The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-08-15
CURIOUS FACTS.

CUh1VUS FACISs
The first watches were made in 1476.
Printing was introduced into England
in 1474.
Many of the interior towns of Oregon
are raising money to import song birds
from Germany.
Rearing dogs for their skins is practised
in Manchur;a and Mongolia just as sheep
farming elsewhere.
An instrument of torture. termed "the
boot" was used in Scotland upon the
Covenanters about 1866. Z
It was not an uncommon practice for
the poor in the Middle Ages to sell them.
selves into slavery or to become slaves
by debt. :;
Between Christmas, 1852, and the same
day, 1852, it is estimated that no less
than II, 115 slaves were imported into
Jamaica alone.
James II. succeeded to the throne Of
England February 6, 1885; abdicated
December II, 1885; died in exile Sep.
tember 16, 1901. 1''..- &
Twenty out of twenty-four sheep be-
lon 2ing to Mr.. Edwards, of Guildford@
county, Va, were killed the other DAY
by stroke Of lightning.
The Dutch made the first settlement in
what is now the city of New York In
1914, but the settlement was captured
by the English half century later.
Collegiate DEGREES are coeval with uni
versities. Masters and doctors existed
A. D. S26. Those in law are traced up
to 1149, in medicine to 1884, in music to
14G3.
The first naval screw vessel was the
Archimedes, built for the English navy
in 1910. She was so successful that
comparatively few ocean paddle steamers
were afterward constructed. IL
A Georgia man has q mule that is
driven to school on week days and to
church on Sundays, and is so intelligent
that if given the reins he will go straight
to his destination according to the day. Z
AS late as 1929 there were as many as
5000 persons confined tor debt in the
prisons of Massachusetts,, 10, 900 in New
York, 1000 in Pennsylvania, 5000 in
Maryland, and like proportion in other
States.
The editor of an Oneida On. Y.D
naper was shown curiosity il the
Shape of seven leaf clover. This is the
only one he ever saw, ana it brought to
mind the saying: "Find seven and.
prepare for Heaven" .. !.
Most of our coffee comes from Brazil
The grains are in the inside of berry,
the size of cherry. In Java, after the
grains have been removed, they are placed
in a shed, where the wind dries and cures
the plant. When it is ready. for market
the coffee is brought to the shipping
ports on mules.
A farmer at Adairsville, Ca, while.
near a spring the other day, observed q
rattlesnake liing at full length, with
head erect, and only few feet away
was full grown rabbit, evidently under
the charm of the snake. The latter was
quickly killed, when the rabbit fell over.
and in q few moments was dead.
Professor Angelo Motta died recently
at Turin, Italy. He had for years been
at work upona process by which, with
the aid of electricity, he hoped to be
able to convert the human body into
solid metal. He had succeeded with the
arm of an infant and with various
smaller animals. His secret died with
him. 49,. ..E,
In the Mediterranean. regions the
steep mountain slopes and hillsides are
terraced for the culture of oranges, lem
ons and olives, and these terraces are
held in place by rough stone walls, laid
up without mortar or cement. Behind
these loose walls, trees, shrubs and vines
are grown with the greatest success,
as they have been for centuries.
| A silver crown piece, known as "the
petition crown" of the reign of Charles
H., fetched Sits at recent sale in
England. At the latest previous sale .
similar coin had broght only $1125. a
sovereign of Edward Wis time brought
$5.25, q fifty shilling piece of the Crom-
we'll era $7GO, an Oxford crown 1886. "A
penny of Ethelbald brought $3.50, and
other old pennies $50 and $50 each.