The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-10-03
HERE AND THERE.

Speaker Henderson made a gallant
struggle to dodge the resignation rumor
but. although a little late, it is taking
advantage of every opportunity to make
up for lost time by means of odd ex-
Observation-Disclosures Star.
Patent office statistics show that up
to date there have been granted 1880
patents for using oil for fuel n 200
for the use OF gas n vapors. Out OF
this great number there ought to be at
least two or three inventions that will
do effective work.-Kinston Free Press.
$50 he's trying to live on other peo-
pies brains" said the publisher indig-
nantly. Whats the trouble? Has
your books?" Il suppose so. But that's
a minor matter. They're trying to coax
away the man h writes my adver-
tiSements.'
A Rockadale county negro, over 65
years of age, applied he other day to
the ordinary of that county for license
to marry the seventh time. He had
married six times and said he was
ready for the seventh heaven. The wo-
hunbands. The old man remarked:
It's gwine to be nip and tuIk 'twixt
us ez to which buries t'other."-Cordele
(Ga.) News.
Among the many curious things that
are related about the Inflated island
Of Martinique is the restlessnesS of ami
mails before the destruction of ST.
Pierre. They seemed to have Fremont
ton or provision of disaster for a
month or more before the disaster. Cat
tie became unnanageabie. Dogs howled
continually, showing every symptom of
fear. Even snakes left the vicinity Of
the crater where they We're previously
abounded. The birds ceased to sing
and migrated from the mountain side.
All these things were noticed in April
before the outbreak in May.-Ex-
change.
Tortoises are known to be able to live
| for a long time without food. says the
| Pail Mall Gazette. 1t was also believed
hitherto that they were rigid teetotal-
ers. This belief, however, has been
| rudely dispelled by the discovery that
they are very fond of grapes. The pro-
| prietor of a vineyard in Algiers had no.
ticed for some time serious depredations
going On in this plantation The watch
m he had engaged reported that mys-
terious noises were heard in the place
at night, and consequently refused to
stop any longer on the spot. But the
master determined to inquire into the
matter for himself, and much to his
surprise, he found a large number of
tortoises climbing up the vines with an
alertness of which tortoises are ordi-
| narily thought to be incapable. and
| making the most of the goo things
which the gods had provided for them.
On Labor day. says the New York
Sun, a man was brought to Bellevue
from The Hudson-Street hospital suffer-
ing from malaria. He was evidently a
foreigner, but no n was able to get
him to speak a word or tell his name.
From that day until yesterday he has
| never opened his mouth except to eat.
Yesterday he was discharged as cured,
and as he had no money he was sent
to Superintendent Merwi:l Of the Out
door Poor Bureau. where he was ex-
horted in fifty different languages and
| dialects, but without avail. His vocal
organs are all right, the doctors say,
| and his hearing is good, for he listens
attentively to all that goes on around
him. and shakes his head to all ques-
tions. He is about 80 years old. short.
of olive complexion and has a small
mustache and a pointed beard. He has
been examined while In the hospital by
the insanity experts, who say his mind
is apparently all right. When paper
and pencil were given him he scrubbed
marks without any semblance to writ
ing. Why didn't they try him with
laughing gas? There Was a King Will
liam county man, a good many years
ago, who was convicted Of forgery. and
pending his NOVA firm jail to the
penitentiary pretended to have lost his
voice and begged the governor, by letter,
for mercy. The prisoner was speechless
for months and months. and until the
Jail physician piled him with laughing
gas. Then he talked volubly. His Pc
tition for executive clemency was re-
| jected. and he was sent to the peciten-
tiary, a Sadder and a Speechter man.
Richmond Dispatch.