The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-08-23
The Old World.

Jenny Lind writes that she is about
to settle III England for the purpose Of
educating her sou, now four years old.
A girl was born t. her on the thirty
first of March list. Jenny is now fifty
six years old.
Mr.. LsndsboTOugh, u well-knowp
Australian explorer, has adduced u
variety of facts to prove that dense
forests are on the increase in Australia,
and that the climate is gradually be-
coming moister; and therefore improv-
Ing for agriculture.
A report upon the damage to private
property, incidental to the late German
invasion, has been presented to the
| French minister of the interior. The
losses reached S117, 39i, 55l. but the
government paid at the time $64, 106,
32G toward the amount.
A new sort of country house has come
into vogue in England. People fit up
bsrges comfortably and start up stream.
When an eligible site Is found, they
pitch tents on the banks and sleep
under canvas. Having seen what is
worth seeing in that place, they move
on up stream.
The French Ministry Of War an
nOunces that number of soldiers will
this year he placed at the disposal of
agriculturists for the purposes of the
harvest. The persons employing them
will have to pay sum varying in diff
iereRt parts of the country from twenty
five to fifty cents per day.
Italians are unusually excited about
Mount VesuYius, and strange stories
are told of the sounds emitted from Its
interior which are likened to the roar
of disturbed sea, amid which is dis
tnguished cracking'as Of many burn
ing logs of wood. These noises are
heard, it is said, at distance of two
miles from the crater; and fears have
| been expressed lest continuous dis.
charge of lava should effect a passage
which would place the observatory in
danger. Some thirty persons, ladies
included, make nightly ascent of the
mountain to witness the magnificent
spectacle presented.
The Maharajsh OF Gwslior is now
surrounding with a garden, which bids
fair to become one of the wonders oil
the world, his palace erected at a cost
of 81, go, 900, of which tine Prince OF
Wales was the first occupant. 1t will
contain ten garden houses, each illus
trating q variety of Hindoo aIchitec
ture, and q winter palace of glass, i'm
ported from Vienna. Water VIII be
brought from artificial lakes over chan
nels so constructed as to give that muir
mur which was prescribed to afford rest
| TO Meeanas in his villa near Rome.
The garden will be kept perennially
green by irrigation. The expense OF
all this will be nothing to the enor
mously wealthy Gwalior.
In the Russian Caucasus is the towel
of Bakon, the point of pilgrimage o
the fire worshippers from II period IA
beyond the era of Mohsmmedanism
The pilgrims are now few IN number
The residents of the tower are earnes
advocates of the faith, together will
sundry disciples of Zoroaster. Thei
worship, costumes and ceremonies ar,
precisely as in ancient times. TIL,
tower has no windows. The interio
Is reached only by subterranean pas
sages. 1t Is an immense building, anC
is surrounded by q high wall. Within
this wall and eDcircling the tower ar
high columns of flame, which sprin:
from the earth and are made with tn
naphtha that is found in large quaint,
ties in the surrounding sell of tn
mountains. These fires are kept per
| Detually burning.