Lincoln County leader., May 02, 1913, Image 2

MAKE PREY OF POOR
EXTRAVAGANT FUNERALS EN
COURAGED BY UNDERTAKER.
Afflicted Relatives, In the First Throet
if Distress, Induced to Assume
Pecuniary Burdens That Lat
er Are Severely Felt,
One cannot go among the poor very
much without hearing more or less cir
cumstantial stories - of how the un
scrupulous undertaker fleeces them,
writes Arthur B. Reeves in Harper's
Weekly. In fact, nothing less than
ghoulish are some of the stories that
are related to show how pressure is
brought to bear on distracted people
to cause them excessive expense In
burying their dead. A dying husband
begged his wife that she give him
only a plain funeral. She promised,
. but when the undertaker came the
relatives were present As soon as
she said she -wanted only a modest
funeral the undertaker sneered. "Is
that all you thought of your husband
to bury him like that?" She was
shamed Into spending not only more
than she had promised, but more than
the insurance be had asked her to
save.
"This Is the last thing you can do
for your wife," one undertaker urged
a poor porter, "and you don't want to
be haunted by the thought that you
were mean." Tien the crafty trades
man in death pointed to the children
and cruelly wrung the man's heart by
adding: "If you don't do the right
thing by their mother they will curse
you to your dying day." It is hardly
necessary to say that this distracted
man demonstrated his love for the
dead wife and mother by having a fu
neral which condemned the children
to actual hunger and want.
Another undertaker refused to go to
Bellevue for the body of a child until
the mother gave him a golden cruci
fix, an heirloom, as security. Such
cases could be multiplied If it were
of any use, for cases of this kind are
so common among the very poor as to
be almost proverbial. That Is not to
say that all undertakers, or even a
majority of them, are rogues. They
are precisely like every other body of
men some honest, some unscrupu
lous, charging "all that the traffic will
tear."
Once having been accepted, the vul
ture undertaker has the family at his
mercy. For instance, In one case a
chattel mortgage on all the household
furniture was demanded. The family
refused indignantly. . But when they
'approached a second undertaker they
found he would not take the case be
cause the code of ethics forbade him.
They either had to take the original
undertaker on his own terms or sub
mit to having a pauper burial.
Government Maps. '
It may be of interest to touring au
tomoblllsts, bicyclists and even suffra
gette "hikers" to know that the gov
ernment will furnish at the trifling
cost of 5 cents accurate maps of all
sections of the country east of the
Mississippi river. These maps each
cover a section about 20 miles square,
and, as they are nearly two feel
square, they have a scale or about an
Inch to the mile. On this scale every
road and byroad can be readily dis
tinguished. Prominent houses along
the highways are set out, as well ae
every stream and branch. '
A feature that is specially desirable
Is the system of-;contour lines which
copiously cover the maps TheBe
show the varying elevation, there be
lng a distance of 60 feetelevtlon be
tween each line. One may thus, choose
between two roads leading to his des
tination, selecting from the sllentest
Inspection of the map the one show
ing the least hills. '
These maps are kept for sale In the
offices of the geological survey, on F
street between Thirteenth and Four
teenth streets northwest. The price
Just covers the cost of lithographing
Washington Star.
Left Lamenting.
"Darling," cried the young man. as
he sank to the maiden's feet, "I would
do anything to prove my love for you!"
"That's what every man says when he
wants to win a girl," answered the
young lady harshly. "Can't I move
you?" panted the desperate Romeo.
"Prove me! Put me to the test! Test
me, I pray you!" "I wonder!" whis
pered the lady softly to herself, while
a blush mantled her pale cheeks. Then
suddenly bending over the almost
swooning youth who crouched at her
feet, she exclaimed: "I will put you
to the test!" vAh!" The youth sprang
to his feet, exultant, triumphant and
cried aloud to the maiden at his side:
"Tour test? Your test?" "'Tis to
marry some other girl," murmured the
aweet young thing, as she glided back
ward through the velvet curtains Into
( the ballroom. Answers.
Speaks for Itself. .
