The Indianapolis journal., 1885-10-18
A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING.

LITTLE OF EVERYTHING.
Victor Hugo's coffin is one Of the shows Of
Paris, heaped over with withered and moIdy
wreaths, and tarnished tinsel
The latest fashion in personal iewelry in Cali
fornia is scarf pin made of a Chinaman's pet
inger-nail, from four to ten inches long, set in
gold.
In recent divorce case in England, the Judge
decided that, if man broke a contract Of mar
riage the woman was as much entitled to DAM
ages for this breach as she would be for q
breach of any other contract that was made with
her.
General Grants height, as stated by Colonel
frederick d. Grant in letter to an inquirer in
Scranton, was FIVE feet eight inches chest
measure, about thirty eight inches; weight, in
April. 1861, l35 pounds; in June, 1866, 142
pounds.
A new thing in butter is reported. It isa
German device, and consists Of centrifugal
machine which expels all the buttermilk and
water from the butter This is said to impart a.
much finer flavor, aroma and grain and far bet
ter keeping qualities than when made in the old
way.
'Uncle James" said city young lady who
was spending a few days in the country, lis
that chicken by the gate Brahmin9' mo-"
replied Uncle James, hes Leghorn" why,
certainly, to be sure" said the young lady.
How stupid of me! l can the horns on his
ankles"
When Custer and his troopers of the Seventh
Cavalry were slain, the facings and trimmings
of the doorways and windows at Fort Lincoln,
D. T., were painted black, as sign to all Of
the army's loss. Thus they remained until a
few weeks ago. when the weather-stained wood
work was covered with coating of less mourn
full hue.
Bismarck has issued vehement and menacing
protest against ilegible signatures to official
documents, blissfully ignoring his own fearful
anG wonderful example. He thus rivals Lord
Granville, who few years ago issued circular
calling for Improvement in the grammar OF Off
cal dispatches, and in it used expressions and
constructions calculated TO rouse Lindley Muir
ray from the grave.
"Do you never get tiredr asked visitor the
other day of Assistant Postmaster general Ste
vensor whom he lound in his shrtsleeves,
wiping out mis- 200th offensive partisan for the
day ''The same question" replied Mr. Steven
son. "was asked of Scotch clergyman who used
to preach three hours at time. With the
clergyman, l may say that L do find it wee bit
wearlsome, but eh mon, you sh'd see how tired
the other folks beg"
The celebrated Johannisberg vineyard, which
is owned by Prince Metternich, contains only
about eighty acres but is worth fully $l0,0 900 an
acre. The yield averages 1880 bottles year,
none Of which is worth less than So bottle on
the place, and some of which sells for its weight
in gold. The profits of the vineyard are esti-
mated at $780, 600 n year, Notwithstanding the
fact that one-tenth of the annual yield goes to
the Emperor OF Austria.
The old-fashioned spinn;ng-wheel was intro
dUced short time ago into the Isle of Man in
sane asylum with the idea of amusing the pa
tientS. The latter seemed delighted that they
could in this way contribute to their support, and
became absorbed in their new occupation that
their nervous symptoms no longer predominated.
AS DR. Richardson the medical superintendent,
expressed it, the direction of the nervous force
was changed, and their condition was improved.
The experiment is to be tried in other asylums.
This is the heavy season for piano tuners
The heating up of house untunes in a short
time its piano. This is not due, however, to the
expanding contracting of the strings under
the variations of temperature, but to tho varia-
tions produced in the sounding board under the
influence of the increased dryness of the air
when furnaces and stoves are burning. The
sounding board is always made of spruce. be-
cause of the superior resonance of that timber;
but spruce is the wood most affected by changes
In moisture.
Sergeant Ellison, one of the victims Of the
Greedy expedition, was an enthusiastic botanlst,
and collected some very arctic plants two
of which had never been classified. The plants
are from six inches to two feet In height, and
under magnifying glass present very beaut
full appearance. Of the thirty-two classified
specimens, all but two were Towering plants.
At the latitude at which they gathered
1910 40 the sun is quite warm in July and Au-
gust and vegetation, though stunted and short
lived, is not rarity.
An experiment which should be highly inter-
esting to the public at large took place in the
Thames, at Westminster recently. Several per-
sons including lady, a clergyman and military
and naval officers, all clad in the garments of
their everyday life, embarked in small boat,
and on arriving in midstream proceed to Jump
into the water When there they appeared to
be perfectly at their ease, and. making no move
ment, rested calmly, with their heads appearing
above the surface the explanation of the pie
nomenon that the clothes worn by these
v>1a do ZE faINx n11 Gv4
threads of cork were interviewer with other ma
terials.
Miss Alice Fletcher, the student o. Indian
household customs, says that among the Sioux,
when one family borrows kettle from another.
1t is expected that when the Kettle is returned
small portion Of the food that has been cooked
in it will be left in the bottom. The language
has particular word to designate this remnant.
SHOULD this custo be disregarded by any one,
that person would never be able to borrow
again, as the owner must always know what was
cooked in her kettle" white woman on one
occasion, returned a secured kettle. intending to
teach lesson in cleanliness, but her act be-
came the talk of the camp as a fresh example of
the meanness of whites.
There is Russian student at French acade-
my. His mother naturally had scruples about
his lodging anywhere else than under the super
vision of his tutors. He wrote expostulating,
and descanted on the unbealthness of his quar-
ters to alarming extent. The answer came:
"At the academy you are safe, my son. and at
the academy you must remain" He grew pa
thetic, but to purpose At last ne took coun-
sci of his friends There is pestilence which
creepeth in darkness, and a great many speci-
mems were collected, nclosed in a small card
board box, and directed to the obdurate parent,
with these words: Mother, in pity let me leave
this place. Never wink l get at night.
Here are a few / could send you a bushel.
These, my tormenters, will explain more than
words. l am grieved to have had recourse to
such strong evidence. Your discomforted son."
The answer was: MY son, go wheresoever thou
wilt, only leave the academy"
A Nursery Fable.
Lnb, u;oI e. +.ox