The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-24

. When and where did the custom of "waking''
| the dead originate? 2. Can the word "rnotor-
| Deer' be used instead Of 'motorman?'' L. s.
The custom is of unknown origin and
| age. The name comes from an Anglo
Saxon word meaning to keep vigil. but sim
| liar customs are traced to the peoples OF
| remote antiquity. 2. Yes; recent diction-
| aries give the word. and il Is used in some
sections of the country to the exclusion OF
| ''motorman.'
Where can fnd life of Homer7 II. D. d. !
Nowhere. Nothing is known of him per-
sOnally. Even the ancients did not know
where or when he lived. Herodotus thought
he lived about $50 B. c.. but others placed
the date $50 years earlier, still others 100
years later. Many cities claimed him as
their own. All the statues OF him. and
some are considered very fine. are purely
IDEAL
Is the FRA Diavolo' of opera an historical
character7 II so, will you tell something about
himf l.. $.
The Fra Diavolo Of history was Michele
Pezza, Calabrian goatherd who was born
about the middle of the eighteenth centu-
ry. He became successfully stocking
weaver soldier. monk and leader OF a
band OF scoundreIly robbers. While hold
ing a eolonel's commission against the
French, he was captured and hanged The
historic and operate characters have little
in common.
Il it true that the common garden tomato was
once considered poisonous? D. g.
Yes; in the memory of many now living
the tomato then called the love-appie. was
looked on with extreme suspicion. This
was due to the fact that the plant belonged
to the botanical family that includes hem
bane. nightshade. belladonna, and other
yirulent poisons. Within thirty years the
theory that cancers were largely due to
eating tomatoes was held By many.
How long Will life remain in seeds that ara
kept out of the ground9 G.. L.
The duration of vitality in seeds va
ries much with different families of plants,
and the extreme length of life has not
been determined Stories have been told
to the effect that grain found buried with
Egyptian murmies has terminated after
being exhumed. but these tales are dis
credited. and recent carefully made at
tempts with such seed have failed Oily
seeds are short lived. legumfnous ones
live long; there are well authenticated
instances of the latter living seventy
years, and likely they will live very much
longer in favorable circumstances
What is Thomas \. EdisoH's latest invention?
2. Please give sketch of hint J. E
The latest to have newspaper exploita-
ton is new method for separating gold
from sand 1t is now being tried in the
West, the nature of the processes being
kept secret. 3 Edison was born at Nil
Ian, Ohio February IL, 1871 His first
was as train boy Soon he
learned printing, and edited and printed
a small paper in the baggage car Of bis
train. 1t was after he became a tele-
graph operator that he began his remark
able series of inventions. He now has
at West Orange, N. J.. an immense estab-
lishment, with corps OF skilled inves-
tigators. and here invention is remarka-
bly, systematized.
By what method are lead shot nade2
y. II. o.
They are made in tall towers. The mol
ten metal is run through colanders. drop
ming from 100 to 100 feet in water. The
length of the fall effects spherical shape
and cools the shot so that its form Is
preserved when it strikes the water. In
another method the fall is lessened- by
using a tube through which is forced a
strong upward air current The shot
ire rolled down an inclined plane to sort
nut uligshapen ones and are then re-
-oIved in cylinders with powdered graph
tie until polished. To the lead melted Is
,dded about / per cent of arsenic. which
results in greater ductility and softness.
What was the origin OF the Phoenician ALPHA,
,et? ,. What was the original language Of riln!
IDEX-
This is a question over which scientists
.beorize and do not agree. The Phoeni-
.ians showed but little originality in their
culture and few believe that they invent
ID an alphabet An older form OF 1t than
hat borne by the famous Moabite stone
,as been discovered. and the claim has
,een made that it had source in the Nero
,lyphs OF Egypt. .. Philclogisys hold that
language was rot man S git, ms lAcui1E'
IT natural capacity. but rather was an AT
umuiated acquisition. So the original
language was Of the crudest, and naturally
5 rameless.
can you tell me something OF Brock Fsrms
Brook Farm was described as an eXperi-
nent in plain living and hish thlnklhg.
he farm of 200 acres was ten miles from
,ostou and agriculture and several trades
80 carried on. Nathaniel Hawthorne.
.barIes A. Dana. and John S. Dwight were
oma OF the $50 associated with Ripley,
nd among the sympathiZers were Ralph
Waldo Emerson. Theodore Parker. Brou-
On Alcott. W. Fl. Claiming. and Margaret
uller The kitchen and table were CON-
ION. and so little help was hired that
Philosophers and poets performed the low
est tasks that farming demands. The
xneriment lasted from 1871 to 1877, and
lded in financial failure. Lives of Rip
" and OF Margaret Fuller give accounts
the community See also Hawthorne's
Blthedale Romance"
What are the requirements Tor soldier in the
ocular Army? )" H. Me-
Applicants for first enlistment must bo
etweer ;he ages OF eighteen and thirty
We. OF good character and habits. able
od.ed. free Of disease and able to speak.
cad and write English. Recruits under
must haze thc written consent
tte father, only surviving parent, or ie-
ally appointed guardian. Original enlist
rents are confined 10 citizens o. to those
no have declared their Intention Of be-
1ming citizens. Married n 7 are accept
d Only on the approval oi The regiEental
olumaEder The height fIr infantry and
rtllery must be not less than Ave feet
cur inches weight 2Ct less than l-o
ouaGs nor mere than 100 pc IDS. For the
avalry arm. the height mus. be not less
rcn five feet four inches. nor rcre tnan
-e feet ten inches. and the weight must