The Rockdale record. (Conyers, Ga.) 1928-1930, March 20, 1929, SECCOND SECTION, Image 14

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Man Far Outnumbered by Lc-ser Creatures It Is prolmblc tiiat few persona save nutnrnllnta ever consider the enor mous nmount of life other than hu tiiiin which exists In any locality, civ ilized or not, densely peopled or thin ly Botllid. A plague of rats In Lon don within recent years prompted an Interview with a distinguished scien tist, who estimated that within the area of Greater London there were 20,- immi.ihmi rats, more than three times as many rats as people. Sparrows undoubtedly come next In point of numbers among London's warm blooded population, hut the sclent Ist preferred to malic his esti mate cover all the Idrd.s In the United Kingdom, lie believed that the bird population would average 800 to the square mile. That would give a total of nearly i>7,<100,000. Thus the bird population outnumbers the human by something like two to one. As fur the Insect population, that Is quite beyond' any statistician. Hut, allowing that each bird eals only 00 insects a day, Hrltish birds would con stinie more than a billion Insects In a year. Vet such an estimate seems quite futile when we consider that the Insect population of a single cherry tree Infested with aphides was esti mated hy a competent authority to be 12,000,000. Law of Gravity Not an Obstacle to Incas The ancient Inca fortress of Sucsn huamnn Is located on a mountain sum mit 7<)l feet above the city of Cuzco, Peru, which Is itself 10,r00 feet above sea level. It Is made of huge massive stones, some of which measure 110 by 12 feel and are very thick. Though Irregular In outline, they are lilted together so perfectly that n knife blade cannot lie inserted between them. I tow the seemingly Impossible feat of getting these stones to the sum mit was achieved is explained hy the 1 mystics of India. The Egyptians who built the Pyramids, so the legend goes, and the ancient Incas, both knew how to suspend Ihe law of grav ity, having learned il from the mys tics of the lost Atlantis. Taken Down The late Loie Euller on her Inst American visit complained to a re porter about Ihe conceit of movie “The* mules are the worst,” she said. “A young male star in n Seal skin-lined overcoat, smoking a dollar and a half cigar, swaggered into his boss’ office one day and said: ‘l’ll tell you, boss, how I want you to feature me on the hills. 1 want ilie names of the cast printed in the usual way in rather small type, and then in giant type’—lie raised Ids voice to n shout —'MY NAME under the word AND.' ‘“Why not BUT?’ said the boss.” Strange Indian Tribe The I'eel Itiver Indians, a tribe liv ing in the Upper Yukon country are a puzzle to ethnologists. These Indians are jus black as negroes, hut have long, straight hair and aquiline fen tures. They are proud of their blood and permit no mixed marriages. Whether they are an offshoot of the Hindu race or descendants of a peo ple who came up the Mackenzie from the Arctic has never yet been estab lished. Today the tribe numbers sev end hundred and is in prosperous dr cumstances. [.lke (lie Semlnoles ot Florida, however, they are vanishing because of their antipathy toward in teruiurrying with other Indians. Good Reason Although as big and as strong as the policeman who had arrested him, the man with the close-cropped hair and brutal face allowed himself to be marched toward tlte.police station. There had been the usual crowd in anticipation of a scrap, hut It hud drifted away when they saw there was nothing doing. Kven (lie police man admitted it was the tamest nr rest he had made for many a day. ‘‘lt isn't like you to go so quietly,' he remarked. “What’s taken all the ginger out of you?” The prisoner sighed. “I’ve got my best clothes on.” I X —- Explains Fire-Walking The late S. I’. Bangley of the Smith sotiiun Institution witnessed the fire walking ceremony in Tahiti and de scribed it in Nature for August 22. 