Newspaper Page Text
THE CARIBOU.
Ludicrous Vagaries of This Most
Singular Creature.
Converting An Ice Field into a
Winter Playground.
?
Unlike the solitary moose, the cari-
Lou delights in the company of its
kinl. Today it 'will act as if almost
afraid of its own shadow, and display a
keenness of eye, ear and nose, and a
vigilance in their use which render an
approach within rifle-shot next to im
possible; tomorrow it will stand the fire
of the hunter like one of the Old Guard,
facing him at short range, while in the
paroxysms of the buck fever he misses
shot after shot, and until either the
pumping machinery of his repeating
riflj sucks dry or fortune bestows upon
him one of thoso smiles with which it
is wont occasionally to favor the inex
perienced. Today it will follow for
miles along a trail over which a man
has passed not twenty minutes before;
tomorrow, one sniff of the tainted track,
and it will not break its run for five
miles.
It is as fond of the ice as a school boy,
and full as ready for a frolic. After the
ice has formed in November, it is soon
followed first by snows and then by
thaws or raiu. Tho latter converts the
finow into slush, resting on the firm ice
beneath. Now, any sensible creature
■would keep away from such a moss.
But not so with the caribou, for to it
this makes tho very gala timo of the
year. Tho herd go out upon the ice in
single file, then scatter, and each one
falls to pawing up the slush with its
forefeet. Aftor they have tired of this
performance they fall upon their knees,
and seem to lap the ice with their
tongues. Why they do this is, as far as
the writer has been able to learn, a
mystery. It certainly is not from
thirst, sinco they havo crossed
a dozen open brooks in their
morning ramble. Perhaps to use one
of those slang expressions so happily
indefinite in leaving unbridled liberty
of detail to the imagination of the
hearer, “they do it for grandeur.”
This is the most simple, and indeed at
times it seems tho only explanation of
many of the vagaries of this most singu
lar creature. After a while one will
suspend operations, seem to think
things over generally, then go gravely
over to where another has mined down
to a pieco of ice of extra flavor, and
prod and poke it with the utmost
vigor. Tliejassaultcd party rhes to its
feet and meakly resigns its place to the
intruder, which immediately drops upon
its knees and continues tho operations
of its predecessor, while tho ousted
either passes along the compliment by
Touting out another, or proceeds to
dig a new spot for itself. TheD, per
haps, all will lie down for a while, and,
though one would think the bed about
as congenial as the inside of an ice
cream freezer, chew the cud in ap
parently tho acme of bovine comfort.
Next, one will slowly rise to its feet,
round up its back, and stretch itself,
survey its comrades to select tho one
■which seems most comfortable, and
then, actuated by that perversity of dis
position wo so often see and anathema
tize in the human early riser, proceed
to stir it up with hoof and horn
until it,. too, gets upon its legs and
joins in the game. Soon ail are on their
feet, and, falling in ono behind the
other, move for the woods in single file,
headed by tho leader, always a bull
though not invariably the largest in tho
herd. They move oil at a walk, their
pleads hangiag down priche.y like cows
to pasture. Suddenly one will
become possessed of a devil and, break
ing from the ranks with a hop, skip and
a jump, charge through the line again
and again until it is thrown into com
plete disorder. Then it will as sudden
ly tall into place, as demure as a cat,
saying, as distinctly as an attitude
can speak, “What! you do not
mean to charge this untimely dia.
turbanco to me, do you?” The march is
then resumed and all may disappear at
tho meekest kind of a walk in the
eurrounding forests, or, without tho
slightest apparent cause, the herd will
break into a ran at a pace so keen you
almost fancy you hear them whiz as they
cleave a passage through the air. This
burst of speed may last for a hundred
yards; it may J>e kept up through thick
and thin for fives miles; the one is
about as likely as the other.— [Harper’s.
A Gift to an Emperor.
