The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-04-16
MISCELLANEOUS.


session of spot of land is the most
powerful of all known motives to in
dustry."
The chief engineer of the Croton
Aqueduct reports that 10000. 900 gallons
Of water are wasted in New York every
day.-N. Y. San.
The editor of Russian daily thus
explained its semi-Occasional appear
ance: The paper is often in want Of
information. often IN want of writers;
and in want Of money. and sometimes
when it has all these it is in want of
readers
The mean duration of life in France.
which was twenty-nine at the close Of
the eighteenth century. and thirty-nine
from 18l7-183l, increased to forty from
1e40-lS59, thanks to the progress of
sanitary science.
The State of Arkansas derives $685.
cooper annum from its penitentiary by
leasing the labor of eighty convicts to
cigar manufacturers and handing over
2SO others to farmers. the consideration
being 1919 per month and all expenses.
~ Y. Post.
I WI IldtI-IDllt Has fliut Dul iOtlI
changes in his Cabinet since he first
formed it, the Duke of Argyll, w. +.
Forster, john Bright and Mr.. Dodson
retiring. to be superseded by Lord Car
lingfOrd, Sir Charles Dixie. Earl Derby
end Mr. Trcvelyan, respectively.
A Key West paper says colored
man went 10 the fish market recently.
bought a conch. and upon cracking the
shell was surprised 10 find hidden
treasure in the shape of a handsome
pearl the size of an ordinary bean.
which lie subsequently sold for ninety
dollars.
The old idea that slow-grown tim
Der was stronger than that grown
quickly is d.sProved by recent tests IN
England, 20 Ear, at least, as oak is con-
cerned. :Second-grewth hickory is
usually more valued for the handles of
axes. hammers, etc. and the annual
rings show il to- be OF swifter growth
than the first stock.
-Duel!ing in Germany shows no de-
crease, Notwithstanding the cutlery
against the custom. and moreover is
now practiced on the most trivial plea
Two officers fought recently in Cologne
simply because one of the combatants,
when leaving IA cafe. had taken up a
wrong cap b. mistake. Twentv-seven
shots were exchanged, and one of the
dueliiS;s was killed.
The excess of births over deaths in
France in 1855 was 90 against 81
027 in 1882, and los. 22J in 1881. The
number'of departments that lose pop
ulatiOn from this decline Of the excess
of births over deaths is greater every
year. and now amounts To about thirty
per cent. 1t is singular that the vine
growing districts are the principal de-
faulters in this respect.
The Territory of Dakota paws more
revenue to the POStoflice Department
than any one of thirty-two States of the
Union. and has population as large as
Nebraska or Connecticut, and nearly
twice as large As Vermont and Florida.
1t boasts $500 miles of railway. 2.OO3
scho0l-hOuses and 275 newspapers, or
more periodicals than any New England
State except Massachusetts. - farqO
1drggS.
Elijah o. Allen is a very absent
minded man, who lives in Dallas. 4
friend went TO Houston the other day,
and when he got back Elijah asked him:
How is old Major Barnes coming out?
Has he changed much of late?
Changed! Why. | should smile. He
has been dead more than three years.
That S a fact. was one of the pail.
bearers at his funeral. | was thinking
of Old Major Shocks, who died about the
same time. Has he changed much of
late?'-Icras Sifting&.
English as she is spoke''by foreign
crS Is always amusing, and also rs she is
wrote" Here is a Japanese specimen:
Notice. Shoe manufacturer. Design
at any choice. The undersigned being
engaged long and succeeded with their
capacity at shoe factory Of Isekats. in
Toxic. it is now established in nv liza
bIlity at aforementioned lot all furn-
ished viii be attended in moderate term
with good quality. An order is accept
able. in receive post, being called upon
the measure, and it viii be forwarded
in furnish. [. InOya. '-Erchange
The first patent granted to an in
I'ventOr in the United States is mentioned
in speech of ex-senator Wadleigh. of
New Hampshire, in the Forty fifth Con-
:gresS. The Senator said: IAN intelli-
gent gentleman of my own State has re-
/ ferreG to me an act of the General
Court of Massachusetts Bay, passed in
1916 granting to one of his ancestors.
/ Joseph jerks. the exclusive right of
making and selling his improved scvthe
for the space Of fourteen years. That.
think. was the first patent granted to
nm inventor III America. The improve
ment referred to changed the short,
thick, straight English scythe into the
! longer. thinner, curved implement with
stitiened back now in uSe.''