Variety

The authorof the work " Greeco as a Kingdom," says : " I am acquainted with a lady of one of the first Alhonian families, who, though only 25 years of age, already has sixteen children, feight of thom twins) of whom seven are still live. It may scarcely appear credible in England, but therc is nowat Athens a venerable grandmamma in the person of a lady Bot yet 24 years old. She was mnrricd vrhen H years of age, and had a duughter in the course of a yoar. That daugliter married also, whon scaraaly H,and has just become a motlier."A House set on Fire by Water. - On Sundny the 24th uit., the dwelling house at East Denni?, occupied by Mr. David Fornesworth, was set on fire and narrowly escapcd destruction, in consequent of a glass globe filled with water, und opntaining two small fishes, havincr been hung ngainst asouth window. The house hod been s'ut up two or thrce diiys, and Mr. F. on appronching, perceivcd smoke issuing from the chimnoy. Five minutes elapsed before he got in, os he ftnd o retirn to his falher:in-law's,ior the koy. Qn eptenng he found oneofthe ïvindow curtains wa$ birnf, and a covered ensy chair slnnding by the winJow was in flame?. Afier extinguishing ihe fire, he ascertained the cause. Thp ginss globe filied with water hung whero the rnysofthc sun feil directly unon it,iormed a lens or burning glass, and a part uf the Lurtain happenpd tq be in ths focus, was set on fire. Rcpeated exjermer.ts werc ajterwards made with thp samp globe. - When filled with water nndexposedto the sun, paper igniied; but vyhen tho wa}cr was turned out the samo oflfoct was not produced. If Vi r, F. 's house had bu.rned doyi} every body wou'd havi: aid that it nd beon sol on fire by an jhcendiary. - Yannoulh 7?cg.SlIIUNKING (NO SwEl,MAO OF Mr AT IN the Por. - When children, we ned tobe told thnt pork, beef, &c, killed in the o?d of the moon, would shrink in the pot; and if in the 7icw, ihal il would swcll ; and n groat many good, honest farmers, religiously pbserved that vvaxing and waning quartera fop thcir pcriaJiqal b.itcUerng. That some meat shrinks, while ethers swcll, is a fact too notorious for cavil ; but that the moon is to be praised or blamed for lliis agency, wc most full y deny. The truo causes of these changes is found in the manner of feeding animáis before slaughlering. An animal that has heen long and well fed, until the fat has become fully charged with solid matter, wil!, on e.xposure to boiüng water, absorb a portion of it, nnd consequcntly swell the dimensions of the flcsh; wliile ihat wbich has been hastily or but partially fattened, will diminish in cooking from the abstraclion of the juices Wbich occupied the pavities or spaces bctweeii the lean fibres. 1'his is the wholc secret of the shrinking pnd zwelling of meats. It will thus be berceived that one carcassof equal weight Xftny difle1 rnaterially in value from anothpr of nearly the samo apparent quality. Eggs from well fed hens are also much more rich, and subslantial than those produced by hens spqringly fed. The latter will invariably be found meagre and watery. - American Agrie ulturalist .The Boston Chronotypo says that fi grand child of "Billy Gray" is now a pauper in. the Alms House nt Dorchester, Mass. Mr. Gray died about twenty flve years sincc. He wns twice Lieut Governor of Mass., an honorable und for nearly half a cen,tjry a highjy successfa merchant, the sais of whose ships vyhupncd many seas. íle was considerad the wealthiest man in New England. The Chronotype reads a honily to rich ntan against hoarding up weajth, and "loiling for heirs they Ivnow not who ;" anc ndvisp.s them to use i in improving the condition of the poor, and llius enjoy the "luxuries of doinggood" vhile alive. A Whig meeting n Missouri ha.s nom: ÍDa.ted, John J. Oittenden for President.