The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-06-08
Curious Paragraphs.

"The Old Curiosity Shop" stands in
the southwest corner OF Lincoln's-Inn
fields, and occupies an angle OF Ports
mouth street, one window looking north
west, the other two facing Sheffield street.
The red tiles and the overhangiDg roof
have a quaint, old-iashioned air about
them, and afford a pleasant relief from the
hideous yellow plaster on which is painted
in great vulgar letters the name with which
it has been endowed, Immortaized by
Dickens" and just below, in unholy con-
trast, Z" III. Roole, waste-paper dealer"
some rag-collect0r, who will get such an
advertisement as any pushing politician
would give his eye for. Heavy joists give
the house support now, and the yawning
gap overhead shows the ruined mass OF
bricks and mortar. 1t is now being torn
down to make room for fine block of
buildings. Relic-bunters almost torment
the life out OF the lady who lives next door
to it.
A scholarly person will have good length
OF brain from the opening OF the ear to the
root OF the nose, and will be full all across
the brow. The mechanical man has wide
head at the temples upward and forward
OF the ear. The poet is expanded in the
Il
cial man has broad head Just forward OF
the ears, where the desire for property is
represented. The quarresome man Is
broad above and behind the ears; such
men are inclined to be warlike, or very
forcible and energetic in business. The
pous and sympathetic person Is developed
in the top head. Those who have lOrdly,
proud, dominating nature are high at the
crown OF the head. Those who are social,
warm-hearted. loving, and affectionate are
largely developed in the back part OF the
head, and the distance from the opening at
the ear is long.
During a small thunder-showerthe other
day the little village Of Shirly, Mass, was
terribly pelted with pebbles, which fell
from the sky as thick as hail. They re-
sembIed seashore pebbles, and are supposed
TO have been scooped up by whirlwind,
as they bear no resemblance to meteoric
stones. There are many strange showers
on record. Substances which resemble
flesh, blood, and sulphur have fallen upon
the earth, much to the dismay OF the learned
and unlearned, until their origin was salts
factorily explained. Live fish, toads, and
other creatures are said to have Iained
down from the clouds. and dust showers
have fallen over immense tracts OF country.
Spider showers are not infrequent. Within
a few weeks the captain OF a vessel reported
that when far out at sea his ship was lite
rally covered by downfall OF these tiny
creatures.
John Stevenson, OF Westyille, Conn.,, has
a son about two years OF age suffering with
hydrocephalus. or dr0psy OF the brain.
Shortly after birth the child's head began
to spread, and the bones OF the skull sepa-
rated until only thin tissue remained as q
covering. This tissue is covered with thin
hair. The skull sxelled until 1t was near
ly three times as large as the head should
be and the eyeballs protruded from the
head. Severa, doctors refused 10 per-
form an operation. DIR. L. L.. X.
Thomson was called and performed two
operations successfully. The Doctor first
found thin part In the skull where there
were no large blood-vessels, and then
pierced the skull for about an inch win
sharp, needle-like instrument, after winch
he inserted small tube, and, with the aid
Of another instrument, drew half-p'nt OF
water from the child's head. He repeated
the operation few days after, ana That
time drew nearly quart OF water. he
then covered the head with bandages.
The swelling Is gradually subsiding. The
Doctor will perform another operation
soon, and expects 10 then draw on all the
water. He did not draw all the water on
at first, as the head would have been liable
to collapse, and convulsions would proba-
bly, have ensued.