The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-08-10
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.


80 printers ink sticks and destroys the
wriggling and squirming crawlers upon
our trees"
A virginian who put his faith in
fortune-teller, chopped up valuable
calf to find ring supposed to have been
swallowed by the animal. The family
have since lived on veal at cost of
about $3.50 pound.
A Maine girl being bantered one day
by some of her female friends in regard
to her lover, who had the misfortune to
have but one leg, replied: "Pooh, I
wouldn't have a man with two legs
they're too common"
A brakeman lately fell from freight
train at Schenectady, but hung to the
truck rigging with great presence of
mind, and was dragged and bumped
quarter of q mile over the ties before he
was rescued. Bnt he saved his life.
Among the death notices in a recent
number of the Chicago Tribune appeared
q statement that lady (the name was
given) whose remains were taken to
Rochester, N. Y, for burial had walked
from her trance-sleep, and would return
to her home in Ozaukee, Wis, July /.
A Philadelphia physician writes to the
Post to correct an impression that black
berries are useful or harmless in cases
where children are convalescing from
diarrhua or cholera infantum. He says
that from close observation during sever
al years, meantime enjoying a large
practice, he is forced to believe that
there is no other cause so fatal to life in
these complaints as eating blackberries.
Agentleman in Canada gives history
of battle between two swarms of bees
few days ago. One swarm, he says,
took forcible possession of their neigh
bors' barracks, and as the attacked de-
Tended their rights, O furious fight COM
menced, and the battle ragged from 4:30
to 8 P. NJ. Next morning, as the sun ap-
peared, the battle was resumed, the
marauders appearing not in good condi-
tion, but showing great pluck. The
carnage continued without intermission
till 10 A. NJ, when hundreds of dead
bodies lay on the plain. At IL the bat
tie ended, when there was not one of
the attacking party left to tell the tale.
A Chinaman who was murdered in
San Francisco recently, was given q
grand funeral, some fifty carriages of
Celestial sympathizers parading in a
pTOCeSSlOu, ucducu NY q 'lioCOludhU
band of Chinese musicians. The mur-
dered man had been laid out in a new
suit of clothes, with quantity of feath-
placed dirk-knife and other weapons,
with which he is expected to pitch into
his murderers when they arrive in
another world-if he can find them.
From the shoes the soles were removed.
the uppers being left. This was done 80
that he might step softly and reverently
into the presence OF his Joss.
An interesting application of electric
ity, in connection with tank for sup
plying locomotives with water, is now
in operation at Buda Station, on the
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Rail
road. The steam pump which supplies
} the tank is on the bank of a small stream
} half mile distant, and entirely out of
sight. A float is arranged so that if the
} water is drawn off to level more than
| two or three inches below the top of the
tank circuit is closed, connecting by
wires with the pump house. This sets
an alarm bell ringing within hearing of
, the engineer, who then starts his pump,
: and runs it till the tank is full, of which
due notice is given by the cessation of
: the alarm.
A young Prussian officer, who doubted
;; the love of his affianced bride, requested,
after the battle of Gravelotte, one of his
friends at home to inform the young
lady that he (the oficer) was among the
killed, and to report to him how she
would receive the news. The friend
complied with the officers request, but
the letter which was to convey the re-
port of the young lady's demeanor
brought to the officer the terrible news
; of her death, the young girl having
committed suicide the night after his
friends sad communication. The young
officer was SO impressed with the catas-
trophe and felt so much aggrieved at
the death of his fair young betrothed,
! that he went mad. He is now in Ber-
lin lunatic asylum, and his case is pro-
nounced hopeless.
Experiments are being made in India
, on new form of single rail tramway.
The vehicles used, in addition to the or
| dinary description of wheels, have a
pair Of Hanged wheels, one behind the
[ other, running on the single rail, which
is laid at the centre of the track. The
r fanged wheels are adjusted by screw
, so as to take all the weight off the Or
binary wheels without lifting them
r much above the roadway. An expert
/ mental line has been laid, in part at an
{ incline of one in forty, and along this
, pair of bullocks draw load of three
: tons. The advantages claimed for this
( system are: First, very great diminu-
: ton of power expended in hauling, as
s compared with traction on common
roads; second, that the cost of construc-
, ton is only one-half that of an ordinary
4 tramway with two lines of rails.
Charleston as commercial city is
gradually rising to its old place among
exporters. 1t has always been the great
0 rice market of the country. In 1S69-70
{ its crops amounted to 41,172 tierces, and
K this year it shows an increase of 5000
: tierces over last year. The last crop
s gathered before the war was 16l, ,5l5
: tierces. Previous to the rebellion the I'm
IS est quality of Carolina rice was exported
Q to Havre for manufacture into rice stones,
t a beautiful imitation of Parian marble,
a used for statuettes, and other ornaments.
Q Copenhagen, Bremen. and Amsterdam,
It and other ports of Continental Europe,
: imported largely of our American rice.
@ Now our home demand would absorb
a fully 100000 tierces. Endeayors are
4 l. - ~