Milford chronicle., 1885-04-10
STRANGE AND CURIOUS.
NOTES OF ODD AND STARTLING
MATTERS OCCURRING ABOUT US.
A Florida SInk-HelDInE the Zulu-The
Deadly Centipede-A Serious Buriesqne'
Etc., Etc.


Ete., Etc.
SEVERAL Mexicans were in camp at
the mouth Of the Medina river, in Texas,
and were lying about the fire, when one
of them, Telestro Cruca, saw large
centipede, fully nine inches long, travel
ingslowly over his leg. Knowing that the
least motion would make it sink its claws
into his skin, without moving his leg,
he got out his revolver and waited until
the insect had almost reached his knee,
when, slowly putting the mouth OF his
pistol to its head, he pulled the trigger,
and the centipede was gone. But CEN
tipede's claws are quicker than gunpow-
der, and Cruca began to cramp in few
minutes. The track OF the insect along
his leg turned a brownish yellow, ana
the place where it was killed swelled up
| friehtfully. Cruca rapidly grew worse,
and in little over four hours afterward
he died in great agony. But the most
singular part of the story is that the bull
let from Cruca's revolver cut small
nick in the foreleg of a mule that was
tethered near by, and at daylight the
next morning the mule was also dead,
with the leg so swollen that the skin had
burst in several places.
THE other evening, during the per-
formance of the spectacle Of the Zulu
war at Cookies Circus, in Liverpool,
Mr.. Cottle, who impersonates Lieut..
Melville. had a hand-to-hand combat
with a Zulu chief, the combat lasting
for some minutes. This encounter was
too realistic for one of the spectators,
for. after Watching the combat for a
time with interest and suppressed ex-
citement, the man, evidently thinking
that his countryman was being over
powered by his savage foe, leaped INTO
the arena and at once grappled with the
Zulu chief. The onslaught was so
sudden and so vigorous that the Zulu
chief was quite taken aback, and before
his assailant could be drawn of the un-
fortunate impersonator Of the savage
chief had received a somewhat severe
pummeling, one of the blows leaving
nlemento in the shape OF a nV-
" Ornamental black eye.
Y SOMEBODY asks us, What is a Florida
land sink and what causes it ? Florida
has a good many caves and underground
rivers, As a general thing these caves
are arched over with rock and supported
bv huge rock pillars, but in some places
veins Of sand varying in size from few
inches to 100 or 200 yards in diameter
run through the rock. During the wet
seasons these sand veins get filled with
water. which, percolating through,
sometimes causes the entire vein to fall
through. When the vein happens to be
onlv few inches or feet in diameter 1t
is known as a natural well, but when
the vein comprises an acre or TWO II Is
called "sink.
ADMIRAL JoUETT says that on our yes
sells of war during the Franco-Prusslan
war there would always BE be t'S7ud a Ger
man naval officer enlisted as an ii07'i-''.,
man. and serving as such. He speaks
of Swedes in the same relation. 1t has
long been known that the younger OIL
GERS of the Swedish navy are all obliged
, TO ship before the mast, in either an
, English or American ship, in order to
learn 2. 'aetical seamanship. They more
r often 20 in a merchantmen than man
/ of-war, and prefer an American to an
English ship.
WHILE a burlesque procession was
/ passing along the Boulevard Sebastapoi
, in Paris, the mad gayety, just then at
its height, was checked for a moment
/ bv the report Of a revolver proceeding
, from a cab in the line OF route. Inc
door of the cab was opened and a young
= woman called for help. Her lover, {
t Young gentleman Of good family, hac
/ blown his brains out at her side because
= She threatened to leave him. The body
9 of the suicide was removed to the police
3 station, and in a few minutes tn
= Boulevard reassumed its joyous aspect
D A RECENT issue of q trustworthy sci
5 entifc journal states that earthquakes
: have occurred once in about ever.
: twelve days somewhere IN the UnlteC
States or in Canada, the Atlantic coas
5 beinp visited on an average about one
a month. These shocks occurred dur
inc fine period between 1872 and 1888
and were frequently so slight as to be
detected only by the seisometer, a deli
: cste instrument designed for that spe
cial purpose.
A YOUNG Secretary Of Legation, who's
3 duties required his attendance at re
s cent White House reception, was so un
i willing to lose a moment Of the opera
v with Theo in the cast, that he left tn
s theatre, changed his evening dress 10
i his Diplomatic costume in the carria8
y while driving to the White House, y
$ luted the President, and returned as q
a had come to the opera. he was aDsen
+ from the theatre Just thirty minutes
The reporters of Pittsburg, Pa, hav
d been investigating the Socialist elemer
e in that city and say that there are aDou
& 800 of the class there, OF whom nc
% one in q hundred is a real workngma
or has an honest means OF livelihood
Il They are all foreigners and have com
: to this country to get somebody else
y support them. Among them are tW
t. incendiary female orators.
b THE tower of the new City BUILDING
le Philadelphia, will be, with the exceI ton
b the Washington monument, the hlghes
q STRUCTURE in the world; but, though Il
i pressure on the foundation is nowhel
M more than nine tons to the square 100
+ the settlement of the more heavily lade
portion has cracked and broken Il
70 polished and sculptured stone IN the Il
le terror.
u y The English papers tell a story OF
\, sportsman who, after days shootml
!" left his game in the custody OF his dog
- locking them up with it, and beir
y y called away on business was absel
~ from home several days, forgetting
q about his dogs and game. When he 7
= turned both animals had died from hu
le ger, having refrained from touching Il
game.
as How FIRES START. "A little incide
r Happened at a dwelling house IN
r. '1ysstern city which serves to Ilustra
OF 4he' Mysterious origin of some fires.
Id o s-;rl ysss sweeping a room with
sar,,at er1 sSaeper, when she noticed smo
oo,,,;,,,, -, from. it. On examination s
Ji,clrs S;scovssred that match had been light
If i,,70g, bT tbe yevolniion Of the brush insi