The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-03-01
ITEMS OF INTEREST.


CATHOLIC PRIESTS who have charge Of thinly
settled and widely scattered rural parishes in
Maine have need of all the Christian virtues, not
to speak of great physical endurance and varied
accomplishments. The reverend father who
mas charge OF the church at Winterport, Me
has parshiOners in hafa dozen towns along the
Penobscot river. who are remote from one
another in the farming districts, and to them he
must be- as occasion required, not only a spir-
ltual guide, but also legal and medical ad-
wiser. During the epidemic of grin, now sub
siding, he has Travelled day and night over rough
roads and through deep snow drifts visiting the
SICK. When case was dangerous he dispatched
messenger for the nearest physician; other
wise he prescribed and administered simple
remedies, and always with the greatest success.
AN elephants digestive functions are very
rapid, and the animal therefore requires daily a
large amount of fodder-about 600 pounds at
least In it's wild state the elephant feeds
heartily but wastefully 1t is careful in select
ing tho few forest trees which it likes for the ir
bark or foliage But il will tear down branches
and leave half Of them untouched. 1t will strip
on the bark and throw away large portion.
As 1t is nocturnal animal it selects its trees by
the senses of touch and smell. Its sense of smell
is so delicate that a wild elephant can wind an
enemy at distance of 1000 yards. and the
nerves Of its trunk are so sensitive that the
smallest substance can be discovered and picked
up by its tiny proboscs. An elephants
palate is very delicate, and the ami
NAL is very whimsical in selecting or
rejecting morsels of food. Sir Samuel W.
Baker in his .'Wild Beasts and Their Ways"
tells an anecdote humorously illustrative of the
whims OF tame elephant belonging to the po-
lice of Dhubri. This elephant was fed on rice
and plantains. The stems OF the plaintains
were spit aud cut into transverse sections, two
feet IN length. Three-q quarters of pound OF
rice were placed within each tube Of plantain
stem. One day while the elephant was being
fed lady offered the animal a soft sweet bis
cult. 1t WAS taken within the trunk and almost
Immediately thrown on the ground. the ma
bout, or driver, thinking that the elephant had
behaved rudely, picked up the biscuit and liz
serted IL in parcel of rice within a plantain
STEM This was placed in the elephants mouth
and at the very first crunch it showed its dis
gust by splitting out the whole mess. The
small biscuit had disguised the animal and for
several minutes it tried by It's inserted trunk to
rake out every atom from its tongue and
throat.
The development Of the beard has been
matter of no small Importance, and the crop
ping Of Louis VII ohin brought on three cent
uries of bloodshed. Pedro ". OF Aragon (lS51)
found himself compelled to prohibit his Cata-
lonian subjects from wearing false boards, but
the most singular substitute was the golden
boards worn by the kings of Persia The kings
or France of the first dynasty wore boards en-
twined with gold threads. The custom OF shaw
ing the beard was en;orcsd by Alexander of
Macedon for practical end. The beard was a
source Of trouble TO Peter the Great, who.
simultaneously WITH tue INTRODUCTION OF MS
great reforms in Russia, tried to induce his peo-
pie to initiate the shaving nations. To the Rus
sian of olden times the beard was symbol Of
liberty. In Olden times when every
beard was valued at 20 shillings and
the loss of leg was estimated at
II shilings. Boards were at various times
taxed in England. and the sheriff of Canter-
bury paid 3 shilings and 4 pence for wear
ing beard. In the first year of Elizabeth's
reign every beard OF above fortnight's growth
was taxed shillings and pence, but the law
was too absurd TO be enforced Peter the Great
imposed tax Of ruble upon boards, but it
was soon Cancelled. In iS4l George G. Badger,
Secretary of the Navy, issued a general order
In which was included his celebrated instruc-
tions: 1.-THE hair of all persons belonging to
the navy is to be kept short, and no part of
the beard is to be worn long excepting the
whiskers, which shall not descend more
aud thence in a line toward the cor
ners Of the mouth" These were nicknamed
Badger whiskers" In Europe and q portion
of Asia boards prevail until we 90 beyond India.
when gradually boards disappear, as in the case
with the Chinese, Japanese and Siamese. The
Siamese have quaint and picturesque custom,
which Is celebrated In every family pretending
to wealth and fashion when child becomes OF
age, Of cutting the topnot. This topnot is a
round patch Of hair allowed to grow on the top
of the head while the rest of the head is closely
shaved. 1t is worn until the boy is to become
in measure independent, or in case of girls
till their manageable age begins to draw
near. The date is regulated by the fancy of the
family. controlled in some instances by the
family sooLhsayer and ranges from g. II and
IL years.
The name Gulf Stream was first suggested by
Benjamin Franklin, because it comes from the
Gulf of Mexico. While it is portion Of the
grand scheme Of ocean circulation, and the
Gulf of Mexico is in reality only stopping
place. as it we're, for its waters, the name is
generally applied TO the current whenit reaches
. ia Grro T,f nnrfh % N,,ha r. 81
large funnel-shaped opening toward the Gulf of
Mexico the current at first Is variable in drec-
tion and velocity, but by the time Havana is
reached it has become regular and steady flow
AS it rounds the curve of the Florida shore the
straits contract, and the water then practically
fills the banks from shore to shore and reaches
almost to the bottom, which is at this point
about 5000 feet deep. l say almost because in
the changes which are continually going on,
sometimes it does and sometimes 1t does not
reach Eci, the bottom AS it leaves the
about north, but it gradually w, changes
| its direction, following approximately the
| curve of one hundred fathoms' depth until it
arrives at Cape Hatteras. From this point it
| starts on its course to Europe. IL has lost
| something in velocity as well as temperature,
and as it journeys to the eastward it gradually
diminishes in both until it becomes a
gentle flow as it approaches Europe.
People think the Mississippi river a grand
stream, and it is so in truth far as land rivers
go; but great as 1t is it would require two
! buOusanu SuCuTlVeFs 10 make one tul1 stream.
The great ocean river is anirresistible flood of
water, running all the time, winter and sum-
yer, and gear after year. IL is - difficult for
| the mind TO grasp its immensely as it is TO real
! ize the distance to the nearest stars. At its
narrowest part In the Straits of Florida it
| is thrty-nine miles wide, has an average
depth of 1900 feet, and a velocity at the
axis 1.-THE point of farthest fiow) OF
| from three TO more than five miles an
hour. To say that the volume in one hour past
Cape Florida Is 30 100000 600 tons in weight
does not convey very much TO the mind IL we
should evaporate this one hours flow Of water
and distribute the remaining salt TO the inhabit-
ants OF the United States, every man, woman
and child would receive nearly sixty pounds
| IL Is curious to note in the history Of the Gulf
/ Stream how great its influence has been In the
| history OF the new world. Before the discovery
Of America strange woods and fruits were fire.