Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-27
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

EuEKEYN
very poor families.
In the wilds Of the sierras, near Kaweah
river. Tulare county, California, Is a sequoia
tree lI6 feet in circumference
I'm 1888. nearly 8, ,OO0, 900, 900 bricks were
manufactured in II cities Of the United States.
About 5O,0O0OoO were made in Pirtsburg
I'm the stockyards at Kansas City mule
and q horse engaged in a kicking match. and
the mule was outkieked. The attendants had
to turn the hose on the combstants in order to
separate them.
"A St. Louis brewery has erected the
largest brick chimney west OF Boston. Il is
Z35 feet in height-almost twice as high as
the water toWer-and covers 1881 SQUARE feet
at the base. The walls at the base are feet
thick, tapering gradually to l3 inches at the top.
"A large bald headed eagle is reported as
one Of the visitors at a recent hag-raisine over
school house in Lubec, Me- The bird circled
round the stan three times and then apparently
satisfied that everything was all right, few
towards the west probably to attend more Dag
raisings.
AT Springfield, Mass, on Christmas
Eve, generous man, who refused to let his
name be known, instructed the police to send
''all the deserving poor in the city to Kings
market, where each would receive turkey at
his expense. Two hundred turkeys were dis
triDuted.
Five female sanitary police are now
established in Chicago. under the appointments
Of the Commissioner Of Health. according to
an ordinance Of the City Council The duty Of
the new female sanitary police is to inspect
factories and tenements for the protection Of
the health Of working women.
Born and raised in Chinese tea-drink-
ing establishment, a Chinaman in Philadelphia
says the only way to make tea is to pour the
boiling water on the leaves, stirring them
pr1skly at the same time. 1t should be served
after allowing merely time to settle. The
whole operation takes only minute.
AT Eau Claire, Wis, the other night,
lightning struck the large residence Of Stephen
Marston, knocking down chimney and shat
tering the roof. The thunder was terrible.
Lightning also struck the Brush electric wires,
and johnson, a lamp-trimmer, was knocked in
sensible. This is the first case on record in
Wisconsin Of lightning doing any damage in
December.
The baby leopard which has been the
JOY, and the pride of the keepers at the Phila-
deIphiaZoo Garden since its entry into the
world about six weeks ago was missing from its
cage Wednesday morning, and could be found
nowhere. Its mother presented an unusually
plump appearance. and the keepers were not
long IN ascertaining that she had made meal
OF her offspring during the night.
1t is reported from japan that it is in
contemplation to erect a bronze statue on an
open space Immediately outside Of the imperial
palace in Toxic. and artists were invited to
send in designs. One of the latter represented
the Emperor seated on his favOrite charger the
horse being so placed that its feet should rest
On either side of the entrance bridge. This is
said to have been much admired by the OH.
cials Of the imperial household; but when it
was submitted to the Emperor it was immedi-
al al Nr,,Na
accordance with the principles of hospitality
and politeness that foreign princes and person
ages OF distinction who came to visit him
should have to pass under the feet Of a horse
bestridden by him.
"A new substitute for coffee may turn up
in berry known as 'gaertnera.p The British
Consul at Reunion says that at one time he
received many letters from merchants in En-
gland asking for information respecting
shrub then called ''mussaenda," the discovery
Of which, it had been said in some commercial
journals, would deal a severe blow to the coffee
and chicory trade About Two years ago a
rumor was spread that the berry Of this shrub
could be advantageously employed as a substi-
tute for coffee and chicory. II grows to about
ten feet high, has very few leaves, and its
branches are wide apart The berries do not
grow all along the branches, as is the case with
coffee, but in punches at their extremities At
present it Is only met with in the mountains
where it grows wild. It might be produced on
an extensive scale; but with its inferioriTy in
fragrance ard color. 1T could hardly compete
with coffee.
Several thousand gypsies Of Croatia re-
Gently held an open-air indignation meeting
at Odra to protest against the measures to put
a stop to their Wanderings, the authorities
having even threatened, If necessary, to set fire
to their encampments The orators warmly
defended the time-nonorsd privileges of the
race especially the free vagabond life Inherited
from their forefathers from time immemorial.
The meeting was unanimous as to the neces-
sity of appealing to some protector to intercede
for them. the majority looked to the Ban Of
Croatia, Count Kheun-H Hedervary, but there
was strong minority in favor of applying to
the Archduke Joseph the King of the Hun
garian gypsies. while few of the more radical
orators recommended emigration en- masse
from Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina. This
suggestion was rejected on a show of hands,
Yhereupon a free fight ensued between the
Banites and Josephites, and there was no de-
cision.
The following story Of monkeys hero
ism is told by an Indian paper: "a large
ourang outang was very much attached to his
master and to the baby boy, who was the pet of
the whole family. One day fire suddenly
broke out in the house, and everybody was run
ming here and there to put it out, while the
little boy IN bis nursery was almost forgotten
and when they thought OF him the staircase was
all in flames. What could be dOne7 As they
were looking up and wondering. large hairy
hand and arm opened the window. and pres
emily the monkey appeared with the baby in
his arms, and carefully climbed down over the
porch, and brought the child safely to his
nurse. Nobody else could have done it. for
man cannot climb like monkey. and is not
nearly so strong. You may imagine how the
that. This is a true story and the child who
was saved was the young Marquis Of Kildare"
Not long ago an Atlanta young lady
was about to be married-she is married now.
The following story has leaked out by mer.
chants comparing notes from time to time:
About two weeks before the time the wedding
was to take place this young lady visited the
various stores in the city. At each Of the jew
elry stores she called the proprietor aside and
told him of her approaching marriage, and
then said: Now it is very probable that some
of my friends may come in here and select me
a present. It's hOrrid to get something you
don't like. so want you to look OUT for me
aud if you can satisfy yourself that a present
"a to be purchased for me induce the purchaser
10 buy something will now select" The pro-
prietor could see nothing wrong in granting
such request, and the young lady selected
number Of pieces of jewelry which suited her
taste. They were marked and the clerks noti-
led. This was repeated at the crockery, music
and book stores. From all that can be learned
the scheme worked we'll and on her wedding
night the happy bride had but few presents
With which she was not pleased.
PARAGRAPHIC PI,EAsANTRY