The Oregon scout., February 21, 1889, Image 7

THE TEXAN TARANTULA.
An Object or Terror to Alt Save Its Ie.d
ly Kneinjr, the Vp.
Apropos to a brief reference to the
insect reported to bo tho deadly enemy
of tho huge spider called tho tarantula.
Dr. Horn, Philadelphia's distinguished
entomologist, sends us tho fol. owing:
"In tho not too fortlle parts of tho
'-, region from Texas to California lives a
,lnrgo spider known to tho inhabitants
as tho tarantula and to naturalists as
mygalo hentzili. Its body is two inched
or more in length, clothed with rusty
brown hair, tho legs long, and whn
extended covering an oval of four or
live inches. As may bo imagined, tho
mygalo is not a handsomo Insect, and,
while it is looked upon with terror by
most peoplo, no ono cares to hnndlo it
unless quito certain it is dead.
"in placo of tho wob which usually
forms tho houso of spiders tho mygalo
excavates a burrow in tho loose soil,
.from which It wanders in search of its
prey, consisting principally of mem
Tiers of tho grasshopper family or
elendes. The jaws aro largo and pow
erful, armed with long, stout fangs,
with which t:iey can pierco and kill
their prey. Ono full meal will at
times supply their needs for several
weeks. In fact, during tho moulting
period they remain torpid nnd tako no
tfood.
"During its growth tho mygalo makes
an unknown number of moults, that is,
it sheds its outor coat when that has
become uncomfortably close-fitting, in
the samo manner as the common crab
of our coast. At theso times members
lost from tho body by accidents aro
partially replaced; if a leg is lost tho
first moult produces a perfectly formed
but short leg, subsequent moults in
creasing tho sizo of tho leg.
'While tho mygalo is a dread to most
forms of insect life, there is one of
which It in turn stands . in mortal ter
ror. Abundant in tho samo region!) is
a largo wasp, with bluish-green body
nnd golden-red wings. Tho body is
about two inches long, tho spread of
wings nearly an inch greater. Those
wasps (pepsis formosa) fly uneasily
about in search of food for themselves
until thoy discovor a 'tarantula,' when
a moro definito course of action is as
sumed. Tho flight of tho wasp is now
jn circles around its prey, gradually
approaching it, tho mygalo, meanwhilo
in terror, showing fight, standing soini
crect on tho two hinder pair of legs. A
favorablo opportunity presenting, tho
wasp stings tho spider and ronows tho
circlo flight, repeating tho sting until
tho spider becomes completely para
lyzed. When tho wasp is assured of tho
helplessness of tho spider it seizes him
and drags him to a previously prepared
nest. Tho eggs of tho wasp are then
deposited and tho spider covered up.
Tho eggs soon hatch, tho spider is
gradual y eaten, and a now wasp ap
pears to repeat tho actions of its parent.
"By tho sting of tho wasp tho spider
is not killed, simply paralyzed, so that
during tho tiino it is being fed upon it
retains vitality, furnishing living food
to the newly-hatched larva?, which, by
a curious instinct, feed first on those
parts of tho spider not essential to tho
maintaining of tho littlo vitality re
maining. "Our common mud-wasp, chlaybion,
has similar habits. Its nests, mado of
elastic mud, are familiar to most peo
ple, as thoy are found abundantly in
sheltered places about barns and other
outhouses. Theso, when oponed, will
bo found filled with spiders, in tho help
less condition already mentioned,
among them a larva) and sotno purtly
enten spidors." Philadelphia Ledger.
Age of Laying Hens.
It is wrong to thin out tho old hens
.and depend on young pullets ovory
year, as thoro is a temptation to breed
from tho pullets boforo thoy aro fully
matured, thereby weakening tho stock
if persisted in. When a hen is laying
well sho can bo dopended upon for an
other season's service. Thoro is no
necessity for disposing of her only to fill
hor placo with a younger bird. It is a
mistake to suppose that a hen Is in
ferior after she is two or three years of
ago. She will lay until seven or eight
years old, and it will bo timo to soil hor
only when sho shows signs of failing.
Thoro is a loss of time raising tho
pullets to fill tho places of tho hens.
