Democratic watchman. (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1855-1940, December 03, 1909, Image 6

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    SE
That it Is Innate.
There are many optical illusions
which show that our perception of dis-
tance, height aud space are acquired
rather than instinctive, und in the do-
main of psychological physiology one
of the standing controversies touches
this point. The German school of
Leipzig is inclined to attirm that all
our perceptions of distance, area and
solidity and our ability to distinguish
between right and left. up and down.
before and behiud, ure zcquired as a
result of long practice and experience
A person blind from birth who
has learned to distinguish triangles,
squares, circles nnd objects of other
forms by touch is not able immediate
ly after the acquisition of sight to
distinguish these familiar objects by
sight atone. He or she is still com-
pelled to rely on feeliug. In the be-
ginning all objects appear to such n
person (and perhaps they do so in the
case of babies) ns shapeless, tremulous
spots of color situated close to the
eye.
in the course of the debate that
raged in Germany some experiments
were made with babies. It appeared
that in babies what must be described
for wani of a better term as a sense
of space seems to exist. The infant
was held in the arms of the experi-
menters for about a minute, at the
end of which interval the child was
permitted to drop upon its bed. In
every instance the child exbibited a
dread or panic when it felt the arms
of the persons holding it relax. The
babe, even at the age of one month,
seemed to understand that its sup
port was departing. It beld, or, rather.
clutched, at anything it could reach.
whether the arm, neck or collar of the
person holding it.
From these experiments it bas been
inferred thut there must exist a seuse
of spuce almost from iufascy. What
is the dread of falling but a manifesta-
tion of an innate sense of space?—
Loudon Post.
Traced by a Thermometer.
One vight many years ago Dr. White
law was walking along with the mes-
senger when he was set upon and
knocked down in a lonely part of the
road. His pockets were rifled, and he
was left lying on the road with a
fracture of the fibula. One of the ar-
ticles stolen was a clinical thermome-
ter with which he bad that evening
taken the temperature of a patient
suffering from enteric fever. He re
membered the temperature registered.
also that he had not shaken down the
mercury before putting the thermome-
ter back in his pocket, and he com-
municated these facts to the police.
Some time afterward a thermometer
registering the identical temperature
was discovered in a pawnshop in
Glasgow. and by this means the po
lice were enabled to track the doctor's
assailants and to arrest them in one
of the Glasgow theaters.—Glasgow
Medieat Journal,
Shell Sculptors.
The workman manipulated the comb
of pale, translucent t rtoise shell like
putty, molding the top with his fin-
gers into small balls.
“You thought we carved shell, hey?"
he said, with an Itailan accent. “No,
no. We heat it up and mold it. We
are shell sculptors.”
He took three pleces of shell from &
pot of steaming water and laid them
very carefully, one on top of the other.
fr a press.
“Shell is like glue,” he sald. “These
three pieces will weld together, and
‘not a sign of a seam will show. Some-
times we weld nine, four, twenty pleces
together. 1 learned my trade in Na
ples. 1 don't want to boast, but we
Neapolitans are the best workers io
shell and coral that there are in the
world.”—Philadelphia Bulletin.
Her Transformation.
Irene was a little street waif. A kind
hearted woman called ber into her
home one day. gave her a bath, brush-
£d her hair and arranged it becoming-
#y, tying it with a clean pretty ribbon.
then stepped back to view the result.
A friend who was present remarked
that there was such a change ope
would scarcely know that it was the
‘same child. Then the little girl spoke
up timidly, “But my name's irene yet,
ain't it?" —Delineator.
Mr. O'Donnell and the Hour.
An escellent bull was perpetrated in
the house of commons one morning al
balf past 1 o'clock. Mr. O'Donnell was
the author. He rose suddenly to his
Yeet and cut into the debate with, “At
this late hour of the morning, Mr.
Speaker” —
“Early hour you mean,” from the
benches.
" wwell, Mr. Speaker.” he continued.
“at this early hour of the following
day.”
True Enough.
Irritated Citizen—Aren't you asham-
ed of yourself, going about with that
street organ and leading such a lazy
life? Street Organist—Lazy life? Why
sir, life with me is one long daily
grind.— Echo.
He Lived Well.
He—Yes, he lives on the fat of the
jand. She—What is he? He—An ant}
fat medicine manufacturer. — Comic
Cats,
Life's a reckoning we cannot make
twice over. You cannot mend a wrong
subtraction by doing your additio.
right. —George Eliot.
