St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-11-19

into frantic effort to run away. The
young man was scared beyond his powers
of description. He fought the birds off
with his whip and, directing the horse
as best he could, was soon beyond their
pursuit. He said they were nearly all
blackbirds, although there appeared to
be other species among the army of his
winged enemies.
"THE amount of moisture letter of
two Or three pages will carry" says a
business man, sis enormous and is fire.
quently heavy enough to turn the scale
and call for more postage. A large
batch of mail matter of mine was reported
held for postage not long ago, and on
going to the postotfice | found it weighed
we'll within the limit. 1t was explained,
however, that the mail was damp when
delivered, and that the water soaked up
by the paper must be paid for, although
it has since evaporatcd, which seems to
Indicate that it is economical to copy
letters at least an hour or two before
mailing them"
H. c. LocKLrN of Monroe, Ga, has o
monstrosity in the way of spider. The
insect is undoubtedly spider Its legs
and lower part of the body are of a white
color. but lead colorcd shell like a
terrapin's, covers the small body. Upon
the convex surface of the shell which is
about rs large rs a mans thumbnail,
there is imprinted the closest possible re-
exceedingly minute, the features are per-
feet in proportion and appearance, and
the tiny skull is realistic and frightful.
JOHN A. STAPLES, of Newburg, N. Y,
who recently invented chair spring,
has sold forty-nine shares of his patent
for $40, 900. The inventor retains fl ty-
one shares of the stock and the control
of the invention. Mr.. Staples idea orig
mated in q dream. He dreamed one
night of the uncomfortable chairs that
he had noticed in far away hotel and
how he would rig up chair if he set
about to do so. The next day he thought
of this dream and at once set about
getting the idea into shape. The scheme
as outlined in the dream was followed
and as result Mr. Staples rugged up
novel and comfortable chair
DURING recent rainstorm at Ulvers-
ton, England. the monument on the Hill
of Hood was taken possession of by a
vast army of ants. They filled the stair
case, crowded the floors, aud swarmed
the rooms to the dome. $50 feet high.
The attendants carried them out by
baskctfus. The other week the same
thing occurred, and though to some
their conduct seems extraordinary, it is
nothing to be wondered at that creatures
intelligent enough to appoint monarchs,
elect parliaments, maintain military dis
cipline, build houses, and keep slaves,
should "know enough to go in when it
rains"
THERE is an ancient superstition that
the milk of red cows is better than that
given by cows of any other color. A
Frenchman travelling through Great
Britain early in the eighteenth century
noted that cow were oftener black than
rcd in England, and that on this account
the milk of red cows was preferred to
those of black cows. He added that the
to the virtue of the red COW occur at
various points in English literature, and
among the sacrifices enjoyed for puriiica-
ton from sin in the Hebrew scriptures
is a red hcifcr.
REFERENCE has been made to the
crowded condition OF New York city,
where there is an average of nearly nine
teen persons to every dwelling. Further
investigation shows that over forty-two
per cent Of the houses are tcnemcnts.
Out of 312, 766 families only 1904 live
in houses by themselves, leaving 275, 1862
families living under the same roof with
other people. There are S,762 dwellings
which contain over ten families each.
Rents are very high, apartments in q fat
renting for more than a whole house in
other cities, and the purchase Of a house,
even Oh the instalmert plan, offers grave
New York has been called
tthe landlords paradise"
A TRANsvAAL paper says of Mr.. Stan
ey's achievements: It would be easy
for President Kruger TO name 1000
ourghers who would have gone as far
for half the price as did Mr.. Stanley.
There are indeed many Beers who have
done as much as Mr.. Stanley has done,
md more, in the way of African explor-
ltion, whose names are unknown, and
who themselves think nothing of their
different tricks. The extraordinary sue
cess of Mr. Stanley in attaining world
wide renown is an excellent proof of
what advertising can do.
An affecting incident was witnessed
It concert in Vienna. A lady had just
performed a piece on the piano, com
posed by resident of the city, and was
applauded. She bowed
repeatedly, and then rushed off the stage,
to return presently, leading the com
poser forward. He kissed his hand when
'hc fresh applause greeted him, and
pointed to the lady, intimating that to
ner the credit was due. He could not
see the audience, for he is blind.
SOMETHING wonderful in the clock
inc has been constructed by mechanic
IN Warsaw, Poland. 1t represents a
railway station with clock tower giving
the time in four countries. Trains run
INTO or depart from the station every
fifteen minutes. Station agents, tele-
sraphers. ticket-sellers, with lines of |
passengers, are seen in action, and the
usual hustle and tumult of a station are |
heard and seen, bells ringing, whistles
blowing, etc.
An Under Valued Product