The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-11-18

tackled this subject in l772. when by re
peated experiments, he determined the
y attraction exerted at Mount Schihallion,
in Pcrtshire, Scotland, on plumb line,
which it caused TO deyiate from the per
pendicular nearly six seconds. Playfair,
Cavendish, Hutton and other scientists
then determined that the structure OF
this mountain made it have a density, as
compared to the mean density Of the
earth, of five to nine. Then the com-
parative density of Schihallion TO water
was ascertained, and that of earth to
water being known as about five and a
half to one. 1t was not hard to calcu-
late the rest, knowing the cubical con
ents Of the earth. 1t has been stated as
3. .842 trillions of tons of 2,240 pounds
each. or value in pounds avordupois
represented by thirteen and twenty
ciphers.
A BuDDEFoRD (Me.) attorney had in
his possession lease the like Of which
local lawyers do not believe can be found
in existence. The names Of the parties
to the lease, according to the kennebec
journal, are given, but its provisions
are none the less strange. The lease is
$40 for twenty five years, with the pro.
vision that the lessee should within one
year build and maintain a substantial
hree story building of brick, iron and
stone When the lease expired the
lessee was to have his choice between
buying the building he had himself
erected or os taking perpetual lease OF
! the lot at $3.50 IA year, Just double the
original rent The lease expired year
or 40 ago, and the lessee, to whom it was
u case OF "IIobsOn's choice" elected TO
take the perpetual lease of the lot What
puzzles the attorneys who have seen the
lease is why "A man Of the property which
the lessee must have been possessed
should bind himself to such one sided
condition. The gentleman who has the
lease intends to present il 10 the Bar
Library Association.
IT is common mistake Of Americans
to think that the pr, dicate ''van' before
"A Dutch name signifies nobility. I'm the
low countries that is, in the Kingdoms
Of the Netherlands and of Belgium
ivan" has no particular meaning. Names
with "van" are TO be read on shops, as
well as on the doors Of the most aristo.
have it as well rs .he most refined. On
the other hand, great number of the
very oldest families are without il. In
Germany "vono means noble, and all
persons belonging to the nobility have
won" before their family names without
any exception. Persons who do not be
long to the nobility cannot put 'von"
before their names, as they have no right
to do so, aud il would be found out di !
rcctly if they assumed it, and make !
themselves ridiculous But in case of
man being knighted for some reason or
other he has the right to put "von' be.
fore his family name, For instance, |
when Alexander Humboldt was knighted |
he became Alexander Won Humboldt, and |
all his descendants, male and female, !
take the prefix.
The Churchman is responsible for this
marvellously strange story: In the west
erG part OF Massachusetts, man had Il
fine stock farm. But few weeks ago |
fire broke ont in the barn, and burned |
not only the building and the hay, but
most of the animals also After the fire !
the owner walked over the ruins Ii was
II sad sight to see the charred bodies of |
his fine Jersey cows and his high spirited |
horses, to say nothing of the money lost |
with them. But mt the end Of the barn |
he saw sight which touched him more
than all the rest There sat an old black |
hen. He wondered that she did not |
move her head to look at him rs he came |
near her, but he thought she must be /
asleep. He poked her with his cane,
and to his susprise the wing which he
touched fell INTO ashes. Then he knew
that she had been burned to death. But
out from under her wing came faint
little peep, and pushing her aside with
his cane, the man found - what do
you think'-ten little live yellow chick
ems! The poor hen had sacrificed her
own life TO save them, and had held her
place in the fire rs Casabianca held his
on the burning deck That sight
touched the man more than everything
else
SEVEN miles northeast of Nachog-
doches, Texas, there is n most wonderful
yellow jackets ncst-wonderful in size,
age and locality. These little stinging
flies, or whatever they should he called,
usually nest in the ground, and have
nest is built OF material like waspS nests,
about the size of half bushel, with sew
eral rooms or apartments, and many
cells in which the young one are raised.
They usually occupy nest but one year.
The nest is question is located upon
pine tree, or rather around the trunk of
a pine tree, that is about n foot in diam
eter and is about eighteen feet above
the ground. The tree appears to pass
through the very center of the nest,
which is couical in shape, or, as a farmer
expressed it, "shaped like an old fash
ioned hoop skirt" but much larger be.
ing about five feet high and same in
diameter at the base, which is rs flat rs
II it had been sawed Off 1t appears to
be as many years old, and is built of the
usual wasp nest material. The yellow
Jackets may be seen standing at the
many holes in the base of the nest, or on