Evening star., 1935-11-30
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
By Frederic J. Haskin.

By frederic J. Haskin.
A reader con get ths GHsiCer to any
question OF tGct By writing The Washing
ton EUeHinG Star Information Bureau,
Frederic J, HasNin, Director, Washing
tor. D. c. Phase inelose stamp for reply.
q. What are the names Of the REIN
deer In the poem beginning Twas the
night before Christmas"7-E r.
A. In the poem entitled "A Visit From
gt. Nicholas" by Clement G. Moore,
Santa Claus reindeer are named Dasher.
Dancer, Prancer. Vixen, Comet, Cupid,
Donder and Bitten.
@. Are freight trains longer now than
formerly7-H. D.
A. In 1922 the average freight train
consisted Of % cars; in 1884 this figure
had been increased TO Is cars.
@. What is Forefathers' day7-H. G. 3.
A. 1t Is celebrated in New England on
December Il In commemoration of the
landing Of the Pilgrims. The day was
first observed In 1859.
@. Was Edward Fitzgerald's transla-
ton Of the "Rubaiyat" favorably received
by eritics7-B. G.
A. At first the "Rubaiyat" was un-
noticed Rossetti, who had received a
copy from Whitley Stokes, made it
famous.
@. What was the epitaph which viii
Rogers chose for himself7-M G.
A. Five years before his death he wrote,
when die my epitaph, or whatever
you call those signs on grave stones, is
going to read: I joke about every promi-
nent man of my time, but never met a
man didn't like" ...
@. When was work on the Baltimore g.
Ohio Railroad started?-T. OS.
A. Construction was started on July 4,
1923, Charles Carroll turning the first
spadeful Of earth in an elaborate cere-
n.ony.
@. How many students are enrolled at
Notre Dame College2-V. K.
A. The University of Notre Dame says
that 2,751 students we're enrolled for the
first semester Of the school year 1856.
@. Who was the first blind deaf mute
to be successfully educated?-C. G.
A. Laura Bridgman 1880, whose
parents placed her in Perkins Institute,
Boston. There she learned to read, write
and to sew so well that eventually she
became a teacher in the institute.
@. Where did the idea of travellers
aid" start in this country?-E. C.
A. The first recorded work in the
United States that at all parallels the
modern conception Of travellers aid grew
out of the gold rush to the West in the
sos. Bryan Mullanphy of st. Louis. who
died in 1851, left approximately one-third
of his fortune Of more than 81 900 900 in
q trust fund, to be administered by the
City Council for the purpose of assisting,
while In st. Louis those who were travel
ing to the West"
@. What is a chapbook?-E. M.
A. 1t was one of the pamphlets for
merly sold in Europe and America by
itinerant agents or chapmen. The price
of a chapbook was low-in England often
book was usually anonymous and uns
dated. The text commonly was ~ad-
dressed to such readers as those who
purchase tabloid newspapers.
G. Which is larger, q sea lion or Q
walrus?-E. M.
A. The adult male sea lion is about II
to IL feet long and weighs from 1900 10
1900 pounds. The walrus attains a
length Of about 10 feet, but q much
greater weight, ! Il tons.
@. How was Charles Wesley inspired
to write Jesus, Lover Of Ny Soul"7-
Z. G. 3.
A. Modern Messages From Great
Music" says: Mr.. Wesley stood at an
open window. AS he watched, q bird
bird few to Wesley and nestled in his
bosom. The great hymn writer was him.
self passing through severe trial. The
experience with the bird suggested his
writing, Jesus, Lover of My Soul"
@. Does the Irish Free State have an
old-age penSion?-H. T. S.
A. It has government-operatedo old-age
pension 1OE ClLlZcES WHO nave IcdCLeu
the age of 10. The maximum pension
paid per year is $3.50. An applicant may
not have an annual income In excess of
$ls625.
@. Please give some information about
Poets Corner, in Westminster Abbey
X. L. M.
A. The southern end Of the south
transept Of Westminster Abbey is said to
have been first so called by Oliver Gold
smith because it contained the tomb of
Chaucer. Addison had previously alluded
to it as the poetical quarter. Besides
ChaucerS tomb it includes that Of Spen-
ser and either the tombS Of or monu-
mentS to Drayton, Ben johnson, Shakes
peare, Milton, Samuel Butler, Davenant,
Cowley, Prior, Gay, Addison, Thomson,
Goldsmith, Dryden, DR.. johnson, Sheri-
dan, Burns, Southey. Coleridge, Camp
bell, Macaulay, Longfellow, Dickens,
Thackeray, Tennyson and Browning.
@. How many qualities Of wool are con.
tanned in q single fieece?-J. Y.
A. Each fleece contains from six to
eight different qualities Of wool, which
are sorted ut the factory.
@. For which Louis was Louisville,
KY, named2-F. C.
A. Louisville was named for Louis XVI
Of France because of the aid which he
rendered to the Colonies during the Rev.
olutionary War.