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About The Crawford County herald. (Knoxville, Crawford Co., Ga.) 1890-189? | View Entire Issue (May 22, 1890)
Bheep grow to au immense size eouthem California. One was recently killed in the mountain region of San Bernardino county which dressed pounds of good mutton. Only 12 per cent, of the Russian population can read and write, and there are only 38,000 primary schools to a population of 100, 000,000. Elu- cation and freedom are generally in the direct ratio of each other. According to a Loudon paper, “a number of leading American ladies are endeavoring to make London adopt its fashions from New York, and negotia¬ tions are now going on with a vie w to to setting up in London a large estab Ushment having th at object in view.” The conclusions reached by modern meteorologists are that cyclones of great intensity are ascending spiral whirls of wind havin' a rotary motion in a direction in the Northern hemis¬ phere opposite to the movement of tho hands of a watch. The richest professional mendicant in the country is “Blind Johnny” of Phil¬ adelphia. lie is 60 years of age and is worth about $20,000. He travels from Chicago to Washington, from there to Baltimore, and ends up in Puiladelphia, spending about three months ia each city. He has made all hu money as a mendicant. The Forth bridge, which has just been completed in Scotland, cost the lives of 56 workingmen during the seven years of its construction, but the engineers insist that this i? a remarka- bly gjod showing. They say: “The fact that the los? of life has not been larger on a work of such magnitude with so large a numb r of men em¬ ployed in dangerous positions shows that no reasonable precautions for their safety have been omitted.” After many weeks of figuring, 52 Decatur (III.) families, including many of wealth and position, havo united in a novel manner of living. They have joined together to maintain a co-oper¬ ative boarding home, the expenses to each person for the best of food and cooking being not more than $2.53 a week, or 11 cents a meal. Tho ladies take charge a week about in turn and buy all the food, while a paid house¬ keeper attends to the details and serv¬ ing. Another similar establishment is projected._ The champion meanest man and the most heartless justice live in Sturgis, Dakota. The meanest man lost his pocketbook, containing $253, and when the finder returned it to him after a month spent in discovering the owner, he demanded that the Underpay him interest for the use of the money. Naturally the finder refused this un¬ reasonable demand, whereupon the meanest man brought suit for the in¬ terest, and the heartless justice gave the meanest mm judgment for $1.45 and costs. The Belgium Anti-Slavery Society is preparing to send expeditions to Africa for the purpose of protecting the na¬ tives in certain districts from Arab slave ra’.ds. It is expected that the first of its expeditions will leave Ant- werp in October next, Two steam- ships will penetrate the Dark Continent to the Upper Congo. It is the purpose of the society to penetrate north and south and east and west through the heart of that part of the Congo country which is chiefly scourged by slave raids. The society will form station? to serve as refuges for hunted natives, and as centres by which to repress raids by any means in its power. The Russian Government is evidently impressed by the vigorous denunciation of its Siberian policy, for it is an¬ nounced that the prosecution of the woman who wrote a threatening letter to the Czar has been dropped. “There are scores of women in Siberia,” says the Sin Francisco Chronicle, “dragging out wretched lives who were punished merely because of strong suspicion that they were what the Russian police cal! ‘untrustworthy.’ Kennnn found several political exile? at Tomsk and other places who were mere schoolgirls, and who had been consigned to this hard life in Siberia because they entertained liberal views or had been compromised by association with relatives who were nihilists. It is a good thiDg if Ken- nan’s articles and the recent agitation have made the Czar of all the Russians ashamed of waging war on women.” One of the early settlers of Oscodi County, Mich., made a peculiar requev when he died a few years ago. For some time before his death his stec.: was being stolen, cither by men or bears, aad the old man s mind wa- affected b/ his loss. lie asked that h. be buried standing, on the cast side o* a tree which grew on a hill overlooking his farm. Freni this position he hoped to detect the thieve?, And he has kep? the ground round about well dug up. Lecau e he said that his savings wert hid near by. People have concluded that he made a mistake cmcerning the money, but no cattle thieves have been there since his burial. One of the managers of big cest- ern knitting mill has made a calculation that the shoestrings of a working girl will come untied on the average three times per diem, and that a girl wit: lose about 50 seconds every time she stoops to retie them. Most of the em- pioyes