MISCELLANEOUS.

Southland Times, Issue 1731, 22 April 1873, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

An old lady being called into court as a witness, got vexed at the lawyer, and declared, " If you don't stop asking questions, I'll leave!" and then aihled, " You're the most inquisitive man I ever saw in all the days of my life." Woman's rights are practically exemplified in Spain. A correspondent of an American journal thus describes the loading of the iron ore in Bilboa :— " It is a curious sight to see the women loading the ships with their bulky cargoes, carrying it in baskets on their heads, sinking gaily the while, and tripping up and down the steep planks with their short petticoats, brown bare legs, and straight supple backs." It is reported by an Eastern exchange that at the usual New Year's Day reception, the President and the members of his Cabinet placed neither wine nor spirits before their visitors. We do not credit the story, but if it be true the President possesses a self-sacrificing disposition unexhibited before, unless, perchance, he took a sip on the sly. The American cotton crop of 1872 will considerably exceed that of last year. The acreage this year is 7,655,504, an increase of 945,305 acres over last year. The average yield per acre last year was *385 decimal of a bale, making the total yield 2,974,351 bales. Calculating upon a similar yield this year, and the increased acreage will give ua a crop of about three and one-third millions. A wittt son of St. Patrick was in charge of a ferry-boat. A lady passen ger, being frightened by the waves, asked him, " Are people ever lost by this boat ?" He gave her the encouraging reply, " Not often, ma'am ; we generally find them after by dragging the river."