The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-04-29
ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST.

a divorce was recently granted by one
fthe courts of Indiana, where the only
allegation against the defendant was
that he had cold feetl
An exchange asks; "What il nearest
to the heart of the American citizen~
We should say his undershirt, or his
hest-protector, if he wears one.-NetO
York Express.
A city ordinance in Terre Haute com.
pels every man keeping a canine to put
up near his gate a sign, Beware of the
dog" and it is lovely sight to see
two pound black-and.tan loafng around
one OF these notices.
The Dennis family at Beaucoup, H.,
found bits of glass in the sausage at
breakfast, and that day the childien's
teeth crunched powdered glass in their
luncheon at school The mother con.
fessed that wishing her relatives to die
in the most horrible manner possible,
she had planned to kill them with the
glass.
The ubiquitous grasshopper has APP
peared in Russia and las alarmed the
government, which has already sent n
scientific commission TO investigate the
habits and possible depredations of the
unwelcome visitor, and with most un-
welcome results. But tits thought that
certain birds inhabiting the Caucasus
naturally prey upon the locusts and
would be only too happy to make their
acquaintance, and an effort will be made
to introduce them to each other.
It is estimated that the total cost OF
the bridge connecting Brooklyn with
New York will exceed Sl3, SOC, 900. This
will make the Brooklyn bridge by far
the most expensive bridge in the world,
But tits unquestionably the boldest un-
dertaking in the way of bridge structure
ever attempted. Its central span across
the East river, from tower to tower, is
1896 feet long. 1t is nearly 800 feet
wider than the now widest span-that
of the bridge at Cincinnati across the
Ohio.
The most recently published figures
show that suicide is on the increase in
France. Before the Franco-German
war the average number of suicides only
slightly exceeded 5000 year. and now
they exceed 5000. In Paris there are
three times as many suicides committed
as in the country. Most of the men who
destroy themse YES are bachelors. The
spring is the time of the year when sui
eide is the most frequent, and death by
hanging is more usually resorted to than
any other mode of self-destruction, be-
ing considered more expeditions.
Silver, next to iron and gold, is the
most extensively diffused metal upon
the globe. 1t is frequently found in n
natural state, though never chemically
pure being invariably mixed with gold,
copper, antimony and other metals.
The richest silver mine in the world is
Potosi. 1t is situated on an elevation
10000 feet above sea level, in region of
perpetual snow. 1t has always been
worked in very rude manner, yet it
has already produced $3.50, 100000, and
shows no sign of exhaustion.
An instrument called the stathmo-
graph, for recording the speed of rail-
way trains, has been invented by Ger
man mechanician at Cassel, and works
so well that the Prussian government is
about to test it on some of the State
lines. A dial in view of the engineer
enables him to ascertain the velocity OF
his locomotive at any moment, and the
changes Of speed are graphically repre-
sented upon a roll of parer, which can
re studied at the end of the journey.
A curiously pathetic little story
comes from Ohio. DR.. Frank Bledson
and wife, of fBrownstown, separated four
teen years ago, and the wife procu red a
divorce, retaining their two little girls.
The doctor soon married again, and his
second wife, after bearing him five sons,
died. Then a correspondence sprang
I'D between the doctor and his former
wife, which resulted in a renewal of the
old love, and promise of remarriage.
They met and the plighted faith was re-
newed, the doctor promisi ng to be kind
and loving to Mrs. Bledson and her
children, but told her that she must
likewise be mother to his five boys.
She Indignantly said, "Neverw The
doctor took the train to join his five
boys, while Mrs. Bledson took her two
girls and returned to her home in
Brownstown.
"Cast thy bread upon the waters;
for thou shalt find it after many days"
The historical editor of the Philadel.
phia Ledqer has unearthed a striking
illustration of the old text. In the
year 1876 the condition of New Eng
land was one OF fearful desolation. One
in eleven of the New England towns had
been destroyed by the Indians, and the
same proportion of men capable of bear
ing arms had fallen by massacre, or in
open encounter with the Indians. The
fields had to be abandoned and bread
was at famine scarcity. During a
period of the most acute distress in 1915
the Rev. Nathaniel Mather, resident in
Dublin, probably upon advices received
from the Rev. Increase Mather, resid-
ing in Boston, suggested the relief of
the colonists. Citizens of Dublin
freighted the "good ship Catherine
with provisions, which were duly re-
ceived, thankfully acknowledged and
equitably distributed. The governor
and the local magistrates superintended
the distribution. In Boston 402 persons