Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-01-18
p0PIL.4R SCIENCE.

An envelope has been invented which
is tinted in such manner as to turn
black. blue, and red if an attempt Is
made to open it by wetting or exposing
to steam. Damp weather does not az
feet it.
DIR. JAsrRow, of the University OF
Wisconsin. proves that the eer is the
dominant orssn of the mind in some
persons and tie eye in others. People
are. therefore, either ear-minded or
eye-minded.
PANS of water placed in fruit and
berry patches will keep birds from eat
ing tho fruit. An English naturalist
claims that the reason birds eat cherries
and strawberries is because in the blaz-
ing heat they get dreadfully thirsty. 1t
the birds can easily get water they soon
leave off taking the fruit.
Ir, says DIR. Troitski, the average
temperature Of non-smokers were pre-
sented by 1000, that of moderate
smokers would be 1908, and while the
heart in the former case was making
l 900 pulsations, in the latter it would
beat 1850 times. It is to the latter
effect, he thinks, that the danger of to-
bacco smoking is due.
The Swedish and Norwegian Railroad,
now in process of construction from
Lulea, on the Gulf Of Bothnia, to LOT
foden, on the North Sea, is partly stu
ated in the Artic Circle, and is some
l 200 miles farther North than any rail-
road in Canada. An interesting mete-
geological fact stated in connection with
this work is that the snowfall is found
to be actually less than in some more
Southern ATTITUDES, while the darkness
of the long winter nights has been partly
compensated by the lights of the aurora
borealis.
The North China Herald says the
Chinaman is peculiarly distinguished
from the European by his absolute
nervelessness. The Chinaman, it says,
can write all day, work all day, stand
in one position all day, weave, beat
gold, carve ivory, do infinitely tedious
jobs for ever and ever, and discover no
more signs of WEAKNESS and irritation
than if he were machine. This quality
appears early in life. There are no
restless, naughty boys in China. They
are all appallingly good, and will plod
away in school without recess or rec
reation Of any kind.
Qu1cKsAND is composed chiefly Of
small particles of mica mixed largely
with water. The mica is so smooth that
the fragments slip upon each other with
the greatest facility, so that any heavy
body which displaces them will sink
and continue to sink until solid bot
tom is reached. When particles OF
sand are jagged and angular, any weight
pressing on them will crowd them to-
gether until they are compacted into q
solid mass. A sand composed of mica
or soapstone when sufficiently mixed
with water seems incapable of such con-
solidation.
The power of windmill has been
successfully applied to the generation
of electricity for domestic purposes by
Prof, Blyth Of the Glasgow Philosophical
Society. The windmill was of the old
fashioned kind, with four arms, eacl
thirteen feet long. The dynamo was
belted directly to the tiywheel Of the
mill, and charged twelve cells Of storage
battery. The current was used both
for light and for driving turning-lathe
Ten eight-candle power incandescent
lamps were supplied, with current tc
spare; and good breeze for half day
stored electricity enough for the Light
required on four evenings of three o,
four hours each.
AS ILLUSTRATING the power of the
electric arc with suitable optical treat
ment, the fact is stated that the direct
beams Of the Tino light, near Spezia
have been observed from the hill S.
Glorgio, behind Savona, at an elevation
of more than 300 feet and distance
of seventy-three statue miles, the atmos.
phere being clear and under moonlight
The beams of the arc were notably
brighter than those of the lantern hight
at Genoe, at one-third of the distance
Frequent observations are reported o.
the Macquarie light in New South
Wales, at ranges of sixty to sevent,
nautical miles, by means of reflections
on the sky while the Light itself is below
the horizon.
A FOOLISH BUSINESS.
She had told him that she could be &