Richland beacon., 1888-06-23

"CEI twenty-three years
the wind has been
steadily sweeping
away the sand in which the soldiers were
buried, so that now in many cases their
bones are exposed and bleaching in the
sun. Sometimes only two or three of
these graves are uncovered at time, and
again rs many as twenty five or thirty
will be exposed. The spot where these
remains are upturned is near Vinegar
Hill, in full view of one of the bloodiest
backgrounds of the war.
RAILWAY travelling in Cuba has some
curious aspects. For instance, when
trains arrive at and depart from cities
or villages it is rather queer thing to
see, between the depots and limits of all
municipalities, q man on horseback pre-
ceding the engine. No train may arrive
or depart more rapidly than the speed
of this courier, who announces his own
and the trains coming by tremendous
bellowings and hallooings. Sometimes
lie is provided with o sort Of trumpet,
which he sounds lugubriously. The
railways are nearly all Of narrow gauge,
and freight and passenger cars are little
and 4bw. Not long ago Cuban engin-
GERS were nearly oil Americans and re-
ceived fabulous wages. This was also
true of the engineers of the sugar plan
tations. But Cubans are bright and
initiative, and they are alone now in
charge. The machinery attests that.
1: is dingy, rusty, half ruined.
A SINGULAR marriage was performed
in Henry County, Ala., the principals
in which passed through this place Oh
their way to Mexico. Fifteen years ago
Bigley Smith, who had been for several
years in chihuahua, Mex, returned to
his home in Alabama, bringing with
him . twelve-months-old girl baby,
which was named Dolores Ortagas. He
asked his mother to raise and educate
the little one, as he intended making
her his wife when she grew up to woman
hood. He then returned to chihuahua,
where he has lived ever since. A few
weeks ago he returned home to Ala
bama, and was pleased to find his charge
grown up to be beautiful young wo-
man. She had been kept in ignorance
of his relations toward her, SO that when
he broached the subject of marriage it
had all the usual suddenness so much
priced by her sex. She was willing, and
they were married.
MORE than Cne man whose business
takes him near the post Office in New
Haven, local paper says, has been
fooled lately by picking up what seemed
to be sheets of perfectly good stamps,
but which have been cancelled. As the
stamps are in whole sheets many have
wondered how they came to be cancelled
since they show no evidence of having
been affixed to letters or packages. Post
master English said last evening that
the stamps were bought by Yale men to
pay for answers received from the circu-
lars sent to graduates in regard to the
fence question. The law makes circu-
lar to which n mans name has been
signed letter, and the postage should
be two cents. Many letters have been
received with One-cent stamps attached,
and to pny the extra postage sheets of
one-cent stamps are bought, cancelled
and thrown away.
THOMAS w. DIGGLR used to be a prom
inent manufacturer in good standing in
Philadelphia. He was ruined by the
panic OF 1857, and, turning over all his
property to his creditors, he quit the
city, and began life anew under the
name of Charles H. Jones. He fought
through the war, then settled in Plain
field, Conn.,, where he married. He
paid the last Philadelphia claim against
him in 1875, and in Plainfield was one
of k1o vAe,Nookn,I p,ts
election on the license question he cast
the deciding vote for no license, and
then the legality of the vote was ques-
toned. He put the matter into the
hands of lawyer, the case was brought
before the Superior Court, and, after
much testimony showing that Diggle's
character was good, decreee was signed
legalizing his name as Charles H. Jones.
ABOUT ten years ago Mr.. H. B. Mi
kel, of Milton County, Ca, invented a
rotary motion to churn with, and used
it at home. 1t was great improvement
on the old fashioned way of churning,
and saved time and labor. Some of his
friends advised him to patent it, but he
neglected to do so, thinking he would
do so at some future time. Nearly two
years ago Messrs. Davis e. Cobb were
selling family rights for the acme churn
in Milton County, and called on Mr..
Mikel to sell him one. On examining
it Mr.. Mikel found it to he exactly like
his churn, and he showed his chrlrn to
them. Some other man had patented
it and made fortune out of it. If Mr..
Mikel had taken out patent when he
invented the churn it would have paid
him handsomely.
HERvEY STEVENS, who recently died
in Clinton, Conn, at the age of SO years,
was until few days before his death a
remarkably active old man. Less than
three years ago he shingled and painted
his house, running up and down long
ladder as nimbly as a young man. Last
summer he was thrown in front of
loaded wagon which passed over both
his legs, breaking the right leg between
the knee and the ankle. He insisted
upon setting the leg himself without the
aid of q physician, and did it so well
that in three months he walking about
without assistance. He was one of nine
children, and lived and died within u
quarter of o mile of the house where he
was born.
HERE are some curious statistics con-
oerning the French Canadian population
OF Maine. In seven years it has in
creased 20 per cent. in Waterville. and
30 per cent. in Lewiston and Auburn.
But the French Canadian family is de-
creasing in size. In 1881 the average
was 5.23, nearly as large as the average
Maine family Of 1850. In 1882 it fell to
sos, in 1883 to 4.93, in 1884 to 4.9O, in
1885 to x88, in 1886 to 485, in 1887 to
On - - 1000 A on Tl~