Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-12-14

pocket
Science and Invention.
The Nat,onm Mt,Wgcnctr translates the
/ following from German scientific journal
| SHARPENING EpGEp Tools-It has long
been known that the simplest method OF
/ sharpening n razor. is to put it for half an
/ hour ~ water tc which hns been added one
twentieth of its weight ot mufiatio or sui
phuric acid, then wipe it off, and after few
hours set it, on hone. The acid here sup
I plies the place of II whctstOnc, by corrOding
the whole surface uniformly, so that nothing
/ further but Il smooth polish is necessary.
/ The process never INJURIES good blades, while
/ badly hardened ones are frequently improved
/ by it, although the cause of such improve
lnent remains unexplained.
! OF late, this process has been applied to
many other cutting implements The work
man, at the beginning Of HIS noon-spell, or
/ when he leaves off in the evening mOisten
the blades oil nus tools with water acldihed as
above, the cost of which is almost nothing.
This saYes the consumption of time and labor
in whctting, which moreover speedily " ,ars
out the blades. The mode Of sharpening
here indicated, would be found especially ad-
,antageous for sickles and scythes.
! EVERYDAY FACTS IL SCIENCE III tallow
candle be placed in gun, and shot at door
it will 60 through without sustaining any in
| Jury and if Il musket-ball be fired into
water it will not only rebound, but be fiat
tened, as if fired against hard substance
a musket ball may be fired through a pan.
of glass, making the hole the size of the bale
without cracking the glass if the glass be
suspended hy a thread, it will make no dill
ference, and the thread will not even vibrate.
In the Arctic regions, when the thermometer
is below zero, persons can converse more
than mile distant. DR.. Jameson asserts
that he heard every word of a sermon at the
distance of two miles.
ANOTHER INVENTION OF WAR.-Mr Griffin,
superintendent of Reeves, Buel & Cos iron
words, of Philadel phia, has invented new
wrought iron cannon of extraordinary
strength. 1t is stated to weigh only two
hundred and fifty pounds, and yet it has been
charged with three pounds Of powder
rammed with five balls on the top Of it. 1t
was fired one hundred and sixty-eight times
in one day Its length is four feet its bore
is about two and a half inches.
IMPORTANT DlscovERY.--Jean Blanc, of
New Orleans, represented to be an agricul-
turist of considerable scientific attainments,
has secured letters patent from the United
States, for the discovery of process of con-
vertng thirty different variety Of plants,
which grow wild in enormous quantities in
various sections of the Union, into flax OF
great strength and beautiful texture.
Among the most interesting of the sreci-
mems are the flax made from the stalks OF the
cotton plant, large quantities of which are
burned on the Southern plantations, to get
them out Of the way ; the century tree or
tyb in "a M U,lD n
Florida the wild holly hook, with fibre
ten to fifteen feet long the gold nankeen, of
IA natural nankeen color the vegetable silk,
and the vegetable wool.
The process of preparation is said to be
simple and efectual. preserving all the
strength of the staple and so economical that
the flax can be sold at prices far below those
at which the article is now sold.
A IIusBAND AND FATHER TURNED rP AFTER
| InIRTY YEARS ABsENCE.-We heard the lar
ticulars yesterday OF one OF those strange
episodes in life in which the old adage of
- truth is stranger than tictlon,' was fully
illustrated. About six years since, lady
named Mrs. Martha Wood accompanied by
her son, his wife, and "a couple of children
arrived in this city from New Bedford Mass
She stated that she was II widow Of twenty
four years standing, her husband having
been mate of IL whaler, which had been los,
at sea. The family having resided for the
greater part of the time on Liberty street
Mr.. Wood, the son, working ut his trade
/ which is that of cooper
! Yesterday morning a gray headed and toll
worn man called at the residence Of the
/ family, and, seeing Mr.. Wood inquired foI
/ the widow, who, being called into the room
/ while gazing intently at the stranger whose
| eyes were fixed mournfully upon her, request
ed to know his business.
DO you not know Inc, Martha - said he.
and as the sound of his voice, like the memo
ry of AN oldcn melody met her ear, she gay,
| vent to hysterical cry, and tainted in the
arms which were opened to receive her
The tale is soon told:-Thc ship in whicl
| he had made his last voyage from New Bed
| ford was cast away in the South Sea Islands
and he was one of the few who escaped a
watery grave. After enduring almost un
! heard of privation, he succeeded, after thirty
years absence, in reaching his native city.
From a brother of his wife he learned thcil
present location, and arrived here to find hc
whom he had lett Il young and blooming
bride. far advanced in the evening OF life
while the infant, upon whose lips when las
he saw him he had imprinted fathers kiss
and who could scarcely lisp his name, wa
now stalwart man. and the head Of a fam
lily, How many hopper and fears, must hay
agita ted the old mariner az he again set foot
after his long pilgrimage, upon his nativ
soil.-Ctnc'nndH Enquirer.
\ TuuGH WITNESS. Prosecuting AUor
ney- Mr.. Parks, state if you please, whethe
you have ever known the defendant to foloy
any profession.
He's been a professor ever since Iv
known him
Professor of what
'Of religion
You don't understand me, Mr.. Parks
What does lie do
Generally what he pleases,
Tell the jury, Mr.. Parks, what the de
icndant follows,
Of tho irry 81 bn 4, O.