The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-01-07
TIMELY TOPICS.

TIMELY TOPICS.
One of the most peculiar wills on re-
cord is the subject of contest in the New
York surrogate's court. 1t was mace
by Isaac w. Potter, now deceased, on
the 28Uh of February last, and bequeatns
as legacy to the heirs of the testatoT,
lawsuit, which has been pending. for
long time between the deceased and
Mary Ann Coulter, whom he accuses OF
having wrongfully deprived him of Ger
tain property. Until this litigation is
settled, not a cent of the estate of Mr..
Potter is to 20 to the heirs, but all is to
be appropriated to the payment OF coun-
sci fees.
A nice little book to which some
generous folk may like to have their
attention directed is the new "Chlnese
Encyclopedia. It has just been COM
pleted, and is hot from the press, with
sumptuous guaranty in the form OF
an imperial vermillion edict. 1t COM
prises only five thousand and twenty
volumes, and may be had for the trltilng
sum of seven thousand five hundred
dollars. This is far more voluminous
as we'll as more costly than encyclo.
ne. las are apt to be in benighted
Caucasian lands; but then the Mongo-
liam empire has vastly more people to
read them. Think of an encyclopedia
in five thousand volumes!
For good sport Montana seems to
be the happiest hunting ground. Two
Scotch gentlemen who are travelling
over the world, and everywhere looking
for good shooting. have gore to San
Francisco after several months sport
along. Montana rivers. They say they
were never in want of something royal
to sh OF at, finding buffaloes, elks, bears,
deer, antelopes, mountain lions, lynXes,
wildcats, and other game in abundance.
They brought as trophies magnificent
sets Of elk and deer antlers, buffalo
heads, bear and other robes. Twenty
eight bears, mostly grizzlies, fell prey to
tlieir rifles. One of these was estimated
to weigh 1900 pounds, and measured
thirty-three inches around the forearm.
The robe, handsome and well preserved,
measures eight feet three inches from
nose to rump.
Road robbers stop and plunder over
land stages and strip their passengers
in Idaho to-day as coolly rs in the olden
times. A short time ago masked high
waymen stopped and robbed stage
coach at Pilgrim Springs station, tying
and blindfolding drivers and passengers,
and breaking open Wells, Fargo & Co.'S
treasure box. They were very non
chalant and deliberate, stopping on the
spot and cooking their supper. They
were careful, however, not to Interfere
with the United States mails. Soon
after they had gone, some men arrived
to aid the stage passengers, and rode on
horseback. at the highest speed, $50
milrs, finally overtaking and capturing
two of the highwaymen and bringing
them back prisoners. Souls that thirst
for stirring adventure may still find
what they want if they 60 far enough
westward.
The work of the New York associa-
ton for the improvement of the poor is
so systematic, intelligent and important
that the thirty-ffth annual report,
which has lust been issued, merits the
attention of all who are interested in
practical benevolence. A summary OF
the years work shows the total number
of families relieved to have been ii, l22.
In many cases relief was given more
han once to the same family, so that
this total does not represent the number
of separate families who were aided.
The latter is estimated in round num-
bers at 5000 families, or, allowing five
to each family, about 10000 persons.
The total amount Of relief afforded was
S2l ,69l, almost wholly in groceries,
with less than $4,000 for coal and shoes,
and 81. .582 in cash, for rent, medicines,
moving expenses, taking Articles from
pawn, ETC. This total represents little
over four dollars for each family, or
about one weeks support. The figures
are important rs showing the actual
number of applicants for aid, and how
much benefit can be rendered by a
moderate outlay.
At the meeting of the National Agri-
cultural Society, held in New York,
Prof. Manly Miles delivered an address
on the "Correlation of Animal Form"
He spoke of The differences that existed
between animals of the same species,
ald of the Importance of being able to
decide which is the best for the produc-
tion of the greatest quantity or best
quality of whatever is required, whether
of work, of meat or of wool. There are
two methods of determining value of
stock; by their ancestry and by their
form, The law of the correlation Of
firm is that where one peculiarity is
observed it is always accompanied by
another corresponding peculiarity. For
instance, the smooth teeth of clrniver-
Gus animals are always accompanied by
laws working vertically and the rough
teeth of ruminants by jaws having a
lateral motion. In meat-producing
cattle, too, great length indicates bad
feeding qualities, and too great depth.
an inclination to develop too much fat.
A perfect meat-producer must be the
mean in all respects, without too much
development in any one direction.
Calcraft, the English hangman, is
dead. For forty -one years every exc
cution in England was managed by him,
and during that period he "worked
off" over two thousand convicts SEN
fenced to death. His time was occu-
pied in his deadly business to such an
extent, that his dates ahead were care
fully noted before death sentences were