Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-14

One Of the choicest delicacies in ia,
maica is huge white worm found in
the heart Of the cabbage palm. It
tastes, when cooked, like almonds.
Birds differ very much in the heights
to which they commonly ascend. The
condor, the largest Of all vultures and
" all flying birds, has been observed
soaring over $4,000 feet, or about Eve
miles and half above the level Of
the sea.
Norwegians have a primitive way of
breaking up old, WORKOUT wooden ships.
They take them to exposed rocky parts
Of the coast, and, after anchoring them,
leave the breakers Of the next storm
to smash them to pieces. After the
storm the floating fragments are picked
up and sold for frewood.
Thirteen hours is now the record for
waltzing In France, and belongs to an
Italian. Ten competitors, including
several energetic children, started dan
ling in Paris recently at 1 a. m. At 5
the last child had dropped down from
exhaustion and was put, none too soon,
to bed. At noon, of two competitors re-
naming, one gave up-and then there
was one. He waltzed on for two hours
longer, but his legs sank beneath him
and then there was none. He had
danced six women nearly to death dur
Ing his performance.
A French physician has been taking
notes on the temperature In high hats.
In the early morning. when the doctor
was walking in the Bots de Boulogne,
while the shade temperature was II
degrees, the instrument inside the hat
registered 30 degrees. At noon, when
the outer air was at 80 degrees, the
temperature inside the hat was 1OS de-
grees. In the evening, with a cool breeze
at 6S degrees blowing, the top hat tent
perature was SO degrees. The doctor is
to read paper before the academy
showing that this unnatural heating of
the head causes many nervous diseases
and affections of the brain.
Some one learned in the history of
words gives some instances of what
changes the love of uniformity has
wrought In the substance of speech.
The original English form Of Cherry"
which comes from ''cerise," was
'cheris." 1t was mistaken for a plural,
so CHERRY" was manufactured for
singular. Exactly SO has pea" come
into being as false singular obtained
from the supposed plural and true sin.
gular "pease." SHERRY" for ''sherris"
is another case, and shay" for chaise,"
"Chinee" from "Chinese" and corp
from corpse" are others In vulgar
speech. Similarly, "riches" is really
singular, of which "richesses" was the
old plural.
A strange kite has been devised by
a Swedish engineer. 1t Is made to fly
under water. 1t is made of light can.
vas adjusted to light but strong metal
frame, and In shape is not dissimilar
to the aerial kite, except that 1t is made
in two sections, the lower and smaller
one depe1iing from the upper, with
which is connected by sort of
coupling The object sought by the en-.
gineer is to provide ships with an ever
ready automatic guard or watch that
will give instant alarm IL the vessel
enters shoal waters and Is approach.
ing spit where the depth is not suffi-
cient for safety. The underwater kite
Is fastened to thin wire cable at
tached to winch on deck. The pur.
pose Of the water kite Is to float be-
meath or beside the ship at depth that
is sufficient to insure safety. II at any
time, day or night, the lower. section
Of the kite strikes bottom, a device In
stantly releases the coupling with which
it is secured to the upper section, and
an alarm bell Is sounded on the deck
Of the endangered vessel. Precautions
can at once be taken to secure Its safe
ty. The kite meanwhile Is drawn I'D,
readjusted and thrown operboard to
maintain its faithful watch.