The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-07-26
EDITORIAL NOTES.

Bismarck is said to dine after the
manner of great men-not wisely,
but too well. When he is absorbed
III affairs of state he eats nothing to
speak of for two or three days. Then
he makes up for abstinence by feast,
which man of ordinary capabilities
would find as hard to digest as the
Statesman's foreign policy.
The Russian army which invaded
Turkey in 1877 and 1878 counted $685.
726 men; there were 1925, 1857 cases for
medical treatment. Not less than 81,
166 men died of disease, while but sc,
4o5 fell in battle, and but 81, OPP were
disabled by wounds received in bat
tie. The total loss of active men was
1873, 1877, but most of these fell a prey
to exposure and imprudence, rather
than to the sword of the enemy.
Local freight agents in Chicago
have been on the verge of a pool
smashing war over the proper classifi-
cation of the tomato. While a MAORI
ty considered it fruit, large and
aggressive minority were equally
confident that it was a vegetable;
while one agent was willing to swear
that it was mineral. 1t was neces-
sary to settle the question, as vegeta-
bles are fourth-clasS and fruit are
first-class freight. After much
thought and considerable pickering,
high classification was adopted, and
the tomato is now sent out of Chicago
as fruit.
The African elephant hunters who
go from cool and comparatively
healthy countries, brave the hottest
and most deleterious Ethiopian re-
gions with impuuity, and this they
attribute to their habit of daily fumi-
cation of the naked body with sui
phur. Again, it appears that in Sicily,
while most of the sulphur mines are
in high districts and free from mala-
ria, few are at low level, where
intermittent fever prevails; in the
latter districts, it seems, while the
population of the neighboring vii
lagos is attacked by fever in the pro-
portion of 80 per cent, the working
men in the sulphur mines suffer
much less, not more than 8 or 10 per
cent being attacked.
Lawn tennis has generally been ap-
proved as a mildly eXhilarating, gen.
teel and conventional game, in which
any man or maiden might safely take
part. But it will be avoided in future
if there should be found any indica-
lions that the freak of Mr.. De We're,
of Bedford, England. is related in any
way to the vicissitudeS of the game.
While this gentleman was playing
with a beautiful and accomplished
young lady he suddenly drew a pistol
and shot her dead, and then blew out
his brains. Not the shadow of a mo-
tive can be conjectured for this shock
ing double crime, and the opponents
of lawn games may perhaps point to
it as result of the temporary insani-
ty said to be superinduced by a con-
fusion of voleying and back-play.
Nearly all the "sardines' consumed
in America come from the southeast
coast of Maine, where there are 80 to
40 cannerieS. The fish (Which are
herrings) are caught by the cart load
in nets, decapitated, cleansed in warm
water, slightly broiled over hot fire,
packed in French labeled boxes, half
gill of cotton seed oil poured over
them, the boxes herm tically soldered
and then boiled for two hours, COM
pleting the cooking process and dis
solving the bones. Some of the es-
Establishments prepare from 5000 to
1000 boxes per day. The actual cost
per box, including all expenses, is 5
cents. Packers profits are from to
10 cents. The difference between
these prices and what consumers pay
has stuck to the fingers through which
the box of fish has passed.