1021. lie says that the stones used in the ceremony were tested and found to he of vesicular basalt, whose most distinctive features are its porosity and nonconductlbility. He found that these stones could ho heated red-hot at one end while the remaining part was comparatively cool. lie was ot tHe opinion that while the lower stones of the pit were glowing, the upper layer was fairly cool. Dutch Mania for Work You know the Dutch. They have a mania for work. Theirs is n land which had to he manufactured out of Inclosed hits of sea and remanu factored now and then by being pumped dry. They scrub the streets as if they were plates off which to eat. And as if all this toil were but a mere trifle, they have Invented a language the pronunciation of which requires more labor to the syllable than any other language to the page! —Salvador de Madariaga in tile Forum. Frick First Motorist Taken in Speed Trap The first automobile speeder and the first speed trap In the New Eng land district were described in the Boston Post. Condensed, il happened In 1807, In this wise: The speeder, in his little high wheeled contraption, was roaring down Arlington street, going every hit as fust ns some modern concrete mix ers and making an equal amount of noise. The legal limit was ten miles an hour and Ihe local police chief told Ihe court Ids prisoner had been making eighteen. "Were you?" inquired the judge. "Why, your honor, my motor car won’t even make ihe ten-mile limit ' protested the driver. The si range part of It is that Ihe judge believed the driver and discharged him. To maintain his reputation for veracity, the police chief seerell.v measured off a quarter mile, got two good stop watches anil, with Ihe aid of a sergeant, set out to catch con scienceless nutornohilists. The first victim was Henry Erick, the Idg steel manufacturer. This time there was Indisputable evidence of speeding. Twenty-live miles an hour cost Mr. Erick Just SSO. F'id Thought to Be Relic of the Vihsngs What Is believed to he a padlock used by the ancient Vikings was re cently found during excavations in what used to he the city ditch at St. Bartholomew's hospital, London, Eng land. The lock, 5% Inches long, is of the type known as the “barrel” lock. Il was in common use among the Rom ans, though the principle must have come from Egypt and the East. This example is thought to lie early Nor man or of the Danish period. The movable end of the barrel has several attachments rather like the ribs of n partly open umbrella inside. It can be pulled off only when a key pushed In compresses the ribs. That Stopped Him An official with a* very annoying manner was making an inspection of a newly opened aerodrome. On this particular afternoon para chute practice was being undertaken hy a number of pilots, and the official asked question after question of one man about his experiences and sen sntions while falling through the air. "But supposing your parachute fails to open while you are coming down?" he asked linally. "What do you do then?” The pilot had had more than enough by this time. “Take it back and change il,” he replied very tersely. Everything for the Right Contempt of all outward things which come in competition with duty fulfills tlie ideal of human greatness. Tills conviction, that readiness to sac rifice life’s highest material good and life itself, is essential to the elevation of human nature, is no illusion of nr dent youth, nor outburst of blind- on thuslasm It does not yield to grow Ing wisdom. It is confirmed by all ex perience. It is sanctioned by con science—that universal and eternal lawgiver whose chief dictate is that everything must lie yielded up for the right.—Charming. Aided the Cause There was a burst of applause ns the pianist finished his last solo. He bowed arid, after thanking his audi ence, was about to leave when a man approached and presented a check. This tlie pianist refused, saying he would prefer It to he used for some charitable purpose. “In that case,” said tho donor, “1 suppose you wouldn’t mind if we add ed it to our special fund?" “Not at all,” said the pianist. "What is tlie special fund for?” "To enable us to have better enter tainments next year.” • Unfortunate Remark Words whispered at u funeral led to ilie arrest of n woman at Seine, France, for the murder of a man. "In a few minutes all will be over, and our minds will be at rest,” tlie wom an was overheard to say to a friend as the coflin was lowered into the grave. Her words were carried to the police, and tlie woman finally con fessed that during a drunken quarrel she killed the man by striking him in self defense, a blow behind tlie ear with a blunt Instrument. Persian Fruits Persia is credited with having given many fruits to tlie world at large, in eluding the pencil and orange, but the real origin of these may have been eastern Asia or India. The greatest fruit crop of Persia is the grape, which grows in abundance. They are gatli ered during the latter part of August and just at that time there is a peri odical rain which very conveniently washes the fruit or otherwise it would go unwashed. Information Exchanged At a military dance one officer said to another us they adjourned for re freshments : *T don't know how it is, but my wife’s lipstick always tastes difl'cient from any other woman’s,” and he carefully, wiped his lips. “Y-es, doesn't it," remarked the oth er, absent-mindedly.