Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-15
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

The Canadian Minister Of Customs mas
decided that cyelorama is not work OF ART
and is, therefore, subject to duty.
1t is announced that the negroes OF
Georgia who 25 years ago were slaves now
possess S2O,OOO,OOO worth OF properly.
The completion of the longest tele-
phonic line in Europe was recently announced.
The wires stretch from Pesth to Prague, q dis
tance Of at least eU0 kilometers.
The prices of eamphor and gum promise
to rise. The German Government IS making
gigantic purchases Of these articles for the
manufacture Of smokeless powder.
"A Lansing, Mich, man made his wife
happy on Christmas by giving her billiard
table. but the good woman was enough for him.
She hunted upthe handsomest tea set in Michi-
gan, and made present OF it to her husband.
The 'right whale is the most vicious
Of all the whalebOne whales, and at times fights
desperately for its life. The fnbacks were very
rarely captured before the invention of the
bomb lance as they ran so fast boats could not
stand the strain.
Near Santa Rosa, Cal, is a well from
whcih, it is said, in drawing water, thousands
Of eyeless fish, from half an inch to six inches
in length. have been taken out Occasionally
the bucket is drawn up half full of fish. No
subterranean inlet to the well has yet been
discovered.
TO enter a jewelry store, ask the pro-
proprietor for writing utensils and then do
business with his safe. Is the latest fad Of the
Roxbury, Mass, burglar. Of course the obliging
jeweler has to 90 to the back part Of the store
for his stationery, for this combination on the
safe to work.
The value Of labor on a pound of crude
steel, when forged, refined, tempered and made
into watch springs, has figured prominently in
many PUBLIC speeches. "reminiscences Of the
late Judge Kelley show that he elaborated the
whole subject in a speech at Chelsea, Mass,
more than so years ago.
An actress in Germany has actually
had the courage to celebrate the seventy.hfth
anniversary of her first appearance on the
stage. Frau Louise Schmidt, of the Royal
Court Theater, in Stuttgart, disappeared con.
securiYely at this house ever since her debut As
the age Of until the present time.
AT Dennison, Tex, Mr.. and Mrs. obeis-
from celebrated their 18th anniversary of mar
ried life They have seventeen children living
who were present on the occasion. The oldest,
William. is 70 years Of age and from Omaha,
spectively 81 and "a. They are believed to be
the oldest married couple in the State.
AT San Diego last season one market
gunner killed Il, 900 quail, to accomplish which
he fred IS 900 times. This is large number to
fall to one gun, and rather puts to shame the
boasted records of Eastern gunners, whose oc-
casional total OF 800 or 400 birds during the open
season never fails to be recorded BY the rural
newspaper. The California record is not noted
as an exceptional one.
Everybody smokes in Japan. The
pipes hold little wad of ine-cut tobacco as big
t. t-G sI,n .,zIra $,t-a
long Whit. blowing the smoke in cloud from
his mouth and nose. The ladies have pipes
with longer stems than the men, and il one OF
them wishes to show gentleman special
mark of favor she lights her plDe, takes half
Whit. hands it to him and lets him finish out
the Whit.
The mild weather is most favorable for
the railroads of the country, and the fact will
be plainly seen in low operating expenses in
the late fall and early winter months. The
usual heavy expenditures. which cold and snow
always bring about have been felt only in
small section of the country, and that very re-
Gently 1t is possible that the unreasonable
weather may lessen traffic slightly, but all rail-
roads east Of the Mississippi will proht by the
mild weather.
Charles Layton, maehinist, created a
sensation at St. Louis, by entering the Jewelry
store of Mermod, Jaecard & Co. and deliber-
ately pocketing gold watch. A number Of
people saw him and an officer was called. After
being arrested he said that was just what he
wanted He had stolen the watch so that he
would be put in jail where he could not get
LIQUOR He says his home is in Chicago, where his
wife now IL: that whisky was getting him down,
and he resorted 10 heroic measures to save
himself.
There is said to be large band Of wild
horses, led bya Thoroughbred known to the
stoekmen as the OUTLAW Stud" ranging be-
tween Truekee, Nevada county. Cal. and
PeaVine, New. Years ago the stallion. fne
racer, escaped to the m ountains, and has since
defed capture. By desperate riding stockmen
manage to get into the band every year and
drive out the colts. The horses range on the
highest peaks, beyond where cattle or sheep
and then in single file down the mountain trail
as fast as they can run. They go back at their
leisure.
up near New Hartford, Conn, last
week a young man who had set trap for 3
mink went out to examine it, and could not
find II. He heard growl and, looking up in
the branches Of tree, saw his trap hanging to
the leg of peculiarly shapen animal A dis
charge Of his gun brought down Canadian
lynx which measured four feet from the tips OF
his fore feet to the tips of his hind feet when
stretched out at full length. There have been
a number of sheep killed in that vicinity re-
Gently the marks of which could not be at
guilty Of it.
One day last week an elderly lady, re-
siding in Kenosha, Wis, suddenly dropped
dead from some heart trouble. She was sup
posed to be very poor. having worked hard all
her life. The undertaken was summoned to
the residence to prepare the body for burial.
and while removing the clothing it was noticed
that the hustle was rather heavy; in fact it was
so weighty as to attract attention. 70 was
ripped open and the spectators were thunder
struck to find secreted therein over A $40 in
bank notes The old lady, instead Of -E5ting
on style and spending her money, had aoafded
every cent and saved the above amounz, which
she preferred to carry around with her rather
than fntrust it to the banks.
Much of Ward McAllister's success as
a manager Of society events is attributed TO the
of the rules which at times ap-
pear somewhat rigorous. For instance, he was
in ascertaining the names Of the gem
-lemen and ladies who were partners in the Sir
Roger de Coverly outside Of the four official
.ets He sent out circulars to some Of the sub
;crfbers asking them to forward to him the
names of the ladies with whom they were TO
lance s'I sent back word" says one OF the
,nbseribers i'that was to dance with my wife.
Nr McAllister demurred to this, and then Ismil-
nply asked with whom am to dance except
with nv very best girlP and won the day" It
would be interesting to know the basis for Mr..
McAlIister's rule that husbands shall not dance
With their wives if they can find anybody else.