Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-06-13
TIMELY TOPICS.

A lighthouse keeper near the mouth
of the Potomac has devised an ingeni-
Gus plan for the slaughter of the ducks
and geese which light on a sand bar near
his station. He has battery of twelve
muskets firmly fastened to two heavy
timbers, six above and six below; these
are heavily loaded and connected with
the lighthouse by long wire cable. AS
soon as he sees geese near enough he
pulls his cable and explodes all the guns
at once, and then takes his skiff and
picks up the game. His most successful
shot this year gave him thirty-three
geese.
A New York veterinary surgeon as
Serts positively that even the saliva of
ldog may communicate hydrophobia.
Zone of the most marked causes of
hydrophobia that ever occurred in this
city," he says, twas that of gentleman
who had allowed a pet slut to lick his
face. The animal had shown no symp-
toms of madness, and did not afterward
become mad, so far as | am informed.
The victim had slight abrasion of the
skin on his face, and allowed the crea-
ture lick it, with an old-fashioned faith
in the healing virtue of a dogs tongue.
He died within four weeks of pro-
nounced hydrophobia."
There is a story that wealthy Chi
cago merchant lately prevented the
breaking of his will by calling his rela-
tives about his death-bed and getting
them to make affidavit before notary
that he was competent to make a will,
ArUUT UIID IuneraI IL was IOunu THAT all
his property was given to lunatic asy-
lum. Then the heirs tried to have the
will set aside by showing that though
sane at the last, in 1875, when the will
was made, he was raving mad. Thereup-
on the executor produced will exactly
like the first, except that it was signed
and witnessed few minutes before the
affidavits as to the testator's sanity were
taken.
1t seems that the common people in
Sweden do not continue the family name
from father to children. Indeed, they
have no family name. The name OF the
child gives no intimation whatever OF
the surname of the father. Thus, sup
pose a man is named Peter Gibson, his
boy may receive the name of John Peter
son, and his grandson perhaps Peter
johnson, the surnames being formed from
the given name of the parent, and thus
being changed with every generation. Il
will be seen that this makes it impossi-
BILE to trace families. This custom
does not prevail among the higher
classes in Sweden, but is universal
among the common people who com.
pose the greater portion of the emigrants
TO this country.
..t0rding to the Springfield Mass,
Repu6ticaa, an effort is being
made to provide a permanent exhi-
bition building in Boston for the indus
trial products of New England. The
New England Manufacturers and Me.
chanics' Institute, chartered by the
State, seeks to erect suitable building
for the holding of stated fairs and exhi-
billions and for the permanent exhibition
Of such products as our manufacturers
shall find it for their interest to leave in
the building. The proposition is tc
make each exhibitor pay a small rental
for the space occupied, and to distribute
the interest in the undertaking as widely
as possible throughout New England
the shares being put at twenty-five dol.
lars, and no one man can take over foul
shares. A fair will be held as soon as 6
place and funds are secured; and there
: ftnr ,,I1a IL nes,,r in n the first Wed
nesday OF September"