Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-05
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

| 1t IS SAID that Maine s nay crop Lnl8
year is worth SIS. .OOO and yet they complain
OF hard times.
Edward Mcdonald, of Allentown, Pa,
thinks he owns the smallest dog. It is months
olu ana weighs four ounces.
AS soon as the town of Santa Barbara,
cal, gets pipes laid IS the gas well it will cost
"n'J GU year lor fuel TO each householder.
-Dolphins ARE now playing in the bay at
santa Cruz for the first time on record. They
are Iolo"lne immense schools of mackerel.
Into a peach tree on his place at Napa,
Cal. Rev Richard Wyie has grated different
varieties of stone fruit until now he gathers
from it Almonds plums and three kinds of
peaches.
In Florida sugar cane grows luxuriant-
ly without fertilizing. and the average cost of
preparing and planting a sugar crop there In
$40 per acre, as compared with SIS in Cuba and
S4 in Louisiana.
-Gottfried Lawrence. of Greenwood. was
struck by lightning Monday afternoon and in
stantly killed. The queer fact in connection
with his death is that he was sitting between
two other men, and neither of these men were
injured In the least.
"A Flushing, Mich, farmer, one of Gu
bernatorial Candidate Partridge's neighbors,
put So gold piece in the fare box of one of the
miss the coin until he got home, and then wrote
10 the company about il. He received postal
note for 81 95.
Hon. j. s. Hickey, of Milton, Ore, in
vited minister to dine with him last Sunday
For the feast he killed Shanghai fowl, and
gave It TO his wife to make ready. She found
tne following articles in its craw: A kingbolt,
INK OF logchain, piece of steel four inches
long and clevls
"A floor walker In a drygoods store in
New York says women customers give them no
end OF trouble by mislaying their purses. He
tells of a customer who forgot her pocketbook
on the counter twice in one day. He advises
every female shopper to fasten her purse to her
person by light chain.
"A man of Mott, COL, went on fearful
spree last week. As soon as he sobered up he
went to logging camp and was put to work.
In handling his first log he disturbed a large
rattler that struck his fangs deep into the
mans wrist. The poison did not circulate in
the arm, but the snake died in a few minutes
1t is rather an unusual sight to see
itinerant printers travelling horseback, but
couple of the craft, Pollard and Bincklev by
name, passed through Elko Saturday morning
by that method. en- route from Salt Lake CITY
TO San Francisco. They were well equipped
Tor the journey, and seem to be enjoying the
trip.
The other day Mr.. A. Straehan, music
seller, of Galashiels. N. B., received an un-
signed letter written in red ink containing the
following: 'Sir: Seven years ago stole a con
certtna from your workshop which was getting
repaired. Some time ago joined the Salvation
Army, and Christ has paTdOned all my sins.
think it right should let you know. May God
bless you, and meet me in heaven"
"A clever swindler has been doing Flori-
da. He guarantees to rid cotton fields of cat
erpillars. and on receiving his fee-usually s5-
he.
king caterpillar" Presently finding big fat
fellow he hangs him BY string TO tree. He
then tells the eredulous farm that the strung
up insect will die at sunset, and that then all
the other caterpillars will leave the place.
"A Boston caterer, who looked after the
feeding of 700 veterans during the four days Of
the Grand Army encampment, has since been
figuring, and finds that his guests consumed
10000 loaves of bread. nearly 10000 doughnuts
two tons of hams. three-quarters of a ton Of
tongue, and the same amount of corned beef,
300 gallons OF baked beans, 1900 eggs, $50 bar
rels of potatoes, one ton of coffee and two
chests of tea.
Twelve carrier pigeons from n. E. De-
Lancey, of Mt. Morris. N. Y, arrived at the
Office of the American Express Company, in
Oil City, Saturday. and at o'clock Sunday the
pigeons were let go. They didn't hesitate
moment but rose gradually and took due
northeast course. At l005 the II IN bunch ar
rived at their owners residence in Mt. Morris,
having made l6O miles in five hours They few
at the rate of 80 miles an hour.
Andrew Serns, a farmer in moderate
circumstances, in Oakland township, was the
victim of lightning rod swindlers who per-
suaded him to sign contract for 200 feet Of
lightning rod, that they promised to put I'D for
a few dollars in consideration of thereby ad-
yertising their business. The rods were put up
next day. The day following their collector
appeared, claiming $500, but finally accepted
mn for NM n 10 in ff1raa onfh
"A bridegroom in Bridgeport. Conn.,,
must have had troubled mind during the we'd
ding ceremony. He "cut OUT another fellow,
who threatened therefor to shoot him the irss
time he laid eyes on him. 1t was expected he
would carry out his threat at the ar. and, in
anticipation of this. the groom had several po-
licemen and detective on hand, but there was
discarded lover walked up and down in front of
the church.
"A French railroad has hit upon a new
source of revenue. In future people who ac-
company their friends to any of the stations on
that line to see them off will only be admitted
on the platform on payment of fee Of penny.
in return for which they will receive a special
ticket of authorization. For those who are apt
to tarry a long while over their leave-taking
there is further tax, as the ticket is only
available for one hour, at the end OF which
time another must, if necessary. be obtained.
-ETOl. AuSkln, WHO Is mdklHU an dndlys
sis of the Passaic river. N. j.. water. few days
ago and made an interesting experiment. He
placed several corks and some deeterious mat
ter in the river at the point where Passaic City
sewers empty In three hours and 10 minutes
the matter fiOated down the river TO the New
ark pumping station. Inasmuch as it requires
six hours for the tide to run out, the expert
menr indicates that PasSaic's sewerage floats
miles beyond the pumping stations Of Newark
and Jersey City.
Some fishermen engaged in Belfast
Lough recently picked up very large seagull,
which was seen approaching the boat with
wings outspread floating on the water, but
quite dead. The men were puzzled to account
for the progress il made through the water, as
It went faster than the boat but as 1t came
near it was found that, wound securely around
the body and under the wings. was a string of
cordage, which. on closer examination, they
discovered was attached TO a large paper kite
hen flying above them at considerable
height The kite furnished the propellins
power The bird had evidently, while flying at
Belfast got entangled in the string of the kite,
lad been unable to extricate itself. and. taking
o the sea, had been drowned in its efforts 10
obtain freedom.
BREAKFAST TABLE GOSSIP.