Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-22
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.


"A fine green turtle Of 800 pounds weight
was caught at Avalon, Catalina Island, on the
Pacific coast. last week.
"A rec1use, near London, has TOR years
kept his coffin under his bed. He also has his
tombstone, duly inscribed. on hard
"A liquor officer in searching house In
Boston found behind large picture an open
lager beer.
Fayetteville. N. c., is preparing to
celebrate the centennial Of North Carelina's
ratification Of the Federal Constitution, which
took place there on November q, I7s0
A single sheet of paper feet wide and
II miles in length has been made at the Water
town, N. Y, Paper Works. It weighed 22U
pounds and was made and rolled entire with
out single break.
The proudest boast among Cuban women
is the dainty smallness Of their feet They re-
quire nothing larger in the way Of footgear than
the No. ! size for American women. This Pc
culiar endowment Is perfectly natural; no pinch
ing or pressure Of any kind Is used
The grand jury for Wayne county, in
session at Detroit. to investigate the charges Of
boodleIsm, called Alderman Utes before them
TO testify. They asked him what be knew
are charges of erookedness. and the Alderman
promptly tainted away and was resuscitated
only after half an hours work.
AT Westerly the other day Mrs. Frances
Frazier Saunders, Of that Rhode Island town,
was welded to Mr.. Theodore W. CrandaH, Of
West Woodstock, Conn. The bride il 70 years
old. the groom IL The Rsy. o. N Whitford
the couple on their hale and youthful appear
ance. The courtship had been brisk and bust
ness-like. They met for the hrst time at Nj
antic, K L, just one week before the we'd
The principal event at the Central
Minnesota Fair. at 81. Cloud, Thursday. was the
marriage Of Miss Nellie Hughes Of Chicago
and Harry B. Babeock, son Of . wealthy farmer
residing at Elk River. The couple had never
met until the preceding evening although they
had been corresponding for several months
Babcock proposed marriage, was promptly ac-
hance. for the FIRST time. They arrived in the
morning at St Cloud and were escorted 70
Floral Hall by several hundred people. After
Iss 9srsq9an Shio1 A. was a Tro Sy the
ceiYed the congratulations Of the multitude
and a wagon load of presents, ranging from
coop Of chickens to $50 the latter the gift Of the
lair association.
-Ermine was for centuries the royal fur
Of England, and q law Of Edward III expressly
prohibited any one, save members Of the royal
family, from wearing II Then royalty sur
rendered its exclusive use, but the varying ar-
rangements Of the black tails were still minute
ly prescribed. The sovereign and the royal
family are alone entitled to wear ermine trim
mings to their robes Of State. in which the fur
OF q spot to about every square inch Of the
trimming. Peeresses wear caps Of ermine In
the number Of rows denoting the degrees in
rank. Peers have their scarlet robes trimmed
In pure white ermine without any spots; but
the rank 10 signihed BY the number Of rows or
trimmed with unspotted ermine, known In her
aldry vocabulary as miniver.
"A farmer, while cow hunting near
Sampson Lake. Fla. saw . big flock Of buzzarda,
among which. judging from the birds strange
behavior, something of interest must be going
on. The buzzards were gathered around .
large dead alligator, and one Of them had goe
his loot fastened in the carcass in some way
and was unable to free himself. Finally his
comrade bit the captive's foot on, which caused
its owner to scream piteously. but released him.
Upon examination the farmer found that the
stomach of the carcass contained a huge alli-
gator turtle which had been swallowed while
the sanrian was alive: A hole just big enough
for the turtles head had been made in the ga
tors hide by the birds, by which the turtle had
been able to capture its unsuspecting victim.
Although crushed out Of all shape By the ga
pugnacity peetliar to its kind.
AT the home of q leading citizen Of
Rome, Ga, there was an unusual occurrence
last week. While the family were sitting
around in one of the rooms, in couvsrsation
with some visiting neighbors, very large bird
dashed into the door and sailed around the
ROOM 1t was supposed by all present to be .
very large hawk, except one superstitious LADY
% who Is al 1.-The the =, time imagining that she sees
was the spirit Of a relative who died some time
since, and was SO frightened as to grab her
child and fee from the house. Presently
there came man along and saw the fright
ened ladies'. He went into the house to see the
cause, and at once saw the large bird flying
around the room. He seized some article and
began striking at the supposed ghost. and in
few minutes the mysterious bird was dead on
the floor. On examination it was found to be
large jack hawk, measuring 36 inches from
tip to tip.
The presents brought by the Shoan AM
bassadors to King Numbers Of Italy were
worthy of Ethiopia's most gorgeous reputation.
The Shoan leader, Digiae Makonen, presented
them to the King. with an autograph letter
from King Menilik- They were: A massive
gold crown and royal mantle Of red brocade
embroidered with gold and lined with leopard
skin; magnificent large Greek croes Of solid
gold; silver drum as big as a large barrel
called in Shoa . nagarit, and used in time of
war to call the soldiers together, two shields
covered with leather and silver hligree work;
an entire Shoan warrior costume. with saddle
and trappings for a horse; another crown in
silver; collection of costumes both for men
and women, some Of them marvels Of embroid-
cry and lace; quantity of swords lanees and
guns, besides a large number of cups made out
OF buffalo horn, and ten OK horns filed with
powerful musk; large case filed with gold In
bars; sort Of warriors armor in silver. all set
with precious stones. mostly diamonds, q thick
gold chain for the Queen, and 81 slephants'
tusks, each OF them measuring two meters in
length; an elephant, horses and mules, together
with some other cases filed with gold. The
elephant who Ii only months old, showed
that he was escorted to the Quirinal by strong
body of police.