The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1875-01-29
MOSS AGATES.
RALPH MEEKERn DANBuRY NEWS.

The following are the most exquisite and symmet-
rical miniature ictions the year has yet produced
They are called Moss Agates, but more precious
title would have been sardongx.-ED. N. NV.
One of the latest discoveries in Connecti-
cut Is the magnetic weed. Its roots spread
immense distances, and like the Eucalyptus
tree they absorb nine times their weight in
water A large weed has fibres at least
mile long, and some even longer. A tele-
graph operator who lives two miles from
Bethel attached one to his private battery,
and making connections with other roots
of the same weed, he was able to send mes
sages between the two places, and what is
leave the roots as from ground-wire. The
plant contains strong magnetic fluid, and
q little of it put ust tyofff T Jae. - 80 's'
point toward tbs
a view canaan girl received a pair of ten
dollar kid shoes for New Years present.
But they were an inch too short. A ball
was to be given, and she must keep her
engagement with her Long Ridge beau.
At the last moment her genius triumphed.
Rushing up stairs, she seized her fathers
razor--the one given him by George Wash
ton-and repaired to her room. 1t was but
the work of a moment to cut off those ten
little toes and hide them in her trunk. A
flake of cotton staunched the wounds, and
in less than five minutes the belle Of the
town was dressed and ready for the party.
Her lover said that she looked a little pale,
but her sparkling eye and kitten-like move
ments banished all thought Of 1t when she
slipped into the sleigh.
A Danbury man who recently came
through the grasshopper regions brought
home bottle of these pests. They are
meek looking birds with mulish heads, and
eyes like Chatham street pawnbroker.
One night the gentleman put them in a tin
pail and covered them with baking pan.
Great was his surprise next morning to find
that they had gnawed holes through the
vessel until it was like seive, and when he
found them, they were eating the nail heads
in the floor. sAs matter of experiment he
extracted tooth from the largest one and
it fastenedin the end of stick, and he found
that it cut glass better than diamond. He
says that the grasshoppers have not only
destroyed vast fields of grain, but they
gnawed the knives from the moving ma
chimes SO that the farmers were unable to
put up any hay. 1t is estimated that six Of
these animals will whip rat terrier.
The good people of Yonkers were not a
little surprised the other day over discov-
cry by a townsman. A beautiful petrified
humming bird was found in quarry just
south of town, and, strange to say, it is un-
like any species known in this country. A
gentleman of rare scholarship, who was
visiting in the place, said that celebrated
German naturalist had found such bird
in one of the mountain districts of South
America some thirty years ago. He con-
sidered it great curiosity, and after much
solicitation he persuaded the discoverer to
sell it to him for seventy-five dollars. The
petrification resembles natural bird, but
it is transparent, and all the colors shine
with exquisite beauty. Green, intermingled
with red and gold of every imaginable
shade, CLEAN with the brilliancy oflife. IA
bird of Paradise" said one. ga marvel OF
creation,' said another, and all agreed
that nothing like it had been seen north OF
the Equator.
1t is not generally known that fish are
fond of molasses; but such is the fact.
Mr.. Thomas, recently from Rhode Island,
invited few of his friends last week to
accompany him to lake in an adjoining
| township. On reaching the margin he cut
| away the ice, and formed circle with his
| seine in the shallow water. Within this
circle pailful of thick molasses was poured
! In less than two minutes by the watch,
| swarms of fish came darting in from all
| directions. A vain attempt was made to
haul in the sein, but the thought of it was
| ridiculous, for there were fully eight wagon
loads of them. The gentlemen contentel
themselves by taking out barrel of black
bass, which were of unusual size. Since
| then, others have tried the experiment
with equal success. Some feared that ou,
streams would be depopulated, but fortu.
nately the matter has reached the ears oi
the Fisheries Commission, WHO will put q
stop to this unnecessary obstruction offish.
Only one of the ancient writers mentions
this singular taste for sugar. Tacitus, in
one of his immortal descriptions of Roman
/ Luxury, speaks Of certain caterer of Nero
who fed the fishes for the Imperial ban
quets with sugar moistened with rose
water. In those days little streams were
made to run through channels cut in the
marble floors of the banqueting halls and
the fish were SO tame that they would an
swer the notes of flute. Often they
would leap foot from the water to bite at
a piece of Thracian honey-comb.
Considerable curiosity has Oeen excited
by the recent discovery of snow turtle {
mile north of Danbury. A boy found hin
ON pond where he was skating. At frs
he was perfectly motionless, but when ths
lad approached him he ran out his head ant
barked like woodchuck. The boy with
drew, but not SO far as to lose sight of hi
majesty. The turtle moved swiftly owe
the ice to the shore, where he amused him
self by eating the snow. Occasionally hs
would whip the ground with his tail like
i young beaver. The boy had heard tina
turtles were fond of claims, so he baited (:
trap with one, but this turtle was not to b,
caught that way. Finally he planted th,
trap ON the ice and fastened a nice littl,
snow ball to the trigger. This did thu
work, and with a large pair of blacksmith
tongs the youth transferred the animal tt
TO cage and taught him to eat poundes
ice. He became SO tame in a month as Il
allow canary bird to room with him