Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-08-08

was going to fake place reverently. He
was sorry they had to observe the GUS
tom in n place sancitified to the service
of God: but it had been observed for 2C0
years. Then the proceedings began. A
table covered with white cloth was
brought forward, and the boys and girls
came up as their names were called and
threw the dice, which were provided by
the church. Each had three throws, the
highest numbers winning the Bibles.
The ceremony closed with a hymn and
the benediction.
The little village of st. Helena, on
the Nebraska side of the Missouri, ten
miles below Yanktown, Dakota, is in a
state of excitement over ghasty dis
covery made there. Parties who were
prospecting in the chalk cliffs of that
neighborhood 70. material for manufac-
turers of cement, came upon small
opening in the Missouri River face of
the rock. 1t was found to be large
apal ltment carved by nature III the soft,
chalky substance, but the startling fea-
ture of the incident was the discovery
within this cave of eight human ske.e-
tons. These were lying about the cav
ern in such disorder as to discredit the
theory that the cave might be an ancient
burial place. The age of the bones can
not be determined, but they have un-
doubtedly been there long time. The
belief prevails that these are the skele-
tons of early settlers who sought the
shelter of the cave when attacked by
Indians years ago, and that they were
either killed in body or starved to
death.
The Singapore Gndia) Free Press
asks: How is this for an alligator
storyl About two months ago Mr..
Hare, chief engineer of the steamer
McAlister, was presented with in Sour
abaya with two alligator eggs. Not
knowing exactly what to do with them
ut the time he put them in an old tin
tobacco-box under the seat of the sofa
in his cabin. While the ship was at
New Harbor dock, he had look at them
and found them all right, and he then
made up his mind to give them away.
To carry out his benevolent purpose he
went into his cabin one morning, ac-
comranied by the intended recipient
of the curios, and to their surprise they
found two remarkably healthy young
specimens of the alligator tribe running
about ON the floor as lively as crickcts.
After considerable trouble and some
snarling and biting they were picked up
and placed in one of the bathrooms.
A SAN FRANCISCO newspaper offered
5000 to the one who would correctly
guess the number of types in jar ex-
hibited in the exposition there. Two
men were successful, naming the correct
number, "a, 200. How they came to hit
on that number is interesting. One of
them once guessed the number of shot
in jar about the same size as the ono
containing the type. There were $4,000.
He thought there were one-third as
many tpye as shot, and so divided 95,-
600 by three, and he said, "added lit
tie to make it even." The other man
saw n crowd around the jar, and felt in
his pocket for pencil with which to
write number. He couldn't find one,
and moved on; but afterward, feeling
strongly impelled to make guess, felt
again for pencil, and found an old lot
terry ticket, on which was the number
"a, 200. He borrowed pencil, put
down the number, and won 800.
CHIEF CLERK BAKER, of the Superin-
tendent of Prisons Office at Albany, N.
Y, recently exhibited unique tobacco
box. 1t was made of sheet copper and
! tin by convict in Sing Sing, tho oXe-
cution of the work being something ex-
traordinary. The box is octagenal in
shape. 1t has the appearance of open
ing through the centre. the bottom being
exposed by pressing on this button, q
sharp needle comes out of its centre.
The opening is on the top of the
box, the hinges being set at two
of the angles, and the cover dips
when it Is opened. The whole thing
is very ingenious.
MILLIONS of sand flies precipitated
themselves upon Dubuque, Iowa, on q
recent evening. So vast was their num-
Der that people were compelled to aban-
don the streets, and men at work in the
morning newspaper and telegraph of
fees were compelled to close doors and
windows to escape the torment. "Along
the levee," it is stated, ''the buildings
were covered so thickly with them that
nothing could be seen but n writhing
mass of insect life The stencil from
their bodies was unbearable, and the
health authorities had several wagons
employed removing the offensive mass. u
A RECENT close inspection of the
comet discovered by Mr.. Barnard, OF
Lick Observatory, in September last,
shows that its body is evidently becom-
ing disintegrated and the fragments are
to be seen streaming behind the comet
in the form of tail, directed not from,
but toward, the sun. The comet, which
is 165, 900, 900 miles from the earth, is
still fairly bright, and were it not for
the fragments which are seen to follow
it, would seem to be in perfectly normal
condition.
GENERAL BATES, retired English Of
ficer of means, on q tour through Wash
ington Territory few days ago, sal
down to dinner at hotel i'll Seattle.
He was surprised to recognize in the
waiter who took his order his own son,
who ran away from home to scalp In
dians seven years ago.