Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1895-07-20
OF GENERAL INTEREST.

-Gentian is prepared from a plant
which grows extensively in the Alps.
Apennines and other mountain parts
of Europe, and also in some mountain
districts of the United States.
Locomotive engineers like to have
the tracks watered occasionally by a
good heavy rain, as they get glossy
after a long period of dry weather and
the wheels will not take hold, Just as
the knife grinders will not take hold
unless it is kept wet,
-Amethysts are widely distributed
in the United States, being found in
New England, in the Lake Superior
region, in Virginia and North Caro-
lima, in Georgia and several of the
western mining states. Some speci,
mems discovered in Connecticut rival
in color and luster the best variety OF
the oriental gem.
The Swede and Norwegian immi-
grants take more kindly to agricul tnr-
al labor than any other class of for
~eigners; owe As per cent. of the immi'
grants of these two nationalities resort
to farming as a means of livelihood;
next come the Germans with % per
cent, and last of all come the Irish.
only IA per cent, of whom make their
living on farms,
Yves Virginia's mountaineers have
been as little disturbed in their fast
nesses as any body of Caucasians in
the United States. Many of them
watched with indifference from their
perches the progress of the civil war
and some of them are still ~neglectful
of politics. A belief in their right to
make and drink and sell untaxeG
whisky is part of their creed as to per
sonal liberty, and they are s%ingularly
trustful of the stranger, once they
know he is not a revenue officer
There is a merry war in progress
between the cyclists and turnpike
companies in the neighborhood OF
Swedesboro. Pa, and at present the
cyclists are getting the better of the
battle by an odd piece OF strategy.
The cyclists complain that the com
panies are charging ~exorbitant fees,
averaging a cent a mile. Whenever u
wheelman approaches a tollgate he
shoulders his wheel and carries il
through the gate as baggage, which
exempts him from toll. So far the
scheme has worked we'll.
-Mackerel fishing would not, ordi
narily, be considered an exciting bust
ness, but as the New England fisher
men have to pursue the calling it has
its interesting features. The fish are
largest and most plentiful off the Nova
Scotia shore now, and the New En-
gland fleet is up there. But the best
fishing grounds are just inside the
three-mile limit, which is forbidden
water to American boats, and the pres
ence and constant w~atchfulness of
number of Dominion cruisers make
the securing of good catches by the
Yankee fishermen a lively and inter
esting undertaking at times,
Of such ancient and honorable
lineage is asparagus, frequently men
toned in Greek and Roman writings,
and commended by Cato and Columel-
la, that it is easy to imagine Cincin'
natus, while awaiting the slower
growth of his historic cabbages, as de-
irving much comfort in watching the
rapid development of this advance
agent of the summer dainties. That
asparagus in those days was well
worth study and cultivation may be
inferred from a description given by
Pliny of a sort that grew near Raven
ma, and yielded edible shoots so large
that three of them would weigh a
pound.
Rudolph Macfassel, one of the lead
ing members of the Philadelphia Boat
club, conceived the idea of fitting up a
vacant store room with cane-seated
chairs and a big cooler of ice water.
In each Of the four corners of the room
he placed a revolving electric fan.
Then the doors were opened for bust
ness, and the public was invited to en-
ter. A fee of five cents was charged
for all the ice water one cared to drink
and a refreshing ten-minute seat in
the soothing path of the electric fans,
The enterprising protector did a rush
ing business. Poor women, whose
little ones were suffering from the ex-
cessive heat, heard of the ne W scheme
and many of them brought their chill
dren for blocks.