The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-22
Minute heasure.


There Is a quaint old rail fence on
the Midway Plaisance Of the kind that
Abe Lincoln used to splits 1t appears to
be part Of the gardeners or florists
exhibit but II is labeled Things TO hit
with a hoe" and around about it and
completely hiding It from sight is as
choice a collection Of weeds as ever
grew on a prairie lot. The collection is
contributed by the Orange Judd Prairie
Farmer, and includes over rs varieties
Of weeds that are the bane Of the far
mer's existence. The tall and nodding
"cOme kiss me- Is over abaft the humble
spotted sparga, the dog bane and the
mayweed. In spite Of the fact that they
are all classified as weeds. they make
a pretty effect as they curl in and out
Of the old rail fence. and the nodding
blossoms seem to kiss hands to every
body who passes.-Chicago Tribune.
For more than ten years Miss Susan
Friend. of Prestonburg, Ky. has lain I'm
a sleep or stupor that nothing can
arouse her from. Ten years ago she fell
and cut her hand on the stump Of a
sapling. The wound did not appear TO
be serious, and healed in due time but
gradually there came a change in her
condition. She grew morose and silent.
her health gave away. and finally she
lost the use Of her lower limbs Follow
ing this came a drowsiness that nothing
could shake off, and she was placed
in bed, where she has remained ever
since.
In the plains on the western borders of
the Chinese Empire, in the very heart OF
Asia, there live roaming tribes who sell
dom visit towns. except II may be in the
way OF trade They dwell In tents which
they pitch wherever they may happen for
the moment to be wandering or working.
The tent used by some of the rowing
Monaghan folk is made OF felt and is
usually low small and pointed toward the
top. The wooden door-frame is no higher
than half a window-frame in our houses.
but the tent, although not equal TO the
wants Of large family. is snug and com
Portable enough In summer. but cold, cold
in winter.
One OF the novel business trades OF Bos-
ton is that OF a dealer In secondhand
plate glass. Nearly all Of this glass
is bought by the dealer from in
surance companies. The large plates OF
this kind OF glass are insured when put
in a window and when any OF them is
broken the owner OF the injured glass
usually prefers that the insurance COM
pany should replace the broken pieces
rather than that he should be paid its
price The dealer in the secondhand
glass contrives to utilize what remains OF
the unbroken part of the glass
The title admiral is a modification OF a
Latin word. slgnifying commander. In
the sense OF a naval commander IT was
introduced into Europe by the Venetians
in the fourteenth century. The English
lord high admiral has the government OF
the navy The admiral OF the feet is the
next highest officer; the vice admiral and
the rear admiral follow The admiral's
flag Is displayed at the main top-galant-
mast head, the vice admiral's az the fore
p-gallant-mast head, and the rear adj
mlral's at the op-gallant-mast
head.
Changes OF temperature are now rec
orded by an electrical apparatus produced
by a Frenchman. II il metal ampulla
half full of ether Theoretically sealed. and
when the temperature rises the ether ex-
pands and slightly raises the cover. which
completes an electric circuit. rings a bell
ard warns those who want TO know, that
the temperature is going up.
The day is usually reckoned as being
hours In length. Strictly
speaking. such Is mistake. The stand
ard unit of time Is the "sidereal day"
which II % hours &c minutes and i,O92 Sec
,nds In the solar" mean" time.