The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-09
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

A german lady living In Manchester, Eng
land. possesses what it supposed to be the larg-
est Bible in one volume in the world. II is an
heirloom, 200 years old. with pages two feet
long; and but little less in width, and at the
head OF each page is a line in red ink, which
translated reads: This is a history" Another
resident of the same city has compiled so to
speak. a Bible in ninety volumes, his additions
to the text consisting OF pictures and photo
graphs which he has collected to the number of
nearly 10000.
THE largest oak now standing in England is
the ''Cowthorpie," which measures IS feet In
circumference at the ground. At one time this
tree and its branches covered more than an
acre of space The gigantic old "Parlia-
mentary Oak" in Clipstons park London, is be-
lieved to be 1900 years old. The tallest oak on
the British isles IS called the Dukes Walking
stick. 1t is higher than the spire of West
was feled in 1910, realized S. $50 for its owner;
the bark was sold for 81 900 and the trunk and
branches for S3,S50 more.
THE ancient Egyptian cat was the progeny OF
species that IS wild in that country today,
being known as the felis maniculata. This lat
ter may be regarded as the ancestor of nearly
ell existing pussies of domesticated varieties
It's descendants were brought from Egypt to
Greecs and Rome, whence they spread over
Europe. When the Romans invaded Britain
they found plenty of wild cats in the woods
but the people owned no tame ones. The felis
maniculata is Of yell0Wish color, darker on the
back and whitish on the belly, with obscure
stripes on the body and a tail ringed toward the
end Doubtless some domesticated cats are de-
rived from different origins, ea is presumably
the case with the Angora or Persian variety,
which is thought TO be descended from an Ash
attic wildcat.
"THE columns of facetiae in the English cheap
periodicals are mainly supplied from America,
there being, unhappily no copyright in Jokes, &"
says James Payn, but there is a danger in the
gnnFOnfipEinT M ~ had nnir-
listed with respect to stories. many of which
have been transferred, without acknowledge
ment, from American sources by enterprsing
English publishers TO their own columns, with
results that they have not calculated upon: for
an original fiction is discovered 10 have pre-
viousy appeared in England and the author,
having been twice robbed, has sometimes the
satisfaction (through his lawyer of gsttiuR
twice paid A Joke with mans name in it.
accusing him of q fraudulent transaction, was
thus transferred the other day, and a man of
the same name (which happened to be a singil-
lar one) has obtained damages from the English
publishers of it. There was no suggestion of a
libel having been intended, but the iokee proved
damage to his reputation"
WAR itself will. at all times, be less hideous
now in these days of smokeless powder, says
Sir Charles Dixie in the gOrtnj0t Hv Review for
while the noise of the gu is less ened. the flash
is blue and far more vivid, and the trifiing pur-
pie haze which overspreads the landscape when
the fire Of musketry becomes intense beauties
all objects. though 1t In no way interferes with
SIGHT. AS FOR the guns. they appear to have but
the smoke of cigar. and, may add, the smell
OF fusee. Men and horses are now visible in
the battle, however hot the engagement how
ever great the numbers, with ali the clearnesS
in which they are depicted in panoramic views
OF medi8evR al battle. Woe betide, In future gen.
erals who ride white Arabs, and armies whose
uniforms or equipments glistenl Their fiut-
terln2 lance pennons add greatly to the spec
tscuiar effect Of our field days" has lately been
said of the lancers of the British army Al
though lance pennons have gone In France, vet
the military painter can still find subjects The
carnage when men next fight will no doubt be
awful, and the next war bloodier than the last
but the prelininaries OF destruction will be love.
lY to the eve.
THE BAMBOO, as it furnishes nearly everything
else in Japan and Java, furnishes, too, most
dangerous poison. The young shoots of the
cane, when they first push through the ground,
ara covered with fine, browntsh hairs, which,
under The microscope, appear to be bayonet-
ike spikes of crystals Of Slick infinitely sharp
and hollow. Sin all quantities of these hairs
! administered daily In the food bring on ulcera-
ton OF the whole alimentary canal, Stimulating
malignant dysentery. The action must be
OF mechanical rather than chemical
nature, just as the spores of the common
puff ball act upon the eyes. The bamboo
crystal ia greatly dreaded by all the European
residents of Java. Dutch official report GAYS
/ at scores of deaths among European planters
are due TO the bamboo hairs and the jealousy
fancy to a white man, will either have him or
poison him on bamboo hairs If it takes months
10 accomplish the JOB The 1nfntesimal hoI-
low through those hairy crystals is the most re-
markabls thing in connection with them, they
being the only known vegetable or mineral
thorns or crystals.
THE COST of British royalty is about IS, 000.-
coo year. In addition to the maintenance of
palaces and the building of royal yachts, the
incomes voted to the family are enormous SAYS
Henry Labouchere in London Truth The Prince
of Wales has over $500, 600 and the princess
$50, 900 year. The younger sons of the queen
have been voted S125 000 the daughters $50 900
each, the Duke of Cambridge the Queens
cousin, 5000, and his two sisters a25. 900 and
SIS, 900 respectively, and 100000 was voted to
the Empress Frederick of Germany when she
was married. The lord chamberlain, lord
steward and master Of buck hounds get S2S. 500
per year each. seven lords In waiting get $500
each for few weeks each year in attendance +"
The ladies' of the bed-chamber have g. 500 a year
each What would be thought in the United
States of the Senate we're each incoming Presi-
dent able TO distribute salaries TO some thirty
senators for performing ceremonial duties
about bis person and about that OF his wife9
Would the Senate be deemed Independent of
the executive wero it possible to give senator
from the north many thousand dollars per an
mum for walking backward before the President
with white stick, senator from the south
huge income for looking after tho president
tial dogs and the wife OF a senator from the
west big salary for presiding over the gowns
and petticoats OF Mrs. Presidents