The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-11-27
AY, COUNTY, PA, THURSDAY NOVEMBER
TIMELY TOPICS.


Next February will have twenty-nine
days. Except in leap year, February
never has more than twenty-eight days.
1t is true that next February will have
five Sundays. They will fall on the
first, eighth, fifteenth, twenty-second
and twenty-ninth. This occurs once in
every twenty EIGHT years. Its last pre-
vious occurrence was in 1852, and after
the next year it will not occur again
this century. The same is true of every
other day of the week. For instance,
February has five Mondays once in
every twenty-eight years. This was
last. the case lin 1864, and it will occur
again in 1892.
Washington's headquarters, at Valley
Forge, in Pennsylvania, are likely,
through the combined efforts of few
patriotic residents of that locality, to be-
come the property of an association
which will preserve it for all time as
memorial of the heroic sufierings in the
camp of the Continental army. In order
to interest the public in the movement,
the projectors have issued handsomely
prepared certificates of stock at 81 each.
| When the purchase of the headquarters
is effected, it is designed to make it an
attractive spot, to collect there relics
and valuable papers relating to the pc
riod, and to fit up the house in colonial
style with furniture of century ago.
A recent traveller had curious ad-
venture on the Coco Islands, which he
will not easily forget. AS soon as the
sun had gone down and the moon risen,
thousands and thousands of rats, about
the size of bandicot, bore down upon
him and made raid upon his provisions,
refusing to be frightened away. and de-
vouring everything in the shape of grain
in the shape of meat. When the bags
were hung up in trees, the depredators
swarmed after them, and would proEa-
bly, have caused a famine had not the
convicts turned the tables upon them by
killing and eating them in great num-
bers, saying that they were exceedingly
sweet. These animals, which are some-
thing like the marmot, are often called
the bamboo rat.
An association has been formed in
Westphalia for the extinction of pow
erty throughout the world. The theory
of its promoters, who are not Socialists,
is that the wants of mankind have so
increased OF Late years that luxuries are
now looked upon even by the poorest
classes as necessaries. Life, it is urged,
may be sustained and comfort insured
at trifling cost by simply putting aside
the superfluities of modern existence.
This object can only be attained by a
complete revolution in our social and
domestic habits. Children should be
trained from their earliest infancy to
look for no other shelter than that
afforded by wooden huts. Their food
should consist only of bread and vegeta
bles, and their drink ofpure water. The
style of modern clothing, as regards
both men and women, is condemned as
eXtravagant, barbarous and unwhole-
some. One thick garment of good ma
terial for winter, and one of slighter tex.
ture for summer, is all that is required
1t is estimated that under good man.
agement on the new system $50 year
will be sufficient income for any person
to exist upon comfortably, and will leave
a small margin which, if laid aside an
nually and carefully invested, will
amply provide for all the reasonable
wants of old age.
The Australians seem to take a great
pride in the Sydney exhibition, which
| OptItu OcptclllDcl. lit
project was set on foot by the Agricul
tural society of New South Wales, only
a year ago, and the government ap
pointed committee ofleading colonists
which has since had exclusive control
The building, called officially "Tht
Garden Palace" cost about $1,000, 600
and was erected under the direction o
contractor, who received commits
sion of five per cent. the Fgovernmen
finding labor and materials. Its area i
is about ,seven and half acres. includ
ing all the galleries and basement. Ii
I size it of course falls short of the Phila
delphia exhibition the main buildin!
of which covered twenty-one and hal
acres-but it is about one-third large
than the London exhibition of 1851
which was considered great enterprise
, at the time. In shape, the Garden palace
is cruciform; it has four towers. and
central dome 100 feet in-'diameter ant
2l0 feet high. Japan and Americ
occupy the space opposite Great Britain
and fronting the nave from the dome t
,, the north tower. The American an
Canadian displays were incomplete O.
the opening,day, but rapid progress wa
being made with them. Next year Me
-, bourne will hold an exhibition, whic
/. will probably eclipse this in splendo
and variety, but Sydney has reason t
: feel proud of the enterprise she has di!
. played.