The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-11-27
MISCELLANY.

Button; a pike aged 267 years, was taken
in Swabia, in l496, which weighed $50
pounds, and was 10 feet long, with ring
attached to it bearing an inscription indi-
eating that it was put into the lake in
| which it was caught, in 1890. Some of the
| sacred crocodiles of India have been
known since the conquest. Mr.. Thomas
| Bell, the well-known zoologist, has des-
! cribed a tortoise that he supposed to be
200 years old. Parrots have been known
to reach the age of 100 years; and there is
reason to believe that the elephant and the
whale can reach the respective ages of $50
and 800 years. With regard to our more
common domesticated animals, it may be
stated that the horse and ass, under favor
able conditions, live from 90 to 25 years,
and may reach 40; while the mule Is longer
lived than either of it's parents. The OK
lives for Is or 20 years; the pig, 90 years;
the sheep and goat, IL years; the dog 10 or
IL years Zone dog is, however, known to
have lived "a years,) the cat or 10 years,
but Mr.. Dandy informs the author that he
had cat which died at the age of IL years
after having for some years been unable to
move, except slowly and the rabbit, or
8 years.
Virtues of Borar.-It may not be gener-
ally known how very valuable borax is in
various purposes of household use. We
find it the very best cockrOach extermi1a-
tor yet discovered. One-half pound, cost
ing but fifty cents, has completely cleared
a large house, formerly swarming with them
so that the appearance of one in a month is
quite q novelty. The various exterminat-
ing powders pulled and advertised have
been found not fully effective, tending
rather to make the reaches crazy than to
kill them. There is something peculiar,
either in the smell or touch of b0rax, which
/ is certain death to them. They will flee in
| terror from it, and never appear again
where it has once been placed. 1t is also
Cd mr. thaf 10 1v
harmless to human beings; hence no danger
from poisoning. 1t is also valuable for
laundry purposes. The washerwomen of
Holland and Belgium, SO proverbially clean,
and who get up their linen SO beautifully
white, nse refined borax westinghouse
der, instead of soda, in the proportion of
large handful of borax powder to ten gal
| Ions of water. They save soap nearly one
half. All the large washing establishments
adopt the same mode. For laces, cam
brics, ETC., an extra quantity OF the powder
| is used; and for crinolines (requiring to be
made stiff a stronger solution is necessary.
| Borax being a neutral salt, does not in the
| slightest degree injure the texture of linen.
Its effect is to soften the hardest water,
and therefore it should be kept on the toilet
| table. AS way of cleansing the hair,
nothing is better than solution of borax
in water. 1t leaves the scalp in moist,
| clearly condition, and the hair is just suf-
fciently stifened to retain its place. This
| stiffness, however, can be readily removed
| if Objectionable, by washing with water.
Borax is also an excellent dentifrice; dis
solved in water, it is one of the best tooth
washes. In hot countries it is used, in
ombination with tartaric acid and bicar-
Donate of soda, as a cooling beverage,
Siberian Eriles.-A Russian criminal con-
| demned to exile is sent away with very
little ceremony; but when an officer of the
army, or other person of note, has been
| E. L, =
dressed in full uniform and led to the
| scaffold in some public place. In the pres
ence of the multitude, and of certain Off
Gals appointed to execute the sentence, he
is made to kneel. His epaulets and deco.
rations are then torn from his coat, and his
sword broken-over his head, to indicate
that he no longer possesses rank and title.
He ia declared legally dead; his estates are
| confiscated to the crown; and his wife, if he
is married, can consider herself widow, if
she chooses. From the scatfold he starts
on his journey to Siberia. His wife and
children, sisters, or mother, can follow or
accompany him, but only or condition that
they share his Punishment, and cannot re-
turn to Europe.
Small Meaws-The power of money is on
the whole over-estimated. The greatest
| things which have been done for the world
have not been accomplished by rich men,
or by subscription lists, but by men gen.
| rally or small pecunlary means. Christ
ianity was propagated over half the world
by men of the poorest class; and the great
best thinkers, discoveries, inventors, and
artists, have been men of moderate wealth,
many of them little raised above the condi-
ton ofmanuaf laborers mpoint of worldly
circumstances. And it will always be so.
Riches are oftener an impediment than a
stimulus to action; and in many cases,
they are quite as much misfortune as a
blessing. The youth who inherits wealth
is apt to have life made too easy for him,
and he soon grows stated with it, because he
has nothing left to desire.
| German Discoveries in Coffee Making.-
| The London Grocer says: "The increased
duty on coffee in the Zollverein has caused
the German housekeepers to take into Sc
| rious consideration whether means could
be devised for avoiding the augmented out
lay without submitting to corresponding
deterioration in the quality of their favor
lite beverage. 1t is now ascertained that in
almost all the private houses and public
coffeethouses the roasted coffee berries are
ground in very Intellectual manner, leav-
ing large coarse Jumps; but that, if ground
finely ono half the Ouanfity is rpOuIrel IN