The Russellville Democrat., 1877-05-10
TIMELY TOPICS.

M ELL | lOl lOSs
 TIE Orton oration was one of the most remarkable demonstrations of modern times. He is ignorant and coarse, and nobody believes that he is Tichborne or has shadow of right to the property he claimed. But hundred thousand people petition for his release from jail, and parade the streets to emphasize their demand and overawe parliament. It is in reality an expression of democratic feeling against aristocracy.
 A BEAUTIFUL English girl rejected one lover to marry the other, with whom she settled in Michigan. When he died, lover No. heard of her sorrow. His love revived. He could not sleep O nights from dreaming of her with his eyes wide open. He took passage in a steamer. He found her milking brin- dle COW, and SO homely and dilapidated generally that he did not discover him. self, but took back tracks and thanks his stars for his escape.
 THE latest chemical notion is to fell trees by electricity. The two ends of the copper wires of galvanic battery are connected with a platinum wire, which, of course, instantly becomes red-hot, and while so is gently see-sawed across the trunk of tle tree to be felled, until it burns its way through. It is calculated that tree which would require two hours hard chopping to bring down, can be cut through by this process in fifteen minutes.
 MosT every country has its peculiar style of coffee-drinking. In Germany, pipes and dominoes accompany coffee in. Antwerp, cucumbers and hard-boiled eggs; and in France the cofee,houses are miracles of tasteful splendor. In the United States, we are the largest coffee consumers in the world Germany and France stand modestly behind us; and we drink six times as much as some of the European states. The United States imported in the year 1867, 1S7, ,236, ,5SO pounds, valued at $20, ,696, ,259.
 A LOAD of fruit brought all the way from California to the centennial exhi. bition in refrigerator car, created much astonishment there. The company which made this and other shipments last year has now been enlarged and intends going into the business on large scale. It is called the California fruit and meat shipping company, and has capital o S500,000. The California fruit made s good impression in the eastern markets last year, and it is gratifying to learn that generous shipments of it are to be made the present season.
 THE usual children's pastime in Wash ugton of rolling eggs in the capito grounds of Easter Monday, was not en ioyed this year, law having been en acted by congress prohibiting the use O the parks as play ground. The custom had come to be an established feature Q the day, and was source of great amuse ment to young and old. On Easter Mon day last year the parks were visited by from 1000 to 10000 persons, and tho privilege allowed the children wa usurped by grown and half-grown per sons, and the turf and grasses on the ter races was damaged to such an extent tha congress was moved to pass the bill re ierred to.
 SAN FRANCISCO appears to be grow ing with healthy growth. It's last di rectory contains 100, $50 names, which ac cording to the usual method of computa tion-three persons for every name would give the city S02, ,550 inhabitants 22,000 are Chinese. The increase in pop ulation for year was eleven per cent. l,600 new buildings were erected durin; the year, 33 of which cost $S,500, ,000 Public buildings during the year COS $l0,000,00O. There are now 27,00 buildings in the city limits of whicl 4,390 are brick; 34,029 children are en rolled in the public schools, and 26,76 attended. Theexpense of maintaining tn schools was $S67, ,754, and the total valu of school property is $2,505,000.