The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-03-29


ganese steel containing the metal manga
hese and other steels containing chromium
and titanium. In the cases Just mentione.
the steel is invariably a compound of iro,
with an other metal; it is, in short, an alloy
Other species or varieties, however. contain
non-metallic bodies as the steel-ceneratin,
materials. Carbon is one of these elements
and, therefore, it is but natural to supposs
mat such elements as closely resemble it il
their chemical properties will be the mos,
likely to serve in its stead. Silicon, or, AZ
some modern chemists call it, silicium, the
oasis OF silica or flint, is one Of the nearest
chemical relatives of carbon. The French
chemist, CarOn, has made silicon steel. Then
there ls the element boron, full cousin, as il
were, to carbon and silicon, the basis or or
binary borax. Steel has recently been made
In Glasgow of most extraordinary hardness
and cutting power, when used for tools in
| turning operations. In one instance, the
tool did thirteen times the amount of cutting
work of an ordinary tool of carbon steel.
The process of making this new steel is at
present kept secret; but there is reason to
believe that it is boron steel Other varie-
the celebrated Berlin castings are made is
phosphorus steel, and many Swedish can
mons are made of sulphur steel.
TEST YoUR KERosENE.-In view of the
many lamp explosions resulting almost in
variably from the use of bad kerosene we
urge upon the heads of families the impor-
tance OF testing their oil before use in the
lamp. This may be readily done by any
man, woman, or child, by means of a Their
mometer, little warm water and table
spoonful Of the oil. Fill the cup with warm
water, the temperature of which is to be
brought to ITO degrees Fahrenheit. Pour
the Oh on the water; apply fame to the
oil is unsafe it will take fire, and it's use in
the lamp is dangerous, for it is liable to er-
plode But if the oil is safe and rood IL
will not take fire. All persons who sell
kerosene that will not stand the fire test at
ITO degrees are liable to prosecution.
THE EARLY GIPsIEs.-An air of romance
has always hung about the gipsies from the
beginning of the fifteenth century, when,
starting from Hungary, and provided with
documents in their favor by some of the
potentates of that country, they made their
way to Constance at the time wheE the cell |
ebrated council was sitting. Finding the
Emperor Sigismund, of supra grammarian
amusing himself at Lindau, they
themselves to him, and told him |
such pitiful tale about their captivity |
among the Turks that he received them
kindly, and gave them letters of imperial |
recommendation. Armed with these. thew |
betook themselves to the free cities of the |
Baltic, favoring Luneburg and Hamburg |
especially with their presence. At that |
'AAAAS eAASy i've
women and children, and must have pre. |
sented very picturesque appearance The |
chiefs, say the old chrOniclers were superb- |
y dressed, and rode on horseback. with |
hounds by their side. Some of the men
walked, the Others rode, their families be-
ng conveyed in carts resembling those of
he ancient Scythians. But they did not
'reate an agreeable impression on the leu
onic mind. They were terribly dirty, we
re told, hideously ugly, and as black as
hight. At that time they gave themselves
tut as Christian people, who had relapsed
'een ordered by the bishops to do penance
" wandering about without settling down
anywhere during the space of seven wears.
living this account of themselves, they :
ambled through Germany into Switzerland,
nd In their capacity of penitents, party :
heir way to Rome. The Bolognese, how !
yer, Directing to their Conveying ten
encies, complained go much of them that :
he magistrates gave the inhabitants leave
o retaliate by stealing from the strangers =
9 much as would cover their own losses :
eeding, the gipsies soon left the inhospita- !
lie city, and pursued their journey to Rome, :
here it seems they succeeded in seeing the
ope, and in obtaining credentials from :,
i'm. Meanwhile, in 1419, some of their .
lumber appeared at Ayteron, in Provence, -
~ IL I4~s at u peIlOu Wnen the fortunes :,
France were at their lowest ebb, small II
and reached Paris, where they created a Z
enuine sensation. BY this time they had y
'mewhat changed their account of their d
rigin, some of them claiming to be the de- n
,endants of those churlish Egyptians who a.
'fused hospitality to Mary and Joseph ON y y
he occasion of the flight into Egypt. A - -
eneral impression has always prevailed - -
lat these strange wanderers orr inally came ~
ON that country, and one OF their own =;
cries is that their ancestors were obliged u
) flee thence, pursued by the hostile inhab-
ants, from whom they escaped only by re
cans of a bridge of rushes, in memory of &C
hich some of them are said to wear a piece OF
rush as an amulet to this day. Up to az
e time of their appearance in Paris their to
1mber did not exceed fourteen hundred at az
l,..4n