The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1890, 1888-10-06


ship Is then evidently haunted, and the
faces of her crew, but recently smiling,
ire now decorated with expressions at
once thoughtful and lugubrious.
Tbe common mirage fills sailors with
Tread. and betokens an early death to
some OF its observers. Carrying corpse
on board appears to them to be inviting
disaster, and cases are on record where
the crew have become mutinous and re-
; fractory until the distasteful freight was
lowered into the sea.
Norwegian sailors are inveterate slaves
to form of superstition exclusively their
own. They believe in the existence of q
heck or norman, sea animal represented
as having fish body with the head of q
man and the flowing ringlets of boy.
The norman sits upon the waves, plays
the harp, and, following the example of
many Of the Morse fishermen, wears red
cap. 1t is never seen more than once in
! vessels appear in it's sight they all must
inevitably perish.
The crew, according to their belief, are
then transplanted in the merman's re-
gions, where, after a brief stay, they 20
70 swell the shoal of hecks, and are then
n themselves as disastrous as the origi-
-al'. The kraken, q sea monster whose
existence has been so often attested bv
! the evidences Of alleged eye witnesses
that one is at loss to know whether it is
real or has being only in the minds of
| superstitious sailors, is constant source
| If alarm to them.
| Many assertions which have been made
at times regarding the existence of this
| leviathan, which occasions so much dread
in the minds Of the Morse fishermen, have
been rejected as mere superstition. Still
some authentic grounds for belief in it's
existence are Oh record. The Norwegian
| differs from his English brother only in
this particular belief, but in all other es:
sential respects sailors of all ages and
nationa]ities worship the same supersti-
ii us creed.-James w. Gavan in New
York Press.
Postal Savings Bank System.
| One of the features of the government
OF Great Britain is the postal savings
bank system It is very popular and Is
fulness is beyond all question. United
States Consul Walling, At Liverpool has
been investigating this subject and has
given some very interesting facts about
Its workings in report to the secretary
| of state. The beginning of the govern
ment postal savings banks was In 1851
Mr. Gladstone. It was entitled IAN act
affording additional facilities for deposit.
| ing small savings at interest with the
security Of the government for the due
repayment thereof" On the day Of the
opening of the first banks under this act
4e5 deposits were received. One year
afterward the number had increased so
greatly that there were z, ,585 Offices open
for the accommodation Of the public. In
1885 the depositors had increased in num-
ber to 3, 731 ,421, and the amount of money
on deposit was e5O.874, 1888. This In
American money would be $250, ZOO, 600.
Deposits Of one shilling or any number Of
shillings are received up to $3.50 or ESQ.
The interest paid is 2a per cent. year
on every full pound. Should the sum
on deposit reach G200 the interest there
on will cease until the amount has been
reduced. The government has made pro-
vision for the investment of larger sums
in its securities. The banks viii receive
deposits from parents or other relatives
on behalf of minor children. Married
women can also make deposits which are
beyond the control of the husbands.
Another feature Of the British system
is that the government guarantees the
repayment of all moneys on deposit with
interest, and also any life insnrances or
annuities granted under the act creating
these banks. The results of the measure
of Mr.. Gladstone have been such as to
recommend it to the good will of the
people of Great Britain. That they do
appreciate it is shown by their liberal
patronage. The cost Of maintaining it is
very little, being about five-eighths of
per cent. The guarantee of the govern.
ment makes the system absolutely safe.
It is in every respect a we'll regulated
financial institution. Great Britain is not
the only nation which has these postal
savings banks. They are feature of
the American and Australian British
colonies. They have been engrafted
upon the political system Of France, Ger.
many, Austria, Italy, Belgium, Holland
and Japan.-Detroit Free Press.