The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-05-06

wagon loau OF moral decorations, lnCllld-
ing cross seven feet high. The display
was the most stunning that had been
seen in New York for many a year, and
fairly made the Stewart mourners sick
with envy.
STEWfRT'S C1fIRITIES.
His first great charity took shape in
1913, the terrible famine year in Ireland.
He chartered an American ship, first re-
fusing several ships which were not
American, and filling it with provisions
at his own expense, sent the cargo TO
Belfast to feed his starving countrymen,
and then gave free passage to over
hundred of them to New York, finding
employment for them when they arrived.
Nine years later, when the panic of 1857
caused great restitution among the
working classes, he opened a large free
soup house on Duane street, near his
immense store, and fed several hundred
poor through the winter. Again in the
second year of the war, when great
suffering prevailed in the English
manufacturing districts, in consequence
of the cutting off of the cotton sup
ply, he sent a quantity of provisions
to the poor of Lancashire, which did
much toward alternating the distress
in that place. After the close of the
Franco Prussian war he contributed in
like manner to the relief of the desti-
tute in the south of France, and about
the same period he appropriated $780, 900
to assist Chicago in recovering from the
effects of the great fire. His smaller
charities were numerous and not always
published. He gave freely for many
public benevolent purposes, receiving
credit for his gifts in the newspapers,
and he also did much in a private way
without the public knowing anything
about it. If any of his employees died
quently paid the funeral expenses, and
in some cases made temporary provision
for widows and orphans when such re-
NAMED. Persons in his employ have
told of many charitable acts which
were not known outside his Office. He
certainly did not respond to every beg
ging appeal, and he absolutely refused to
listen to the professional alms-speakers,
but if every man was as charitable in
proportion to his means as A. T. Stew
art was, the suffering around us would
be considerably mitigated. He knew an
impostor at once, though, and none Of
that class had any chance to touch a
dime of the millionaire's money.
Mr.. Stewards practical charities, such
as the hotel for women, are not particu-
larly provided for in hiswill. The carry
ing out of these projects is left to the
united care and judgment of his widow
and Judge Hilton. Indeed, in a business
sense, the judge may be said to step right
into the place vacated by the death Of
Mr.. Stewart, whose long time friend and
faithful counselor he has been.
ABOUT OYSTERS.
Prof. Frazer, in the proceedings of the
Philadelphia academy of science, re-
marks that those who are fond of the
oyster know how much the "fresh" ex
coed the "salts" in size and consistency.
The Morris Coves" of Philadelphia
while very insipid, are the plumpest
bivalves brought to market. On the
other hand, the "Absecoms and "Brig
antines," while of better flavor to those
who prefer salt oysters, are invariably
lean compared to their transplantcd
rivals, as are also the "Cape Mays, y
though, from some reason, not to the
same extent. The time for allowing the
salt oysters taken from the sea-coast to
lie out is seldom over two or three days.
At the end of this time the maximum
plumpness is attained, and beyond this
the oyster becomes lean again, besides
having lost its flavor. 1t is not possible
that the smooth rotundity of the laid-Out
oyster can be due to increase of flesh.
The time is too short, and the conditions
are unfavorable. Prof. Frazer thinks
that the saltwater leaves the body OF
the oyster by dialytic action, through
Graham's well-known law of the difftl-
sion of gases and liquids. During the
growth of the oyster on the sea-coast its
tissues are constantly saturated with the
ocean brine. On removing this oyster
to merely brackish or fresh water, the
conditions are at once favorable for
osmose to be commenced. The fresher
and less dense liquid without permeates
inwardly more rapidly than the more
saline and denser liquids within escape,
and the effect is to swell the tissue, as a
cows bladder half filled with air and i'm
len, or still more nearly like the swelling
of a bladder half filled with copper sui
plate when immersed in pure water.