The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-21
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

the generosity of some deity who was kind
enough TO make the attempts to wash away
the traces OF mans degradation as soon as
posslbie' and later on, when cannon came to
be used as means of destroying life the de-
donations of these machines were said TO
cause the wonderful dOwnpour of rain. But
more prosaic, up to date people of Today put
u down TO perspiration. And this is
now they go to prove it. One
soIdler VIII IN the course of
twelve hours fighting, give of six gallons of
water He drinks much. Thirst for gore
glory and water go together on such .occa-
slons' and the total amount of1moisture given
on Dy one man Is said to be sufficient to cover
twelve square feet three quarters OF an inch
deep Now, of course. ali this Precipitation
eVaporates and goes up into the atmosphere,
becoming unduly charged with moisture
offers itself on the slightest provocation to
the formation of clouds. and in nine cases out
OF ten rain falls Immediately condensation
sets in.
Have you ever noticed said a St. Louisan
to Republic writer, those massive iron
pillars now standing erect in the basement of
the new Planters house? Well, did you ever
stop to = nix of the immense weight they will
De compelled TO support steadily for many,
many years? Oh, you have. But I suppose
you have thought the manufacturer lust made
those pillars and sold them without knowing
anything about how much welght they would
pear or how long they would rear it. Let me
tell you about that Those pillars are cast in
tne same manner as cast iron stoves-by run
ning the liquid metal into sand molds. but
alongside of each pillar is cast an ron ar
from the same. metal. The Lar Is
feet in length. When cold it is
subjected to very simple test Each
END OF the bar is placed upon table and
weights are suspended from the center bv. a
rope. 1t must ear tensile strength Ct 800
pounds to square inch. The test may | e in
with 400 pounds and be gradually increased
unIli the ear is found to be perfectly support
ing the required weight. Ii it breaks forfn-
stance at aeO or 400 pounds. then the pillar
cast from the pot of metal which, cast the bar,
Is discarded, broken up and put into the not
again, with more pig iron added. The Iiilars,
you know, are largely made from scrap iron,
ana the manufacturers cannot know. the
strength OF the cast until it is tested. The ad-
utlon OF pig iron In the event Of failure
brings the cast up to the standard"
Mr.. Medhurst, for many years British con.
sui at Shanghai, tells in the London Million
OF singular card of invitation" which he
once received in China. II was from lady,
Intmattng her intention to commit suicide on
a specified date. She was very young and at
tractlve. and belonged to a wealthy family
put the Chinese gentleman to whom she had
0een at1anced from childhood having died
Just before the date fixed for their nuptials
she gave out that she deemed it her duty to
render her wldowhood irrevOcable by dying
with her betrothed. So she sent cards
around to the local gentry giving notice of
her purpose. No attempt was made by her
relatives or the local authorities to frus-
brdtt uef design. tnOuRn Mr.. MeOhurSt aD-
pealed to the mandarins, the general opin-
ion being that she was about to perform
a merltOr1OuS act. Eventually. on the day
named. the woman did deliberately sacrifice
her life III the presence of thousands of spec
tators. stage was erected in the open
heldS, with a tented frame over it, from which
was suspended slip of scarlet crepe. One
ehu OF TINS slip she fastened round her neck,
and then, embracing little boy presented by
one OF the bystanders. she mounted a chair
ana reSoluteIy Jumped off, her little claSped
hands Salutlng the asSemblage as her body
twiried round with the tightening cord" The
woman was not bounded on by frantic mob
as was the practice at Suttees in India but
immolatiOn appeared to be an entirely vol
untary act Sacrifices of this kind according
TO Mr MedhurSt are not uncommon in Ger.
tam districts of China, and, strange TO say,
they are rewarded with monuments, some
times erected by order of the emperor
Everyone who has given even the least at
tention possible to astronomical curios knows
that saturn presents Ihenomenon to which
there is nothing analogous in the whole of the
solar system-two broad, fat and very thin
rings being his constant attendants in his trips
around the sun. Calico first noticed
pecllia ity in the appearance of this ringed
planet. which he said appeared like a larun
body placed between two smaller ones y sa IS
the St. Louis Republic. Huygenes first de-
scrlbed the rings, and figured them for the
benefit OF those not fortunate enough to own
a telescope. The breadth of these rings from
the outer diameter of the larger 10 the inner
edge of the smaller has teen computed at %
coo miles; total diameter of the outer ring
l5IOJO miles; AMI space of 10000 miles is
supposed TO intervene between the INNER
edge OF the small ring and the surface OF
the planet itself. The composition of
these rings, or rather, this system of rings
| (Some authors mention three and even four.
| although l have mentioned but two IN tle
| opening, which seems to be the number ac-
corded by the majority of writers) is simply a
matter of conjecture. Some astronomers
| claim that they are composed OF material
similar to that of the planet itself while
others are sure that they are composed of
| numerous satellites (moons) mingled with
| Vaporous matter travelling in planes.' Max
well says: The rings must be formed of sep
arate particles moving around the planet as
| Independent satellites" According to Otto
Strive observations on the rings for a period
| OF over 2OO years prove beyond doubt that
they are widening and that the lower edge of
| the inner one is slowly but certainly an
preaching the body Of the planet
Chambers celebrated work on miracles
wonders, general oddities respecting man,
| curiosities of vegetable and animal life. etc.
etc, which is arranged as a sort of calendar
and given the very inappropriate title of The
| Book of Days, has, through some odd mis-
chance, entirely neglected to mention the
miracle OF the preservation of the relics OF St
| Catherine, says the St Louis Republic. The
| wonderful story has been a theme OF discus
; sion among church folks the world over for
30 or 300 years, yet the above mentioned
! WORK winch purportS to give an account of
! everything out Of the ordinary whether
| vouched for or only reported has entirely
J ignored the marvellous narrative, not even
remotely abiding TO it, The st. Cath
/ crime in question was known in life.
as well as after her DEATH as 'St
| Catherine of Bologna" Her remains are
now enshrined in church bearing her name.
! IN the city last mentioned above the relics
| having remained in their present position for
| upwards of 200 years She sits bolt upright
| IN chair, her features and form somewhat
! shrunken the skin of the face and hands badly
! discolored, in fact almost black vet her
| mortal remains are not in the least decaved
| 1t appearing, even to the unbelieVer that the
| fates have decided to keep her holy body nm
| corrupted and her form intact until the great
| day of reckoning. The editor of Notes for
! the Curious is not Catholic nor vet the son.
| OF Catholic, and was never to his knowl-
| edge, within the walls of church belonging
| to that great denomination. Yet facts are
| facts and as such are deserving of record
especially in department of this character
which is entirely given UP to dis
Casing the unusual and unnatural sides Of
everything. The accommodating priest in
attendance at the shrine of St. Catherine will
If requested, expose the arm of the mummi-
fled saint to the elbow and. moving il back
and forth, prove, to your wonder and aston
ishment. that the joints are as flexible as thew
we're when the good woman trod the streets OF
the ancient Italian cities 300 years ago. When
Plus TX. was pope, he frequently visited the
shrine of St Catherine, and while making
such visits never failed to say mass while in
the presence of the miraculouSly preserved