The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-12-03
OF GENERAL INTEREST.

OF GENERAL INTEREST.
Babies are now very scarce In
France. One may pass hundred
houses without finding a cradle in It,.
Such a country is doomed.
"A new stenographic machine in use
by the Italian Parliament is capable OF
recording $50 words minute, and can
be readily manipulated by blind per
SON.
The estimated available amount OF
wheat which Russia has to spare this
year is from 72,OOO,OOO to 100000
bushels Last year she exported about
96, 100000 bushels, and $4,000, 600
bushels two years ago.
The members Of a stranded variety
troupe are living in cottage at Reed
City. The male members are saving
wood and the female members are tell.
ing fortunes. The company finds the.
new business lucrative.
Three little boxes OF Ceylon tea,
each weighing five pounds, wore sold
by auction in London lately at the ex-
traordinary price of S76s per pound. 1t
was very rare variety known as
choicest golden tipped pekoe." The
leaf was small, but literally blazed with
golden tipping.
"A most useful electrical street sign
has come into use in England. A light
brass framework is fitted with opaque
glass bearing the signs desired. the
name OF a firm railway station, or a
theater, as tho case may be. These
tablets are visible by day as we'll as by
night, and as the obstruction to light Is
inappreciable, they are becoming as
popular as they are effective. IN. Y.
Sun.
An amusing complaint has come be.
fore an English local board. A CHM
ney sweeper complained that people in
the town deprived him Of a living by
sweeping their own chimneys. Their
method was to get up early and set fire
to their chimneys. AS complainant
paid license, he considered the board
ought not to allow this kind OF thing to
continue The board promised to con-
slider the complaint.
"A flour and feed dealer on Third
avenue hangs out a printed sign which,
in big capitals, assures the public that
''all the glutton" is retained in his
favorite brands of -four, says the New
York Telegram. His original mode OF
spelling gluten recalls the photography
Of the policeman whose memorandum
averred that woman had committed
suicide by swallowing "horsnrick. Not
everybody would recognize arsenic in
that disguise.
"A Bangor, Me-, electrician, thinks
that the wire running under the electric
railway track is unnecessary. He be-
lieves that the rails are sufficient con-
ductors for the ground current On the
other hand the men who have worked
on the road are very confident that this
wire is indispensable. 1t is connected
carefully with every rail and sure cir
cult thus secured. Should any rail be
skipped it would be known as dead
rail" The copper wire that is used in
this work is quite expensive and has
formed an important item in the cost
of the road.
Policeman Cronin found goat try
ing to break into a barber shop in
Chicago one night last week. Billy had
split one Of the panels and the fright.
ened occupants of the building could
be seen peering through the curtains.
After lively struggle Cronin sue
ceeded in dragging the goat to patrol
box and summoned help. The animal
was taken to the station in q patrol
wagon and lodged in cell, after being
booked for burglary and resisting an
officer. An hour later when the owner
OF the goat called at the station he
found the animal trying to chew OIL the
bars of a cell.
"A curious natural object is now to
be seen in the Catholic cemetery grounds
at Mobile. In the upper part of the
graveyard. within the walls OF the lot
Of the Callaghan family, there is q fair
sized fir tree, which tree, like other
trees twice year puts forth its new
branches. A new spray has just APP
peared at the apex Of the pyramid formed
by the trees dense foliage, and strange.
ly enough this spray has the shape Of
an anchor, with a stock forming cross.
This perfect representation of an anchor
and cross, with ball on the end of the
shank. just as appears in a real anchor
attracts the attention OF all who visit
the cemetery.
/ One OF the district messenger boys
undertook novel task one Sunday
afternoon recently, says the Buffalo
Courier. He was called to franklin
street house, where he found woman
with baby. 81 am going to take bah.
to the park for on airing said she
my maid has gone homo sick, and
want you to go with me to carry TIT
baby. You can do it we'll enough If 20,
only think So" The boy did not thinl
SO at all, but he had no way out OF 1t
and for three hours he bore the infan
until he feared that his arms woult
come out of their sockets. Don't gimm
no more calls to that house." he said
when he reported at headquarters :"
couldn't stan two times O. that"
General Sherman as a Scholar.
John Swinton, Of this city, has lette
once sent to him by General Sherman
with view to its publication. Their