Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-10
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

"A Kennebec salmon weighing 36H
pounds was offered for sale at an Augusta,
Me-, fishmarket the other day.
The number of books belonging to the
late M. Cheyreul. which his heirs have donated
to the Museum of Natural History, is esti-
mated at 5000 to 10000. Nearly every branch
of science is there represented
Captain Witthaus, who so unaecounta-
bly, made away with himself IN New York
few days ago, was not only one Of the founders
of the Thirteen Club Of that city, but he WIS
No. IL on the Sherifs jury, the numoer Oh his
Special Deputy Sherifs badge was 10 ne mad
oeen in military life IL years, and MS "lIe mas
Deen dead almost l3 years.
MIR. and Mrs. Lair, of Kentucky, have
seven sons. Mr. Lair is feet inches tall and
Mrs. Lair is feet inches. The largest son is
feet inches; the smallest is feet inches.
VI the others two are feet 81 inches. TWO are
feet ~ inches, and one 6 feet inches. 1t re-
anires good strong derrick to remove ther
''lares and penates."
james L. Babcock, the man who is to
receive over 100000 Of his late uncle's estate
upon condition that he marries within the next
five years, Is in Savannah, Ga. Every mail still
brings him assorted offers of the hands and
hearts of ardent maids and widows. A Savan-
nah girl offers to marry him. accept a moder'
ate dover, and start off for Paris Immediately
Mr.. Babcock is resolved to win the half million
legacy, but has not yet chosen the lady who
will assist him.
Morgan county boasts of the largest
beech tree in Georgia. 1t is situated on W. ].
Van Wrinkles place, four miles below Madison,
on the right side of the Georgia Railroad and
is plainly visible from the train, but attracts
little attention from travellers from the fact
that, owing to the immense size, persons take
it for granted that it is an entire grove. So
large. In fact, Is the tree that its dimensions
sound almost incredible. 1t is q feet in cir
cumferenee, and at II o'clock in the day it casts
shadow ia feet in diameter.
"A pious old citizen of Carrollton, Ca,
went to the cars the other day to see his
daughter off. Securing seat ne passed out of
the car and went around to the car window to
say parting word. While he was passing out
the daughter left the seat to speak to friend
and at the same time grim old maid took the
seat and at the same time moved up to the
window. Unaware of the important change he
hurriedly put his head up to the window and
said: zone more sweet kiss, pet" In another
instant the point of cotton umbrella was
thrust from the window, followed by the
wrathful Injunction. Scat you gray-headed
Wretchp' He seated.
One day last week Dave Fletcher, Of
Sumter county. Georgia. was passing through
his field. when the strangenois made by mock
lug bird attracted his attention. He walked
arer to where it was, and found that it was
being attacked by large hawk. He stopped
down and picked up piece Of fence rail about
three feet in length. and started to slip up on
the hawk for the purpose of killing 1t. He go5
over fence cautiously and approached the
bird, when to his surprise the hawk showed
fight. Mr.. Fletcher walked up TO him, and
small fight ensued. but the hawk was soon
overpowered and killed. 1t measured four
feet and half from tip to tip.
throp, Of Albany, received remarkable letter.
1t was from Philadelphia, and apparently
from well-educated man. The writer said
that he was poor and out of work, and that he
had large family to support. He had Just
seen a statement in some newspaper that Gen
eral Lathrop had some doubts whether the
electrical apparatus which was to be placed in
the three State prisons to execute murderers
would destroy life instantaneously. If Gen.
eral LathTop would guarantee that his (the
writer 81 family should be paid S. 900 in case of
his death, he would submit himself to a trial
with the electrical machine. A test could be
made upon him. If the machine killed him,
the money should be paid to his family.
The steamship Nanticoke left Balti-
more on March 13 for Caratasco with load Of
emigrants. After discharging there she loaded
three weeks ago, at Ruatan, cargo Of bananas
and eocoanuts and few plantains. They left
Ruatan with 81 tons of English coal, supposed
to be sufficient for 10 or II days' run. With
American coal it required but five to five and
half tons day, whereas with this English
coal they consumed from nine to nine and a
half tons. The captain, discovering that his
coal would not hold out to reach Mobile. started
for the Dry Tortugas. Theywere then 185 miles
west of that point when the coal gave out.
rope, oils, varnishes, five bales Of oakum. the
roof OF the CABIN and matches were each in tiITn
used in making steam. Finally, by using $500
cocoanuts, they Hefe enabled to reach Dry
Tortugas.
A correspondent writing to a Paris CO.
temporary from Montrichard, in the depart.
ment of Loir-et- Cher, says: "a learned monkey
named Bertram was deeply attached to its
owner, who, among other tricks, had taught it
to fire pistol while galloping on the back of a
dog. The master of the animal, 1t seems, lately
met with certain domestic troubles, and, in a
detected frame Of mind few days ago, he sent
a bullet through his head, death being instan-
taneous. The monkey was present at the death
of his master, and probably took in every par
tioular. In any case. whena doctor was called
in to see If life was extinct IN the man, he was
astonished to find himself in presence of a
double suicide, the monkeys body being
stretched beside that of his master. with the
revolver clasped between its fingers. It is
stated that the animal picked up the pistol
after his master had blown out his brains, and
initiated what he had Just seen done, sending
bullet through his head precisely as the man
had done.
"A writer in Florida paper says of the
Seminole Indians: They have tradition hand.
ed down from their forefathers which they be.
lieve-that the Great Spirit first made the
black man, next the red man, and third, the
white man. after which the Great Spirit called
them together and placed before them three
boxes, one filed with books and maps, the sec
ond with bows, arrows and tomahawks, the
third with spades, axes, hoes and hammers.
These are the means offered by which you are
to live; choose among them according to your
fancy" The white man had the first choice, and
chose the books and mapsi the red man took
the bows, arrows and tomahawks. From this
1t Is clear that the Great Spirit intended the
white man to learn to read and write, and make
even rum and whisky; the red man,
q frst-rate hunter and great warrior, was not
to learn anything from bOoks-not even to
make rum or whisky. lest he should kill him
self with drinking; the black man had nothing
but working tools-it was clear he was to work
for the white man. which he has continued to
do. We must go according to the wishes of the
Great Spirit. 1t is very good for the white man
TO read and write, but very bad for the red man
1T makes white men better, but red men
worse.