Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1875 — Shark Shot by a Boy. [ARTICLE]

Shark Shot by a Boy.

In a smal t arm of the bay, between Black Point and the Presidio, is a favorite spot for sportsmen who love duckhunting at this season of the year, and for boys who love swimming during the summer months. One peculiarity has been noticed of late by hunters, and that is, that a number of fine hunting dogs have been lost in that spot, but from what cause could never be ascertained until yesterday afternoon. It was frequently noticed that when ducks were killed and the dogs sent in for them, suddenly the dog wouid disappear and never again reappear. Yesterday a lad was out ducking, and had a favorite dog with him. At the place spoken of the youthful Nimrod shot among some ducks and killed one. His dog went in and secured the game, with which he was returning. But when near the shore he was seen to struggle suddenly and then go under the water, but immediately came to the surface again, faithfully holding his game, but suffering in the power of some strong monster. The boy seeing the situation of his pet did not hesitate long, but waded in to where the dog appeared, and seizing him tugged manfully to help him to land. It was with the greatest effort that he pulled the lacerated beast to shoal water, where he found himself and dog in antagonism with a shark. The lad had relieved his dog, and rushing out of the water seized his gun that lay upon the sand and shot the shark before it could again flounder into deep water. The dog was badly torn about the quarters, and will be of little use in future. The boy’s name could not be learned, but whoever he is he deserves a great deal of credit and commendation for his brave act and humane effort. — Sa/i Francisco Alta. An ingenious system of lighting is suggested by the Scientific American as among the probabilities of the future. Given, say, a large hotel to furnish with artificial light, the plan suggested is, instead of having a network of gas-pipes leading to the different rooms and to different burners in each room, according to the present method, to have the light for the whole building generated in one plaee, say in the main ventilating shaft for the utilizing of the surplus heat. The distribution of the light would be effected by means of reflectors, each throwing into its appropriate tube a bundle of rays—made parallel by a lens —sufficiently intense to flood the room to which they were directed with a pure white radiance, which could be turned on or off or graduated by simply pressing a knob or turning a key. In size the light tubes need be no greater than ordinary gas-pipes, and even much smaller, since all the light required for the largest room might be transmitted to the reflector as an extremely slender beam. The terminal lenses would close the tube against smoke and dust, which would dim the reflectors at the angles; and by keeping the inclosed air pure and dry the absorption of light would be inappreciable. The French Government has put down “ smuggling dogs;” the friend of man was trained to cross the frontier between Belgium and France with three pounds of tobacco ronnd his neck for a collar. _ „ ' - Warts way be removed from hands hy the application of hartshorn.