UNKNOWN

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3511, 18 April 1905, Page 4

UNKNOWN

THE EAGLE A 3 AM EMBLEM. The Bird of Jove Be.. i> ; ” '-onto Symbol of I’OWI I:: Amin ancient mythology la.; eagle was believed to carry tho sou!;. A Me dying to ithoir abodu on Mount Olympus and was Called tho bird of Jove. Tho eagle was first taken as a symbol of royal power by the ancient Etruscans, who boro its image Upon their standards. In tho • year 87 B. Q r a silver with expanded wings, poised oh tho top of a spear, with a thunderbolt held in its claws, was adopted ns the military standard to bo borne at tho bead of thoir legions by tho Homans. At the time of Hadrian a golden eagle was substituted for tho silver one. A two headed caglo was adopted by tho Byzantine emperors as a symbol of their control ,! of both tho east and tho west. i ! ; Tho double headed caglo of Russia was adopted on tho marriage of Ivan I with a I Grecian princess of tho eastern empire. That of Austria was first used when the emperor of Germany took tho title of the Roman emperor. Tho national standard |Of Prussia bears a black eagle; that.of Poij land a white one. Napoleon 1 took a golden eaglo for his standard, modeled of pure gold and bearing a thunderbolt, after the f .pattern of tho eagle of tho Romans, Tills standard was disused under the Bourbons, i but was restored by a decree of Louis Na- ; poleon in 1853. Thonio states that tho , eaglo was first used on American coins in 1788, on cents and half cents issued from ? the Massachusetts mint. It was adopted In tho plan of a national coinage as a design upon all gold coins and on the silver dollar, half dollar and quarter dollar. Tho design of an eagle was at ono time suggested for tho national Hag. Modern Whaling Weapon. Tho whaling steamers of a well known : Norwegian whale lisheraro short, about GO I: feet in length, hut comparatively broad. They are propelled by screws, attain a Bppcd of from eight to nine knots an hour end turn with great rapidity. In tho stem stands tho gun for throwing i tho harpoon. This gun is in reality only a long iron tube, resting on a fixed platform. In this tube the harpoon is inserted after loading with powder. The harpoon is ■ about 4 feet in length. Tho end of it I, which touches fho charge consists of a solid iron cylinder, filling exactly in tho f ’-e. Then comes a portion, 8 feet long, consisting of two flat ribs of iron, with en opening in tho middle like the eye of a needle. In this eye runs a movable

A HARPOON GUN. ■ Iron ring, to which tho rope of tho harpoon is attached. At tho top of tho eye aro fixed four projecting hooks, tied down with a String. When tho harpoon enters tho ribs of tho whale, these hooks spring into position by tho tightening of tho and harpoon thus becomes imbedded in tho animal. Tho further contrivances of this remarkable weapon aro that at tho point Where tho hooks aro fixed tho two iron ribs run into a small, hollow Iron rod, and in this a glass tube with nitroglycerin is inserted, and as tho hooks spring into position, tliis tube is smashed and tho grenade in tho harpoon exploded. Tho iron rod finishes in a triangular point, so that it may penetrate tho flesh more easily. When tho wounded whalo pulls, the rope runs out to its end, which is, of course, well secured, and when killed the rope and the whalo arc hauled in by a steam winch. The Tailor Made Woman In History. There exists a common delusion that tho tailor mado woman is a product of the nineteenth century, whereas a more or less serious consideration of the subject would at once prove that in tho olden days of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries all tho women wore tailor mado clothes. Havo we not authentic evidence in the records of Henry VIII’s expenses of payments made to tho tailor, John Malt, for Anno Boleyn, and has it not been chronicled that when specially pleased with her servant “Juno tho fool” tho Queen Mary Would order her to bo shaved by tho barber ; and supplied with a new suit from tho tailor? And can wo not even cite as a further proof tho existence of that luckless tailor of Katherine’s on whom Pctruchio exorcises such unmanly pranks, deriding tho fashions this most amiable woman was BO anxious to contemplate? Not alono had this enterprising tradesman tlip gowns of the fair lady under his care, but he was also her milliner, as the text of tho immortal “Taming of tho Shrew” will show. j)ld ho not make that paltry cap which Petruchio likens so unsympathetically to *‘a custard coffin, a bauble, a silken pie?” The Secrets of the Freemasons. Curiosity has always found a peculiar attraction in tho Freemasons. What is this great secret of theirs that no woman knows, and which they guard with such fascinating care? That excellent antiquary, the Rev, Dr. Stukcloy, F.. 11. S., thought It might bo some vestiges Of; tho “mysteries of tho ancient s” and joined tho society at tho Salutation Tavern in a scientific spirit. At that time (1720) Freemasonry was at a low ebb, but tho learned doctor brought it into vogue again. “With difficulty -number sufficient for his initiation Was to bo found in all London. After this tt became a public fashion, and not only spread over Britain and Ireland, but all Europe.” Bub whatever it was they told him ho kept to himself. Tins silence of Btukeloy, however, is a small thing beside that of tho lady Mason, whoso story has been often told, who, being caught eavesdropping, was incontinently captured, hauled in and initiated and kept tho secret nevertheless to tho end. Tho Weight of tho Earth. The weight of' the earth has been six times computed with slightly varying rosuits. Tho average, according to Tho Educational World, is a mean density of 5.41 os compared with witter. -Tho average density of all materials of 16 miles of the earth’s -'crust ns’well ns“ volcanic matter out from an estimated depth of 800 miles Is dEss than ono-half the mean density. Tho average mass below volcanic motion to bo 10 times heavier than water.

