Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-29
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

a passage in the works Of st. Irenaeus
who died in 2o2 AID, when about so
years old.
O. Where was John Howard Payne
when he wrote Home, Sweet Home?
H. K.
A. John Howard Payne wrote "a
song while In England. Susan Rich
Dawson, whose statement we quote.
says that the song was written on a
day when he was especially depressed.
@. When and where were rfeboats
invented?-T. A. @.
A. In 1885 Lionel Lukin. q coach
maker of an inland town near Lon
don, put afioat on the Thames q Nor
way yawl which he had fitted with
water-tight compartments, O. heavy
iron keel and other essentials In buoy
ancy and stability. which are the car
dinal and requisite features Of the life
boat Of today.
@. Has a gasoline motor more
power at night than in the daytime?-
L. E.
A. The Bureau Of Standards says
that a gasoline motor does not have
more power and mileage at night than
in the daytime. though some moisture
in the air may decrease the tendency
to knock. so that the engine runs more
smoothly.
@. What is the average age Of stu.
dents entering college?-F. H.
A. 1t has been estimated that 10 is
the average age Of entrants and %
the average age at which students are
graduated.
Mex.
A. Michael Marin Of Kirkcaldy,
Scotland, Is credited with having IN
vented and manufactured oilcloth
about 1S47.
@. When was the first Indian news
paper published?-H. B. D.
A. The name Of the paper was
Shau-wau-nowe Kesauthwau, which
means "The Shawnee Sun" 1t was
published March /, 1885, and was Is
sued semi-monthly. This Is said to
have been the first newspaper ever
published exclusively in an Indian Ian
guage. 1t was edited and published
by DIR. johnson Lykins at the Shaw
nee Indian mission in Kansas.
@. Do hornpout, or catfish, sting
with their horns?-R. G.. C.
A. The hornpout, or catfish, does
have horns and often this fish stings.
In all probability there is poisonous
secretion in these horns or points
which poison people as a bee sting.
@. Just what is a tornado?-
G. F. B.
A. The tornado is a column Of vio-
lent and destructive winds blowing
spirally inward and upward around
an axis of very low pressure. It's
cross-section is nearly circular and
generally ] 900 feet or less in diameter
often not over 100 feet across. The
cyclone. on the other hand, Is that
widely extended system Of winds, near
ly always moderate and harmless in
middle and higher ATTITUDES. that
blows about a center of relatively low
atmospheric pressure. 1t usually Is
oval in cross-section and ranges.
roughly, from 100 to 1000 miles across.
Some people call tornado" (the typ
ical 'twister') cyclone; but this is
not in accordance with best usage.
@. What is the origin of the Chris
| tan name Shirley" now given to 30
many girls?-W. P. C.
| A. Shirley" was probably originally
family name used as a Christian
name. 1t is from the Old English
SCR plus leah" meaning "dweller at
the white lea or cliff"
Q. How large Is the Kings Ranch
| in TeXas?-L. B.
A. It comprises 100000 acres Of
land and has a railway running
through it SO miles In length.
This is special department de-
Toted solely to the handling of queries.
This paper puts at youT disposal the
services of an ertensiUe orgdntzdtjon
| IN Washington to serre you in any
capacity that relates to Sformdt;on.
This service is free. Failure TO make
use of 1t deprives you of benefits to
tchtcb you are entitled. Your obIi0G-
ton Is only 9 cents in stamps Enclosed
tCith Jour inquiry for direct reply. Ad-
dress The Evening Star Information
Bureau, Frederic j. HGskin, director,
Washington, d. c.