Fred Fearnot's Revenge, or Defeating a Congressman
CURRENT NEWS
The Spanish government, at the request of several scientific and literary associations, has invited the governments of the different Spanish-American countries to establish in their public libraries a special hall in honor of Cervantes. For that purpose Spain will contribute reproductions of all editions of "Don Quixote" printed up to the present time.
A ride that savored of Paul Revere heroism was made by Mrs. Sarah McGill, who rode horseback from Verona fifty miles to the home of her sister, Mrs. Frank Niel, Sr., ill of pleurisy, in Forest Grove, Ore. Notified of her sister's serious condition, Mrs. McGill saddled her best steed and started through the rain. She made the trip in eight hours. Mrs. McGill is forty-eight years old.
What will probably prove to be the largest single insurance transaction in history is about to be put through by a Canadian concern. The policy to be written is for upward of $100,000,000. The property being insured is valued at between $112,000,000 and $115,000,000 and belongs to the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. Five big insurance syndicates, among them the largest company in the British Empire, are interested in the deal. Sir Thomas Shaughnessy, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway, confirmed the news of the deal.
Roselle, the red dorrel of the West Indies, which was introduced a few years ago ito the Southern States, is a plant, the flowers of which have fleshy calyces from which a sauce that looks like cranberry sauce, as well as syrup, jelly and preserves are made. In the Philippine islands a canning factory has just begun making roselle sauce. It was thought until very recently that the calyces were the only edible part of the plant, bu the United States Department of Agriculture annouces that also the leaves and young stems yield palatable products.
Although almost eight months have passed since the body of John Pierpont Morgan was buried on the summit of Cedar Hill Cemetery, the grave is now, as it has been from the day of burial, closely guarded, particularly at night. During the day no specially assigned watchman is kept there, but at sunset an armed guard goes on duty until sunrise. The body of Mr. Morgan was buried April 14, in a concrete lined grave with a huge slab of stone covering it. A cemetery official said recently that the Morgan family is paying for the guard and it will be continued as long as the family desires.
The residents of the county living in the lower valley of Hood River, Ore., are surprised at the numerous wild animals that are killed there. A week never passes at this time of the year that some rancher does not get a bear. These are the boldest of all the big game animals that have been driven into the foothills by the orchardists. Recently a big bear was killed in the Central Vale district. Traps have been set for the animals, but the hunters have caught their own dogs, while bruin went free, marauding on their honey. Many of the orchardists now have bees, and the bears are attracted from the hills to secure the sweets, for which they will run almost any risk.
A Colombia anteater, said to be one of the finest specimens ever brought north, arrived in New York on the Metapan in the care of J. J. Schmitt, who caught it near the Magdalena River. Schmitt, who has had a large experience in capturing wild animals, said the presence of this particular anteater had been made known to him by natives at Barranquilla. He had no particular interest in the animal, he said, but, knowing that such a specimen was wanted at the Zoological Gardens in the Bronx, he made a two-day trip into the jungle and captured it. The animal man said his catch had been unusually good. He brought with him 175 parrots, 35 monkeys and two splendid boa constrictors, one ten and the other twelve feet in length.
The hull of an old timbered ship, uncovered near Woolwich, England, convinces antiquaries that the discovery is nothing less than the remains of the famous sixteenth century British warship, the Great Harry. Seymour Lucas, the historical painter, says that two wheels of a gun carriage of the reign of Henry VIII or early in the reign of Elizabeth, together with stone cannon balls and pieces of Elizabethan pottery, all taken from the hull, prove the accuracy of the statement, and adds that there was a dock built in 1512 at Woolwich, where the Great Harry was probably lying when destroyed. No ship is now in existence earlier than Nelson's flagship, the Victory, recalling to Englishmen Britannia's early navy, and very probable steps will be taken to preserve this valuable relic.
The Loas, of Siam, eat earth, and enjoy it, just as the German drinks beer, the Frenchman wine, and the Englishman his ale. No one knows exactly where they contracted the habit. Perhaps during some time of great famine when there was nothing to devour. At any rate, the habit is strong, and rich and poor alike indulge. They prefer it when it is procured near water, so that it has the taste of fish. It is prepared into a pasty substance and smothered in the ground in a hot fire. It is sold in the markets and stores, and is served at dinners and big functions of all kinds. Children, women and men eat it together. Of course, it is dreadfully hard on the digestion, and in time produces intense pain, and death follows. But, like the opium eater, the dirt eater will beg for his food even at death's door. In some parts of the Kongo the dirt is sold in the shape of apples and oranges, and all kinds are given out-yellow dirt, brown dirt, gray earth and pinkish varieties, too, which is considered a great luxury, indeed.
