The Jasper weekly courier., 1877-02-09

George Eliot (Mrs. Lewes) Is with
in two summers Of being 60 years Of
age.
John Lathrop Motley Is in Paris
looking up historical authorities and
literary materials.
There died, in Middlebury, VT, a
few days ago, cabinct-maker named
Nahum Parker, in whose shop Stephen
A. Douglas served an apprenticeship.
"A granddaughter Of John Ran
dolph. Of Roanoke, Mrs. Tyree, has
taken up the pen, and has written a
book called " Housekeeping in Old vir-
gnia."
Gen. j. T.. B. Stuart, IL Is said, was
exceedingly fond Of song and Of that
exercise which Mr.. Dick Swiveller spor-
lively terms "the mazy," and even
when Lieutenant-G General he was
often seen riding ut the head of his
column with soldier by his side, pick
ing the adventures Of the "Arkansas
Traveller out of an old-fashioned
banjo.
Capt. James B. Eads, who is about
to receive an installment of $500, 900
for his opening of the mouth Of the
Mississippi, is in his fifty-seventh year,
and native OF Lawrenceburg, Ind
AT very early age he evinced strong
taste for machinery, and at II con-
structed without any instruction min
iature engine that worked perfectly
with steam. He has struggled upward
to the possession Of large private for
tune, excellent health and thoroughly
American taste, passing such grades as
apple peddler, clerk, Mississippi
wrecker, proprietor Of the first glass
blowing establishment in the West, and
builder Of twenty-seven iron-clad gun
and mortar boats.
"A correspondent Of the Louisville
Courter-Journai ran across Joaquin
Miller, the Poet of the Sierras, in New
York City, and, accompanying him TO
his den, there interviewed him. Eyes"
said Miller, noticing that was looking
intently at the portrait Of beautiful,
spirituelle woman, hanging just over
his table, upon which were y thousand
odds and ends of proof and manu-
script, "Yes, Biz that's her-you
don't know herP Very few do, my boy.
It's my sOne Fair Woman She's
there every minute in the day and night,
forever looking down into my eyes,
whether they are weary or glad. She
can't help it," II afterward learned
that the sOnc Fair Woman about
whom there has been so much said and
so little known, is Miss Antoinctte Polk,
niece Of President Polk, and that Miller
met her at Rome.
Science and Industry.
Elk County, Pa, uses 10000 cords
OF hemlock bark annually, and turns
out 500, 900 sides of sole leather.
Large quantities OF marble for
building purposes are being shipped to
San Francisco from Knoxville.
San Francisco has shipped several
cargoes Of wheat to Australia and New
Zealand this season. Australia has
heretofore been very considerable
grain exporter.
The pineapple is cultivated exten-
sively in the East Indies, where the
leaves are converted into a kind 81
wadding, used for upholstcring pur-
poses instead Of hair, and into sort oi
flannel, OF which substantial shirts and
coats are made.
The Germantown Telegraph recon-
mends that farmers sell their produce
when ready for market, as q general
thing, rather than wait for higher prices
In the future, as the shrinkage on corn
and other grains is equal to 20 per cent,
and 23 per cent. on potatoes.
OF the sugar crop the New Orleans
TIMES says The prospect is, from
present indications, remarkably fine,
not only for good yield, but for good
quality, good price and economy in TAX
ing of the crop. The yield of molasses
will not be SO great, but the quality will
be better than usual.
The total shipments OF petroleum
from the Pennsylvania oil regions dur
ing 1876 amounted To 10,O0O,000 bar
rels. In January the price was $1.47
per barrel; in March il had reached
~; In August It averaged $3.55. Crude
oil is now selling at $500 per barrel at
the wells, and refined oil at S12.6O per
barrel ut the seaboard, netting the re-
liner profit Of IS per barrel.
The fisheries are source OF great
wealth 70 New England. The whale
business has filled the Golfers Of New
bedford, Gloucester and Newburyport
have grown rich by the produce OF the
seas. During the present season not
less than 10000 men have been engaged
IN New England fisheries. The catch
q mackerel Is poorer than tina. Of 1874
Since October |, cod-ishing has proved
nearly failure, and the returns are
smaller than they were last year.