Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-16
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

| -Ou du dfCAoSt OOO DcdEb d year dre an
| nually killed in Maine.
There are no know owners for $4,000
acres ofland in st. Clair county, Alabama.
There is puff ball growing in jack
son (Mich.) mans yard that messures three
feet four inches in circumference
Two remarkably big men wert buried
the other week. One, aged 20, weigheI 400
pounds, the other, only Is years old, weighs
All pounds.
/ There are Alb species of trees found
within the limits of the United States, six
/ teen of which, when perfectly seasoned, will
sink in water.
Several hundred eagles swooped down
on Bielgord, Russia, and deyoured ten
horses, several sheep and vast number Of
smaller animals.
There are 40, 900 women studying in the
various colleges in America, and still it is
not more than 25 years since the first college
IN the land was opened to women.
Apple tree contests figure among the
latest fads in Kansas. Everybody has q
shake at the tree, and the man who brings
down the most apples carries OFF the prize.
1t is estimated that the total tonnage
which will pass through the Nicaragua
canal, when completed, will be 100000 tons
per annum. This is equal to five large ships,
and l5 ships OF ordinary size day.
"A newly married couple in Springfield,
O., were given an "old-fashioned serenade'
by their friends one evening last week, and
the yelling and firing of guns so frightened
AN aged neighbor that she dropped dead.
"A Jumbo muskmelon is on exhibition
at Fresno, Cal. 1t measures 80 inches in cir
cumference one way and 81 the other, and
weighs Y pounds. 1t is believed to be the
largest muskmelon ever raised in America.
"A church in lower Austria has just re-
ceived legacy of 300 fiorins. 1t was be-
queathed by merchant of Vienna to atone
for his having broken a window during
lesson in catechism when boy IL years old.
The Mclean House, near APpomattO1
Court House, in which the articles of the
surrender of General Lees army to General
Grant were written, will be removed to Chi
cagO, but will be returned after the exhibit
ton.
The imperial yacht of Napoleon, PAi-
| gle, in which Eugenie made her voyage to
Egypt, was lately up for sale at Cherbourg
as the Rapide but as the highest bid was
| only LOCO francs, she was Withdrawn and
| will be broken up.
I'm Germany the potato is often used as
| material for buttons, which look very much
! like horn or ivory buttons, but are much
| cheaper. The potato is first treated with
| certain acids, and then compressed until it
| gets as hard as stone.
There is deeply rooted superstition in
Scotland that May marriages are unlucky
| and are bound to turn out badly. Last
April there were 2,O55 marriages in Scotland,
| in May there were but ,003, while IN june
| the number jumped to 4, las.
Miss May White, the Munith sleeping
school teacher. has now slumbered s. days.
Her home is at Meadville, Ingham county,
| but she is at DR.. Browns house in Stock
| bridge, for treatment He thinks she does
not sleep as soundly as formerly, he having
| less difficulty in arousing her to take medi-
cine.
There must be myriads of fish living in
the depths of the sea whose form and char
acteristics we can never even guess at, for,
should specimens be successfully hooked,
they would burst into pieces before they
could be brought to the surface, being re-
lieved or the extraordinary pressure under
which they exist.
"A retired sea captain died at Hannibal
the other day having in his possession q
! watch over hundred years old. 1t was once
dropped in the waters of Chesapeake Bay.
but the owner dived and recovered it. Not
withstanding it has licked off the seconds
for more than a century it is now more re-
| liable than many modern timepieces.
"A new method of obtaining light has
| just been patented in England. Instead of
the old-fashioned safety match, the stick is
tipped at both ends, one end with the usual
composition and the other with that found
on the scratcher outside the box. Light is
obtained by breaking the match in the mid
die and rubbing the two ends together.
Vampire bats are so destructive to cattle
in the Brazilian provinces of Matti Grossi
and Entire Rios that stock raising has be-
come improbable. The Government offers
Ell 900 reward for the suggestion of any plan
which will tend to abate the pest. In a sim
gle night as many as 20 of the winged blood
suckers attack a single COW, leaving it help
less on the field.
st. Joseph and Independence men have
organized an expedition to go to Arizona
| and search for the 'Lost Vegas a mine of
fabulous richness which was worked - CEN
tury or two ago but the location of which
has been for long time unknown. Before
investing any money in the scheme these
gentlemen might learn something to their
advantage by corresponding with Mr.. David
F. Weir, of Kansas City. Mr.. Weir has lately
been searching for lost and hidden treasure,
and has succeeded in accommodating a rich
store of valuable experience and faded
hopes.
ST. Helen's Wishing Well, at Sefton,f
has just been cleaned out and covered in by
Lord Seton. The well is supplied by fine
spring of very pure water, and it is great
boon to the inhabitants of the place. Con-
siderable interest is also taken in it by the
sightseers, who throw q pin into the well in
order to secure the realization of their
dreds of pins can be seen on the bottom.
Lord Seton had the well thoroughly cleaned
out built up with stonework and covered
over with a very handsome roof. at is said
that, while the cleaning in progress,
pins were thrown out by the spadeful."
-Kilian Van Rensselaer's house in Rens-
selaer county, opposite Albany, is said to be
the oldest inhabited dwelling house in the
United States. 1t stands near the Hudson
river at the south end of Greenbush, is of
brick, and has gambrel roof. Two port
holes out of which the early Van Rensse-
laers shot at Indians pierce the front walls,
and q little plate in the rear, set up by the
Albany Commemorative Society. shows the
edifice to have. been erected in 1912. Behind
this venerable mansion is well, on the
coping of which Yankee Doodle is said to
have been composed during the French War
preceding the Revolution. In the old hall
the Dutch Reformed settlers had religious
services.