It requires about ton months boforo tho
pullets of tho largo breeds will como in,
from tho timo thoy aro hutched, but tho
hon only loso3 threo months, which is
at tho period of moulting, and if a cer
tain dato is used for a starting point,
with a record kept of all tho eggs layed,
for two years, it will bo found that tho
hen will lay moro than tho pullet. Tho
hon produces stronger chicks than tho
pullet, which is a very important point
when broilers for market aro an object,
and hor eggs aro heavier and moro uni
form in size. A hen is not old at four
years of ago. Farm and Fireside.
A gentleman in Brussels hns shown
unusual onthusinsm for tho gamo of
whist In tho courso of a gamo his
partner trumped tho trick which ho
hnd already won by deop calculation
and sk 11. Instead of swearing, as a
gentleman would ordinarily have dono
in Buch circumstances a fow times, ho
gnvo liis unlucky partner twonty
stabs in tho ribs with a long lcnlfo and
left him dead.
A canary belonging to a family of
Midland Park, N. J., becomes greatly
excited when tho six-year-old 8' incomes
into tho room, and boats itself against
tho cago until released, when it flies on
top of his head, jumps upon his flngor,
singing lustily, und thon, for a rest
settlos upon Ills shouldor. After its
frolic, nnd a pioco of applo or celery
leaf from its littlo benefactor, it good
tiack to itii cage
THE BLOODHOUND.
Sensations of n (.entlcinnn Who Win Ctt-p
tureil by One of Them.
As a rulo tho bloodhound is most do
cile nnd wlnningly affectionate. He can
bo trusted with children; so much so
that a boy may safely do duty as "the
hunted man" when tho hound is being
trained in hill or forest Tho animal is
noverthek; suspicious of tho motions
of strangers; ho therefore makes a most
cfllc.ent guard either to person or prop
erty; and his deep, ringing bell-like
voice, heard at night in his own
grounds, would bo sufficient to keep at
bay tho boldest burglar that over went
on prowl. Hut instances of bloodhounds
who. if not uitunllv savage, will, to use
a trainers words, "stand no nonsense,"
aro by no means rare. I had the pleas
uro of being hunted once by ono of
these. It was in a country where there
were plenty of hills and rocks and run
ning streams, but nothing worth the
namo of a tree. Wo were training a
pup, nnd as ho win already well up In
his work I had got quito a long start.
and had done my very best to puzzle
him by wading through wator, etc
When I had reached a cozv nook in a
far-oir glen, I sat down to rest on a
stone; but a whole hour passed, and still
no appearance of my friend and his
pupil was put in. I was thinking 1 had
got well away for once, when I was
startled by tho baying of a bloodhound.
and next moment found myself a pris
oner mado so, not by tho puppy, but
by tho pupil's father. Tho dog.
afterward discovered, had escaped
from the stable and como to tho hunt
on his own account, and hero ho was.
I confess I felt a little uneasy. 1 know
tho dog well enough, but just at the
presont moment ho did not consider it
convenient to know me. 1 felt that I
wished to convince him that it was nil
fun, that wo had only been playing at
man-hunting. Unfortunately for my
peaco of mind, tho bloodhound would
not tako that view of tho matter. It
was no good holding out a hand and
saying: "Poor fellow, Draco! Good
dog, come along, then." This only
mado him back astern and bnv tho
more. Worse than all, a movemont on
my part as if to get up resulted in a
threatening oxposuro of somo teeth
Draco evidently wished mo to under
stand distinctly that I was tho prisoner
and ho tho detectivo; I tho captive, ho
tho captor. That was tho position in
all Its simplicity; and as it was more
over pretty certain tho bloodhound
meant to do his duty, 1 had to do mine
and sit there till my friend arrived with
tho pup. Hut tho timo had scorned
very long. Thoro is a scrutinizing
calmness and dignity about tho eyo of a
woll-bred bloodhound that is quito a
study in itself. If you aro a perfect
strangor to tho animal, it is evident ho
is regarding you not with hatred by
any means, nor with affection, but with
thoughtftilnoss mingled with a littlo
suspicion of your intentions, just as a
human being would study an apo if ono
camo hopping up to tho hall door.
