The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-22
ITEMS OF INTEREST.


Girls over u can make valid wills under
the laws of Scotland.
Nearly 100 different machines have been
invented for boring rock.
The Egyptians kneaded their bread in
wooden bowl with their feet
The rice crop in the South this year is es-
tlmated to be 225. coo, 600 pounds.
The anthracite coal fields produce more
than 100000 tons of coal year.
All the gold in the world could be stored
in a room Il feet square and "a feet deep.
a resident Of Dayton. Pa. was surprised
the other morning when he went to milk his
cow to find placard attached to her horns
which bore the following Inscription: "Go
down and pay for the cabbage | deyoured
last night"
The superiority of tea over brandy in
many cases is beyond question. The idea
still fingers that alcohol keeps out the cold.
AS matter of fact mountaineers have
found by repeated experience that the
opposite Of this holds true.
A new luminous fungus has been for
warded from Tahiti 10 Europe. 1t is said
10 emit at night light resembling that of
the gowworm, which Ii retains for period
of twenty-four hours after having been
gathered. 1t is used by the native women
in bouquets Of flowers for personal adorn-
ment in the hair and dress
During the campaign in Dahomey the
French soldiers found the Dahomeyan
women much more red0ubtabe than the
men. and what amazed them most was that
the amaZ0ns not only carried repeating rifles,
but also had cords around their waists for
the purpose of binding any Frenchmen W no
fell into their hands
There are sixty-four countries where an
invention can claim protection, or rather
where patent fees may be paid. Sixteen of
these are in Europe. eight in Africa. four
In Asia. twenty-seVen in America and nine
in Oceanica The total price of these sixty
four official scraps Of paper amounts to the
nice little sum Of S14,550.
DR.. Parker Of the London City Temple
not long ago held service for the unem-
pl0yed. and invited each of his hearers into
the vestTy after service and presented him
with small sum OF money. One of the re-
cipientS, with cynical candur, said to some
one as he came away. I've not done a days
work for seven and twenty years, and /
don mean TO ]!
Paper tough as wood is said to be made
by mixing chloride of zinc with the pulp in
the course of manufacture. 1t has been
found that the greater the degree of the
concentration of the zinc solution the
greater will be the tOughness of the paper.
1t can be used for making gaspipes, boxes,
combs, for roofing, and even, 1t is added,
for making boats.
Hungary is stated to be the country
where railway travelling is the cheapest.
1t is said To be possible to journey from
Buda PeSth 10 kroDstadt, a distance OF 500
miles, for shilllngs S pence, being at the
rate OF six miles a penny. Low as this
price is 1t Is liable TO reduction of one
half in the case of laborers j0urneying in
parties Of not fewer than ten.
In Norway there is a premium on marriage
by giving married people 2 discount Thus
a man and his wife can travel for fare
Sphpdull n M
satisfying to every one than children half
price," and much more reasonable. 1t is
suggested that this privilege is liable to
abuse A prudent man might prol0ng his
courtship Indefinitely al reduced rates.
This, however, could be easily prevented by
tifcates about with them, as they could
easily 10, in red morocco cases. like CON-
mutation tickets on railroads.
The average height of the human race is:
For men, 8 feet s inches for women, feet
inches. What is called thu medium height.
as applied to native American men, is higher
than the above. man of 5 feet ~ or 5
feet inches is often said TO be of medium
height" The shortest men on earth are the
Bushmen, who average only feet 3l5 inches;
the talleSt are the Patagonians, who aver
age 8 feet inches. AS a rule Americans
and Australians are taller than Europeans,
but not so compactly built. The American
runs to nerve and sinew, the European to
bone and flesh.
1t is the custom in France for panegyrics
TO be pronounced at the graves of notable
persons, and even obscure men have their
praises sung in the cemetery. This has
resulted 10 the appearance of professional
panegyrist, always to be found in wine
shop hard by the cemetery. He is known
as Monsieur du Cimetiere." He has on
hand an assortment of orations to suit Gus
toners. All he needs are few hints about
the life and career of the defunct, and he
evolves the rest from his imagination. The
mourners never fail to be convinced that ia
the deceased the world lost one of its great
est men or women