Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-21
TIMELY TOPICS.


library books 10 the number Of 81 roo.
and in the United States til arly
1000 agricultural societies, 81. 600
volumes in their libraries, and with nc
cess To 900 different agricultural publi-
cations, all excrtng direct influence on
the intelligence and future prospects Of
the tillers Of the soil.
The California r;mchman or farmer is
to certain extent demoraliZed by the
climate, which allows him TO perform
outdoor work the year round. Unlike
the Eastern farmer, therefore. he is in
cllned 10 let things go by the board
ihere II Il lack OF thoroughncss in build
ing, in planting and in the care for ami
mals. There il little concern for ap
pe5r'tncf the soil Of many years re-
mans undisturbcd upon the wagon
whecIsi he Hover garden ia well cared
Tor; they mend the harnesses with bits
Of rope, and they trust little or nothing
TO the vanity of paint,
The English court" went into mourn
lng for the French prince imperial for
one week after this style: The ladies to
wear black dresses, white gloves, black
or white shoes, feathers and fans, pearls,
diamonds, or plain gold or silver orna-
mehts. The gentlemen TO wear black
court dress. with black swords and
buckleF Then the severity of the In.
sigma Of grief WAS modified for three
days, the ladies to wear black dresses.
with cplorcd ribbons, ilowers, feathers
and ornaments, or gray or white dresses
with black ribbons, flowers. feathers
and ornaments. and on the tenth day the
court went out Of mourning"
Twenty nine years ago two boys about
dozen years Of age. were playing
tag in Lewiston, Ne. They were
merry and active lads, and were frolick-
ing with schoolboy enthusiasm and
Carclcssncss. One lad caught the other.
struck his heels and playfully tipped
him over. His whole weight came down
upon his falling playmate, whose spine
was seriously injured in consequence.
He WAS conveyed home. and IL was found
that he was a physical wreck. For two
years he was able 10 walk around
n vc.s little, and then, as the results of
his injuries gradually grew more serious,
he was Obliged to be- carried from one
place 20 another, entirely losing the use
OF his lower limbs. At length his whole
body became rigid, and hc was power
less. For twcnty-thrcc years Mathew
Rankins has sat fixed in his chair r. in
wise night and day.
The New York HcrdH thus describes
horsepower: This question is fire.
qucntly asked What il understood by
a horsepower. and why came that way
oi reckoning 10 be adopted and brought
into general usc2 Before the power Of
steam was generally known and applied
( to mechanical purpose. horses were
used 10 raisc coal and other heavy
les. Mr.. Mpnts, in li- experiments
carefully compared tic relative power
of tho different breeds Of horses. and
found its average equal to raising 33 600
pounds one foot per minute. or. what H.
equivalent 10 rbisr $50 pounds 100 fpp.
or 100 pounds 800 feet during that Epac
OF time WHOM attached to lever or
sweep Of given length. This af,Tward
became the standard of measuring power
or fore" applied 10 mechanical purposes.
and which is ~'iil retained in common
u4u.
4 remarkable story. showing tho
/ great advantage Of ignorance. l. told ot
French cook who won prize in tho
T late lottery. She had folt certain. long
. before the drawing Of the prizes. that
| No. % would turn out winner; and
I she managed to buy 1t. and awaited the
B result with anxiety. hut without fear
/ The list came ont in due time. and surely
enough No. - had won "A big prize
I Her master. Therefore. questioned her
about II. asking 10 be informed why she
/ felt so sauguine. The explanation was
. simple Why, sir" she replied.
I dreamed three nights running that No.
4 : would be- a lucky number; that is how
] I came 10 be sure. because three times
/ eight Is twcnty-Fcvcn." This cook dos
I not In the least agrcc with the poet who
/ said that little knowledge is n danger
/ Gus thing; she had very little knowl-
/ edge. indeed, Of arithmetic. hut found
/ the result quite satisfactory.
The sailing from Sand'rancisco for the
Arctic seas Of tho exploring steam yacht
/ Jeanette. under the auspices OF Mr.
I James Gordon Bennett, editor Of the
I New York Herald. Is an event Of more
I than ordinary interest. II the first time
an attack has been madeu upon the North
Pole from the direction Of the Pacific
/ that Is. by way Of Behring's Straits.
Expeditions have sailed that way before.
but they were after traces and remains
Of Sir John Franklin's uckl less venture
and not in quest of geographical dis.
FoNeIltHs fAplnTAtlNNk INT WillGl. 10 the
north of tho Western hemisphere. have
invariably proceeded through Baflin's
bay. The Jeannettc rested in the harbor
Of San Francisco for several months. but
the time of departure was purposely de-
layed, that the Straits might be reached
NJ nearly n possible at the breakup of
the ice IN August or early in September.
before which H. would be vain 10 at
tempt q passage.
Major j. NJ. Walsh, who has become
famous in the Indian country as the off.
Ger of the Canadian Mounted Police. in
charge of the camp of Sitting Bull and
the Uncapapa Sioux. hsts contributed
several columns Of fopinion and narrative
10 n Chicago paper He thinks Sitting
Bull is well disposed toward the United
States. but adds this criticism Of the In
dian policy Y ou can't make two gov
ernments--one for the Indian and one
for the white man. You don't need
them. Treat the Indian like white