Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-20
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

A new model school in GERMANY. which
has been built at a cost of s225, 900, contains
large dining room where 700 poor children can
be fed in winter.
"A wild sweet orange has been discov-
cred growing in the northern part of Florida
The fruit hangs on the tree all the year round
often for six months after it is fully ripe.
The tattered chart found on the body Of
Lieutenant De Long, of Arctic fame, now forms
one of the most interesting relics in Colonel
Langdon's museum, at Fort Hamilton, in New
YORK harbor.
"A mass of pure, compact rock salt, said
to contain eOQO0.OO0 tons of the mineral, Is
located on an island 1s5 feet high which rises
from q sea marsh on the route from Brashear
to New Iberia, up the river Teche. in Louisiana.
The FreDch Minister of War lately Of
fered prize for the swlftest bird in a fight
from Perigneux to Paris, 80 miles. There were
2,746 entries. the winner doing the distance In
hours and "a minutes, or at 43 miles an hour.
A new and popular development of
electrical science is the electrical hair eurler
1t is said to be equal to the most exacting de-
mands of the feminine coiffure and the beard
or mustache can be curled in any style in two
minutes.
Two burglars broke into Henry Vim
cents house, two miles south of Grand Haven,
overlooked 81, 600 which was in the trunk they
carried away but dropped in the woods when
given chase.
South Attiea, Mich, farmers planted
mustard seed. They did not expect pineapples
or oranges. but they were wild when the plant
came up and proved to be Western mustard.
which is about ten times as hard to eradicate
as the Canada thistle.
"A Scotch physician has discovered that
playing on the bagpipe wears away the players
front teeth in four years. The effects on the
people that hear the noise come sooner; their
teeth are set on edge and their patience worn
away In about four minutes.
The Baltimore american relates that
couple from Pocahontas, W. Va. who went to
Cumberland, Md, to get married, were delayed
80 hours IN having the ceremony performed,
De cause the groom was not old enough by that
number OF hours to get license.
About q week ago Luther CIough, of
Bow, N. H., was bitten through the hand by
two cats W hich he attempted to separate while
they were fighting. Soon after he became i'll,
suffering greatly from his wounds, and his
death Is now momentarily expected.
Oft 1892, 900 people who crossed the
Brooklyn bridge during the month Of June
100000 were carried in the cars The most in
teresting feature of the Brooklyn bridge trus-
tees report is, however. that they spent 81. 723
for legal expenses" and but 81, 600 for coal.
The most thoroughly disgusted man in
Kansas is DR.. Burton. of Andoyer. He spent
sl2 and large amount of work on the culriVa-
ton Of Russian mulberry trees, and the one
tree that survived developed into healthy syc-
amore. The doctor has returned to his pa
tients.
The greatest steeple climber in England
Is said to be William Green. He has repaired
50 or more steeples and spires, and Is sent for
from all parts Of the kingdom. His great
Lincolnshire, $50 feet; Gratham, 800 feet and .
steeple in Cam bridgeshire 2S0 feet.
A wealthy and noted sporting charac-
ter. in Connecticut. on wager of $50, drove a
pair of hired horses from Bridgeport to Nor
walk last Friday evening in AZ minutes q sec
onds. The distance is 13 miles. Both horses
although alive, are ruined for life. The Con-
necticut Humane Society has secured war
rant for his arrest, and the liveryman proposes
to bring suit for damages to the team.
"A mystery of New York is 'Norwe-
gian, thorough cook and housekeeper, with
the best of references as to character and ab1l-
ity. now out of employment" who has been ad-
vertising for a situation for more than year.
Sometimes she receives as many as 100 letters
day. Several decoy letters have been sent to
her address by newspaper men desirous of PEN
etrating the mystery, but they have been un-
successful.
The franciscan monks have recently
opened their first Canadian monastery in Mon
treaL. The monks live entirely by aims and are
allowed to touch no money. If victuals are NOT
supplied they go forth and beg. They preach
is prayer meditation and penance.
Their doors are always open 10 the poor, and
with them the monks share such as they have
themselves.
"A citizen of Selma, Cal, who had two
lazy boys on his hands induced them to plant
for three years, with the promise that he would
pay them a bonus of 81 for every pound Of
raisins that would be raised in that length of
time. The boys went to work with a zeal that
and from present indications this years. crop
will cost him S2, OO0
On st. Paul's river, in Liberia, there is
a homemade steamboat. 1t was constructed by
q negro named Irons, who was once a slave IN
South Carolina. He built his steamboat in this
way: He remodeled a canoe so feet long put in
the engine of a sugar cane mill rigged up pad
die wheels and put IN some bits OF iron shaft
Ing. The steamer Is nos a beauty, but it carries
freight and passengers and does good work.
Its builder has inventive genius. and should be
Mr.. Horatio Littlefeld, OF West Kenne-
bunk, Me-, discovered curious object on his
farm the other day. He was chopping timber.
Ind decided to dig one old tree, known to have
been there for over a century up by the roots.
He did so, and was surprised to find an iron
kettle firmly embedded in the roots. The
arge roots looked as though they had grasped
and year by year pressed 1t deeper and still
ieeper into the ground until it got to the depth
II fVe feet. The question now is; who put the
Kettle where 1t was found?
The Methodist minister in Ohio who
rot into trouble with his congregation because
he insisted that fans should not be used in
church had less tact then a Massachusetts, min
ster, who also disllked fans. Going quietly to
church committee he explained to them that
ans of all varieties distracted his attention
md requested that fans OF one variety only
Mould be used. An immediate compliance
ollowed, and the filtration fan, the nervous
title fan, the ponderous fan disappeared, and
q place Of each of these there Is now waved
be respectable palm-leaf fan, which gives COM
ort to the congregation and satisfaction to the
minister