The Blunders In Books That Describe
Foreign Countries.
A lively article on the amusing mis-
cakes to be found in books appears in
the Lundou Academy. The author in
referring to the biunders often made
in books that describe foreign coun-
tries notes that a traveler's ignorance
of the manuers and customs of strange
peoples or deliberate imposition by his
informants are both supposed to have
given a somewhat fabulous cheracter
to suine parts of the writings of Herod-
otus. He quotes these lines. which he
found written on his desk when he
was attending lectures at Oxford:
Herodotus, Herodotus,
You could not spell, you ancient cuss.
The priests in Egypt a you.
But don't you think you'll gammon us.
Herodotus, Herodotus.
The author adds: “The second line is
presumably a reference to the spelling
of tonic Greek. What follows alludes
to the story of the Nile issuing from
between the mountains Crophi and Mo-
phi. which certainly sounds like a nurs-
ary tale. In justice. however, to the
historian we must remember that re-
sent investigations bave discovered
ihat many of his varratives once re-
girded as mythical buve been found to
have some foundation in fact.
“This is wore than can be sald of
most mediaeval travelers’ tales. Some.
however, admit of explanation, as, for
instance, Othelio’s account of ‘men
whose heads do grow beneath their
shoniders.” italeigh is convinced that
the weader ‘is true, because every
child in the provisces of Arromaia and
Canuri affirms the same.” The origin
of the belief in such prodigies has
been found in the account given by
Olenrius of the Samojeds of northern
Muscovy. whose ‘garments are made
like those that ure enlled cosaques.
open only ut the necks, When the cold
is extraordinary they put their co-
sagues over their heads and let the
sleeves hang down, their fuces being
not to be seen but at the cleft which is
at the neck. Whence somne have taken
ocension to write that in these north
ern countries there are people without
heads. having their faces in their
breasts.”
FREAK CATALOGUING.
British Museum Has a System That
Few Can Fathom.
It may seem ungrateful in ap old
reader who bas reaped so many bene
fits from the great library in Blooms
bury to find fault with the arrange
ments. and if 1 stood alone in this
complaint | would retain my isolation
but the grievance is ventilated by
many.
In the first place, | and J are treated
as the same letter, ax U and V are
That was all right when the catalogue
was begun and was lu manuscript. bu!
pow that printing bas superseded
handwriting the obsolete fashion ot
catnloguing Jones and Ives under the
sane letter or Vale and Unwin as hav.
ing the same initial might be discon:
tinued and the modern usage adopted
In the second place, anonymous
works are catalogued according to a
bewildering system, the object of which
seems to be to hide the identity of the
work.
Take the case of the valuable Hule
book with the following title: “Ap Ac
count of the Origin of Steamboats, in
Spain, Great Britain and America and
of Their Introduction and Employment
Upon the River Thawes Between lou.
don and Gravesend to the Present
Time" —i. e.., 1831. One would think
that it would be catalogued under
“Steamboats,” that being the main
subject. but no—it is eatalogued unde:
“Spain,” 1am told the rule is to take
the first proper name.
That rule, however, is not applied in
the next case. A well written little
book published in 1907 is entitled
“Devon, the Shire of the Sea Kings."
“Devon” would seem to be the natura!
heading. but no—in the catalogue it
will be found under “Great Western
Raiflway.”"—London Notes and Queries
——
Broke the Combination.
The father of Judge W. H. Wad
bams had a chicken coop and a do:
and a stable band. It began to look
to Mr. Wadhams as though some ope
had discovered the combination. So
he kept the coop and the stable hand
but he got a new dog. Next day the
bent old negro who groomed the Wad-
hams horses came to him.
“You los' you affection foh me, boss"
he asked.
“No, Scipio.” said Mr. Wadhams. *!
tike you as well as ever.”
“Then.” asked Scipio peevishiy.
“w'yn’t you tie old Rover in de chicken
coop stid of dat new dorg?'—Argonaut.
Psalms Nct Barred.
The other evening Miss Y.. a maiden
lady of uncertain years, suspecting the
cook was entertaining her beau down
stairs, called Martha and inquired
whether she did not hear some one
talking with her. :
“Oh, no, ma'am!" cried the quick wit-
ted Martha. “It was only me singing a
psalm.”
