The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-12-25

he would never wear spectacles, from the
want of which he was unable to read in
the decline of life and, secondly, to his
avarice, which led him to abscond from
visitors, or deny himself company, by
which means he deprived himself of the
only two methods by which new ideas are
acquired or old ones renovated. His mind,
from these causes languished for the want
of exercise, and gradually collapsed into
idiocy, in which state he spent the close of
his life in o hospital founded by himself for
persons afflicted with the same disorder of
which he finally died. Country people,
when they have 10 relish for books, wien
they lose their ability to work or to go
abroad from age or weakness, are very apt
to become fabulous, especially as they are
too often deserted in their old age by the
younger branches of their families, in con-
eeouence of which their minds become tor
pid from the want of society and converse
ton. Faulty is more rare in cities than
in country places, only because society and
conversation can be had in them upon more
easy terms and it is less common among
women than men, only because their en-
Payments are of such nature as to admit
Of their being carried on by their firesides,
and in sedentary posture.
Death Web of Young Fish.-The pisci-
aculturist, Seth Green, Is known throughout
England for his energy and perseverance
in inquiring into and ascertaining tie
cause of any thing that may be new in his
little world of interest OF nature. For
many years Mr.. Green has been at a loss
to account for the enormous destruction of
very small trout; but he has now ascer-
tanned the cause. He says, in regard to
the matter "There is a small worm which
is favorite food of trout and many other
kinds of fish. This worm is one of the
greatest enemies which the young fry have.
It spins web in the water to catch young
fish, just as a spider does on land to catch
flies. l have seen them make the web and
"a ko ha fish- W. IA
that of the spider, and as much mechanical
iHgenuitv is displayed in it's constr fctiOn.
1t is made as quickly and In the same way
as a SPIDERS, by fastening the threads at
until the web is finished. The threads are
not strong enough to hold the young trout
after the umbi)ical sac is absorbed but
the web will stick to the fins, and get round
the head and gills, and soon kills the fish.
have often seen it on the young trout, and
1t has been great mystery, and caused me
many hours, days and weeks of wonder to
find out what was wound round the heads
and fins of my young trout, and killed
them. did not find out until lately, while
watching recently hatehed whtefish. They
are much smaller than the trout when they
begin to swim, and they are caught and
, held by the web. found ten small white
fish caught in one web i'll one night. The
web was spun in a little whitetsh preserve,
into which had put one hundred fish. The
finer than the common spiders web, and
they are not visible in the water until the
sediment collects upon them !; they can
then be seen very plainly. These webs
cannot be spun where there is much cur
rent, and can be easily seen in still water
by q close observer.
The Banana;-Thirty years ago this
fruit was little known in New York, and
was hardly anywhere popular. Now the
trade is large enough to employ four con-
siderable firms in New York, and the
capital used is not much short of $3.50, 600.
The banana is palm, growing south ofthe
s. frost line only, though we believe that
near New Orleans the fig banana does
r grow, and is considered a choice variety.
In t Ie West India Islands, the interior of
the fruit, dried in the sun and pounded to
a powder, makes very fine flour, though
the natives are fonder of the flour of wheat
than of the product of their own cline. "A
favorte way of cooking the banana, mot
\ dried) is to fry it in butteror oil. Spaniards
out the fruitlengthwise, because, in cutting
1t crosswise, the section produces resem-
lblance to the cross, and they fancy the act
savOrs of impiety, and will bring misfor-
j.. tune. This is on the ground that the sign
of the cross should never be made except
with religious intent. Three kinds of ba-
nanas come to our market-the red Cuban,
), yellow Cuban, and those from the 1sthmus
(yellow). The former two varieties are the
best. AS a matter of course, we do not
know the full flavor and delicacy of this
fruit, as it must be picked green in order to
arrive here sound. Even much loss occurs
by rotting on the voyage, and the United
States allows no deduction! in the duties
. collected, unless the damage amounts to
twenty five per cent of the whole lot:
When the fruit begins to decay, it is sold
cheap to street dealers, who vend it in
quarters where the people have few luxu-
ries, excepting spoiled ones. Excepting a
decaying pineapple, we know of few things
more dangerous than a decaying banana,
=. or our native fruit when green. They con-
tain most elements of the diseases of the
digestive organs.
Sleep and Habit.-Sleep is much modified
by habit. Thus an old artilleryman often
enjoys tranquil repose while the cannons
are laundering around him an engineer
has been known to fall asleep within a
boiler, while his fellows were beating it on
the outside with their ponderous hammers;
and the repose of miller is nOwise in
commoded by the noise of his mill. Sound
ceases to be a stimulus to such men, and
what would have proved an inexpressible
annoyance to others is by them altogether
UNDECIDED. 1t is common for carriers to
sleep on horseback, and coachmen on their
coaches. During the battle of the Nile,
some boys were SO exhausted that they fell
asleep on the deck amid the deafening
thunder of that engagement. Nay, silence