The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-08-07
TIMELY TOPICS.

l1uCL 1VI 4OSs .r'
In Paris, year by year, there is q uni
form increase in the prevalence OF dlph-
iberia, due, it is alleged, in a great
measure to a neglect to isolate cases OF
this disease.
It is only a few years since New zea:
land was associated in our minds with
the idea of cannibal savages. Now we
find that there are no less than 924 miles
of government railroads in operation.
OF twenty.eight railroads that made
returns for the first three months of this
year, seven show a decrease on last
years business of $347, 331. The other
twenty-one roads show an increase OF
81, 619, 300.
It is stated that there are 5000, 900
pupils enrolled in the public schools of
the United States. The average daily
attendance is $500, 900. The estimated
population between six and sixteen years
of age is 10, 100000. O.,
The canning Of meats, fruits and vege-
tables has become an immense business.
In Maine over 5000, 900 ans OF corn
are packed annually, the sales OF which
amount to 81, 150, 600, giving employ.
ment to:paoo people during the pack
ing season.
The number of teeth at maturity is
thirty-two or sixteen to each jaw. The
eight front ones are called cutting teeth,
and the two next on each side are called
dog or eye teeth. The two next are two
pointed teeth. and the three next on each
side are called molares, or grinders. The
two last are called wisdom teeth, as they
are cut last.
A romantic incident Of everyday life
occurred in Brooklyn the other day,
when a pretty girl of twenty chased q
man who had stolen her pocketbook,
and, having overtaken him, learned that
it was his first o~ffense, went home with
him, gave him money, and then sued
for his pardon at the police court. The
man wal at heart honest, but was driven
to the theft by the sight Of his starving
family. 49,. ~; +
We learn from an exchange that the
Napanee Paper Manufacturing Com
pany, Canada, manufacture stable
cloths" from rolls of white paper, sixty
three inches wide and of any desired
length. Since paper is used for bed
quilts, shirt fronts, collars, floor cover
ing, and so on, we don't see why it can
not be made to do duty for covering
dinner and supper tables, especially for
large gatherings, where quantity OF
covers is of more Importance than quail
ty. q
4 singular affair recently happened
near Lynchburg, Va. While Colonel A.
b. Fulkerson was riding over his farm
he was attacked by about n hundred
swallows. who assailed him with great
chattering and pecked away Justify at
his face and clothing. He was at first
amused at the puny assaults, but the.
wounds which they soon inflicted upon
his face and neck convinced him that he
had 'nothing to laugh at, and he barely
escaped with his life.
John D. McCabe 10 prosecuting at
torney for the eighth district .s.. Arkan-
sas, a leading lawyer of the State, md
mas been q candidate for the United
States senate. He lately eloped with
his sister-in-law, after writing as folloSs
to his wife: "God knows I deplore the
anguish this letter will cause. The world
NAV we'll denounce me- for the step I nm
about to take, as T am leaving ny wife,
family, home, all. To refer to the past
would be an insult, but in the future l
can only look to God to protect you"
Mrs. McCabe fell in a fainting fit, and
has since been q maniac.
Diphtheria appears by no means to be
a modern disease. In fact according to
an article which recently was published
in the Boston Journal of Chemistry,
diphtheria was known in Egypt more
than two thousand years ago, extended
through that country and Asia Minor for
about five hundred years, and then
found its way into the south OF Europe,
where it received it's present name. In
the year $50 it appeared in Rome; in
1887 it ragged IS an epidemic in Holland,
entered Paris in 1876, and showed itself
in America in It'll. In 1918 and in 1885
it was very prevalent in France, and
about 1856 was eridqmjn in England,
and in the United States was a terror for
several years.
A Toxic correspondent gives the par
t~iculars OF the recent assassination OF
Nj. Okubo, minister of the interior for
the Japanese Empire. The day named
had been set apart for a snecial meeting
of the Emperor's cabinet at the Dai-Jo
Kwan, near the palace, and about eight
o'clock in the morning MI. Okubo left
his residence in a carriage to attend the
council. Just before reaching the palace
gate, at an open space near n OF the
CITY moats, his carriage was suddenly
stopped by a band of armed assassins,
six in number, who were lying in wait
for him. The assassins were each armed
with swords; they first killed one of the
horses and the coachman; they then fell
upon the minister, who was entirely un-
armed and helpless, and hacked him al
most to pieces. The murderers then
gave themselves up to the police. Mi.
Okubo was the Emperor's fsvorite min
lister and a man of great energy OF char
acter.
AQueer Market in Paris.