Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-01-07
CURIOUS. USEFUL AND SCIENTIFIC.
A PECULIAR SQUASH.

Mr.. Ben. Waller, who has charge of
the pauper farm in this county, brought
into our Office the other day peculiar
species of squash. The vegetable is two
fully developed squashes joined to-
gether and just double the size of the
ordinary squash. Mr.. Waller says that
the species all grow like this, and is not
freak but the nature of the vegetable.
We never before saw anything like it.
The variety is of a rich butter color, and
should be called the Siamese squash
Greensboro lGa.) Journal.
THE CREoLE's COOL SKIN.
There is curious statement of divers
writer's to the effect that the skin OF the
West Indian creole feels cooler than
that of an European or American from
the Northern States. The same is true
of the Louisiana creole; the vigorous
European or Northerner who touches
creole hand during the burning hours
of July or August day has reason to
be surprised at its coolness-such a
GOODNESS as tropical fruits retain even
under the perpendicular fires of an equa-
torial sum- Harpe1's Weekly.
AN AWFUL ToUGHNEss OF GANDERs.
We heard the other day of belliger-
emit gander in the flock of J. z. Steph-
ems, Carroll County, which met with
singular accident three weeks ago.
Making fight at heifer in the lot he
seized her blythe forehead, when the
heifer, by a dextrous turn of horn,
struck the gander's neck and cut out
the windpipe, leaving it hanging down
like a snout. The old gander's wound
healed over with the windpipe still
hanging out, through which he breathes,
and he seems to be as hearty as ever,
though not as belligerent as before
Newman (Ga) Herald.
THE CoURBAsH.
The courbash is as necessary an ac-
cessory to comfortable camel riding as,
according to Ishmael Pasha, it was to
successful government in Egypt, writes
correspondent to the London Stand
ard. The hide of the Nile hippopotamus
tanned and oiled and cut into long
strips forms a whip that, as elastic as
gutta percha, is yet much harder than
! that material, and it twines round the
body of its victim with electric effect
| Probably there is no more excruciatlng
pain than the cut OF courbash, and it
switches through the air with a ping
| like a rifle bullet-a sound by itself
generally sufficient to induce the most
obstinate camel or fellah- promptly to
obey orders.
A HAUNTED HOUSE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
The following extraordinary story is
told by several reliable persons, says a
Dover, N. H., telegram to the st. Louis
Globe-Democrat. Mrs. Young owns o
house at Alton, which was formerly oc-
cupied by Mrs. Marilla Kicker, the
Washington lawyer, and the head push
er of Belva Lockwood in New Hamp-
shire. Mysterious noises, have been
heard, silver spoons laid on the table
have been bent, parties dipping into
the sugarbowl have been surprised to
find that the spoon would double uI
and no sugar could be raised, pictures
have fallen from the walls, and yester
day large mirror fell and was broken
The whole affair is causing considerable
excitement.
| CROSSING THE EXTRENITIEs.
M. Delaunay, of Paris, has been max
ing extensive investigation upon the
subject of posture of sitting as regards
extremities. He finds that the Chinese
cross the left arm over the right, while
Europeans cross the right over the
left. Those who cannot work or are
idiotic do the contrary. A great many
women cross the left leg over the right.
Among opera dancers some always cross
the right leg over the left, hut not one
crosses the left over the right habitually
Infants under years cross the left arm
over the right, and when older reverse
the position. Men generally cross the
right leg over the left, and he cites
statements of tailors that pantaloons
are more worn on the left side, which
bears most of the weight. The infer.
ence remains that the left brain de-
velops before the right predominates.-
brooklyn Eagle.
POISONOUS DYE-sTUFFs.
The danger of wearing next to the
skin articles of clothing dyed with sub
stance obtained from benzol and other
products of coal tar has been declared
many times in letters from medical men
both in this country and abroad, who
have given instances of the i'll effects
caused through the absorption by the
skin of these irritating and poisonous
compounds. Their warnings are re-
peated and illustrated in case of ex-
hibits sent to the Health Exhibition in
London by an authority on skin dis
eases. In this case are specimens OF
the beautiful aniline colors, rosaniline
magneta, violet, red, Bismarck violet
etc., and gloves and stockings dyed with
the substances by which these hues are
obtained that, in cases coming under
the treatment of the exhibitor, had pro-
duced eruption on the skin of women
and children, in some instances of a
very severe character. = brooklyn
Eagle.
| RARE SPECIMEN.
A man named Lack, while superin-
tending some works in the enclosure OF
Burton crescent on Saturday, had his
attention attracted by bright object
among some old timber. On closer ex-
animation it was found to be snake OF
large size, OF a brilliant emerald