The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-07
Survival Ofthe Stage Coach
Idea in England.
Sleeping With Head to North
Not a Superstition.
How II Feels 10 B: Blown Up-The
Largest Books in The World,

When RAILROADS were hrsb s'ni'eu III
England, the carriages for the transporta-
tion of travellers were constructed by maxi
ing a long body frame, mounted upon
trucks. and placing on IL three stage coach
bodies. oil being we'll bolted together.
The travelling public was thus given ac-
commodations which, in interior arrange
ments at least resembod very closely
those to which they had been accustomed
and after some demurring, the new oruer
of things was gradually accepted. AS the
art of car building progressed, however.
it was found much better TO construct
the whole affair AS one piece of work, Duh
tho influence of custom was so strong tnaO
the British railway carriage Is still built
on the stage coach model, and IL Is 70 tnls
cause, rather than To any other. that the
compartments system owes lts peing.
Although the carriage Is practically bulls
az one vehicle, 1t Is ornamented on the
outside by mouldings, curved to follow the
old lines Of the stage coach body. anu even
when these mouldings are omitted In the
lower class carriages, curved stripes OF
paint are put on to tell the story oil the
revolution Of the car from the coach.
But there are other nbsurdities IN the
initiating a form of construction OF when
the need no longer exists The motor
carriage Is already In evidence in England
and 1T, too, bears the earmarks OF It's
horsey, though horseless, origin. One OF
tho latest forms OF these carriages bear all
over indications of the existence OF the
horse that isn't there. In front there Is a
high leather dashboard to protect the
riders against the splashing from the heels
OF the absent animal, while the finish oil
the heavy trimmings could only have
emanated from the establishment OF u
builder OF carriages made for horses, and
klr hn1 uohfcla lnnkG a ~ II OnUlt
have pair of lively animals In front OF IT
TO make IL look complete. 1t Is, indeed,
d. .f1icult to get rid Of old ideas even when
the necessity of their presence Is absent;
but the mental inertia which makes such
things impossible. is probably inherent
In human nature, and its elimination re-
quires a long course of education and ex-
perience.
Hindoos, Japanese, Russians. Hun
gariaDs, Poles, Patagonians, Samoans anu
several African tribes believe 1t wrong to
sleep with the head to tho north, all for
different reasons, none of them scientific.
Inc editor OF the London Builder several
years ago wrote: "For twenty-five years
] have had my bed placed with the head
TO the -neFsB, or as near that point as 1 can
get, and / have found great advantage In
doing so." DIR. julius Won dem Fisch-
weller, a physician at Madgebura asserted
In his will that his great age OF 100 years
was to be ascribed entirely to his constant
habit Of sleeping with his head TO the
north. On the other hand AN eminent
physician said the idea was all nonsense.
worthy OF some superstitious old lady.
Nevertheless there are many persons who
are not superstitious who believe IL IL best
10 sleep with the head toward the north.
A writer in the Revue Philosophique
(lS82) said lis there then, an agency
capable OF exercising continuous action
on the apparatus OF tho nerves. yDrying
with the position Of the headS To my
mind this agency exists and is none
other than terrestrial magnetism. 1t is
beyond dispute that galvanic currents not
only exercise powerful effect on our ner-
vous system. but that electro magnets
themselves produce well marked effects In
certain nervous affections This scien-
tific statement would seem entitled TO
some weight Its conclusion can hardly
be credited to superstition.
An English miner who was blown up
BY an explosion, and escaped death has
written for a newspaper his sensations
~ near as he can remember or describe
them. Here Ia the story as he tells 1t:
"You see It's so sudden. It's over just
about the time you begin to understand
that something is happening. You know,
/ had the satchel in my hand, and had
pub ~ oOWns Auch SOe oiioiu va ~ al
at once everything was light. i don't
shink ] saw tho flash. Anyway, my
face was not exactly toward the explosion
But then everything got light, lighter
than day--kind Of binding
There was an awful crash. 1t was just
at the same time. / was terrified, and
wanted to get away. 1t was just rs II was
having the nightmare. Somehow, though,
knew just what the matter was. A man
can think faster than he has any idea Of
/ knew that some Of the others were
nearer the explosion. and said to my
self, They're blown to bits that's cor
tain You understand, this was all in u
second, oil at once, really.
Then 1t was exactly the same as IL
had been hit with q stick. l thought it
was big stick, bigger than any man
could swing, and that 1t must be worked
by machinery. 1t hit me on the head and
oil over. went sailing Into tho air
long, long way. My ears roarod and the
wind blew into my face.
81 knew when l struck the ground,
for remember saying TO myself Well.
I'm done for. l don't know Just when
lost my right senses or when they came
hack but ~ hon thev did Gonna hack A.