Part 11
William Macdonald, an invalid living in Chula Vista, California, has heard 605 broadcasting stations scattered over the world during the last 3 years. He logged 490 United States stations in every state except South Carolina, and 115 stations outside the country.
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THE PENITENT EYE
An eye that misbehaved caused its owner, Herr Heinrich Laufer, to shut it up for ninety days.
It seems that Herr Laufer spied on the wife of his friend and landlord, and then, stricken by his conscience, he confessed his advantage and begged forgiveness. Friend husband was irate and threatened Herr Laufer with a jail sentence for “Ehebruch,” but a priest intervened and the matter was amicably settled when the bizarre penance was imposed upon Herr Laufer. The husband kept careful watch over Laufer during the three months.
_Ref.: “Duesseldorfer Nachrichten.”_
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THE LAST NOD OF HOMER
This is the riddle that caused the death of Homer in his vain attempt to solve it--as recorded by Plutarch:
“_What we caught We threw away.... What we could not catch We kept._”
Answer: Fleas.
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FARE ENOUGH
Several years ago Mrs. Frank Scott, of Laporte, Ind., got on a street car with her 13 children and offered the conductor a nickel.
“Pardon, Madame,” the conductor said, “but we can’t carry a whole Sunday school class for one fare.”
“And why not. They are my children and they are all under five years of age,” she replied.
Then to settle the argument she produced the family Bible from the luggage and proved to the astounded street car man that none of the thirteen children was over five years of age. Abel and Abner, the youngest, were six months old, and Ashbel, Archer, and Austin, the oldest of the lot, were only four and one-half years of age.
The Laportes had three sets of triplets and two pairs of twins in less than five years!
Fair enough, don’t you think so?
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WHAT IS SO RARE AS THIS DAY IN JUNE?
Jan III. Sobieski, King of Poland in the 17th century, was born, crowned, married, and died--each time on the same date of the year--June 17.
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* * *
THE LOUDEST NOISE EVER HEARD
The loudest noise ever heard was on August 27, 1883, when the volcano of Pik Perbuatan, on the Island of Krakatua, exploded in the most violent eruption within historic times, killing 35,147 people. The Island (which lies in the Straits of Sunda between Java and Sumatra) was about three by five miles in size before the eruption but only a small portion now remains.
Four cubic miles of material were blown miles into the air and a dust cloud subsequently spread completely around the world and colored sunsets in distant parts of the globe for three years afterwards. The sound was heard on the Island of Rodriquez, in the Pacific Ocean--3,000 miles away.
THE EARTH MOVES IN THREE DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AT THE SAME TIME
1. It rotates upon its own axis with a speed of about 500 yards per second diminishing from the center towards the Poles.
2. It revolves around the sun with a speed of about 19 miles a second.
3. It participates in the sun’s own forward motion in the direction of the fixed star, Vega, in the constellation of Lyra, with a speed of 12 miles per second.
All simultaneously.
A fourth movement in which the earth probably participates is that of the sun’s own rotation upon its axis which is accomplished once every 25 days.
A fifth movement--that of the whole stellar system upon its axis--is possible--but doubtful.
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“THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE” WAS _NOT_ HOLY, OR ROMAN, OR AN EMPIRE
It was not holy because it was secular; it was not Roman because it was German; and it was not an empire because its nominal heads--the German kings--ruled in name only.
This Confederation of German States--for that it really was--lasted from Otto I, crowned in 962, to Francis II in 1806.
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PA’S A SAP
The eternal and paternal palindrome. This line reads the same backward as forward. Pa’s a sap either way you look at him.
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* * *
THE BLESSED ISLES
Everywhere in the civilized world except the Channel Islands death and taxes are two absolute certainties of mundane existence. In the islands of Guernsey and Jersey, however, there is much doubt about taxes. King George V cannot impose a single penny per pound on the income of his loyal subjects in these islands unless they waive their ancient privilege.
In fact, no act of Parliament is binding to them until transmitted by order of the King’s Privy Council and duly registered there.
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THE BOOZING BISHOP
Johann Fugger, an Italian Bishop, died and willed that--
“... A barrel of wine might be annually upset upon his grave so that his body might still sop in that delicious fluid.”
He bequeathed a large sum of money to the city of Montefiascone for the maintenance of his purpose.
_Ref.: “Central Cities of Italy,” by Hare._
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THE ONE-ARMED PAPER HANGER
Yes, there is one. Albert J. Smith, of Dedham, Mass., has but one arm and he is a paper hanger by trade. And he has had the hives too.
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“Bobby” Leach, who went over Niagara Falls in a barrel in 1911, died from injuries received when he slipped on a banana peel while walking quietly along the street in Christchurch, New Zealand, on April 29, 1927.
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THE RIVER THAT RUNS BACKWARDS
The River Tadjoura, on the northeast coast of Africa, flows from the Bay of Tadjoura inland and empties into the Lake of Assal.
