Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-10-16
TIMELY TOPICS.

with In the newspapers OF the Unitai
States. As used politically. IL says 1t
is a Westernism. In the spring and fall,
Western rivers are subject To frequent
freshets, and rise with swelling and
boiling motion that Is called booming
by steamboat men. Hence, when aman's
or party's chances are thought to be inn
proving. they are said TO be booming
and anything thaA enhances tho chances
Is called IA BOOM"
A United States postage stamp manu-
factory has been uncarthed in France.
Il was ascertained by the Postofllce De-
partment some time ago that one a. l..
Alexandria, Jr., in Paris, was engaged
In the manufacture of counterfeit United
States postage stamps. An inyestiga-
tion resulted in showing that, although
the party named manufactured fac.
SMILES of United States stamps, he sold
them only to persons who were making
collections of postage stamps. and that
the object was not to defraud the gov
ernment. The practice, however, was
Immediately discontinued. 1t was found
that similar business Is carried on in
England and Germany.
II Il person swallows any poison what
ever, or has fallen into convulsions from
having overloaded the stomach. an in
stantaneous remedy, most efficient and
applicable in a large number of cases,
is "a heaping teaspoonful of common salt
and rs much ground mustard, stirred
rapidly in n teacupful of water. warm
or cold, and swallowed instantly. II is
scarcely down before 1t begins to come
up, bringing with il the remaining con-
tents of the stomach; and lest there be
F. L.. l.
small, let the white of an egg or tea
spoonful of strong coffee be swallowed
$ soon rs the stomach is quiet, because
these very common articles nullify
large number of virulent poisons.
Wild beasts make awful havoc among
the cattle of some of the Russian prov
inces. In the province ofNovgorod. for
example. the horses and cows of the pea
SAINTS daily fall victims. The authorities
OF that province have, during the past
ten years, tried every possible way of
roofing out the wolves and bears. but
without any noticeable success. In the
year 1873 the loss then ran ~ high rs
i,50O head of cattle. At its last session
tile Xemstvo decided to offer q reward of
Eve roubles to every person who shall
kill n wolf old or young. and ten roubles
for each bear killed during the summer,
the money to be paid from the provincial
fund. Strychnine pills are recommended
for the destruction of the wild beasts.
The barometer of the national pros
perity of England is, according to the
London Sdnitdry Record, at n very low
ebb, rs the depression in the marriage
rate, That unerring test Of the material
condition and prospects of the people,
was still more strongly marked during
the first quarter of this year than il had
been in any of the four quarters of 1878.
The annual marriage rate in the three
months ending March last did not exceed
ll.6 per 1000. and was 81 below the
average rate of the corresponding period
OF the previous forty years-ls3s77. So
low marriage rate has not prevailed in
the first quarter Of any year since 1887.
when the act for civil registration Of
marriages. births and deaths first ren
dered these statistics possible. The
nearest approach to SO low marriage
rate. in the first quarter of the year. was
l2.5 in the first three months Of lsil.
Four million three hundred thousand
dollars il good deal to pay for a tavern.
yet that sum was paid the other day for
the Grand Hotel, in Paris. This includes,
of course, the shops and everything ap-
pertaining to the vast building (the
hotel contains seventy handsome salons,
some GOO chambers, with private dining
rooms, etc, } which Is one of the most
valuable bits Of property in that city7
The hotel was built by a company, and
has had n large patronage from the start.
mainly from Americans. who are. rs
Europeans know, very apt 10 be liberal
patrons. NeveTthe less, the house. or.
rather. the company, has not made
money. much money ~ has been taken
In. Up To two or three years ago It was
currently reported that not single divi-
deud had been declared, and, ~ may be-
inferred, the stockholders have not liked
IT, During the exhibition year of l567. .
and for some years after, the hotel got 50
wide mann for exorbitant charges rs {
deter many people from going there. The
new proprietor will continue the estab-
lishment as hotel, but II II pays him no
better than IL did its former owners he
will regret his purchase.
The New York Word explains the
methods by which the Egyptian obelisk
II to he removed irem Alexandria to
New York city. under the direction of
Lieutenant Commander Gorringe. who
has left New York to commence the un-
dertaking. The machinery 10 be en-
ployed in handling the great monolith
has already been constructed at the
works of the late Mr.. RoeblinR. at Tren-
ton, and aggregates about eighty tons in
weight. For the rest, the obelisk hay-
Ing been brought to the pier, steam
collier having watcr-ballast compart-
ment will be secured alongside and the
necessary preparations made for having
her down to careoning lighters placed
alongside ON the side opposite the pier
The water-ballast compartment will he
filled. A port having been opened to
admit the Obelisk into the forehold, It
will be launched in. The listing of the
steamer from taking its weight will he
overcome by heaving down on the
carcening lighters, and the sinking due
TO both operations will be countcracted By
pumping out tlle water ballast compart-