have two feet, so this entails a loss of 300 seconds every day for each girl. There aro about 400 girls em¬ ployed in this factory, and therefore the gentleman find? that 43.800,000 seconds are wasted in the course of s year, which time, at the average rate ol wages, is worth $343.17^. Orders have accordingly been issued that girls must wear only buttoned shoe? or con¬ gress gaiters under penalty of dis¬ charge. _ Some enterprising metallurgists ir. Germany havo turned their attention to the manufacture of fly wheels capable of double and treble the speed of those made of cast iron, the resistance o! which is generally limited to a speed oi 40 metres for the rim of the wheel, an excess of this speed rendering the fly wheel liable to break to pieces under the action of tho centrifugal force. They havo succeeded in obtaining fly wheels which are capable of acquiring three times tho speed of those ordinari¬ ly employe!, by constructing the nave and spokes of iron or steel, and making a rim entirely of steel wire wound round and round itself a great many times. By means of these wheels, aid¬ ed by immense reheating f urnaces for the steel plates, and by sorao very in¬ genious apparatus, they have succeeded in obtaining surprising results. It looks as if the popular idea that e size ol the head and brain have a great deal to do with the mental calibre is destined to be classed among bygone delmions. Dr. Starr, of London, who has been writing very fully on this sub¬ ject, adduces convincing arguments to. show that it i3 impossible to draw from the size or shape of the head any con¬ clusions as to the mental capacity. He shows the absurdity of judging of the brain surface by .either the size of the head or the extent of tho superficial Ir¬ regular surface which is covered by the skull, without taking into consideration the number of folds or the depth of the creases, and states that a little brain with many deep folds may really, when spread out, have a larger surface than a large brain with few shallow folds. The phrenologists are not happy over Dr. Starr’s strictures. Frank Q. Carpenter says in tho American Agriculturist that “India can raise wheat much mere cheaply than we can. It costs the Indian farmer practically nothing to live, and farm wages are from six to eight cents a day. Whole families live on fifty cents a week, and I have never found a man more willing to work for small wages than the East Indian. There is little idleness among these 250,003,000 of people, und it is the only country in the world where the people seem tc work all day, aud every day, and to have nothing whatever but existence ns their reward. Not¬ withstanding their crowded condition and their small farms, they are over¬ loaded with taxes, and the main part of the great revenues which England collects from India comes from these farms. England gets $109,000 ,000 a year from these dusky living skeletons, and she pays her servants $15,000,000 a year to collect it. She divides up the land among them, as to many of the most profitable crops, so that one man cannot have a monopoly, and so that few can make more than a com¬ petency. ”_ Dead Sea Fralt. “Say, pop, what is m.-ant by “deal sea fruit!’ ” “I don’t know, my boy, unless it ia ccchn currents.’’— Chatter , WATERY VILLAGES. The Strange Homes of the Bololo Tribes in Africa. Building Houses on Piles in Swamps to Avoid Enemies. From a commercial point of view 7 ,the richest affluent of the Congo, the groat East African river, is the Lulungu, whose mouth is situated a few miles above the Ruki. The Lulungu is formed by the confluence of two rivers, the Malinga and Lopori, which, uniting at the populous village of Massaukuso, henceforth form a stream a mile in width, and probably one hundred and fifty miles in length, until its waters are sw 7 allowed up in those of the mighty Congo. This lower stretch of river is inhabited by Rankundu ivory and slave traders; the upper reaches, as far as the swamps around the head¬ waters of the Malinga and Lopori, by the Balolo proper, and rude tribes of elephant hunters, who store their ivory until the perioiical visits of the down¬ river traders, when they exchange it for beads, cowries and brass ornaments. These Bololo tribes ara an oppressed and persecuted people. Timid an inoffensive, they fall an easy prjy to the overwhelming numbers of the powerful inland tribes of the Lufembe and Ngombe, who are contin¬ ually making raids upon them, captur¬ ing them and selling them into slavery, and eating those who are less suitable for the slave market. The Lulungu and its two great fccd- ers, particularly tho Malinga, flow through a swampy country, the greater part of tho laud during the rainy season being under water. So swampy is it, that all the native villages on the upper reaches of that river are built on pile? standing in water from two to four feet in depth. It is a strange sight, when the water is high, to see all these houses, dotted about on the river, looking like float¬ ing boxes, and comical to observe a native fishing from his tiny veranda or when ho