The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-11-08
Facts for the Curious.


bender is now considered a delicacy
hy New York epicures. 1t is about
Ten inches in Iergth, Off dirty mud
color, and provided with four legs
and tail. The flesh Is said to be-
delicious.
The natives of the southern coast
of New Guinea, having no iron shave
themselves now with a piece OF glass.
Formerly they shaved with flint
which they could sharpen quite wellp
and used with considerable dexterity.
God Save the Queen" was origi-.
nally God Save the King" 1t was
written in honor Of Louis XVI. OF
France but Handel brought it to-
England and dedicated it to George
III. Well might Voltaire remark:
"What is originality but judlcious'
plagiarism ?"
The first use Of a locomotive in this
country was in 1929. The first Union
flag was unflurled on Janua, y l, l776r
over the camp at Cambridge, Mass.
1t had thirteen stripes of white and
blue and retained the English cross
in the corner. The first daily news
paper appeared in 1902.
In one of the state apartments Of
| Windsor palace are two small siiken
flags. These are renewed every year
hy the Duke of MarlbOrOu h and the
Duke Of Wellington, and it is stated
that This curious annual tribute is the
sole condition on which these noble
men hold their titles and estates. A
failure to pay it would work for
fixture,
BY the Koran every Musseluan is
entitled to four hanOums or wives
proper, and no more. Why this par
tlcular number was fixed on by Mo-
BANNED is not directly in evidence,
but tradition has it that the prophets
and gave him to understan that she
would make him very lively vision
if he ventured to dream about fifth.
The old gentleman diScreetly an
nounced revelation in accordance
with these views, and no Mussulman
has ever had more than four wives to
this day.
The bastinado is still one of the au-
thorized punishments in Egypt, and
Is Sd terrible that even the silent and
mucll-enduring Arabs scream with
pain after the first few strokes. First
the victim is laid on his face on q
stone and held their firmly. Then
his legs are raised till the flat sOles of
the feet are uppermOst. and secured
in that position. The lash is a species
of cat, but with five strands instead
of nine, and it stings and cuts fright
fully. The torture is inflicted for
very slight offences. and mains the
sufferer for many days.
In 1860. very simple accident re-
vealed to English potters secret
which they ought to have learned
ipiIS DtIOI0 IOiiI tic DutClI wares
imported into that country. A maid
servant at the firm of Mr.. Yates,
near BurSIem, was preparing in an
parihen vessel salt Iye for curing
pork. During her temporary absence
the liquid boiled over, the sides Of
the pot became quickly red hot. and
when they again grew cold were
found to he covered with an excel
lent vitreOus glaze. The circumstance
attracted the attention of Mr.. Yates,
who related it to Il neighboring pot
ter, who at once made use of the dis
covery and impaired it to others.
The "salt glaze" soon superseded the
lead or glaze hitherto in use. and was
employed in the manufacture. Of
"crouch ware" id which all ordinary
articles of domestic use produced in
Burslem were made.