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A SQUARE EGG
A chicken owned by James Cook, of New Bedford, Mass. laid a perfectly square egg.
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* * *
THE WORLD’S WORST THUG
Buhram, who gleefully murdered 931 men, was a member of the Thuggee sect--a gang of professional murderers who flourished in India in 1830 before the English suppressed them. The Thugs were worshippers of Bhowanee; and to this god they sacrificed anybody that came handy; but they were careful to keep the dead man’s things themselves as they believed the god cared only for the corpse. Men were initiated into this sect with solemn ceremonies. Then they were taught how to strangle a person with the sacred choke-cloth, but were not allowed to perform officially with it until after long practice. It required practice to choke a man expertly. Then the job was done instantaneously; the cloth was whipped around the victim’s neck, there was a sudden twist, and the head fell silently forward, the eyes starting from the sockets; and all was over.
Mark Twain tells of Thuggee in “Following the Equator.”
* * *
Robert (Lefty) Grove, the star pitcher of Connie Mack’s Athletics is generally considered to be the best pitcher in baseball today. He has tremendous speed and a great curve which has always caused his opponents to swing aimlessly.
He recently struck out 5 men with 16 pitched balls: there were no fouls.
The record depicted opposite was made while he was a member of the Baltimore club, about 5 years ago.
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HEAVEN ONLY KNOWS!
A letter addressed to “GOD” was forwarded to Rome from Liptau, Germany, in 1926. It was returned to the sender marked “Addressee Unknown.”
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SOLVING THE SERVANT PROBLEM
Countess Elizabeth Bathory, the famous Hungarian “tigress” (1560-1614), killed 650 servant girls in 6 years. Being a noble woman she was immune from punishment.
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* * *
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN NOSE
Tycho Brahe, the Danish astronomer, lost his nose in a duel with Passberg and adopted a golden one, which he attached to his face by a cement which he carried about with him. That nose is distinctly discernible in all of his portraits.
_I refer you to Marryat: Jutland and the Danish Isles p. 305 (“that eminent man who had a golden nose, Tycho Brahe”)._
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AN EMPRESS’S AGILE EARS
The Empress Marie Louise’s ability to move her ears at will and to turn them inside out, is reported in the Mémoires of M. H. d’Alméras, Chamberlain to the French Court. Madame la Duchesse d’Abrantès, one of the Empress’s ladies-in-waiting, also wrote of it.
They add that this was one of the great distractions at the Court of Napoleon III, and that the Emperor himself would hasten to the Salon whenever the Empress could be induced to perform.
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FRIDAY UNLUCKY?
Friday is the luckiest day in American history.
Friday, Aug. 3, 1492--Columbus sailed for America. Friday, Oct. 12, 1492--Columbus discovered America. Friday, Nov. 22, 1493--Columbus landed here again. Friday, June 12, 1494--Mainland of South America discovered. Friday, Mar. 5, 1496--Henry VIII. commissioned Cabot which resulted in the discovery of North America. Friday, Sept. 7, 1565--Mendez founded St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest city in the U. S. Friday, Nov. 10, 1620--Pilgrim Fathers landed in harbor of Provincetown. Friday, Feb. 22, 1732--George Washington born. Friday, Oct. 17, 1777--Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga. Friday, Sept. 19, 1781--Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown.
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Shakespeare’s daughter could not read or write.
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Madame de Maintenon, morganatic wife of Louis XIV., had herself bled regularly twice a week, in order not to blush at the stories told at Court.
A TELEGRAM WAS SENT AROUND THE WORLD IN 8 MINUTES. 1917
TERRY M^cGOVERN WON THE BANTAM AND FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIPS AND KNOCKED OUT THE LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION--AND WAS THROUGH AT 21.
ONE PAIR OF SHOES FOR BOTH! FATHER AND SON ARE BOTH NAMED ALBERT FARLER --BOTH LOST A LEG AND BOTH WEAR THE SAME SIZE SHOE. Kildonan, Man., Canada]
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FIRE WATER
It actually happened.
Fables about breath catching fire became a fact in Lodz, Russia.
After drinking a quantity of vodka, a workman named Stobb tried to blow out a match with which he was lighting a cigarette with fatal result.
Flames shot from his mouth and an explosion followed, Stobb falling to the floor unconscious and dying shortly afterward.
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“My Dear Mr. Ripley:
Here is a little article good for your column. There is a fellow I know whose first name starts with “A” and his last with “Z.” His name is Alfred Zimbalist, and he lives on “A” Ave., St. John., Apt. “A” A 31, and his phone number extension is A31.
He eats Apples and Asparagus every day, and loves the smell of Zinc. It’s very peculiar but, believe it or not, that’s the truth.
Respectfully,
Sydney Retchetk, 321 W. 44th St., New York.”