—Loudon Tit Bits THE ROCKDALE REtunu. luNVERS, GEORGIA Ancient Writers Had Idea of Punctuation Oar present system of punctuation, which divides written language into sections hy means of various signs and points, may he said to have grown <ut, of a system developed by Aldus Monutius, an Italian scholar and printer, who printed Greek classics on his press at Venice in the latter part of the Fifteenth century and the be ginning of Ihe Sixteenth. Manutius was horn In 1450 and died In 1515. It should not he supposed, however, that Manutius was the sole Inventor of punctuation, although the main fentures of tlio modem system me due chiefly to Ids ingenuity and that of the Greek scholars employed hy him. Among ihe later Greeks various dots had been used for oratorical pur poses. Aristophanes, a Greek gram marian of Alexandria who died about 180 or 185 B. C., is said to have de vised a systeai of punctuation by means of dots. t’rose punctuation of a crude type was probably used even before the time of Aristophanes. In the early part of the Ninth century these earlier systems were so completely forgotten that Charlemagne requested scholars to revive them. St. Jerome, who died 420 A. D., knew nothing whatever about punctuation.—Pathfinder Mag azine. Effect of Light on Flowers and Plants Spring violets have made to bloom in the summer simply by cut ting down their ration of daylight to Ihe length of a spring day. The extra heat of summer laid no effect on the growth of the plant. In (his controlling of plant growth, artificial light has the same effect as sunlight or the light of a greenhouse, and twelve hours of light (whether natural or artificial) Is "summertime” for the plants, and six hours’ light “winter." An experiment conducted with irises is given as an example of the effect of light rationing on plants. Two lots of Irises were sown in late October; the first were given eighteen hours of light per day, while the others (kept in the same temperature) received only the light provided by nature. The first lot reached normal size very quickiy, and actually bloomed on Christmas day, but the others were dormant as late as the following Feb ruary. Queen’s Watch One of the oddest timepieces in the world belonged to Mary Queen of Scots, who felt a superstitious aver sion to it and gave it to Mary Seaton, one of her maids of honor, who gave it in turn to Sir Thomas Dick Laud er. It was in the shape of a skull; the forehead was engraved with a scythe and an hour-glass between a palace and a cottage, signifying tlint time and death made no distinctions. At the back of the skull a figure of Time was pictured spreading de struction over the world, and on the top appeared Eve and the serpent in the Garden of Eden, and the Cruci fixion. Just Her Luck A local business woman had bought a number of chflnces on an automo bile, and on the night it was to be raffled off, went to bed in the firm belief that she was to be the winner. Shortly after midnight the phone rang, and she jumped up to answer it, preparing her “speech of accept ance” as she ran. In answer to her “hello,” the voice said that her niece had twin daugh ters at the hospital. “Just my luck,” she said. “If it was raining soup, I’d be out with a sieve.” —lndianapolis News. Appropriate Designation “Amerind” is a telescopic word composed of the first syllables of “American" and “Indian” and is a general term used to designate the races of man who inhabited the New world before the arrival of Europeans. It was suggested in 1599 by Maj. J. W. Powell, director of the bureau of American ethnology, who advocated it as a convenient substitute for the numerous awkward and inappropriate terms applied to the aborigines of America. “Amerind” is pronounced “uut-er-ind,” with the accent on the first 'syllable. New Camphor Source A native source for camphor, Im portant in both medicine and manu facturing, has been discovered in a species of wormwood that grows on the sandy steppes of the government of Astrakhan, Russia. An oil extract ed from this plant lias been subjected to experiments at the Saratow experi ment station, and was found to yield a good quality of camphor. The crys tals differ in their physical properties from those of camphor obtained from camphor trees, but chemically they are identical with it. In Second Grade Here are some answers a second grade teacher received: First question—When and why do we celebrate Thanksgiving? Charles answered—We celebrate Thanksgiving on Christmas because Washington was born. Second question—What Is a strait? Hiily answered—A strait is not an isthmus, It is slanting; a strait is straight up. “Between” The I*. T. A. held their regular