The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-07-13
Items Of Interest.

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guished from glass and paste by touching
them with the tongue. The diamonds
feel much colder.
1t is one of the "minor morals" that a
borrowed book should be carefully used
and returned without being de6led NV
dirty hands, or disfgured by marks and
turned down leaves.
In England the broad arrow is the
recognized symbol with which the gov
eminent property-including army wag-
ons, mules, provision bags, and the gar
ments of convicts is regularly stamped.
How is that little mining scheme Of
yours getting along? Any money in it?"
ANY money in it2 Well, should say
so! All Of mine, all of my wife's and
about $4,000 that got from my friend"
One gets an idea of the feeling of the
French toward the Germans when, in
the hope of getting around a conversa-
tional blockade, he addresses them in
German. However polite the refusal to
speak in that tongue, it is accompanied
by perceptible air of resentment.
The Chinese are wonderful people.
1t Is popularity supposed that rice, on ac-
count of its cheapness, is the chief diet
OF the poorer classes. In reality it is q
luxury with them. Millet, very nu-
tritious grain, unknown to the western
world, is one of their most important
foods,
1t is related that Judge Jere Black said
of Thad Stevens: "That he was one of
the brightest men ever born, and could
say the smartest things, but that, so far
as being under any sense of obligation
to his creator for superior mental en-
dowments, his mind was a bowling will
derness."
After the locomotive department of
the Argentine Great Western railway
had mastered the question of using pc
troleum as fuel and most excellent re-
suits had been attained, the supply of
oil gave out, owing to the borings not
going deep enough, and wood and coal
are again being used.-
Once before being placed in his tomb
every Partisan may be the recipient of
homage as profound as would be given
to potentate. 1t is when going to his
own funeral. Men uncover their heads
and women devoutly cross themselves
while the hearse is passing. This is true
even of the drivers of tram cars, buses
and drays, and of the maids in white
caps.
There is very serious defect in the
new silver half dollar that few people
appear to have discovered" said Milton
Everett, of San Antonio, Tex. "The
new coin is nearly as brittle as steel. A
hard blow from hammer breaks it
completely in two. You can pound all
Hay on the coin which this one is in
tended to succeed and not crack it,
which seems to attest a superiority of
coinage in favor of the old half dollar"
A Mexican superstition, very common
among miners in that country, relates
to the "gold snake" This species of
serpent is perfectly harmless and very
handsome, being green in color and
with golden iridescence in its scales.
Faith is entertained that wherever a
gold snake makes its nest there is
ledge containing the precious metal, and
there are many miners who will locate
claim at once if they find gold snake.
The Oldest goose on record as now liv-
ing belonged to John Ray, respectable
resident of Croton Landing, N. Y. He
says he purchased the goose from Isaac
Hill, who made an affidavit at the time
that the faithful fowl was tfty-two
years of age then. The goose lays fifty
eggs year, and was sold by Mr.. Ray at
the end of the third year of his posses
sion for $780, He says, to the best of his
knowledge and belief, she is now eighty
six years of age
In Germany the exigencies of compul-
sorry military service require that man
should be registered from the day of his
birth to that of his death. The govern
ment must be able to lay hands upon
him at any time. A man can accom-
plish no civil act without producing his
papers Of identity. He cannot set up in
business, nor buy land, nor obtain a
situation, nor marry, nor get out of any
scrape with the judicial authorities, nor
leave the country without satisfying
the police as to who he is, where he was
born, who were his parents, ETC..
An interesting archaeological find has
been reported from the neighborhood of
Fosters Ferry, ON the Warrior river,
about nine miles south of Tuscaloosa,
Ala. When the recent high waters re-
coded from the river bottoms it was
found that the current had unearthed a
prehistoric burial ground. Great guam
titles of human bones, rough stonework
and pottery were left exposed. tits sur
missed here from the nature of the relics
found that it was Choctaw burial
ground, but thorough examination will
be made at once and the results reported
A WONDER WoRKER.-Mr. Frank
Huffman, young man of Burlington,