Omaha daily bee., 1889-07-01

reports Of the city of Dover, says the
Liverpool Courier:
On December IA, 1910, a pig was bur-
led In its sty through the fall OF part OF
the cliff under Dover castle. The sky
consisted Of cave in the rock about
six feet square and boarded in the front,
and when the accident happened the
pig was in good condition, weighing
about one hundred and sixty-five
pounds. Five months afterward, on
May 23. 1911, some workmeu who were
engaged in clearing away the debris of
the fallen cliff mentioned to DR.. Man
tell II well-known geologist of the day
and fellow Of the Linnaan society,
that they were sure they heard the pig
whining.
He thought the statement incredible,
but ordered them to clear away the
chalk as fast as they could, and sure
enough, when they got to the sty. the
pig was there, weak and emaciated,
fallen to only fourth OF his former
weight, but alive. In 100 days he had
been strictly self-supporting, living on
the stores OF fat he had laid up in more
ever, evidences of his sufferings in the
wood that shut in the sty, being niboled
away in places, while he had licked the
sides Of the cave smooth in his attempt
to obtain the moisture exuding from
the rock.
John Thompson. of Kentucky, one of
the Harrodsburg twins, told me another
story yesterday about the mixing up of
his identity with that of his brother
Phil, says II writer in the New York
Graphic. He told me he was sitting in
the BARRIERS chair, just off the house of
representatives one day, when Con-
gresham Murphy of Iowa, came along
and stood beside him. "Phil," said he,
Il want you to tell me how the bill is
getting ou?" "Of course ] knew he
meant Phil's whisky BILL said John,
land | told him it was getting on pretty
well, but wished he would drive up a
few votes for it," knew he carried
few hayseed members about with him,
and | supposed he could swing them
II will do what can for you, but you
know it will be worth something.
There's my Hennepin canal bill. 1t
needs let of boosting. So if you
scratch my back I'll scratch yours" II
told him, of course, that that would be
all right. He went away happy, and
when Phil's bill came up Murphy's
friends were all on the right side, but
when Murphy's bill came along. even
Phil himself voted against it, for he
never knew word about the deal,"
said John, 81 forgot to tell him any
thing about it,"
The ancient Japanese custom of harI-
kari, or happy dispatch, has received
its death-blow. For centuries it has
been usual for any exalted Japanese dig
nitary who may have mortally offended
his sovereign to receive n polite official
intimation to the effect that his suicide
will be pleasing to the authorities, and
until recently it has been the unvary-
ing practice for the offender to acqui-
esce resignedly, and, after summoning
his relatives around him, to formally
disembowel himself in their presence.
If the culprit happened to he Of eXcep-
tionally high rank the sovereign would,
as Il mark of honor, send him q jeweled
sword with which to operate upon him
self. But all these things are now of
the past. Not long ago the mikado
was grievously hurt by the words
and conduct of II high court Off
cial. The man was an old and
very valued servant of the crown; but
his crime was objectionable. Next day,
therefore, an officer brought him the
fatal sword, Il magnificent weapon, with
blade inlaid with gold and handle
incrusted with diamonds, together with
n sympathetic intimation that his early
death would be regarded as a benefit to
the empire in general and to the mikado
in particular. The culprit received the
sword with all proper respect, but as
soon as the emissary had departed the
willy Japanese-in whose mind Euro
pean habits of thought have evidently
taken a firm root-wallked down to the
quay, went on board n small steamer
that was bound for Havre, and upon
reaching Paris lncontinently sold his
sword of honor for 10000
A sturgeon measuring over five feet
in length and weighing 2S3 pounds was
on exhibition yesterday at a store in
Washington avenue, Newark, N. j.,
SAYS the New York Star
The big fish was captured yesterday
on the Passaic river, at Belleville, by
William Gerow, Andrew Seigler and
William Hudson, all of Belleville. They
were out in boat fishing when they
noticed an unusual commOtion in the
water some distance below the bridge.
On rowing nearer they discovered the
ST. rgcon, and after an exciting chase
managed TO harpoon and capture the
monster.
When Gerow drove tho harpoon, the
line. of which was fastened to the boat
into the surgeons back, the big fish
started to swim away at a rapid rate,
carrying the boat with it. The three
men were lying in the bottom
of the boat, and the latter, GO
ing up the river propelled apparently
by no visible means, attracted the at
tention of Andrew Scharfensbery, who
was out on the river in his boat. While
Scharfensberg was waiting for the Curl
Gus boat to approach, tho latter collided
with his boat and upset. Scharfens-
berg's boat was overturned, and when
the four men came to the surface they
seized the boat to which the sturgeon
was attached, when the big fish contin-
ued ON its course, dragging the over
turned boat and the four men with it.
The boat was finally righted and the
sturgeon, becoming exhausted from
loss of blood, was easily captured and
dragged ashore.