Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-21
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

CUhlUUS CUNDENSAIiUNS.
There are 1,125 characters in the "a
books that Charles Dickens wrote.
George Washington, colored, is running
for seat in the Boston Common Council.
An "Authors' Museum is to be estab-
lished in st. Petersburg. to contain memen-
toes and relics of famous Russian literary
men and women.
I'm st. Louis recently a large building
in one of the best business streets of the city
was torn down simply because it was
thought to be "hoodoOed," which shows
that superstition still has a strong hold on
some people.
The reason that the postmarks on let
ters become more dim in winter, as noticed
by many people, is that the cold weather
hardens the ink used on the stamping pads,
and the marking stamps, being of iron, be-
come chilled.
Exports of American breadstuffs for the
ten months ending on October 81 amounted
to sl69 4sS, ,463 or over s5O,O00,OO0 more than
during the same period of 1890 The great
increases, of course, have occurred since
August, and at their present rate they are
likely TO amount to at least $50, 900 for the
full calendar year.
The 'smother-in-law, a curious plant,
obtained its curious name in q very curious
way An expert at the Smithsonian Insti-
tute in explaining the properties of the
plant to reporter, mentioned the fact that
it had the power of paralyzing the tongue
ga good thing for a mOther-in-law, said the
reporter, and then ana there the name
mother-in law was applied to the plant
George Washington was one of the
richest men of his time in America. He at
tac!ed to his will bearing date of July 0, 1893,
n schedule of his property and placed the
total valuation of the same ut s530,000. His
estate was undoubtedly worth more, and all
of 5000 co., and even more The estimate OF
$3.50 0O0 was considered by Washington him
self very low one, for in the notes which
'fe ne wf tb ano and
Lowest price affixed' of the various pieces
of property. The Ohio lands included in the
estate increased immensely in value.
The highest priced postage stamp in eI-
istence is the famous Dundee stamp, worth
$500 sterling, and not purehaseable at that
price. James Chalmers, of Dundee, was the
inventor of the adhesive postage stamp in
1884. The stamp is in the possession of Sig
mun1 Friedl. an extensive postage stamp
merchant of Unter-Dolberg, Vienna. IL
was exhibited at the Vienna Jubilee Stamp
Museum, held on May % of this year at
Vienna, displayed this gem as the greatest
attraction among 3,C00,000 stamps and other
objects exhibited there.
The books of to-day will fall to pieces
before the middle of the next century, say
the experts. The paper in the books that
have survived two or three centuries was
made by hand of honest rags and without
the use of strong chemicals. while the ink
was made of nut gals. To-day much of the
paper for books is made. at least in part. Of
wood pulp treated with powerful acida.
while the ink is a compound of various sub
stances naturally at war with the himsy
paper upon which it is laid. The printing Of
two centuries ago has improved with age:
that Of to-day, it is feared, will within -
years eat its way through til paper
The 'Iiberty Tree" frequently alluded
to in the history of New England. was in
Boston, In 1765 the "Sons of Liberty were
organized under n widespreading, beautiful
elm, which stood in front of a grocery. near
what is now the corner of Essex and WASH
ington streets, Boston. q tablet on the pres
ent building marking the spot Here weTa
exposed the efigies Of those men who had
favored the passage of the OdiOuS stamp
act. In the excited period which followed
nearly all the political meetings of the Sons
of Liberty called together bv the hoistinG OF
n flag the staff, extending through the
branches of the tree, were held under its
waving boughs ana in the square about 1T.
During the seige of Boston, August I1I5,
the tree was est down bv gang in the pay
of the British soldiers and the Tories.
The timbers at present most sought
the trade was opened 100 years ago. are ma
hogany, cedar, rosewood, zebra and fustic.
Mahogany and cedar are the leading exports
and are shipped mainly to England although
some contracts have recently been taken in
the United States. The price Of mahogany
in London ranges from $40 to S175 per Loo
superficial feet, and cedar $50 to $50. Rose
wood, zebra and fustics are cut into short
lengths and shipped as ballast. Rosewood
brings from S25 TO $40 and fustic5 $50 to sfj.
a SnI9rpd hPfOIEa
The present average cost of the squared
timbers on the bars ready for shipment iS
$50 to $40 per ], 900 feet mahogany and cedar,
and IS to $40 Ia ton for rosewood, zebra and
fustic.
The limit in the heaviness of armor ap-
piled to ships may perhaps have been
reached, and it seems natural that, it's de-
velopment having run course much like
that of the armor of men, may come event.
ually to a similar end In the Middle Ages,
when gunpowder was first introduced, the
arInor OF knights and men st arms was grad
ually increased in weight to meet the new
weapons. As the quality of powder and the
guns improved armOr was added to until it
reached point where if a knight was un-
horsed it required several squires to get him
into the saddle again, or if man fell he
next step was to limit the armor TO the
more vital portions, retaining only the
cuirass and helmet. Finally even these
be the transition in modern navies. The
guns having beaten the armor ships NAV
have to discard their coats of mail and rely
upon offense as the best protection, Just as
intelligent pugilists defend themselves by
the counter rather than by the simple
guard.
Here's a two-century-old allusion to
coup which cheers but not tnebriates'' and
which has become a modern fad among peo-
pie who imagine they are the original dis
coverers OF its excellence. The recipe was
brought to London by Jesuit from China
in 1854: Beat up the yolks of two eggs with
fine sugar, then pour pint of tea upon
them and stir them up well. The great adj
vantage of this concoction in the quaint
language of the time was that it presently
discusseth and satisfyeth all rawneSs and
indfgence of the stomach. 1yeth suddainly
over the whole body and into the veins, and
exceedingly" Here is VAL
liable hint to all tea makers. "In these
parts" said the Jesuit, 1--WE let the hot
water remain too long soaking upon the tea,
which makes it extract into itself the
earthly parts of the herb The water
ought to ''remain upon it no longer than you
can say the Miserere Psalm very leisurely.
Then pour it upon the sugar. in the cups
When. therefore. ladies make tea, they
should begin the Fffty-frst Psalm as soon as
they have filed the tea pot: say it ''very
leisurely," and then pour the tea into the
cupS.