Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-01
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASXIN.

@. What is the origin of the ex-
preston GO by the board? w. +. G..
A. 1t was "a nautical expression,
meaning to go over the side of a
vessel. as in the case of a mast
broken off short
q. In the exhibition of the National
Academy of Design is a picture of
Abbey's called The Penance of
Eleanor" What is the story de-
picted?-J. T. M
A. The painting of Eleanor, Ouch
ess OF Gloucester, by Edwin Abbey.
illustrates an episode in scene 4, act 2,
part z OF King Henry VI. The
King had just married Margaret of
France. The Duke of Gloucester was
the Kings protector. and Eleanor
dreamed d dream in which Henry
ana Dame Margaret kneeled to me
and on my head did sit the diadem. -
She was ambitious both for herself and
her husband and ambition carried her
too far Offending the queen, she
played into the hands OF her husband s
enemies and was charged with dis
loyalty, tried and convicted. Because
OF her noble birth. Eleanor was not
put to death, but was obliged to do
three days open penance and banished
TO the Isle of Man. Abbeys painting
depicts the street scene.
@. Is England part Of the continent
OF Europe?-E. S.
A. England is actually a part of
the European continent-that is, it is
part of the continental shelf The
English Channel and the North Sea
are merely depressions which We're
filled In many centuries ago. Orig.
inally, England was actually con
nected with the mainland
Q. What kind Of guns has the
Mayflower?-P. L. s.
A. The armament of the May
flower is four six-pound rapid fire
guns.
Q. What kind of vinegar should be
used in horse radish?-J. J. NJ.
A. 1t is essential that white wine
vinegar be used to keep horseradish
white. Cider vinegar always darkens it.
Q. Are there any snakes that are ap-
parently immune to the venom Of
other reptiles?-L. T. S.
A. The king snakes are entirely i'm
mune to snake poison and are, there.
fore, effective in destroying rattle
snakes. Despite their hostility toward
other species, they show very mild
nature toward man.
Q. What is meant by relative hui
midity?-NV NJ. S.
A. Relative humidity is the ratio of
the amount of invisible water vapor
III a given volume OF air to the amount
that would make this air saturated at
the same temperature. In short, it is
the ratio between the amount of in
visible vapor present to the maximum
amount that could be present at the
same temperature. In measuring hui
nudity only the invisible water vapor
IS considered. and not the drops of
rain or droplets of fog.
Q. What is face cord of wood
c. n.
A. A face cord of wood is 8 feet
long and 4 feet high, but the sticks
may be of any length. In a standard
cord the sticks are feet long.
Q. Where do we get the name
'bailiff" as applied TO court officers or
jailers2-C. CT.
A. Bailiff is a name which was in
troduced into England in the time of
William /, and came to be applied to
various officials representing or acting
for the King. The sheriff was the
Kings bailiff, whose business it was
to preserve the rights of the King
within his "bailiwick' or county.
Q. Are we exporting as much food
stuff as we did few years ago?-N. n.
A. The Department of Agriculture
says that in the 10 years before the
World War net exports Of food prod
ucts from the United States declined
rapidly, and exports statistics just
compiled by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture show that this
trend Is being resumed. Indications are
that our net food exports for the crop
year 192526 may fall below the an
nual average for the five years imme-
diately preceding the war, and may
even approach the low mark OF
1914, when this country imported
almost as much in the way of food
stuffs as it exported.
Q. Who said there is no book so
bad but something good may be
found in it'll. T.
A. The quotation is from Ger
vantes' Don Quixote." Pliny the
Younger also ascribes the saying 10
Pliny the Elder in a slightly differ
ent form: mo book is so bad but
some eood might he got ont Of ii .