Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-05
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

During the last year AZ colleges received
gifts of money amounting to s2,675OOo.
France has more than a quarter of
million carrier pigeons trained for war pur-
poses.
The twentieth anniversary of wedding
is never celebrated. 1t is considered very uu-
lucky to do so.
The india-rubber tree grows wild in Lee
County. Fla. and in Fort Myers it is used as a
shade and ornamental tree
"A Hungarian paper announces the
death of a veteran of Waterl 90, aged los years,
in his native village. Hatszeg. in Pennsylvania
A magpie that has just died in Meriden,
Conn. could call all the members of its owners
family by name and was quite fluent conyer-
sationalist
DIR. Meredith, Brooklyn preacher, has
established a second reading room for working
men, where no restriction is placed on smoking
cigars and pipes.
The "living" portion of the White
House is quite small, consisting only of five
bedrooms on the second floor and the dining
room and one other room on the first floor.
The most densely populated square mile
in the world is in the city of New York. 1t is
inhabited by 10000 people, the larger part Of
whom are Italians, who speak only their native
language.
"A huge tower, Histories high, is to be
erected at South Kingston, r. l., and dedicated
to the advent of modern Spiritualsm. by
Joseph P. Hazard, wealthy SpiriIualist OF
that place.
According to recent figures the people
of this country are longer lived than those Of
Europe. In this country lS persons out Of
every LOCO die each year. in England the aver
aye is 20 and in Germany 26
"A ladies' committee has been formed in
connection with the International Congress to
be held at Berlin to provide for the comfort and
amusement of the wives of foreign practition.
ers during their stay in the German capital.
Harvey Porch, the Bridgeton letter-car-
rier, won his wager of walking from Bridgeton
to Trenton, Tuesday. in 16 hours. The distance
is II miles, and he covered the same in 10 hours
and minutes, making 1887 steps and win
ming Sl50.
The United States Government Commits
sioner of Patents estimated that from six to
seven-eights of the entire manufacturing capt.
tai OF the United States, or six thousand mil
lions of dollars, is directly or indirectly based
upon patents.
Senator Ingalls, declares that the talk Of
political corruption proceeds from the tea
custard and syllabub dilettanteism. the friV-
olous and desultory sentimentalism Of cpl
Genes" No one suspects him of having pur-
loined this little epplexis.
james Melvin, of Concord, Mass, has
for IL years lain upon a bed without changing
his position. The osseous portions of his body
have united into one piece, and from the crown
OF his head to the soles of his feet there is not
joint responsive to his will.
The largest and heaviest building stone
ever quarried in England was taken from the
Plankington quarry, near Norwich, in Febru-
airy, 1883; 1t was in one piece, without crack or
flaw, and weighed over 30 tons; it was Is feet
long, feet high and feet wide.
The will of Mrs. Z. c, Atkinosn, of
Boston, provides that upon her death her body
shall be examined (not dissected so as to pre-
vent proper burIal) by students in the Massa-
chusetts Hospi, al in the hope that science may
be aided IN alleviating suffering.
"A gambling club was raided by the
police of ST. Petersburg few days ago, and all
of the inmates were arrested. The players
were released with a fine the next day, but the
principals were helh for trial. Yesterday they
we're tried and sentenced to exile in Siberia for
five years.
-Eifel-red lace, deeply pointed, forms
the cape, with epaulettes, of spotted foulard
dust cloak. 1t has high collarette of the lace,
and lace hounce surrounding the edge is
headed with a light silk passementerie or
gimp work. Round the neck is carried mar
row silk ribbon, tied at the throat into heavy
knot of long loops and ends.
The trunk of rose bush growing at
Ventura, Cal. is said to be three feet in cir
cum ference and the first branch it throws out
is 81 inches in circumference. It runs Eyer a
lattice work, and, though more than Nagon
load of boughs have been removed. it CO -ss
space Of about l,200 square feet. II Ie>1s
thousands of flowers and Is Ii years old.
-"While passing along a street in Des
Moines the other day." relates the st. Joseph
NelcS, Constable Allen noticed woman dig
ging in garden and turning up peculiar look
ing vegetables. After she had loaded her
apron and left the scene, the constable went
over and did little digging on his own hook,
unearthing several gallon jugs OF whisky"
In speaking OF Sam Jones' sermon at
Oxford, Justice Lamar said: sit was striking
in many senses. Parts of it were like Pull
man palace sleeping car-capable of being
hitched to any train. going in any direction. at
any time-httng anywhere, acting automatic
ally and capable Of emanating from no brain
other than that of the original Sam JONES'.
For those interested and who want to
know how a turtle digs her nest, gentleman
who witnessed the performance says that after
finding q suitable location the old "hen" Digs
the hole something like jug, using the hind
fppers first one and then the other, moving
her body about to be able to get at the
nest. If the sand is not too hard sne Will make
a nest in from % to 30 minutes.
One OF the features of military drill in
the Russian army is the training of soldiers to
swim in batta1ions, at the same time using their
weapons At the recent annual military
maneuyers, in the presence of the Car, hne
exhibition of proficiency was gwen in this dl-
rection. A large force of infantry SWAIN across
a lake in full marching Order, Win lhe hslP q
fascines made of reeds or rushes, or innAted
sheepskins. At the same time they Kept uP
lively fire on the boat of supposed enemy VINO
were disputing their passage