The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-02-17
FACTS FOR THE CURIOUS.

In Northumberland, England, they
atill retain the old custom of holding IN
quests over fires.
The oldest dwelling house in the
United States is situated near the San
Miguel church. 1t was built before the
Spanish conquest
A peculiar black paper of Siam anu
Burmah, made from the bark OF certain
trees. is used very much as are states IN
Europe and America The writing upon
it NAV be rubbed out by the application
of betel leaves, just as the slate writing
is erased by means of sponge.
Young alligators are raised and tanned
for Northern visitors by Sanford Fla:)
man, VINO finds it quite lucrative bus!-
ness. He has now hundred Of the anil
mails under training, and reports that his
sales last season would have been i've
times that number could he have procured
the alligators.
Maicndie, the celebrated scientist, took
two dogs, one of which he fed on white
-four while to the other he gave flour
made of the entire wheat. In forty days
the doc who had received the white Hour
died of starvation; the other remained IN
perfect health and could have lived IN
definitely with no other food.
There seems every probability that St.
Valentines day, with its many customs.
came down to us from the Romans, but
was fathercd upon st. Valentine In the
early DAYS of the church in order to Chris
tianize it. In France st. Valentines day
was movable feast, which was called
iours des brsndons, because the boys
carried about lighted torches on that DAY.
A Girl, thirteen years old, who has
grown only an inch in height since she
was two wears old, and has gained but ut
tie in weight, was before the Concord
IN. H. medical society at its annual
meeting a few days ago. The girl
weighs thirty-five pounds and IS twenty
two inches high, has never been severely
sick. and is unusually healthy. Her
mind seems also to have stopped grow
ing at the same time.
One of the officers of the British force
in Burmah concludes that stomachache IS
widely prevalent ,nalady in that region.
At Koonlah ht, found an idol which et-
fects q miraculous cure when sufferer
plasters flake of gold leaf upon the part
corresponding to the seat Of his own dls.
order; and the abdomen of the idol had
been caused to protrudc in a most extra
ordinary degree by the plastered offerings
of health seekers.
Bees found in 4 tree belong to the
owner of the tree. and another person ac-
ouires no ownership in them because OF
marking the tree. Game found In snares
belongs to the owner of the land, and
not to the trespasser who may have set
the snares. A swarm of bees leaving thelr
hive and setting upon the land Of another,
are the property of the original owner SO
long as he can keep them IN sight, and
thus establish their identity.
Certain insects seem to possess the re-
markable and little understood ''electric"
power of the electric eel. General Davis,
of the British army, received shock
from awheel-bug that paralyzed his left
arm for q considerable time, red marks
being left on his hand as impressions OF
+ the insects feet. This peculiarly is also
mentioned by Kirby and Spence, and
other naturalists have received shocks
from some of the luminous beetles. Such
shock was given by an unknown cater
pillar picked up by Captain Blakeney that
his entire right side became paralyzed,
and he was dangerously ill for q long
time