The times., 1899-07-23
NOTES AND QUERIES.

NOI ES AND W EhlLS.
Gvsndoline or GwendoIyn? WINDSOR.
The name comes from Celtic word.
signifying white -browed and spelled
''Gwendolen." Thus George Eliot's hero
ines name was spelled. But as infants are
named nowadays. the final syllable often
becomes 'lyn," or 'lin," rarely ''line." We
think
-. In what century was purgatory established in
'he Church Of Rome, and by whomS ii.
The only two declarations of supreme
authority made by the Roman Church con-
eerning purgatory were in the Council OF
Florence, l4s9-14i2. and in the Council of
Trent, which opened in 1545. Belief in the
existence OF purgatory was held by many
writers and peoples long before that
was the Passenger train lost at the time Of the
Johnstown hood ever ioundg R. r.
Yes; but 1t had suffered as did every
.nihs else movable that was in the path
OF tue Hood. Cars and engines were dashed
ABOUT like so many matches or buried
deeply in the sand. One engine was car
ried over mile before being deposited on
Johnstown fiat.
What is the cause OF star-shooting. ard what
becomes OF the stars7 G. r.
Shooting or falling stars are stvIet,
igneous meteors by astronomers, who
universally admit that they are small
bodies travelling in orbits about the sun.
When they enter the earth's atmosphere
they take fire from friction and quickly
burn up. On the nights of August 10 and
IL each year the earth meets with q large
number OF them.
Whose son was Melchizedek, the king Of salem?
BIBLE STUDENT.
He is OF unknown origin. Jewish tradi-
uons identify him with Shem, and Luther
and some English writer's held this opin-
ION. Then the sect known as Melchize-
deckians, who are classified as Christian
heretcs, regarded him as an incarnation
OF the power of God. By still others, Mel
chizedek was held variously as an angel,
the Son of God, or the Holy Ghost.
What causes hiceoughs? . What will cure
themf 8. What would be the result OF a long
continuance Of same? Sd. C.
Hiccoughs are caused by spasms of the
diaphragm and glottis. They sometimes
follow overdistension Of the stomach with
food, and frequently accompany intoxi-
cation. Swallowing small Jumps of ice
frequently is a simple remedy that is often
efhcacious, and physicians give antispas-
modic doses. In rare cases, usually COM
plicated by nervous disorders, -hiceoughs
cause death. -
Is there colony Of lepers in the United
States! Where did leprOsy originate, and what
is the origin of that diseaseg Mp
There is small colony OF Iepers in
Louisiana, and there was formerly one in
Minnesota There is a considerable leperi
settlement in our new possession, Hawaii
Where the disease originated is not
known. There is no doubt that Il exist-I
ed in Egypt in days of Moses. The
cause Of 1t is a subject OF much dis
cussion. Some authorities consider a fish
diet to be factor.
What will rid house Of large ants, such az
live in ant hills out OF doors? PHILOSOPHER.
Leaves OF green wormwood scattered
about will drive away black ants. Powder
ed borax and powdered cloves are recon-
mended for either black or red ants. A
sure method Of killing what are caught is
to place near where the ants appear a
plate creased with lard, leaving small
sticks from floor to plate edge The ants
will swarm to the lard. and by holding the
plate to the fire occasionally they may be
destroyed.
What are the causes of impending trouble be-
tween Great Britain and the Transvaal! X. Y
The Beers reasonably believe that Eng
land is seeking to make their country
British dependency. They consequently
tax the Uitlanders-a majority of whom
are Britishers engaged in mining-yery
heavily and give them the right to vote
only after long residence. Since the
Jameson raid. too, the foreigners have been
have seen the money they pay for taxes
against invaders From these general con-
ditions the trouble arises.
Where are the finest pearls in the world to be
found, and who possesses them? MA.
The most famous pearls are those of the
East The ancients obtained theirs mainly
from Ceylon and the Persian Gulf, whence
many Of the best still come. The
most important marine pearl fishery on
the American Continent is off Lower Cal
ifornia, the central point being at La
Paz. The finest black pearls that reach
the market are found here. The most
extraordinary pearl known is owned by an
Englishman, Mr.. Beresford Hope. 1t meas
ures two inches in length. and four inches
in circumference, and weighs 1900 grains.
Has liquid air as Yet been put TO any practical
use} Where can / get information in detail con-
eerniBg the process Of its manufacture and the
experiments that have been made with it, 2.
What is the difference between liquid air and
compressed air? ]. K. L. l
The topic is too new for treatment in
encyclopedias, but the magazines contain
many articles on it. Three magazines OF
last May, for example, had articles on
liquid air. 1t is too new, also, yet, to reach
practical usefulness. But it has been
demonstrated that it can be produced
cheaply in practically unlimited quanti-
ties, and a new field for scientific study
and invention has been opened. >. Com
pressed air is still gaseous; liquid
air is a liquid-one that boils at 312
degrees below zero. The substance is the
cause of phenomena that are quite as re-
markable as this statement.
Is it definitely known If the planets are inhab-
tied? Il so, what methods are used 20 obtain this
knowledge, and who are the authorities On this
subject? o.
We are yet far from having definite
knowledge on this matter, but there is
evidence a-plenty going to show that no
animals Of sorts with which we are ia
miliar could live on Saturn or Jupiter. OF
all the planets Mars is most like our earth.
Reference 10 an encyclopedia or TO a work
on astronomy will give you a hint as 10
how little is known Of the planets by au-
thorities, who are astronomers, and also