The national leader., 1889-03-02
NEWS IN BRIEF.


Many California vineyardists in
tend this season to dry their grapes.
instead Of selling them at low rates to
wine makers.
"A line OF cable cars passing
through La Sale street tunnel, in
Chicago, Is to be lighted by incandes-
cent lamps as the cars enter the tunnel.
the current being thrown out as day
light is again reached.
The greatest depths of the ocean
Of which soundings have been taken
Is of the coast Of Japan. The water at
that point is five miles deep, and on the
bottom, even at that enormous depth.
traces of animal life have been found.
There has been begun In Paris a
campaign against trained nurses, and
return to the old system OF nursing
By Sisters Of Charity has been strongly
advocated. 1t is alleged that the NOR
tality in hospitals IS per cent. higher
since the introduction of trained
nurses.
We are not likely to run short Of
salt in this country for some time to
come. A solid body of rock salt has
lust been struck in the Onondaga
Valley which proves to be forty
i've feet thick. 1he deposit lies at
depth of 1910 feet, underneath strata
Of shales and limestone.
Mark Twain is said by one who
knows him well to be the most miser.
able OF men. He is possessed of 8 wild,
mad fear that ill-luck is bound to over
koHx Of hio for.
tune. 1t is said that he shed tears OF
despair when an old fourteen dollar
cow died short time ago.
The Boston Budget says that
physician, In a recent lecture, de-
clared that if only twenty minutes a
day should be spent In physical exer-
else, as an adjunct to mental education.
we might live to be 70 years Of age
without days illness. That physician
doubtless forgot the cucumber and ice
cream periods.
-Pauldo White is the name of q
colored man of Norfolk with face
almost as fair as white WOman'S.
White says at one time he was per-
fectly black, but while at work In a
potato patch one day became sunstroke,
and Immediately began to turn white.
Year by year his skin has been getting
fairer.
When man by the name Of Samuel
Bowlby died in Southwold, Ont, in
May, 1857, his beard was about four
inches long, and the hair upon his
head was the usual length worn during
life. When the coffin was taken up
E.
that the beard had grown to the
length OF eighteen inches.
Marvellous stories are related by
the few Indians who have penetrated
far into the interior of Labrador res
pecting a cataract beneath whose ter
rife leap Niagara pales into lnsignif-
cance. But one white man has ever
seen these falls. Maclean, who visited
them years ago, estimates their height
at 1000 feet.
The Astor Library. New York,
! founded by John Jacob AstOr, who
beuueathed S400, 600 for that purpose,
was opened January 8, 1854. In Janu-
ary. 1856, William Is. As.or, son Of
the founder, gave the land to double
the size of the building, and In 1879
John Jacob Astor, the second of the
! name, gave tue land and directed the
erection of second new building. The
cost of the additional building AID i'm
provements was about $250,00U.
-Alphonso XIII, King of Spain, is
described as an exceedingly handsome
little fellow, with blonde hair which
falls in beautiful curls upon his shoul-
ders. He is all gayety, light hearted
ness and smiles. His little Majesty
gives no thought to his exalted position
or his future destinies. he reigns, but
does not govern, leaving to his mother
the care of signing every day great
bundles of DEGREES and appointments.
Miss Grace King, the author, Is
described as very modest and retiring
lady and decidedly averse to display Of
any kind. She labors necessarily, and
once told a Southern writer that writ
ing came very hard with her, and was
attended with much honest labor.
Recently she confessed that it wasn't
any easier now than it had ever been.
| This willingness to work hard and per-
s;stently is undoubtedly the secret OF
her literary success.
Mrs. United States President. elect
Harrison is a woman OF taste as is Mrs.
ex.President Grover Cleveland. Both
the ladies are fond of literature, and
Mrs. Harrison is leading me nber of
the Katharine Merrill Literary Club of
Indianapolis. Washington, indeed,
seems to exhale literary atmosphere.
Since going thither the Misses Chief
Justice Fuller are said to have devel-
oped surprising tastes for reading, and
together with Miss Secretary of War
Endicott and Mrs. Secretary of Treas.
ury Falrchild spend hours in the study
of Browning. Goethe and Ella Wheeler
Wilcox.
! Professor Kirchhoff of Halle esti.
mates that the language N st spoken
on the globe, for at least 1 01O years. is
the Chinese. for it is undou telly tue
only one used by over 400 900 ,OtW peo-
pie. The next language most III use is
H1ndustani. spoken Dy more than
1OO. .OO0. 900. English follows closely
with about 100. 600. 900, .hen r lssia /
lover ~. 600. .000) German (over 81 .OOO,-
0U0), and Spanish lover Al ,0OO ,U0Jl. At
the present rate of progress 1t is prob
able that English will in mo- long time
occupy the second ipstead OF the third