Am .mg the gifts presented to the Em
peror Francis Joseph on the occasion of
his fitv-oigth birthday was a represen
tation oi a double eagle, made of fif
teen thousand beetles belonging to
species found in Austria-Hungary, and
displaying all manner of hues. Beside
<hc emblem are the names of the mem
bers of tho imperial family printed in
characters likewise composed of beet is
The donor is a gardener, and it took
him, with the a. instance of friend- in
all parts of the empire, two years to
collect the insects; the arrangement oc
cupied him for three-quarters of a year.
Screws that Appear Like Dust.
The smallest screws in the world are
made in a watch factory. There can bo
no doubting that assertion on any score.
They are cut from steel wire fcy ma
chine, but as the chips fall down from
the knife it looks as if the operation was
simply cutting up the wire for fun. Ono
thing is certain, no screws can be seen,
and yet a screw is made every third
operation. The fourth jewel wheel
screw is the next thing to being invisi
ble, and to the naked eyo it looks like
dust. With a glass, however, it is
seen to be a small screw, with 2GO
threads to the inch, and with a very fino
glass the threads may be seen very
clearly. These little screws are four
one thousandths of an inch in diameter,
and the heads are double in size. It is
estimated that an ordinary lady’s thim
ble would hold 100,000 of these tiny lit
tle screws. About 1,000,000 of them
are made a month, but no attempt is
ever made to count them. In deter
mining the number 100 of them arc
placed on a very delicate balance, and
tho number of the whole amount is de
termined by tho weight of this. All the
small parts of tho watch arc counted in
this way, probably 50 out of tho 120.
After being cut, the screws arc hard
ened and put in frames, about 100 to the
frame, heads up. This is done very
rapidly, hut entirely by sonso of touch
instead of sight, so that a blind man
could do just as well as the owner of the
sharpest eyas. Tho heads are then
polished in an automatic machine, 10,—
000 at a time. The plate on which they
arc polished is covered with oil and a
grinding compound, and on this the
machine moves them rapidly by revers
ing motion until they are fairly pol
ished.—[Analyst.
The Grotesque Arizona Cactus.
Foremost among the sights which
call forth exclamations of astonishment
from the tourist is that of the grotesque
cactus of Arizona Territory. Like othei
tropical productions, it is totally unlike
any preconceived notions of what na
ture could design. The plant is entire
ly leafless, having a bare, fleshy stock,
protected everywhere by sharp and ven
omous barbs.
Its flowers are considered among the
choicest, varying from white and yellow
to deep crimson or purple. These blos
soms, capitulum, ara wax-like, and ia
florescence eall to mind Aladdin’s fa
bled experience among tho fairy plants,
with their sparkling fruit of diamonds
and other gems.
The fruit is egg-shaped, with a crowu
on the upper side, and is generally de
licious, presenting as varied colors as
the flowers. It contains a large quan
tity of seeds surrounded by a nicely
flavored, juicy substance. In different
species, the fruit in size i 3 all the way
up from a canary’s to an ostrich’3 egg.
The cactus is almost imperishable,
and can live many piontlis without
water, although it is only seen in its
perfection under a plentiful supply. So
hardy is the plant that a piece from any
part will take root and grow if placed
in the ground, even though it has lain
around for a time. It thrives equally
well on a piece of bare rock in a scorch
ing tropical sun a 3 it would packed in
ice in a northern zone. It h a paradox
—a curiosity of the vegetable kingdom.
[Corona News Lstter.
Inoculating an Elephant.
Among the recent valuable discover
ies of tho famous French physician, M.
Pasteur, is that of the vaccination ot
domestic animals for tho prevention oi
the dire disease known as anthrax or
splenic fever. The marked success at
tending his system, in combating tho
Rinderpest in Europe, encouraged Mr.
J. 11. Lamprey to bring tho subject
under tho notice of the government oi
India, where no efficient remedy was
for this rapidly fatal illness,
which annually carries off a per
centage of cattle of every kind.
In order to carry out this object, some
native Indian students, who have re
ceived their education at- tho Cirence
ster Agricultural College, are now un
dergoing a course of instruction at the
Paris Laboratory of M. Pasteur and will
shortly proceed to stations in India, to
dispense the vaccine, which is applied
to elephants as well as to oxen and
other beasts. It is confidently cxpoctod
that their labors will be attendod with
thi same success that followed tho in
tro iuctiou of the systim into those
countries whero it is now in full opera
tion; with an ultimate prospect of the
total extermination of the most serious
maladies, working great havoc among
llocks and herds throughout the world.
