News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1899-02-15

benefit of his health. No presi-
dent can leave thecountry during
his term of office, and if it was
not for that, tour of Cuba or
among the islands would prob
ably be taken. AS it is, he is
likely to go down the coast and |
possibly around the Floridacape |
to Tampa. Mr.. Mckinley has
accumulated over twenty-five |
pounds of unnecessary flesh dur |
ing the past few months because
of the impossibility of his finding
time for necessary exercise, and
he feels that he must take the
opportunity at the earliest pos
sible moment. The last Congress
sional reception was given by the
President and Mrs. Mckinley
Wednesday evening last, and was
attended by over 1900 guests.
Notwithstanding the frightful
mental strain which the Presi-
dent has undergone he is looking
very well, though much heavier
He has for months past, and is
vet, doing more severe, nerve
racking work than any other
living man, and it is the wonder
of the medical world that he was
not overtaken by nervous pros
tration long ago. Everyone
hopes that he may have a most
pleasant and beneficial outing
and return with hearty grip on
the helm of the Ship of State.
Civil Engineer Isham, a former
Burlington boy and a member of
well-known family of that
name, is in this city to induce the
House Committee on fortifica-
tons to give a trial to a new
projectile which he has invented.
The compound comprising the
explosive force of the cartridge,
which can be manufactured in
any size, is the discovery Of Mr..
Isham, and of course is notmade
public. 1t is said, however, that
it has four hundred times the ex-
plosive OF destructive force Of
ordinary gun powder, and Mr.
Isham is the first man to prepare
any combination of dynamite
which can be fired from an ordi-
nary gun. 1t is very likely that
he will be allowed an opportu-
nifty to demonstrate the value of
his discovery, and if he succeeds
in convincing the authorities Of
its value, as now seems likely, it
will revolutionize modern war
fare and incidentally prove a most
pleasing pecuniary incident to
Mr.. Isham. He has been for
several years past a resident of
the city of Mexico, where he is
very prominent in his profession.
Never, so long as l am spared,
will | again brag of Washington
weather in winter, or of Wash
ington as a winter resort. Since
last Saturday night fourteen
inches of snow has fallen, all of
it yet on the ground, and most
of the time during the week now
ending it has been the coolest
spot south of Chicago and east
of the Great river. Thursday,
when the thermometer registered
zero in Vermont, it was blowing
a stiff gale from the northwest
and the mercury was playing
around ten below. Friday morn
ing it touched fifteen below, the
coolest weather ever recorded
here. Up to Wednesday night
the weather bureau continued to
predict warm, balmy breezes
from the south and little birds
gaily warbled in every magnolia
tree in the city, but when zero
and ten better was reached the
bureau went into its hole and
cOrked it up. The weather bu-
reau, may say in closing, is the
most cheerful liar in any world.
1t lies when it knows that it is
lying and that everybody else
knows it. 1t lies both from force
ofhabit and from inherited talent.
Its lying is past rebuke or joke;
it is looked upon as Genius, and
the building that shelters those
unparalleled falsifers is an object
of interest to visitors for this
reason and is pointed out with
awe and pride by the resident.
Beside it the every day lying of
the pension Office or the civil ser
vice commission or the fne-taker
in Vermont seizure case is as
nothing. Fact. ]. E. HARRIS.
VERMONT PENSIONS. - Restoration
and increase. Franklin Moves, dead.