News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-09-24
THE MYSTERIES OF A DAY.
STRANGE, CURIOUS AND STARTLING
THINGS OCCURRING ABOUT Us.
speed of the Wind-Beet Sugar In the
Pantomime-The Electric Wire-What
Flash of Lightning Did, ETC., Etc.

Speed of the wind-Beet Sugar In the
Pantomime-The Electric Wire-What
Flash of Lightning Did, ETC., Etc.
AN old theatrical manager says that
the memory is taxed more by panto-
mimic role than by an oral one, and he
instances Marie Zoe, who for years was
the leading "French Spy of the Ameri-
can stage The performance of the
dumb girl was always hard strain on
her. The pantomime, with its requisite
nicely of movement and expression, was
more exhaustive to her brain than the
heroines of Shakespeare to trag-
.edienne. She was compelled few years
ago to retire because her mind was af-
fected, and now she has been taken to
an insane asylum. Her shattered intel
lect knows nothing but the ''French
Spy," and she is almost constantly going
through with its scenes. The combat
with the Arab is fought over and over,
without weapon or antagonist, but with
zest and vim of pantomime that star
ties her attendants.
AGRICULTURAL statistics in Ireland for
the year 1884 have been published and
show an extraordinary condition of af-
fairs. The area under cultivation has
decreased 63, ,957 acres in twelve months
since 1888 At the end of 1884 there
were 79,072 acres less devoted to the
growth of cereals than at the end of 1888,
while even of potatoes, the standard
crop, 1916 acres less were grown In 1884
than in 1888. So on through the list,
ending with the decrease of 3, $50 acres
in cabbage, 1, ,155 acres in small roots,
and also decrease in twelve months OF
6,71S acres planted in flax. The area of
woodland has, on the contrary, increased
| by 761 acres, while 80, 703 acres more
are devoted to meadows than 1888, and
| 154, 429 acres more are planted in grass.
| The only encouraging feature of the re-
port is the reclamation of 80, $50 acres of
bog land during 1884.
| In New Orleans lot of boys, from Is
to 81 years of age, gathered around the
works of the Electric Light Company
and played with the wire. They had
been in the habit of taking wire from
around broom, tying stone to the end
of it, throwing it over the electric wire,
and making it fast to a gate knob.
When the current was turned on, the
bows would take hold of the small wire
| and feel tingling sensation. The other
evening Richard Emile Ahrens became
| bolder than the rest of the boys and put
his tongue to the wire. The shock went
through and prostrated him, and his
brother exclaimed ''My God, he is
| kiIledr At these words Ahrens got up
said : ''No, 1 am not yet dead" He had
hardly spoken when he fell back a
corpse.
THEY appear to have a matter f-fact
method of dissipating religious supersti-
ton in Italy nowadays. The peasants of
Corano declared they saw the Madonna
appear from bush growing in place
where, in the last century, statue OF
her h5d been destroyed. The place waI
soon crowded with pilgrims, several OF
whom owing to the heat and to re,
Iipious excitement, gave such signs OF
mental disorder that they had to be
placed under restraint in the asylum,
The Syndic promptly had the bush dug
UP. Thirty thousand people were
present.
A British mechanical newspaper, IN
giving the speed of the wind, makes
0radation from gentle breeze, at tive
miles an hour, to hurricane, at eighty
miles an hour. This may be the speed
of British hurricane, but it is not much
of a wind when compared to an Amer1-
can hurricane. such as has been expe-
rienced on several occasions this sum-
mer. Our hurricanes have been gauged
up to 12O miles an hour, but when they
exceed that velocity the gauger gener-
ally moves his instruments to place OF
safety, if he can.
A MANIToBIAN farmer was sharpening
a stake with an axe, when flash Of
lightning, accompanied by single clal
of thunder, came from the only clouo
visible, a small one Immediately over
head. The bolt struck the head of the
axe, splitting it into two pieces anc
breaking the handle. The farmer wa
knocked to the ground insensible, bu
speedily recovered, and upon searching
about found the fragments of his ak
forced deeply into the ground.
THE discovery has been made tina
Mormon missionaries do not let thel
foreign converts know of the poly
gamous doctrines of the Latter Da
Saints until arrival in Utah. A tul
set of Mormon books and tracts, used i
England by preacher, contained N
mention of plurality of wives, and
& marriage service in one publication IN
cluded the familiar proviso of one vii
a to one husband.
: A SAVINGS BANK in Portland, Oregar
r has twenty dollar gold piece whlc
e was taken from the stomach of slaugh1
e cred COW, and found to be worth SIG. q
e The milling is worn off the edge, whlc
: is smooth and rounded, but the deslgr
e upon the sides remain visible. The da1
V Of the coin is 1870, but how long tn
n COW had been digesting the So. 70 no on
: can tell.
e A STORY is told by the P'esbyterao
of New York women who was aske
!. to add her name to subscription IL
% for a charitable purpose. 81 cannot
d was the reply; II did all / could atfoi
y to do for charity during the winter.
n went to the charity ball, the klrmes
and attended number of pr1va
Is theatrical entertainments gwen /
u benevolence.
n A PIECE of evidence in a Queb
= breach of promise case was cum WI
- an offer of marriage written on 1t. "
~ ~ NIGHT. while the defendant was holdl
~ the plaintiffs hand, whispering ferv
H. words, he popped the question IN man
~ script on the smooth linen at her VIII
ad She was sentimental or shreWd enou!
- to keep the article out of the wash, a
,l now it is of practical value.
re Now THAT natural gas is being init
duced into Pittsburgh houses for III
It, an equitable method of charging 1or
NJ is sought. Measurement seems TO
impracticable, and thus far the usa
has been to fix the price for each pull
inc as nearly as possible the same as
cost of other fuel has been. Ihls gl'
rise to a great amount OF bargain
u and dissatisfaction.
ds Ir is considered so unlucky In Flor
a to be the first person buried IN a cemet'
- that the friends of the deceased pers
~ whose body was destined to meet u
90 fate averted it by burying log OF wo
70 in advance of his interment In
an other States of the Union it is consider
,Id unIucky to be buried at any time
er FRANK JAMES, the Missouri bandit
nd far pone in consumption. lie says q
cry he has received hundreds of oilers IT
es, showmen. but that he Is too OLD
as feeble to learn how to act IN ara
on illustrating his exploits, as trequen
nd proposed, and he is too proud TO
ou, come an exhibit in museum.
ex- ---------
to THEY MAKE IT.-Those German
tn -, 5on'+ smoke and think for nothf