Tho elephant, in a domosticated state,
is liable, a; well as other animals in the
service of man, to certain epidemic
cases.—[London News.
A Wonderful Cure.
“That was a worderful caso of
! Biggs’s, ’’ said Fogg. “lie wasn't al/ic
j to,eat anything lor several weeks. He
was pining away awfully. Put they
brought him around at last. It Was a
wonderful cure ’
“What doctor did he have? ’
‘ D ;ctor ! He didn’t have any. lie
did better. He changed his boarding
place.’ —[Bjaton Transcript.
I LOST THEIR EARS.
Malevolent Mutilation of Medi
aeval Malefactors.
- v
Removing Auricular Append
ages on the High Pillory.
Any mutilation of the car which in
volved the loss of a portion or all of it
has always been a mark of disgrace. In
one of the statutes of Edward VL the
penalty affixed for its violation is the
loss of an ear and perpetual infamy.
In those days tho celluloid ear had
not been invented and the loss of one
of these members was a public badge of
shame for life.
Following the retributive law of
Moses, probably the punishment origi
nated in the ecclesiastical courts. It is
first mentioned in tho trials of offences
against the Church and some of the ear
less clericals were noted men.
The sentence to the pillory frequent
ly had tho additional punishment of the
loss of one or both ears added. Daniel
Fooe or Foe, later in life known as
Daniel Defoe, wrote a pamphlet called
“The Shortest Way with the Dissenters’’
and lost his ears. Pope, in hi 3 “Dunciad,’’
speaks of tho author of “Robinson
Crusoe:” “Earless ou high stood un
abashed Do foe. ”
Ho was placed in the pillory three
times. That instrument * being on a
raised platform, explains the line. In
Defoe’s case, however, as in many
others, his punishment was rather a
martyrdom and lifted him in the es
teem of those who believed as he did.
Dr. Bastwick, who published moro
pamphlets than pills, concluded one of
his essays with: “From plague, pesti
lence and famine, from bishops, priests
and deacons, good Lord deliver us.”
This was so serious an affront that the
doctor was sentenced to the pillory and
to lose both his cars.
The execution of his sentence wa9 a
sort of public fete. Ilis friends gathered
beforo the pillory and shouted words of
encouragement. His wife climbed upon
the pillory and kissed him. When his
ears were cut off “she put them in a
clean handkerchief’ and carried them
homo. The celebrated Prynne suffered
a similar punishment.
The names of lesser criminals have es
caped tho permanent records, but Black
stone mentions a number of early Eng
lish Parliamentary enactments making
the loss of an ear a penalty imlaw.
Fighting in a church or churchyard
by act 3 passed during the filth and sixth
years of the reign of Eiward VL
meant the loss of both cars. If tho pris
&Lct had no ears —which implies that
there were habitual criminals 350 years
ago—he was to be branded with the let
ter F in the chcelc.
the second and years of the
same monarch, combinations among the
victualers and artificers to raise the price
of provisions or tho rate of labor for
the third offence were puaished by the
pillory and tho loss of an car. The
statute not only extended to the com
binations to raise wages, but to regu
late the quantity of work or to lessen
the hours of labor.
In this degenerate ago tho coal
barons’ association, tho gas trusts and
other combines, if these laws were en
forced would give the public execu
tioner active employment.
Ia later years tho loss of an car or a
part of one has also been regarded as
implying disgrace. The ear is not easily
lost. Any accident that destroys the
ear usually destroys the person wearing
it.
Ono of the favorite ways of mutilat
ing aD enemy in a rough-and-tumble
fight is to bite off his car. In disrepu
table brawls and in low resorts brute
instinct makes ear mutilation a fit re
venge for almost any wrong.
