The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-19
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

FREAK in the way of handwriting has just
come under notice in England A little girl of
years writes with her loft hand, and writes
her words backward, as they are reflected in a
mirror from ordinary writing Her friends have
TO read them by means of a looking glass. The
child was taught writing with a sister, but
would do things in her own way, with the result
that she writes huently in this fantastic style
TIE FRENCH ACADEMY gives prize of 1000
francs every year for the best verses upon what
ever subject it may select. This year the
assigned theme was labor. but of the 200 poets
who entered the contest not one considered
labor in any other light than that of pessimism.
They all dwelt upon its pains. its hardships, its
drudgery and its miseries, without once touch
ing upon its benefits, its duties, or its saving
influences.
THE smallest. simplest and best protected
postof1ce in the world is in the Strait of Magel-
Ian, and has been there for many years. 1t con-
sists of a small keg or cask. and is chained to
the rocks of the extreme cape in the straits
opposite Terra del Fuego Each passing ship
sends a boat to take letters out and put others
in. The postoffice is self-acting and unprovided
with postmaster. and Is, therefore. under the
protection OF all the navies of the world.
THERE are ten Gentle churches in Salt Lake
of the leading denominations. The MethodiSts,
the Presbyterians the Baptists and the Congre-
ationalists-through the New West Educa-
the Methodist being boarding school. Ham
mond Hall, the gift Of Charles @. Hammond of
Chicago, is the oldest school Of the New West,
which has beside it two or three ward schools.
These various mission schools seem to be full.
A COMMITTEE OF LADIES at Leipsic has just
unanimously awarded to Herr Leypoldt of
Esslngen prize offered for the best essay by
a bachelor on the reasons why men do not
marry. The successful competitor-one of 147
candtdates-has written whole autobiography,
but he gives in a few words the characteristic
ally Teutonic reason for his preference of the
single state. that marriage is the humiliation
OF the ego," and he is too much of an egoist to
wish to be annihilated.
FROM recently published statistics on the price
of bread in Paris since the commencement Of
the century, it appears that at the present time
the Parisans pay the same price for bread,
within few centimes, that they did eighty
years ago. The present prlce is g centimes
years ago it was 80 confines g pence) The
fact that Parisians get their bread now cheaper
by cents is the more surprising, as the cost OF
manufacture, rent, taxes, labor, lighting and
heating has been almost doubled.
SOME TINE AGO mention was made of Ger
man project to fit out a big steamship as g
floating exhibition palace which should carry
German products into all the principal ports of
the world. exhibiting them as novelties aud
taking orders for their sale. The project has
advanced so far that an enormous steamer
the Kaiser Wilhelm--is being fitted up for this
use. 1t will carry passengers as we'll as the ex
hibited articles, and those who can afford the
time and money required may make the tour
of the world in the novel and apparently agree
able way of passengers on a vessel that in the
nature of things will be the center of interest
in every port visited.
FRANCE now has a sleeping girl" She be-
longs in the department of the Disc, and her
slumber is not that of one in peaceful trance,
but is agitated like that of person under the
influence of a nightmare or the blues" A
dispatch says: For the past nine days she has
been plunged into this somnoency. during
which she sometimes beats herself on the head
and breast and utters unintelhsible exclama-
tions. Bouillon is now and then poured down
her throat when she opens her mouth, and by
this means she is kept alive. The girl, who is
20 years old and a farm servant, has had brief
fits of drowsiness before, but rome of them
lasted so long as the present one"
CHRISTMAS TREES ought to be cheap In New
York this year unless trust is organized to
control the evergreen market In the town of
Orland, Me- at the mouth of the Penobscot, a
Rockland firm has large crew of men EN-
ployed in cutting fir trees, and expects to ship
100000 to the metropolis. The firm pays about
half a cent tree for the privilege of cutting
the frs, and all the expenses, except for freight
ing, are small The trees range from five to
thirty feet in hight, but the greatest demand is
for those measuring from five to eight feet
The bushieSt aud most symmetrical trees bring
the best prices, and these are found in
abundance along the edges of the woods. There
are enough young fir trees along the Penooscot
river to supply the world with Christmas
evergreen for centuries to come.