When you see a man and a woman
Bitting together in the theater, sol
emnly reading the Jokes on the pro
gram between the acts, you don't have
to be a mind-reader to know they are
married. Llppincott's.
AMONG THE SERVO-CROATS
New York Freight Handlers Demon-'
strata Utility of Co-operative
Housekeeping. '
From the zadrugas of one of the
oldest hill countries of Europe to the
co-operative flats of New, York's mid
dle west side, from the Balkans to
Hell's Kitchen and back again to take
part in the war against the Turks
that is the swing of the human pendu
lum which we call immigration, writes
Marie Savsovich Orensteln in the Sur
vey. So It is that the struggle of the
allies against the Mussulman lifted
into Interest a community, of New
Tork freight handlers, who were one
of a series of racial groups studied
by the bureaus of social research un
der the auspices of the RuBsell Sage
foundation.
Among the Servo-Croats of this com
munity the co-operative household, or
Drustvo, prevails. Common expendi
tures for living necessities are borne
equally by each member of a group.
A common plan Is for the group to
hire a "boss" or "cook." , The house
boss receives from each member of
the group $2 to $3 a month, as the
case may be, for his labor; that Is,
cooking, cleaning and laundry. The
position of the house boss, especially
where he Is an older man, Is fre
quently that of sage and counselor
who is posted on all the latest doings
and gossip in the colony and of bank
er as well.
When the house' boss is a married
man he has a regular occupation, and
is considered a formal member of the
group, contributing his share to the
household expenditures. His wife per
forms the house-boss function, does
the housework, and thus largely sup
plements the family Income. . When
there are children they are fed and
housed without any extra charge be
ing made to either parent, the group
as a whole bearing the expense. This
was very pointedly demonstrated In a
household where there were four men
besides the house boss, his wife and
tour children. "And does the father
not pay a little more than the rest of
you?" was asked. "No; why should
he? Eh, what do the children then
eat?" and In his reply could be 'de
tected quite as much amazement at
the question as the interrogator felt
at the, response.
Farmer Bulletins for Housekeepers.
A wise housewife takes advantage
of every facility offered for the better
and more scientific management of
her home, and there are many avail
able helps of which perhaps the aver
age housekeeper Is ignorant.
One of the most reliable sources of
Information is our department of ag
riculture at Washington, D. C, which
maintains experiment stations, where
digestion tests and other nutrition in
vestigations are conducted, and the
results reported in farmers' bulletins.
These reports are offered , free of
charge on application, and ' discuss
every food subject and many food
processes, .such as preserving, can
ning, bread making, etc.
A penny post card sent to a member
of congress or to the secretary of ag
riculture will bring you a list of all
the bulletins now available for distri
bution, or you can request a particu
lar one directly.
Improved Electric Lights.
Since 1887 the improvement in the
electrlo has been very marked in two
directions increasing efficiency and
life of the lamp, and the reduction In
the cost of current It is probably not
realized by the average' consumer of
electricity that whereas the first car
bon filament lamps, supplied with en
ergy at about 25 cents per unit and
consuming 6 watts per (British) can
dlepower, gave only 200 candle-hours
for 25 cents, with the best type of
drawn-wire tungsten filament lamp to
day, supplied with energy at 8 cents
per unit and consuming one and one
quarter watts per candle-power, the
same sum of money gives 2,400 candle-hours.
It Didn't Work.
"Doctor, what is the remedy for
snoring?" asked Walters.
'You breathe through your mouth
when you sleep," said the physician.
"Then if I wake up and find my
mouth open, the "
"Get up and close it," Interrupted
the man of medicine.
A few nights later Walters tried It
on his mother-in-law, repeating softly,
so he would not alarm her:
"Do not be afraid; I am not a bur
glar!" Now he Is sorry that he Isn't
Huge Electrlo Clock.
To advertise a Boston company, a
large electrlo sign has been set up In
that city measuring over all 64 feet
in width by 60 in height The sign
contains a clock with a dial 34 feet
In diameter, at each side of which are
columns studded with electric-lamps.
The minute hand of the clock Is 18
feet long and weighs 488 pounds,
while the hour hand is 14 feet 4
Inches long, weighing 386 pounds. The
total weight of the structure Is fifteen
tons. Altogether there are 6,322 lamps
used In the sign.