Jack Slade, the notorious desperado,
in a fit of rage is said to have cut off
tho ears of a man he had murdered. Ho
kept them in his pocket and boastfully
exhibited them when in a drunken and
dangerous state.
When he saw on the poker tabic a
stake he wanted particularly Jack
played the cars. Flinging them on the
table they beat four aces or a straight
flush for Jack had a pistol in each hand
the next instant. He always took the
pot on the play.
Statistics from Mexico.
According to the last statistics pub
lished by Dr, Ant. Penaficl, the city of
Mexico and its subu bs comprise 1933
commercial establishments, 1G99 indus
-1 trial establishments, 271 variety stores,
making a total of 3933 business houses.
| There arc 52 banking houses, 75 bazaars,
1 88 drug stores, 2G liuraries, 13 jowelry
j stores, GIG jobbing houses and retail
stores, 39 saddleries, 19 brandy factor
ies, 6 tissue factories, 65 printing estab
, lishment3, 172 carpentar shops, 156
shoemaker shop-; there are, besides,
! 225 lawyers, 48 public notaries, 70
| brokers and commercial agencies, 207
physicians (illopatliist-). 23 homoeopath
ists, 29 dentists. G2midwiv-s, 4s phar
’maci-ts, 18 veterinarians, 70 engineers,
13 builders ar.d contractors 119 courts
of justice, 17 Protestant ministers, and
[ 170 Catholic jnrieats.
Rust-Proof Paper.
A now method for preparing papei
for wrapping metallic articles to pre*
vent tarnishing, etc., consists in ingor.
porating with the paper or applying tc
its surface a fine powder of metallic
zinc in such a manner that it will ad
here, so that whoa silver, copper, brass
or iron articles aro wrapped in the paper
they will be preserved from rusting or
tarnishing by reason of the more affinity
of the zinc for sulphuretted hydrogen,
chlorine or acid gases or vapors and
preventing them from rusting or tarn
ishing the metallic articles wrapped in
such paper.
This is done by sifting on the sheet
of paper pulp while it ii ii process ol
• manufacture, and before it is pressed
and dried a metallic zinc powder,
known in commerce as blue powder, ia
convenient quantity—3ay to the extent
of one-half the weight of the dried
paper. Tho paper i 3 then run between
tho press rolls and over the drying cyl
inders, etc., in the ordinary manner.
The zinc powder will adhere to the
paper and bo partly incorporated with
it in greater or less quantity, as the
sheet of paper pulp is more or less thick
or more or less wet. The paper may
also be sized with glue, starch, etc.,
and then be dusted with the zinc pow
der, or tho zinc powder may be mixed
with tho size, starch, etc., and then be
applied to the surface of the paper by
well-known methods.
Modern and Ancient Inks.
Tho great merit of our common writ
ing ink is the freedom with which it
flows from the pen, allowing of rapid
writing and tho manner in which it
bitc3 into the paper so as not to be re
moved by sponging. The great defect
is in tho want of durability. Such inks
partake of the nature of dyes. The
writing ink of the ancient 3 on the con
trary, 13 characterized by great per
manency, its bash wa3 finely divided
charcoal mixed with some mucilaginous
or adhesive fluid. India in’: is of this
character; it is formed of lampblack
and animal glue, with the addition of
perfumes, not necessary, however, to
its U3C as an ink and is made up into
cakes. It is used in China with a brush,
both for writing and painting upon
Chinose paper, and it is used in thh
country for making drawings in black
and white, the depths of shade being
produced by dilution with water. —
[Mail and Express.
Method of Fumigating Mail.
A fair percentage of the mails coming
to the post office, remarks the New
York Sim, have borne considerable evi
dence, externally, of having passed
through a smashing or mowing ma
chine. They look as though some ono
with a fork two inches broad and thick
ly set with tines had ferociously jabbed
each letter several times, tho prongs
piercing clear through the letter each
time. This mangling is a sign that tho
letters havo been through a yellow fever
quarantine, tho mangling being a part
of the process of fumigation, its object
being to enable the fumes of tho burn
ing sulphur or other material used to
reach every part of tho letter. Inci
dentally, it would bo just as well now
adays to submit to home-made fumiga
tion any letter received with tho Fiori
ida postmark aud no holes punched in
it.
