The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-07-16
TIMELY TOPICS.

A remarkable occurrence with refer
ence to the photographing Of church
weathercock at Tenby is reported by the
London Lancet. At the time nothing
was observed by the artist but the object
upon which he was engaged; but on the
development of the plate the outline of a
boat, with colors flying fore and aft, was
distinctly visible about two-thirds up
the spire-in a reverse position. The
photograph was taken at quarter past
six, and about that time the gllnboats
were launched at Pembroke dock. 1t is
thought that it is mirage of one of the
gunboats soon after launching.
Pittsburgh is one of the blacklist OF
cities by reason of the smoke from its
manufactures, but a plan is being tested
that promises to make it clean. The
proposition is to wash the smoke, and
the way of doing it thus described:
"The washing is done by passing the
smoke through the spray caused by pad
dlewheels revolving in a tank of water
holding soda ash in solution. The tank
and wheels are placed in the aue, be-
tween the furnace and chimney, and,
the wheels being made to revolve in the
direction of the chimney, the draught is
increased" The smoke after being thus
treated will not soil white handker-
chief.
A rich widow, lacking only two years
of halfa century and dressing her hair
six times day, in Elizabethtown, KY,
fell in love with youth of nineteen who
had been working on her farm. Her
two step-sons ordered him to leave the
town, and threatened to use shotgun
if he should ever attempt to return.
The widow took the lad to town. pur-
chased for him q new suit of clothes and
charged him to geta license. The young
man did as he was told, and when they
were married she carried him home and
asked her step-sons what they meant to
do about it. The answer which the
step-sons made is not recorded; but If
they are allowed to remain in that
house harmony is not likely to prevail.
DR.. Schmidt of the New Orleans
Charity Hospital has had numerous op-
portunities for investigating the nature
of the yellow fever poison. He takes a
decided stand against the germ theory,
claiming it to be q disease depending.
like smallpox, scarlet fever and measles,
upon specific poison of animal origin,
Il product of the diseased human Or
ganism itself. The fact that in the case
of putrcfaction the poison increases in
intensity with each individual through
whom it passes explains the fatality Of
the disease, which increases rs the cpl
demic advances. The prevention of the
disease involves the interesting question
Of quarantine, and the perfect isolation
Of the first c;lses would appear to be the
most important sanitary measure.
The New York Graphic atfirms that
from March 81 to September 81 there is
about one-quarter more heat dispensed
by the sun at the North Pole than at any
given point on the Arctic circle, mas
much as the sun shines constantly dur
ing the six months at the Pole at an
average altitude of III degrees, while any
given point on the circle, with the same
daily average altitude of the sun, would
be one quarter of the whole time In the
night shadow of the earth, not receiving
but losing heat. While, other things
being equal, the North Pole is, of course,
the very coolest spot on the earth dur
ing the northern winter, there is no less
doubt that during the acme ofthe north
ern summer it may be the warmest spot,
ut least, within the north forty-five de-
grees of northern latitude. y
The New York Hebrew Leader, dis
cussing the pernicious literature that too
often finds its way into the hands of
children, thinks that parents should re-
ceive censure for some Of the harm that
is done, and says: '.'They should have
had an eye upon the books and news
papers their children were reading. They
should have done this quietly, without
any attempt at restraint, but very ef-
fectually. Open opposition sometimes
has a bad influence. But if parents will
remove evil papers and books, and
quietly substitute those that are good,
they will generally find no trouble with
the reading of their children. In these
days there is an abundance Of good litera-
ture available, and it can be bought
cheaply. There is no excuse for a child
having to 60 outside of his own home
in search Of reading matter. Food for
the mind is quite rs necessary as food for
the body, ind it is as much the duty of
parents to provide the former as the lat
ter. Then there will be no temptation,
and no harm can be done to the youth
full mind"