Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-03
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

/
\ Joseph Walker, of Massachusetts,, in
vented the wooden shoe peg in 1878.
] On the average a boy costs a parent
about $500 a year until 20 years Of age.s
Apple trees set out 80 years ago in New
Haven, Conn, bore excellent fruit this fall.
"A Florida man found st25 fish, in the
stomach of a moccasin snake, which he shot
| few days ago.
! Thunder and lightning are exceedingly
rare on the Pacific coast. A genuine thun-
der storm has visited California but twice in
Il years.
Rigid examination of the applicants for
certificates to teach in Willis, Tex, has re-
/ suited in the idleness of half the schools of
the county.
1t Is said that, including the officers
holding honorary rank, there are 2,050 gen.
| erals in the British army, or nearly one for
| every 100 soldiers. $50
The mother of Kansas City, Mo-, baby
/ is 16 years old, its grandmother, 49, and its
| greatgrandmother is but 80 years old. All
reside in the same house.
Tacoma, Wash, has well 100 feet deep
from which the wind blows continually. As
there is 30 feet of water in the well the
source OF the wind Is a mystery.
The giraffe is now threatened with per-
manent extinction. Ten years ago herds
of 20 and go could be found where to-day 13
would be an exceptionally large herd.
Venezuela has 56 holidays every wear.
On these occasions the people close their
stores and enjoy themselves In chicken
lights and other tropical amusements-
In the last seven-and- twenty years the
number of students attending Scotch uni
, versities has more than doubled; for in 1861
the number was $3.50, and in 1880 it was 1000
odd.
When Missouri cabbage was cut open,
it was found that the outer coating con-
tanned % perfectly developed little heads in
a cluster, about the size of walnut and
nearly as hard.
The low volcanic island which rose so
suddenly out of the sea near Palermo, and
from which fire was emitted, has entirely
disappeared, even the water that covers it
having ceesed to boil.
"A healthy girl of II who devotes her
self to hospital work will die 2415 years
sooner than a girl of the same age in the
general population. This is supposed to be
due to her liability to tuberculosis.
"A fine deposit of asbestos has been dis.
covered in jackson county, Oregon. 1t is
pronounced by Eastern experts to be of the
very best quality The machinery for clean
ing, baling and shipping will soon be put in.
AT a communion service IN Hanwen
pauper school little girl who had charge
of tho chalice dropped 1t, and some of tho
wine was spilled on her pin9afore- The
chaplain ordered the pinafore to be burned.
"A luminous crayon has been invented
which enables lecturers to draw on the
blackboard when the room is darkened for
the use of the lantern. 1t is likely to prove
of value also to the students who take notes.
There is farmer in Ventura county,
California, whose name is Stubblefeld, and
another named Haymaker. Los Angeles,
Cal, has still another honest granger who
bears the euphonious name OF John Beam
blossom.
"A Bay City, Mich, family were taken
with alarming symptoms after eating
quantity of English walnuts. The physician
called said that they had been poisoned with
minute particles of prussic acid, which had
formed in the kernels.
Florida is probably the best timbered
State in the Union. Out of about 38,0O0, 900
acres only some 5000, 600 are included in
farms, the rest, nineteen-twentieths, exclu-
sive of the area covered by lakes aad rivers,
being covered with heavy forests
1t would seem that the ladies' OF the
harem possess a wonderful capacity for dis
posing of sweet things. France alone last
year exported to Turkey and Egypt for the
harems 160O, 900 francs (f640O0l worth OF
fondants, pralines and marrons glaces.
Lone of the missionaries of the Seamen's
Mission in England has during the year vis-
fled 200 vessels, and read the Scriptures in
English, Danish and Norwegian. He has dis
tributed 2, 900 New Testaments and 100 Cos
peIs to English and foreign seamen and emf
grants. . - = o.
The timber cut in one year in Florida
averages a little short of 200. .OOO, 900 feet.
which is over per cent of the whole amount
of mercantile timber standing in her forests.
At this rate, in about 80 years Florida would
be cleared of her timber, il there was no
natural increase.
Outside passengers by one of the Lon
don road car services were recently aston
ished to find fixed to their seats funnel
containing an umbrella, which might be
used withL.It extra charge on wet days
The only condition attaching to its employ
ment was the modest request that it should
be replaced.
The Montana sapphires embrace great
variety of the lighter shades of red, yellow,
blue and green. The latter color is found
quite pronounced, being rather a blue green
than an emerald green. Nearly all the
stones, when finely cut, have an apparent
metallic luster which is strikingly peculiar
to those from this locality. Neither red
rubies nor true-bfue sapphires have yet been
found.
An Indian tomahawk was recently cut
from the center of a saw log 81 inches in
diameter in Wisconsin, six inches in length.
and has 211a-inch blade made of roughly
forged iron. There were 10 inches Of solid
timber over the head, showing the indent-
ure of q portion of the handle in the timber,
which was different wood from the tree.
1t is supposed to have been in the, tree for
nearly 200 years.
The Japanese practice refined crueltyto
delight their palate. They believe that the
fish called the dai is most delicious when
eaten alive. An expert Japanese carver
can dextrously remove fve-sixths of the
edible matter from its bones without touch
ing a vital part. During this cruel opera
sion the fish is kept alive by wet seaweed,
which, being placed over its gills, enables it
to breathe.
Washington, GA, has three trees Of
which it is vastly proud. One is a white
oak, under which the Commissioners began
the work of laying out the town in 17s3 A
second is poplar, under the shade of which
in 1870 took place the first ordination OF
minister west of the savannah
river The third is a huge oak, under which
in 1856 occurred tie memorable debate pc
tween Robert Toombs and Benjamin Hill,
one OF the greatest intellectual contests In
the history of Georgia.
SOME SMALL SMILES.