The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-07-15
HERE AND THERE.

Brevet Major General Rucker, retired,
entered the army as a second lieutenant
of dragons 60 years ago. He has
just had the pleasure of seeing his
grandson, who is also a grandson of the
late General Sheridan graduate at
West Point-Augusta Chronicle
2 A Frenchman is said to have invented
a gun that is without smoke, flash or
noise in operation. 1t may be made in
any size. from the small pistol to the
largest canno When his new weapon
comes into use, war will degenerate into
cold-blooded Observation-Disclosures
News.
1t is a proverb that a good name is
rather to be chosen than great riches.
Lucien n. Holmes of Springfield, Mo-,
was satisfied that he had a good name.
1t suited him very we'll indeed; there
fore when a wealthy aunt died and left
1T in her will that he was to be paid
$4,000 in consideration of his discard
ing the name he had grown UP with
and assuming her name, he declined the
money and chung to his name.-Savan-
nah News.
It is claimed in Germany that the in
furious principle of tobacco can be neu-
traliZed without taking away the aro-
ma of the weed This is done by treat
ing the leaves with a. solution of fannie
acid and afterwards soaking in a decoc-
ton of wild marjoran. The inventor
makes the assertion that he has left all
the nicotine and rendered it harmless
at the same time. Between this pre-
pared cigar and the ordinary cigar there
is only a very slight difference. and ap-
parently a man can smoke any num-
Der of them without affecting his heart
or pulse or disturbing his nervous sys-
tem.-WinSton Sentinel.
Wise is the man who settles in the
south and availS himself of the cordial
welcome and conservative counsel of
the flower of the land, and determines
to be one of the community, cordially
cooperating with the best people in this
Incompatible country, free from serious
and trying problems encountered in in
hospitable chimes, where the seal of
winter is set before the last harvests
are gathered in the south, and the "Ice
King keeps sway long after berries
and vegetables have made glad the
southern farmers home, in a favored
land where revenues are not dependent
upon a single crop, as in other chimes,
but where a variety of crops and two
crops OF the same land yearly add to
the fortunes of the progressive farmers.
Southern Farm Magazine, of Balti-
more.
Egyptian cotton is being introduced
in Texas and promises to revolutioniZe
the cotton industry in the SOUTH" Mr..
c.. S. Austin, of San Antonio, Texas, re-
marked at the Raleigh to the Washing.
ton Post. "It is much more desirable
than the cotton raised in the United
States now, n is even better than the
sea island cotton. The Egyptian cot
ton has much longer fibre than other
cottons and it's seed can be removed SO
easily that it is not necessary to cut
up the cotton in ginning il. A series of
saws which work between rods is used
in ginning ordinary cotton n consid-
cradle power is required to tear it loose
from its seeds. The Egyptian cotton
can be separated from it's seed by a Sc
ries of rollers, which do not cut the cot
ton and destroy the length of its fibre.
The department of agriculture has dis
ributed the new cotton throughout the
south and it will soon be known wheth-
er the Egyptian product will flourish
in all the districts devoted to the rails
ing of cotton"
To improve the gunnery efficiency of
the navy Lieutenant Commander
Chase, acting chief officer of ordnance,
has sent to the battleship Kearsarge
for trial 200 illuminating chasers"-a
patent contrivance which in the darkest
night shows the fight of shell, says the
Chicago Tribune The Illuminating
chaser is the invention Of a Pittsburg
man, who believed thai nner would
be able to do more effective work if
they could see where the shots from
their guns struck. At the Indian Head
proving grounds several one-pound
shells, fitted with the continuance, Were
fired in the dusk Of the evening. Inc
rather good results were obtained. In
the tests aboard the KeaIsarge the pro-
~jectileS will be discharged in the full
glare of the searchlights to determine
whether the Illuminating chaser can
still be seen. The invention will be Of
value especially for the rapid fire guns
of small calibre. 1t was explained that
a man operating a rapid fire gun has
little opportunity to sight the weapon,
especially at night ana IL he a see
where the projectiles are falling ha
can use the weapon as a man does a