Gordon Sttibels, in Chambers' Journal.
HINTS ON ADVERTISING,
Tho Importance, of Having Announce
ments Written l,'p 111 tiootl Stylo.
Tho preparation of tho copy for an
advertisement is a matter of import
ance, and a subject for study. Tho timo
now is when tho bare, tamo nnd stereo
typed advertisement is considered by
tho wide-awako advertiser as of littlo
roal value. Chestnuts aro as littlo ap
preciated by tho reador as by tho ad
vertiser. Tho advertisement of to-day
must bo unique It must not only at
tract nttontion, but it must also inter
est, so as to hold the attention until it
is carefully read. In a word it must bo
nowsy, or vory novol. Tho averago
country merchant can not writo such an
advertisement Nono aro bettor aware
of this fact than himself, and ho hatos
to attempt tho task.
Tho newspaper man who has tact seos
this point and very ofton secures a gen
erous order and perhaps a long-tlmo
customer by preparing in ndvanco a
well-written advertisement, and ono
ndaplod to tho whims or hobby of tho
merchant. Tho ordor secured and the
advertisement running regularly, it is
well, according to my oxperionco, not
to forget the now patron, but on tho
contrary, cultivate his acquaintance;
hold up tho points of display or posi
tion, and seo to it Hint tho advertise
ment is kopt fresh and seasonable. This
plan followed up, ton to ono tho pub
lisher has secured a permanent cus
tomer. As an oxamplo of tho importanco of
a properly written advertlsoment, it
hns como to my knowledgo that a Bos
ton man has lately surrendered a lucra
tive position In ordor to muko a busi
ness of writing advertisements. His
terms aro moderate onlyflOan hour
and his timo is so fully engaged that he
can not fill his orders. Many largo
firms understand this matter so woll
that thoy aro satisfied to pay salaries of
from 5,000 to $8,000 a year to exports
who do this work exclusively. The
gentleman referred to goes so far as to
say that tho vnluo of tho medium in
which an advertisement is to appear is
of secondary importunco; it is tho man
ner in which an advertisement is writ
ten and worded which governs its valuo
or worthlessuess. Nutlonul Editorial
Journalist
A Kansan living at Pawnco Rock
had sold part of . is household goods
and machinery and taking tho balance
in his wagon with his family, started
for Western Illinois. Ho got as far as
Great Bend and camped for tho night
About dark it began to rain and the
water fell in torrents all night Karly
next morning tho grnngor harnessed his
team, turned them west, and by night
wns at home, ready to begin bowing
wheat the next morning.
AFRAID OF EARTHQUAKES.
lion- Domestic Animals Art When Terra
l'lrinn Iteclns to Tremble.
Vory fortunately for mankind tho
regions of the earth usually visited by
earthquakes aro sparsely populated,
and when one of the shocks does visit
n dense-populated region, tho damage
is comparatively slight. This Is very
fortunate, since there Is nothing moro
terrifying than an earthquake We aro
used to considering tho earth as solidity
personified, and when the earth trem
bles, all hope seems gone. It Is said
that residents of earthquake regions
nover gut used to tho shocks; each
visitation is just as terrifying as the ono
that has gono before.
This is equal y truo in roferenco to
dogs, horses, cattle and othor domestic
animals, which soon get Mt-cd to tho
most violent thunder-storms.
Fish also aro frequently afTccted. In
tho London earthquake of 1 7-19. roach
and other fish in a canal showed evi
dent signs of confusion and fright, and
sometimes, after tin earthquake, fish
riso to the surface dead nnd dying.
During the Tokio earthquake of 1SS0,
cats inside a house ran about trying to
escape, foxes barked, and horses tried
to kick down tho boards confining them
to their stables. The same phenomena
were exhibited during tho Charleston
earthquake in 1 S8(.
Moro interesting than theso aro tho
observations showing that animals are
agitated just boforo an earthquake.
Ponies have been known to prance
about their stalls, pheasants to scream,
nnd frogs to cense croaking suddenly a
littlo time before tho shock, as if aware
of its coming. Tho Japanese say that
moles show their agitation by burrow
ing. Geese, pigs and dogs appear moro
sensitive in this respect than other
animals.
