The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-12-16
FACTS FOR THE CURIOUS.

The latest list of American beetles de-
scribes 9,490 species on this continent
alone.
Grindstones are made from natural
sandstone, the stone being cut into shape
and afterward turned. !
A milk white alligator was discovered
in a pond at Escambia, Ala, lately, and
also one that is parti-colored.
In Lincoln county, N. NJ, near the
Pattos mountain, can be traced what
were once the walls of a large city. In
side the walls are growing monster cedar
trees, said to be thousands of years old
The gold dug from the mines in Thibet,
writes a missionary, is so plentiful that
it is used to cover the ~pinnacles of the
pagodas, and is made into idols, chairs,
couches and ornaments for the people.
A matchmaker in Newcastle, England,
has made a set of three gold shirt studs,
in one of which is a watch that keeps
correct time. The three studs are con-
nected by a strip of silver inside the shirt
bosom, and the watch in the middle one
is wound up by turning the stud above;
and the hands are set by turning the one
below.
Near Marysville. CAL, there is a large
gravel pit in which there are many FISH,,
and into which flows the refuse matter
of O winery. Ever since grape crushing
began this year the fish have been afN
fected with drunkenness and come to the
surface of the water, where the Chiua7i
men take them in with rakes in great
quantities.
The heavy copper consumption of1ndia
is due largely to a religious rite of tho
natives. At certain seasons OF the yeaE
small cups of sheet copper about an inch
in diameter and an inch and a half deep
are filled with rice and are thrown into
the rivers as an offering, with religious
ceremonies. The quantity of coppeE
thus annually consumed is very heavyJ
India sheets being an important article
of commerce. i
'Indian summer" is a term applied td
an indefinite autumnal season Of fineS
fair weather with haze. Some date ita
beginning about November Is, but THAI
is arbitrary and not warranted by the
season itself. Such a brief season is apt.
10 come II November, as every American:
knows. In that "summer" the indiana,
used to gather their corn and scour the
woods for nuts. They thought the mild1
ness due to the "God of the southwest
wind, which god they looked upon 90,
their benefactor. As he smoked his pipe
the blue haze curled upward from the
bowl thereof and was blown b~enignantly'
over the land.
Bridge -building brotherhoods were re-.
ligious societies that originated in tho
south of France in the latter half of tho
twelfth century. Their purpose was to
establish places of refuge and entertain.
ment for travellers at the most frequented
fords of large rivers, to keep up ferries,
and to build bridges. During the mid
die ages the church regarded the MAXI
ing Of streets and bridges as a most meri.
torious religious service. The founder
of this brotherhood is said to. have been.
Beneget, a herdsman, subsequently can-
onized, although this fact is not authori-
tatively vouched for by historians. The
fraternity was sanctioned by Pope Glenn
emit Ill.,, in 1889. Its internal organiza-
ton was similar to that of the knightly
orders, and the members wore as q badge
o pick-hammer on the breast. They
labored very actively in France, but:
were gradually merged into the order Of
St. John. Similar organizations, under
different names, existed in other lands,