MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 354, 5 February 1869, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

lii order to counteract the inconvenience of ' high bools which the French Empress wears : at Biarritz, Her Majesty uses a walkingI stick, which has consequently become a ’ fashionable appendage for line ladies. Father a good story is related in connexion with the Black Horse Company, at Eger ton.- The other day a stockrider in the employ of a western squatter, overhear 1 a conversation passing between two persons in an hotel near the. scene of his I employment, the main topic conversed upon being the value of Black Horse Scrip. I Lnfortunately for the eavesdropper, the | strangers dropped the word scrip, and simply spoke of black horses. The price was stated to he LSO a piece, and this so tickled tiie cupidity of the stockrider that ho went home pondering over what a wonderful place Ballarat must ho. The next morning ho collecte I from the run three black horses which belonged to him, and having obtained permission to he absent for a few days, drove them into Ballarat. It is almost needless to add that when there he was soon enlightened by the horse salesman with whom he opened up business communications as to the difference between black horses and Black Horse scrip— “ Australasian.” ■ For catching rats in a cheap and effective manner we recommend the following,— “ Cover a common barrel with stiff, stout paper, tying the edge around the barrel; place a board so that the rats may have easy access to the top ; sprinkle cheeseparings or other feed for the rats on the paper for several days, until they begin to believe that they have a right to their daily rations from this source. Then place in the bottom of ilio barrel a piece of rock, about six or seven inches high, filling with water until only enough of it projects above th • water for one rat to lodge upon. Now replace the paper, first cutting a cross in the mid lie, an 1 the first rat that comes on the barrel top, goes through into the water and climbs on the rock. The paper comes back to its place, and the second rat follows the first. Then begins a figbt for the possession of the dry place on the stone, the noise of which attracts the rest, who share the same fate.”—“ Scientific Farmer.