Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-30
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS

"A woman SO years OF age, living IN
Breese Ill, is accused by her neighbors OF pc
ing a witch. and is said that strange noises
emannate from her house at night.
Two companies have been formed at
Kansas City for the purpose of reclaiming 0OO
acres OF submerged ands in the Missouri river,
near that city. The value of the lands wnen re-
claimed is estimated at So 50O,O0O.
AN ingenious Chicagoan has patented
a handsome device that will shortly be in oper-
alton. BY dropping quarter in the slo. and
then pulling string the donor of the money
gets finished picture taken by fash hght,
dropped into the tray below.
Two swindlers played very shrewd
trick on the merchants of Somerset, Ky. They
bought up all the ginseng they could find. took
it to town and sold it at the nominal price of 81
per pound. Upon investigation it was found
the ginseng had been bought while green. split
and groove made in the root, which was f1lied
with lead. Even iron tacks were found stuck
into the ends Of the roots.
Bert Pusey, of Clifton Mills, Delaware
county, is somewhat alarmed over the sudden
reduction of his avoirdupois. He has just re-
covered from slight illness. lasting less than
week, and one symptom OF which was a con-
slant desire to sleep. Upon his recovery he
found that he had lost IL pounds of flesh. He
was very stout before his strange experience,
which has made great transformation in his
appearance.
"A tabby cat belonging to the family OF
David b. Paul, Wallingford, Pa, is reported to
have committed suicide while grieviDg over
the loss of her family of I've kittens that had
been drowned in order to keep down the cat
population. When the old cat missed her off,
spring sne went tearing over the house, show
ing her great distress by loud mewing. Failing
to hnd the kittens after a long search she went
up to the third story and deliberately jumped
out on the porch roof below. When picked up
old tabby was dead, her neck being broken in
the fall.
The great organ at the Catholic Cathe-
dral in Louisville was out of tune for several
days. The organist, Prof. Joe Chase, searched
for the cause. but could not discover it. Then
Mr.. Pitcher. the organ builder. was called in to
see what was the matter. After short ex-
animation he found the metallic I'D" pipe out
of order. He had the pipe, which is ten feet in
height, removed, and found that a sparrow
lodged in the middle of Il. The sparrow was
is now in good order. 1t is NOT known how the
bird could have got into the pipe.
-Ceylon cats are a curious instance Of
what evolution has accomplished in the way of
adapting creatures to environments. They
have no tails, and are able, by lack of that ap-
pendage, to initiate rabbits, and so get them
into their c utches. They are great rabbit,
catchers. and as such are valuable beyond all
other cats in Australia. They have been intro
duced into this country but whether for their
hunting propensities OF not is not stated. The
cat family has never been utilized by man as it
might be. Rat and mice catchers can also be
developed into good hunters in many other di-
rections.
MIR. W. s. Wells, of Wilkesbarre, Pa,
is the possessor of beautiful black and white
cocker spaniel, which for intelligence perhaps
is not surpassed by any dog in the State. Every
morning, as soon as BOSS" hears his master
stirring, he brings his slippers, after which he
scampers to the front porch for the morning
paper, always being careful to close the door
after him. "Boss' never thinks of retiring ior
the night without first saying his prayers He
places his front feet upon a chair, bows his
head reverently. closes his eyes and nothing
but Amen" pronounced by his master will
induce him to cease his devotions.
For several years boatmen and others
along the Susquehanna river. between the vii
lagos of Susquehanna and Red Rock. have been
interested, not to say disturbed. by a creature
in the water at the latter point. The strange
animal always made its appearance at night,
and an unearthly. weird noise accompanied by
heavy splashing often awakened people from
their slumbers. Early after sundown dark
object has frequently been seen moving slowly
across the river and boat after boat had been
upset by 1t. 1t was killed recently and proved
to be big alligator. It is supposed to have es-
capped from its owner years ago. The creature
weighed over 500 pounds. and it took half the
population of the neighborhood to kill it.
DIR. H. NJ. Beck, of Green Bay, Wis,
has two pets. an eagle and beagle hound, who
Are fast friends. The eagle is weeks old and
seems to thoroughly enjoy the companionship
of Its four-footed playmate. The hound will
take the eagles tail feathers in his mouth, then
seize the bird by the breast. being careful in
each instance not to harm 1t. Then 1t will frisk
about and try to induce the bird to engage In a
frolic. All this time the eagle seems to enjoy
the fun exceedingly. But once let little black
and-tan, also owned by the doctor, come within
f1,o Anff and ifa Ia
| once up in arms. He assumes a John L. Sulli-
van attitude, and would unquestionably make
| short work with the little canine If 1t came
| within reach of his powerful talons.
Timothy Nolan, an Ulster and Dela-
ware Railroad fagman, says that two dogs, one
large, the other small-the latter was owned by
Isaac Gorta-were swimming in Browns pond.
| They came together and began fighting Soon
| the little canine began to weaken. when Its an
tagonist grabbed it back of the ears and held it
| under the water until il was drowned. The
| victor swan ashore and shook ITSELF Among
| the witnesses of the conflict were children Of
| Mr. Gorta, who began crying at the loss of their
| net and they implored someone to "br1ng back
| their doggy to them. The dog on the bank
| seemed to understand. 1t dived into the water
| and when it appeared at the surface it had in
its mouth the dead body of its victim. which it
| brought to where the children stood, laid 1t at
their feet and then ran away.
NJ Chicago man Is at work on a new
railroad car which will not burn or telescope.
| 1t is all iron and steel. The roof, sides, and
ends of the car are made of steel boiler plates
riveted together, and is nothing more or less
| than big boiler. 1t is not quite round, how
| ever, being somewhat the shape of a horseshoe
| the round part being the top. In the bottom,
it is said several steel girders packed In ce-
| ment much the same as in the Pullman cars.
| Along the sides is an array OF windows precise
| ly similar to those of an ordinary passenger
| coach. The top of the car Is destitute of the
! heavy roof and ventiating arrangement that is
| seen on ordinary cars. 1t is said that ventila-
| tion is to be secured by pumping air into the
| car through pipes. These pipes In winter will
| furnish warm air. There is also a system Of
| yeutilators around the windows.