“Very good.” returned Miss Y. sig
nificantly. “You may amuse yourself
with psalms, but let's have no hims."”
The Bland One.
Lady—What! You've just come out
of prison! 1 wonder you are not
ashamed to own it! Ne'er-do-well—1
don't own it, lady—wish I did. | was
valy a lodger.—New York Journal
Lively Lazaruses.
Startled Visitor—Gracious! What's
that? Must be an earthquake! The
plaster is falling too! Mild Mater—Oh,
no! It's just the boys. Two of them
are sick in bed today.—Puck.
emt er 1 Wo.
A UNIQUE EXPERIMENT.
Boiling and Freezing Water at the
Same Time.
The possibility of boiling and freez.
fug water at the same time in the lab-
oratory Is one of the most interesting
developments of modern science. The
temperature at which water boiis de-
pends simply on the air pressure above
its surface at the time. If there is
high pressure the water has to be
made a good deal hotter to boil than
at low pressure,
Op mountains where the air pressure
is a good deal lower than ut sea leve!
water boils easily at low temperature
In cooking vegetables that require =u
certain degree of heat and where the
water boils before that degree is reach
ed the vegetables will not get done
They consequently have to be put into
a closed boiler so that the generated
steam will create enough pressure for
the water to boil at or beyond the re-
quired temperature. In the experi-
mental proof of this fact water is
placed in a vessel and the air ex.
hausted from above the surface of the
water. As the process of pumping
goes ou the water will violently boil.
the steam congealing on the sides of
the exhaust vessel, If the pumping is
continued long enough and the outside
is cooled below the freezing point of
water the water will continue to boil
and bubble till it is frozen into a
snowy mass of ice.
This fact is also made use of in tak-
ing a rough test of the height of a
mountain. Ordisarily at sea level
where the pressare Is about thirty
inches of mercury water bolls at 212
degrees F. Now, if it is noticed that
at a certain place it boils at a few
degrees lower the height of that place
can be easily ascertained by com-
parison with a table made out for this
purpose. In general for every degree
the boiling takes place under 212 a
height of about 500 feet is counted.
Of course these principles do not ap-
ply to water alone, but are characteris-
tic of all liquids.—New York Tribune.
FISH LOCOMOTION.
The Nature and Functions of the So
Called Air Bladders. 3
Leaning over the parapet of some old
stone breakwater or pler bead and
watching the fish playing about in the
clear green depths below, perhaps the
last thought which is likely to occur to
any of us is that we are looking on at
a really astonishing thing. That a fish
is able to propel itself through the wa.
ter in any desired direction is ip ne
way surprising. but that it can change
its level at will, rising or falling with:
out the use of its fins, and instantly
assuming a horizontal or vertical posi
tion. according to the mood or need of
the moment. is a fact that a little re
flection will soon develop into prime
motive for wonder. .
For it is clear that the fish wust be
able at will to vary its weight in rela-
tion to the water it displaces. When it
sinks to the bottow it must have sud-
denly rendered itself heavier than the
medium it inhabits: each time it rises
to the surface ilke a released cork.
head first, tail pointing almost vertical
ly downward, it must not only bave
transformed itself into something
lighter than the water, but must bave
become lighter in its fore parts than in
its tail.
The mystery. for such it undoubtediy
is on a casual survey. says the London
Chronicle, resolves iiseif immediately
we come to study the nature and func
tions of the so called air bladder in
fishes. By this contrivance all these
intricate movements of the fish are
brought about.
The bladder, however, contains not
air, as is commonly supposed, but gus.
which is discharged or regenerated by
certain organs of the fish, according to
whether upward or downward move
ment Is necessary: also either the
whole length of the bladder or only its
front or rear portion can be inflated.
Thus the fish is able to swim level or.
by altering its center of gravity, to
raise or lower either head or fall ar
will.
Singular Services of Sheep.
In the northern part of India sheep
are put to a use unthought of in Euro
pean or American countries. They
are made to serve as beasts of burden
The mountain paths along the foothili~
of the Himalayas are so precipitous
that the sheep, more sure footed than
larger beasts, are preferred as burden
carriers. The load for each sheep ix
from sixteen te twenty pounds. The
sheep are driven from viliage to vil
lage. with the wool still growing, and
in each town the farmer shears as
much wool as he can sell there and
loads the sheep with the grain which
he receives in exchange, After the |.
ward. each sheep having on it~
a small bag containing the pur
i
‘ a ny.
