Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-30

TELL-TALE ToMATOEs.-"Whe did you get
them tomatoeS" asked an old Long Island
farmer the other morning of Il neighbOr whose
real estate yielded a product of nil, and on
which there was not tomato vine. His basket
was full of very fine ripe specimens which the
farmer thought he recognized. 1t wasn't the
first time that suspicion of his impecunous
neighbours honesty had arisin in his mind.
"Where dill you get emp" Bought EN-"
"Who did you buy EN- of?' chill Van Brunt,
on Grow Hill" "Ah, let us look at your
hands," With his basket on his arm he held
out both hands for examination. "What do
you want TO look at my hands for? There
amt nothing on to EN- The old farmer was
washing his own hands at the time in a tin
| basin of rain water, with wooden bowl Of cur
| died brown soft soap before him. ono; there
amt nothing on 'em that you can see; but look
a here, set down your basket, and wash EN-.
It's very GOBLIN, and your face and hands look
hot" So saying, he emptied the basin, filled it
with cold water, pointed to the soap DISH and
relieved the bearer Of his basket. The first i'm
mersion and friction of the hands in the water
let the cat out Of the bag. 1t at once turned
green; grew greener and greener every second,
and at length was an intense dark green "Here,
Jim," said the old famer to his tow-headed son,
take in this basket and emptyit, and bring it
out agin." Then turning to his honest neighbor
he said: You hooked them tomatoes from my
patch not half an hour ago. Three or four of
the top ones knew in minute. Here's your
basketP If any reader of the Evening Post in
the country would test this discovery of a
theft, let him pick one or two tomatoes,
separating the vines with his naked hand, and
then wash it. There is a mysterious something
about the plant, perfectly colorless, that in
stantly imparts the green, which cannot be seen
until water removes it.-N. I. Post
THE SENSATIONS OF AN ExPLosIoN.-An old
miner who has experienced explosions, thus de-
scribes them: As soon as the explosion occurs,
it drives like whirwind and with force enough
to carry any weight before it in the direction of
the nearest vent. In going it sweeps along the
ceiling, tearing away props, brattices, and every
thing else, even the pillars of coal. The unfor-
tunate miner who may be within its influence
inStnctYely throws himseftlat upon the ground.
Before he can rise the gas has encountered the
body of air moving in an opposite direction.
They come together with an elastic shock sufh-
cient to change the direction OF the gaseous tor
nadO, and back it comes with rush, lifting the
miner and flinging him probably distance of
fifty feet against the ragged coal. Behind again
there is shock of pure air and FOUL and again
the gas whirls back with undiminshed fury,
lifting the miner once more, and dashing him
back whence he originally came. Again and
again this terrible game of battledore is repeat
ed. Nothing can resist its impetuoslty. Mean
while the terrible after damp accumulates with
surprising rapidity. This is composed of the
black damp which hangs from the roof and the
white damp which gathers along the floor. 1t
joins the gas at every rush, and adds power and
volume to its fury. The helpless miner strug-
giles with superhuman strength to resist the buff
feelings of the mine-fend, but now the damp be-
gins to seize upon his senses. The sensation is
not unpleasant. He feels a slight dizziness; he
becomes weak and sleepy; he staggers; his
knees suddenly lose all their power, and he
falls.