Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-26
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

"A postoffice in Kansas is called Zero.
The entire coast line of the globe Is
1856 900 miles.
The Mohammedans consider silk un-
clean, because it is produced by worm.
Fifty thousand pounds worth of gold
is added to the worlds stock every week.
in England at the present time the ratio
of public houses is one to every 200 Of the
population.
In almost every school of Japan it is
the custom one day in the autumn to take
the pupils out rabbit hunt
The name ''yokel," applied to an awk-
ward rustic. was originally applied to ono
who yoked oxen or other animals.
The statue to the late Bishop Fraser, of
Manchester, is the only statue erected in a.
public place to Bishop of the Church OF
England.
1T is not generally known that the in
vasion of Australia by foreign nations has
been premeditated no fewer than four times
within the last 90 years.
i!-Bridgeport Comm High School girls
will not sing because they fear the exercise
Will spoil their good looks. The School Board
has voted to make them sing.
The City Council of Elizabeth. N. J..
has introduced an ordinance to keen voune
girls from picnics and balls unless accom1
panied by parents or guardians.
Newfoundland exhibits much original
ity in its stamp designs. 1t has on various
issues q seal, a Goldfish, Newfoundland
dogs head, Her Majesty in a widows cap,
the Prince of Wales in uniform and a whaler
in full sail.
India furnishes market for large num-
bers of white diamonds, as well AS for veil
low or colored diamonds, or stones with
flaws or specks in them. The natives invest
their savings in them and in other precious
gems, as we do in stocks and shares.
Although known in this country as far
back as the sixteenth century, very little
effort has been made to cultivate the tomato
as an article of food until late wears: and il;
was only within the last ten years that it's
value in this respect has been properly ap-
preciated-
The Japanese are unsusceptible to scar
let fever and smallpox, which was at one
time rife among them, has been check ed and
almost exterminated by voluntary vaccina-
tioh The mortality of Toxic, vast city
which covers 100 square miles Of ground is
only 20 per 600.
Towards the reign of Elizabeth coal was
becoming popular kind of fuel. though a
strong prejudice fingered against it, and the
Queen prohibited its burning in London DUR
ing the sitting of Parliament for it was
n he
shtres might suffer-"
The lowest estimate of production Of
the 300 to 400 srated water manufacturers in
London is 20 0OO0, coo dozen per annum. The
total amount consumed or exported Of
serated waters, temperance or other drinks,
and mineral waters amounts to probably
25O!OoO,o0O dozen per annum-
The Turkish cavalry still has VIM
chester carbines and will retain them for a
short time. The infantry has 500 COO Henry
Martini rifles and 2OOOS0 Manser rifles of 95
millimeters calibre. An order was placed in
Austria a short time ago, moreover, for
2s0, 600 Mannlicher rifles of Is millimetres
crlibre.
-'If every human being on the American
continent were to be taken out of exist
ence," said the late Prof. Asa Gray, stand the
whole work of his hands were cleared away,
so that no trace remained subsequen1 histO-
rians could prove that the Caucasian race
existed upon it by the flowers that would be
found growing there"
There is no European country in which
women clerks are more employed than in
France. Indeed, it is rare to enter French
shop and find man serving as an account
ant. Bookkeepers are paid from s40to eco a.
year, and accountants much the same In
the commercial houses, where the women
clerks are also employed, they often have
an interest in the business
Nowhere in Europe is the struggle for
existence fercer at the present moment than
in Germany. The nation is growing at the
rate of IL per cent per annum. practically at
about the same rate as the British. Allow
ing for deaths, there is an addition to the
population of 600 900 yearly, which, deduct
ing 200, 900 who emigrate, leaves an increase
of 400, coo, for whom room must be made and
food provided
There is worm which feeds on ice
with as much avidity as others do on the
common or garden cabbage. This ice f1end
has been known to the scientific societies
and to the Polar explorers for many years
half a century at least. 1t is believed that a
Red Star steamer, which came in contact
with an iceberg in mid-ocean in 1870 brought
the first of this peculiar species OF worm TO
the Atlantic coast.
The curious custom of "telling the
BEES is observed in some parts of nearly
every country in the world. Those who OBJ
serve the custom always go to the beehives
and tap gently on each one, then stoop and
whisper under the cap or lid that Mary,
Jane, Thomas or William is dead. This is
done to keep the little honeymakers from
forsaking their place of abode should they
have to wait and find out the news of the
calamity themselves.
The distressing illness which affiiets the
laborers employed in the construction of
the mountain railways in South America,
has recently formed the subject of an article
bv a French engineer. NJ. Charles LegTand.
These railways attain height considerably
greater than that reached by the Jungfrau,
Matterhorn and Right railways-namely,
Is OC0 feet. A long acclimitisation period is
necessary. M. Legrand says, before physical
work can be undertaken.
One of the most remarkable instances
OF discoloration of seawater is reported
from Port Jackson, the harbor of Sydney,
New South Wales. Suddenly the water pre-
sented in places the color OF blood. This
was found to be due to the invasion and
rapid development of a microscopic GleE-
odiun which in the course of few davs de-
stroyed half of the shore animals. Nearly
ali the bivalves in the place which 1t affected
died, the oyster beds being seriously in
jured.
According to gypsy ideas the clouds are
daughters of the Mist King, and the light
ming flashes the sons of the Fire King, who
would soar up high into space, but the Wind
King comes and drives them down to the
Earth, their grandmother. In their fight
before the Wind King the lightning and its
very often lose the road to their
father, the Fire King, who dwells deep in
the earth, and fall PROSTATE in the wrong
part of the earth, where they are changed
to stones.
The county of Nottingham is in some
ways an epitome of England It has its