Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1866-09-14
A Fast story.


A Fast story.
An Englishman Dragging of the speed on
English railroads, to n Yankee traveller
seated at his side, in one of the cars of
"fast train in England. The engine bell
was rung as the cars neared station. 1t
suggested TO the Yankee an opportunity of
"taking down his companion peg or two
Whats that noise ?" innocently inquired
the Yankee.
we are approaching II town" said the
Englishman They have to commence
ringing about ten miles before they get to
station or else the train would run by it be.
fore the bell could be heard Wonderful
isn't it :" ] suppose they haven't invented
bells in America yet -
WHY, yes replied the Yankee, we've
got bells, but can't use them on our rail
roads. We run SO fast that the train always
keeps ahead of the sound no use whatever ;
the sound never reaches the village till after
the train gets by.
Indeed - exclaimed the Englishman.
Fact" said the Yankee. "had to give up
bells. Then we had to try steam whistles,
but they wouldn't answer either. l was on
locomotive when the whistle was tried.
We were going at tremendous rate hur-
ricanes were nowhar, and l had to hold my
hair on. We saw a two-horse wagon eros
sing the track about five miles ahead and
the engineer let the whistle on screeching
like trooper. 1t screamed awfully. but it
wasn't no use. The next thing / knew,
was picking myself out of pond by the
roadside, amid the fragments of the locomo-
tive, dead horses, broken wagon aed dead
engineer lying beside me. Just then the
whistle came along, mixed up with some
frightful oaths that had heard the engineer
use when he first saw the horses. Poor
fellow he was dead before his voice got to
him. After that we tried lights, supposing
these would travel faster than sound. We
got one SO powerful that the chickens woke
up all along. the road when we came by.
supposing it to be morning. But the loco
motive kept ahead of it still and was in the
darkness with the light close on behind IT.
The inhabitants petitioned against it they
couldn't sleep with so much light in the
nighttime. Finally we had TO station
electric telegraphs along the road with sig
nal men to telegraph when the train was in
sight and l hare heard that some OF the
fast trains beat the lightning fifteen min
utes every forty miles. But can't say rs
that is true the rest know to be so"
MOTHS IN FURNITURE.-There are two
species of moth which infest furniture. One
/ is large fly of silvery white color; the worm
/ is also white, shaped like chestnut worm,
and is familiarly known. 1t early inlests
furniture. The other is a small fly ola dark
drab color the worm is about one fourth OF
an inch long, and tapering from the head to
the tail. twas first observed by upholsters
about years ago This fly penetrates sofa
or chair, generally between the back and seat
of sofas, or under the seats where the vacan-
cy among the springs affords safe retreat
1t may make lodgment in one week after
Al. H., : IN, n
should be the case, in two months the worm
will appear; and the continual process of
procreation in few months increases the
number to thousands. The moth has no
season.. 1t DESTROYS in winter and summer
alike rs it is kept in active life by the con-
slant heat of the bOuse. We find, at the
same time. in the same piece ofiurniture, the
fly. the worm and the eggs thus showing
that they are breeding and destroying all the
time. II does not eat good, pure curled hair.
but fastens its cocoon to it, the elasticity Of
which prevents its being disturbed. The in
side of furniture is used by il only for the
purposes of propagation.
The worm. when ready for food, crawls
out and destroys the covering, If of woollen
or plush material and falling to the carpet
destroys il. They rarely cut through plush
from the inside, as it is of cotton back. but
, there are instances where they have cut up
muslins ON the outside back of sofas. There
| is 10 protection against it but continual care
2 New furniture should be removed from tht
D walls at least twice a week at this season OF
the year. and should bo well whisked all
= around, particularly under the seats, to pre-
? vent the fly from lodging This is an effect
c ual preventive and the only one known
+ CAYENNE pepper, Scotch snuff, camphor, tur-
S pentine and all other remedies Tor protcctiou
: from the moth are flittle or no avail agalnsi
: the furniture moth. Saturatlon win alcohol
t will not destroy them when in piece ol
/ furniture. If the furniture is infested they
= may be removed by taking OH the lhusi,I'
: from under the seats and off the outside ehds
5 and backs. where they congregaie most anu
q eXpose il to the air as much ms possible
:, Beat well with whisk or the open mana
q" and kill all the flies and worms which snow
/ themselves. This done often VIII disturb
t. them and may make them leave the lnrhture
" as its desire is TO he left quiet Wheh Tie
il furniture Is free from moths ana Is 10 W
s left during the summer months without at
5 tention, il may be protected by eamphor II
h small bags or highly concentrated patchoull
L The safest way is 10 have furniture wei
o whisked twice a week. If the moths attack
: the CARPET. which they will first do undel
= the sofas and chairs, spread wet sheet oI
5 the carpet and pass n hot ilat-iron over /
= quickly: the steam will eilecttally destroy
q both worms and eggs. If furniture is deli
L vcrcd in a dwelling free from moths the up
= holsters responsibility ends there, and al
r rests with the housekeeper, as no tradesmal
c can tell whether the moth will attack it o
S not. There are cases where the furnitur
: has been in use ten or twelve years befor
S being attacked. 1t would be as fair to hol
o the tailor responsible for the safety of cloth
c ing as TO hold the upholster responsible 70
IS the safety Of furniture Bulletin