The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-01-28
TIMELY TOPICS.

MT. A. -. ruler, OF hlugeWOOQ, N. j =,
whose chronological cabinet is said to
contain 5000 species of beetles alone"
is credited with the declaration that of
the hundred thousand species of insects
in the United States. there is" not one
hundred whose true history is well
known" So he reminds active young
men that there is little room still left
for them in this line of study, and men
tions for their encouragement that one
person bug-hunting in florida found
under dead palmetto fan hundreds of
bugs that were previously rated at S75
apiece"
The Detroit FFee Press says that the
practice of locking passengers in the
railroad coaches is a custom that would
never be tolerated in America. The
very fact that the door was locked would
stir an irresistible impulse in the liberty
loving bosom of the average American
to kick it open. There is even in Eng
land r sort of mild idea of this kind
adoat. A gentleman of this city, who
has Travelled a good deal in Britain, says
that most of the knowing passengers
there provide themselves with the small
square keys that will unlock the door of
the British railroad carriage. Those
nervous passengers who do not like to
travel with locked doors, yet have no
key, can easily make one with a piece of
silver of the requisite size. Strange as
it may appear, the door is unlocked in
this way by slipping the silver in the
guards hand while the appropriate
words are whispered in his ear.
Many of our greatest discoveries have
been the result of accident, rather than
fixed and definite purpose. cit is
curious to note" says the Chicago Tri-
6une, how nearly every invention that
has proved to be service and blessing
to mankind has been the result of what
Is popularity termed an accident. 1t is
well known that many great discoveries
IN the arts, in science, and in mechanics
have come to the knowledge of expert
menters in a line quite differ mt from the
one in which they were operating, and
what they called blunder at the time
led the way to the most important re-
suits. 1t is said that the Goodyear pro-
cess of utilizing rubber was purely an
accidental discovery, and now it is
claimed that Mr.. Edison by fortunate
accident discovered that carbonized
paper, instead OF platinum, was what he
was after"
The rcigning Gar possesses in full
measure the family love of being present
at great fires, which his younger brother.
the Grand Duke Nicholas. is enabled to
crafty at will by his position as head of
the st. Petersburg fire brigade. On one
occasion this passion for running with
the machine" all but proved fatal to
both. When the German Lutheran
church, on the Moika canal, took fire
in the middle of the night, the Czar and
his brother were among the first to reach
the spot, and, while directing the opera
tions of the fireman, incautiously ap-
preached too near the burning build
ing, the belfry of which was already be-
ginning to totter. Suddenly n huge
beam, at least twelve feet in length, fell
blazing from the roof, and struck the
ground with tremendous crash close
to the spot where they stood. injuring
several of the crowd with its flying
splinters. General TrepOff, then minis
ter of police, at once stepped forward.
and succeeded in persuading the Gar
to withdraw. but the Grand Duke
Nicholas remained to the end. and saved
the greater part of the building.
lfMexican robbers, who have always
been one ot the many curses of ill
SONCIhCN, NlSlTdtICu hlCAtcO, were uPdlI
with as were the robbers near Guiana
juato, according to a recent account,
we should hear of fewer depredations
there upon travellers, Thirty highway
men, having attacked mail coach with
Winchester rifles, were put to flight,
five of their number killed and several
wounded by two young Americans, only
one OF whom was hurt. So the account
reads, and il might seem to be gross
eXaggeration, considering the disparity
of numbers, werenot most professional
lawbreakers, especially those in Mexico,
arrant towards, who never take tile
offensive unless backed by greatly su-
perior strength One might imagine
that the Americans had been armed
with Gatling guns from the destruction
they wrought, but their most effective
weapons Were, no doubt, GOODNESS, cour-
age and resolution. AS one of them,
George Green, is from Texas, and the
other, Frank Senter, is from Massa-
chusetts, the hOnors of intrepidity are,
as respects section, equally divided
They are obviously of the right ma
terial; just such citizens are wanted
there, and many of them. A hundred
brave, firm fellows of their stamp would
be more effective than 1900 prOnuncia-
mentOs in favor of honest government
and strict administration of Justice.
The education of the two Americans has
unquestionably been of the kind most
needed there. Their parents have, very
plainly, in their case taught tile young
idea how to shoot.
Afghan Cruelty.
A Cabul correspondent of the London