Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-20
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS!

Over 900, 900 orange trees were planted
in Mexico last year by planters from Calf
fornia.
School teachers in England's country
districts get the muniicentsum of shillings
a week. .- .t-.,-.r
A sign in store in fremont street,
Boston, reads: Fresh Eggs, % cents; Strict
ly Fresh Eggs, 50 cents"
1t has been proposed to put jinrikshas,
the Japanese sedan chairs on wheels, drawn
by men, in the streets of London
The house dog in Egypt was domestic,
working at his trade only his trade WAS one
in which we have ceased to employ him.
Michigan turned out 8, $40, 900 barrels Of
salt last year. There are 1l3 firms in the
State engaged in the manufacture OF salt
"A ricochet shot from the new magazine
rife adopted in England broke n cottage
window four miles distant from the firing
point --
The mud is so deep at Topeka, Kan,
that it became necessary to detail an ele-
phant to lift one of the circus wagons out Of
the mire at that place the other day.
To procure rain the Peruvians used to
set a black sheep in field, pour chioha "a
beverage made of sugar and molasses) over
1t and give it nothing to eat till rain fell
1t is said that Canada is the only coun-
try in the world in which the military force
is armed with the old Snider rifles. Military
men IN the Dominion are urging the adop-
tion of a more modern arm. ' 5af
According to the figures of Prof w. j.
McGee, it is only question of time when
the slow but never-ceasing inroads OF the
ocean will engulf many populous cities OF
the Atlantic seaboard, and perhaps whole
States. .-Ilg
The color of the Botocudos of Brazil is
light yellowish brown. 1t has been said
that they are capable of blushing occasion
ally, which would seem to be an accomplish
ment worth having, inasmuch as both sexes
commonly go stark naked -."
up to comparatively recent period
the corpses OF rich or distinguished persons
among the Indians OF the northwest coast
were eviscerated, dried placed in wrappings
of iur and grass mating and suspended
above ground in some convenient rock
shelter.
There is new wind instrument, the
''pedal clarionet." 1t is an octave below the
bass clarionet, and produces the lowest
notes obtained by any instrument except
the organ. With range OF three octaves it
has much pleassnter tone than the double
DaSsOOn.
Good peat in Germany furnishes cell
lulose which is valuable to paper makers.
Besides serving as a wholesome litter for
live stock, it is also used to preserve perish
able goods. Meat and fish are now packed
in peat litter for transport between Trieste
and Copenhagen.
If all the locomotives in the United
States were coupled together they would
make q train of solid iron and steel over 800
miles long. Add the passenger cars and We
would have 300 miles more OF wood and iron;
this would give us gigantic. passenger
train 800 miles in length, counting both en-
gines and cars -
The Botocudos, of Brazil, are particu-
larly fond of the flesh of monkeys, but they
also subsist upon ant eaters, alligators and
boa constructors. Fish they usually shoot
with small bows, which they use with great
dexterity: but sometimes they use u poison
Gus root, which, put into the water, soon
brings the fish to the surface. =.
1t Is said that when Alario, the Con-
queror of Rome, died that ga river was
turned aside to make a place in its bed for
his grave and when he was buried the water
was again let into its former channel and
the prisoners who had helped to bury him
were killed so that no one might find out
where the Conqueror of Rome was buried"
The progress of death was uniquely re-
ported by the dying DR.. Richet to his son, a
professor of physiology. and his physician.
As his end approached he carefully
described TO them every preceptlDle sensiI
tfon. At the moment when they observed
unmiStakable signs OF immediate diSsolu-
ton, he surprised them by saying, 'f on see
am dying" a-I
The Santee Indians of South Carolina
are said to have preserved the remains of
their dead by removing the flesh from the
bones and keeping the latter carefully in
wooden box, every year oiling and cleansing
them. Thus they conserved them for
centuries, so that a savage might, perhaps,
possess the skeletons of his progenltors for
number of generations
A Yorkshire vicar once received the
following notice regarding marriage from
n parish house: This is to give you notis
that and Miss Jemima ArsbelIa Brearly is
comm to YOUR church on Saturday after
noon mex, to undergo the operation of mat
rimony ut your hands. Please be promp', as
the cab is hired by the hour" The opera
ton" was performed in due course.
Famine and nihilism notwithstanding,
Russia seems to be the land in which human
life reaches its greatest length. During the
year 1891, s55 persons died in the land Of the
Car who were between the ages of 100 and
los. 100 who had reached ages between 1l5
ard l2O also succumbed, while three were re-
norted to the authorities as having died
after living to be l50 years or more of age.
Among the curious taxes levied on
trades-people in Corea, according to Colonel
RockhilI, was one on sorceresses arriving at
the capital, where they had to pay the
Roa rd of Revenue q certain number of logs
or sticks of wood, for what purpose it is not
said. but certainly not to burn them with
later on, for they are an influential class in
the community. The tax is no longer levied.
in Grass Valley, Cal, is quarry Of one
of the most remarkable and valuable build
ino stones known to the Pacific Coast
IT is unlimited in quantity, cropping
ont of the surface like an immense
iadre. traceable for a long distance.
1t is so soft just underneath the sur
face of the ground that it can be cut with
a knife chipped with hatchet, or planed
with carpenters plane.
A new cause has arisen for lawsuit
A woman in France was notified by the
authorities of q lunat:c asylum of her
brothers death. She went to the funeral,
and ordered handsome tombstone. Her
mother was so grieved at her sons death
that the plaintiff had to give up her situa-
tion to take care of her. Then she learned
that the directors of the asylum had made q
mistake and that her brother was alive.
After unsuccessful efforts for compensation
she has gone to the court, claiming heavy
damages for grief and injury.