New-York tribune., 1911-12-31

LlNCOGN AMI lhb oR4ON6'
Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth President of
the United States. was born in Kentucky
on February u. 1909, and was shot In
Ford's Theatre. Washington. by John
Wilkes Booth, on April IA, 1866. dying the
next day. Often in New York City, he
never crossed the Brooklyn Bridge. be-
cause IL was not completed until 1884, being
seventeen years in construction. Its height
is 27s feet, its length 5.sS9 feet, and 1t cost
SIG, 100000.
oliver Goldsmith is best known as poet
and author. but let us not forget he was
also a physician. His personal appearance
opposed success in medcne--he was badly
pockmarked-yet he was never vaccinateo'
1t would be an interesting study TO hgure
what he would have looked like and what
his success in life would have been II he
had been vaccinated in his youth. Born
OH November 10. 172s he died on April L.
l174 and doubtless never heard of DR.. Ed
ward Jenner. an English physician Q74s-
1929. who discovered vaccination in 1895.
You have acquainted yourself by TINS
time with the reason for the peculiarities
listed. But do you really know why
George (BeaW Brummell did not use
/
there were gum and envelopes, but the
combination-the little line of "stickum
was not introduced until the year Of his
death
And don't you think ii strange thst
Queen Isabella, whose jewels provided the
means for Christopher Columbus to dis-
cover America did not have perfume on
her handkerchief? 1t would have peen
stranger il she had, for handkerchiefs were
not used until 1910. perfume did not come
into use In Europe until 1850, and Isabella
who was born on April %. l45l died on
November 26. 1901.
small boys question on this matter
must pass unanswered. Asked he: what
in the world did she wipe her nose on-her
sleeve?"
Well. but what's this about no forks IN
the time of the daughter OF Henry VIII
and Anne Boleyn? Isn't there some mis-
take?-you ask For table forks were IN
vented in Italy in 1420, and Elizabeth was
not born until September I, 1888. That
true enough; but please don't overlook the
facts that forks were not used In England
until 1908, and that Elizabeth died on
March a. 16O3-fve years before that time.
Inal : a KILN III lHNti Ho'iNhN'
and biographical history.
Was Rembrandt warm blooded enough 10
GO without bed covers? BY no means; but
Thomas Blanket, OF Bristol did not make
the first one until 1905. while Rembrandt
Hermanzoon van Rim. who was born at
Ieyden. on July Is, 1907, died at Amster-
dam, In October ls69-probably not deeming
the blanket worth prolongng his life TO
see.
SO much for linking names and dates oI
inventions Now for a catch that VIII
puzzle the average man: Never mind when
James Watt was born, although II Is as
we'll TO state that he was born at Greenock'
Scotland on January 10. 1886, and died at
Heathfeld. England, on August 49, 1919
The point is the smoking hot" potato.
No one ever saw one. Smoke Is caused by
| the consuming by fire of a substance; the
vapor of watery substance Is steam.
Don't ever say smoking hot potato when
YOU mean "stcaming hot spud.' That's all.
The whole list cited reminds one Of the
peculiar problem, with its more peculiar
answer: How much dirt in a hole 7-ll
| feet deep. 81 feet wide and ia feet long?
1t is a sign OF quickness OF mentality and
the least mite more than little knswl-
edge" if the proper reply, NO dirt at ALL
is forthcoming.