The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1894-02-24
FOREIGN GOSSIP.

Two famous Partisan prisons VIII
shortly be demolished. They are the
Roquette, near Pere LIE Chaisc ceme-
terry, and the prison of Ste. Pelagie,
with its sorrowful souvenirs OF the
reign of terror. The government in
tends to build large prison in their
stead.
The English professional classes
are the tallest of adult males, attain
ing the average height of feet "a
inches. Taken right through, the En-
glish and American races are approxi-
mately of the same height. Most Eu-
ropean nations average, for the adult
male, s feet and inches; but the Aus
trians, Spaniards and Portuguese just
fall short of this standard. -Philadel-
phia Record
"A bell bigger than any in France
Is to be cast in Russia for the Cathedral
of Notre Dame in Paris. The cost of
the gift will be covered by public
subscription among the Muscovites,
and Cardinal Richard has signified his
Willingness to send an estimate OF the
weight which one of the towers of the
cathedral will be able to bear. The
Russians will also return two stand.
ards in exchange for those sent to
them from France few years since.
The costliest mile of railroad is q
mile measured on the steel portion of
the Forth bridge. The length of this
portion is mile and twenty yards,
and the cost of it was considerably
over $40, 600, 900. The most expensive
railway system in the world is the
"Inner Circle" line of London, which
cost, including the purchase of land,
from 81. 000, 900 to $1,000, coo per mile.
The last constructed mile, between
the Mansion house and Aldgate. cost
altogether, including 'compensa-
tions, nearly 100000
"A gentleman who has just returned
from the northern part of the county
of Renfrcw, says the Ottawa (Ont-
journal, where diphtheria was SO prev
alent last year, states that the diph-
liberia epidemic has left behind it an
affliction almost as dire as itself. In
every family where there are children,
nearly all are suffering from an affec.
ton very like whooping cough, but
which does not possess all the pecul-
iarties of that malady. Those suffer,
ing from it cough till they are black in
the face.
/ The Chinese have a remarka bic su
perstition about the Chm river. which
is the local name on the border for the
Chatting. A considerable trade in
drugs is borne along this river, fol
which special class of boats, com
posed of very light boards fastened
with wooden nails, is built The ma
tives say that the magnetic attraction
of the bed of the river is SO strons
that were ordinary boats used the iror
nails would be pulled out Along thu
river banks iron is mined in primitive
fashion, and from the geological evi
dence it is believed that the ore is yer.
rich.
The great steamships plying be
tween Australia and England are pro
vided with freezing machinery, by
which mutton. frozen, is preserved ant
delivered in London in fine condition
Australian flowers preserved in ice arr
also carried to London. Recently at {
special meeting of the committee o
the National Chrysanthemum societ.
held in London, some frozen blooms o
chrysanthemums from Sydney, New
South Wales, were exhibited. Fou
large incurred and other Japanes
blooms, inclosed in great blocks of ice
eighteen inches square and eigh
inches deep, had been sent by Mr.. +
Forsyth, of Sydney, a well-knowl
grower, and were portion of tn
, group with which he gained the silve
cup Of the Sydney Horticultural Sc
ciety in April last.
"A declaration of marriage in Sial
) is simpler even than it used to be
! Scotland. You ask lady to MARI
you by simply offering her flower {
taking a light from cigarette if
happens to be in her mouth. and yor
family and the brides family have
put up at least one Thousand dollar
apiece for dowry. Unlike Japan, tt
Siamese women are treated as equal
: but they can seldom read or writ
. The principal impeachment in the wa
{ of marriage is that each year is name
! after an animal and only certain an
mails are allowed to intermarry. Fl
t instance, person born in the year
8 the rat can not marry with perst
Q born in the year of the dog, or q perst
2 born in the year of the COW with pc
son born in the year of the tiger, al
t there are similar embargos abo
: months and days.