The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-03
ITEMS OF INTEREST.


Says the Philadelphia Record: Has
anyone heard Of an actor ever having
been hanged in America? The assertion
was made in me corrldors q t-.e Si-s
nall last week. during the progress OF
the Gentry trial. that no actor mad ever
been executed IN this country A Httie
group OF thea ricai people some OF enein
witnesses for the defense were d-scuss-
ing the matter during recess. and none
OF them could recall an instance Actors
are the most supersutiOus people IN the
world. and the rather peculiar Iact, II
fact il IS, seemed 10 them ike COCO
omen Il is also said tnat no member OF
the Masonic order mas ever been hahged-
A more disagreeable object than
scorpion Of -Ceylon It would be difficult TO
imagine. Although as a rule it does not
measure more than seven inches IN
length, there is a species found IN Inc
woods that IS longer than foot, ana
take up their position on convenient
rock or stone looking, as they hold their
great iointed sting curved over their
backs and their claws held aloft, the very
picture of aggressive warfare. here they
stretch themselves in the broling sun ana
await their prey. These are the sndAs
beautiful honey birds that dart from now
er 10 flower, and take the place OF the
humming birds Of the east As one ap-
prOaches, the scorpion seems 10 shrink
into the stone, until IL becomes almost
imperce ptible. Suddenly the great insect
will raise its claws and dart at its beauti-
full victim, which in a moment is de-
stoyed.
Mercury. Of course, is fluid at all ordi-
nary tempera lures, says an exchange. OF
the metals which we commonly regard as
solid, lead can be made to flow with great
ease. If, by hydraulic pressure, 1t is
forced into a cylinder with a hole in the
side of IL, it will, when the cylinder Is
full flow out of the hole in a solid bar
Ike stream. The harder metals, as gold
and silver, obviously undergo slight
fiuxiOn movements in the process of coin
ing, as they are squeezed into the hoi-
lows of the die. Even iron is not per-
fecty rigid. In drawing out a bar of Il
into wire, the change of form compels
the particles of the metal TO slide or sheer
over each other just as in the flow of
fluid. So great are the pressures that
can be applied by modern mechanical
science that even steel can be compelled
10 change its shape without fracture, and
all such changes imply fuxion in the
metal
The church built of coral is one Of the
curiosities of the Isle of Maize, one of the
Seychelles Islands, in the Indian ocean.
The Seychelles Islands, which are sup
posed by many to be the site OF the Eden
Of the Old Testament, form an archipel-
ago Of ia Islands, and are situated about
AGO miles east of Alden, and 1000 miles OF
Zanzibar. They rise steeply out of the
sea, eliminating in the Isle of Maize,
which is about 5000 feet above the lever
OF the ocean, and is nearly the center Of
the group. All these islands are of coral
growth. The houses are built of a species
Of massive coral hewn into square blocks
which glisten like white marble, and
show themselves to the utmost advantage
IN the various tinted green of the thick
tropical palms, whose immense fernlike
leaves give pleasant and much needed
shade These palms grow as high as 100
feet or more, overlapping 0Oth the houses
and the coral-built church. They line the
seashore and cover the mountains, form
ing In many places extensive forests
That the flesh of sheep fed by the sea
! is superior to that Of those fed inland
says the Hartford Times, may be attri-
| buted to the fact that the most suitable
| feeding grounds are to be found in the
| proximity of the coast. Sheep delight in
| the short grass and peculiar heritage of
| hill pastures and bare fields; and the
| mutton produced in such pastures, and
| by the breeds most suitable to them, is of
| superior quality to that of the large fat
sheep fed on richer soil. The multitude
| or tiny shells so often found on every
loot of turf IS also very effiCacious in fat
| tening and nourishing the animal Aro-
| matte and bitter herbs are particularly
relished by sheep, while the salt deposited
| on the heritage by the sea winds is val
liable addition to their diet The finest
| mutton to be obtained in France is pro-
| cured from sheep fed on the salt marshes
1 OF Normandy, while the flesh of the Shet-
land and Orkney sheep, which feed large
| ~ on seaweed, is delicious. In this coun-
| try the best tasting mutton is killed on
the eastern and western coasts.
1t has been computed that fog costs
the city of London from $4,000 to 100000
day, says an exchange. A large portion
| Of this IS borne by the railroad compa-
! mes. AS soon as the fog descends, the
| plate-layers without waiting orders.
| leave their work and undertake the du-
| ties of fogsignalmen. For this. they re-
ceive an extra shilling a day This ap-
! pears a small item, yet a single fog has
! been known to cost over $50 for extra
| wages TO plate-layers at Chaplain juno
| ton alone. Each fog-signalman is sup
! pled with lantern, flags and a supply
OF detonators. By means of these he con-
| Neys to the engine drivers the signals
! which they cannot distinguish through
| the mist. Caution is given bv a single
| detonator. Danger by two detonators
| placed upon the rails at distance of ten
iaras apart. Detonators are small tin
| boxes two inches in diameter, each con-
tanning three percussion caps and a small
| quantity OF gunpowder. At the base of
each are two strips of lead for fastening
| IL 10 the rail-. They are made with great
| care, chiefly in Birmingham and font
| uon, and 1t IS rarely that one fails 10 e1-
| p!ode. The wholesale price of detona+oTs
Is one penny each, and the average. an
| eaC0 u
company is about 10000, costing f625
The Southern Sportsman told recently
about a flock of pigeons that measured
! brains with hawk and came ont an
top in the contest. II. S. Edwards owned
a flock of pigeons which one day were cut
on from their cote by large hawk, The
! pigeons knew that If the hawk once eat
| above them, one at least of their min
Der would go to make the hawk ). meal
and so up, they flew in circles. Derhans
| hoping to go higher than the hawk TD
! the rising game they were no match for
| the hawk. The latter kept under tbe
| pigeons, and leisurely followed their Ia
POROUS movements. Then came a. curious
and unexpected sight to Mr.. Edwards
! Every pigeon closed its wings. when, rhev
| appeared to be the size of sparrows ana
| down they came past the hawk at a fer
| rife rate. That aStonished the hawk II
| actually lodged the dropping birds and
missed half dozen wing strokes before
| at got in full chase of them When II GOT
! down to the barnyard not a pigeon was
| IN sigsht-some We're in the cote. some in
| the porch two in the well house, and one
| was in the kitchen. The hawk had been
] outwitted completely. 1t is a question
| now the pigeons managed to check their
| fall, as they did not slacken IN tilI 41,eI,