Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-09
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

Rufus Thompson, of West Swanzey' NJ
| H., the father of the actor, Denman thompson
was married few days ago to Mrs. 5aran a
| Walker, Of Westminster West w NJ is
eight years his junior.
The French professor of chemistry, De
Milleheurs recently exhibited before meet
| ing Of Partisan scientists several bricks OF
petroleum which he has discovered how TO
| solidify by an original process. The petroleum
bricks were hard enough - be handled wltnons
a stout knife. They burn slowly when touched
/ with lighted match. Milleheurs says they are
non-explosiVe and inexpensive.
/ This account of = Mississippi ball ap-
| pears IN a Memphis paper: ''The ball given By
the young men of Benoit was universally
scored success by all in attendance. The
| heavenly spheres shone forth in their tran
seendent beauty on tins Thursday night, seem,
ing IN perfect harmony with the brilliancy OF
the event, and through mud and mire from
Greenvjlle to Rosedale the creme de Ia creme
Of the Mississippi Delta came to participate in
the terpsichorean fete.
Charles Clark, a trader in Blackington,
Mass, has big brown horse that he drives In
his delivery wagon. In his barnyard Clark has
a hydrant for supplying water for use about
the barn and outbuildings Some days ago
there was some delay in giving the big brown
horse his usual drink The horse walked out
OF the barn, and, going to the hydrant turned
the cock with his teeth. let the trough run full
OF water, and then turned the cock OF the same
way he turned 1t on. Then he drank his I'LL
and returned 70 his place in the barn. Since
then he has performed the same act every day,
and seems to enjoy it.
A Washington dentist recently adVer-
tised that he would give 500 for perfect front
tooth Of healthy young white man. The doc
go OA11 49, -
catch, but that he would pay 500 for front
tooth that would answer his purpose, and that
is to replace one which he wishes to extract.
This is frequently done, the doctor says, but Is
as 200 applicants who wish to dispose of tooth
will be examined before the exact kind will be
found, and when the right one is selected it is
extracted and planted in the jaw of the other
party at the same operation.
"A strange case of suspended animation
occurred at the village of Knoxville Frederick
county, Md. Samuel CARRIER. an aged resident
of that place, was stricken with appoplexy few
days ago. but recovered. Thursday he suffered
second stroke and was finally pronounced
dead. His relatives were notified OF his demise,
and an undertaken was sent to prepare the body
for burial. 1t was laid on a cooling board and
the arrangements for the funeral were pro-
ceeded with. Friday morning the supposed
corpse suddenly showed signs of returning life,
and while still on the board Mr.. CARRIER recoV-
was reported to be improved
"A triangular bit of land Just outside
the borough limits of stonington, Conn.,, is an
old family burying ground. The yard shows
neglect, bushes are growing therein, while the
walls in many places have fallen down, and the
entire surroundings indicate that the dead
quietly reposing there have been long since for
gotten. One marble monument there has an
inscription that shows that the dead deserved
better fate than oblivion. 1t reads: when
Rhode Island, by her legislation from 1874 to
1850. repudiated her Revolutionary debt DIR.
Richmond removed from that State TO this
borough and selected this as his family burial
plot, unwilling that the remains of himself and
family should be disgraced by being part of the
common earth of repudiated State"
"A Sandersville (Ga.) paper tells this
story: A few days ago gentleman was driving
in the vicinity of Longs bridge He firmly
held the lines over splendid mare while the
mares colt contentedly trotted along behind.
When Buffalo creek was reached, repairs being
made on the bridge, the gentleman found that
he would have to drive through the channel
which was unusually deep, almost swimming,
and would swim the colt. The mare was
driven in, and the colt not desiring test of his
swimming qualities, reared up on his tender
hind legs, gently placed his fore ones on the
box of the vehicle back of the buggy seat, and
was safely drawn across the muddy stream.
When the opposite bank was reached he
gracefully bounded of with whinny of salts
faction,
Numerous items have recently appeared
in the press concerning the pearls of the Sugar
River, Wisconsin, which have not all been
without foundation, since some parcels have
been sent TO New York which were worth from
a few dollars to over s., 600 a parcel To many
who have read these accounts it may be inter-
esting to know that in the last 20 years, more
than sIUOO 600 worth of pearls have been found
in the United States in that family Of mollusks
known as ''unios" or fresh water mussels the
same that abounded at one time in the rivers
of Scotland. 1t was from pearls found in this
kind of shells that the name of "SeOteh River
Pearls" was taken. 1t was the fame OF these
which the historian Suetonius says induced
Cesar TO send his armies to Great Britain, and
it was with the pearls which they secured that
he had a buckler made which he presented to
the temple Of Venus Genetrix.
There is q hollow old oak tree on
the town and county line between Lebanon
and Columbia, Conn.,, that for several years
distilled instead of sap, a very fair brand Of
oak-tanned bluegrass" whisky New England
rum, and occasionally, in drouthy weather,
domestic ales and beer. During all that time
the officers of the law had remarked phenom-
email overflow of spirits on the part of the staid
and pious old farmers of Lebanon who vote
for prohibition, and they readily understood
that somebody had cache of balm somewhere
within the towns limit but every raid they
made on the premises OF suspected persons was
unfruitful 1t was not until few weeks ago
that the secret of the hidden rum was laid bare
by a deacon in the church, who accidentally
stumbled on the bank of exchange and deposit
in the silent and faithful old oak. As he was
man untroubled with no-license thirst, he gave
the whole thing away. Piece by piece the news
transpired that the old oaken bank had been
in the hands of a dexterOus and thrifty receiY-
er a Lebanon man, who twice a week filed the
oaks till with rum. gin, whisky or beer from
Norwich, and nightly stockholder or two came
stealthily with Jug or milk can, or tin pail and
drew on the funds. In payment for the priVi-
Iege he left collateral security by the side Of
CONS fortuitous trip to the tree, the old oak
bank has gone into Involuntary liquidation.