Evening star., 1932-10-27
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

The answers to questions printed
here each day are specimens picked
from the mass OF inquiries handled by
our great information bureau main
tanned In Washington, D. c. Tbs vel-
liable service Is for the free use OF the
public. Ask any question OF fact you
may want to know and you will get an
immediate reply. Write plainly, inclose
cents In coin or stamps for return
POSTAGE and address The washington
Star information Bureau, Frederic j.
Haskin, Director, Washington, .. c.
@. Have Jockeys In this country al
ways worn the distinctive clothes that
they do now when racing?-W. P:
A. In the original charter Of the
MARYLAND Jockey Club, which dates
back to 1745, it Is prescribed that
Jockeys be dressed in the following
manner: Jockey cap, silk jacket, panta-
looms and half boots.
@. Why can the sun be seen before
1t is actually above the horizon?-R. @
A. Refracticn always increases the
apparent attitude of a celestial body,
and 1t is for this reason the sun can be
really below.
J. 8 ). What =: kind Of a fish is ''r0d'-
A. It is a young Goldfish split and
prepared for cooking.
@. Does the Regular Army give train
ing in engineering to soldiers?-W. C.
A. The Engineer School at Fort
Humphreys, Va. is the only one of this
character maintained by the Govern
ment. An enlisted man who has been
In the service for some time may be
sent to this school
@. How did Hall,ween originated
M. NJ. B.
A, Halloween and the ceremonies that
formerly attended it long antedete
Christianity. The chief characteristic
in the ancient celebrations of Halloween
was the lighting of bonfires. The
ancient belief was that on this night,
the one night in the yesr, ghosts and
witches were abroad The main cele-
bration of Halloween was. no doubt.
Druidical, because the Druids held great
Autumn festivals on or about the date
of November / and lighted great bon
fires in honor of the Sun God as a
thank offering for the harvest of the
yeer. The Druids also supposed that
the wicked souls that had been con-
demped to live in the bodies of animals
were allowed TO come forth on the eve
Of the festival. The custom Of lighting
bonfires on Halloween night survived
until recent wears in the Highlands of
Scotland and in Wales. On the invasion
of the Romans certain characteristics Of
the celebration CT Pomona. such as
Offering of apples and nutr. were intro
duced into the celebration Of the
Druids.
Q. During the administration of
Bishop Freeman. how much money has
been raised annually for the Washing
ton Cathedral projects. w. N.
A. Nearly a million dollars has been
raised annually for this purpose.
@. Are there any Portuguese Ian
guage papers in the United states?-
A. There are IA.
O. What was the name Of the black
animal in Bring En- Back Alive?
M. r.
A. 1t is a black leopard, which Is
freak, and occurs infrequently but is
said to be one of the most vicious
animals known to man.
@. Is topaz precious stone?-L. M.
A. There is true or precious topaz
and also quartz topaz. True topaz is
a complex silicate Of aluminium with
high fluorine content, while quartz
topaz is silicon dioxide with an adnlix:-
ture Of metals which give 1t color. True
topaz may be light yellow, light blue,
green, orange, pink or wine-colored.
@ To what does the Nations invest