Morning journal and courier., 1893-10-16

We'll, welli A German Egyptologist en- dsavors to prove that Benjamin Franklin
 was not the deviser, but merely the redis- coverer of the lightning conductor, ss he claims that he has abundant testimony that the ancient Egyptians used form of this useful instrument for protecting their temples against discharges of atmospheric electricity.
 Somebody in Newport, R. L, has been looking over the voting list of that city and sscertained that, although MT. J. J. Van Alen, President Cleveland's nominee for the Italian mission, has been & resident of that city since 1883, he never thought l enough of his duty and privilege as an American citizen to cast his vote at any election until that of last year.
 Senator Perkins, of California, ascribes his popularity to simple little method he has adopted. He says he has the habit of aaking every second or third man he meets for the time of day, and immediately set ting his own watch according to the infor- nation given him. Senator Perkins asserts that the wear and tear on his own watch and the compliment paid to that of his con- stituent are repaid by the lstter's vote and his support in different ways.
 Mir. Oswald Is London bsrrister of great ability, but so prolix that he is the terror of judges. While he was trying case recently one of the justices remon- strated with him regarding legal ques- tion, saying, "Rsaliy, Mir. Oswald, if you intended to rely on that point you should have raised it in the court below" "So I did, my lord," replied Mir. Oswald, "but their lordships stopped me" ""rhey stopped you, did they" inquired Lord Esher eager ly and hopefully; ''how did they do ita" The Rsv. Dr. Rsuen Thomas of Brook line, Massachusetts, has recently come into possession of strsight-bsck, leather upholstered chair that was in the study of the Rsv. Richard Baxter when he wrote his famous book "The Saints Everlasting Rest" When Baxter died the chair wss placed in the Broad street Congregational church in London, and it remained there until the church was torn down nearly two hundred years later. The pastor of the church. the Rev. William O'Neill, pre- served the chair and bequesthed 1t to his son, and the latter has presented it to Dr. Thomas, who is his valued friend.
 It's hard to be 8 Solomon. Two COWS recently went astrsy at Newport News, Viroinfo bel &o ! | the other to B white man named Shields
 A COW answering the description of either of the two animals was purchased by a | farmer not long since. The bereaved men | heard of the purchase and each claimed the animal and presented proof equally con vincing. The case came up before a jcdge l and jury hesrd the evidence, but, ss the | witnesses for each party described the same COW, they were unable to give de-
 cision. Then the judge said he would
 turn the COW out on the green. If she
 went toward the negro's farm she should
 bs his; If she went toward Shields farm
 she should be his. The COW was turned out, but she found the grass so satisfying that she went neither way.
 Children who want their own way can profitsbly make use of story that comes
 from Boston. Two children, seven aud
 nine years of age, reached their school
 house last Monday morning and found that it's session had begun. Fearful of g
 reproof from their teacher, they wandered
 off into the woods, and that was the last
 their parents saw of them until Thursday.
 Where they had been during those days
 they were unable to tell. Kind people hs6
 found them sstrsy and had given then
 food and .helter. Wednesday evening
 about suudown, wearied by their wander
 ings and suffering from hunger, they sa
 on the steps of house in Brookline snt
 were there found by two ladies who resided
 in 1t. These had compassion on the young
 sters, took the in, fed them, gave them [
 bath, and put them to bsd. ca the follow
 ing morning they ascertsined from tn
 children where they lived and took then
 to their home. The wanderers were O
 course received with much joy by thei
 afflicted and almost distracted parents who had for three days been vainly search
 ing for them. The reasons given by tn children for going astrsy were that the ' were afraid of being scolded, frst by thei
 teacher and next by their parents.