Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-13
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

tower or the masts, of ships, during
stormy weather. It Is commonly &C
companied by cracking or fiEztng
noise. The name st. Elmo Is an italian
corruption through SAINT Ermo Of st.
Erasmus, the patron saint of, Mediter-
ranean sailors, who regard &c. Elmo's
fire as the visible sign Of his guardian
ship.
q. Who was the first man shipped
of the Mayflower complement?-P. N.
A. The pilot. John Clarke.
@. How old were the Wright brothers
when they FIRST started experiment
ing?-T. B.
A. According to the first biography Of
the inventors, 1.-THE Wright Brothers:
Fathers Of Flight" by John r. Nc
Mahon, they showed their inventive
minds ct an early age. When Orville
was 10 and Wilbur IA they constructed
o wood-turning lathe out Of lumber
from the wood pile, parts from an old
buggy and marbles for ball bearings
Its power plant was foot treadle long
enough to accommodate the feet Of six
boys. When Orville was II and Wilbur
81 they built q printing press with
secondhand tombstone as the nat bed.
Their first revolutionary discovery was
made from cardboard box from which
Wilbur had Just sold q bicycle inner
tube. Orville had previously concluded
that lateral balance would be necessary
to successful flight. AS his brother
twisted the sides Of the box he evolved
the very principle they had been seek
ing. This became the warp which, in its
present form of aileron,. is essential to
the sidewise balance Of airplaneas
Q. Where is the smallest post office in
the United States?-W. H. c.
A. The smallest post ONCE In the
| United States is said to be at Grim
| shaw, N. c. It is 8 feet long and feet
wide, built Of logs, with the inside work
| ing space by 5la feet. WIS. Alex
ander Is postmaster, and the business
Of the Office amounts to from $3.50 to
SITS annually.
@. Why is water sometimes cloudy
| when drawn from the faucet and clear
after 1t stands few ninutes?-J. r.
A. Air IN the pipes has been forced
! into the water by pressure. It Is soon
released and the water becomes clear.
q. How much was the housekeeper at
Mount Vernon paid?-G. J.
A. Excerpts from letter from George
washington to Samuel Frauncis follow:
'As no other person can Judge better of
| the qualifications necessary to consti-
tute q good housekeeper, or household
steward, than yourself for family which
| has good deal of company, and wishes
to entertain them in a plain, but gen.
teel style, take the liberty of asking
| you, If there is any such one within
your reach whom you think could be
induced to come to me on reasonable
wages. would rather have O man than
a woman, but either viii do, If they can
be recommended for their honesty,
Sobriety. and knowledge of their profess
sion; which, in one word, is to relieve
Mrs. Washington from the drudgery of
ordering, and seeing the table properly
covered, and things economically used.
Nothing more, therefore, needs be said,
| to inform you Of character that would
suit me, than what is already mentioned.
| The wages now give to q man, who Is
about to leave me IN order to get mar
\ ried (under which circumstances he
would not suit mel, is about 500 per
annum, but If one who understands the
business perfectly, and stands fair In all
other respects, would go Is far as
@l25." Washington's diary indicates that
he found 1t necessary to pay Richard
Burnett f40 year as steward. This was
! about 5000.