Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 December 1884 — Couldn’t Be Expected to Know. [ARTICLE]

Couldn’t Be Expected to Know.

School-board visitor, while examin ing a scholar: “Where is the North Pole?” “I don’t know, sir.” “Don’t you ? Are you not ashamed that you don’t know where the North Pole is?” “Why, sir, if Sir John Franklin, and Dr. Kane, and Capt. Nares, and Markham couldn’t find it, how should I know where it is?" —Buffalo Express.

Messrs Mason & Hamlin bid fair to become as famous for their Upright Pianos as they have long been for their world-renowned Cabinet Organs. Having experimented several years at great expense, and with the assistance of probably as able a corps of experts as can be found in any factory in the world, hey have succeeded in producing a piano which has elicited the warmest encomiums from the best judges. The distinguishing feature about it is an important improvement in the method of “stringing” the piano, which originated in their own factory. The strings are secured by metallic fastenings, instead of by the friction of pins set in wood, as has been the case, and. the advantages resulting are numerous and highly important; among them are the following; Wonderful beauty and musical quality of tone, far less liability of getting out of tune, greater reliability in trying climates, and greater solidity of construction and durability. Mason A Hamlin have" made 150,000 organs. '■They can hardly expect to make as many pianos, but they will doubtless be called upon to make a very large number.— Boston TravMtr. —.

Speaking of suicides, Dr. John Lambert, of Salem, N. Y., tells a story of a prominent physician, now doing a successful work, who, in early professional life, was daily beset with a strong suicidal impulse. He fully) realized the situation, and contemplated voluntarily going to the asylum for self-protection; but he resolutely concluded to pnt the instrument, a delicate knife, with which he was to open the femoral artery, in fall daily view, and by strength of mental and Christian force of character he fought the enemy out on this line until the glittering blade had rusted and he had conquered.