Many birds are said to show their
uneasiness before an earthquake by
hiding their heads under thoir wings
and behaving in an unusual manner.
At. tho timo of tho Calabrian shock
littlo fish like sand-eels (Cirrieelli),
which aro usually buried in tho sand,
camo to tho top and wore caught in
multitudes.
In South America, cortain quadrupeds
such as dogs, cats and jerboas, aro be
lioved by tho peoplo to givo warning of
coming danger by their restlessness;
sometimes Immenso flocks of sea-birds
11 y inland before an earthquake, as if
alarmed by the commencement of somo
sub-oceanic disturbance.
Before the shock of 1835, In Chill, nil
tho dogs aro said to have escaped from
tho city of Talcahuana.
Tho explanation offered by seismol
ogists of this apparont prescionco is
that somo animals aro sensitive to tho
small tremors which aro generally only
known to man through tho records of
tho seismograph. Tho alarm of intelli
gent animals would then bo tho result of
their own experience, which has taught
them that small earth tremors aro
premonitory of movements moro alarm
ing. ooiaon uays.
THE EGG IN PARIS.
Thoro llt-n.rriilt Never .Seems to I.oso Its
l'liiuurhil Value.
Tho Paris egg is tho greatest of all
mysteries, not so much for its sacred
qualities as among tho ancients, or for
tho strango germ of life that exists
within it which has considerably wor
ried modern scientists. It is still sacred,
but to tho dealers only, and tho lifo
principle which it contains sometimes,
indeed, disturbs, in anon-sciontillc way,
tho digestion of tho purchaser. To tho
American an egg is either fresh or It is
nothing that is, it is nothing but an
abomination. As an cdiblo it is of such
extreme delicacy that it does not know
and can not know degrees of excellence.
When it is not tho very virgin of fresh
ness it is fit for nothing but to bo thrown
at an unpopular orator or to bo as
signed to tho tender enroof that symbol
of maternal patience, tho sitting hen.
It is not so in Paris. Thoro tho the
ory is quito different. Tho Paris egg
loses Its freshness, tho lino of domarkn
tion botweon tho yolk and tho whito bo-
comes confused, thoro is an active gen
eration of sulphureted hydrogen If it is
kept in a warm place or tho gorm of
lifo slowly but surely morges into tho
flesh, bones and down of tho incipient
fowl. Still it does not loso its financial
value. Tho best eggs, and they tiro
usually good, aro sold for boiling ut
threo or four sous npleco. This is tho
standard. Thon comes tho second qual
ity, which decomposition has just com
menced, but it is imperceptible oxcopt
to fastidious persons, who object on
principle to chemicul changes in thoir
food. As to other grades and qualities
which tho customer sees distributed in
various places about tho shop their
price is not fixed. N. Y. Graphic
Population of German Cities.
According to tho latest statistical
data, tho population of tho largest cities
of tho German Empiro Is as follows;
Berlin, 1,415,000; Hamburg. 499,000;
Brcslau, 813,000; Munich, 278,000;
Dresden. 259,000; Loipsic, 181,000;
Magdoburg (with suburbs), 171,000;
Cologne, 170,000; Frnnkfort-on-tho-
Main, 1G4.000; Konlgsborg, 150,000,
Hnnover, 140,000; Dusscldorf, 125,000;
Nurnbcrg, 123,000; Bremen, 121,000;
Chemnitz, 119,000; Dantzic, 118,000;
Stuttgart, 118,000; Strasburg, 110,000;
Elberfold. liS.OOO; Altona, 112,000;
Barmen. 107,000; Stottln, 104,000; Alx-
la-Chapollo, 101,000. There aro thus
23 citioi having a population of over
100,000. In 1807 thoro were but so von
above that figure in tho territory now
included in tho Gorman Empiro, viz.:
Berlin, with a population of 702,000;
Hamburg. 225,000; Brcslau, 174,000;
Munich, 171,000; Drotdon, 150,000; Co
logne, 125,000; Konlgsborg, 100,000.
M. y. l'obt
COSTUME DESIGNING.
Some of the Thing to Ite Considered In the
Art of Adaptation.
