Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-12
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

CUhlUUO OUNUENOAllUNCs
-violet-colored clothing is used ss
funerals in Turkey.
1t is said that 5000 foreigners in quest
Of health are spending the present winter in
Cairo.
1t is estimated that about 0,000 horses
were ousted from street-car service lass
year by electricity.
In making gold threads for embroidery,
it has been found that six ounces of gold
can be drawn into 200 miles OF wtre
The biggest university in the world is at
Cairo, Egypt-a country which is not mem
600 students.
Chloride of gold is the only salt Of i'm
portance obtained from the yellow metal
Ihe chloride is used in coloring glass, also
in photography.
The export of Holsters from Newfound-
land has grown from 25,sl4 pounds in 1sA to
3,360.672 pounds in 1888 and the value from
$l24, 999 in 1850 to s472 524 in 1889.
In Aberdeen, Scotland, tests are shortly
to be made on cattle killed by electricity to
ascertain il the current has any detrimental
effect on the quality of the meat.
AT Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, alone,
ZOO men and women are employed in the
lobster industry. Five million is the annual
catch, which represents $50 900 in value.
AT Liege about AZ, 900 persons are en-
ployed in the manufacture of arms, but dur
ing recent years it is said that the produc-
tions of Liege have diminished in prestige.
The flowers of the abutilon esculentum
are commonly used as vegetable in Brazil.
Some North American Indians regard as a
delicacy the cooked flowers of the pumpkin
vine.
The State of California pays SO, ,995
for the scalps of 2O299 coyotes killed from
April l. 1891, to December 81. 1891. And all
of the coyo5es were not killed in California,
either.
The key chain worn by many gentlemen
Is the invention of noted burglar who
spent many years of his life in a dungeon
cell for plying his vocation N the hotels in
Philadelphia.
The total estimated investment in cleo
trical industries in the United States at the
close of 1891 was 500. 600. one-half Of
which was invested in electric light COM
panieS and electric railways.
1t is not new fact, but yet a remark
able one, that If a fruit tree. apple, pear or
cherry, be stripped entirely of its bark in
the second week in June, a new surface bark
will Immediately take the place of the older
one.
In 1861 the famous Languedoc canal
was completed. This gave France an arti-
fetal waterway 14S miles in length, with a
summit level of $40 feet above the sea, and
including upward of 100 locks and so aque-
ducts.
The Kudzu Vine is probably the most
rapid growing plant in the world. 1t be-
longs to the bean family. The leaves look
something like Lima bean, and was once
called Dolichos japonicus 1t Will grow
easily GU feet in three months.
Black and white laces are made largely
by the peasant women of both Spain and
Portugal. 1t is different fabric, though,
from the Spanish lace sold In our shops.
That is n machine product, and comes
almost exclusively from Lyons.
In 1884 Nova Scotia had 3,019 vessels,
aggregatins 54S,s35 tons, whereas the present
fleet numbers only 2,7I5 vessels, OF 462.30
tons. In 1854 New Brunsick had 1096 vessels,
OF 307 ,762 tons. while at the present time she
has only $50 vessels, of 10, 400 tons.
-Dissipated Romans spent whole days in
the bath, seeking relief from over-in-
diligence in eating and drinking the night
before. Everybody, even the Emperor,
used the public baths, which were open to
everyone who chose to pay the price OF ad-
mission.
The Arabs believe that certain ishmen
live on islands in the Indian ocean and eat
drowned people. In Japanese story boy
A norman appears andssets him anoat in q
basket, in which he sinks to the palace OF
the sea dragon, whose daughter he falls in
love with and lnarries.
The people OF Norway become very
proficient OIL their snowshoes; they can so
up hill or glide down a mountain on them,
beside being able to stop themselves sud-
to Jump a ravine. Every valley has n ski
club and every club holds meetings" TO
encourage proficiency IN the art.
Among the Slovaks of North Hungary
the coffin of q young girl is red. In Spain
the poorer class no collins. A mule with
q dead body thrown across it, or often two
corpses, may be frequently met on the way
to burial, and, though to us such a funeral
seems insulting to the departed, the natives
reverentially uncover their heads as it
passes.
Among the rivers in Colorado and Ari-
zona grass seeds are much valued winter
iood for the Indians. Sun1ower seeds afford
a staple diet among the Indians of Southern
Utah and elsew here. In Southern California
the Indians make bread from the pods OF q
plant called the mesquite. The Chinese
carefully dry melon seeds for their varied
menus.
From theosophical point of view the
four ages are AS fellows: Sata Yuga Golden
Age), !, ,72s COO years; Tresta Yuga (Silver Age),
,2o6 600 years: Dwapara 1ng1 topper OF
Bronze Age) S64. eco years; Kali Yuga lron
Age), 452 900 years. The total OF these four
ages make one Maha Yuga, or Great Age, of
,32O 900 years. One thousand Maha fugas
make enc Kalpa, or Day OF Brahma, equal to
800 00C years.
-Mayaiipuram, India, is graced with
seven of the most remarkable temples III
the world, each of these unique places OF
worship having been fashioned from solid
granite boulders. Some idea of their size
may be cleaned from the fact that the
smallest OF the seven is "a feet high, IL feet
long and II feet wide and is divided into
uDper and lower stories. The "Hevasa-
Coda -Cla," the largest OF the seven, is three
and half stories high, its outlines re-
sembling those of an Atlantic steamship.
Tne inside OF the boulder has been chiseled
AWAY until the walls do not exceed eight
inches in thickness. The two floors above
that of the foundation are each about loot
in thickness and seem as solid as the rock
OF ages. The upper stories are reached by
spiral stairway, carved from the same piece
OF granite. The second largest of these
temples has portico II feet
wide and IL feet long, Ornamented with four
croucbing lions and two o elephants, all carved
from the same boulder which goes to make
up the main building.