The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-12
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.

Scientists say that butter is the most
nutritious of all articles Of diet, with bacon
a good second.
The leaning tower Of Pisa was built in
the twelfth century, and is thirteen rect out
of perpendicular.
InAmany parts Of France the coffin OF
peasant woman is borne to the grave upon
the shoulders or women.
Signals used by ships at sea date from
1865. They were invented by the Duke OF
York, afterward James II.
1t is estimated that greater quantities Of
gold and silver have been sunk In the sea
than now in circulation in the world.
The custom of keeping birthdays is many
thousand years old. Pharaoh's birthday
festivities are mentioned in the Pentateuch.
It is noteworthy fact that sheep thrive ,
is because Of the bett~- Image Of the land
In Germany one man in 2l3 goes to col
lege; in Scotland, one in $40; in the United
States, one in two thousand, and in Eng
land, one in five thousand
The paupers in Japan number fewer than
ten thousand out of a. population OF thirty
eight million. In that country 1t Is cOnSid-
cred disgrace to be an idler.
There were, at last accounts, more than
six thousand Friends in Philadelphia alone,
and probably not fewer than fifty thousand
in the State OF Pennsylvania.
Buffalo was in darkness for a few hours
recent night because an adventurous
muskrat had crawled into the water feed
ton.
The largest city Of the world is London,
lying in four counties, and having a popula-
ton of $3.50 goo; eqnaling the combined popu,
lationS Of Paris, Berlin st. petersburg and
Rome.
According to Calcutta paper the button
industry is sadly neglected in India; there
are no button factories throughout the
length and breadth of the land of the Ma
hatmas.
In France it Is a punishable offense for
any one to give infants under one year any
nf Snl
by written prescription signed by qualified
medical man.
1t was once customary in France, when a
guest had remained too lorg, for the host to
serve a cold shoulder of mutton instead of
a hot roast. This was the origin of the
phrase ito give the cold shoulder"
It is said that England has expended
less a sum than 9200000,O0j in the eight
largest wars in which she has engaged, and
that Russia's expenditures for the same
been G67, 100000.
The depth of the Atlantic, between the
Canary Islands and the West Indies, is
right away from the African islands to the
American ones gradually deepening to near
ly nineteen thousand feet.
United States Consul Smith, at Moscow,
reports, from information gained at a meet
ing Of the engineers in charge of the con
struction Of +, o the great Transsiberian Rail
pended on that enterprise.
A kitten was lately brought up on an ex-
clusively vegetable diet by a family of vege-
tarians. The result is that it will not touch
animal food, and pays no attention to rats
or n that are purposely permitted to wan
der IS its range of vision
The policemen of Milwaukee, Wis, take
great pride in their brass band, which they
claim to be the only one of the kind in the
country. The hardest task was to get good
drummer. All the men had strong lungs, but
deft fingers were found to be scarce.
The wairling winds of Arabia sometimes
excavate sand pits to the depth of two hun
dred feet. the rim usually being three times
that depth in diameter A sand pit thus made
may be entirely obliterated in few hours,
and another excavated within a short dis
lance of it.
The dragon fly can outstrip the swallow
1t can fy backward and sdelong to right
and left, as we'll as forward, and can alter
its course on the instant without turning:
1t makes twenty-eight beats per second
with its wings, while the bee makes 100 and
the horsef1y 800.
They tell a story to the effect that when
the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals proposed to establish branch in
leading city OF Spain, the municipal body
courteously accepted the proposal and of
fered to hold grand bull fight at once to
furnish the funds.
There are about 10000 foreigners who pass
from a week to whole winter on the Ri
that the average expenditure of each while
there is about $500. In other words, the for
eign visitors spend about $54,0000O0 in the
country every winter.
1t is customary in the town of Quito,
when a visitor takes off his hat upon enter
ing room, to beg him to put it on again,
and in the absence of permission, leave is
generally requested. This, it is said, arises
from apprehension that cold will be taken
by remaining uncovered.
James Conway, a convict of the Kansas
penitentiary, has been pardoned and set at
liberty for his heroism in climbing down the
shaft of coal mine for two hundred feet
and loosening an elevator, which had be-
come caught in such way that twenty con-
victs were imprisoned beneath it.
A wealthy gentleman of Odessa left AGO.
600 roubles to his four nieces. with the pro-
vision that they must each work fifteen
months as domestics before obtaining the
inheritance. They have already served nine
months, and during that time have been
annoyed with thousands of marriage pro-
posals.
The largest geyser IN the world Is the Ex-
celsicr gey5er, In Yellowstone Park It's
basin IN 100 feat aeress and 80 fest deep.