Those who know nothing of tho
mounting ot an historical drama would
probably suppose that for Us successful
accomplishment nothing Is required but
moro attentive plodding nnd porsovor
nneo: that tho requisite authorities hav
ing boon unearthed all serious difficulty
is surmounted. As a matter of fact it
is only tit this point that tho threshold
of troublo is crossed. A wary experi
ence as woll as a cultivated tasto havo
to bo brought Into play to steer snfoly
between two rocks, tho obviously In
correct and tho fantastically truo. Tho
Intentions of tho actor must not bo ham
pered. A seal must not sugrost absurd
discomfort; a dress must not impede tho
motions of a player. But neither need
a costume bo too much modified to moot
tho natural awkwardness or stupidity
of tho wearer. If an actor complains
to mo (no uncommon circumstance)
that "he could not play in that," I al
ways answer "try," and only consentto
further niotPllcutions when convinced
in that particular garment ho would
jeopardize tho general success.
Tho costume of every period gnvo birth
to peculiar deportment, required a
special code of manners. A noble ac
customed to tho trailing skirts and don
tilated sb eves of Henry V. would bo
out of his element in tho padded
breeches of King James. An actor has
to learn how to wear his costume with
propriety. 1 remember once, when I
hud the honor of mounting "Masks)
and Knees" for tho Bancrofts at tho
Hayniarket, the young men vowed ven
geance against me, declaring that 1
was making them look ridiculous. Their
skirts plaited in many folds, woro wired
as well as buckramed, and their swords
were stuck diagonally through thorn;
ergo it was impossible to sit I argued
that tho coats looked moro natural than
any George coats that 1 had over seen,
that thoy were wired thus in tho days
of Peg Wofllngton, and that It was
highly probable that oven tho most ar
dent of her admirers was not always on
his knees. Tho way of sitting must
therefore havo boon other than that
practiced in our era of Norfolk jackets,
and it behoved us, by applying our
minds to tho piJJiblom, to ovolvo tho
necessary action. A very littlo prac
tice brought out tho secret, and though
wired to my heart's content, the young
men were made perfectly comfortable.
Greok or Roman costume is a night
mare to many players, and yet what con
spicuous examples of gvaco In tho wear
ing in tho classic robes aro Miss Ander
son nnd Mr. Wilson BaiTott Thoir dra
peries hang about their limbs in natural
undulations, as if thoy had novor heard
of dress improvers or frock coats; and
yot it must not bo supposed that thoy
acquired tho knack without long and
enroful practice. I novor realized
Miss Anderson's skill in this niattor
until I strove to attiro anothor lady In
a costumo similar to hers. The over
drapery, winding around hor feot,
nearly brought her down upon hornoso;
It was always in her way, twisted into
ungainly angles, and arrived at last un
der her arm like a packet of crumpled
linon. Although this lady was not ex
ceptionally awkward, I wns obliged in
her enso to rovort to tho old-fashioned
hideous bedgown, which is any thing
but statuesque. Magazine of Art
Amusing Indian Fables.
Tho Indians of North Amorica had a
largo stock of stories resombling tho
fables of iKsop. Thoy aro stories of
animals, and many of thorn aro In form
as if first told by animals, not unllko
that of tho Georgia negro storios pop
ularized by Undo Remus. Mr. Gordon
reports tho following from Now Bruns
wick: Tho clumsy butt of nil tho othor ani
mals was always Muweon, tho bear,
and tho cloverest woro tho panther,
Shoks, and tho flshor-marton, Pokquan,
but these had not tho samo rank with
tho tortoise, who, to my surprise, was
considered tho great lord and chlof
among tho beasts, although his awk
wardness and helplessness led him into
many and unpleasant and ludicrous po
sitions. Thoro wns ono vory comical story of
his going out hunting, drawn on a sled
or tobbogan by two mooso. Of courso
ho met with many misadventure?. Tho
boughs swept him oil his sled without
Its boing perceived by his steeds; ho got
entangled in creepers, and finally his
team becamo so tired of thoir load that
thoy mado a hole for him in tho ico,
und left him thoro. But, by dint of
subtlety, ho shot tho mooso of which
thoy woro in search, whilst his compan
ions returned empty-handed. On an
other occuslon ho foil into tho hands of
enemies, und escuped from thorn only
by a series of clover stratagems.
