The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-04-26
EDITORIAL NOTES.

other day that it took two men to re.
strain him from jumping into the
grave with her. On returning to the
house her will was read, and when he
found she had left him none of her
individual property he dried his tears
and wept no more. One month after
this event he led freshly-made
widow to the altar, having first, how
ever, learned that her husband had
given her all his possessions before
he died.
John Nelson, the inventor of the
knitting machine which is now ex-
tensively used in this country and in
Europe, died at Rockford, Illinois, on
Sunday last, aged SO years. He was a
native of Sweden, but came to this
country in 1852. He patented a great
number of articles, many of which
have proved very useful. For some
time past he has been at work per-
fecting new improvement on his
celebrated knitting machine, and had
overtaxed himself. He leaves a wife
and several children and considerable
property.
The most recent items from Mos
cow in regard to the coronation prep
aration are that no fewer than 1000
electric lamps cover the cupola of the
great belfry tower and 100 on the
cross; the new parquet flooring is be-
ing laid down in all the grand halls OF
the Kremlin; that a soldier with a
fixed bayonet stands over every group
of workmen, and that the hotel prices
have already advanced to fabulous
heights. Invitations to the ceremony
having as yet been issued only to men,
some anxiety exists at st. Petersburg
among the ladies.
The reason. given by the McIvers
for their retirement from the Cunard
company is their opposition to the
building of any more enormous ships
of the Servia type. They are emphatic
in their opinion that the new steamers
are not suited to the Atlantic trade
They entailed, both in construction
and maintenance, too vast an eXpen-
diture to allow of an adequate profit
on the working. The Servia, they
say, is a white elephant; but one white
elephant might be endured. When it
came to repeating the mistake several
fold they could no longer acquiesce.
Hon. Jefferson Davis recently told
Mr.. Morgan, of the Boston Herald,
that he does not like to be interviewed
because he is constantly being
abused, maligned and vilified by the
press" He further said in recent
talk with reporter: what is due
from me in the way of hospitality
shall be only too glad to extend to
you; but we must let politics alone.
l am not public man, nor am I pub
lie property. | am not a seeker for
Office, nor is any Office seeking me.
am plain Mr.. Jefferson Davis, a pri-
vate citizen, who, in the evening of
his life, desires to live in quiet and
peace with his neighbors, without
molestation or outside interference.
DR.. A. P. Peabody, of Harvard Uni
versity, preacher and teacher on NOR
al science, says in reply to inquiries
touching the promotion of intemper-
ance, that he believes the only reme-
dy for intemperance is to make drunk
enness the prime offense and to bring
abort state of public feeling in
which drunkenness and all approaches
to it shall be looked on with detesta-
ton and loathing. The most efficient
legislation in behalf of temperance
would be subjecting intoXication in
all cases to ignominious punishment.
What the law makes ignOminious So
ciety will hold in like disesteem. If a
young man of respectable family is
liable to be locked up in house of
correction for coming home drunk
from convivial gathering, not only
will he be restrained from excessive
indulgence, but his parents and
friends will be very careful how they
start him on the first step of the evil
way.
OF the four remarkable spots now
visible on the sun, one is of enormous
size and rivals some of the great
spots which were seen last year,
while the others are also of unusual
magnitude. These spots are now
near the eastern edge of the sun, and
when they get near the centre will
doubtless present more imposing ap-
pearance than at present. If the
present activity Of the sun should
continue for month longer, the
New York Sun says, the astrono-
mers who have gone to the middle
of the Southern Pacific Ocean
to observe the total solar eclipse on
May 6 will probably be witnesses of a
magnificent spectacle. When great
sun spots are most numerous the mys-
FERROUS envelopes surrounding the
sun, which come into view during a
total eclipse, appear to the best adj
vantage, present the most imposing
and curious forms, and extend to the
greatest distances. In case the sun
happens to be greatly disturbed about
the 9th of May these astronomers
may have an opportunity of making
most interesting and important addi-
tions to our knowledge of the great
ruler and center of the solar system.