Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1871-12-30

Jour hours.
THE wasting away of sandstone and
granite is largely attributed by DR..
Robert, of Paris, to the development OF
a minute lichen upon them. This plant
is so destructive that it could and
would wholly destroy the beautiful
marble sculptures in the Park at Yer
sailles, unless measures were taken to
check its attacks. The destructive in.
fuence of a moist climate upon rocks
are conspicuously' illustrated by the
famous obelisk of Luxor, in Paris. For
ty wears ago it was brought from
Egypt, where it had stood forty c. ntu-
ries yet is now full of small cracks and
completely bleached out.
A SMALL farmer residing in the ham
let of Villebeau Seine. et-Oise, has, in a
fit of mental alteration, deprived him
self of sight, that he might no longer
be a witness of the occupation of his
country by the Prussians, who had
burned down all his property in his
presence, member of his family per-
ishing in the flames. He had often
threatened that he would tear out his
eyes, and everything that could be
thought dangerous was kept out of his
way. He, however, got hold of book
which described the Chinese method of
binding offenders of high position by
placing a small portion of quick lime
over the eyes, and tying it down with a
wet bandage. He procured some lime,
applied it in this manner, and destroyed
his sight. '-.- -t"
. The Japanese Ambassador in Paris
makes himself conspicuous with tissue
paper pocket handkerchiefs. Fash
time he has to blow his bose the
change of climate has brought on a
cold) he pulls forth a small square of
the finest silver tissue, marked all ov er
with cabalistic signs, which one would
think would make his cold worse.
b When he has Used it he throws it
away, and as the ganain de Paris is
imaginative he is possessed with the
' notion that these pocket handkerchiefs
are bank notes. The consequence is
that the unfortunate sufferer cannot
walk abroad without being followed by
a train Of urchins pitching and tossing
over each other for7the delicate squaree
as they fall. On one occasion the Am
bassador, having only sneezed, put the
i supposed bank note back in his
pocket, Whenna garoche behind cried
out that His f&cellency "wasn't fair"
BIOLOGISTS have long taught that at
least. the west coast Of Greenland is
f. slowly. sinking below the sea. This
doctrine is confirmed by DR.. Brown,
who recapitulates the principal points
on which it rests. The following are
j among the facts which he enumerates
Near the end Of the last century a
: small, rocky island was observed to be
entirely submerged at springtide high
. water, yet On. it were the remains of a
house, rising six feet above the ground
fifty years later the submergenee had so
far increased that the ruins alone were
i ever left above water. The foundations
of an old ,storehouse, fuilt on the island
) in 1776, are now dry only at low water.
The remains of native houses are in one
locality seen beneath the sea. In 1853
the Moravian Mission establishment
was, founded about two miles from
Fiskernesset, but in fifty years they
were obliged to move, at least once, the
posts on which they rested their omi,
AXIS or seal-skin boats. Some of the
posts may yet be seen under the water.
The dwellings of several Greenla' d
families, who lived on Savage Point
from l72I to 1886, are now overlooked
by every tide. In one locality. the
ruins of old Greenland houses are to be
seen at low water 1T,