The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-01-01
GLEANINGS.


private insane asylums.
The Pope is one of the busiest men
in Europe. His time. from early /
morning to late at night is completely !
taken up by business and callers.
A Massachusetts man has discovered
a sure cure for sca-sickneSs. 1t is |
eounter-irritant in the shape of a mild |
blister application behind the ear.
A recent estimate, made by means of
q very intricate testing apparatus, |
places the rate at which an electric dot |
travels over Il telegraph wire at $4,000 |
miles per second.
Recently in Paris, during the session
of the Congress OF the Free-l hinkerS,
one eminent thinker, striking an atti-
tude passionately exclaimed: ''Gentle-
men, [ am an atheist thank God!'
A New York street car company
sends ears to Japan. Australia. Buenos
Ayres, Santiago. Calcutta and Berlin.
! he company makes 600 ears annually,
ranging in price from $500 to SI.2oo.
A clean and perfect copy OF John
Bunyan's Pilgrim Progress 1913.
has Just been added to the British Mu-
scum library. Only three other copies
are known. and but two OF these are
perfect.
Professor Baron Nordenskjold is
about to vary his arctic experiences tW
an attempt to visit the south pole. He
has gone to st. Petersburg in order 10
interest several influential persons in
his new entcrprisc.
A brick in the gable end of an old
tavern at Hancock's Bridge. Salem
NO ip;fi.a1s of s.lt
S. H. The were placed there by
William and Sarah Hancock, who had
the house built in 1874.
The discovery of silver mine dis
trict sixty miles by thirty on the bor-
ders of New South Wales and South
Australia, is the excitement in those
parts. In one instance a mass of two
tons yielded 10000 ounces. A similar
discovery is also announced in another
part of New South Wales.
Among a lot of modern proverbs
sent to a London newspaper were
these: ''lt's poor musician who can t
blow his own trumpet" The want of
money is the root of all evil. ''if you'd
know mans character follow him
home" ''Only whisper scandal, and
its echo is heard by all. y
i he King Pmt is the name of the Off
cial Chinese paper. 1t was started in
the year GIL is 4 semi-occasiOnal
journal. Then for some centuries it
was weekly, and at the beginning of
the present century it became a daily.
1t publishes three editions. and has SIX
editors, with Il circulation of II, 600.
Princess Krapotkne is, if possible, a
more ardent socialist than her huS-
band. ''My father she says, was a
rich gold-mine proprietor, and am 4
princess. Look at that man there
ipointing to Il wretched Street-sweeper)
I wonder he does not come and cut
nv throat. What right have | to be
living in luxury while he is working in
the cold ami dirt, aud living probably
in some wretchri garret or cellar, with
not enough IL e:,t?',
The knitting craze has succeeded
that of the crazy-quilt. and the result
is every day pleasing window visions
of pretty misses engaged in knitting,
some Of whom attire themselves to suit
their work in genuine grandmother
fashion of chiutS, dresses and white
handkerchiefS folded neatly across
their bcsomS. The poor of the city are
the grateful recipients nf the greater
portion of the mittenS. stockings, neck
scarfs. and other useful articles madd
by these fair manipulators of the knit
ting-needles.
In Defoe's History of the Plague
it is stated that the breath of the
plague-stricken patients was said to
contain minute animal formations,
which. caught on piece of glass that
was held with that object 10 the pa
tients mouth, and placed beneath a
strong microscope, could be distinctly
seen. They presented much more
varied and infinitely more terrible APP
pearance than tbs, bacilli OF these de-
generate days: for Defoe says that they
had the shape OF ''sprpents, monsters,
dragons and devils.
Bismark evidently thinks that it is
as easy to make a horse drink as to
lead him to the water. He caused a
law to be passed forhidding the inhab-
itants OF the duchy of Schleswig- -Hol-
stein, recently wrested from Denmark,
from speaking the Danish language.
Even school children are punished
when they speak among themselves in
their native tongue, and so far has this
law been carried, that q young girl 5
birthday festival was broken up and
the guests arrested and fined because
they sang some old Danish folk songs.
During the Franco German war Metz
and Paris communicated with the out
side world by carrier-pigeons, and the
German Generals declared them con-
traband of war. They continued how
ever, to be introduced into France from
Belgium, where they are a specially,
pigeOn-racing and breeding having long
been national sport. there. The Bel
gium societies were never more Hour
1shing than at present, and are very
particular in regard to breeds, the
Antwerp being the favorite; in some of
their nurseries the boxes are mahogany,
with solid silver embellishments. Thir-
ty miles an hour is the average speed
of the Antwerp pigeon, which always
descends at night for shelter and re-
pose, the carriers flight be ng
guided by sight alone.
In France, by refinement of indie al
cruelty, the date of execution is not
known until the previous evening.
Notices are then sent to the gov
ernor of the Jail, eXecutioner and chap
lain. From the hour of his sentence
the criminal is dead to the world. En-
Eironed by guards. he is taken to a cell
viii Two DStlS, one Oh WHICH Is OcclilDltu
by monster (prison spy). lie is put
into suit of rough canvas shirt, wool
en- trousers and felt shoes. A short
waistcoat of canvas. opening behind
and secured with leather straps is fixed
over this suit, and the long sleeves are
attached to Il cord which passes around
the thighs. so that he cannot lift his
hands above a certain height, and is n
most helpless to perform the most or
dinary movement His food is taken
with a wooden spoon. \ w:irder and
gendarme keep perpetual watch. lie
may sleep or smoke or eat, but no riSi-
tors are admitted nor amy tidings from
the outer world.
The German newspapers report that
very destructive insect has been re-
Gently introduced into that country
from the United States. Ii is described
as a moth, imported with wheat OIL
Indian corn, and capable of reproiuc.