Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-05-05

MrS. "A. j. HOFFMAN OF Greep CTeeks
Idaho county. Wash. defeated her hus-
band In the last election for the Offices
of constable and justice Of the peace.
Mrs. HoffmRn's name was not on the
original ballot, but some Of Hoffman's
friends suggested to several others
that they write her name In and vote
for her. The joke took 90 well that
Mrs. HOFFMAN received nearly two
votes to her husbands one. She DE-
clines to accept either once.
The Oldest student attending Z unf
versity In the United States 10 said To
be Rev. David Jordan Higgins. = ron-
agenarian preacher and former colo
mel in the United States army, who
is attending the classes In philosophy
conducted by Prof. ]. H. Hose Of the
College Of Liberal Arts. University OF
Southern California. The inciderS Of
an octogenarian teaching nonaEena-
rian probably has no parallel In the
world. Rev. Mr.. Higgins was born IN
Maine In 1917. /.
Alaska's fishing industry. next In I'M
portance to mining, gives employment
to 1858 persons. Of whom 2,S23 ars
natives.
The flowers OF many trees, like the
oak. elm and hickory. are so inconspie-
uous that they are popularity supposed
to be altogether lacking. !:
Speaking OF the uses OF the x.ray.
Or. ]. Hall Edwards, famous BIZ.
mingham. England, physician, says
that it might be employed to- deter
mine il oysters contain pearls. This
would obviate the necessity OF destroy
ing the bivalve in the hope OF hnding
q pearl inside.
Born in 1854, M. Henri de Regnier,
the symbolist poet and novelist, ono
Of the new French academicians, 10
among the youngest members OF the
! academy. The youngest Of all Is still
M. Rostand, who Is four years N. de
Regnier's Junior and had the rare dis
tinction OF being elected an academ1.
clan when he was only thirty.1our.
| The doyen Of the academy 10 Napo.
leon ILLS old war minister. NJ. Emile
Olivier, who is eighty-f1ve and sun
actively writing.
| One OF the most ludicrOus enact
ments to be found In the acts OF par
lament Is the statute for the rebuild.
ing Of certain Jail. The bill 40 orig.
inaIly drafted provided that prisoners
should be confined in the old jail until
the new one was built; but in commit
tee a clause was added to the effect
that the new prison should be con-
structed out of the materials OF the
old, and the bill became law before
anybody detected the absurdity.
1t has been shown In South Africa
that, contrary to an old tradition, -
much dew forms on cloudy night -
under a clear sky. unless there be 2
wind. Gusts OF wind invariably check
the formation Of dew.
"A German astronomer says that
starlight does not account for all the
brightness OF moonless night. he
attributes part OF the brightness TO
earth light" which he thinks may pc
a permanent aurora surrounding the
earth.
Because he had forgotten his
climbers" G. 2. Ordish. Montana lion
1 hunter, had to walk back i've miles
4 after them through the snow 70 Libby.
i Mcnt.. before he could climb tree.
i rope and capture q lion which his
dogs had tracked
Sir George Clarke. the governor OF
Bombay. in inaugurating a scheme TO
supply Bombay with 10000 horse pow
! er from storage OF reservoirs in the
western Chats. protested against the
ignorant croakers who belittled In
dian progress and enterprise.
Congressman Edwin DENLY Of the
First Michigan district, who has Just
been reelected for third term, Is en-
1 gagged to wed Miss Marion B. Thurber,
a daughter Of the late Henry T. Thur
Der. who was President Cleveland's
private secretary in the latter's sec:
ond term.
George Spoor, aged eighty-six. liv.
ing in Glendale. Mass, claims to be
the champion veteran wood-chopper Of
Hampton county. Last week he cut,
chopped and split IA cords Of kind.
lings, and on Saturday afternoon de-
voted all his time in piling the wood
in his barn.
One-third of the Londoners who pre-
sent themselves for enlistment In the
territorial force have defects OF vision,
and ophthalmic specialists are consid'
ering whether there be any particular
| cause Of this high per cent. It may
be found that the insularity Of the
English people IL due to the structure
Of the eye.
Melvin A. Halstead, ninety years cd.
founder OF Lowell, Ind. has proved
up 800 acres Of land near Harrison.
Neb. He did all the work himself.
Mr.. Halstead ID q "forty-niner" and .
Civil war veteran. He homesteaded
land In Lake county. Indiana. when
Chicago was Fort Dearborn and ran
the first grist mill In the state. ~ \,
Tho municipal art commission Of
New York is reported to be turning Its
attention to the letter boxes. and 10
said to have plan for having the
boxes removed from lamp poles and
fixed on pedestals Of their own. A
more attractive design 10 to be sought
and also uniform plan Of placing the
boxes throughout the city.
In Albany, Mo, the town commit
! tee promised more than free transpor-
tation for voters on election day.
Their advertisement contained the fol.
lowing Invitation: "A free lunch, con-
sisting Of hot coffee. meat sandwiches
and pumpkin pie will be served on