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THE CHEESE CHAMPION
Zoroaster, the famous Persian lawgiver and founder of the religion of the Parsees, lived on nothing but cheese for thirty years.
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WHOOPEE
The Mayor of Grand Lemps, France, issued an ordinance that any inhabitant may enter a saloon and drink his fill and then leave without paying. He was a prohibitionist.
_Ref.: “Bibliothèque Historique,” 1818, vol. 1, page 317._
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A RECORD TO BE SNEEZED AT
James Lanvier, of Edinburgh, sneezed 690 times in succession. 1927.
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THE FIJI FIRE-WALKERS
“Vilavilairevo,” the annual fire-walking ceremony of the Fiji-Islanders during which the natives walk and dance with bare feet on white-hot rocks without burning themselves, has long puzzled travelers. Apparently the Fijians are immune to pain. They walk nimbly over the glowing rocks without so much as a blister.
First, a circular shallow pit about thirty feet across is dug and filled with dry branches and fire wood. A torch is applied and then the stones are rolled in on the blazing pit and allowed to heat for half a day. Green leaves are next scattered over the white-hot stones causing clouds of steam to rise in dramatic fashion and the dance of the fire-walkers begins.
Ah--there are tricks to all trades; even fire-walking! I have the Fijian secret. Sh-h-h! The stones are of volcanic origin and so porous that they do not retain the heat although they appear to be white-hot; and the heavy green leaves protect the feet of the dancers.
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THE $4,412,000-A-YEAR-MAN
The largest salary ever received by any one man was that drawn down by the late Franz Josef I, Emperor of Austria. It amounted to $4,412,000 or 22,060,000 Kronen annually. This was strictly a salary and must not be confused with his income from other sources.
During his lifetime, Franz Josef drew $274,600,000 from the Austrian state. This amounts to more than 25 times the total salary of all the Presidents of the United States combined.
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THE $2,000,000 COMMA
A clerk in Congress, instead of writing
“All foreign fruit-plants are free from duty,”
wrote
“All foreign fruit, plants are free from duty.”
It was impossible to change this mistake until a new session of Congress met.
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MAMMY!
On December 2, 1927, little Marie Finster jumped from the roof of a building in Vienna and was saved from death by falling into the arms of her mother who happened to be passing along the street below at that very minute.
--_Vienna Tageblatt._
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THE LAST WILL OF RABELAIS
“I have nothing. I owe much. The rest I leave to the poor.”
Transcriber’s Notes
Misspellings and inconsistent, unusual and archaic spelling (also in botanical, zoological and proper names and in other languages than English) have not been changed, except as mentioned below. Not all of the calculations given are correct as given; these have not been corrected unless given below.
The differences between the Table of Contents and the chapter and section headings have not been rectified.
Depending on the hard- and software used to read this e-text and on their settings, not all elements may display as intended. Extremely long words and names in particular may cause display issues.
Page 91: the line under London on the envelope (This letter was delivered 64 yrs. late) is illegible in the source document.
Pages 108 and 115: the largest known prime number is given as 2¹¹⁷ - 1 (illustration on page 108) and as 2¹²⁷ - 1 (text on page 115); the actual prime numbers differ between the two versions as well.
Page 114, ...as indicated by a figure of 2,000,0001 digits: the final digit is probably erroneous.
Page 145, ...a statuary fine of $75...: possibly an error for ...a statutory fine of $75....
Page 158, paragraph starting “Barney” is 43 years old...: there is a quote mark missing or in excess.
Page 169: 400 WORDS IN ENGLISH...: the words following SNOOT (and the list itself) are incomplete because they are hidden behind the next illustration.
Changes made
In some places a line of stars has been inserted where it was lacking in the source document to clarify the transition from one subject to the next.
Page 9: (See page 35.) changed to (See page 95.)
Page 72, paragraph starting Bismarck always spoke...: the long words have been hyphenated and wrapped rather than kept as single words as they were in the source document.
Page 76: paragraph starting Lepado-temacho-... has been wrapped rather than kept on a single line.
Page 83: Qu’est ce que ça? changed to Qu’est-ce que ça?
Page 86: ...oesters that grew on trees; crabs that climbs their branches...fish that wor a coat of mail... changed to ...oysters that grew on trees; crabs that climb their branches...fish that wore a coat of mail....
Page 96: ... and the Courrier Medical of France changed to ... and the Courrier Médical of France.
Page 99: Liu Ch’ung, or Liu Min,... changed to Liu Ch‘ung, or Liu Min,... as in illustration.
Page 113: CAN YOU CHANGE FIVE DOLLARS! changed to CAN YOU CHANGE FIVE DOLLARS?
Page 123: closing quote mark inserted after ...that his opinion was wrong.
Page 132: Gazette Medicale de Paris changed to Gazette Médicale de Paris.
Page 172: The largest salary every received... changed to The largest salary ever received....