Fireside Scraps.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 432, 28 December 1889, Page 3

Fireside Scraps.

The Wanderings op a Darning Needle. — Dr. Nissen relates in the Magdeburger Zeitvng the following case, which has just come under his observation :—": — " I have just extracted," he says, " from the arm of a patient of mine, an ironfounder.a darningneedle, of seven centimetres long, which was embedded in a muscle (the triceps braclm). The needle was completely black from oxidation, and had for years caused great pain to the patient, who was supposed to suffer from rheumatism in various parbs of the body, and had been treated for that disease by numerous doctors without success. As the man has no recollection of a needle running in him it is probable that ib must have done so in early childhood, and that it had been travelling about his body for some thirty years before it was discovered. It ie worthy of note that when he was two years old he was treated for some months for disease of the spine, the appearance of which disease may have been caused by the presence of the needle in the neighbourhood of the spine, and the irritation consequently set up. , Wanting to Know, You Know.— 11 This letter is to my husband," she said, as she placed on a stamp at the front of the window of the crowded Post Office counter. "Yes." " Will it go out to-day ?" "Yes." •' By first po%t ?" " Yea." "He ought to get it to-morrow ?' "Yes." "Andlought to have his letter by next Saturday ?" "Yes." "It isn't overweight'" "No.' " And if he gets it, and if I get his answer by Saturday, I can write " " Please don't obstruct the counter, ma'am ; there are several people waiting." "Oh, there are ? That's always the way of it ! I can't get a word of information out of tbie Post Office, try as I will. Good-day !" Facts Concerning Humanity. — Thereare three thousand and sixty-four languages in the world, and its inhabitants profess more than one thousand religions. The' number of men is about equal to the number of women. The average of life is about thirty-three years. One-quarter. die previous to the ago of seventeen. To every one thousand persons, only one reaches one hundred years of life ; to every one hundred, only six reach the age of Bixty-five, and nob more than one in five hundred lives to oighty years of age. There are on* the earth one billion inhabitants : of these thirty-three million thirty-three thousand and thirty- three die every year ; ninety-one thousand eight hundred and twentyifo'ur every day ; three thousand seven hundred and thirty every hour and sixty every minute, or one every second. Flowers. — Flowers have no prejudices ; they grow as well for sinner as saint, provided their material wants are satisfied. They do their best to adapt themselves to all situations, bub when it is impossible they die : we must not expect impossibilities of them. They will not flourish in a highly moral atmosphere if it is unhealthful. The teachings of flowere ore never bad ; if tke study of them leads., us to a " natural religion " it must be one that is good. If we find anyone going about doing good, we do not inquire as to his creed, neither do we a flower. Their works tell of their faith. Tho&e who go forth with a heart full of human affection,- and perhaps with a handful of flowers, rarely fail of their mission, be they Jew or G entile. <,