up
with it 10 set our chronometers by, for all
the other planets are incomparably worse
oH,-and afler all, Prof. Proctor says that
"ir clock could be made which should go
perfectly for 100 years, at rate correspond
ing precisely with that indicated now by the
earth's rotation, then at the end of that
time The earth would be found 10 have lost
% seconds"
For the first lime since the ranic OF
1875 the tide Of specie has turned in favor
OF the United States. The New York Times
reports that within month 100000 of
gold have been received from Europe, for
the reason that our exports are largely in
excess of imports, and foreign mel lchants
find it cheaper to remit gold in payment of
their Indebtedness than TO buy exchange.
One of the largest OF our staple products
which finds ready market abroad is Pc
troleum, of which 800, 900 barrels have been
shipped within a few weeks, and for our
ar1 ia n
constantly increasing demand. If the
presidential question could be settled with
out further delay, We should see an mme-
diate decline in the price of gold and the
dawn OF better times.
A baby show recently took place in
San Antonio, Texas, perambulator being
offered as prize for the finest child. Some
nineteen infant competitors put in an ap-
pearance, and the task of the judges was
an unusually onerous and responsible one.
| 1t was a matter OF some difficulty to find
| gentlemen willing to ofliciate in that capa-
| city. Men who would have accepted with
a smile of calm resignation the task ofa
| Indicating between rival sewing machines
and melodeons, who would have braved
without fiuching the frowns Of the disap-
| pointed watermelon eAulDllOr, anu Boue
with martyr-like serenity to the duty of
tasting several dozen varieties of home
made wine, displayed remarkable unanim-
ity in declining the honor. Finally I've
heroic men were persuaded to accept, and
made the round of the circle where each
expeclant mother sat holding her infant,
and then after hurried consultation rem
dered their verdict, and suddenly disap-
peared from the vicinity. The decision,
according TO agreement, was not made pub
| lie until alter the judges had had len min
utes start, and by the time the disappoint-
cd malrons had learned the award, the OBJ
jects of their wrath wern dimly outlined on
the horizon like shadowy phantoms of the
past-receding as rapidly as Democratic
hopes of Tilden's election.