WftKted to Join. A little dried up man whose nationality T was imprinted plainly on his fa«o walked. Int o the First National bank the other day, K azed furtively’ about, hesitation in his every movement. Then he as quickly and unostcntutio.isly left the great room, his hand, shoved deep into his trousers pocket. In a few mimitts he reappeared, determination written in every deep line of hia. rugged face, though his manner did not lack hesitation. He st.-Awi about him im til ho espied a lino of patrons making posits at the receiving toife* s wmdoWj and at the foot of tho line he Withis place. As one after another of the ffiStomers made his deposit and departed tl}o WSle old fellow drew nearer and nearer to th.o window, and at each advance his increased and his courage departed. When almost to tho goal, he turned abruptly, wagged his head in a deprecatory sort of way, and again took a place at tho tail end of the line ho had climbed so patiently. A second time ho approached the window by slow degrees and a second time ho turned away when his hopes were about to bo realized. Tho third time he tolled up that ever varying lino and it was apparent that this tune ho would do or die. Only two men stood between him anal the teller, and he shifted restlessly from one foot to another. Only one man now kept him from the counter ami bis agnation increased, iiiau one man turned away. Tho little old man’s lime had comeat last! He jerked his hand from his pocket and with It a huge roll of greasy and oft lingered bills. Ho dashed tho money down in front of the puzzled teller and In a voice husky with emotion, excitement and suppressed nervousness exclaimed load enough to bo heard 100 feet away: “Oi want t’ jiuo the bank!" He wanted to open an account and no ono interposed an objection. —Chicago Tribune. Her Mania For Funerals. j As women advance in years, it has been ; noticed, a fondness for attending funerals I becomes manifest in their characteristics, but a young woman who has this tendency is extremely rare. Such a one, however, told this story on herself in a little social cotcrio the other day: “I don’t know why it is,” she stated, “but I have always had a mania for funerals. When I was a child, I never could get past a door that had crape on it. I would 1 always mingle with tho visitors and go in and see the dead person, whether I knew the family or not. Tho melancholy which pervades such scenes lias always had a relish for mo, I can’t tell why Not long ago, however, I had such a peculiar experience that my fondness for burials has ternI porarily languished—perhaps I’m cured. “An acquaintance died, and I, of course, arranged my plans to attend the funeral. At tho time I dressed and repaired to her | church. As I was delayed a little, I sat I down in a rear scat. There I heard the • hymns and the discourse, and joined copi ously in the mourning. 1 remember now how I wept and wept until people near im regarded me curiously. I was too used Up to go to the grave and went homo. At dinner my husband said: “ ‘What makes your eyes so rod?’ “ ‘I have been to Mrs. Wilbur’s funeral,’ I answered. “Ho looked a trifle queer, and then said. “ ‘No, you haven’t; she isn't to bo buried until tomorrow.’ ” —Louisville CourierJournal. An Indication. Mr. Northsido walked into his parlor the other night and was rather surprised to see his daughter sitting on young Mr. Hilltop’s lap. Tiie young people were surprised too. The older man was tho first to recover his equanimity, and as Miss Northside found hor foot ho remarked: “Ah, Lucy! I see your race for a husband is nearly over. ’ ’ “What makes you say that, papa?” asked the girl, blushing painfully. “You seemed to bo on the last lap.”— Pittsburg Chronicle-Telegraph. : Parental Reproof. “It seems to me, Laura,” called outM Kajoues, who was trying to read his nows paper, “you tiro doing a good deal of v ' necessary talking and cackling in there. What are you about?” “I’m merely sitting by George, ” firm nrly answered Miss Laura from the p;;:--“Well, I wish you would make less a < by George!” rejoined Mr. Kajoues.—C:. engo Tribune. His Presence of Mind Saved Him

—Life. Not Much Bisk. Examining Physician (for iusuranes company)—l’m afraid wo can’t take ■ sir. Yon arc too great a risk. Applicant (resignedly)—Well, porhnp. am. The fact is that when I got sick never send for a doctor. I just Ho aroum until I get well. Examining Physician—Eh? Um—wo’l take you!—New York Weekly. More Information. Tommy—Paw, what is an egotist? Mr. Pigg—He is a man who thinks ht is smarter than any one else. Mrs. Figg—My dear, you have thai. wrong. The egotist is the man who sayt' bo is smarter than any one else. All men think that way.—lndianapolis Journal. It Was Effective, Though. Mrs. Wiggles—What did Mr. Waggle* say when ho proposed to you? Mrs. Waggles—Do you know, wo both of us tried to remember that the very next day, and neither of us could.—Somerville (Miss.) Journal. Absorbing. “I don’t believe that Timmins ever had an original idea in his life.” “Oh, I know of one. Ho has an idea that ho is a great poet.”—lndianapolis Journal. Tbo Important Fart. “I would die for you,” passionately exclaimed the rich old suitor, and the practical girl calmly asked him: “How soon?”~Somorville Journal. „ Wh»t’» In a Kamat- * 'Why did you name your baby Niagara?’ 1 “Because sbe roars so.”—Detroit Free Press.