meet ing at Oak Grove the sth. having now on roll 35 members. Barents come to our next meeting and pull for oak Grove. Let’s make it the place where all want to go. Next meeting will he March 22 at 2 o'clock p. m. Mr. Floyd Hartley, now of Ellen wood, spent Saturday night with Mr. 11. E. Hartley. Miss Ethel lvate McCullough alien t Friday night and Saturday with Miss Cora Frances Hartley. Mrs. Duck Wallace and Mrs. S. W. Kodgers called on Mrs. Lucinda Gra vitt Monday afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Hartley and children and Mr. Floyd Hartley and Mr. Eli Stanley, also Mrs. S. W. Rod gers spent Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. Fillmore Stanley and attended the Stanley reunion. Being about 35 chil dren and grand children there, all re ported a grand day for all. Well, our Oak Grove hoys are plan ning on trying out Ihe Smyrna ball players again Ibis week. We truly wish you boys tlie best of lu k. Mrs. S. W. Rodgers and Mrs. H. E. Hartley and children called on Mrs. Marsh Grinck, Sr., one afternoon last week | Well, on account, of so much rain, there lias been but very little going around here. Guess all you folks around here al ready know about Ihe bridge below Rodgers Bros, being washed in. Seems awful lonely now, no passing from down that way. WAI.KER-NHEEHAN On Saturday evening, March 2, at 6 o’clock, Miss Helen Sheehan and Mr. G. It. Walker were married >n the Episcopal church, Philadelphia, Pa., I)r. Floyd W. Tomkins performed ihe ceremony in the presence of many friends of the couple. Mr. Walker, or Ralph, as we know hi maround here, is an old Conyers hoy, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Bartow Walker. He has been with the Vitro lite Cos., now known as the Interstate Marble Cos., for six or seven years. This business lias caused hint to travel extensively in the United States. At one time he was stationed in Mexi co City for several months. .We are glad to know that he is making good in the business world. Ralph lias been in Philadelphia for more than a year and we see that he has found something other than busi ness attractive to him. We are wish- Hewlett &. Downs Conyers, .*. .\ .*. Georgia [ - ’ Ladies’ and Misses’ jg- I Shoes $1.95 to $6.50 Gordon and Munsingwear Ij ] i Nry I j silk hose IV/haU IJk lllSf Men’s an d Boys Oxfords \\ $2.50 to SB.OO ip¥ EASTER € Suits—Socks—Hats Towels 81 V and , gorgette SHIRTS L r “ S „ e * PHILLIPS—JONES tM.75 to $14.75 y an Heusen Collars , ill —n ft jfeii a Chain buying I pit enables us to sell UIMa JBP al,fc *-— double thread if In / ' White Broadcloth Four for sfso I four tor 1.00 " gU PIQUES SI.OO Coupon and HeX rf & Hewlett - T NENE Downs Large Stock by Easter with 50c V3C. o tt . gets The Rockdale T ™ Record one year O W life* J USt Received t Bdpubt Notes Rev. Frank J. Fleming, of Ashland, Ala., conducted Ihe prayer service l at the church lasi Thursday evening. He us and as a subject for his thoughts, "Prayer,” taking his text from Matt. 2(1:41. There was an unusually good attend ance at the service, the Methodists niul Presbyterians having called in (heir prayer meeting. Mr. Fleming is the possessor of ihe great art of eloquence. ID* delivers his sermons in a way which enables him to hold the .it!! attention of his hearers. He is truly a man of God, living that life that epicourages so many i. ople who arc struggling to keep in the strait 111 with. His many friends were delighted to ing for Mr. and Mrs. Walker much happiness and sue. c s, and hope they will visit Georgia soon. I What Awful Tales 1 Comes from the Tire Graveyard Sac! tales of abuse and neglect* Tires that could have been in service today—if their owner had given them a square deal and sent them to us for i e pairing. Our service is one that assures you of economy on your tire bilis. Check over your tires today and bring us the ones that show advance signs of passing out. Curb Service—Gas and Oils McClelland’s Garage Phone 16 . . Conyers, Ga. WEDNESDAY, MARCH ;p, lS| see him again and ure looking W ward to his return for a serfe, 1 meetings. The pastor, Rev. J. p. j,, brought soul-inspiring messag e , 1( J regular church services both last, i day morning and evening. A special appeal Jius been made! bettor cooperation among tii ( . j iters of Ihe church. The efforts J have been made have not been |J less, but why not resolve to see J bigger and better things are at J plished. "Be ye doers of the Word ami I hearers only.” Mrs. G. V. Cowan entertained ; J al days last week Mr. and Mrs. pj Hollingsworth, of Atlanta. Hon. and Mrs. Arthur Whitaker Veltu, have for their guests this W their daughter, Mrs. W. E. McMiJ and young son, Billy, of Montgome Ala.