[Transcriber's Notes]
This is one of the first books I remember reading as a child. Some of
the items are thoughtfully written, like how to write checks. Many
others are just rumors or careless opinions. Some are "racy" ads. Many
articles are lead-ins to the advertisements. Whatever their truth, they
are interesting reading, calculated to draw the attention of drug store
customers of 1910.
The text of the advertisements have been reproduced along with the
accompanying graphics. Correct grammar and punctuation has been sacrificed
to preserving the original format of the ads.
"Mother's Remedies, Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remedies from Mothers
of the United States and Canada" (Gutenberg EText 17439) is a book for a
similar audience, but without advertisements.
Here are the definitions of some unfamiliar (to me) words.
aperients
Laxative.
averment
Assert formally as a fact.
biliousness
Peevish; irritable; cranky; extremely unpleasant or distasteful.
bill of attainder
Legislative determination imposing punishment without trial.
bodkin
Small, sharply pointed instrument to make holes in fabric or leather.
carnelian
Pale to deep red or reddish-brown.
catarrhal
Inflammation of a mucous membrane, especially of the respiratory
tract, accompanied by excessive secretions.
cholera morbus
Acute gastroenteritis occurring in summer and autumn; symptoms are
severe cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting.
conspectus
General or comprehensive view; survey; digest; summary.
copperas
Ferrous sulfate.
cumulation
Accumulation, heap, mass.
diathesis
Constitutional predisposition.
disseised
Dispossess unlawfully or unjustly; oust.
emercement (amercement)
Fine not fixed by law; inflicting an arbitrary penalty.
emoluments
Payment for an office or employment; compensation.
Erebus
Greek Mythology; the dark region of the underworld through which the
dead must pass before they reach Hades.
erraticism
Deviating from the usual conduct or opinion; eccentric; queer.
histologist
One who does anatomical studies of the microscopic structure of animal
and plant tissues.
impecuniosity
Having little or no money; penniless; poor.
indurated
Hardened; obstinate; unfeeling.
inheres
Inherent or innate.
intendent
Title of various government officials or administrators.
Irondequoit
Town of western New York on Lake Ontario and Irondequoit Bay, near
Rochester.
lees
Sediment settling during fermentation, especially wine; dregs.
luxation
Displacement or misalignment of a joint or organ.
Marque (letter of)
Commission granted by a state to a private citizen to capture and
confiscate the merchant ships of another nation.
meerschaum
Fine, compact, usually white clay-like mineral of hydrous magnesium
silicate, H4Mg2Si3O10, used for tobacco pipes, building stone and
ornamental carvings. Also called sepiolite.
Orfila
Mathieu Orfila (1787-1853). Chemist, founder of toxicology.
pearlash
Potassium carbonate.
prosody
Study of the metrical structure of verse.
Prussian blue
Dark blue crystalline hydrated compound, Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3.xH2O; ferric
ferrocyanide.
putrescible
Liable to decay or spoil or become putrid.
quassia
Shrub or small tree of tropical America, Quassia amara. Prepared form
of the heartwood, used as an insecticide and in medicine as a tonic to
dispel intestinal worms
quoits
Game; player throws rings of rope or flattened metal at an upright
peg, attempting to encircle it or come as close to it as possible.
rotten stone
Porous, lightweight, siliceous sedimentary rock; shells of diatoms or
radiolarians or of finely weathered chert, used as an abrasive and a
polish.
saltpetre
Potassium nitrate, KNO3.
sciatica
Pain extending from the hip down the back of the thigh and surrounding
area.
spatulate
Shaped like a spatula; rounded like a spoon.
sustension
Sustaining.
Tete d'armee
Head of Army.
theine
Caffeine.
towardliness
Apt to learn; promising; docile; tractable; propitious; seasonable.
[End Transcriber's Notes]
Every Purchase
Save You Money
AT
THE CENTRAL
Save money on your Drug Store Merchandise by buying at the Central. We
carry everything in Drugs Toilet Article, Rubber Goods, Sundries,
Candies, Cigars, etc.
You will be surprised at our low prices and quick service and pleased
with our complete stocks.
We carry a complete line of Burke's Home Remedies. Burke's Home Remedies
are sold under the Money Back Guarantee.
3 STORES IN DETROIT
CENTRAL DRUG CO.
