West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-08-03
Bric-a-BrnC.

Travellers are much amused at the
apparent apathy of the Brazilian shop
keepers. Ii they are engaged, as now is
net unfrcquently the case, in talking
politics or readingN newspaper, or per
haps only enjoying cool seat in the
back of their shop, they will often say
they have not the article inquired for,
rather than rise 10 fetch il and II the
customer persists TO point il out in the
shop, he is Coolly desired to get 1t him-
self, and lay down the money.
Every club i'm London has its
characteristics, and when the members
of one accept the hospitality of another
during the yearly renovation of their
club houses, these characteristics are
quickly noticed by the strangers. In
one club states the London World, il is
the fashion tO hang up ones hat in the
hall in another, to keep il under ones
chair; herea shooting coat is permitted /;
there the diners appear in the regulation
claw hammer coat; tobacco is sometimes
banishcd TO the garret, sometimes
allowed everywhere but in the coffee
room; beer in pewter pots would ho rank
hercsy in this house To read book at
table considered extraordinary in that.
Chinese and Siam aristocrats i'm
variably wear long finger nails, The
Disagreement is supposed to add to the
Importance of the individual IA IL is
evident that the wearer cannot do any
work and must therefore have a fortune
corresponding To the length of his nails.
The hand of an Annamite dandy has
nails four or five inches in length, the
thumb-nail has II characteristic shape,
and that of the first finger is cut short
to enable the person To pick up small
objects. Without this slight alteration
the hands would he nearly useless Nails
of still greater enormity may he seen
They are said To have attained the ex-
traordinary length of thirteen inches,
and in this case the nail of the first
finger is not entirely cut of.
An Indian prince during the Sepoy re-
bellion was besieging some English
troops, and finding his bullets coming To
an end, suddenly bcthought him of
pile of tin canisters that he had some
where captured, and which as is usual,
he rammed whole into his cannon, sup
posing that the tin cans were all freigh-
ted with canister shot What was the
amazement of the beseiged the next
morning to find that the old rebel was
firing into their camp potted lobster,
jugged hare, anchovy and bloater paste,
venison, picked herrings, nicely cooked
grouse, chOw-chOw, and other delicacies
of the table. The canisters contained
nothing but hermetically sealed pro-
visions, and the storm of victuals lasted
for three days.
Borrow watch. Examine IL 10 form
an idea of its value; then offer TO lay the
owner a wager considerably less than
the value Of the watch that he does not
answer three times consecutively, " My
watch" Present him the watch and
ask, What is this2" He will not fail
TO answer, my watch.' Afterward pre-
sent some other object, asking the same
question. If he names the object you
have presented, he has lost the wager;
but if, on the contrary, he is upon his
guard and says (" My watch" he evi-
IDENTIFY must win. You must then say,
You are sure TO win but, supposing
lose, what will you give me2" II he re-
mics, MY watch" take it, and leave
hip the wager that was staked.