wishes to pay a visit to a friend across the way, or journey to another part of the village to see him step into his canoe from off his door¬ step, and paddle about the streets of swiftly running water. Ivory is hidden for safety in the water under their house?, or at some point of the forest known only to the owner, where the long tree-trunks stand up out of the brown, dark-shad¬ owed flood of the swollen river, and, should he wish to sell it, he must dive down and fetch it up. The effect seen from the river of one of these villages is very striking. Large trees are felled all about, so as to ren¬ der the progress of an approaching canoe difficult. These wretched hou?C3, without walls, aad with a fire made on a flat lump of clay, or a platform formed by cross-stick?, form indeed wretched habitations for human beings. Y r ou will sec on some prominent position a large war-drum, so that in case of an attack, or any danger arising, the sur¬ rounding villages may bo signaled, and timely warning given. The natives living in these watery settlements say that inland they can fi>1 strip? and patches of dry land, but that if they live there the slave-raiders find cut their whereabouts, and are con¬ tinually persecuting them, so that, thvugli it is inconvenient an ! wretched liv.ng in houses on piles, they naturally prefer it to the danger of slavery and death. However, they are not free from molestation even unler these cir¬ cumstances, as the slave-raiders from the lower reaches of the river form large expeditions, sometimes of 200 and 330 canoes, well-armed, and go up and kill, catch and take them into slavery. — 1 he Ledger. Persistence Won Her. Information through private sources has just been received in this city of the death of Silas 31. Wilson, who died in New York last week. He was born in Philadelphia forty-five years ago, and was crippled in his leg3 at his birth. Besides, both his hands and arms were twisted out of shape, anci it was with the greatest difficulty that he was able to speak. He met his wife, who was a 3Iiss Tneresa Morgan, of this city, in Rochester, N. Y., in 1873. She had been sent out of New Orleans by General Butler in 1862, and at the time of her marriage to Wilson was teaching O young ladies how to make wax flowers. She is said by those who were well ac¬ quainted with her here to have been quite pretty, very intelligent and at¬ tractive. Mr. and Mrs. Wi'.son met in the Central depot at Rochester in 1S73. He was on one of his jaunts through the country peddling soap. Miss Mor¬ gan, in common with other ladies, pit- tied the plight of Wilson. When Miss Morgan went to the hotel she found Wilson there. Ho was a general favor¬ ite with all. The landlady fed him, he being utterly powerless to put his own food to his mouth. Miss Morgan be- came interested in him, usel to feed ..and generally became of great assist¬ ance to him in his helpless condition. He proposed marriage to her one day. Miss Morgan felt so much hurt and hu. miliated by the proposal that she packed up and left the house at once, going to Erie. She was, however, no sooner safely ensconsed there than Wil- enn SfVM na V**»**w rrwa crawling up to the door, and would not leave the premises until the young lady consented to be “his for life,” which, she did, as previously stated. When he died Wilson was worth considerable money .—ATew Or¬ leans States. Store Names in Mexico. One of the oldest things here, says a City of Mexico letter, is tho naming of the store? and shop?, where upon the signs, instead of the name of the pro¬ prietor, appears some elaborate appella¬ tion that often causes ODe a smile from its incongruity with the goods on sale. For instance, “The Electric Light” is a pulque shop, the Queen of the World” is a bread shop, the “Palace of the World” is a boot store, the “White Venus” is a butcher’s shop, and so they go. Several of the grocery stores are called by tho names of the great cities of the world, which is very appropriate, for it is from them we obtain all lux¬ uries for the table. Instead of being directed to the firm of So-and-So, one is told that certain goods can be had at tho “City of New-York,” the “City of Hamburg,” etc. The shadow of the Eiffel Tower has reached and fallen upon the city of Mexico. A gorgeous new sign, all white, blue, and gold, bears the tall name and a flag-decorated representation of the same, “The Eiffel Tower,” and within the store one finds most delicious French confectionery. A Wonderful Pneumatic Rifle. Paul G.fiord, the original invcntoi of the Paris pneumatic post system, has made a pneumatic rifle, which is said to be a wonder. It is described this way: The weapon is much lighter thaa any of the army rifles now in use. It resembles the magazine gun in that a slccl cartridge about a span and a half long and as thick as a man’s thumb is attached to the barrel by meaus of a screw. This cartridge contains 300 shots, which can be discharged a? rap¬ idly or slowly as a man desires. At a recent trial the ball travelled w 7 ith won¬ derful accuracy, and penetrated deep into the wall of the