Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-24
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

brought from England to run the Alabama
Great Southern and the Nlcksburg ana Merl-
dian Roads.
THE Elmira Gazette, of Otsego county, Mich,
appeared last week with black turned rules,
but no reading matter on a couple of pages.
Under the title Is the brleI put patheUc lIHe'
''Pied, by thunder"
DESPITE the investigation now gong on win
regard to the recent students duel at Wurz-
bur,r. in Bavaria. whereby one of the students
was killed, another duel with pistols mas
taken place at the same university one OF the
combatants being severely wounded.
MANY of the Prussian officers have for
long time been learning Russian, and what Is
called the Railroad Regiment is now study,
ing it. Their knowledge OF french was Iouho
very convenient in lSI0-12. and one never
knows when a language may come in usefully.
NJ. BECHAMP terminated a recent lecture in
Paris by saving that if the thOusandth part OF
the sum expended for warlike purposes were
devoted to rendering towns and cities healthy,
leoions of lives would be saved, and riches
and strength thus multiplied beyond calcula-
ton.
DURING the past four years Arkansas, Flori-
da, Louisiana and Texas have doubled their
railroad mileage The total mileage in the
four states now stands 26,O49, against ,26O ten
wears ago, and during the decade 1t Is estl-
mated that at least S300,000,00O has been IN
vested in these enterprises.
AN expert lin a London will case) lately
stated that pencil marks rubbed out revive
when the texture of the paper returns to its
normal condition. The existence OF these
marks DrOVed most embarrassing III the case
in question The Boston fire, too proved that
pencil writing was more enduring than ink.
PRINCE HATFIELD, although great distil-
Ter. points out that the German revenue might
easily be increased by raising the duty on
spirits, which is only 0.9S, against 96S IN Hol-
land, $40 in England, and s.l2 IN Russla.
This, however, might not SUIT Dlstlier BIS
marck, who drives roaring trade In ardent
spirits.
INDIANAPOLIS is taking an independent
census. Desiring to secure the National Con-
ventions. she has employed statlsticans to
show that her forty-nine hotels can shelter
and feed 1875 persons, and her boarding
houses and private residences as many more;
and that her business men VIII invest S10,u0O
in a hall to seat 10000 persons.
AN English gentleman has patented an in
genious device, cOnsistingof a bar, by means of
which the front wheels of two bicycles may be
Joined and driven tandem by two riders The
first advantage Immediately apparent is that
falling over the handles Is quite impossible:
A greatly increased pace Is attainable, ana
this. with the augmented safety, enaCles
ascents and descents 10 be taken which pre-
viOusly caused dismOunts TO be made. Inc
tandem can be quickly taken to pieces, ana
the two large wheels transformed into sepa-
rate machines.
AN Austrian missionary says that Ell Mahdi
is about 40 years old, tall, and of coppery-
red complexion An emissary sent to inter
view him some time ago found the Mahdi at
Abba. surrounded by 200 or GOO followers, all
of them naked. with iron chain belts round
their waists and with broad drawn swords IN
their hands. The Mahdi occupied raised
L.. Z htTe a1sFhf n a
held prophets staff. The three marks by
which he knew the Egyptian Government 10
be false to Islam were; % that they allowed
Christians to have churches OF their own; ~
that they afforded them projections; ana ~
that the government levied taxes.
AT 4 colored sociable in Memphis the other
night John Grady, one of the guests, found
that Sll had mysteriously disappeared from
his possession, and, by unanimous consent, it
was decided to solve this mystery by means OF
the infallible ''sifter test Accordingly
sitter was brought from the kitchen. To II
was attached a string. which was held in turn
by the guests. The sitter remained motlon-
less until the string was graspeu by oscar
Jones, when it began to revolye with great
rapidty. ThereupOn Jones was Vocuerously
declared to be the thief, and Grady promptly
caused his arrest. The Justice before whom
Jones was taken, however. did not have the
proper respect for the ''sifter" evidence, 1or
he dismissed the suit.
The following story Is VOiu ny d western
newspaper: lone day recently father had
young man arrested and brought before
Justice of Sacramento, Cal, on charge of
having offered an insult to his daughter.
When the old gentleman came into court he
saw that there would be considerable dlthculty
in securing a conviction, and, getting up,
asked the court that the proceedings be dis
missed, and paid the costs. The old
gentleman and the defendant left the
court room together. As soon as they
reached the sidewalk the old man collared the
youth and gave him a terrible thrashing.
When he thought the boy had enough he gave
court room and said: Judge, you witnessed
the business, how much is it worthY The
Judge replied that he thought $40 would be
the right figure. The old gentleman paid the
coin and walked briskly off to his work, the
smile on his countenauce indicating that he
was very much pleased with the result of the
trial.