Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-08
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.


The morphia habit is increasing in
Paris at terrible rate.
| "A Fresno, Cal, man has obtained
divorce because his wife was in the habit OF
mixing dough without nrst- washing her
| hands.
Five hundred children under 10 years
| of age have been taken into custody in
twelve months III London as drunk and in
capable.
| The largest umbrella in the world was
recently maize for an African king. 1t is 81
feet in diameter and is affixed to a staff OF
| the same length.
! 1t is said that the human mouth is
surely but steadily moving toward the left
| OF the lace, owing to the tendency to chew
with the teeth of the left jaw.
The latest victim of the whipping post
In Delaware chewed tobacco while the
sheriff was welding the cat, and left the
post with broad grin on his face.
The total annual production of paper
approximates 3,OOO.OOO 900 pounds; there being
over 4,5OO paper mills in existence, repre-
sentlng capital OF some $500, 10000.
Tourists who strike Cairo these days
are in unusual luck. For 40 days after the
hhedive's death food is served with coffee
anu cigarettes to all who visit the tomb
nooga, Tenn, few nights ago to husbands,
and urging them to treat their wives better.
ne was arrested on the charge Of bigamy.
"A singular phenomenon lately pointed
out but not yet explained, is that the interior
OF piece of mild steel may be raised to the
fuslng point while the outside remains solid.
The printing of two centuries ago has
improved with age; that OF to-day, it is
feared, will. within 80 years, have eaten its
way through the pages upon which it is inn
pressed.
The superstltious folks of Sandringbam
now it seems remember that during the
whole of the night before the Duke of Clar-
ence died the dogs howled in an unusual
manner.
"A farmer in North Carolina has a hog
that measures feet inches in length and
feet inches around the body. 1t is so fat
that its eyes have been closed for about two
months.
What is said to be an undescribed book
of devotions, printed by Lucas Brands, of
Lubeck, in 1888, in the Danish language, was
recently discovered in the Royal Library at
Copenhagen.
The latest architectural novelty in Chi
cage isa book-shaped block II stories high,
20 De known as the Mercantile Register
rms Dook will have steel bindings with
terra Gotta trimmings
The fact is that the avenage novel does
not exceed 1000 copies in its sale. Moreover,
publishers fix that q limit to their first
printing. A novel, like q book OF short
knows it.
"A gentleman in town the other day."
reports the Los Angeles Optic, chad two
artificial limbs, his left arm was gone and
the fingers of the right hand were Off Eow-
ever, he seemed to move along with but lit
tie friction.
Mems thumb rings are no rarities to
collectors. Some of the Roman specimens
must have been cumbrous to wear, one in
the Montfaucon collection bearing the bust
OF Trajan's consOrt, Plotina, measuring over
three inches across.
There is an insect found in raw sugar.
Out of " samples of raw sugar recently ex-
amined in London. SO contained the "sugar
insect" but the examiner found no speci-
mems OF that parasite in the samples of re-
lined sugar which he viewed.
Recently, near Riverside, CAL, a tele-
phone wire, it is said, broke between two
offices about l5 miles apart, and yet an Or
dinary conversation could be carried on
over the wire after it was broken, though
the magnetic bell would not ring
-Twenty-four-carat gold is all gold; D.
carat gold has p parts of gold, L of silver and
of copper: Is-carat gold has Is parts of gold,
is half gold and has 81 parts of silver andSZ
OF copper. Its specific gravity is about Is;
pure gold is 10.
1t seems that there is really whistIins
language. French traveller, M Laiard.
has written work on the subject which has
just been occupying the attention of the
Paris Academy of Sciences. 1t is in the
Canary Islands that people whistle instead
of speaking when they hold converse with
each other.
"A Scott county, Va, man, in the last
stages of consumption, a few days ago or
dered his coffin and had it brought to his
room, where he inspected and approved it.
He then had it placed in an adjoining room
and paid for it. He has also made several
other preparations for his death and funeral,
which he expects will occur this month.
In Long Island Sound, not far from the
north shore of the island, is clearly defined
the channel of an ancient river. As shown
by the United States coast survey it is a
gorge having depth of about 60 feet below
the general floor of the sound on either sfde
1T. The gorge or channel was cut into the
bedrock of gneiss, the erosion of which is
exceedingly SLOW.
Three years ago young lady of Fall
River Mass, was hit upon the left side Of
her head by falling sign as she was walk
ing along 4 street in Boston. This was fol-
lowed by brain fever. After some weeks she
was as well in mind and body as ever but
from n right-handed person she had become
so left-handed that she could neither cut,
sew nor write with her right hand.
I'm the Middle Ages the bride was led
to church by the bridegroom's men, the
bridegroom by the bridemaidS; according to
the Sarum missal, Sops of waters, imm ersed
in wine, were bles sed by the priest and dis
tributed to all the wedding company at the
conclusion of the ceremony, as previously
stated-an evident imitation of the Roman
"confarreatiOn."
"A curious sequel to the great storm of
last month rs reported by the Victoria, 3. c.,
C51o1list from near Port Crescent where four
cattle were found by their owners a few
days ago penned up by fallen trees in q.
space about 25 feet square. They had ex-
listed in this prison for over a month, with
no water except what they might have Sc.
cured in the rains, and no food except the
small area of grass within the barrier OF