PLEASURE IN FRUITS
Too Many People Are Huddled
Together In Big Cities.
(f One Would Interest Himself Ir
Orcharding He Would Find All Na-
ture , Soon Assuming New
Friendliness for1 Him. .
(By R. B. BUCKHAM.)
What the great majority of people,
young and old, of today need more
than anything else is to be taught
how to enjoy the pleasures and ad
vantages of life In the country. When
ope stops to think of it what a shame
It Is that so many should be huddled
together and cooped up In the great
cities, all the year round, when they
ought to be out In the open!
Recommend to a friend to try the
country, and you will doubtless find
him ready enough to make the at
tempt but in a week or so you will
quite likely . see him coming back
again, bag and baggage. He did not
find It to his liking, and gave It up.
And It Is only natural that he should;
a result to be expected; for he was
simply out of his accustomed environ
ment, and 111 at ease. He. did not
know how to accustom himself to his
new surroundings, and so did not find
them satisfactory.
It is the outcome of the same prin
ciple which will be seen at work In
many other fields of experience. It is
said that when a person beholds the
sea for the first time. It rarely, If ever,
makes an Impression upon him. It is
to him a wide expanse of water, and
that is all. But as one comes to know
It better, Its many moods and ever
changing aspects, it becomes at length
grand, Impressive, awe-inspiring, and
an endless source of fascination. ,
It is so, too, with the works of the
great masters of the past. He who
looks upon even their greatest master
pieces for the first time, usually won
ders, if at all, that they should appeal
to others as they do. . But as he
pomes to be able to understand and
appreciate them, he too, feels their
all absorbing charm and noble inspira
tion. One must know how to appreciate
the country, in order to enjoy it Con
firmed city dwellers are accustomed
to being amused all the time. Every
one of their waking hours must be
frittered away with foibles of one kind
or another, or they are miserable.
They will Bit for hours and watch a
Juggler perform his tricks, though
they know them to-be but a deception
all the time, and yet the great pro
cesses of nature may go on before
them without arousing their interest
in the least! But if they only knew
how to find entertainment in the
changing seasons, the great dramas of
seedtime and harvest, the story would
be a vastly different one. It is said
that the Danish, , wholly an agricul
tural people, are the happiest in the
world.
None need ever lack occupation and
entertainment for all of his time, when
once he has made friends with nature.-
Take for example fruit grow
ing. If one would but interest him
self in this one branch of agriculture
he would find all nature assuming a
new friendliness for him. There is a
companionship to be gotten out of the
care and observation of trees, very
real and satisfying. Says Thoreau,
the seer of Walden Pond, "Sympathy
with the fluttering alder and poplar
leaves' almost takes away my breath."
Since the dawn of creation the trees
have housed and fed the race, and
yet some in these latter days have so
drifted away from this old-time part
nership of Interests as to become al
most complete strangers to their old
time benefactors. Surely, this should
not be! It is unnatural and unwhole
some. . Do not fall to renew the old
alliance with the trees. It will bring
you a new hold upon life, and help
to heal the long-time breach between
you and mother earth.
PLANT THE ENGLISH WALNUT
No Particular Soil Required, But
Should Not Be 8et Out Where
Ground Is Low and Wet
As to planting and cultivating, Eng
lish walnut treeB seem to require no
particular soil, but should not be set
out where it Is low and wet The
trees should be planted 40 to 60 feet
apart each way. A cultivated crop,
such as corn or potatoes, with small
fruit trees for fillers, can be made to
yield an income for the brief period,
comparatively, before the walnuts be
gin to bear. The pruning should be
done between fall and spring, only
such branches as would Interfere with
cultivation being removed.
In planting on the lawn the ground
about the base of the tree should be
kept spaded for three feet in circum
ference, and after the first year some
well-rotted manure should be worked
Into the soil around the tree. No cul
tivating should be done after the Bret
of August, as it would encourage fur
ther growth, and from then until win
ter the annual growth . of wood li
ripening and hardening.
PROPER CARE OF CUT - GLASS
. ' .
