Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-03-30

prose. Smith College has the honor Of hav-
ing originated this unique style Of entertain
ment, which takes place when the young la
dies celebrate having finished the study of
astronomy,
A railroad reform of another kind Is un-
der way in Germany. The details of 1t must
strike Americans as simply inconceivable
Serious steps are about to be taken by the
government rairoad bureau for introducing q
tariff OF passenger fares by zones on the
Prussian, if not all the German, lines. 1t is
proposed to fix the zones and fares about
as follows, reducing kilometres to miles and
marks an ricnnigs to dollars and cents. For
distances not exceeding nine miles from the
starting point, fiIst-cass 25 cents second
class 10 cents, thrd.class "a cents; for dis.
tanccs over nine miles and not over ninety
miles, 10 CENTS SO cents and 2j cents, for the
respective classes; and for all distances over
W miles, $3.50, l.50, and IS cents respect
lively. For the first zone these rates are
about equal to those now in force, but for
the second and third territorial belts there is
very great reduction. This plan is thought
by many to promise very favorable results
both Tor the government and for travellers.
somewhat similar arrangement has found
advocates in Belgium and England.
The most costly affair of the sort ever
known in this country was the fancy dress
ball at William X. Vanderbilts palace in
New York, Monday evening The flowers
alone cost 100000; the regular culinary
lorce OF the palace, comprising chef at
$1,000 year and half dozen subordinates
at from $4,000 to $4,000 were reinforced for
this occasion by the cooks of William II.
and Cornelius Vanderbilt, and the sup
per they cost S25, 00-the champagne
alone amounting to $4,000. Then there is
the music, etc, all swelling the cost easily to
much over $4,000. The contents of the
house at this ball, inclusive not only of fur
nturc, bric-a-brac and pictures, but also the
costumes and jewery of the family
though not of the belongings of the guests
1t is estimated by an accomplished social
arthmetician, were worth not less than
$4,000, 900.
1twould appear as if Egypt is toelably
well protected just now. There is the En-
glish Army of occupation, commanded by
Lieut.. General Sir a. Allison; the regular
army made up of two brigadcs, the one An
glo-Egyptlan, the other exclusively native,
under the command of Sir Evelyn Wood
Pacha. The Gendarmerie, commanded by
Baker Pacha. the police having for their
head Count Della Sala Pacha and finally
the army of the Soudan, with Abd-cl- Kader
Pacha in command and the English Col.
Hincks as Chief of Staff.
Out OF total population of about fifty
millions, there were in 1880 little over a
quarter of a million of people Insane, idiotc,
blind, and deaf and dumb in the United
States. In every million Of population there
were 1874 victims of insanity, 1913 idiots,
91G blind, and G75 deaf and dumb. Out of a
total of 81 ,991 insane returned in 1880, A,
40S were males and Al, $50 females 65, 651
were natives and 90, 346 were foreign So,
$40 were white and G,l57 colorcd. We see,
therefore, that insanity attacks more women
than men. OF idiots, however, the total of
&C. 500 was made up of As, 800 males and 81,
$50 females. The negro population, too, is
much more liable to iiGcy than insanity, the
number of colorcd idiots being $50 to g. 15I
lunatics. The foreign population, however,
contribute only 4 ,001 to the idiots, while its
insane numbered 26,3iJ.
English penny postage has long been point
ed to as triumph of governmental attention
to the middle classes and the poor. Aftc
October LIST, We, too, shall have penny
postage, our cents being the equivalent o
the penny, But England is not quite three
fourths as large as the State Of Missouri, ant
Missouri and Illinois together are larger thai
Great Britain aud Ireland. We extend penny
hostages over an area equal to sixty Eng
lands. Our new postal notes will be in
fintely more convenient than those popula
in Great Britain, but the average cost vii
be little higher. In some respects tn
British postal system is superior to ours
but on the whole we can hold our heads a
| high as anybody.
A traveller in the Holy Land noticed
sis, toilng up a high hill, while her husban,
selfish, proud, lazy and useless as an Amer
can Indian, rode by her side on a donke,
| comparatively free from burdens, The tray
eer stepped up, moved by pity for the poo
woman, and asked the man why he didn
relieve her and put some of the implement
formed him that he didu't have to pay any
thing fora wife, while a donkey cost him
francs.
Georgia has law which gives the voteI
of each civil district Of counties the right t
determine by ballot whether they will hav
"fcnce" or mo fence II the majority {
the voters decide on the latter, all privat
fences are abolished, aud general fenc
built around the entire district. The Atant
cows and hogs have been troubling the pee
pie of adjoining districts, and the people c
each have held elections and voted IN
fence, " thus virtually "fencng in" that pre-
gressive southern city. There is to be a 'ter
rail stake and rdertd fence immediatel,
built around the city district with substanta
gates opening upon each public road.
The untutored Indians met with a narro'
escape, the other day. Willie Kelley, age
II, was found in Brooklyn, armed with
carving knife, and on his way TO settle tn
Indian difficulties by eXtermnaiing the race
Henry Grushalcr and William kroellc, of l
and IL respective years, were found in Jel
sey City, buying tickets for the West with
view of devastating the wigwams of tn
plains, four revolveis two Bowie-knivcs an
1000 cartridges comprising their armament
and Emil Gnttstcin, 10 years of age, was al
rested on the Bowcry with bunderbus'
four revovers and II scalping knife wit
which to solve the Indian problem for goo
and all. Mr. GGttStein was apparently il
tending to come upon the foe by roundabout
means, as he had ticket for Boston an
his intention to live oil the cnemy's countr
W S inferred from his having only tiitec
lccpts with which To carry ON the war Ever
one of these fierce, ambitious and formidab
warriors had been inspired by reading din
novels.
A Lyachurg. Va, genius las invented
} combination, which answers for door bell,
letter box and door plate. II he had col
trived to combine an attachment for kiclir
the small boy who steals up and rings Il
bell and runs, it would ill II long-felt wan
--L0tceN CITIZEN