Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-07-05
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.
Among the interesting tales in A
Little Tour in India" is one concern
ing an official who was approached by
a man who said that hts camels had
been Jmpounded by policeman for no
just cause. Investigation duly re-
veafed the camets in the pound, to the
number of rs. The policeman. ques-
toned. said: "Sah.b. these camel We're
trampling and spelling the young trees
planted by the canal side. and this
rascal refused to restrain them So
the official turned GROSSLY to the man
and said: What the deuce do you
mean by complaining to me?' or ver-
nacular to that effect. But the man
shook his head sadly and said: There
were no trees Thinking this little
discrepancy rather curious. the OFF,
cial rode down to the canal. taking
both parties with him, though the po-
liceman remembered an urgent en-
sagement elsewhere. Arrived at the
canal. no sign of a tree. So the official
freezingly inquired where the trees
had been trampled were. oh. sahib
the trees which this accursed mans
eamels have trampled are to be plant
ed next spring.
The company was mostly medical,
and a little discussion arose about the
conduct of another doctor, who always
had afternoon tea served to patients
who called between 2 and s. Some OF
the younger doctors were indignant
and asked it the next thing would be-
free lunch counters in the surgery. But
the oldest doctor smiled eheerfully
Don't you worry about him. ANY
man who encourages the public to eat
or drink between meals is. consciously
or uEconseiously. benefator to our
profession '-Manchester Guardian.
At the Cluny museum in Paris is an
interesting relic. One day, year or
so ago. the curator of the museum
happened to visit a small restaurant
in the suburb of Saint Denis. While
waiting to be served. the curator's eye
was caught by a frying pan of most
unusual appearance. He took IT down.
carefully removed some of the SCOT
with which il was covered, and made
out part of an inscription What he
found interested him SO much that he
bought the old pan. When 1t was
properly cleaned it was found To bear
the arms of France AMI Navarro. sur
rounded by the chains of st. Louis and
the cord of the Order of st. Esprit.
and this inscription as well: Here lies
the magnificent Prince, King Louis
XIV, King of France and of Navarro.
Reauiescat in pace" It was the plate
that had been fastened to the coffin or
Louis XIV. When the burial vaults of
the royal family in the cathedral at ST.
Denis were rit,ed by the populace in
1893 it had been wrenched from the
coffin, fitted with a handle. and turned
into frying pan.
The women of Methodist church in
st. Paul undertook to earn the sum
of 81 for the church. and agreed to
write verses telling how they earned
it. Some of the rhymes may have
been superior to those of Mrs x. but
1T is safe to saw that no woman found
a more picturesque way OF earning her
dollar Her husband brought home
some limburger cheese one night Mrs.
* started to seek refuge in another
part of the house iii give you
dollar il you'll eat it, called out her
husband as she was leaving the room.
She held him to his offer, ate the
cheese and won the dollar.
People at sea bet on all sorts of con-
tingencies. An emigrant ship from
England was recently approaching the
Australian coast, and an interesting
event was expected at any moment
in the married peoples quarters. Con-
siderable speculation and excitement
was developed over the question whe-
ther the happy event would take place
within or without the three mile limit.
A great cheer went up when it was
officially announced that the little
stranger was legally an Australian,
and had earned the f5 baby bonus
of the commonwealth. mtHute or
two earlier and the child would have
been a native of Stephey. London, to
which parish children born at sea be-
long-London Chronicle.
Natural toothbrushes are described
in a consular report from Santo DOM
lingo. 1t appears that the stems OF
several shrubs and trees are used by
the natives in lieu of toothbrushes. and
are known as "chew sticks" Among
them are the stem of the orange. the
lemon and the membrillo or ounce
tree. all of which have an agreeable
favor. The NEST commonly used.
however, is a plant known as "guano,'
Spanish palma de guano.'' The ma
tfves use the green stem. the end or
which they chew UP and use as
toothbrush. Various chew sticks are
similarly used elsewhere in the West
Indies-Scientific American.
In New York city it is estimated that
it costs the telephone company about
one cent every time It answers the
question What time is 1t % Ii. out Of
the two million calls registered there
daily. only one thousand people asked
central for the time, it would then cost
81 day to oblige them. At the end
of the wear this figure would mount up
to 1855. In the language of the teie-
pliene company. this query Is called q
curiosity question" Everything -
being done to dissuade people from
asking it.