Page:Amazing Stories Volume 16 Number 06.djvu/167

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IT HAPPENED IN SPACE
167

after all," he fumed at Harpe. "What now?"

He had slept through so much, it would be hard to explain everything to him. Harpe did not try. He only said: "You talked about performing a wedding. One that will provide your daughter with a husband and a guardian. Well, get on with it."

Conniston gazed at him wonderingly, and smiled ever so thinly. He rose, went to his desk, opened a drawer. From it he brought out a prayer book.

"Join your right hands," he said.




« AMAZING FACTS »

By A. MORRIS


DREAMING IN A BIG WAY

THE manager of a large circus recently disclosed that elephants are often subject to nightmares. When having a nightmare, the elephant will trumpet and bellow unusually loud and is sorely distressed. During the nightmare, the elephant loses a great deal of weight and it often takes a month or even a month and a half of careful feeding to help him regain the weight. After a nightmare, some elephants will indicate their desire for hay by pushing their keepers toward the hay rooms with their trunks. One elephant would pick up some old hay in her trunk, hold it out to her keeper, and "beg" for more.

LAUGHING WHIPPED CREAM

"LAUGHING gas" can be put to a new task besides being useful to the dentist. Nitrous oxide, better known as laughing gas, is injected into cream under high pressure. By this process cream can be expanded 450 per cent—two quarts of delicious, smooth whipped cream from one pint of cream. The whipped cream is harmless, odorless and very economical.

THE OLDER THE BETTER

SEVERAL years back there was quite a scandal because stale diphtheria antitoxin had been ad- ministered to a child stricken with diphtheria. The child later died. The "old" antitoxin was blamed in this case.

The U. S. Public Health Service has examined "aged" antitoxin and reports that it is perfectly safe. True, freshness is very essential in serums and vaccines, but not true in the case of diphtheria antitoxin. In fact, certain doctors will only use antitoxin that is at least a year old because while still just as effective as fresh antitoxin, the reaction in the body is not as severe.

HAVE A PEPPERMINT PATTY

AFTER that heavy meal, do have a peppermint candy. Scientific tests prove that oil of peppermint is good for the stomach, especially after a hearty caloric meal, as it hastens digestion and empties the stomach an hour sooner. Being a considerate host, after your next dinner party, you'll pass the "mints" to your guests to relieve that "full" feeling.

WATER LILIES FOR "BOSSY"

IF a serious drought should again darken the farmers hopes of fattening his livestock with healthful alfalfa and legume hays, he may be forced to turn to under-water plants, such as water lilies, for nutrition for his cattle and other livestock.

The neglected weed-choked ponds and shallow lakes offer an excellent substitute. Experiment has shown that these weeds can be dried into a new hay richer in some essential nutrient elements than the ordinary fodders now being used. In our northern lakes are found species of water plants which are practically all rich in mineral content and protein.

WORTH HIS WEIGHT IN GOLD

THERE is one gentleman in this world who doesn't have to watch his diet. In fact, he relishes each and every pound that accumulates on his already fat body. For to the portly Aga Khan, an Indian potentate, obesity is a worthwhile asset. His loyal and devout subjects pay him tribute each year in gold equal to his weight.

THE YOLK'S ON YOU

SCIENCE has now discovered a method of controlling the degree of yellowness in our eggs. The hen's diet is fixed so that she is fed a controlled amount of xanthophyll, the dye which determines how yellow the yolk will be. Xanthophyll is very common and is produced in green cabbage leaves, yellow com, alfalfa, clover, grass, oats, and rye, all of which are very nutritious for a growing chick.

Recent surveys show that eggs with a medium yolk are preferred while those with a deep orange or a very pale yolk are not as desirable.

Xanthophyll-control is the farmer's answer to produce eggs with yolks to satisfy the palates of the American public.