The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-06-24
BITS OF INFORMATION.

The gauntlet which was commonly
thrown down as challenge to an adver-
sary was an iron glove. 1t was part of
the full suit of armor.
JOHN CARROLL, who was born at Up
per Marlborough. Md, in 1876, was the
first Roman Catholic Bishop in the
United States. He was appointed to
that office in 1889.
The saying, "Nine tailors make q
man," is perversion of "Nine tellers
mark man." A toll of a bell is called
teller, and at the death of a man was
tolled three times three times; hence the
expression, "Nine tailors make man"
WYcKLIFFE, the Morning Star OF
the Reformation, is supposed to be the
scholar who, with the aid of learned as
sociates, made the first complete trans
lation of the Bible into the English Ian
guage. This great undertaking, it is
believed, was completed about 1883,
not long before the death of the great
relormer.
IT is stated upon what is believed to
be good authority-W William s. Patterson
that, while the date of the introduc-
ton of printing into America is uncer-
tain, yet it is believed that the art was
introduced into Mexico by Viceroy de
Antonio de Mendoza, probably after his
arrival in October, 1856. The same au-
thority states that the first printer was
Juan Pablos.
UMBRELLAS are an invention of great
antiquity. They are seen in the sculp,
lures of ancient Egypt and Assyrla.
They are also seen on early Greek vases.
They were used by our Saxon ancestors
as shelter, or mark of distinction, for
royalty. In an Anglo-Saxor manuscript
of the tenth century, preserved in the
British Museum, Is the drawing of Il
King, who has an umbrella held over
his head by an attendant, In the same
way rs it is borne over modern Eastern
Kings. The form is precisely similar to
those now in use, though they were an
entire novelty when reintroduced in the
last century.
The expression, Don't crowd the
mourners," is said to have originated in
this way: The Mier prisoners IN Mexico
were compelled to draw lots. A number
of beans were placed in hat, every
tenth bean being a black one The man
cuted the next morning. One of the
unfortunates, who had already drawn II
black bean, was jostled accidentally by
fellow-captive, who was crowding up
to try his luck. The jostled person,
whose fate was already sealed, laughing
Iy remarked Go slow; don't crowd
the mourners, boys"
CLOCKS were first used in monasteries.
and the word originally meant bell, and
the two-clock and bell-in calling their
inmates to their dtvotions, performed
the same Office. They were, however,
tower clocks not small ones for apart
ments. One was set up IN Franc liz
1874, and created great excitement,
being the wonder OF the age. The ma
ker of it was made nobleman for his
services in constructing so great piece
of workmanship. The first one III En-
gland was during the reign of Edward
and was placed in the tower opposite
Westminster Palace. The hour-glass
and sun-dial had long been in use, but
this was the first thing that could he
called clock except the water CLOCKS,
which had been taken from France to
England by Richard C1ur de Lion.
The word watch" is from the Saxon
word to wake" At first watch was
as large as a saucer, and had weights,
| aud was called "the rocket clock 4"