The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-11-18
TIMELY TOPICS.

in its postal. telegraph, and railway ser
vice rs clerks and in other capacities
AS during the last twenty years they
nearly monopolized such service in some
towns, much suffering has ensued among
the discharged. The motive alleged is
that women are unfit for such public
service.
Widows and old maids a take com
fort. ANY woman twenty-onc years OF
age, who was born in the United States,
or whose parents or husband got natu'
ralixed, can take up a homestead, a pre-
emption or a desert land claim. By tho
words s'any woman" a single or wido"
''lady" is meant. A married woman
whose husband is still living cannot take
up land unless she is divorced, as the
privilege is limited to 'heads Of fam
lies"
It appears that a valuable substitute
for alcohol in the sphere of medicine has,
bv experiment, been found in nitro glyc'
crime. The Boston Traveller mentions
that cit is stated by medical authority
that nitro glycerine, as aheart stimulant,
is far superior to brandy, and may b.
given with confidence whenever the ad'
ministration of brandy is indicated. Two
drops of a one per cent. solution are
equivalent to an ounce of brandy, and
the effects of the drug are felt immedi,
ately. It creates no. unnatural craving
A novel and absorbing entertainment
is sweeping over the social surface of the
country with the rapidity and earnest
ness of the spelling bee. Mum Social is
its name. And mum socials are all the
rage. The rules are-All entering the
room will be expected to maintain per-
feet silence. Second The first person
who speaks will be fined eighty-three
cents. Third-Each succeeding person
will be subject to q fine of twenty-five
cents and be entitled to a ticket for re-
rreshments, and the privilege of talking
and of making others talk. Fourth-No
writing allowed. The proceeds are de-
voted to charity.
The American Architect and Buillin9
Msws advocates the use of petroleum in.
stead of coal for the heating of houses
and for the making of steam. At pres
ent crude petroleum is not only used in
Russia. but also widely in the western
part of our own country. It is thrown
in a spray across a lighted wick and
into the furnace, where it ignites and
generates great heat. Its use in this
way is almost unknown in the Eastern
States except in steam launches. The
odors that arise, however, are said to be
so disagreeable as to make its successful
employment in these still very doubtful.
The Merican FInancier says that one
of the greatest disappointments to the
projectors of new railways in Mexico is
that the country through which the lines
run does not attract settlers. lmmi-
grants are rushing by tho thousands to
the Northwest, but the fertile lands and
favorable climate of Mexico have little
attraction for them. And they will not
settle there until land may be had at low
They know that the land of
Mexico is owned in huge tracts by a few
people; in fact, Mexican authority states
that the land of the country is in the
hands of some so, 900 out of 10, 600, 000
of people. This monopoly of the soil is
the cause of the backward state of fittings.
Among the recommendations of the
chief signal officer in his annual report
is n for the establishment of signals to
give warning of approaching tornadoes
and other violent storms. Lieutenant
who has made this subject a
study, says that the storms which
cause the greatest loss of life and prop
erty in this country can be predicted at
least from five to eight hours in advance.
At present the mean of giving warning
of approaching danger of this kind are
of the most primitive description. In
the regions in which severe storms are
not unusual proper arrangements for dis
signals are of great Importance,
and would result in saving many lives
and much property.
Mr.. Hutchinson, the apiarist, writes to
the Farmers Reoiew that the raising of
plants for honey alone is not profitable.
If sweet clover or something of that kind
can be made to occupy waste spots in
place of the weeds usually found there.
we'll and good; but good, tillable land
can be more proftably occupied. The
best that can be done in the way Of rails
ing honey plant is to raise some crop that
is profitable aside from the honey it may
produce. The writer knows nothing
that is better adapted for this purpose
than alsiko clover. He one season had
acres of this clover, and from it
nine colonies of bees gathered 800 pounds
Of honey; or, to be more exact, they
gathered enough honey from it to enable
300 pounds to be extracted.
An experiment has recently been tried
at the Inventions Exhibition aquarium
by Mr.. w. August Carter, with a view 20
discovering how far fish are prone to
sleep. After close examination he found
that among fresh water fishes the roach.
dace, gudgeon, carp, tench, minuow,
and catfish sleep periodically in common
with terrestrial animals. The same in
were found to actuate marine fish,
of which the following were observed to
be equally Influenced by somnolence-
viz, the wrasse, conger eel. dory, dog
fish, wrasse bass, and all species of fiat
fish. Mr.. Carter states that, so far as he
can discover, the goldfish, pike, and
fish never sleep, but rest periodi-
Desire for sleepamong fish varies
according to meteorological conditions,
Fish do not necessarily select night time
for reposc.