St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-01-06
Our New York Letter.
New YORK, December 30, 1881,

New YORK, December 30, 1881.
just now there's quite scare about
smallpox, and there really has been
some occasion for it. There has also
been an alarming epidemic of lameness
among ladies. So distressing a sight
has provoked inquiry. The fact is,
that though in this country many la
dies never have worn low-cut dresses
that expose the arms in evening dress,
a good many do, without blush, fol-
lowing their European sisters in this
respect, and even the prudish like to
be on the safe side, because, perhaps,
they may find fashion too strong so,
as they fear possible unsightly scars
on their arms, get vaccinated some
where else.
Travel is good thing, commercial
ly and socially. 1t rubs off no end of
local peculiarities, and brings mankind
more and more into brotherhood, on a
footing of common cOnventiOnalism
and geography is mighty useful
study, and just in connection herewith
| find myself remembering an excellent
help to nautical geography in the shape
of Mitchell's New General Atlas, pub
lished by Bradley & Co., of Philadel-
phia. 1t has l47 maps and plans
brought down to date-a very import
| ant noiDt for in Stanca tbair mans of
Turkey have all the recent changes
effected by the Treaty of Berlin, and
there are condensed statistical tables
and mass of information generally
that makes the work valuable adjunct
to any library. No school should be
without number of copies.
Now the last Naval Advisory Board
have recommended sundry additions
to the fleet in the shape of small rams
and swift unarmOred cruisers, it is in
teresting to note the accident by which
the Tennessee, one of the swiftest YES
sells af1Oat, was nearly sunk i'll the har-
the other day. She was cut through
like can of Oysters by a coasting steam
er. We suggest as an improvements
Oh the awfully heavy iron armOr of
European fleets an armOr of hydrauli-
cally-compressed cOcOanut FIBRE say
six feet thick. 1t wouldn't catch fire at
sea where it could be kept wet, and
while very much lighter could be made
as solid as iron. The British govern
ment are going to use jute for torpedo
boats. COir fibre is cheaper and better,
and believe very fast gunbOat with
only one enormous gun and IA few gat-
lings, thickly armored with fibre above
the waterline would be us superior to
the iron clads of the present day as
the Monitor was to the Merrimac, and
100 of such could be built for the price
of one such floating castle as the Italian
DuiliO and in One-tenth of the time.
By the way, Happy New Year
Many of 'em The weather has been
so simply too awfully too, too, &C.,
&c, ever since Xmas that it seems a
month ago. And yet it should be re-
membered, for, as a rule, people had
an unusually jolly time. While the
poor we always have with us, folks
generally seem to have been somewhat
better off on the whole, and Santa
Claus, or Kris Krings, or whatever his
name is-you know who | mean, that
old gentleman from the North Pole
|
more Xmas trees, and lots of fun, in
spite of mushy pedestrianism, fog,
drizzle, muggy weather and bowling
wind.
A terrible fire kept some pretty rich
folks uncomfortable, while the rest
were enjoying themselves. 1t is not
out yet, and seems likely to burn for
weeks more. An immense storage
warehouse filled from attic to cellar
with choice tea and tobacco, got alight
somehow, and they can't put it out,
though there's no danger of its spread
ing. To stand in the lee of the smoke
is almost as comforting to an old
smoker as a bOxful of cigars, for the
tobacco is of the choicest Havana leaf,
and the aroma of the tea, made with
salt water pumped from the East river
by two fire tugs, is enough to refresh
the brains of all the old gOssips i'll the
state. A memorable incident of this
fire is that for the first time since the
organization of the paid fire depart
ment one of the men has fallen under
suspicion of trying to rob the property
he is engaged to save. The man was
arrested, and his comrades are wild
with Indignation. Bank cashiers might
be considered somewhat risky acquain
tances, but our tiremen were held by
all to be as incOrruptible as pure gold.
If the man is convicted of the charge
against him, l would not he in his
shoes for more money than all our rail
road wreckers have stolen for ten
years. The firemen will eat him with
out pepper or salt.
| A respectable Hebrew fellow citizen
got into neat little hObble the other
day. He had daughter she was en-
gagged to be married. Old Jacobs, or
whatever he calls himself, was bound
to have a splurge. He went to Europe
to get her trOusseau, rich, plentiful but
sheap-yOu see - sheap. When he
came back he fixed things with the
Custom House Inspector. Then some
body who inspected the inspector, and
perhaps thought he ought to have been
.'seenn too, managed to fix that inspec-
tor so that he spent his Xmas bewail
ing lost position, and Jacobs lost his
treasures. By paying $500 or so he
could have released the captured
fnery, but, apprehensive of a suit for
smuggling, he let the whole thing go,
and some g, 900 worth was accordingly
distributed at auction. Festive young
bachelors bought $500 Worth dresses
and sealskin sacques for a few dollars,
and their girls will nightly rejoice,
while the Hebrew bride lamenteth.
IT'S an i'll wind, etc.
RADIX.
Plymouth, n. c., had a miniature
war last week. The trouble grew out
of the shooting of two negroes by con-
stables. A riot ensued and much ap-
prehensiOn is still felt for the safety of