Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-07-01
ITEMS OF INTEREST.


cat which he produced would rid his
mouse OF mice, man in the CITY Of
Mexico spriEkled banana skin with
strychnine and left it where the mice
could get it. The cat took the skin and
dropped it into the water jar, and the
whole family were poisoned. Their
lives were saved by applications of the
stomach pump.
The association of American women
for the presentation of a statue of
Washington to France, which has been
in existence for nine years, has just
been incorporated and organized at
the home of Mrs. George Hearst, in
Washington. 1t is the purpose to give
an order to Daniel French, the we'll
known American sculptor, for an
equestrian statue of Washington in
bronze, to be completed in time for
erection in Paris in 1900, the year of
the French exposition. The cost is
estimated at $4,000, of which $4,000
has already been raised.
Swiss children are obliged to attend
school six or eight years, fines being
! imposed on their parents in case of
uneXcused absence. But as many par
ents are too poor to provide food and
clothing for their children not a few
of the cantons have undertaken to pro-
vide assistance, and it is estimated
that last year 10000 children were
tt us aided by the state.
| At Centralia, Mo-. lives man who
has worn the same gold collar button
for forty years. 1t was presented to
him WREN he started from his home
there with a drove of sheep for Cali
fc1nia in 1857. He wore it through
cut his subsequent adventurous career
in the Rocky Mountain states, British
Columbia the south during war time.
the West Indies and Panama.
Reports from 2,606 planters and
IL al there is an increase in cotton
acreage this year over last year of 919,-
900 acres. Except in Texas. where the
weather conditions have been normal.
the crop is late, and much damage has
been done in the Mississippi valley by
the floods. But the increased acreage
will probably bring the crop up to the
average.
There is a chance for somebody to
make a small fortune in the south
western part of Kansas. The slaughter
of calves and sheep by wolves and
coyotes has been so great that the
Stockmen's association has offered a
reward of $12 for wolves and SIS for
whelps and 81 for coyotes, and the
banks are ready to pay out the money
on the presentation of the proper
proof.
Germany has during the last two
decades spent close upon $1OO,OOO.OO0
in dredging and improving the Rhine.
the Elbe and the Vistula. This fact
has lately been brought home to the
French legislature, which is expected
to take action with regard TO the res
toration of the banks of the Loire and
it's conversation once more into
navlgable stream and into an artery
OF commerce.
A big black dog Of uncertain breed
SClACo tllC ihailOoS "iASh ~ 40 Shh o"A
off the train at certain rural town in
Georgia and scampers away with it to
the postoffice. 1t is said he seems to
know the time when the train is due.
and is always punctually at his post,
so to speak. But he is under the sur
Vigilance of tho postmaster, who
might otherwise be thought neglect
full of his duty.
ere is general movement on the
part of those interested in irrigation to
prevail upon the farmers of South
Dakota to take advantage of law
passed by the last state legislature
providing for the construction of dams
for the storage of surplus water in
lakes, rivers or other waterways for
public use. Each spring there is an
overabundance of rainfall in some
portions of South Dakota, and If this
surplus could be stored for use during
the period in the summer when the
rainfall is below normal it would
prove of untold benefit to growing
crops.
An old revolutionary soldier in
Portland had small pension, of which
he was very proud, and by doing
such work as he could he secured a
sufficient income to provide for his
modest wants. One day he slipped
at the top of fight of stairs and fell
almost to the bottom. The mistress of
the house hurried to him in great
alarm and asked if he thought he was
seriously injured. Il guess not,
ma'am," he said, raising stiff1y to his
feet and gasping with fright, II
don't think Pm killed. But when l
was halfway down the stairs, ma am,
thinks 1, I'm a-going to lose my pen
sion, sure."
The streets of Brussels are now
sprinkled with a diluted disinfectant,
and it is believed in Belgium that it's
use has thus far prevented an out
break in that community of disease
row epidemic among the cattle of Hol-
land. The disinfectant is contained