‘Mrs. Blockley—Jobn, do you know
that Royal Worcester vase 1 bought
until this morning. Mrs. Blockley—No:
only £1. 1 went down today and bought
another for £3. making two of them
average £4 each.—London Fun.
Bobby's Questions.
Small Bobby—Papa, why can a man
run faster than a boy?
Papa—Because he Is bigger. my boy.
Small Bobby (after pondering for a
few moments)—Well, if that's the rea-
won, why don't the hind wheels of a
wagon run faster than the front
wheels ?—Chicago News.
If you wish to reach the highest, be-
gin at the lowest.—~Syrus.
ce —————————————
) SUOTTIH LEGEND.
The Story of the Knight With the
White Feather.
TWO COURAGEOUS WARRIORS.
Heroic Alexander Hume and His Still
More Heroic Fellow Soldier and Pro-
tector—~The Sad Sequel to the Battle
That Was Lost.
The heraldic arms of the Scotch
town of Selkirk show a woman seated
on a tomb, on which is also placed the
Scottish lion. The legend told about
the arms is this: King James 1V. of
Scotland, who was about to invade
England, needed recruits for his enter-
prise. The town clerk of Selkirk, Wil.
liam Brydoue, tried his best to aid his
king by persuading his fellow country-
men to enlist in the royal cause. So
earnest was he that he is sald to have
moved over a hundred lusty Scots to
join his standard. Among these was
one of the name of Alexander Hume
This man was a shoemaker of th
town of Selkirk. He was stroug, stal-
wart, bold and an excellent workman.
Brydone was very glad to welcome
him, as be reckoned him quite the best
nan of the bundred, and his comrades,
who were alse brave men and true.
cheered him as he appeared among
them, such confidence had they in his
wisdom, prudence. valor and strength
Hume's wife, Margaret, was a fine
young woman snd very fond and proud
of her brave, strong busband. Now.
Margaret did not at all like this pro-
posed invasion of England. She fell
that it would mean great trouble to the
Scoteh people. who would certainly be
vanquished by their strong enemy. and
the thought came to her that her own
brave husband might perbaps lose his
life in the struggle. She therefore used
all her best efforts to keep him at
home. She pleaded in vain. Alexan-
der was firm. At last she held up to
his face their little fve-months-old
daughter and asked who would look
after the child if he should die and
who would keep her from misery and
misfortune.
Hume loved his wife and child, and
these appeals brought the tears to his
eyes, but they did not break down bis
resolution, which be bad girt about biw
as armor. Nothing could move him
to become untrue to his king and coun-
try.
Finding that no entreaties could
move him, Margaret at last gave way
to anger and told bim that his eager.
desire to be thought the bravest man
of Selkirk would not supply the child
be was bound to work for with a bite
of bread. She sald even more than
this. Her tones grew higher, and one
word led to auother, as you kaow fit
will, until the couple parted in anger,
he to the field of battle and she to
remain at home.
Alexander had not goue far before
it flashed across the mind of his wife
that perhaps she might never see him
alive again. Unable to control herself.
she flung the child Into its crib and
rushed out of the house. She mus
see her husband again and get from
him one parting glance or word of
reconciliation. She hurried through
the town. she sought everywhere for
him, but he was nowhere to be seen.
He had gone off with his comrades
The poor wife wept bitterly. Her
grief was deep.
Hume and his fellows were soon eu
gaged in battle. [' displayed the
greatest bravery. Wuerever he wen!
numbers of the enemy fell. In every
direction upon the field of battle he
was seen. His companions kept well
up to him, and in particular one ma:
who had lately joined the party. This
man fought with a courage equal to
that of Hume himself, keeping contin:
ually beside him and defending him
in many perils. Once when an Eng
lishman from behind drew very uear
to the Scot this soldier struck the cow:
ardly fellow to the earth just as be
was inserting his spear between the
clasps of Hume's armor. Hume called
to the brave fellow and demanded his
name, even in the midst oi the fight
but the stranger said that that was nu
matter.
This generous soldier wore a leath
er jacket and an iron helmet, in which
there was placed a small whiyv 2h:
er. Wherever Hume fought on the
battlefield there might be seen beside
him the iron helmet and the white
feather.
