The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-06-17
BITS OF INFORMATION.

The national debt of Great Britain is
nearly double that of the United States
UPoN an average four gallons OF milk
produce sixteen ounces of butter. The
best butter is produced from cows fed In
rich natural meadows.
The following is the production and
export of wheat for the four decennlal
years mentioned:
Production Export
1850. ............. 100, 1924 792, T6s
1880. lib l94,y2t 4lSS, l95
1870 .260. 146,900 S4.79l, 2l5
1880. .44s, 756,6So -l5Jao9,950
ssAMENDE honorable was punish
ment formerly inflicted in France on
great offenders. The offender was given
over TO the common hangman, his shirt
was torn off, rope was placed around
his neck and wax light in the hand.
He was conducted into the court and
compelled to ask pardon for his mis-
deeds.
The following is list of the Treasur-
er-s of the United States, with the dates
Of their appointment and their terms of
service:
samuel Meredith l7s9 John Sloane. ......... 1850
Thomas y. Tucker. 1901 Samuel Casey 1858
NJ Nourse lad. int.) .ls2s W. c. Price ..- leGV
VIM Clark. ISIS Francis F. spinner. 1851
John Campbell. .IS3OlJohn c. New. 1870
VIM. Selden- .ls49lJames Giihllan. lSII
The phrase "dead as herring may
be traced TO the fact that the herring Is
an extremely delicate fish, and whenev-
er it is taken out of the water, even
though it seems to have no hurt, itgives
a squeal and Immediately expires, and
though it be thrown Immediately back
into the water it never RECEIVERS.
H.ALcYoN days is the name given by
the ancients to the seven days which pre-
cetle and the seven days which follow the
shortest days of the year. There is a
fable that, during this time, while the
ldngfisher, or halcyon bird, is breeding,
there were no storms at sea. Hence the
term " halcyon days" means peace,
cal1nness and tranquility.
THE origin of the slang expression,
"I'll cook your goose for you," is this
King Eric, of Sweden, coming with a
few troops to a certain town, the inhab-
itants, in contemptuous defiance, hung
out goose for him to attack. But Eric
being in earnest, the citizens sent her
aids to ask what he wanted. "To cook
your goose for you" was the facetious
reply.
The greatest painters, in order, were
Raphael, Michael Angelo, Corregio,
Leonardo da Vinci, Titan, Guido, Ru-
bens, Rembrandt, Vandyke, Tenier, Mu-
rillo, Carracci, Claude, n. Poussin and
Carlo Dolce. The Oldest known paint
ing is " Madonna and Child" done in
$50; name of author unknown. The
oldest known in England are portrait
of Chaucer, painted on panel In 1890,
and one of Henry ~, in l405.
The leaning tower of Pisa is cylind1i-
cal in form, 179 feet in height and 80
feet in diameter, and is divided into
eight stories, each having an outside
gallery projecting seven feet. 1t was
begun in liza by Bonanus, of Pisa, and
William, of Innspruck. The summit is
reached by $50 steps. The tower leans
about thirteen feet from the perpendicu-
lar. This was manifest before the tower
was completed, and was guarded against
by extra braces and an adaptation of the
stone in the highest portion. There are
seven bells on the top, the largest of
which weighs 1, 200 pounds, and are so
placed as to counteract by gravity the
leaning of the tower.