Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1891-07-02
Items of Interest.

Millions of flying ants swept down in
mass upon San Antonio, Texas, a
few days ago. Several business houses
were forced to close their doors on ac-
count of the insects, which were swept
out in great quantities.
The Smithsonian Institute has re.
ceived from China, pair of stockings
manufactured from human; hair they
are worn by fishermen over cotton
stockings (being too rough for the
naked skim, and under straw shoes as
a prutec ton against moisture.
The waltz had its beginning in G3r-
many and thence was taken to France,
shortly after which it was introduced
in England. Hungary was the birth
place of the galopade or galop, and
from Poland came the stately polonaise
or polacca and maZurka.
The island of Hawaii, the largest in
the Sandwich group, is constantly in
creasing in size. owing to the overflow
ing streams of lava which run ont to
the sea and flow over, and make the
shores of the island ovcrhang the main
stem of the formation.
The first watermill ever built was
erected en- the Tiber, at Rome, AID. so.
Windmills We're in original use in the
twelfth century. Tidemills were opar-
ated in Venice about 1T0s. Sawmills
are said to have been in use at Augs-
berg, Germany, about 1892.
At church, the theatre nd other as
semblies the japanese take off their
shoes. AT the large theatre in Tru-.
xiii, Toxic. says n correspondent,
''thc rush for shoes is something ire
mendous. Imagine 1000 people at
matinee. crowding and elbowing and
pushing to get their shoes, so as not to
lie late for their supper
The more the cigarette is legislated
against the more its consumption in
creascs. Tie output of cigarettes
throughout the country for the month
of March amounted to $50, sol, $50
against 1884, 800 during the same
month of last year. This shows the
enormous increase of 96,262, 0G0.
Browning, it is said during the last
years of his life made as much as S10,-
600 year out of his poems. Mr.. Swim
burne has for many years past made
an average income of 5000 per annum
out of his poems, while Lord Tennyson,
it Is said, has for at least twenty years
past been drawing an income of more
than 100000 year from his muse.
The highest elevated road in the
world is about to be built at Naples.
1t is intended to connect the central
part of Naples with the Corso Vittorio
Emanuelc. 1t will be suspended from
towers 800 feet high, in which will be
elevators to hoist passengers to the
stations. The road will be operated by
electricity, and the cost is estimated at
81, 100000.
The cold weather last winter in Eng
land has proved fatal to the animals in
the London geological gardens. Some
of the losses are almost irreparable.
Among these may be mentioned the
chimpanzec, gray lemur, the second
specimen ever seen alive in England;
an aard vark, gnu, u snow leopard,
the first ever seen alive in Europe, and
the African black rhinoccros.
The Gar of Russia is more than six
feet tall, and has the shoulders, arms
and thighs of an athlete. So great is
the strength of his hands that he can
twist "a horseshoe with elsc. He is a
magnificent horseman, n thoroughly
trained soldier, and an accomplished
linguist, speaking seven modern Ian
guages besides Russian. He works hard
and is out of bed from six in the morn
ing till ten at night. Stimulants and
narcotics are, however, undermining
his strength.