Youth's Companion.
1 1 m w ii i ii i.
The Archaeological Troasure.
During somo oxcavatlons for an en
larged heating apparatus at tho Abbey
Church, Shorborno, England, a leaden
coffin was found about ten feet beneath
tho level of tho floor of tho navo, and
near tho west door. It was placed with
tho feet to tho cast It wus opened und
was found to contain tho romuins, ap
parently, of a young girl, tho outlino
of whoso fcuturos was singularly clear,
although entirely blackened by time.
It was tho opinion of n medical man
present that tho deposit was a thou
sand years old. Within tho louden
coffin was a wooden shell, much de
cayed, and tho remains themselves pre
sented tho appearance of charred pa
per. J. Post.
Tho damage dono to summor resorts
along the Atlantlo ouch winter is cutl
muted at 12,000,000.
DR. HOLMES' WEAKNESS.
The Autocrat' Vanity anil lneillcablf
Love of Notoriety.
Tho popular supposition Is that Bos
ton worships Dr. Oliver Wondell
Holmes with a passion that is little
short of idolatrj. This notion, how
ever, is a slight exaggeration of tho
fact Thoro is a considerable element
hero which Is not at all prepossossod
In his favor. Representing this el -mont
are vory many intelligent peoplo,
who think that tho witty poet Is alto
gether overrated. His digestion is all
gone, they say, and now ho Is reduced
to tho necessity of living upon his repu
tation. This sounds very much like potty
jealousy. Nevertheless It Is undonln
blo that tho doctor's vanity Is tho weak
point. There is nothing ho enjoys so
much as being advertised, although a
person who has justly earned so varied
a celebrity might woll dispense, one
would think, with vulgar notoriety.
Not long ago a newspaper man asked
Mr. James Russell Lowell for some
materials wherewith to construct a
sketch of the then British Minister's
lifo and career. Mr. Lowell politely
declined.
This happened, by tho way, just be
fore Mr. Lowell's celebrated interview
with Julian Hawthorne. Tho facts in
tho latter case no fellow will over bo
able to accurately find out. Hero In
Boston It was thought, and is still bo
lieved, that the Interview In question
was pretty correctly reported. At the
samo time, it is not for a moment to bo
imagined that tho ox-Minister to Great
Britain made all those scandalous re
marks about tho fat Prince of Wales,
and so forth, with any idea that thoy
woro to bo published. Tho most dis
creet of gentlemen, over his after-din
ner port, Is apt to relax his habitual
caution In speech, but ovory body has
always said that Julian Hawthorne
was a goose. He is forever doing
something obsurd, and this was only
an instance in point.
To return, however, to tho Autocrat
of tho Breakfast Table.
About four years ago tho Critic, In
Now York, devoted an entire weekly
number ot contributions, advertised
for In advance, eulogizing Dr. Holmes.
It was called tho "Holmes Number,"
and contained nothing but letters in
proso and pootry from all parts of tho
country, with a few editorials in liko
strain. Now Dr. Holmes is an un
doubted genius. Of all hor citizens
Boston takes most prido in hint. Ho
stands unquestioned in tho first rank
among tho literary men of tho ago.
And yot ho could swallow all this cloy
ing tlattory at ono gratified gulp, and
writo an appreciative letter In reply.
It would havo made any body olso sick.
Boston Letter.
NEW DYNAMITE GUN.
An Invention Which Works Upon u Well
Known I'rlnolple.
A gun without a barrel, which is to
bo fired without powdor or othor ex
plosive, and whoso discharge is com
paratively noiseless, is tho curious in
vention of Walter E. Hicks, of Brook
lyn. Tho principal that this gun in
volves is tho samo as that which
hurled tho stono which killed Gollah.
