Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 2.djvu/634

514 In conclusion, we give the results of experience with these pavements in London, and these are: 1. The first cost of the asphalt road is the same as that of a granite pavement. 2. The annual cost of maintenance is a trifle less. 3. Where a granite pavement is worn out in from seven to ten years, an asphalt pavement is still in perfect condition. 4. Asphalt, when taken up, may be used again and again.



N describing the various views, the lecturer said: I beg to ask your assistance this evening in what I am going to do. I want you to use your imagination, and fancy yourselves on board ship, and—so that it may be pleasant and agreeable—in one of these new Bessemer ships, where you have no sea-sickness to endure. We will go down the Mediterranean, through the Suez Canal, down the Red Sea where the heat is frightful, and the thermometer 120° on deck and any number below, in fact perfectly suffocating to Aden. We will not stay there, but press on to Ceylon, where we shall arrive in ten days, and where the beauty of tropical vegetation is seen for the first time—lovely beyond description. Thence we go on to Madras; but before we arrive I will show you the god Ganesa. There he is, in all his glory. He is the god most worshipped of all the Hindoo gods a—beauty, you see. His history is as follows: For certain reasons it was considered necessary that Siva should marry, and as he was an old bachelor he did not like it. However, the marriage took place between him and Parvatee, who unfortunately gave birth to a son. Parvatee had a brother, called Vishnu, who was always upbraiding her, and Ganesa, who was a most lovely child, always took his mother's part. At last, Vishnu one day began upbraiding her again, and Ganesa threatened to thrash him, and the result was that they had a fight, and Ganesa got a tremendous thrashing instead, and Vishnu, with one blow of his cimeter [sic], cut off his head. Parvatee took a fit of the sulks at this; but in the end Siva was asked to restore Ganesa to life. Siva at last consented to do so; but on looking for him they could only find his body, but no head. Here was a difficulty. The gods were consulted as to what was to be done, and the result was that a god was sent to bring the head of the first animal he saw and put it on Ganesa's body; and this animal, unfortunately, was an old elephant, with one tooth. They took his head and stuck it on to Ganesa's body, and you see the result. Parvatee did not like this, and in return, to