The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-10-01
TIMELY TOPICS.

"a great many novel articles have
been placed under corner stones of pub
lie buildings and other structures about
being erected. But the most novel arti-
Gle we have known to be thus deposited"
says the Scientific american, WAS in
laying the corner stone of an academy
in Massachusetts, the other day. 1t was
nothing less than a strip of the human
voice imprinted on tin foil by the phono-
graphic process. There is no compre-
hending the curiosity this bit of tin foil
will be to the people of couple of hun
dred years hence, when the corner stone
shall be opened and the voice taken out,
and found to articulate the words and
sentiments of one long since dead and
forgotten" ...
The infltration system of sailing beef,
by filling the blood. vessels with brine,
is attracting considerable attention in
Australia. In some recent experiments
Mt Brisbane, bullocks were treated as
follows: At the instant of killing the
animals heart was laid bare, and in
cisions were made in both ventricles.
Into the orifce of the left ventricle
pipe was inserted, and a stream Of weak
brine was forced through the blood
vessels, washing out all the blood.
Pressure was obtained by having the
brine in an elevated tank. After the ex-
pulsion of the blood the right ventricle
was closed by clamp, and stronger
brine was forced in until all the blood
vessels were full. In this way the dis
tribution of the brine through every
part of the meat is said to be complete
and the curing perfect. ~ ..-,
In the commissioners report of the test
of the Oshkosh steam-road wagon for
the reward offered by the Wisconsin
Legislature of $4,000, they say the
wagon has hauled loads, plowed and
otherwise accomplished successfully
every test mentioned in the law or sug-
gested by the commission. They are
not, however, satisfied tnat this machine
| is, in the language and spirit Of the law,
cheap and practical substitute for the
use of horses and other animals on the
highways and farms. As at present
constructed, it is urguestionably of.great
advantage in plowing, threshing and
hauling heavy machines from one farm
to another, for heavy teaming on the
highway, etc. but the commission is
not prepared to say that machine re-
quiring an outlay Of 81 900, with daily
expenditure of from two to six dollars,
is a cheap or practical substitute for
farm animals.
The sixth annual convention of the
| United States Hay Fever Association at
Bethlehem, N. H., was the source of
much good sense and good humor: MIR:
Muckle, in his address, gave this dismal
picture of victims to hay fever: 1.-The
most unfortunate thing about it is that
the soberest man under the heavens is
mistaken for chronic drunkard when
he gets about halfway through with
his l.. attack, and no protestations will
convince his intimate friends that he
| has not had an attack of the jim.jams.
He is Stunned like lerer: his terrible
spasms and agonies of sncezing on the
public streets make him an object OF
ridicule and contempt; and if he is en-
gagged to girl it is very certain that she
will let him drop" But he added:
"That remedy, and an adequate rem
'edy. exists for the hay fever there cannot
be shadow of doubt. Some man will
stumble upon it some day accidentally.
1t is to be hoped that he will stumble
soon." .-.
A noble bloodhound in Philadelphia
made savage assault upon a citizen,
and the owner is under bonds to answer
for keeping so vicious an animal. The
circumstance leads the Philadelphia
Bulletin to these righteous reflections:
1T is Il characteristic ofpertons who keep
dogs to have firm and illfmitable faith
in their amiability. If visitor to the
house of such man has his nervous sys-
tenn com pletely unstrung by two or three
dogs dashing at him savagely as soon as
he rings the door bell, the owner in
valiabIy comes out smiling with the
assurance that the animals are rs harm
less as kittens; he always regards it as a
| jood joke that anybody should be afraid
of beasts 81 gentle, so amiable and 80
fond of play. If one Of the dogs hap.
pens to bite piece out of somebody's
leg, or chew up child or two into mihce-
meat. the owner regards the perform
ance with painful surprise, and is wholly
unable to account for the singular con-
duct of his pets upon any other theory
than that the victim must have done
something of a peculiarly outrageous
character to irritate the noble animal. "