Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-01-30
CURIOUS, USEFUL AND SCIENTIFIC
A LUMP OF GOLD.

get that was found recently at SpitzkoH,
III the Transvaal. 1t is nearly as large
as a hens egg, is very smooth on the
surface from water abrasion, is free from
impurities, and contains 900 parts of
pure metal to the 1000. 1t is valued
at 1920.
SLAPPED ON TIE BACK.
One Of the grandchildren of General
Turner. Of Memphis, Tenn, was pro-
nounced dead the other day, and was
about to be buried, when some one sug-
gested that it should be bathed and
slapped on the back. This caused it TO
breathe through its lungs-something
it had never done before--and at last
accounts it was alive and doing well.
A LIVING BATTERY.
A living electric battery, III the shape
of large black cat, is owned by Bob
Craig, of this city. By putting one
hand on the feline's breast and stroking
its back with the other, one feels as if
he was shocked by a heavily charged
battery. The cats glossy fur sparkles
and emits cracking sounds during the
operation. Louis Republican.
HOLY HINDoo MUD.
The sacred tank in which the golden
temple of Umritser, Northern India, is
situate5, was lately cleaned out for the
first time for several hundred years.
The mud was carried off by the elite of
Hindoo society, and coolies and low
caste men were not allowed to touch 1t.
Many Hinioo ladies and gentlemen
daubed their rooms and bodies with the
holymud.
A BLACK MAN TURNING WHITE.
Mr.. j. W. Underwood, of Sampson,
came into our office yesterday to exhibit
to us one of those inexplicable freaks of
nature which is occasionally found In
this country of ours in the shape of
colored man named Hinton Melvin, who,
after q severe spell of sickness about
twelve years ago, commenced gradually
turing white, whereas before he was
coal black. The skin of good portion
of his limbs and face is now as white as
anybody's and the Transformation is
steadily increasing. = Wilmington (N.
CD Star.
ATMOSPHERIC ELECTRICITY.
Pixies Peak, one of the Hottest me-
neurological stations In the United
States, has several times been the scene
of some curious electrical phenomena.
In the weather report of the United
States signal service for August
last we read: 1.-THE weather on the
summit of Pixies Peak reported that
during sleet and thunder storm, on the
evening of the 45h, the thermometer cups
revolved in circles of electric light. At
ter flash of lightning the light encir-
cling the cups became dim, but would
soon regain its former brilliancy. The
observer states that by holding up his
hands, electric sparks would form on
the ends of his fingers, and that his
hair and clothing were full of them. A
peculiar cracking noise was about the
thermometer cups, and at the corners of
the Office building there were continu
GUS sparks of bright light. "
A TRAIN DELAYED BY ANTELOPEs.
The west-bound train between Green
River and Granger, on the Union Pa
cifc, recently encountered a flock of
1000 to I,500 antelopes. The snow was
quite deep and drifted in places, and
the antelopes were running on the rail
road, finding that the easiest road to
travel, III. When they were first en-
countered many of them were killed,
and the engineer, seeing at once that the
train might be derailed unless it were
slowed up, decreased the speed. The
lnteIOpes kept short distance ahead of
The engine, and were strung along the
road for quarter of a mile. They
would occasionally get some distance
rom the engine, and then they would
stop, turn round, and watch the head
light until the engine was fairly upon
hem. They delayed the train half or
ihree-quarters of anhour.-ELkO (NeU.
Independent.
A CURIOUS STRUCTURE.
The Oldest Masonic hall in Connecti-
3ut, and one of the most curious struc-
iure IN the states, stands near old Broth
Il Jonathan TrumbuIl's War Office F."
On Lebanon's historical green, SO IA
nous In revolutionary times. The date
Of its erection precedes 174Q, and its
split cedar-shingled sides are rotten with
ancient yollow wood moss. One Joseph
Metcalf reared It with his own hands and
good broad az. He lived In the lower
part and his zeal for the order Of Ma
sorry led him to fit up the upper story
for lodge-room, in which the brethren
ID the sparsely settled country might
meet. For many years it was the single
cradle Of Masonry in the eastern part of
the colony. Now it is tenanted by bats,
and, the old residents about the place
think, very appropriately, too. The
decorations in the temple chamber,
though somewhat faded now, are still
startling enough to profane eyes, and
show a great amount of painstaking
work aud loving labor on the part of
the early artists. The walls are painted
with curious birds of an extremely va
riegated and rather painfully gaudy
plumag9, sitting in a wilderness of vines
which nearly cover the once white back
ground. The old hall is still visited by
Connecticut Masons.
AN ANCIENT TIME-PIECE.
A Natick correspondent of the Boston
Globe says: e. M. Reed, of this town,
is the possessor of several antique arti-
cles, among them an old-fashioned clock
Of English make. 1t was made in Lon
don and is said to be 200 years old. It's
works are solid brass and were forged by