The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-11-12
OF GENERAL INTEREST.

ono point, near Alpine Tunnel, it
reaches hight of III, 500 above the sea
level
In Florida sugar cane grows luxur-
iantly without fertilizing, and tho
average cost OF preparing and planting
sugar crop there is $40 Der acre, as
compared with SIS in Cuba and S24 in
Louisiana,
Tho population OF the Dominion Of
Canada, according to the census of 1881,
was i. 324, 500, and it is estimated that
by 1891, the figures have increased to
5,270,377. Preparations are in active
progress for taking the census of next
year.
"A veteran athlete. known as "Old
Vetter Michael" although past his
oightieth year. recently climbed to tho
top of the spire of the parish church of
Saar-Alben, Germany. which is 1872 feet
high, and stayed there some minutes,
turning the weathercock round and
round and performing few gymnastic
feats.
Probably tho most unique strike on
record is that of tho Bombay BARRIERS
against the shaving of widows heads.
They say the practice is not enioined in
the Hindoo scriptures, and they will DO
darned if they do any thing contrary to
scripture. At least that is the purport
OF their declaration. Any barber who
shaves widows head is fined and boy
cotted.
In Chatham, Provincetown, it will
be noticed that there are on many barns
and out-buildings, signs which, to the
uninitated. arc, of themselves mean
inglcss They have fantastic names
carved upon them, such as Flying
Cloud" 'Margueritc," etc They are
all that arc left of once gallant ships
that have boon wrecked on the bars and
shoals off Chatham. Many there arc of
these.
DR.. Reuben Samuels, husband of
the mother of Frank and Jesse James
is one of the best housokeepers in Mis-
souri,. lie can cook, bake, wash and
iron, and employs his time mostly in
the performance Of domestic duties He
always gets the breakfast and supper
and Mrs Samuels prepares dinner.
There is not n cleaner house in Missouri
than the Samucls' residence. person
could eat off tho floors.
1t is indeed remarkable tale which
is told from Diarbclir Turkey in Asia)
by tho Turkish journal. tho Tarik. Dur
ing recent tempest there were
showcred from the skies neither hail
stones or rain drops, but grains Of mil
let Tho inhabitants of Mclcssa and
Mutual have gathered the grain and
stored it, and arc grinding it for bread.
| This beats the frog showers, to say
nothing of green rain and red snow
J -Thoro ora co,,,o I;o +b;,o, NJ.
| York, says the Architecture and Build
ing, which are overlooked by thousands
of persons every dav. Among them is
watch in tho window of Park row
| ieweler 1t is specimen of largo
number Of tho same kind manufactured
for the Philadelphia Centennial This
mammoth timepiece is one and a quar-
. ter inches thick-and nearly three inches
across the face. 1t weighs ninc ounces.
in the Berlin law court person
who was Caught red-handed" has been
proceeded against for stealing roses
from prcttily decorated grave. Tho
accused produced in court copy of the
inscription on the tablet over the grave,
which runs as follows: ''Traveler pause
moment at this spot and pluck a rose
in remembrance of what was" The
defendant, on tho strength Of this. con-
tended that no was acting simply in ac-
cordance with the expressed wishes of
the deceased; but the Judge thought
otherwise. He said the inscription
stated plainly that the traveller was to
pluck a rose and not a handful of roses.
and he therefore pronounced the de-
PENDANT guilty.
-Vinalhavcn, Me-, claims to have pro-
duccd the largest stone over brought to
light. The Bodwell Granite Company
recently quarried shaft of granite
which is the largest picco of stone ever
quarried anywhere, and, if erected, will
be the highest largest. and heaviest
single piece of solid stono standing, or
that over stood, so far as any record can
be found. In height it consdera bly, OK
ceods any of the Egyptian obclisks.
The tallest Of these which was brough t
from Ileliopolis to Alexandria by En-
peror Constantine, and afterward taken
to Rome, where it is still standing is
105 feet { inches high, while the Vinal-
haven shaft. is 10 feet long, 10 feet
square at the base, and weighs $50 tons.
Scientific American.
When American visitors to London
are told that servant girls pay British
soldiers so much q Sunday-ranging
| from IS cents to 81, according to rank
to walk out with them for the day,
drinks included, they are inclined to
scott. Nevertheless, this is perfectly
true. There are hundreds of poor little
"slaveys" in tho London boarding
houses inns and hotels who are per-
fectly content to work their fingers to
/ the bone, week after week IL thew can