The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-12
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

tanned its curious name in a very curious way
An expert at the Smithsonian Institution, in ex-
planning the properties of the plant to
reporter, mentioned the fact that il had the
power of paralyzng the tongue. "a good
thing for a mother in-law," said the reporter
and then and there the name mother-iu-law was
applied to the plant.
s. r. SHELTON, while cutting up a tree lap
which he had cut down for a rail tree eight
years before, says the CovinRton Tenn } Record,
cut into hollow, exposing what he thought
was squirrels nest. Upon opening a large orr
flee he drew from the hollow a dead coon per.
fectly preserved from decay, which had laid
there for eight years The tree had fallen on
the hole by which the coon had entered. IL had
died Of starvation. and the body was preserved
from decay, as is supposed, by the tan ooze
of the red oak tree.
They have heifer at the University of
Pennsylvania Veterinary School for which
dime museum managers have made numerous
offers. She Is q brindle yearlinR, with good
health and of usual size, but unlike any other
ever known. Her heart is entirely outside of
the bony cavity OF the chest, and hangs loosely
in the dewlap, where its pulsations may easily
be seen. One can hold it in his hands and feel It
beat between them. Apparently the animal
suffers no inconvenience whatever on ac-
count or the position Of her erratic organ. She
comes OF perfectly normal parents, and the
doctors are agreed that It is the strangest case
OF displacement on record.
THE MIKADo OF JAPAN has made proposition
TO the management ofthe worlds fair TO erect q
permanent building on the grounds, surround
1t with typical Japanese garden, and then
make the city of Chicago present of the build
ing and gardens. Tho mikado Is willing to
spend 100000 on It II the worlds fair board
gives him the site he wants. This is about two
acres at the north end of the wooded island
The building would be copied from the finest
specimens of Japanese architecture extant at
the time Columbus discovered America. In the
elaboration OF the grounds, the highest achieve
ment OF Japanese landscape gardeners would be
shown.
The Aston baby was born on Sunday, Nov. IS,
at a. m. AS was the custom In the middle
ages a horoscope has been cast for IL by an
astroloGer, although not by the solicitation OF
the baby's parents. The baby was born under
Libra, with Mars within the sign. This repre-
sents tall, well-proportioned person, oval face
sanguine complexion, countenance full of ex-
preston and vivacity, In disposition luxurious,
fond OF personal adorument, affected, boastful
concerted, fond OF the opposite sex, yet unfort-
Qnate in love affairs Taken in connection With
the position of the sun aud moon at bis BIRTH
bis horoscope shows be is sure to grow up to
| manhood and to become stirring and promi-
nent figure in the distinguished circle IN which
lie Is destined to move He will be proud dig
nided and intellectually rather superficial He
will have a handsome face and a keen
penetrating glance. His temperament
will be rather warmer than the traditional AS
| tor temperament, but like his ancestors he will
be practical aud no dreamer or romaucer He
will order, not argue. It's hardly likely that he
will marry under 30, but be is pretty sure to
marry -prudently and felictously. It
seems scarcsy necessary to discuss this
babys future from the standpoint of wealth
| yet as illustrating the sympathy that obtains
between mundane affairs and planetary intiu-
ences, 1t may be stated as a significant circum-
stance that in the Second House" Of this horo,
scope-which signifies 'the native wealth and
worldly good"-are posted the sun Venus and
Mercury, indicating not only great wealth, but
wisdom and discretion In handling and using H.
There are no strong indications Of great civil or
political honors in this horoscope. From this ft
would appear that the fate of the Aston baby
will, after all, be not SO very different from
other babies when 1t attains manhood.
THE OLD CIRCUIT RIDER, who long ago van
ished in the north and west still survives to
some extent in the south" said the Rev. c. M.
Grandson president OF Bennett College North
Carolina. 10 the 81. Louis Globe Democrat ga
few years more and he will be a "reminiscences
because railroads are beginning to penetrate
the primitive communities existent In great
portion of the southern states, The old circuit
rider was remarkable man. twin type, as il
were, OF the class OF men who penetrated the
wilderness Of the western world in advance of
civilization, in all that stands for COURAGE
endurance and resolution. The crcuit
| rider sowed the seed that We of this gen
Grafton are reaping the harvest. The old cir
| cult rider was the avant courier of Methodism
in America. He could ride all day exbort and
sing at reviveis at night, throw himself down on
| the cabin floor for a few hours, rise early and
resume his journey to some other spot where
tueEc were SOUS 10 save; mandy with his fists IL
assaulted, and last, but not least, he was a good
judge Of horsehesh, and the worldly brother
that could get the best OF him on trade had
| to be extra sharp. The old circuit rider, 1 am
| sorry to say. had some small wees, such as
l chewing and smoking, aud occasionally took his
dram, and in my region some few still retain
those habits; The horsey, tobacco
loving elder is, however, rapidly dis
in the SOUTH are beginning. TO draw
e b ia ErnPer IN tnese tnings we don't object
young men who ask to be admitted 70 the
ministry are sharply questioned as TO whether
they use tobacco or not, and 1t is understood
that the use OF tobacco in any form is bar TO
admission BY 30 doing we are gradually rails
ing up class of men n the
ministry who are cleanly in their habits.
Then, too. the exhorter is no longer the ig>
norant man that he once was We now an.
courage regular course of study for admission
to the ministry; A large percentage of our most
powerful preachers have In the past been men
of no education, but men who could preach the
word with singular power. But how much more
effective would they have been In their work
had their minds been properly disciplined in