Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-06-06
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Miss Jennie Corson went to Mon
tana about q year ago and established
a sheep ranch near Okla at an eX-
pense of $4,000 cash. She has man
aged her business herself, and her
sheep and ranch are said to be worth
$1,000 more than they cost her. She
is known as "the Montana shepherd
ess.
There is a grim humor about some
of the advertisements in the daily pa
pers. A Philadelphia journal contains
the notice that an undertaken Will give
a gentleman with a full black beard OF |
impressive proportions, permanent EN-
ployment at visiting families, which
death has invaded, and taking instruc-
tons regarding the funeral. The full
black beard is strictly a business re-
ouirement. the theory being that a
black beard has tendency to inspire
confidence and respect.
Since the large capitalists came into
the business of cattle-raising in Texas,
great bodies of land have been bought
up for ranges, and soon desirable free
pastures will be a thing of the past
Having the money to fence as well as
buy the land most of the large ranges
are being inclosed with wire. More
than$1O0000,000 would be required to
purchase the cattle now roaming over
the state. Half of this value, accord
ing to the best testimony, is the in
crease of cattle within two years.
In Great Britain and Ireland, with a
population approXimating 100000,
there are between 1000 and $4,000
lawyers. In the United States, with
population larger by only l5,OOO,O0O.
there are $4,000 lawyers; and in New
York state, with a tenth Of the cOun-
try's population, abide a sixth of its
entire body Of lawyers There is
lawyer to every 5000 people in Great
Britain. while in America there is
lawyer to every $50 people. If this
does not show an advanced stage of
civilization, it certainly shows decid-
edly litigious spirit.
According to a Montreal paper the
engineer of the Saskatchewan mining
company, while examining the COM
panys coal areas recently discovered
the remains of an ancient forest at
depth of over 200 feet from the top of
Tavine. The stumps are plainly visible,
and are about two feet in hight, and
look very much as though the forest
had been laid low by the woodman
In addition, the fossil remains of
gigantic reptile were found under the
coal in stratum of light sandstone.
The leviathan steamship Great East
fern is veritable white elephant on
the hands of her stockholders At
general meeting of the directors and
proprictors in London. it was stated
that the efforts to sell or charter the
ship had been unccasing, and the di-
rectors regretted that, although they
were frequently receiving applications
in respect to the steamer, nothing had
resulted. The income for the year
was made up as follows: Transfer
fees, 81 interest, GliO visitors fees
to ship, el3. The expenditures for
the year in connection with the ship
had been e4,402 Is Id. 1t does not re-
quire much arithmetic to figure out
where this sort of business is to end.
There is a fire department in Jeru-
salem which is very different from
what is understood by that term in
this country. On the comparatively
rare occurrence of Il fire, the news is
leisurely conveyed to a small detach-
ment of soldiers, who with great dig
nifty march to the scene Of the fire,
carrying their guns on their shoulders.
In front of them march four men with
broad-aXes. AS there is no water sup
ply in the city, a fire engine would be
useless, and certainly would be opposed
to the traditions of the people. In
stead of wasting their time in such
unhallowed efforts, these soldier-lire-
men strike picturesque attitudes
around the fire, murmuring, Allah is
good - And when it has spent itself
they 60 back to their quarters con-
scious of having done their duty.
We read in London paper: ave
are, so to say, in state of siege, GER
tainly under the very strictest military
and police military and police surveil-
lance. AS night comes on we see all
the public buildings delivered over to
soldiers, gates are closed, sentinels with
rifles loaded with ball cartridges pace
rapidly to and fro, and some large
apartment is for the nonce turned into
guard-room. This has a truly mar
tial aspect, absolutely quite pictur-
e