The Washington herald., 1909-07-07

sesses the most beautiful and valuable
handkerchief IN the world II Is an ex-
ample Of the earliest Venetian point lace,
dating toward the end OF the fifteenth
century. The handkerchief IS n almost q
perfect state OF preservation. and Is val
ued at 81. 600.
There are about twenty-five miles OF
books IN the British Museum. and vol
umes are added at the rate OF about $1,000
a year.
Lightning. when II strikes a tree, some
times converts the sap Into steam with
such energy that Il eXplodes. scattering
the wood in every direction
A Bavarian peasant named Stelnbacher
Is lying in q hospital suffering from acute
nervous prOsuation. brought about by &
clock. A few months aEo this peasant
bought an alarm clock, and he was 50
anxious about It that he sat up every
night for two months 70 see ~ & would
60 of properly The resultant loss OF
sleep brought him 70 the hospital; at
least, this is q story that IS going the
rounds OF European papers.
Tho most costly tomb in existence Is
that which was erected 20 the memory OF
Mohammed- The diamonds and rubies
used in the decorations are said 70 be
worth Slo,Ooo.oCo-
Although there are 2os packs OF fox
hounds IN the United Kingdom, the only
woman 'huntsman" Is Mrs. T. II. Rice
Hughes. % Lampeter. She not only owns
= hrrr - ~
hounds herself
In the largest parish IN England-that
OF Whittlesea-there was not g single case
Of drunkenness last year. The population
is 5000 and there are hfty-eight licensed
public houses
From a statement Just made IN one Of
the publications OF the British and For
eign Bible Society, It appears that be-
tween April and November last no fewer
than rs tons OF Bibles. printed altogether
IN as many as $50 different languages,
were dispatched abroad from the head
quarters.
A Frenchnan has invented a pneumatic
suit OF leather for aeroplanists. It can be
blown up like a football. so that the
wearer, when the aerial car gives out,
may short fall softy on the bosom OF
mother earth
A ben in q temple IN North China has
been kept ringing for q century, A tax
IS levied in the district for paying relays
OF ringers to work necessarily day and
night
Jeres de Ia Frontera, Spain, has popu-
lation OF $500. and Is the center OF the
sherry wine making trade. There are
many rich people there, worth from
S5oo.OO0 70 S5.O0O.OoO. The city has hun
dreds Of very old and large storehouses
containing, 81 Is said, enough sherry wine
70 supply the worlds demand for twen-
ty-ave years. There are hfty large hrms
which wine 10 more than two hundred
importers in the United States.
The baobab trees Of senegamb.a are
believed 10 be the Oldest living trees on
earth. Some scientists have put the
age OF one OF these trees at 6,oo0 years.
Australians earn. on an average, $3.50 a
year a head; Portuguese only $6o. and
English people $3.50
The number OF women employed on
the Russian railways is increasing. Ae-
cording 10 the latest official returns.
there are working on twenty-five Russian
state railways no fewer than 22.0O0 woman
as gatekeepers. clerks. telegraphers, sc.
The average wage varies from 80 to lss
rubles yearly. or IN the neighborhood Of
| SO. The extremes are very great Thus.
the women clerks receive on an average
from $50 TO $50 rubles. while the women
attendants az the stations are paid only
40 rubles, in addition to free lodging and
few extras.
The average person. it is said. takes
about OOOOS grains OF arsenic IN his daily
| food. Fish, rock salt. water. and wine
/ are comparatively rich in arsenic.
| The German Emperor is very fond OF
Mexican coffee. and now drinks none
other. A large supply is sent % him
every year from German colony on the
Pacific coast OF Mexico.
Vienna has the largest public bath IN
Europe. Il IS 5s7 feet long and I5s feet
wide, and accommodates 1.5o0 people.
1 Maine is the headquarters and chief
center Of the toothDick manufacturing m
dustry. The big white biroh forests of
Maine furnish stock for tae big tooth