The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-11-15
Miscellaneous Matters.

just hundred years ago the first
stage and mail coach in New England,
and probably in this country, began
running between Hartford and Boston.
Four days were required for through
trip. The fare was about $40. A little
over two years later the proprit tors
were at the head of a "trunk line" ex-
tending from Portsmouth, N. H., to
Savannah, Ga. A uniform rate of fare
was fixed-"three pence per mile, with
liberty to passengers to carry fourteen
pounds weight of baggage
Texas has increased her taxable valua-
ton 30 per cent. in three years, and
now has about 5000 miles of railroads
in operation. Tennessee has over 5000
square miles of coal fields. Alabama has
still more, and now stands sixth on the
list Of iron. producin! states. The value
of these mineral deposits has long been
known. but it is only few years since
the Southern people began in earnest to
develop them. Now that they have ia.
ken hold they are going with rush.
The mineral output in many cases bas
doubled, and even trebled, every year
for several seasons.
Mr.. E. e. Conklin, of the Knicker-
booker Ice company, has expressed to
a reporter of the Albany Evening Jour-
nal the opinion that not less than 900
tons of last winters ice harvest remain
in the storehouses along the Hudson.
The companies are buying up all the old
ice they can find in expectation of an
open winter. They make this prophesy
boldly, for was not the wind in the south
when the sun crossed the line? And
isn't that an infallible sign that south
winds will prevail the next six months.
The notion that there is no such thing
as slavery in England is shaken by an
extraordinary story which was told by
the London Times. A lodging-house
keeper applied for a summons against
one of the dodgers for Systematically ill
treating q little negro boy, whose
screams she had often h ard through
the door. The boy, it appeared. had
been purchased in Africa as servant
and when the lady demonstrated with
her lodger for his cruelty, he replied:
"Oh! he is only colored child and be-
sides he belongs to my brother" The
landlady's interference seems to have
been visited on the little boy, who had
his wrists tied together, aud was hung
up to a hook on the wall of the room.
"a workman" SAYS Ell Dia, "who has
acquired certain celebrity for his for
tune in the hunting field, as we'll as for
his success in training wild birds and an
imals, had succeeded in demonstrating
an eagle so far that the bird would come
down from the greatest height in answer
toa simple sign or slight whistle. The
eagle flew abuut with the pigeons, caus-
ing no little CONSERVATION among them
at first. 1t used to fly long distances, but
came back two or three times day to
take its food out of the hands of its mas
ter. After a few days, however, flock
of eagles was seen in the neighborhood,
and their domesticated fellow disap-
peared with his friends, never to return"
A popularity of Indian courtship in
Idaho is described by a correspondent
of the New York Post. In the first place,
it is said, it must be borne in mind
that the young squaws are more
fleet of foot than the old bucks. Now
when buck fancies sQuaw he provides
himself with lariat, as he would ifhe in
tended to lasso an animal. When she sees
her admirer approaching she behaves
after her fashion, in the manner of 9TH
er young ladies'. She runs, and the buck
runs after her. II she does not wish to
be caught she quickens her pace and is
soon beyond reach of the rope. If, on
the contrary, she does not object. the
moose slips easily over her head and the
prize is won.
A correspondent ofthe London Times
writes of the Victoria Theater that, in
spite of all precautions, "let there come
a chance, such as an encore verse, such
as some slip or stoppage in the stage
machinery, and out will come something,
not in the programme, and never heard
or seen before, which will bring down q
thunder ofenjoyment from the audience,
and at the same moment fill the man
ayers box with sorrow and humiliation.
There is sorrow to think that for all the
efforts to take the masses on the up
ward path, bit of obscenity has yet
such ready power to catch them; and
there is sorrow to think that artists
who can sing songs and dance dances
with no real mischief in them, will yet,
for the sake OF the fascinating triumph
of 'round,' interpolate illusions which
degrade their performances and their
audience alike"