Tho gun consists of two solid steel
whcols placed concentrically Hldo by
sldo, and mudo to rovolvo by moans of
a Westlnghouso engine. In tho olrcum
foronco of each wheel aro placed two
projoctllos at equal distances from
o'icli othor. On olthor sldo of this
double wheel is a quadrant, which is
so arranged that tho gunners may
by means of It glvo tho desired di
rection to tho missiles. Whon all is
ready ho pulls tho lanyard,
and two shots on opposite sides
of tho disk aro discharged simultane
ously. Thon, If deslrod, tho lanyard
on tho opposite sldo may bo pulled and
tho other two shots roloased. It is im
possible to flro a slnglo shot at a timo.
Either two or four shots must bo dis
charged at onco. Tho shots may bo
fired vertically, straight toward tho
ground, or in any intermediate direc
tion. Tho apparatus is designed to bo
placed upon a turntable, so that mis
siles may bo projected in any direction.
Tho especially Ingonlous part of tho
invention is tho contrlvanco to release
tho mlssllo at oxactly tho propor timo.
Thus, if it is to bo projoctod horizon
tally, it must bo released at tho oxact
fraction whon tho part of tho viieol
whoro it is confined is uppmost. At
that instant it may bo considered as
moving horizontally, and whon it is
released It will not chango its direc
tion, but will fly forward in a tangent
to tho top of tho wheel.
Mr. Hicks calculates that a gun with
whcols ten feet in diamotor, revolving
4,000 times per mlnuto will throw a
projcctllo with an initial velocity suffi
cient to send 2,000 pounds flvo miles.
If tho whcols could bo rovolvcd in
practico 4,000 times a mlnuto tho mis
sile would in fact start at the rate of
2,000 foot por second. Tho velocity
Imparted to round shot by charges of
powdor vary from 1,400 to 1,750 feot
por second.
Tho projoctllos to bo used for a ma
chine of the sizo described are to vary
in woight from 10 to 300 pounds.
Thoy aro to bo dynamlto cartridges
and must bo designed especially for
tho machine It Is said thoro will bo
no shock ut tho moment of dischargo
and that, therefore, dynamlto may bo
fired with safety.
It is assorted that tho Hiclcii centri
fugal dynamlto gun, us tho now inven
tion 1b termed, will throw four shots in
flvo minutes. It is Mr, Hicks1 inten
tion, uftor a littlo more preliminary
work, to exhibit his model boforo tho
Ordinance Board of tho National Gov
ernment N. Y. Cor. St Louis Republic
THE CHINESE GULitJ.
j AVml Vnrlety of Deities for Uvery Conrtl-
UOIl Ol I. III..
The Buddhist deities nro almost with
out number, and tho mnnufacluro of
Idols is ono of tho most stirring Indus
tries of tho Chinese Empiro. writes tho
author of "Tho Dragon, tho Images and
the Demon." Tho gods aro malo and.
female, from tho thousand - handed
Kwanyin on down or up, according aa
you reckon in Chlneso mythology.
Thoro Is a god of theaters, a god of
sheep, anothor of snakes, Thoro aro
gods of scorpions and of locusts, of
gold and silver, of ten, salt, snow,
strength, happiness, tho list oven in
cluding Wang Papa, tho chlof of police
in hades, whoso statue is made a sort of
bulletin board for articles lost or stolon.
There tiro gods of travel, of archery
nnd of cursing, of bridges, of lamps nnd
of teapots. There nro seventy-two
master gods, who tiro heads of celestial
boards of deities, in whoso hands aro
committed every tiling that men can,
possibly use or think of.
The 300 trades, which, according to
the Chinese, complete tho number, aro
each provided with a god. Thoro aro
gods of carpenters, of masons, of fish
ermen, of harbors, of tailors, of jug
glers, and even a god of paper cloth
ing. There aro tho monkey god nnd
tho fish god; there aregodsof parasites,
eack kind having its own deity; there Is
a god of tho Punch and Judy show, a
god of cruelty, a god of firecrackers
and a god of rover.go. Shorter and
Blower, tho English translation of Hen
and Hti, gods of storms nnd rains, aro
wtuilko deities, and their statues arc
frequently seen on the frontier. Tho
thunder has two gods, Mr. nnd Mrs.
Thunder, while every pestilence, ovory
kind of disease, has Its own god. Tho
gods of tide were onco enemies, but
nro now reconciled, ono bringing in, tho
othor taking out tho tide.
