AMERICAN FREEDOM.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2236, 6 November 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

AMERICAN FREEDOM.

The following laconic and amusing account of the pleasures of living in "free" America is extracted from the Western Shoe and Leather Review: — "When the American citizen invokes in the morning his eyes open on tho walls of a room covered with piper, ta<ed 50 per cent. He throw* off his blvnkets, taxed GO per cent., and steps from hi* 1«5(1, taxed 35 per cent., upon thp carpet, taxed 74 per cent. He diaws abide hi-, window curtains, taxed 15 per cent., and looks through glass, t.ix"d SO per cent., to fee how the weather ;s.; s. Tlmmin^, off h s nightshiit, taxed 45 per ojnt., he puts on h ; s under-shirt and stocking, ta\ed 75 per cent., cotton shirt, taxed IS per cent., aid coat, pants, and vest, 48 per cent. Finding a button gone, he has it sewed on with a, needle taxed 25 per cent,, and a spool of thread taxed GO per cent. He arranges his hair with combs and brushes taxed GO per cent., and pares his fingers nails with a pocket-knife taxed 50 per cent., or w\th tcissors taxed 45 per cent. Feeling a little out of sorts, he takes a dose of castor-oil, taxed 102 percent., from a goblet taxed 45 per cent. He shaves himself before a mirror taxed GO per cent., with a razor taxed 45 per cent., with lather from sup taxed 31 per cent. He starts the fire in h>'s stove taxed 43 per cent., with coal tavd GO per cent., and puts on tho tea-kettle, taxed 53 per cent. It being Friday, and he man of modento means, he has a light breakfast of mackerel, taxed 25 per cent., with rice taxed 23 per cent., and some salad, on which he used salt taxed 3G per cent., and sweet oil taxed 34 per cent. For plates, cups, and saucers, on his breakfast table, he is taxed 55 per cent., and pay-> 45 cent, on his knives and forks. The sugar he uses in his coffee is taxed 42 per cent., and he payh 45 per cent, tax on the spoon wherewith he stirs up the sugar in his coffee. A few pickles, as a relish are taxed 35 per cent., and he adds to them vinegar taxed 70 percent,, and tops off his breakfast with an orango taxed 20 per cent. His breakfast being finished, he smokes his cigar or cigarette, which id taxed all the way from 75 to 200 per cent., according to quality, and prepares for his daily duties. Putting on his hat, taxed 38 per cent., and hi.s overcoat, taxed 48 per cent., and gloves, ta\ed 50 per oent., he starts to business. Being engaged in building a house for himself, he takes nj> some building macerials. He purchases bricks taxed 35 per cent., some lumber, taxed 45 percent, and slate roofing, taxed 30 per cent., window glass, 80 per cent., paint and white lead, 54 per cent., and Hardware, taxed all the way from 50 to 150 per cent. And this is the daily lifo of an American citizen, and each one fills up the residue of the day according: to the requirements of his special profession."

Thk religious ceremony of Madame Nilsson'a marriage at Madrid will not take place'.beforo September (says 'in Knglihh paper). The dress, however, "which m of pale heliotrope plush, trimmed with shimmering moonlight boart embroidery with a bonnet of pearls, is already made. The toilette in which tin* civil contract was "iarned was sky-blue satin, trimmed with lace. Among the wedding presents aro divert service in silver from Mr Alfred 7h» Rothschild, and a pair of bay thorough bred carriage hor-se-J from Baron Leopohl do Rothschild. At S ibastopol and the other war port* of the Black Sea h wire apparatus ha<* been placed in the «ea by Aineiicin engineers to catch and destroy hostile torpedo boats by electric fu*oes. The constuction is kept n pocret. The port of Bdbaaropol wan closed for twelve hours while the apparatus was being laid,