The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-11-10
SELECTED MISCELLANY.

during the past TALL ana winter. Az tnls
rate the butfaloes vii! become extinct be-
fore long.
A woman in Corning, N. Y, who has
been enjoying n government pension for
many years, has just received notice that
it will be stopped, 1t having been discov-
cred that her husband did not serve in
the war of 1872, rs has been alleged.
NASTY" is the favorite English
adjective before pet Lame, and You
nasty pet" you nasty old love-" spoken
in a caressing voice, sound strangely to
American ears. "Awfully jolly
CHASTITY" isalso apetterm with our trans
Atlantic cousins.
A parrot hidden in cage behind box
containing coffin in a western railroad
car, the other day. greatly frightened a
baggage man when it cried: Let me
Quit it's hot!' 1t was sometime before he
could be convinced that the dead man
had not come to life.
A Milwaukee lawyer. who was asked
by policeman to write for him an appli-
cation for appointment, readily COM
piled and inadvertently signed his own
name to it. He was much astonished
when, on meeting the mayor, he was
asked 10 SHOW HIS buttSt.
In ancient times, when the Romans
began the year with March, and Decem-
Der WAS the tenth month, the year con-
sisted of only ten months. January and
February were introduced into the
Roman calendar by Numa Pompilius,
with new division of the days of the
year.
The Shakers originated in. England
about the year 100, though now con-
fined solely to the United States. They
number between 5000 and 5000, and call
themselves the United Society of Be-
levers in Chrst's Second Appearing.
They believe that Christ has appeared.
and the command to multiply has ceased.
1t is no longer "the thing" Whatever
that mysterious expression may meant,
to bid an acquaintance good morning
or good afternoon the only admissa-
BILE formula is goodbye" What COM
fort to know this The terms good
morning" and good afternoon" are only
admissible between superiors and in
feriors.
Queen Victoria shows, in many ways,
n real reverence for her predecessors and
their kin. She has for example just pre-
sented a stained glass window to Bury
st. Edmund church, to the memory OF
Mary Tudor, that daughter OF Henry
VII. who married first Lonis XII. Of
France. and afterward Brandon, Duke
of Suffolk.
Mr.. Lyon Playfair, chairman OF com
mittees i'll the English House, received
few days ago very amusing letter from
French wir e. grower informing him
a l.. .,,to 1,1
champagne, in the hope that after test
ing its quality he would report upon it
it in his journal Of Ways and Means
The writer thought that the Committee
of Ways and Means was newspaper.
The honor of invehting movable type
and bringing them into practical use
rests between Laurens Coster, OF Harlem
(died about 1440); Johann Gutenberg,
of Mentz (died about 146S); Johann
Faust or Fust, of Mentz died about
1466), and Peter Schofl'er, the son-in-law
of Faust (dicd about 1902. Gutenberg
is generally looked upon rs the inventor.
but strong claim is made for Coster.
Says a foreign paper: The Amer
leans are more frou-irou Mt Trouvllle
than the Parisians. Here come two
charming damsels from Baltimore, free
stepping, and with dazzling COM
plexions; their black lace hats are gar
landed with roses; their crushed straw
berry muslin gowns are hidden under
floods of lace and cascades of deep Grim
son ribbon; over their long Giants de
Suede number of silver bracelets
coil"
The family that enjoys the throne Of
Great Britain is known as the Guelphs.
They are a longlived race; one of them,
George Ill, dying in the sixtieth year
year of his reign, the longest reign in
English history. He WAS 81 years, 7
months and IL days old when he depart
ed this life, and the same number OF
years, months and days vouchsafed to
Queen Victoria would cause her death to
fall on the 4th of February, 1901. George
I. died at 81, George IL. at II, George
III. at nearly 81, George ". at 6S, and
William Nv. at ~.
The boomerang is a curved piece OF
wood, fiat on one side and slightly
rounded on the other. which, if skill
fully thrown, may be made to go in al
most any direction the thrower pleases.
1t should be held horizontally in throw
ing il, and cast by bringing the arm back
ward, when, after making variety OF
curves. the instrument Will come back