MISCELLANEOUS.

Southland Times, Issue 1696, 31 January 1873, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

• Among the best conductors of sound are iron and glass. Through them sound is transmitted at the rate of 17,500 feet, or over three miles per second. But in air sound travels only 13 miles per minute, or 1,142 feet per second. A youthful lover who sang and played before his young lady's house for two mortal hours, was electrified after a short pause by a cordial " thank you," gracefully pronounced by the " other fellow," who appeared at the window. Taking Thought for the Future. — " You Beem to be a great favorite with the young ladies of the house, Miss Mundayne ?" " Tes ? I'm always civil to girls ! One never knows whom they may marry, you know !" A little boy was seat to a store for some eggs. Before reaching home he dropped them. In answer to his mother, who asked, " Did you break any ?" he replied, " No, I didn't break any, but the sheila came off from some of them." There is no material or device more economical for packing stuffing boxes than hemp. Hemp is considered the best, as no danger from fire is felt, this material etanding 500 degrees of heal, wbilo ordinarily steam reaches only 243 degrees. I The Great Eastern has been once more chartered to lay a fourth trans-Atlantic cable, and is now lying at Sheerness, waiting its completion. The contract for the cable has been completed and duly signed. The cable is to be manufactured by and laid under the auspices of the Telegraph Construction Companj of England. A Word with the Novelists. — To Mb Punch : Sib, — What silly names the author people choose for their new novels ! For instance, I observe one lately published, which the writer has the irapu-den-.e to call " A Woman's Wrong." A woman's wrong, indeed ! The idea of ever saying that a woman could he wrong ! I should just like to find my husband even thinking it, that's all ! So I remain, Sir, yours obediently (but not his, mind you), Xajttippe Greymaee (ne'e Teoitnceb. P.S. — There's another book I notice, too, entitled " Janet's Choice." Is she, indeed ? A|choice specimen, I'll warrant, I'd choice her, the vain hussy, if I had her in my house ! — Pfkch. Impobtance op Reading. — No matter bow obscure in life the position of an individual, if he can read, he may at will put himself in the best society the world has ever seen. He may converse with the greatest heroes of the past ; with all the writers in prose and poetry. He may learn how to live, how to avoid the errors of his predecessors, and to secure blessings, present and future, to himself. He may reside in a desert far away from the habitations of man ; in solitude, where no human eye Jooks upon him with affection or interest — where no human voice cheers him with the animating tones ; if he has books to read he can never be alone. He may choose hii company and the subject of conversation, and thus become contented and happy, intelligent, wise, and good. He thus elevates his rank in the world, and becomes independent in the best sense of the first importance of the departments of school edution.

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