The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-12
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

The rate of infant mortality is enormous In
round numbers 100000 babies never live long
enough to talk; 100000 more never have a
chance to walk or run, and 200, 600 more never
get old enough to go to school.
Few YEARS AGO the owner of a riverside
farm in Southern Indiana published a report
which seemed to prove that, for a few weeks at
least, birds of certain species are apt to hiber-
nate, like bats and squirrels. A number of
laborers had been clearing patch of wood at
the river shore and came across several martins
or chimney swallows that had taken refuge in a
hollow sycamore tree and appeared numb or
half dead with cold. but being brought to a
warm room revived and fluttered about the
windows as if nothing had happened.
In the way of recent antiseptic agents, an
interesting addition is what has received the
name of microcidine. substance composed of
20 per cent OF naphthol OF sodium. and rs per
cent OF naphthol and phenyl compounds. This
is French preparation. and is In the form of a
white powder, soluble in three parts of water.
The solution, which is OF course inexpensive.
Is represented to be really effective antseptic,
having the advantage of not only being non
poisonous ore caustic. bu. without any injurious
e1ect upon instruments or linen, and though
its antiseptic properties are rated as inferior TO
those of corrosive sublimate or naphthol, they
are claimed to surpass those OF carbolic and
boracic acids ten and twenty times respectively
especially effective in dressing wounds
A BENEvoLKNTLY disposed French citizen
wished to know the amount of truth contained
in the complaints of sturdy beggars that they
were willing to work If they could get anything
to do or any one to employ them. This gentle
man entered into negotiations with some mer-
chants and manufacturers. and induced them
to offer work at the rate of francs $50 cents) q
day TO every person presenting himself furn-
nlshed with a letter OF recommendation from
him. In eight months 727 sturdy beggars came
under his notice, all complaining that
they had no work Each Of them was asked TO
come the following day to receive letter
which would enable him to get employment at
francs a day in an industrial establishment.
More than one half (415 never came for the
letter; good many others (I33) returned for
the letter but never presented it Others who
did present their lettsr worked half day, de-
manded francs, and were seen no more A
few worked a whole day and then disappeared.
In short, out OF the whole 727 only eighteen
were found at work at the end of the third day.
AS result of this experiment NJ. Monod oon-
cludes That no more than one ablebodted beg
gar in forty is inclined TO work even IL he Ia
offered fair remuneration for bis services.
A COMMITTEE appointed to report on the
famous Tore Nuova In the Plaza San Fihpe in
/ the capital OF Aragon, has issued a pessimistic
account 1t is feared that this clock tower-a
very fine example of the kind-will have to be
pulled down. Excessive rains and floods have
caused a subsistence Of soil and the structure is
deemed unsafe. The construction of this lean
ing tower was begnn in the fifteenth century,
under the direction Of two Spanish, one Jewish
andtwo Moorish architects. 1t is octagonal in
form, 300 feet high 45 feet In diameter and
leans about 10 feet out of it's perpendicular
Stone steps, 260 in number. lead inside to the
top gallery, whence a magnificent and beauti-
ful view is obtained over the city ITSELF the
fertile plains Of AraRon. watered by the rapid
moving Ebro, and away to the north
where the Pyrenees are SEEN The
edifice, built of bricks, has at a distance
a Moorish aspect, the face Of the structure be-
ing diapered with brick work, but the design
and execution are much coaFser than are gener-
! ally In Y4l-pIy MONrieh hull
various windows, galleries, hattlements and
turrets. together with designs partly Byzantine
partly Arabesque, demonstrates its mixed
architecture. 1t has been stated that the lean
ing Of the tower was due to the caprics Of the
architects. but an old crack in its side and q
careful examination OF the foundation led to
the conclusion that it was want of care on the
part of the builders. The Aregonese speak of
| the ancient crack an old wound in its side of
which the Tore Nuova Is now dying. This 'oid
wound was under treatment In the year 1860
but an unfortunate relapse threatens to result
In an entire collapse.
THERE is one very funny relic of by-eone
ages on a house in old Berlin. In the time OF
Frederick the Greats father there were two rival
blacksmiths living across the road from each
other Each kept tally or the number and con-
oltlon OF the others patrons. IL CHANGED one
DAY that Frederick William l., who was very
fond OF going about the country disguised to
feel the pulse of his people, rode up to one of
the blacksmiths to have his horses shoe tight
ened. The daughter Of the blacksmith opposite
seeing the exceedingly plain little parsonage on
horseback, considered him beneath her envy
and, TO show her contempt for him, made a
horrible face, thrustinS her tongue out as far as
she could. Unfortunately for what has to be
shown to future generations. the damsel was no
longer In the springtime of youth, nor was
she dressed as a modest maiden should be
before going to the window to make faces at
strange men across the way. That day the
king called together the wood .carvers of Ber
lin and offered a premium for the most
mdeous Fury's head and bust, giving them a
few necessary points suggestive of the farrier
lass. A few days later the blacKsmith's
daughter thought they had eternally and totally
eclpsed their neighbor, for the kings state
chariot drove up and stopped at her fathers
door; but what was her horror when she be-
held the same plain little person who had
stopped at the rivals but a few DAYS before
and behind him man bearing Fury's head
the throat and breast showing pitilessly the
ravages of time, the face horribly distorted and
the tongue, long and sharp, thrust out so far
that it seemed only to be another one of the
many serpents that writhed about the head
The woman stood petri1ed with consrerna-
ton; but the petrifaction was soon changed TO
active fits when she heard the little man in
whom by that time she had recognized the
king, give orders that the Fury should be nailed
over the door, to remain there as long as wind
and weather should spare the wood And there
II remains to this day, lesson to rivals and a
warning to petty spte