Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-26
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.


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-Of every million people in the world
800 are blind.
Berlin horse cars carry annually nearly
100 OOO, 900 passengers.
There are Il, 465 women commercial
travellers in the United States.
Turin is the first Italian city which can
boast of library intended exclusively for
women.
1t Is estimated that in England one man
in 500 gets college education, and in America
one IN every 200
1t is known that the Chinese, as early
as 800 A. D., fastened rockets to their arrows.
that the latter might be thrown to greater
distance.
The four Maids of Honor to the Queen,
among whom the late Lord Sackvllle left his
property, have given up all claim to their
legacy in favor of the late barons brothers.
Quite brisk demand for metal furni-
ture has sprung up in Australia, because 1t can
not be eaten by white ants, which appear TO
devour all kinds Of wood with great ayidity.
The Fiji Islands Mission has 27,OT
church members. and 1Ol, l50 attendants In
public worship. Fifty years ago there was not
Christian on the Islands; now there is not q
heather.
There is a young man in Belfast, Me-,
but 50 years of age who is the father of three
daughters all by a different mother from legiti-
mate marriage. One is seven years of age,
another three years and the last three months
old.
To the list of poisons may be added, as
a source of occasional danger, the fragrant nut
meg. At least one fatal case has occurred,
where boy of s, having eaten two nutmegs,
fell into comatose condition and died within
II hours.
The lower falls of the Genesee river at
Rochester, N. Y, are utilized for the produc-
ton OF electricity. and more than 800 motors
are in use. Power is furnished to run sewing
machines in los tailor shops, the charge being
SIS year for one-eighth horse power.
Fully three-fourths OF the babies of the
world go naked until they get to be or years
old. The Canadian Indians keep their babies
naked up to certain point, and as Tor the lit
tie Coreans, they wear nothing but short
skirt until they are as old as our schoolboys.
"A young Wisconsin man, A. P. Han
son by name, who is now resident OF Copen-
hagen, has made an invention that is likely to
inaugurate an era in printing. He calls 1t a
colorgraph. By it two or three or even more
colors can be printed on the same paper at one
impression.
"A retired English army officer of means
is on tour through the Western States Of
America. When he sat down to dinner day
or two ago be met with quite surprise. The
waiter who took his order was his son, who had
run away from home to scalp Indians some
seven years ago.
-Acurious industry in the shape of the
manufacture OF gun-hints still survives at
Brandon. On an average 100000 of these, rang
ing from the double-edged musket to the
pocket pistol, are turned out each week. and
are sent to the West Coast of Africa, where
they find ready sale among the tribes of the
interior.
"A Kentuckian in Buffalo has discov-
cred there the firm of Irish & English. What
is considered especially remarkable about this
firm is, that Mr.. English is an Irishman and
Mr.. Irish is an Engllshman- The gentleman
from Kentucky has so far been unable to OBJ
tain the views of Mr.. Irish and Mr.. English as
To what should be done for Ireland.
One of the letter carriers in franklin,
Pa, says that the idea of having their mail de-
livered is such novelty to some of the people
along his route that although they probably do
not get a letter in a month in actual cOrre-
spondence they answer newspaper advertise
ments and devise various other plans for the
purpose Of receiving something at every de-
livery.
"A man go years old was married re-
Gently In a small German town to a woman 10
years his senior. The bride insisted upon hav=
ing great wedding, with the addition of a
special" marriage sermon from her pastor.
HIS feelings can be imagined more easily than
described when the pastor began his sermon
with the text. Father forgive them for they
know not what they do"
"A laborer around the grounds of Henry
Miller, at Chappaqua, N. Y, is reported to have
found, on Tuesday, beneath a large stone,
considerable amount of money in gold coin,
which evidently was hidden long ago, as many
of the coins bear dates over 100 years old The
coin IS mostly in British gold soyereigns and
half-sovereigns. The value of the find is vari-
ously estimated at from sle0 to $500.
Some years ago John Boyle O'Reilly
took into his employ as secretary an orphan
VINO was without relatives in this part of the
country. This young man became afflicted
with consumption, and through the efforts Of
Mr.. OReilly was given bed at the City Hos
pital. When he heard of his benefactor's
death he mournfully exclaimed: Then have
nothing to live for" and on Tuesday he died.
One of the people at Exeter, Me-, who
doesn't know much about poultry of the din
ner table, greatly admired duck that he saw
padding in the Sauamseot river. He bargained
with his neighbor for it, and an exchange was
soon effected. When the ducks crop was
opened after the slaughter the astoniShed ad-
mirer of fat fowl poured out 4S lath nails.
Angle worms have been scarce along the
Squamscot this summer,
"A Belfast, Me-, lawyer does consider
able marrying and was heard TO say TO young
couple whom he had just married: Married
life in the best regulated families has its
troubles. and should either Of you come to the
conclusion that you have made a mistake,
don't forget to call on me and I'll get you di-
vorce cheaper than any other lawyer in town.
That balance of 70 cents you owe me Tor mar
rying you, you can hand in any time"
Here is good way for distinguishing
muskmelon from a cantelope. 1t has usually
nine ridges and these are separated by narrow
strips of smooth skin. Look at the latter. If
they are green the melon is unripe. If they are
greenish yellow and the rough skin on the
edges is brownish gray the melon is all right.
II it is quite ripe all over it is overripe. If it
has no odor it is fit for cattle and you don't
want it. The stronger the musk odOr the better.
II should be smelled at the ''Tar end" or on the
end opposite the stalk. In watermelons, good
one when pressed near the center should yield
and the indention should disappear when the
FINGER is removed. If no indent can be made
the melon is green. If it remains, it is over
ripe.