Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-08-13

One of the greatest curiosities in
Japan is the wonderful and almost in
describable variety of coins that are
used daily, il requiring in some in
stances 1000 pieces to make dollar.
In harness man has lifted $500
pounds. this result having been
achieved only by allowing every muscle
to act simultaneously to its fullest ca
pacity. and under the most advanta-
geous circumstances.
The war of 1912 closed more than
seventy years ago. and yet there are,
according to the last annual report of
the commissioner of pensions, 1898
surviving soldiers and 1882 widows
on the pension rolls.
The first publisher to whom Called
Back" = Hugh Conway's successful
novel-was presented, went to sleep
over it. The next day he found beau
ties in it and at once took it, at the
same time arranging for its dramatiza-
ton.
The new Forth bridge between
North and South Qecnsfcrry, Scotland,
approaches completion. 1t is canti-
lever structure, 1901 feet long, $50
feet high, and will cost $4,000, 900. 1t
has been nearly eight years in building
Two thousand men are now employed
upon it.
A couple recently married in Lynn
were at a loss for a bridcmaid. friend
called at an intelligence Office in Bos-
ton and secured the services of a hand
some woman to act in the capacity de-
sired. He paid So for her service, be-
sides paying her expenses both ways.
She had never seen nor did she know
the contracting parties. boston Post.
A process has just been patented in
Great Britain by which metal castings
can be punched, bored and tapped as
rcadliy as wrought metal. 1t was dis
covered in Melbourne foundry, here
4 casting at Il dull red heat was dropped
by accident into Il mixture Of treacle
and water having u specific gravity OF
l.0O3, and when taken out was found
TO have become remarkably soft.
1t IS estimated that, of the number
of people who meet thrir deaths from
railway accidents, 10 per cent. are
killed by falling or being thrown from
engines or trains in motion. Forty
per cent If those injured By raj WAYS
are hurt III coupling ears, AMI Der
cent. of the killed are killed from the
same cause. The average life a; 4
freight brakeman is Only ten years.
Rrts and mice were long the scourge
of Hawaiian farmers. but they have
been successfully dealt with By the in
PRODUCTION of the mongoosc. 1nirty-
six pairs of this animal were imported
from jamaica TWO wears ago into the
district of Hilo, with the result ol in
stantly clearing 1000 acres of cane of
this nuisance. One PLANTER estimates
his saving from this cause last year ut
$4,000.
Abram Hanson, negro boy Of Law
renee, Kas., can pick up piece OF clay
and model it in few minutes To al
most any form that suggests itself to
his mind, with life-likeness truly as
founding. From the common clay
there found in abundance, without
tools of any kind. without models or
designs, he forms men and beasts with
a wonderful reality and no inconsidcr-
able artistic talent
A process of making sea water drink
able has been discovered by an En-
glish experiment. 1t consists in using
citrate of silver to remove the chic
rides. One ounce of the citrate of
silver will make half pint of sea
water drinkable. If further expert
ments confirm this, it is probably all
sea-going vessels and lifeboats belong
ing to them will be provided with bot
ties of citrate of silver.
Out of 500 members of the House of
Lords no less than 440 are landlords in
the fullest sense of the term; that is,
they derive the whole or the greater
part of their revenues from land. Fiji
teen million acres of land, with an ag-
gregate rent roll of Els. 900. 600, repre-
sent their property and income, while
another $3.50, 600 in the shape of pen
sions, annuities and salaries also falls
annually to the lot of this privileged
class.
1t is supposed that the following
verse, written in Latin, was dictated
by Shakespeare himself:
Alasl men live as though no death viii fol
low,
And as if it were an insubstantial tale devoid
of credit
Death is certan-uncertain the day-the hour
known to none;
Wherefore think any day to be thy last.
Thou wouldst weep If thou knewtst thy time
to be but single month;
Thou smilest Gncredulous) to be told that per.
haps ii may be but day.
He who yesterday was hearty now keeps his
sick-bed,
And our fcllow-townsman of an hour ago is
all at once become dust and ashes.
The tombs of Esther and Mordccai
are in poor little shrine in Hamadan,
Persia. They are covered each by a
wooden ark, on which are small pieces
of paper like labels, covered with He
brew characters. They are placed
there by Hebrew pilgrims. All are
under small dome some fifty feet
high. The building is of red bricks,
the walls much patched with mud; the
blue dome is of tiles. These tombs are
held sacred by all Hebrews in Persia.
and thousands make pilgrimagcs an
nually.
he late Secretary Frelinghuyscn
had conviction that il he ever wen;
to sea he would be drowned. 5 he
never went To sea. He was nominated
and confirmed as Minister To England
by President Grant. His commission
was made out. He went on to Wash
ington to receive his instructions from
Secretary FISH. At tAe last lis dread
of the ocean oyercamc him. He re-
fused TO leave the United States, and
he handed back his commission.
The famous Panama hats are al
made in Guayaquil, Ecu ,lor. and get
their name because Panama merchants
| formerly controlled the trade. They
are matlc of the pita fiber. u sort 81
palm, and are braided un Ter water by
native women of strands often IL and
- feet long. and fine ones are very
expensive. 1t often takes two or tire,
weeks to braid q single hat. which sell.
for 80 or SO. and lasts forever. A
traveller speaks OF one made of single
I straw or fiber as fine MS thread and
soft as silk. The woman who ma,le il
was engaged four months in the work,
and it was med ut $3.50.
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