The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-02-02
THE MYSTERIES OF A DAY.
STRANGE, CURIOUS AND STARTLING
THINGS OCCURRING ABOUT US
Speed Of the Wind-Bect Sugar In tho
PnntOmime-The Electric Wire-Whnt u
clash OF Lightning Did. Etc, Etc.

AN old theatrical manager says tina
the memory is taxed more by a panto.
mimic role than by an oral one, and ht
instances Marie Zoe, who for years wa.
the leading "French Spy" of tho Ameri
can stage. The performance Of the
dumb girl was always u hard strain OF
her. The pantomime, with it's requisite
nicety OF movement and expression, was
more exhaustive to her brain than tho
hcroincs of Shakespeare to Il tray.
edlenne. She was compelled u few years
ago to retire because her mind was af.
rcctcd, and now she has been taken to
an insane asylum. Her shattered intel.
tcct 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 N 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 IS, 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 1883. So ON through the list,
ending with the decrease of 3, 6GO acres
in cabbage, 1, 1866 acres in small roots,
and also q decrease in twelve months of
SITS acres planted in flax. The area of
woodland has, on the contrary, increased
trp <SG1 unrno x,lsIo % rno -.~-.
Ire devoted to meadows than 1883, and
l,4, 2 acres more arc planted in grass.
The only encouraging feature of the re-
port IL the reclamation of 80, $50 acres of
bog land during 1884.
In New Orleans lot of boys, from 10
10 81 years of age, gathered around the
@orks of the Electric Light Company
ind played with the wire. They had
ocen in the habit of taking a wire from
around abroom, tying a stone to the end
of it, throwing it over the electric wire,
and making it fast to IA gate knob.
When the current was turned on, the
boys would take hold Of the small wire
and feel q tinSling sensation. The other
evening Richard Emile Ahrens became
holder than the rest of thc boys and out
ais tongue to the wire. The shock went
through and prostrated him, and his
brother exclaimed "My God, he is
xillcd!" At these words Ahrens got up
said : "No. 1 an not yet dead" He had
hardly spoken when he fell back q
corpse.
THEY appear to have a matter-of fact
method Of dissipating religious supersti-
ton In Italy nowadays. The peasants of
declared they saw the Madonna
appear from a bush growing in u place
where, In the last century, u statue of
her had been destroyed. The place was
'oon crowded with pilgrims, several of |
whom, owing to the heat and to re-
igious 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
lp. Thirty thousand people were
A British mechanical in
irving the speed of the wind, makes a
;radation from a gentle breeze, at five
niles an hour, to a hurricane, at eighty
niles IN hour. This may be the speed
a British hurricane, but it is not much
# a wind when compared to an Amcri-
hurricane, such as has been expo
fenced on several occasions this sum-
ner. Our hurricanes have been gagged
- to 100 miles an hour, but when they
xceed that velocity the gauger gener-
lily moves his instruments to a place of
nicty, if he can.
a MANrroBIAN farmer was sharpening
stake with al axe, when Il flash Of
ightning, accompanied by a single clap
# thunder, came from the only cloud
isiblc, a small one Immediately over
The bolt struck the head of the
Xe, splitting it into two pieces and
the handle. The farmer was
to the ground insensible, but
pccdily recovered, and upon searching
bout found the fragments of his axe
orvcd deeply into the ground.
TIE discovery has been made that
missionaries do not let their
converts know of the poly
ANGUS doctrines of the Latter Day
'aiits until arrival in Utah. A full
ct OF Mormon books and tracts, used in
,n.iand 10y a preacher, contained no
Icntion OF plurality of wives, and a
larriaggc service in one publication in
ludcd the familiar proviso of one wife
D III husband. "
"A SAVINGS BANK in Portland, Oregan,
los a twonty-dollar gold piece which
ms taken from the stomach of a slauyht-
red cow. and found to be worth SIG. IS.
The milling is worn off the edge, which
smooth and rounded, but the designs
pom the sides remain visible. The date
( the coin is 1870. but how long the
ow had Been digesting the 1915 no one
IN tell.
A TOR is told by the Presbyterian
( a New York women who was asked
0 add her name to a subscription list
or o charitable purpose. II cannot"