Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-03-16
Queer Stories.

Dr. Logan Jack, who has Travelled ex-
tensively In China. thus describes the
process of fishing with cormorants: ''On
with a paddle and accompanied by a score
of cormorants. Merely to balance himself
as the boat rushed down the shallow
rapids was feat Of which any acrobat
might be proud. but tho sportsman did
much more than this. AS ne struck the
bottom from time to time with his pad
die. the eormorants; on seeing fish rise.
whereupon the boatman would stretch
out the paddle for the bird to step upon
and with a dexterOus sweep bring bird
and fish on board. This was repeated
admraiion admit @ s When our the aaaema"S eormoranta ane
warmed to the work the whole flock
would spring into the water and while
swimming with the canoe scramble for
the prey. The moment one of them had
secured a prize he made for the canoe
and was taken on board. The birds must
be as highly trained as the man."
Mrs. Margaret Thompson of London,
England, who died many years ego. by
her will directed that In her coffin should
be buried all her handkerchiefs and suffi-
cient Of the best Scotch snuff to cover her
body This she preferred to flowers as
nothing could be more fragrant and so
refreshing to me as that precious pow
der" Further, the six greatest snufftak-
crs in the parish of ST. James. Westmn-
lister, were to be her bearers. Six old
maids. each bearing in her hand a box
filed with the best Scotch snuff to take
were WEI toe to carry the pail. Before the corpse ,
the minister was to walk, carrying and
partaking of pound of SNUFF. At every
twenty yards a large handful of snuff was
to be delivered to the bystanders, while
at the door of the testator's house were to
be placed for gratuitOus distribution two
bushels of the same quality of snuff.
Tn tho harbor of sydney n w thir
ty-four years ago fisherman killed and
towed ashore shark, cut him up, and
found a London newspaper inside of him.
In the paper was the announcement of
the war between France and Germany.
The shark had outdistanced the steamer
by which the mail was coming and the
discoverer had the news to himself. He
gave his information to a wealthy wool
dealer who bought all the seasons clip
at Is cents pound and sold at Y cents
pound after the news of war had arrived
is said. $4,000 900 by the deal. The man
who killed the shark extracted the news
received battered silk hat and s.
shilling piece for his information
In his book on President Roosevelt
Francis E. Leupp writes: II remember
once hearing Mr.. Roosevelt. as civil-ser-
vice commissioner, discredit a certain
cabinet members truthfulness to his face.
Another person who was present-l mild
hammered man with an ingenious soul
seemed deeply panied by the scene while
it lasted. and afterward said to me: 1T
was very discourteous treatment for Com
missioner Roosevelt to visit an officer of
so much higher rank. Why. he actually
accused MIN of lying. And then. after a
moments pause. but with no indication
of seeing anything funny in the remark.
he added: And what was worse, my
dear sir he went on and proved it,"
A story of quick wit comes from Hol
land. Barend Vet of The Hague was ar
rested for calling a constable monkey
and was sentenced to fOrty-five days i'm
prisonment. The judge informed him that
he must not insult the police and that to
call constable a monkey was a serious
offense. The culprit reflected, then in
Quired: would it be any crime to cali a
monkey constable?" Certainly not"
replied the judge. IF it would give you
prosecuting attorney and. with annelabor- |
ate bow, said. ''Good-day, constable"
On very rainy day an American in |
London got into an omnibus. Very soon
he noticed that drops of water were pat |
tering down upon his head from the roof. |
At that moment the conductor entered |
to collect the fares. whats the matter |
with the roof?'' said the damp passenger:
Does it do this always " mo sir" re-
piled the conductor: "only when it rains"