MISCELLANEOUS.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2796, 2 February 1872, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

There have been presented to the National Assembly of France 430 petitions to the Assembly to re-institute the law of divorce. Some of the petitions occupy 300 pageis of foolscap with their vcaaops, add allude to the ftdvantages the Alsatians have in this respect by being annexed to Prussia. If Nature warns man to touch the forest with a sparing hand, she no less indicates that he shall put his utmost energy in breaking up the soil of the. prairies, auc\ when possible plant trebs. 'The f|irantity of rain in Western Nebraska and Kansas is reported to have doubled since the early settlement in those regions, and the reason doubtless is to be found both in the planting of trees, and the opening up of the soil to absorb more moisture. Moreover, brooks, or ‘ ‘ branches, ” as they call them out here, are starting up in gulches and gullies hitherto dry. Colorado and California States, generally dry for eight summer months, have this year begun to have heavy rains. The same causes are probably at work all over the “ dry season ” portions ox, our country. On the other baud, Ohio, ajiid Northern Now York are echoing the complaints of thh French agricultural report, that the felling of forests is the ruin of rivers. These natural laws seem plain enough- Man should learn to follow them. New Tori; Times , Once on a time Lord Russell |(whom then we used to call Lord John) called a cab in the evening, to cany him from the House of Commons to Cheaham Palace. To the cabman he gave a coin ; but when, with proper care, be balanced his accounts at night, l\e found l(b short. He rightly concluded that he had given his driver a sovereign for a shilling. On the following day he asked the waterman in Paljacse Yui'd whether he remembered the cabman. The cabman was found ) Lord John remembered him of what had occurred. The cabman knew all about it, and aekuow’edged his rascality. Lord Job 11 suggested the immediate return of the money. “Can’t be done, your lordship.” says the cabman, grinning “ Can’t ! why not?” rejoined the immortal Whig. “Why, my lord, I thought a great nobleman like you, of course, meant to give me the money as compensation for the honor of driving you. So, as my boots was blessed old, I went aud bought a pair—and here they are,” pointing to his somewhat shapely legs. ‘ ‘ They’re werry nice boots, ray lord ; some call’em Wellingtons, ( nails ’em llussells.” r.ss and St. James' Chronicle,