Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-08-27
GLEANINGS AND GOSSIP.

library at Meredlth, n. H., naQ Deen
acting very strangely, often showing
incorrect time without apparent cause.
Though the clock had been regulated
it still lost 10 or Is minutes day. The
mystery was explained when pigeon
was seen to alight on the minute hand,
on which it rested until the hand got
in such a position that the bird was
forced to leave.
Roger c. Hamlin of Fremont, N. H.,
is said to have made record by trap
ping 10 woOdchucks in a month.
In making silver dollar the die is
given a pressure of 100 tons to the
square inch, while one of 155 tons is
given to the double eagle.
Many birds indicate by a change in
the tone OF their voice the nearness of
rain. The blackbird, whose voice is
usually soft, utters a shrill cry when
a storm is impending.
The morning session of the South
bridge court was interrupted by the
song, 90, gee, I'm glad I'm free: no
wedding bells for me-" sung in a rich
baritone voice by woman who lives
directly opposite the courthouse. Pro-
ceedings were suspended for time
while those in the courtroom flocked to
the open window to listen to the solor
list.
In Berlin a floating church has been
established for the benefit of sailors
and boatmen. The church is built on
canal boat, and the place of anchorage
is changed each week.
The oldest office boy in the world,
Samuel Bracket, 80 years old, who was
born in Portland Me-, and who was
employed by the Fisher & Norris anvil
works company of Trenton, N: j., has
just retired on a pension. For 10 years
he had been employed continuously by
the Fishers as machinist, but for the
past few years, owing to his advanced
age, he had been serving as Office boy.
Milk is now steriiZed by exposing it
to the ultra violet ray of a mercury
vapor lamp. The chemical composition
of the milk is unchanged by the treat
ment.
David Sorrell of Warren, n. H, VINO
is IA years old. and his brother. Fred.
10 years of age. in two weeks cut the
hay on three farms and got it into the
barns alone. except that they had a
little help in pitching it in one field.
Last year IL CoSl PDO LII Liz ot1iiiS WI II
on one farm alone.
The firemen of engine of worcester
were called out on still alarm to res
cue a small kitten that had climbed to
the top of a high tree, where 1t had
been chased by dogs.
More than 100000 worth of birds
were imported into this country during
the year 1908. They were largely par
rots and canaries.
Cancer is unknown in Tunis and
Abyssnia.
Among the Paris buildings soon to be
demolished is the castle of Etoiles, on
the Seine: it was the favorite domicle
of Louis XIV.
"The average woman has much bet
ter taste than the average man. SAID
Sir William Richmond at the art eN-
hibition, Newcastle, England, recently.
The demand for women to speak on
the subject of suffrage has increased
so much in the last six months that IL
is now necessary to apply for speak
err a month or six weeks in advance.
In South Wales seaweed after being
washed is boiled down and made up
generally with oatmeal-into cakes and
bread, and is considered great deli
cacy.
The total rainfall of this country, in
Guiding snow and that on water areas,
was given as 215,0O0, 600 100000 cubic
feet q year Half or more is evapor-
ated About one-third flows into the
sea. The remaining one-slXth Is
either consumed or absorbed.
General Edward S. Bragg of Wis
consin. who coined the phrase, 1--WE
love him FOR the enemies he has made
and used it in seconding the nomination
of cleveland for the Presidency in 1854,
recently celebrated the eighty-secon
anniversary OF, his birth.
New light has just been thrown by
Prof, Paul Haupt on the destruction
of Sodom and GOmorrah, that tragic
catastrophe related in the Old Tesla
ment. He declares that the two wick
cd Canaanite cities were destroyed by
an earthquake. and that the walls of
Jericho fell in the same way.
1t will be recalled that the fall of
Sodom was one of the early occur
rences of human history recorded in
the bible. We read in the nineteenth
chapter of Genesis: "Then the Lord
rained upon Sodom and upon Gomor-
rah birthstone and fire from the Lord
ont of heaven. And he overthrow
those cities, and all the plain, and all
the inhabitants of the cities, and that
Which grew upon the ground"
Recent investigations indicate that
the cause employed in the destruction
of the cities was the ignition by an
earthquake of a vast underlying res
ervCir of gas and petroleum. The up
per cretaceous strata, which in the
great Jordan .'fault" of this region
have been thrown down below the level
of the Dead Sea, contain much blum
! inous limestone, such as naturally
gives rise to pools of petroleum and
| inflamnlable gas.
The strange fate of Lots wife, who
| was changed into pillar of salt. Is
Explained by the fact that eruptions
of bitumiHous matter are often accom-
n