The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1884-11-08
ITEMS oF INTEREST.

| tempered BlbSs may now take us Iauk
among valuable inventions, subject, how
ever, TO many defects in its present state.
-COnpared with other English counties
Devonshire and Somersetshire have suffer-
ed very little from the agricultural depress-
ion, the farming being dairy and root crops
chiefly.
1t is said that the county OF Mcintosh,
Dakota, which was entirely Government
land until ninety days ago, does not yet
contain men enough to ell the usual Offices,
but they have elected themselves as far as
they will 60.
An English clergymen was rebukinR
his congregation for deserting on a charity
sermon Sunday. "why is IT," he asked
"that to-day the church is, and this day
week, because there was q collection, It was
simply empty2" "Cos you don'tglve tickv'
shouted voice from the free seats.
AT an English country house, at lunch-
con, after morning service, the popular
young curate was accosted by a venerable
diYine. GLOW long, sir" said he, "did il
take you to write the sermon that you gave
US this morning." "0h, about week"
"Dear me-" replied the other, ait took me
four"
"A ccordirg 10 the London Truth a
mem Der Of the aristocratic family o Caven.
dish has opened tea shop at Eastbourne,
in Kent, and is receiving a full share Of
public support from the Inhabitants and
visitors, who have benefited so much by
the judcious enterprise Of his relatiYe, the
lord of the soil.
The women Of Canning, Dakota, be-
lieved that Nellie Knapp, the schoolmis.
tress, was too wicked ito ..remsin in town.
and they threatened to mob her IF she did
not go away. She disappeared. Then it
was clearly shown that all suspicion against
her had been groundless, and it was. .resoly-
ed 10 bring her back, but she cannot now
be found, and it is feared that she drowned
herself
The Prince de Ligue is thought to be
possessed of the most curious ebook in the
world-"The Passion Of Christ" 1t is
neither written nor printed but every letter
of the text is cut out OF leaf, and, being
interleaved with colored paper, is as easily
read as the best print. The general execu-
ton is admirable. This, antique work bears
the royal arms Of England, but why is un-
known.
| "A tunnel measuring about 5000 feet
long, and constructed at least nine centur
les before the Christian era, has just been
discovered by the Governor Of the island of
Samos. Herodotus mentions this tunnel,
which served for providing the old seaport
with drinking water. 1t is completely pre-
served, and contains water tubes Of about
ten inches in diameter, each one provided
with lateral aperture for cleansing pur-
poses. The tunnel is not quite straight.
Remarkable stories are told of the al
lection shown by certain animals toward
others of q different species. The UnioH
MedicGie cites az instance of decidedly
contrary cbaracter-one showing "the cold
and practical instability of affection in ami
mails" A cat caught sparrow, and, after
breaking one OF its wings, commenced
playing with il preparatory to devouring
it. But thesbird sent its bill into the cats
nose to such purpose as to demoralize the
animal, and he retreated. The two then
became close friends. They ate, drank and
slept together; the bird rode around the
house on the cats back, and the latter
would not even touch its food until the
sparrow had satisfied its lappetlte, One
morning the bird found the window open,
aud, feeling strong Of wing, took uncere-
monious lsaye. The cat neither died nor
lostits appetite, a circumstance which is re
garded as most astonishing in view of the
current sentimental anecdotes.
The British mercantile marine is COM
posed of some 2l 800 vessels, including
$3.50 steamers, with an aggregate measure
ment of about 1900 900 tons, while that Of
France consists Of about 1900 vessels, in
Guiding 700 steamers, with an aggregate
measurement of l ,055 900 tons. The num-
Der OF steam vessels Of wal, including trans,
ports, despatch boats, &c., which are avail
able for the protection Of the respective
merchant nayies are 337 vessels, with 2,05S
guns, for that of France. 1t will thus be
seen that, whereas the French mercantile
marine is protected in the ratio Of one ship
| of war In nina marnhanlmen M leas this N
sixty merchantmen are allotted TO the care
o. each British war vessel. In order tC
place the British merchant navy on an
equal footing with that OF France as regards
man-of war protection, it would be neces'
sary to add 2,o5S vessels to the royal navy
The Mudir of Dongola, England's only
friend in the Soudan, is slight, delicate
man, with a pale, pensiye face, lighted up
by two large black, luminous eyes, which
seem to bo always looking into space, ant
from between which projects preternatur
ally large nose, hooked like a vulturei
beak. The effect of his extreme piety OF
the Musselman population is very marked
and has enabled him TO maintain himself
in power almost within armstroke of the
Mahdi. He is only visible for short time
each day before public prayers, which al
officers, civil and military, are bound to at
tend. On these occasions he squals on q
carpet, and, holding his beads in one hand
places large Koran, resembling a family
Bible, before him while companion squat'
in front, at the opposite side of the room
holding a similar volume, from which he
reads. This parsonage is asplendid looking
Nubian, over six feet tall, and cousin o.
the Mahdi, fact which excites much com.
ment.
In a paper on "Italisn Social Life,
contributed TO the current rumber Of the
National RevielO, Mr.. Gsllenga points out
that "the great misfortune Of an Italian
citizen Of the middle class is that he is q
man Of few wants. The laIzaroni instinct
runs through the whole ace. No one will