A Device for Bachelors.
“How s this for a schema to securely
mend holes in your pocket?” said a
metropolitan car conductor to a Boston
Herald reporter. His pocket had been
badly torn, and around the edges of the
holes a small rubber band was tiglr.lv
wrapped. “I think this obviates one
of the necessities of matrimony, don’t
you? It’s bettor than if it wa3 sewed,
for it never wears out, aud it is so se
cure that I can carry my money in that
pocket. I don’t know how to sew, and
if I dii I haven’t tho timo. No, I havo
not applied for a patent as yet, but if
the rest of tho bachelors on thh road
don’t stop using my device, I think I’ll
get a patent and collect royalty from
them.”
The Hangman’s Rope.
Tho old French superstition about
luck attaching to the rope with which
a man or woman has been hanged has
just boep sadly belied in tho case of a
commissionaire living in the Rue Bau
delique, at Montmontre, France. He
had for some time been the happy pos
sessor of a bit of tho coveted rope.
Much thinking of his treasure made
him morbid. Whenever lie looked at it
ho remembered the dreud:ul face of tho
young girl whom ha ha 1 cut do.wn in a
neighbor’s house, one morning. Atlast
the fixed idea became* unbearable,
He got his rope out, tied it to a hook
and hanged himself—[Commercial-Ga
zette.
Some Sound Advice.
Customer (in restaurant): “Gimme
some broiled chicken, waiter, and as
I'm in a big hurry, you had better bring
it cold.’’
Waiter. “If yuse in a big hurry, Sah,
I wud ad wise yo’ to take it hot.”
Customer: “Why?”
Waiter: “Kase it’ll take cr long time
fo’ dat chicken to cool S h.” —[Epoch.
BUTTER PACKAGES.
Making Receptacles for the
Dairy’s Golden Product.
A Trade That Employs Thou
sands of Skilful Artisans.
Among the many little trades that
aro followed by hundreds of people all
over the country, says the New York
Mail and Express, there is one which is
never heard of by the public, never con
sidered as of the slightest importance,
and yet it gives a living to hundreds
and thousands of persons. It i 3 the
manufacture of packages for butter. In
a largo establishment on the West side,
whore the entire trade consists of the
manufacture and sale of butter tub 3 and
firkins, some interesting facts were
learned.
There aro four kinds of packages in
general U3e,in which the golden product
of the dairy is carefully deposited be
fore it is sent to market. Three of
these are made of wood and one of tin.
When wood is used great care is exer
cised in the salection of the material. It
must be tasteless and without smell,
and must be as nearly non-absorbent as
possible. In order that theso condi
tions may be reached, the wood has to
be dried and seasoned carefully, so that
there shall be as little sap as possible
remaining in it. Thousands of dollars
a year have been lost by the use of in
sufficiently seasoned wood. The varie
ties in most general U3e are white ash
and white oak.
The form most commonly used is
called the Welsh tub, although it is
made now in this country, the proprie
tors of many of the creameries being
interested in the manufacture of tho
packages. The Welsh tub is made of
white ash and is bound with black ash
hoops. The staves aro made of ma
chinery and the bottom is fitted in like
a barrel head. Either five or six hoops
are used, more generally five. If only
five, two are placed at each end and one
in the middle. If six are used three are
placed at each end. The weight of the
tub is eight or nine pounls and it holds
fifty-five or sixty pounds of butter.
The firkin is also largely used. It is
made of white oak, with hickory hoops.
It is headed, top and bottom, like a bar
rel, and is the same size at each end,
being twelve and one-half inches in
diameter at the ends and fifteen inches
in the middle. Tho firkins are very
often sawed in two and used as half
firkin tuo3, with white oak covers,
which are nailed on. Tho firkin liolt’ g
about a hundred pounds of butter.
The creamery pail holds from sixty
to eighty pou ids. It is made of white
oak and bound with iron hoops, eithei
galvanized or not. These pails are
painted and are fitted with patent fasten
ings for the ash or oak covers, and make
the handsomest packages in the trade.