Elaborate Precautions Necessary to
Preserve the Beautiful But Ex
tremely Delicate Article.
Cut glass Is very fashionable now,
and is used upon the dinner table
and In the drawing room with great
success. But alas! How easily it
can be chipped and spoiled. What
precautions can be taken with the
precious pieces? ,! .
. Cut glass must be bandied very
carefully when it is washed, so that
no risk Is run of chipping it A wood
en bowl will help.
Place In a wooden bowl some shav
ings of a mild white soap and pour
over these boiling water.
When the water has become luke
warm wash the glass In the suds, us
ing a soft nail brush. Then dip the
glass In a second wooden bowl, this
time filled with clear lukewarm wa
ter, until all traces of soap Is re
moved. Now dip the glass into a third bowl
of lukewarm water to which bluing
has been added (for the bluing will
give a brilliance to the glass) and
then dry it with a very soft cloth.
Polish It with soft tissue paper.
Gilded and patterned china may
well be washed In the same careful
way, but the bluing should be omitted.
FIRST REMOVE THE OLD PAINT
Before Applying Color to White En
ameled Furniture a Dull Surface
Must Be Reached.
To paint white enameled furniture
i light color, as pale lavender, it will
be necessary to remove as much as
possible of the old paint, so as to get
down to a dull surface. The new
paint would not "take" on the highly
polished surface of the enamel.
Wash the woodwork thoroughly
with hot water and scap, then rub
down with a cloth wrung out of hot
water and dipped Into powdered pum
ice stone. Wash off 'again ; with hot
water, dry, and the woodwork is ready
for repainting.
Two coats of enamel will probably
be necessary. The first coat should
be thoroughly dry before applying the
second. It might, too, be necessary
to 'use a very fine sandpaper to the
first coat of enamel, applying lightly.
This in case the surface is not quite
smooth and even.
Banana Pie.
Mix one-third cupful of sugar, two
and two-thirds tablespoonful of flour,
and one-eighth teaspoonful of salt;
then add yolks of two eggs, slightly
beaten. Pour on one cupful of hot
scalded milk gradually, while stir
ring 'constantly, return to double boil
er and cook 15 minutes, stirring con
stantly until mixture thickens, and
afterward occasionally. Cool and
add one-fourth cupful of thin cream
or rich milk, three-fourths tablespoon
ful of lemon Juice and one large ba
nana cut In one-eighth inch slices
crosswise. Chill thoroughly and
turn into a pastry case. Just before
serving beat the whites of two eggs
until stiff, and add gradually, while
beating constantly, two tablespoonfuls
of powdered sugar and one-fourth tea
spoonful of lemon extract Spread
evenly over pie and brown , under gas
flame. Woman's Home Companion.
Delicious Apple Omelets.
To make two large' omelets take
the yolks of eight fresh eggs and beat
very light with four ounces of . pow
dered sugar and grated yellow from
half a lemon rind.. Add a pound of
fine -.sifted flour, alternately with the
whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff
white froth. Mix well but lightly and
then fold in a cup of whipped cream.
Bake In two large flat omelets In a
moderately hot oven for five minutes;
then carefully spread with, rich, thick
apple sauce; roll each omelet up and
place them both on a heated platter,
side by side. Sprinkle with powdered
sugar and slip in the broiling oven of
jour gas range for a few seconds,
turning the flame .down quite low.
To Make Labels.
Take a roll of white passepartout
picture binding, which Is very useful
In labeling fruits, Jellies, Jars or dry
groceries for the store closet, etc. The
gummed back does away with the ne
cessity of extra paste and the bind
ing Is also strong and serviceable.
To Drive Away Files.
Put some oil of lavender In a saucer
and pour hot water over It Place It
in the bedroom and it will keep your
room clear of files and such-like pests
the warm weather brings us.
Cleaning Copper.
Copper kettles or other utensils
that have been dulled or blackened
with fire are most easily cleaned with
a lemon cut in half, dipped in salt
rubbed over the surface of the metal!
which roust be speedily washed with
water to prevent the acid eating
Into It
Chesterton on Zola.
I am grown up and I do not worry
myself about Zola's Immorality. Th
thing I cannot stand Is his morality.
