The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-30
ITEMS OF INTEREST.


The great organ which was once the
chief feature of Boston's music hall is TO
be sold. 1t cost more than 10000, and
weighs nearly seventy tons. 1t was finish
ed on Oct. 81, 1863 and the public was in
vited to hear it on Nov. 2. An ode was
written by Mrs. James T. Fields, and was
recited by Miss Charlotte Cushman. AL
though the organ was looked upon almost
as sacred thing, and referred to as 1.-The
hope of art in future years." it was kicked
out in 1884 because more room for the per-
manent orchestra was needed.
India is a dangerous country to live in,
as the following figures showing the
deaths from wild beasts and snakes dur
ing one recent year will testify. In one
twelvemonth snakes killed no less than
1910 persons. Tigers killed 1853 persons
and 27,517 head of cattle; bears, 1875 persons
and Slo cattle; wolves, TT persons and 40S7
cattlei hyenas, II persons and 2748 cattle;
elephants, 56 persons and 4 cattle; while
other wild beasts, such as jackals, buffa-
Ices, boars, crocodiles, etc, were respon-
sible for the deaths of 969 persons and 2, los
cattle.
There is some difference of opinion
among the scientists as to the diamonds
origin. Newton believed it to have been
coagulated unctuous substance of veg
etable origin. He was sustained in some
degree by Sir D. Brewster, who believed
the diamond was once mass of gum, de-
rived from certain species of wood Dana
and some others held the opinion that it
may have been produced by the slow de-
composition of vegetable matter and even
animal matter. Burton said it was young
er than gold, and probably still in process
of formation. Specimens of the diamond
have been found to enclose particles of
gold, an evidence, he thinks, that its for
nation was more recent than that of the
yellow metal. However, the real origin
of the diamond is still more or less uncer-
tain.
Pursuant to a resolution OF the last
congress, the Philadelphia mint is to be-
gin this month to make experiments with
new metals and combinations of metals
to determine whether any improvement
can be made In our present copper and
nickel coinage. 1t may give US aluminium
cents in place of the copper pieces now in
use, and possibly new species of scent
pieces, made entirely of nickel or per-
haps, half of nickel and half of copper
There is so slight a suggestion of copper
in the present scent piece that it is a sur
prise to read that 70 per cent. of it is cop
per and only % per cent. nickel. The pres
ent cent contains 95 per cent. of "copper"
per cent. of tin, and 3 per cent OF zinc.
The objection is made to it that it is hard
to distinguish by feeling between a cent
and silver 10-cent piece.
-Appletons Popular Science Monthly
says: Religion, which has so much
power over peoples and which proves so
obstinate in preserving ancient customs
has certainly contributed to maintain the
practice of tattooing among the more bar
oarous part of our populations; we see a
proof of it at Loretto. Those who cult
vate a devotion for a saint believe that
by engraving his image on their flesh they
will give him a proof, a clear testimony,
of their love. We know that the Pheni-
clans marked the sign of their divinity on
their foreheads. In the Marshall Islands
they have to ask the permission OF the
gods to tattoo themselves, and the priests
alone in New Zealand perform the office
of tattooing (Scherzer). Lubbock adds to
this that woman who does not wear a
tattoo mark cannot enjoy eternal felicity.
Among the practitioners of the healing
art, the common mandrake plant has al
ways held high place. Even in old times
many virtues were attributed to it, but
the trouble was, no one could, according
to popular tradition, dig the root up and
and the human form gave rise to the idea
that the mandrake was really an inferior
form OF animal life, and Thomas Newton
elaborately describes how the ancients be-
lieved that each plant was a mysterious
growth from the body of man who had
been hanged for murder. If anyone drag
ged this plant creature from the earth, it
would utter such horrible groans that no
one who heard them could live. 1t was
claimed that the danger was to be averted
by tying piece of cord to the herb and
round dogs neck. The possible strangu-
lation of the dog during it's struggles seems
never to have occurred to the ancients,
and as the man who tied the cord always
ran for his life, the superstition as to the
mandrake's groan was easily maintained
What promises to be the longest ball
on record will soon be held at Brighton.
England, in the cause of charity saws the
New York Journal 1t is said it will last
continuously for three days and three
nights. Just how this will be managed
has not yet been learned. 1t is possible
however, that it can be kept going by
careful arrangement of relays of musi-
clans and dancers who will reel off the
waltzes, marzurkas and schottisches one
after the other. Probably a short inter
val will be allowed in the daytime for
rest and then the programme resumed
WIN ihCAedSSu druOr. Inc entertainment
is to be given in the town hall, and the
institution to be benefited by it is a dis
pensary for the relief of the sick poor.
There is a long list of titled people among
the patronesses, and it is presumed that
many members of the nobility named will
grace the occasion by their presence. The
Duchess of Teck is the greatest "altesse"
on the list, which also includes the Count
ess of Munster, Baroness De Worms.
Lady Ellis, Lady Pocock and several score
Of untitled gentry of the place The lord
lieutenant Of the county, the MARQUIS of
Abergavenny, is the nominal head of the
affair, but whether the authorship of the
idea is his is not stated.
The cause of the mirage is now well
understood-so well understood, that there
are ways of making small mirages for ex-
pertinent. The simplest explanation that
can give, says Tudor jerks in st. Mich
olas. is to say that the rays Of light com
ing from the thing that is seen are bent in
coming through the layers of air different
ly heated. When these rays are so bent
as to be almost level with a layer of air
they do not enter it at all. but $50 to speak,
glance of, and are reflected as If from a
mirror at,