At last the battle ended in defeat fu:
bh, who scattered in all direc
:
!
inquiring
attendant. But all his inquiries
were without avail. He could not trace
him. Nothing could he learn of him
but that he had disappeared when the
fight was over.
Derm lexander nme hurried to his coi |
tage. He was anxious to see again bis |
i
:
|
l
. He lifted the latch and walk
ed in. All was still. No wife came to
meet him; no child's cry met his ear
On looking round the room he saw
seated in au armchair the knight whe
had fought so bravely beside him in
the battle, wearing the same leather
jacket. iron helmet and white feather.
That person was Margaret Hume. She
was dead and clasped in her dead
arms the little child.
Be conclintory and considerate if
von hope to win conciliation and cov.
sderation - Ward,
Beilefonte Shoe Emporium.
I :
A MISTAKE
IN BUYING SHOES.
——————
Retail shoe men in order to get their shoes
when they want them, and get them as they want
them, must buy six months in advance of a season.
It is very hard to tell just what is wanted in styles
as the styles of shoes change very quickly. I for
one, made a mistake this season; purchased too
many lace shoes.
Lace Shoes are Not Wanted
Button Shoes have the floor.
I will sell at once all my new fall Ladies’
Shoes, in Lace and Blucher,
AT A BIG REDUCTION,
Sale begins at once. Must sell them before the
season becomes advanced. Will not hold them
until they become old.
To the Ladies’ that wear Lace Shoes now is
the time to get New Fall Shoes at a big reduction.
Dorothy Dodd, John, Cross, and Clement
& Ball, Ladies’ High Grade Shoes.
$4.00 Shoes now $3. $3.50 Shoes now $2.75
and a big lot of £3.00 Shoes now at $2.00.
Ladies, this is a chance you cannot afford to
miss if you like Lace Shoes.
Remember the sale starts at once and lasts
until all the Lace Shoes are sold.
Do not put it off until the best are all picked
out, come at once, or you will be sorry for it later.
YEAGER’'S SHOE STORE,
successor to Yeager & Davis.
Bush Arcade Building, BELLEFONTE, PA.
LYON & CO.
CHRISTMAS OPENING.
We are prepared for the early Christmas buyers.
We will make shopping casy for you. Come in
and see our large assortments. Here is just a
small list of the many things to select from:
FURS, FURS.
The largest assortment of Furs, Pillow Muffs,
Rug Muffs in black and colors to match. The
new shapes in the long pelerine and throw scarfs.
Prices the lowest; qualities the best.
SILK SCARFS.
Our assortment of Silk Hemstitched Scarfs is
the best ever shown in the town. All colors.
Black and white from soc. to $5.00.
PETTICOATS.
A handsome gift and appreciated by all women
A fine Silk Petticoat or a handsome Heather-
bloom Petticoat. Prices always the lowest.
SILKS, SILKS.
Sitk Messaline and Silk C De Chine. The
largest assortment of black and colored Silk and
Messaline suitable for waists, street and evening
ns
Bow BLACK TAFFETA SILK.
SpeciaL—We just received a soft Taffeta Silk
(in black only). Suitable for dresses, skirts and
linings, 36 inches wide. Special price 85c per yd.
LINENS, LINENS.
Our assortment of Table Linens is better and
larger than you will see in any other store. See
our 2-yard-wide in the stripe and floral patterns.
Also have 23 yard Satin Damask in the rose
stripe patterns. Napkins to match all table linen.
Linen Scars, hemstitched and lace and inser-
tion trimmed, from 25¢ up.
Handsome Doilies, lace edge and drawn work
insertion.
HANDEERCHIEFS,
In Cotton, Linen and Silk, initial and hemstitched,
Jin Cotton, Linen and Sif, iaiatand plain, homie a
HOSIERY.
Hose in cotton, wool and lisie gauze, in black and all colors, to
fit the youngest or the oldest.
LACE COLLARS.
Lace Collurs and Jabois, in all styles from the in-
cluding the handsome baby Irish es ro eT
LEATHER GOODS.
The latest styles in Leather Goods. Everything new in Chate”
a ta ”
Big redactions in all Ladies’ and Misses' and Coat Suits
and Children's Coats. Come into our store we will save you
money and help you do your Christmas buying with little worry,
HR
LYON & COMPANY,
{7-12 Allegheny 8t., Bellefonte, Pa.