Chestertor
MAKE USE OF SNAKES
SCIENTISTS FIND DEADLY REP-
TILES AN AID IN MEDICINE.
Captured at Much Risk, Their Pecu
niary Value Great Are "Baited"
to Induce Them to Eject Valu
able Poison.
The majority of snakes are not, a
most people suppose, aggressive in
their habits, but like the British
viper, far more anxious to get out of
the way' of the human Intruder than
into It But there are a few famous,
or infamous,' exceptions,' and the mam
ba One of the largest 'of the cobras,
and a native of Africa is said to be
the .most dangerous reptile in the
world. It will fly at anything and
anybody; goes put of Its way to pick
a quarrel with every passer-by, and
has even been known to come down
from a tree where it was resting, ap
parently fast asleep, to- try conclu
sions with a man armed with a gun.
The only snake that at all approaches
the mamba In ferocity is the great
king cobra, or hamadryad "of the east
which is larger than the mamba and
generally quite as ready to interfere
with any living creature that comes
within Us ken. It has been known
to chase a man on horseback, and so
fast can it travel that it is said none
but a swift-footed animal has any
chance of escape. The poison of both
these snakes is so powerful that, as
some one once stated In an examina
tion paper on reptiles, "even a scient
ist when bitten by either of these
ferocious creatures, ceaseb to be inter
ested In the matter after the space of
a few minutes." Among the Austra
lian cobras, the pitvlpers of America,
and the great West African vipers,
there are certain species that prefer
the offensive to the defensive method,
and in most cases It is the aggressive
varieties that carry the most poison
ous fangs.
Snake-baiting is an amusement that
few persons would care to indulge In,
but it appears that this hazardous
occupation Is an actual business In
certain parts of Australia. The poison
is said to te invaluable In the prepara
tion of particular medicines, and is
also much sought after by scientists
and experimenters. Its value is such,
indeed, that the snake poison col
lected by the natives of New South
Wales has been sold for as much
as a sovereign to twenty-five shillings
a grain, which works out at the amaz
ing figure of $30,000 per pound troy.
The bulslness of snake-catching is
naturally exceedingly dangerous,, but
some of the Australian snake hunters
are so expert that they can take their
quarry with no other weapon but their
hands. While one attracts the rep
tile's attention another creeps up be
hind and grasps the snake by the
neck, and so holds it until it can be
transferred to a cage or bag. The
reptiles are then taken to their perma
nent cages, where they are at inter
vals "baited" with a specially pre
pared instrument, upon whose end
is a rubber band encircling a small
sheet of glass. The snake bites
through the rubber and deposits its
venom on the glass, which is then
scraped into a phial and the contents
scaled down. The snake, once cap
tured without injury, is a constant
source of revenue, as the poison is
quickly secreted afresh, ready ior the
next "baiting." Thus, at last, the
srke, whose reputation has hitherto
been mainly earned in its capacity for
destroying life, may now be said to be
an. Importnnt agent In Its preserva
tion. $53,000,000 Dam.
The Assouan dam and other irriga
tion works in Egypt have cost $53,000,
000; but the Increase In the value of
land In middle and lower Egypt has
been from $955,000000 to $2,400,000,000.
The total rent of this land has rlBen
from $82,000,000 to $190,000,000. This
Is what the engineer has done for
Egypt in less than two decades.
Eye to the Future.
"So you want your daughter to be
a great opera singer?"
"Yes," replied the alert mother. "I
don't care so very much for opera
Binglng. But if she gets a reputation
In that line she can make all kinds of
money publishing instructions on how
to be beautiful."
His Firm Mouth.
"You have such aQrm mouth."
"Yes; I acquired that by keeping
my lips compressed."
"But why keep your lips com
pressed?" "To keep my wife from smelling
my breath."
Acrobatlo Pair.
"The bride who married the mili
tary hero -went up the aisle, the ac
count says, on her father's arm."
"The bridegroom was quite as acro
batic. He went up over a lot of other
people's heads."
A man doesn't mind being roasted
by his neighbors rb much as he dis
likes being kept in hot water by his
wife