Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-23
CURIOUS eOEDENSATIOKS

ing 200 shocks OF corn, over T,OOO mice and ~
hawks were killed last week. Done to satisfy
bet.
"A grocer at Lynchburg, Va, who had
been in business for I3 years without making
cent, Oouldn't figure out how it was until his
head clerk was taken sick, thought he was go
ing TO die. and owned up to having emDezzled
about 81, 900.
-Adolph Sutro is trying the experiment
OF raising cinehona trees near San Francisco.
IF he succeeds he will not only have some
very ornamental trees. but demonstrate that
tne raw material for quinine can be produeed
IN this country"
AN Indiana publisher of a weekly paper
went to his reward the other day. This reward
was not heaven, but a job in . bank at 81 day.
Ht bad worked q years as editor and publisher,
and had figured it up and found that he had
not averaged dollar a day.
"A curious fact is that Of the II clerks in
the Senate of the new State of Washington q
majority (nlne) are women. and there is but
one who carries Mrs" before her name. The
same rule holds good with the House, q major
It's OF the clerks being ladies'.
The Watsessing IN. J.) Woman's
Christian Temperance Union has decided to
boycott all grocers and butchers who sell cider.
The question CT making minee pies without
cider was also discussed. Many of the members
SAID they could not make good pies unless they
used cider, but this was eontTadIeted by the
conservative members of the body. The final
action OF the union is regarded with great anx-
lety Dy all lovers Of Old-fashioned mince pies.
The application of a caveat to stop a
marriage is something new. 1t is stated that
member of the Maryland Legislature had con-
tracted marriage with lady, and journeyed
to the county seat to procure license, when
ne made the painful discovery that his rival
had filed a eaveat against the issue, and before
ne ne can get it the case will have to be argued.
The wedding day has been postponed, but the
old man is fighter, ana won't give up easily.
The most comical mishap that ever be
fell fire engine occurred recently at Toledo
The noise of an approaching IRE apparatus
startled a 65year-old eountryman and his wife
as they were making their way along the side
walk. To grab his Wife's green umbrella and
rush into the middle Of the street directly in
the path Of the OneOming steeds was the work
OF moment for the excited farmer. His gy-
rations and shouting brought the horses to a
sudden stop. The fire laddies drove OF swear
ing. but the crowd eheersd the old felicw as he
returea 70 the sidewalk muttering: "Tarnation
fools! let EN- run away II they want to. Pn
never risk my life TO save their necks again."
Jupiter, Fla, can boast of the most in
telligent mule on record. The animal is q
years old. Every night he proceeds to the ife-
saving station. It is customary for the man
on watch to discharge his coston signal "a red
Lightly when vessels come TOO near the beach.
The mule has "caught on" to what this signal
means. So every night at o'clock the sailors
fOur-legged friend proceeds to walk the beach,
and If a vessel comes too near the shore the
mule, instead of coston signal, sends forth a
neigh that makes night h1deous. Port or star
away sail the jolly tars in perfect safety and
with grateful heart TO the fourlegged patrol
man.
Like wine and whisky, the turtle i'm
proves with age. One of the dslicaeIss at q
recent dinner at Windsor Castle was turtle
which had reached the advanced age of 100
years. Eithstanding its antiquity its flesh
was sweet and tender. 1t was captured BY
British cruiser near Ascension Island, and so
thoroughly did Her Majesty enjoy the soup
and steaks provided by the venerable erus-
taeean that she has sent the cruiser OF again
for q fresh supply 1t must travel several
Thousand miles in order to obey her commands.
The turtle is probably the only edible that
grows better with years. Age does not really
improve fowls, game and meats, although the
restaurants sometimes appear to believe that it
does.
Many guesses or estimates of the total
cost of tie Forth bridge have been made, but
now that it is nearly completed its exact cost
can be stated with almost absolute certainty.
Under the original Forth bridge act, 1873, the
bridge and connecting railways were estimated
to cost FL S65, 666, of which that act authorized
81 $50 900 to be raised By shares and &4l6 1856 by
mortgage. Various acts had, however, to be
applied for thereafter for power to ralse
further sums and now still another is being
promoted in this session of Parliament for
power to raise E266, 600 additional. That viii
bring up the sum which has been expended on
the bridge and connecting railways to about
E325 OK, ,0OO. which may now be accepted as the
exact cost Of the undertaking.
"A foreign traveller tells of seeing musi-
cal trees in the West India Islands and in
Nubia. It has peculiar shaped leaf and pods
with split or open edge. The wind passing
through these gives out the sound which gives
the tree its peculiar name. In Barbados there
is valley filed with these trees, and when the
wind blows across the island constant moan
ing, deep-toned whsle is heard from it, which
in the still hours of the night has very weird
and unpleasant effect. A species of acacia,
which grows very abundantly in the Soudan Is
also called the "WhistIing tree" by the natives.
Its shoots are frequently by the agency Of the
laTvse of insects distorted in shape and swollen
into globulaT bladder from one to two inches
in diameter. After the insect has emerged
from q circular hole in the side Of this swelling
the opening played upon by the wind becomes
a musical instrument equal IN sound to asWeet-
toned flute.
"A good story is told OF Bishop Grafton
protestant Episcopal) of the diocese Of Fond
du Lac. One of his first Visitations was at
Waupun, where there has been much church
dissension in the past, and while there he was
the guest Of Mrs. Webster. After the prelats
retired he was annoyed by mouse in the room.
He did not lie awake and wonder what could
be done to abate it. He quietly arose, took the
remains of a luncheon which he had been en-
loving, placed it on the top of q glass in the
center of WashboEl, filed the bowl half full of
water leaned photograph from the table to
The edge of the bowl so as to give the mouse q
runway then calmly went back to bed In
few moments he heard the pattering OF the
nouse's feet on the photograph. q splash, ateW
struggles, and all was quiet. Then the worthy
bishop turned over and slept the sleep Of the
usE As Mrs. Webster remarked the next
morning: 'sBishop Grafton will hnd no difd-
,uIty in governing the diocese If he can SO
sasily han die mouse"