Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-26
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS,

| CURIOUS CONDENSATluNS'
There has been no change in black
smiths tools for 800 years.
The watermelon territory OF South
Carolina this year is 5000 acres.
The market price of a wife in equatorial
Africa is ten bundles of hairpins.
"A steel rail, Of the kind used on rail-
ways, lasts, with average wear, ABOUT Is
years.
| "A church in st. Ives, England, has for
325 wears kept up the custom OF an annual
rattle with dice for Bibles.
| A resident of Glover's Mill, N. Y, has
| never drank intoxicants. Neither has ne
used water for SO years.
| Several girl students at Cornell are
taking the course in agriculture. One Cor
nell girl is studying veterinary surgery
| The loco weed, which ia abundant in
| Western Kansas, has a peculiar facination
for cattle, upon which it e1erts an intoxi-
eating effect.
AT the present rate of increase in the
| American production of tinplate the United
States will produce 100, 5000 pounds during
| the coming year.
| -"LoYe your wife as you would love
| your soul, but beat her as you would your
| fur" ia said to be the doctrine by which the
Russian peasant guides his matrimonial re-
| lations.
Penny savings banks are connected
| with the public schools of Belgium, and
| ITO 900 of the 800 900 primary pupils have de-
| posted over s50o, 900. Great Britain mas also
established the penny banks.
There is decided difference of opinion
as to the number of men who foIght on the
Confederate side during ting War OF the Re-
bellion. 1t is difficult to give a correct estf-
mate but many authorities suppose the
total number was about GOO 00o.
Natural gas has been discovered on the
shore of the Great Salt Lake, within ten
miles OF Salt. lake City. Several wells have
already been put down to the depth OF SO
feet and tt Is said that 80 900 900 cubic feet of
gas are now flowing daily.
AS far as can be calculated the average
length of life, which is computed in the
seventeenth century to have been only Is
years, was in the eighteenth increased to 20,
and in the nineteenth 60 S. Men used to be
considered old when they passed 50.
AT the trial of Lebanon, Ill, man for
the murder OF q deaf mute striking feature
of the prosecution was the appearance OF
several deaf mute witnesses who testified
by signs and bv the use of a slate. In iden-
tifying the prisoner their faces manifested
the greatest horror and excitement
The idea of printed dresses for mas
querading is not a new one. At least 20
years ago young lady wore party dress OF
white cloth which had been through the
press OF the Kansas CITY Journal of Commerce.
The cloth bore the imprint of the days news,
being reproduction of the regular daily
paper of that date.
The great painting of the Chicago
fire which was on exhibition opposite the
Wigwam during the recent Democratic Con-
tion, cost that city s25oooo. Nearly 1000
pounds of paint and oils were required for
the picture. The work ifit had been done by
one man would have required over twenty
years to complete.
-Porcupines, which abound in the 1um-
Der woods of Northwestern Pennsylvania,
are great pests around the CAMPS. They are
passionately fond of salt, and should the
four sides OF the camp shanty be salted from
ground to roof these little animals would
eat it down over the very heads OF the in
mates and not leave q splinter of it TO mark
where it stood.
"A place for ssvisiting babies" at the
Worlds Fair is under consideration, and
space is likely to be reserved near the
women's building, on which a house may be
erected for this purpose. Nurses trained to
care for children will be put in charge, tho
mothers will 1et the children checked. and,
with calm consciences, enjoy the tour of the
grounds unhindered.
The largest university in the world is
aG NdlTO, dnC nlS SCuOonGS.
They come from every part of the Mobamme-
dan world, and study Mussulman law, his
tory, theology and other branches needed to
confirm them in the faith of Mohammod.
They sit on the floor of an enormous court
and study aloud, and the Western visitor
who calls on them during study hours might
think he had struck the original Tower Of
Babel.
The largest masonry dam in the world
has lately been completed in India, in con-
nection with the new water works for the
city of Bombay. II is about two miles in
length: lis feet hieh and 100 feet thick at its
greatest depth. The lake covers an area OF
eight square miles. and will furnish sup
ply of loo, 900 eco gallons per day. The dam
has been five and one-half years in process
of construction and from 1000 to II, 900 men
and 800 carts and animals have been en-
ployed upon it.
"A resident of Blakely, Ga, has a new
mode of catching fish. The fish are baited
for some days with mixture of flour and
magnetized steel filings made into a stiff
paste o. dough. When they begin to take the
bait magnetized iron or steel rod. coated
with tho sumo kind of paste, is let down to
them. Thev soon attempt TO suck the paste
from IL, and in doing soon stick hard and
fast. 1t is not unusual for q fisherman to
haul out at one time long string or rod OF
suckers in this way.
"A Young Frenchman is astonishing the
people OF Paris with his marvellous feats Of
mental calculation, which surpass anything
that has ever been known before of SINH
lar character. He performs multiplications
and divisions of numbers of "a figures, and
extracts the square and cube roots of num-
bers with almost incredible rapidity. The
young calculator scarcely knows how to
read or WRITE and does not interest himself
in any other pursuit than calculating, which
amuses him constantly.
-Renares, the religious center of all In
dia since countless generations before
Christ, is described as a city which bears
the same relation to Hindooism Tor Budd-
hism) that Bethlehem did ard does to
Its origin cannot, it is said,
be traced by man. 1t was occupied by hum
lreds of thousands of people over six GEN.
turies before our Christian era. There are
,he Buddhist faith-worshiping as devout-
y as ever Christian worshiped Christ.
The Dismal Swamp in Virginia, one of
argest of the swampy tracts in America, is
slso one of the most promising areas for
1t contains fully ], 500 square
niles, and is at present of little value, ex-
,ppt for supply OF timber. It is an old sea
bottom. and the western boundary of the
swamp is sea cliff and beach. The chief
.nimal popula ton of the higher classes con
lists of water birds and snakes. or the
arger animals. bears are abundant, and
here is peculiar and very ferOcious spe-
lies of wild horned cattle. Thefghts of the
,ears are said to be very exciting.
PICKISGs FROM PUCK
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