They are not popular with commission
merchants, as they are so expensive that
they have to be returned to the
creameries.
Tin packages are growing in favor,
and are used by the government, but
are a long way from superseding wood
in tho markets, notwithstanding that
they seem to be equally as good as wood
in all respects, and better in some.
They are non-absoibont, of course, and
do not flavor the butter, while they
keep it much better. The packages are
made of all sizes, in cylindrical shape,
and are cased and covered at the top
with wood. The wooden cover rests on
the salt brine which lies on the butter.
In packing butter, if extreme care is
not used, air-holes are apt to be left,
and tho grain is likely to be spoiled. If
air-holes are left, or the surface is left
exposed to the air, the butter loses its
color, its taste and its aroma. Properly
paclceddt is forced gently down with
a wooden ladle or paddle until it fills
the package solidly and completely up
to within an inch of the top. A thin
muslin or cheo3e-cloth covor is then
laid on, and salt or brine is laid on
that, filling tho package.
Disinfecting: With Coffee.
Coffee is a handy and harmless disin
fectant. Experiments have been made
in Paris to piovc this. A quantity of
meat was hung up in a closed roorfi un
til decomposed, and then a chafing dish
was introduced and five hundred
grammes of coffee thrown on the fire.
In a few minutes tho room was com
pletely disinfected. In another room
sulphuretted hydrogen and ammonia
: were developed and ninety grammes of
coffee destroyed tho smell in about half
a minute. It is also stated that coffee
I destroys the smell of musk, castoeruin
I and assalcc ida.
As a proof that the noxious smells are
i really decomposed by the fumes of coffee
| and not merely overpowered by them,
!it is stated that the first vapors of tho
1 coffeo were not smelled at all, and are
therefore chemically absorbed, while
ihe other smells gradually diminish as
the fumigation continues.
Tile best w.y to effect this fumiga
tion is to pound the coffeo in t. mortar
j and then strew it on a hot iron plate,
i which, however, must not be rod hot.—
t [Boston Transcript.
THE
PEOPLE’S PARTY.
PROTECTIVE,
PROGRESSIVE.
PROSPEROUS.
OUR PLATFORM;
We Pledge Ourseiyes in Favor of
PROTECTION
OF OUR CUSTOMERS
From Overcharge and
Misrepresentations.
FREETRADE
FOR EVERY ONE,
With the Merchant who
does most for his
Customers.
PROHIBITION
Of Monopolistic Rings,
Inflated values and op
pressive high prices.
Buv as you vote, intelligently. As candi
dates for your patronage, we invite
an examination of our business
record in support of our
claim for fair dealing.
We promise for
the future
The Best in Quality,
The Most in Quantity,
And the Lowest Prices
TO ALL CUSTOMERS, without dis
tinction of age or class, and behind
©ur promise stands our enor
mous stock of
BARGAINS,
which are being crowded upon us by our
NEW YORK BUYER.
Never have we been in condition to offer
our patrons such advantages as
at this time. Our
MILLINERY DEPARTMENT
has no equal. Our Stock the Largest,
Assortment the Best, and Prices the
Lowest. Our stock of
DRESS GOODS
Below the Lowest. Our
Fancy Goods Department
will save you a handsome profit.
STAPLE GOODS DEPARTMENT
stands at the head for a money saver to
our customers.
OUR SEWING MACHINE DEPARTMENT
includes all the
LEADING MACHINES
IN THE COUNTRY,
Starting in price at $5 and up.
In this department wc
Buy, Sell, Exchangeand
Repair
ANY AND ALL KINDS.
Remember that FOUR DAYS in each
week we give away different articles to
our customers. Some days we give to
every 10th purchaser and some days to
every sth, and some days to all.
Our patrons are well aware that we
give
BETTER VALUE FOR
THE MONEY,
Than anv other house in
CHATTANOOGA!
Come along, and we will
PROVE TO YOU
That you can Save money T by making
your Purchases of us.
H. H. SOUDER-