The Savannah morning news., 1903-09-13
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

diers in India are total abstainers.
In Burma the inhabitants have a
novel form of the sport that elsewhere
is commonly called a tug-of-war. In
the Burmese. game there is a rain party
and a drought party, who pull one
against the other the victory of either
party being considered TO have imme-
date results as regards the weather.
The drought party, however, obtains
few victories, for the kind of weather
it represents is commonly not so much
desired as rain. In the face, therefore,
of a strong public opinion the rain
party is nearly always allowed to win,
the palpable 'roping," in the popular
notion. being generally followed by
fertilizing downpour.
During recent maneuvers of ships
of the British navy some of them call
ed at Lagos, Portugal, for their mail.
Soon it was discovered that something
had gone wrong with it. One young
sublieutenant received his sweet
hearts letter in a condition of pulp,
with the two top lines of each page
still intact, while another officer, who
knew that his hearts delight would
not hame failed him in the matter OF
letter writing, received nothing at all.
The explanation, though hardly So
| lacing, was simple enough. 1t seems
that the last twenty miles of the La
gos mail journey is performed by mule
diligence and a hungry mule had en-
deavored to satisfy the cravings of an
empty stomach with the outpourings
of loving hearts.
In Wales there is a legend of Irish
smugglers who arrived at Llanddona
many years ago in boat without rud-
der or oars. They were looked upon,
according to the Irish custom of send
ing malefactors to sea doom in this
plight, as outlaws. However, they had
been allowed to land, and a spring of
water, bursting forth in the sand at
the place, was taken as a sign of their
right to a refuge. But they i'll repaid
the Welsh. The men lived by SNUG
Cling, the women by witcheraft. 1t
was not possible to overcome the SNUG
glers in a fray, for each carried about
with him a black fly tied in knot OF
his kerchief and the moment the knot
was undone the fly flew at the eyes OF
the opponents and blinded them. IL
the Llanddona witches attended mar
ket and bid for anything no one VEN
tured to bid against them.
The United States is the greatest
horse-producing country in the world.
At this time therefore, when other
agencies are coming into competition
with horses for many purposes, ana
are being substituted for horses IN
many others, it is proper for us TO
consider what it is wise TO 40 III otueI
that there shall not be too serious
losses in an industry as great as II
is widespread and interesting. A Few
years ago the horses in the United
States We're valued at $1,100,0OO0 900.
Business depression, together with the
competition and substitutions referred
to, deprecated this stock more than
one-half But there has been an APP
probation within a few years, owing
to business revival and ensuing pros
perity, so that the value of the horses
in the country had risen more than
5000 900, 600 at the end of the last fiscal
year, June, 1902 from what the value
was at the low-water mark referred
to.-The Century.
A new set of shipping regulations
recently formulated in New Zealand
gives proof of the maternal cars with
which the government looks after the
welfare of the people. Every sea-go-
ing vessel that can be controlled by
the local authority must for the flu
ture carry a boat or raft fully fitted
up with provisions for use in case of
accident. Provision is to be made for
supply
biscuits, chocolate, tabloids and lime
juice and also of fishing lines and
hooks and safety matches. So many
| desperate tragedies have occurred
around the New Zealand coast from
time to time after shipwrecks, through
the difficulty of getting living neces-
saries into the boats in the rush and
excitement of escaping, that the new
regulation in this regard seems to be
a wise precaution. 1t is noteworthy
| that neither rum nor tobacco is includ-
ed in the items of this novel 'mani-
fest
In beautiful garden at Crouch
End, belonging to one of the few old
world bowers which have withstood
the tempting offers of the building
| speculator, may be seen one of the
| queerest freaks that Nature has ever
played in park and garden, says the
Westminster Gazette. About three
years ago a long row of glass ginger
| beer bottles We're placed neck down.
ward in the ground, with a few inches
| of the other end projecting to form
| border for the kitchen garden paths.
Each of these bottles now contains
fairy-like resident in the shape of a
dainty little fern, perfect in form and
| color, and of many varieties, the rib
| Don fern ana nartS tongue preQOml-
mating. AS no ferns had at any time
| been planted in that part of the gar
| den it is amazing how they got there.
| Perhaps Nature thought it foolish to
waste so many little natural hothouSes,
and put in each a pinch of the stuff
she makes ferns of. If so. she must
view with much pride the result of her
experiment.
of the brides led annually to the
altar the Christian world over, a meas
ured but extremely moderate percen-
tage refuse to repeat the words of the
| marriage service binding them to obey
| as well as to love and honor their hus-
| bands. One of these has just come to
| the front in Vermont, and not being
! able herself to draw a modification of
! the Episcopal marriage service, or to
! persuade pastor or bishop to exceed
his authority and permit that change,
she has elected to be married by
complaint Congregational divine and
| embarkS upon her conjugal career
with the buoyancy and hghthearted-
ness of one not vowed to mind any,
! body. The number of these head
| strong and insubordinate brides is
| happily never large enough to cause
| a social revolution, but about so many
| are sure to appear during each pairing
| season, and it is just possible that the
records of most of them may show
| forth a sweet docility instead of that
| kicking in the harness which might
not unreasonably be looked for.
Tho paur In Hon of Santos n,,r,or+