Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-01-23
NO.
IN GENERAL.

!
The postal receipts from West Virginia,
Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mssissip-
pi combined do not equal those from Chicago
alone.
Official statistics show that 1000, 600, 600
cigars were smoked in Germany during the
year 1873, and more than GO, 600 tons Of to-
bacco. The value of the tobacco consumed
was more than SS5, 900, 900.
An Ellsworth, Me-, blacksmith lately put
in his forge q gun barrel which the owner
was sure was not loaded. An explosion fol-
lowed and horse was killed by the ramrod
which was stuck in the barrel
There lives near Richmond, Va, young
man named Cross, who can throw small
stones with wonderful accuracy. Three men
went out one day recently to test his powers
when he killed with stones six hares and four
partridges.
The metric system has now been adopt
ed by twenty eight different nations, includ-
ing a majority of the civilized world. In
eleven countries it is in exclusive USE while
in several, as Germany and France, thero
are penalties for using any other measures.
"A bright little fve-year-o Miss Of
Fisheryille N. H., visiting at Wilmot was
taken to the barn to see some sheep, and af-
ter looking at them for a moment she e1-
claimed "Oh, Auntie See, the sheep oil
wear their hair banged"
Prof Nordenskjold announces his inten-
tion, in o letter to NJ Sibiriakof. OF undertak-
ing shortly fresh journey of exploration to
the Siberian Polar Sea- He will start on this
occasion from the river Lena, and make the
New Siberian Islands his base of opera
tions.
The oldest post Office in the country is
that at jamestown, Va, where letters haYs
been delivered in some form or other for 2s3
years. The first postmaster was probably
John Smith, and the last is Henry Clay, who
has just been appointed. His salary is $5l
per annum, or nearly one dollar per week.
-Sojourner Truth, who is now l05 years
old, is in Kansas, engaged in benevolent work
among the colored refugees, and recently
travelled l7j miles across the prairies in an
open wagon on her merciful mission. In
view of her philanthropic services, a govern
ment annuity for the rest of her life is sug-
gested.
Jake Tucker, noted stage driver in Ne
vads, can lasso a goose with his whip at a
distance Of forty feet while he is driving six
n-hand at full gallop. The last road agent
who tried to scoop Jske's passengers sudden
ly found his pistol hand lassoed and himself
dragging along after the "hearse," as they
call stage out there.
German newspapers state that Prince
Bismarck has bought 40, 600 seedlings of the
in his forests in the Sachsenwald. The Prince
has also ordered, for the same purpose, 1O,-
600 seedlings of the pinus cendra Manschurica,
which is largely cultivated in Switzerland
and the South of Austria.
Fishes live to great age. There are
gold fish in the Aquarium of the L. s. Botan-
ical Garden at Washington that are fifty
years old, and Prof Baird says there is au-
thentc evidence to show that carp have OBJ
foi Of fWn lraH
Professor says fishes have no period of matu-
ri.y, but grow with each year of life.
A writer in the Bismarck CDakota) Tri-
bune argues that railroads and their opera
tions among the greatest sources of in
creased rainfall in countries reported arid
and expresses the opinion that they have al
ready changed the climate along the North
ern Pacific railroad, and that the same effect
will follow railroad construction everywhere
in the North
Venice is to be made accessible to car
riages by bridge from the main land. The
city has been during the recent cold weather
not only frozen up-an English vessel having
been unable to enter the port-but has been
threatened with lack of drinking water, the
Tusina and Brenta Canals having been cover
ed with y inches of ice. In Sicily the ground
has been covered with snow.
A pair Of steers belonging to Joseph p.
the pasture last summer, and could not be
captured until a fortnight ago, when they
caused quite commotion in passing through
the village on their way to their owners barn.
They tossed several people on their horns
and freed number of others, but injured on
ly one and him but slightly.
Among the inmates of the Pennsylvania
Training School, Delaware county, is re-
markable boy. So retentive is his memory
,Ft, 1t.Na 10,
course he is able to repeat it verbatim, even
to the intonations of the speaker. As test
of his powers the lad was recently taken to
West Chester, heard a scientific lecture, and
next day repeated it entire, rendering Latin
phrases glibly as the venAcular.
The Keely motor has broken loose again.
There was considerable activity in the stock
in New York last week, on account of the re-
organization of the company with an increas-
ed capital of s., 900, 900. 1t is reported that
Keey has completed valuable addition to
his invention, and patents will soon be ap-
piled for in this country and Europe. Still
people will not believe that the Keely motor
will mote" till they see it perform.
A precocious son of Il. H. Harris, Of
Coduster, Miss, learned his letters when on
ly Is months old by inquiring of his mother
the names of the initial letters of chapters in
the Bible, and without the aid of primer
was able to master the first reader before he
was two years old. He advanced rapidly,
and now, at the age of five years, reads the
newspapers and has considerable knowledge
in general information and current events.
He has never exhibited any abnormal cOudi-
tions of health or physical growth, and with
the exception of his remarkable mental activ-
ity, shows no peculiarities different from 9th
er children.
A tavern keeper on the San Bruno, Cal,
road, was aroused the other night by an an
tiquated old granger, who sat over the front
wheels of an open lumber wagon, and who
was evidently much disturbed about some
thing. 81 say, Mister" said the rustic,
scratching his head with the butt of his whip,
this here's the road to Frisco, amt itl"
Certainly but old man what have you done
with your hind wheels 2" 'Great Scott! !" ex-
claimed the old party, rubbing his specs and
looking behind him IF haven't gone and
lost them wheels. That explains the whole
thing. Seemed like I'd been going up such
an all fred long hill was beginning to think
l had lost the way"
On Christmas eve, of all nights in tho
year, a little girl perished in cold storm on
the Ohio River, twelve miles from Louisville.
Her father started in a skif with his two chill
dren, intending to give them holiday in the
city. The night was so dark, the current so
rapid and the drift-wOOd SO thick that he was
afraid to go on, aud, landing, set out for his
home, The children were lightly clad aud
soaking wet, and the rain turning to sleet and
snow their clothes were frozen stiff, when
they sought shelter in a deep ravine. In the
morning house WAS discovered and the lit
tie girl carried thither but ii was too late TO
save her life. Her eyes frightened when she
first saw the fire, aud she began TO hum lit
lie song, but in few minutes she was dead.
Men dress-makers are far from uncom-