The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-05-03
FACTS IN FEW LINES

Of the season I'm New York.
The highest mountain peak In Colo
r1do Is Sierra Blanca. which is l4.4S3
feet high.
The ivory market shows signs of a
steady decrease. and the extinction OF
the supply is feared.
France annually produces about 143..
299.OOO pounds OF chocolate and bon
bons In about equal quantities.
The picking OF the raisin and straw
berry crops I'm California is almost en-
tirely I'm the hands Of the Chinese.
Lawton. Okla. six months old. has
1000 inhabitants. lSS lawyers. IS sa-
looms. % gambling dens and schools.
Mosquitoes are fond OF anything blue
That is scientific discovery that is
furnishing an argument for changing
the color OF the United States army
shirt
Farthing breakfasts. consisting OF
coffee. bread and butter aud lam. are
now being provided by the Salvation
Army for poor children in Newcastle.
England.
L. L. Carter. one OF Mosby's men.
Z
or OF dead Confederates at Front Roy
al. He is now postmaster at Orange
Court House. Va.
/ British fruit growers are adopting the
idea OF covering their crops with paper
sheets during the cold nights. \ small
outlay in labor and paper results in
I considerable saving In the long run.
In the work OF restoring the Ara
/ Coeli church at Rome the famous mu-
raj frescoes OF Pinturicchlo have been
completely ruined. several large nails
having been driven into them.
Before long 1t is probable that the
dogs as well as the daughters of rich
and fashionable folk may be sent to
Paris to finish of their education. A
school for dogs has been established in
that city.
Systematic inquiries into the present
condition of bird life in Missouri bring
10 light the surprising discovery that
within the last fifteen years insectivo-
rous birds have decreased O. per cent
and game birds so per cent.
All British military convicts who
have been sentenced to penal servitude
for sleeping at their posts have had
their sentences committed 10 lighter
ones These military ofenses are now
being met by lighter sentences.
The vegetarian novelties in hats and
bonnets In London include the Suhsti.
tuition OF the rosy red tomato and the
flower OF the French bean FOR the wing
and other animal decorations now com
monty used on ladies headEear
An Essex (h:nglandl clergyman. cx
pericncing n difficulty in obtaining ihc
services OF bell ringer. has evolved a
device whereby. with the aid OF the
| electric current. lie rings his own bells
by pressing buttons in the vestry.
Some of the out and out New York
chappies have taken to wearing the
monocle. which at present is in greater
favor than ever among London dandies.
Eastern opticians notice an apprccia-
/ ble increase in the demand for single
glasses
The Bank OF Netherlands is now
lending 100000 less than Il did a
year ago. the Bank OF Italy $6.GJO.OO)
less. the Austro-Hungarian bank ST..
$4,000 less. the Imperial German bank
/ $l6.45OOOO less and the Bank OF Spain
$4,000 600 less.
The -Four Hours Sleep society is the
latest thing in associations. and IL j.
Chicago bred The members argue that
more than four hours sleep is unnec-
essary. and they pledge themselves no,
to have more and TO bring up their chill.
dren on the same plan.
Chinese SnaHaS from,
shoes sounds like an absurd statement.
but the fact is that shiploads OF old
horseshoes leave London for China. All
these come back TO London in the form
OF spades, having been so transformed
by the ingenious natives.
DR.. V. G. SimkOvitch. who has charge
or the literary treasures OF Columbia
university. has purchased for the II
/ brary an early Italian manuscript of
great value, containing the epistles OF
ST. Jerome. believed to have been made
during the ninth century.
An electric street car system has
been in operation in Liverpool for some
years. Now a movement has been
started TO do away with IL. Petitions.
signed by nearly all the influential PEG
| PIE OF the city. have been filed with
the municipal authorities asking that
the system be abolished.
The Gold Coast government is en-
deavoring to win volunteers for its
Maxim gun detachments. AS big i'm
ducement it has offered to give any
member military funeral. a distinc-
ton greatly coveted by the natives
Practically the offer is, Join the de
tachment and wen bury you"
krupp. the great manufacturer of
cannon. has lately completed number
of paper fieldpieces for the use of the
German infantry. Their caliber is a lii
tie less than two inches. and the pieces
are so light that one soldier can easily
carry one. but the resistance is greater
than that OF fieldpiece of steel OF
the same caliber.
o.