The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-10-29

IC1fGloS duO UOIUOlStO dlO hAOWA
The water pump of today is an
improvement on an invention
which first came into use in the
year 2e3 B. G.
On the plantation of Nicholas
Colvin near Halsellville, S. g.,
there is hole ten inches in diam
eter from which smoke constantly
arises.
There is bedstead in the Whit
ney mansion, New York City,
which was purchased by Colonel
Oliver Payne in 1888, and which
cost exactly $4,000.
A rug only four feet square,
but which had SIG stitches and
knots to the square inch, was late
lv sold in London for sum equal
to $4,000 in our money.
In the Berleoy Hills, Dauphiny,
there is fountain which emits an
infammable gas during the greater
part of the month of July, but
no other time of the year
Trajan, the great Roman en-
peror, had summer palace which
was completely covered by the
waters of Lake Nemi It was 500
feet long, 27O feet wide and 90
feet high.
Roots draw enormous quanti-
ties of moisture from the soil, and
by this means it is discharged
through the leaves into the at
mosphere For example, the COM
mon sunfower has been proven to
exhale an ounce of water each
hour, AMI large oak tree esti-
mated to have 100000 leaves ex-
hailed seven hundred tons Of water
during the seven months it car
ried its foliage.
Some beech trees in one Of the
parks at Plymouth, Mass, have
been measured for six years, in or
der to ascertain their average in
crease in diameter per year. The
greatest growth was found to be
half an inch, but the average
growth of twenty trees In five
years was found to be one-fourth
of an inch-that is to say, the ring
of wood formed was one-eighth Of
an inch thick.
A swordfsh strayed away from
home and friends few days ago
and lost his life while exploring
the old basin inside of the old
breakwater at Block Island, r. |.
When his presence became known
half a dozen men, one with har-
pooh, went on the breakwater, and
when the fish was near, the instru-
ment was thrown, with the desired
result 1t is said that this is the
first fish of the kind ever known
to have been seen in the basin.
A New York reporter, not long
ago, was standing upon canal
bridge, and saw attached to the
rail running along the deck over
the rudder sparrow's nest AL
most every electric light contains
a sparrow's nest, tucked away in
the top of the shade, and protected
from the glare of the light by the
framework Of the lamp. The cleo
trio light tenders, who change the
carbon points every morning, ex-
pect to find the nests, and never
disturb them, and the sparrows
seem not to mind the men at work.
Eucalyptus is a honey tree. The
different species of eucalyptus OF
blue gums, as they are called, have
had a great reputation in many
lines Of human usefulness. but it
is something new to learn that in
California they serve the same
purpose of being planted in order
to furnish honey for bees as the
linden is employed in the eastern
states. They commence to flower
in California in October, and some
species follow the flowers during
the whole season, for in California
our winter season is eirspring.
The late Hamilton Gibson, the
author and artist, seemed to have
a particular power over animals
and birds. A friend tells how one
morning when the artist was stand
ing in a pretty bit of woodland he
suddenly lifted his two hands in
cup-like form, when a tiny bird
flew into the warm retreat and
submitted without hint of fea1
to the half-snOken. half-droned