The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-06

grandmother, and is more than hundred
wears old 1t is small knife with two
blades of evidently fine temper but greatly
worn. Mrs. Pate is about 10 years of age,
and carries the knife with her every day,
and prizes ii, of course, very highly an ac-
count Of its family history, and because OF
irs great age, having been manufactured at
the time when the states Of America were
British colonies.
At Atlanta the principal keeper OF the
penitentary will submit to the attorney
general the question whether, under the spe-
clal statute providing penalty for the
offense Of shooting at another, a sentence
imposing fine with the alternate punish
ment Of one year in the penitentiary Is
legal. The case is furnished by the supe-
rior court OF Butts county, where a negro
convicted of shooting at another was SEN
fenced TO pay fine Of $500 or serve one
year in the penitentiary. The statute per-
mits the court in passing the sentence to
make the offense, so far as the punishment
is concerned, a misdemsanor or felony.
But it must be one or the other, according
to the view Of the principal keeper, and
until he has the opinion Of the attorney
general he will not receive the convict into
the penitentiary.
Bud Harper Of Carroll county tells us Of
a very peculiar circumstance which hap
pened at John Nicholson's, tenant on E.
Creel's place, the other day, Mr.. Nichol-
sons children had put bottle of linseed oil
on the bed and it was turned over The oil
went through the bed clothing and into the
feather bed. Mrs. Nicholson washed the oil
out the best she could and the bed was used
two nights On the third dav she was
away from home, and on coming in she
found there was peculiar scent in the
house like feathers burning. She went to
the bed raised the clothing and on the sheet
she discovered that IL had been scorched.
The bed tick was also scorched and the lady
cut 1t open and tohk out a very large bulk
Of feathers that were on fire. The question
is, did the linseed oil set the feathers on firef
The fire could not get into the bed other
wise.
The chronological school at Atlanta does
not mean to rest content with having the
biggest and longest pendulum on this con-
tinent. 1t will shortly have the biggest and
longest barometer also. The tube for this
monster barometer is now being made at
the Atlanta glass works. 1t will
be about twenty feet long and three
inches in diameter. DIR. Hopkins,
to whose ingenuity and energy
the chronological school is indebted for this
enormous instrument of science has not
yet decided what kind Of fluid he will put
in the big barometer. He wants a fluid
twice as heavy as water. A water
barometer would require column Of water
thirty-four feet high. The doctor will pro-
badly use sulphuric acid. which would re-
quire column Of about twenty feet. The
long tube can hardly be accommodated in
the chronological school, but it will prob
ably be put in the basement, the top Of
the tube being run up through the floor Of
DR.. Hopkins laboratory. 1t will be the
largest barometer, it is supposed, in this
country. In talking about his big pendu-
lum and barometer, DIR. Hopkins said that
he has not been able to find any positive
information concerning the latitude or
altitude of Atlanta. He will take the
exact altitude as soon as his barometer is
put up. The altitude is now thought to be
1000 to 1850 feet above the sea. As to lati-
tude the maps place us anywhere between
So 80 and 49, IS north latitude. DIR. Hop
kins thinks it Is about 33' 40. Dr. Lane is
now perfecting an instrument with which
he expects to determine the exact latitude.
The big barometer will be in place in a
short time.
Rockmart Slate: One of the most amusing
incidents that we have heard of in a long
time occurred at Oreville, about four miles
from this place, few days ago. 1t seems
that a young gent Of rustic address became
very much infatuated with the bewitching
smiles Of a young lady near Oreville. His
being assured that there was a reciprocity
Of his love on the part of his dulcinea, he
decided to terminate the affair by happy
union, though opposed bitterly by the
young lady's parents With this barrier to
the accomplishment of his purpose he
consulted a friend, and was informed
that if he desired to wed the one upon
whom his affections were set, object
ions from the old folks should not prohibit
him from doing a a Lao Qtatad N hi
friend that he was embarrassed financially,
and asked a loan of 81 so to pay for the
license. The friend seeing this to be fine
opportunity for some fun, promised him
that the license should be bought, and more
than that he would steal his sweetheart
away for him at certain time, and thai
their Glowing hearts should beat as one.
Posting several Of the other boys as to
the nature Of the case, they at once joined
with the pretended assistant in carrying
out the joke. The friend told tn. young
lover that he would go to a certain neigh
Dor who was justice of the peace, and gel
the license, and that he would tie the knot
The time was all fired. and the hopeful
youth was shown a piece OF paper In thu
dark, which purported to be the marriage
license, and was instructed to go to &
certain place, where the young lady
would soon be brought and the elopement
made a success In the meantime one o.
the young men, who had been apprised o.
the circumstance, dressed himself up in {
woman's costume, and, escorted by the
friend, was soon waiting for their arrival
With necessary papers" in hand, they
were pronounced man and wife, and th,
happy groom saluted his bride with kiss
After all these preliminaries the gentleman
exulting over his conquest was informed, Il
his amazement, that he had been victim
to practical joke. He has not been hearC
Of recently In that section.