Tho rivers all havo gods each having
his individual characteristics, tho dolty
of tho Yellow river being particularly
fond of theatricals, which aro always
provided in his honor at his annual
feast Every treo has its god, and
whon a tree Is to bo cut down notico is
sent to all tho neighbors to remain in
doors lest tho trco god, finding himself
deprived of his roosting placo, should,
tako summary vengeance on any un
fortunate mortal who strayed out of
doors from tho protection of his own
household deities. Thoro aro gods of
tho body: Tho god of tho hair 13 called
Chwang wa; god of tho brain, TBlng
Kon; god of tho oyo, Ming Chang; god
of tho noso, Yu Lung; god of tho oar,
K'ung Yen; god of tho tongue, '.Tung
Ming; god of tho teeth, Mull Fung; god
of tho heart, Tan Yuen; god of tho
lungs, Kno Wa; god of the liver. Lung
Ylen; god of tho kidneys, Yuen Ming?
god of tho spleen, Chnng Tsal; god of
the gall, Lung Yuo; god of tho dia
phragm, Tao Kung; god of tho napo of
tho neck, Shang Klen; god of tho neck,
Yu Nu Kuln; god of tho throat, Pah
Lion Kung; god of tho back, Nu Chah;
god of tho breast, Hu Pen; god of tho
ribs, Pill Kya Ma; god of tho stomach,
Tung Lien Yoh; god of tho bowels,
Chao Ton Kung; god of tho hand, Won
Yin; god of tho foot, Chuon Lion Llh;
god of tho skin, Tung Chung.
In short, thoro nro gods for ovory
thing: gods painted on tho walls, at
tho corners, at cross roads, for tho ono
anxiety of tho Chinese lifo is to scaro
tho devil and only by tho Intercession
of tho gods can this vory deslrublo of
fect bo produced; so whon u Chinese
funeral starts from tho houso to tho
comotory it novor goes in a straight
lino, but up tho Btrcot to tho corner,
whoro stands tho statuo of somo dolty,
then suddenly to tho loft or right, whilo
tho demon, appalled at tho sight of tha
god's Imago, waits a momont und thus
tho funeral gots tho stnrt of him.
Every deity, howovor, of tho Chlnoao
mythology it Is satisfactory to know -bus
definito work to attend to, nnd gives
it tho closest posslblo nttontion, no ono
ovor Intruding Into tho provlnco of an
othor, so that, on tho wholo, tho Chl
neso consider their mythology vory
economical, for each and ovory person.
In any lino of trado or occupation wor
ships hcavon und earth In gonoral, and.
his only dolty in particular, thus claim
ing exemption from devotion to tho rest
of tho pantheon. Boston Herald.
Water-Proofing Woolen Goods.
What is assarted to bo an ofToctiva
procoss for water-proofing woolon
goods has como into uso among Gor
man manufacturers, tho cloth in this
cuso gaining considerably in weight,
and, though perfectly water-proof, Im
pedes nolthor air nor porsplrntion. A.
solution Is mado of ono hundred parts
of alum and tho same of gluo, live parte
of tannin, nnd two parts of soluble
glass, by dissolving alum In u modor
uto quantity of boiling wntor. Tho glue
Is stooped in cold wator until it has ab
sorbed twico its weight of wator, and is
thon dissolved by heat; tho tannin and.
solublo glass aro woll-stirrcd Into tha
solution of gluo, to which the alum
solution is then added, und tho whole
stirred und allowed to cool. Ono kilo
of tho gelatinous mass is boiled for
threo hours in fifteen litres of water,,
fresh water being continually udded to
compoiiBulo for evaporation. Tho bath
is now permitted to cool to olght deg.
Cent, and in this tho material to be
rendered wntor-proof is kept for half
an hour, then withdrawn, und the
moisture allowed to drip from it tec
eovoral hours. Finally tho cloth la.
stretched on a frame, and dried at a.
temperature of fifty dogrces, then cal
endered. N. Y. Sun.
It hns been found in Norway that'
bankB of Bnow will fltop cannon batttv
which penotrnto only a littlo way wIwhc
tho enow is properly prepared