Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-27
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS

banks.
North Dakota has barley farm of $780,
900 acres.
The BeIlamy colony in California has
proved a failure.
OF the foreign merchants in China only
q are Americans.
Rich deposits of meerschaum have been
found in New Mexico.
The wealth of Baron Hirsch is just
about eq ual to that of Jay Gould.
The Anarchists of France boast OF
about 40. 900 and the Socialists number about
100000.
Electric motors have been so greatly
improved of late that they will now pull
nearly $4,000 pounds.
The mussels found in the Sugar River,
Wisconsin, last summer produced pearls
having an aggregated value of 100000
One out of every 200 people find trip
up the Pixies Peak Railroad too much, be-
cause of the rarehcation OF the air
Earthquakes to the number of 553 have
occurred in China in the last nine and one
half years. an average Of about one week.
The telephone between London and
Paris has been found to work so well that
one is to be laid between London and Brus-
sells.
-Papier mache 'oil cans, which are now
vious to any spirit or Oil likely to be used in
q machine room.
Aluminium is found to be an excellent
material to use in the manufacture of beer
mugs. 1t will prevent the beer from becom-
ing fiat for a long time.
-Heidelburg University students have
been excluded from the theaters because
they have indulged too often in the pastime
of bowling down performances.
The Hindoos of Calcutta have set to
the music of Moody and Sankey hymns
loathsome language, which they present as
specimens of the phrases sung in the mis-
sion services.
The use of the horse as a motive power
throughout the country is rapidly diminish
ing. During the past year more than 25, 900
horses have been taken from the numerous
lines in the country.
Claims amounting to upward of e100
have been served upon the Cork Corpora
tfon in respect OF glass broken during the
progress of the late election by the rival
Nationalist factions.
Prof Virgins derides astronomical cal
cuations far enough to say that the moon is
of 230 0O0 miles, as las generally been figured
upon. This is rather discouraging to the
Lick telescoped.
No part of Australia is so hot and so
unhealthy as to forbid white settlement
and if the strip of low lying coast lands in
the north be omitted there is no part of it
yet colonized in which Europeans or Ameri-
| cans cannot work.
"A California robber holding up stage
and finding no passengers on board COM
pelled the driver to give up what cash he
had, amounting to about s2j. ais that all
the money you bave?" the highwayman
| asked. Every cent" the driver replied.
"Well, here's n dollar" the highwayman
| said, and he tossed up the coin
-Moonshiners' whisky seldom becomes a
! week old, and very often it is drank warm
| from the still, having the effect of broken
| glass on the palate. 1t is frequently adul-
| terated. tobacco being added to make it
bite and rattleweed to make it bead. In the
| moonshine districts almost every body
drinks-men and women, old and young.
The peculiar custom of lovers breaking
| . piece Of money, each retaining one-half as
token of remembrance, has come down from
! ancient times. Long before Europe and
Asia were provided with inns or public
houses of entertainment, it was the custom
for travellers to seek lodgings with private
householders. house and on n, parting pebble: ring,
each taking a half and retaining 1t, that the
host at some future time, if necessary, might
claim q return Of hospitality by presenting
| the token.
Japan appears to be turning out her
| University graduates at a faster rate than EN-
ployment can be found for them. A Japanese
| contemporary states that many of this years
Imperial University graduates have as yet
| been unable to find employment, and says
this state of things is gradually assuming a
| serious aspect. It would appear that the ad-
| vancement made by the country in learning
hn1r
| strides in commerce or the remunerative
| professions, and until this is remedied
| Japan must expect to find the present dis
| couraging state of affairs assailing her young
| graduates in starting out in their struggle
for existence
The size of Australia is not generally
| appreciated. The seven colonies between
| them occupy a territory greater than that
of the United States, excluding Alaska. New
| South Wales alone is as large as the l3
original States. Tasmania, the Rhode ISL
| and of Australia, is as large as that State,
with New Jersey. New HAMPSHIRE and Mass
ony of the continent, is equal in size to
Great Britain. Queensland surpasses the
united areas of Austria, France and Ger
many: South Australia, one-tbfrd greater
than Queensland, is nearly as large as West
ern Australia, which of itself has nearly
four times the extent of Texas, while the
two colonies together are larger than the
whole of EuropeEvithout Russia. The total
population is about 4, 100000.
Death superstitions are rife in the
West Indies. To the people there every
thing out of the ordinary is n "sign" In
Cuba person with a sore or wound of any
kind will not look upon dead person fear
ing that the spot will become incurable.
The rum used in washing dead body is,
however, regarded as O sure cure fop all eye
troubles. II the light from candle or lamp
falls on the face OF The dead that death will
shortly come to him or her who was carry
ing the light. Rain during a burial is con-
sidered an excellent "sign" throughout the
islands If one measures his own height
with q rod which has been used in measur-
ing q corpse for the coffin, he himself will
die within the year. stroke with the
hand of a corpse is believed by the West
Indian to be sure cure for all pains and
swellfngs.
-'sBorn and died on the same day" was
true Of the following conspicuous men:
Shakespeare was born April 23, 1854, and died
April 28, 1916. Raphel Segio d'Urbino, the
great artist, was born on Good Friday 1883
died on Good Friday, 1920, aged 81 Good
Friday is a movable feast, so the day of the
month may not have been the same, but the
"Encyclopadia Britannica" says "he died
author Of "Religo Medicf !" was born October
10, 1906, died October 10, 1882. Timothy Swan,
composer was born July %, 175S, died July
%, 1912. st. John of God, one of the moss
eminent of the Portuguese saints, was born
March 8, 1495, died March 8, 1850 John
Sobieski, King of Poland, who delivered
Vienna from the Turks, was born June u,
1879, died June II, 1896.