Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-03

however, touch it to his lips, as he will
become invisible, and the bride and groom
would have their first dispute as to who
should take his place
Probably from some OF these ancient
oracles comes the old-time negro belief
that 70 insure a good corn crop one should
plant hazel-nut in the first and last
rows.
CURIOUS THINGS IN FORESTS.
Many curious things may be seen in
the forests by any one who will keep his
eyes wide open. Some seasons ago a
party Of us were having a picnic in the
woods, when a young man, who was
stretched lazily by fallen log, CHANGED
to pull out from under II a piece of a
dead branch Of pine tree. 1t was a stick
about five feet long. from which some
one began 10 tear away the half-decayed
bark, and We made a singular discovery
IN Wood-lore. our find was a piece Of
natural carved wood, most curiously in
laid with delicate tracings-carved as If
by hand, and looking as If it had been di-
rectly imported from the workshop Of
some South Sea Islander. The carving
was the work Of a strange little insect
who, for aught. l know, may have some
high sounding name in entomology. What
puzzled me was the intricate regularity
Of the carved design He evidently did
not work according to any set design or
pattern, because he made 1t as he went
but the waves and scrolls OF this un.
skilled workman were exquisitely done
the finer lines kept closely and evenly to-
gether with mathematical precision.
though no two parts Of the stick were
alike. We divided our treasure and had
our carved pieces made into lovely paper
knives, match-boxes, and brlc-a-brac. For
long time / thought our natural carved
wood a great ravity, but specimens may
be gathered almost anywhere in the pine
forests if one is fond of tramping and
keen of observation. All the various
kinds Of pine trees, spruce. hemlock,
tamarack, fir, yellow pine, white pine,
and all other kinds Of pine afford varying
degrees Of attraction to this curious lit
tie insect with many legs and sharp
jaws-a natural scroll saw. 1t was a
long time before we found our tiny
carver at home, but one day, on a piece
OF fallen white pine, we caught him work.
ing away underneath the bark. And
then discovered that no sooner is pine
or hemlock tree blown down by a storm
or felled by the woodman's axe, than
multitudes Of these little creatures take
did not know; probably they live on the
gum resins Of the wood. / gathered up
a square Of these pioneer grave-diggers
and sent them with full rations to the
Department Of Insects in Washington
tina big bugs Of science. you know-and
they there await classification in the
new book on wood-carving.
OTHER SYLVAN WONDERS.
There are other bits Of natural wood
work extant more pretentious than that
Of our friend In the pine trees. SEN
sational chapter is going the rounds that
Mother Nature is taking portraits of
noted foreign celebrities in the heart Of
a maple tree away up in the wilds OF
Minnesota. This block of wood, If IT
really exists, is the greatest marvel of
nature. These portraits of Queen Eliza
beth and Raleigh and Shakespeare,
stamped like a revenue tax upon native
American wood is so English, DON'T
cher know" that it should be placed
the heart Of maple, l mean-at once be-
fore the English people. 1t may be the
one talisman needed in the event OF
Spanish war.
All-Fools Day is here, and so are its
patron saints.
A rumor went down the valley this
morning that a Spanish war vessel had |
knocked Fort Monroe out Of base and
was coming up the James river to Rock |
fish creek. And that recalls our worthy |
brother Of the backwoods who went |
down 10 the launching of the Kentucky. |
~ was powerful pleased" he said on |
his return Il tell you, sir, she's fine |
boat. Be swan ef l ever see SIGH a |
thing; only them holes in her side. sir. |
In, ba 81 0Verl'
"Oh the holes" said the funny man on |
the shoe box; "why, they are for the |
men to crawl in II they fall in the water"
can then -" asks the other.
"They pull the holes in after themw
So the fools are not all deal by cou-
pie.
HOMO, FEIIs EFT CAMS.
A dog thought TO be rabid. bit a cat |
the other day, and the cat behaving |
strangely, Mr.. Elmo Fox attempted 10
catch and shoot her. She bit his hand |
badly and ne applied the maidstone be-
longing TO Mrs Krbey. The stone ad-
hered from o'clock until in the after
noon. No i'll effects from the bite have
resulted.
William Coles, who was arrested for the
murder Of Mr.. Scott Roberts, has been
released for want OF evidence. He is
said to have repeated that he knows the
man who cut the stick with which the
fatal blow was given. The Perry
BOYS. indicted for the murder OF Jordan
,evond Greenfield, live near Alton.
n is not a comforting thought that IN
.hree years there have been three muir
lers here-Cook and these two later VIC
inns. l., iii. |
Mrs. Mary Eagle OF augusta, - '''i'
NO her sister. Mrs William Martin
Mrs Newton Dickson. of West Virginia
= the guest of her daughter, Mrs. VIII
lam McCue. .s, 70
Mrs. John McHen-y, OF Hartford, ky"
,rrived az Alton last week. She VIII re-
main with her mother, Mrs. James Good
oe, month.
When Travelling,