Holbrook argus., 1905-05-06
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 A black bear with pink eyes has recently been killed in Pennsylvania by party of hunters It is not known whether the bear is freak or an eX' ample of some new species.
 The middle and lower class Russians chew sunflower seeds instead of to- bacco or gum. The Czarina sent vast quantity of these seeds to the Manchu- rian army recently as a present. A novel; sight was seen in St. Mar garet's church, Lowestoft, England, recently, when thanksgiving service was held for the good harvest of the sea. The walls were draped with fish ermen's nets, life buoys were placed in the pulpit and chancel, and even cured herrings appeared among the "decorations."
 Serpent worship still survives in h. dia, and a snake shrine Is said to be as much an attraction in a house on the Malabar coast as a garden in the case of country home in the United States. Serpents are however, most unobtrusive, and unless one walks noiselessly and barefooted In the dark, as Hindoos do snakeblte is an i'm probable contingency.
 There is hospital for diseased fishes at Vienna university, where the pathology of fish is studied. Here are some of the "cases": A carp is be- ing treated for an Inflammation resem. bling appendicitis, ten others are suf- fering from smallpox, porpoise from the Adriatic with inflammation of the lungs, a trout with cataract in both eyes, and another with dropsy.
 No less than fourteen electric moun- tain railways are now under construc- ton in Switzerland, according to the Indianapolis News. Within the course of few years all the leading Alpine heights can be reached by mountain railways. Switzerland Is spending many millions on these enterprises, and it is hoped that, with these in- creasing facilities, the number of tour ists will become greater every year. The Jungfrau and Chamounix rail- ways will be completed and open for passenger traffic by the summer of 1906.
 Some interesting experiments have been made to ascertain which wood lasts the longest It was found, &C., cording to the Indianapolis News, that birch and aspen decayed In three years, willow and chestnut in four years, maple and red beech in five years and elm and ash in seven years. Oak, Scottish fir and Weymouth pine decayed to the depth of half an inch In seven years; larch and juniper were uninjured at the end of seven years. In situations so free from moisture that they may be practically called dry, the durability of timber is unllm- ited. The roof of Westminster Hall, London, is more than 450 years old.
 The worst thing that can happen to man in Siam Is to get into debt, from which there is never any escape, owing to the exorbitant interest charged. Once In debt there is no appeal, the debtor being stripped of his clothes and compelled to work in fetters gener- ally for the rest of his life, to pay the interest. Drunkards are not per mitted to give evidence in the law courts of Siam. The Buddhist priests, clad in yellow robes, are to be seen everywhere In Bangkok and 1t is quite common for young men to enter the priesthood, which affords them an easy and luxurious existence, owing to the liberality of the populace toward any one sanctioned to the service of Buddha.