shooting room. As soon a? one cartridge is emptied of its 300 shots another can be screwed on the gun in the twinkling of an eye. Mr. Gifford sajs that the 300 shots in a cartridge can be produce! at a co3t of about three pence. Tne gun itself can be manufactured for about $5. No Place for Tunnels. Scotchman, who had been env ployed nearly all his life in the build, ing of railways in the Highlands of Scotland, came to the United States in his later years and settled in a new sec¬ tion on the plains in the far West. Soon after his arrival, a project came up in his new home for the construction of a railroad through the district and the Scotchman was applied to, as a man of experience in such matters, 4 ‘Hoot, mon!” said he, to the spokesman of the scheme, “ye canna build a r’alway across this kentry!” “Why not, Mr. Ferguson?” “Why not?” he repeated, with an air of settling the whole mat¬ ter, “why not? And dinna ye see the kentry’s as flat as a Sure, and ye have naw place whateever to run your toon- nels through?”— Argonaut. Taking a Deep Interest in Him. Dr. Pille—You’ve been working lik6 a hero, doctor, to save young Starvely’s And he as poor as Job’s turkey too! Dr. Hackem—That’s just it. He owes me $75 already on my bill, and il he die? I won’t get a cent.— llp| Harper's Ihuur. Hoeing and Praying. Said Farmer Jones, in a whining tone. To his good old neighbor Gray, “I’ve worn my knees through to the bone, But it ain’t no use to pray. “Your corn looks just twice as good as min Though you don’t pretend to be A shinin’ light in the church to shine. An’ tell salvation’s free. “I’ve prayed to the Lord a thousand times For to make that ’ere corn grow; An’ why yourn beats it so an’ climbs I’d gin a deal to know.” Said Farmer Gray to his neighbor Jones, In his easy, quiet way, “When prayers get mixed with lazy bones They don’t make farmin’ pay. “Your weeds, I notice, are good an’ tall, In spite of all your prayers; You may pray for corn till the heavens fail, If you don’t dig up the tares. “I mix my prayers with a little toil, Along in every row; An’ I work this mixture into the soil, Quite vig’rous with a hoe. “An’ I’ve discovered, though still in sin, As sure as you are born, This kind of compost well worked in. Makes pretty decent corn. “So while I’m praying I use my hoe, An’ do my level best, To keep down the weeds along each row, An’ the Lord, he does the rest. “It’s well for to pray, both night an’ morn, As every farmer knows; Cut the place to pray for thrifty corn Is right between the rows. ‘ You must use your hands while praying, though, If an answer you would get, For prayer worn knees an’ a rusty hoe Never raised a big crop yet. “An’ so I believe, my good old friend. If you mean to win tne day, From ploughing, clean to the harvest's end, You must hoe as well as pray.” HUMOROUS. “Mine is a pane-ful occupation,’* said the glazier. Every cloud has a silver lining. The boy who has the mumps can stay away from school. Talking of getting on in life, the man who slips in the mud is almost bound to rise. A Pittsburg reporter tells about i yawning oil well. Somebody must have been boring it. Life i3 too short to spend precious moments raising up people who would sooner walk on all fours. All things come to him who will but wait, butdn some restaurants the things are cold when they arrive. Of course we are all poor worms of the dust, but some of us have a heap more of the dust than others. When a man, by a single glance, speaks volumes, it is another w r ay of aying that he talks like a book. ‘Wou can’t eat your dinner and have it, too,” said the sympathetic, steward to the seasick passenger. He—There’s nothing witty in tho wag of a dog’s tale. She—But it’s the animals w 7 ay of expressing a smile. It is unkind to make a jest of aerial navigation before inventors of airs ships. It is a soar point with them. Wickwire—You haven’t got a dol- lar to spare, have you? Yabsley—> What a mind-reader you are, Wick¬ wire. “Well, papa has ratified our engage-. ment, Josephus, dear.” “Good!” But what did he say?” “He simply said ‘Rats!’ ” Old Lady—Great snakes, what dft you suppose Miss Finkin married that homely man for? Old Gent—Because, he asked her to, of course. She—I didn’t hear anything of father’s dog. He held his peace to¬ night, didn’t he? He (bitterly)—Yes; his piece of my fifteen-dollar trousers. Dodson—Brown seems to take a great deal of pleasure in writing for the press. Fogg—Y T es, he takes so all-fired much fun in it that he leaves none fo£ his readers. “It is no use telling yon to look pleasant,” said the photographer to tho; pretty young lady, “for ypu cannot look anything else.” And his schema worked beautifully. A teacher in one of the public schools was examining a class in physiology and asked: “What ara the last teeth to come?” “Fnlse teeth, ” shouted the small boy to whom the question was addressed. The Alikado of Japan has issue* an edict against duelling. If the Alikado will not tolerate such aharmles3 pastime os duelling it is not likely that he wil ever permit the introduction of base bale into hi? empire.
