St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-04-20
FOREIGN GOSSIP.

The greatest curiosity in the har-
ness-room of England's queen is \ set
of harness for four horses. 1t Is q mass
of white quill embroidery on black
leather. The price Of the harness was
contested by its maker in the English
courts, and, after the verdict, which
was pronounced in her majesty's favor.
Prince Albert would not allow the
harness to be used.
1T appears that in japan one fac
tor entering into the problem OF the
choice of a daughtcr-in- law is her skill
in raising silkworms. The thread
spun by the silkworm is said to he
regular aud even in proportion rs the
worm has been regularly and carefully
fed. The prospective mothcr-in-law
carefully and minutcly examines the
evenness of the silk thread in the ma
ter;al OF the garments worn by the
young lady before giving her assent
to the bctrothal.
The British Medical Journal states
that the comparison of figures obtained
from various sources leads to the be-
lief that down to the middle of July
NhC tuS RtsSk uC IA Sst0~
ton alone amounted to 10000 people.
In striking contrast stands ont the
health of the foreign community in
Canton, who passed through the epi-
demic unscathed. This immunity they
owe in large measure to the excellent
sanitary arrangements that prevail.
-Austrians seem determined to main
tain their reputation for being the most
merry and plcasure-loving nation in
Europe, for their parliament has just
rejected, with a considerable show of
Indignation. bill making drunken
ness penal. The opponents of the meas
ure found no difficulty in convincing
the house that the established habits
of the people were such that it was inn
possible to punish this failing, and that
the feasts and fanily-drinking bouts
which have been customary among the
population for over a thousand years
can not be abolished by law.
An account of the striking changes
which the great lava lake in kilauea
has undergone this year appears in the
Hawaiian Gazette. The lava steadily
rose after the last great breakdown of
the floor of the crater in March, 1891,
when an area of . 800 feet long by :, 200
wide, fell more than 500 feet in one
night Toward the end of last year
the rising and over1owing of the lake
flled the pit thus produced. Since that
time the activity of the lake has been
intense, rs many rs twenty-three over
flows of liquid lava having taken place
in single day, and the walls surround
ing the lake have been rapidly raised
by continual overfiows.
Sir James Lacaita, who died re-
.ently in Italy. had curious double
nationality during the greater part of
his life. lie was lawyer in Naples,
and in 1850 was arrested for his liberal
views by King Bomba and thrown into
prison. From this he was freed by Brit
ish intcrcession. and going to England.
like the Rcssettis and others, he be-
came British subject. married an En-
glish wife, catalogued the duke of
Dcvonshire's library at CatswOrth, and
was Mr.. Gladstonc's secretary in the
mission which resulted in turning
over the Ironian isles to Greece. For
his services Mr.. Lacaita was made a
knight commander of st. Michael and
st. George. After the establishment
Of united Italy he was made senator
IF the kingdom.