Wichita eagle., 1889-06-28
STRAY BITS.

| Protestant.
1t is estimated that the United States has q
doctor for every 600 inhabitants.
The dog tax of France gives the state an
annual revenue of about 81, 100000.
In England check reins are now entirely
| out of use, being forbidden by law.
In France the doctors claim on the estate
of deceased patient has precedence over all
others.
In Rome the number of cremations has in
creased from 10 in 1856 and 155 in 1887 to
a02 In 1888.
A statiStician estimates that drink is re-
sponsible for 30 per cent. of all 'ivorces
| He ought to have added suppers and 10 per
cent
The fermented fruit of the peach gives an
excellent brandy. Brandy of this descrip
! ton is chiefly manufactured in the United
/ States.
! Between Is, 900 and 5000 children are lost
In London every year, but nearly IS per cent.
of them are restored to their parents through
the aid of the police.
An offer has been made to the British gov
ernment of EGO, 900 per annum for the priv
ilege of advertising on the backs of postal
cards and postage stamps
Alexander Graham Bell, in Science. calcu-
lates that mother, in talking to her infant,
speaks &c. 900 words day-equal to about
four hours continuous talking
The Beber collection Of coins, which was
recently sold in London, realized a6 $50
a silver crown Q659 fetched $500, having
been purchased by the vender eight years
ago for 9250.
An English cannon foundry was recently
established on the bay at Naples, and now
krupp, of Essen, has decided to follow this
example, and has arranged to start large
foundry at Terni.
Some Swiss engineers are planning an aerial
railway by which they propose to connect
two OF the peaks of Mount Platus with wire
ropes about 1900 feet long. and to send tour
lists from summit to summit in cars sliding
along the wires
One of the French railways is fitting some
of its carriages with movable footboaris
When the train Is in motion the footboaIds
will hang down; as soon as it stops they rise
TO horizontal position
The grandmother Gf the emperor of China
is SO years Ok. h!ind, deaf and cripple, and
the other day her loving grandson presented
her With 500 singing birds, zoo silk dresses,
and 100 musical Instruments
The earliest coinage that can be called
American Yves ordered by the Virginia COM
pany, and was minted in the Bermudas Ii
l6l2. But then, and for long time after
wards, the standard currency of Virginia
was tobacco.
One of the latest developments of the coin
and-slot device is chair, the seat of which
springs up automatically and clamps firmly
70 the back. A coin releases I and the sitter's
weight holds it down It is intended, 81
course, for public places
curious story is going the rounds in Lon
don 10 the effect that on the occasion of the
queens visit TO BiarritZ, she was accompanied
by new courier. Subsequent investigation
has brough to light the fact that this new
courier was woman In disguise.
The helianthus, OF s,nfiower, of which there
are thirty-fve known species, is g native of
America, whence it was first brought TO
Europe in the year 1897. The common garden
vegetable, the Jerusalem artichoke tiehar-
thus tuberususl, Is one Of the same genus
Every plate of steel which goes to make up
the boiler OF steamship has strip cut from
it to be tested In the presence Of 8 represen-
tativeof Lloyd's If the steamer Is to be classed
there. and IN che presence Of a board of trade
surveyor II she is TO have a passenger certi6-
cate
, The endowment fund Of Vasar college l.
to be increased sl00,ooo the present year,
SO. GOO OF the amount having already bean
pledged. The present endowment is not large
and is devoted 90 specific objects, and it Is
proposed 20 use the income Of the new fund
II general educational work
The characteristic color Of the sapphire is
q clear blue, very like 70 that Of the blossom
Of the ht.ie "eorn foxer;" and the more vel-
yeiJ i,s g02ssEance the grsasex Tie SsluezesI