A Diamond-cutting Stone

A correspondent tells of an amusing incident that occurred last week on a train that was crossing the Rocky mountains: A traveling peddler unrtertook to sell a large "diamond" ring to a miner who had made his pile. "Humpli," said the miner, after critically examining the ring, "they got common stone up in the diggins where I've been that'll eut that diamond all to pieces!" "If you'll find a piece of stone that'll cut that diamond 111 give it to you," replied the peddler. "All right," said the miner, "if I can't cut that diamond with a stone I'll buy it of you." Thereupon the miner took the ring in his hand and pulled from his pocket a small piece of brown looking stone similar to a bit of dark free stone, except the grain was very line, aiu' v;th Uiis ht proceeded coolly to cut out and scratch the "diamond" with several ugly looking gashes. A group of passengers that had gathered about the miner were amazed, but while they smiled the peddler with his "diamond" withdrew discomfited. "That little piece of brown stone," said the miner, "is a piece of conundrum that I got in the Kocky mountains and it's the best diamond tester in the world. It won't scar a genuino diamond, but it will everlastingly cut up pieces of glass or quartz." One of the most formidable obstructions to the rapid growth of trees, shrubs and plants, in this climate, is drouth. One of the most effeetive antidotes to drouth is keeping the surface mellow. Assummer comes on, and the heat and drouth increases, mulching is the most reliable means of retaining moisture in the grouud. A liberal covering, several inches in depth, and extending some distance bey)nd the roots, of partially decayed slraw or other vegetable refuse, should be applied. What is claimed to be the largest purchase of land ever made by a single person in the world occurred at Philadelphia, when Ilamilton Desson, a prominent manufacturer of that city, closed a contract by which he secured 4,000,000 acres of land from the State of Finida. The land acquired, a tract newy as large as the State of New Jersey, was a part of the public domain of he State of Florida, and under control of the Board of Internal Improvemsnt of the State. "Young man" said a college professor to an undergraduate who had asked f or and obtained leave of absence Co attend his g.amlmother's funeral; "young man, 1 flnd, on looking over the records, that tliis is the fifth time you have been excused to attend the funeral of y.v.-r grahdmother. Your leave of absence s, thorefore, revoked. Your grandmother must get herself buried without you this time."