Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-08
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

THE Bible mentions 500 places in Palestine
west of Jordan. and 43o have been identified.
1872 by the staff Of the Palestine exploration
fund.
THE University of Virginia has no pre-
scribed course of study, no entrance exami
nation. no vacation except the summer one
and but six holidays.
PRAIRIE CHICKENS are more abundant in
Minnesota now than formerly, but the race is
changed; their legs are feathered and their
flesh, from feeding in the wheat fields, has be-
come delicate white.
AUSTRALIA FARMERS are suffering from the
sparrow nuisance. The government last year
PAID out $500 for sparrOws' eggs destroyed,
with no perceptible effect upon the number or
destructive ability of the pests
TIE railroads of Java are especially pros
porous, being able to declare dividend OF "a
per cent. and ray of part of their bonded
debt at the same time. The receipts per train
mile on the main line amounted last year
TO 81 Is.
The city Of Brussels proposes to try the ex-
pertinent of using electricity to drive It's street
caFs. One line. that Of the Rue de la Loi, is
TO be equipped with motors, and separate ac-
counts are to be kept in order TO give the eX-
pertinent fair trial.
FOUR YEARS AGO the United States Govern
ment purchased land at Two Lights, on the
coast of Maine, for a life saving station, since
when nothing further has been done. Already
this winter there have been six wrecks in
that vicinity, the last one only few days
since.
A STEER was recently sold in Cincinnati
weighing 1880 pounds. The animal was raised
near Decatur, Ind, is of fine form. perfectly
developed, SIX feet four inches high, girths
twelve feet, and measures twelve feet in
length. l. Is SIX years old, beautiful roam,
and IN perfect health.
AT the solicitation Of the British Govern
ment President Lincoln looked after, person
ally, the copying and signing of a second
original copy of the emancipation proclama-
ton for the British Museum, and 1t is now
preserved among the great historic papers
owned by that Institution.
WHITING of coca extract, a drug said to
possess restorative power similar to those OF
tea in cases Of great fatigue, exposure hun
ger, etc, DR.. Watson Campbell states that
when Weston, the pedestrian, was exhibiting
in England he vas frequently detected chew
ing 60methi which for a long time he kept
secret, but which he ultimately admitted was
coca leaves.
Tom REED. Of Maine, became entangled in
a knot Of Democrats while leaving the House
OF Representatives the other day. One of
them asked him what he thought Of the pros
pect for Arthur's successor. "Wa-al'' he
drawed q the nasal twang peculiar to Name
Yankees. this feller Cle-eve-and, he's a
gon' to haave hell of q time-and he'll
never know it,"
REV. HEBER NEWTON appears to be in much
the same mental state Douglas Jerrold was
once. A lady undertook 10 explain to him
the beauties OF the five points Of Calvauism
Jerr0ld listened patiently until the doctrine OF
election had been elucidattd, when he ex-
claimed: Well, if / had known that 1 was
born to be damned, III be damned if 1 would
have been born
A NEW ORLEANS DOCTOR calls attention to
very simple fact which merits attention
from medicine takers. If the medicine is
mixed with very cold water. and few swal-
lows OF the wafer be taken as 3 preparatory
dose. the nerves of the organ of taste become
sufficiently benUmbed to make the medicine
nearly tasteless. The method Will not dis
guise bitter tastes but acts well in oils and
salnes.
GEORGE w. CHILDS has presented to the
Philadelphia Academy Of Fine Arts a num-
Der Of crayon and pen sketches that original
" belonged to Benjamin West. Twenty of
the drawing are attributed to that artist,
and the other twtnty-seVcn be Ong to the
French school, and were collected by him.
The most striking drawings by West are Lot
and His Daughter" "baniel in the Lions
Den" ''Davld' and ''NOah T. tering the Ark.
The collection was purchased by Minister
James Russell Lowell at the request of Mr..
Childs.
THE manufacturers of and dealers in dyna-
mite in New York characterize as an idle
boast O'DOnOvan ROs,a's statement thst no
matter how Congress may legslate about it,
he viii be able to secure it by the ton should
houses for il on Manhattan Island at all; the
repositories are in She country, and they are
so thoroughly protected that il would be i'm
possible for thieves to enter. Moreover, they
are at PARTICULAR pains 10 ascertain The char
acter Of the parties to whom they sell it, and
no contracts are executed unless their inVesti-
cations in that aspect are satisfactory. They
cannot he expected to know what becomes Of
the stuff after it has passed from their control
AN article on orange peel In the Gardeners
Chronicle shows that this product is more
important article Of commerce than most
people suppose. The quantity imported into
New York annually is valued at $4,000. I'm
Amsterdam, :" saws the writer, there is re-
gular orange peel mart, where saGcers tul OF
peels are set out upon long tables, ana testers
go among them selecting for purchasers.
Such experience have these men that they
can tell simply by breaking and smelling bit
OF peel Just what part OF the world il comes
from. and that from Curacao always com
mands higher price than any other This
bitter orange peel, which is produced IN Cura-
Goa. makes the aromatic hqueur which bears
the name OF that island. but which is really
made by the Dutch In Holland.
A FEW DAYS AGO Democratic member Of
Congress from the West desired to be absent
from his seat in the House for short time, so
he paired. He paired, of course, with a Re
publican member. a copy of the Congress
sioaaI Record containing that days proce' =
| ings reached the hands of one of that mem
| ber's constituents. He read that his member
was paired on that day aud paired with q
| wei known Republican. 1t annoyed that
constituent and lie sat down and wrote
| ''W hen you have to be absent from your seat
| in the House and are compelled to pair, as a
| friend / would advise You to pair with Dem
Ocrat. You know we have nothing to do with
| Republicans, and it looks bad to see You pair
/ ing with them in Congress. People here Will
/ think you are assoclating with them.'
! A STRANGE japanese custom has just been
brought 10 light 10y the working of the con-
| scription law. The head of a certain family
! was instructed that the time had come for his
son, whose name appeared on the census list.
| to undergo medical examination prior to en-
/ listment. The father lost 10 time in inform =
| ing the authorities that the individual re-
/ ferred to. though bearing male name,
| was his daughter. He explained that having
| lost two daughters, both about l year old. he
| had been driven to this eXpedient to keep the
] third alive. In many districts Of Japan peo-
| Pile resort in their anxiety to prolong the
| lives Of their children to the custom Of be-
| slowing upon their offspring names Ordina-
| rily given to infants Of the opposite sex, when
| ever death has made frequent visits TO their
| households.
BRIGHT BITS.