Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-02-22
Gleanings and Gossip.

The most valuable book in the British
museum is The CodeX AleXandrinus,
said TO be worth $1y0o,00C.
Invitations are to be issued by Belgium
TO other nations to send representatives
10 an international conference on The
study OF the polar regions i'll May next.
Last season more than half a million
picture postcards were sold 10 tourists Ut
Jerusalem They are made in Germany
and Switzerland at - to 81 thousand.
The air is 50 pure in the polar regions.
so free from harmful microbes that throat
and lung diseases are unknown there.
THAT section is also entirely free from
contagious nalaC1eS.
Paper handl,erchefs after Chinese fash
ion are to be supplied to the children OF
the communal schools of the city of Par:s
as Il hygienic measure to prevent the
spread of tuberlosis infection.
DIR. Koch, the famous German scientist,
is to take charge OF an expedition to N
vestigate sleeping sickness III German
East Africa The German colonial de-
partmcnt has lllocatcd $4,000 toward the
expenses OF the expedition
American locomotives are not q success
in Japa,, according to the report of tn.
Japanese railway bureau. 1t is claimed
impericctly fastened. IN many instances
the parts were damaged through bad
packing.
A woman who appeared in London
police court the other day was deSCrib"d
rs a 'pawning agent She makes her
living by pawning things Tor her neigh
lors. who pay her q commission becal::'.'
they believe she can procure larger lopnS
than they could.
About the time the Galapagos islands
were discovered n young turtle was born
there. He died the other day ut the
geological gardens, London. He was 1T
l.as: 80 years old. When he was feeling;
well he would eat as much grass as an
average COW.
Arthur SpeclS of Gloucester, Eng. re-
ceivcd such Il shock on hearing of his
fathers Geath that he lost the power of
speech. Recently he went to a football
game. In his excitement he tried 10
cheer, and succeeded in doing so. lie can
speak as flucntly as ever now.
Owing to the rapid growth of the
United States, the English language is
now spoken by more persons than use any
other civilized tongue. Today 600
people speak English. lcoN0.oo0 speak
Russian Qor not ali the people of tin.
empire talk the national tonGuei, 1;,.o"l.
GOI use German. 1G.W0GH employ Span
ish, including the inhabitants OF the
speak French.
Nlohamme,lans Of the Caucasus have Il
religious ceremony called "ChuckSec
Wucksee." 1T is ceremony in which
the fanatics cut and wound themselves in
the following ghastly fashion. according
to Il traveller: Each man. GruSping :,
kinial in his hand, brought il up in front
and down on the crown Of his head. Al
most at every stroke the blood Gushrl
forth. and soon one man after another he
, came 4 staggering, blOod-Soakcd figure.
The story comes from the far East TIM I
| the Chinese fishermen in the straits Of
Malacca nave 4 queer wIy of taking fish
| which demands little work. The fisher
i men lower "A canvas screen into the W.,
! ter. and the fish. seeing it. TAX" ii for
| some great obstruction ard jump over it.
ll,. .h, ypl h,tI lnr.,ta,l h,l-
| hind the screen. 81 all the fish jump into
| the Dcat and commit hari kuii iorl
! don't have To believe this if you don't
! want to.
| Nj. Falliercs. the new French president
| is expected to occupy his place with the
| same calm dignity as characterized his
! predecessor. ". Loubct His rubicunI
visaS" ovcrflows with good humor ana
t camaradcrie. Many are the devices that
/ the new president has adopted to reduce
! his e!nbonpont which is the one defect
/ in Il physique otherwise sinGularly robust
! Sometimes he will set out for Il prone
i made from his apartment to Il distant
| point on the outskirts of Paris or in the
| afternoon after returning from the public
i offices he will mount fixed bicycle ar-
| ranSrment in his drcssing-room ana get
| exercise in this; way.
They have Il beauty doctor in New Yorl;
| city, who in the matter OF cXciuSivcntSs
! and high charges puts all others in the
! shade. She has come from London fol
! q stay Of only three weeks bringing
| letters of recommendation from persons
! of title including, it is said: one from
| Queen Alexandra. Her fee for n consul
tation is $50, hut in spite of this formii
| able figure she mas secured 4 number ot
| patients, though because of her short
| stay she can treat them only few times
! The new queen of Norway is not very
| we'll equipped with icwols-that is. for 4
! queen AS the Youngest OF three sisters
! her share of pretty things was natura lly
| smaller than those of the other two. Til,
/ most imposing ornament of which Sh,
can boast is diamond necklace left he,
| by her %Odmother the old duchess oI
! Inverness. A condition attached to tn,
| legacy was that on no account should il
| pass INTO her possession until her wedding
! Gay. 1t is said that when at last she Mas
permitted to clasp it about her neck sh,
| said coqucttishly to her husband that he
must rot take too much credit to hmscli
as her bridegroom. for sh" felt she must
| MAKE some slcfitice to gain possession
| OF her EodmotherS legacy.
| I.icut-CGl. Gordon Carter 1st British
| lie guards, who retircS under the age
| hmlt is ore OF the most remarkable Ok
:tmplcs OF rising from til" ranks. Tho 5Gl
! OF a farmer. he entered as Il trooper in
| the guards in 1913. ana after serving eight
| years i'll the ranks was appointed riding
| master. year later he became adiutant
! Of the regiment end passed from rank "a
| rank till in 1902 he was appointed licuten-
ant-colonel and second in command IA
! rarely happens that Il rank"r receives. !,
| commission in the regiment in which II,
has served. and Col. Gordon Carter wa%
| til" first. if not the only. trooper whn
eyer rose to the command Of 4 regiment
| of household cavalry.
! Northern California has lost its
| PRINCIPAL antique. The oldest house
~ that rart Of the state. built by