Main Store 219 Woodward Ave.
Branch Stores
89 Woodward Ave. 153 Grand River Ave.
Detroit, MICH
The Handy Cyclopedia
Of
Things Worth Knowing
A Manual of Ready Reference
Covering Especially Such Information
Of Everyday Use as is often
Hardest to Find When
Most Needed
"Inquire Within About Everything"
For alphabetical index see page 277
CHICAGO
ALBERT J. DUBOIS
1911
Copyright. 1911, by Joseph Trienens
TO OUR PATRONS
This little book is presented to you to evidence our appreciation of
your patronage. We trust you will examine its contents closely, for you
will find within its covers many things that will prove entertaining,
instructive and useful.
It is new and up-to-date and has been expressly compiled for our
patrons. Only matter of real interest and value has been included in its
pages.
It is a general experience that answers to those questions which arise
most often in every-day life are hardest to find. Information on
practical subjects is usually just beyond your reach when it is most
desired. You will use this little book every day when you "want to
know."
It is equally valuable to all classes, men as well as women; to workers
generally as well as people of leisure. It is the book for the busy
housekeeper as well as the woman of fashion.
We shall feel amply repaid for the painstaking labor, care and expense
which we have bestowed upon this little volume if its constant utility
to you more firmly cements your good will to our establishment.
Just a few words about the advertisements. They are from concerns of
established reputation whose products we freely recommend with full
confidence that they are the best of their respective kinds. The index
to the advertising section is on pages 5 and 6.
Sincerely yours,
THE CENTRAL DRUG CO.
INDEX TO ADVERTISEMENTS
For index of general contents see page
Abilena Mineral Water
Albany Chemical Co
Aleta Hair Tonic
Alexander's Asthma Remedy
Allen's Cough Balsam
Ankle Supports
Arch Cushions
Astyptodyne
Athlophoros
Australian Eucalyptus Globulus Oil
Bath Cabinets
Blair's Pills
Blood Berry Gum Page facing inside back cover
"Bloom of Youth," Laird's
Blue Ribbon Gum
Blush of Roses
Bonheim's Shaving Cream
Borax, Pacific Coast
Borden's Malted Milk
Brown's Asthma Remedy
Brown's Liquid Dressing
Brown's Wonder Face Cream
Brown's Wonder Salve
Bryans' Asthma Remedy
Buffalo Lithia Springs Water
Buffers, Nail
Burnishine
Byrud's Corn Cure
Byrud's Instant Relief
Cabler's (W. P.) Root Juice
Calder's Dentine
Carmichael's Gray Hair Restorer
Carmichael's Hair Tonic
Celery-Vesce
Chavett Diphtheria Preventive
Chavett Solace
Chocolates and Bon Bons
Coe's Cough Balsam
Consumers Company
Corsets
Coupons
Crane's Lotion
Crown Headache Powders
Daisy Fly Killer
"Dead Stuck" for Bugs
Delatone
Dennos Food
Digesto
Dissolvene Rubber Garments
Downs' Obesity Reducer
Drosis
Duponts Hair Restorative
Dyspepsia Remedy, Graham's
Elastic Stockings
El Perfecto Veda Rose Rouge
Empress Hair Color Restorer
Empress Shampoo Soap
Euca-Scentol
Femaform Cones
Golden Remedy for Epilepsy
Golden Rule Hair Restorative
Goodwin's Corn Salve
Goodwin's Foot Powder
Gowans Pneumonia Preparation
Graves' (Dr.) Tooth Powder
Gray's Ointment
Great Western Champagne
Grube's Corn Remover
Guild's Asthma Cure
Harvard Athletic Supports
Heel Cushions
Hegeman's Camphor Ice
Hill's Chloride of Gold Tablets
Hoag's (Dr.) Cell Tissue Tonic
Hollister's Rocky Mountain Tea
Hot Water Bottles
Hydrox Chemical Company
Hygeia Nursing Bottles
I-De-Lite
Irondequoit Port Wine
Jetum
Jucket's (Dr.) Salve
Karith
Kellogg's Asthma Remedy
Knickerbocker Spraybrushes
Kondon's Catarrhal Jelly
Kumyss, Arend-Adamick
Lemke's (Dr.) Golden Electric Liniment
Lemke's (Dr.) Laxative Herb Tea
Lemke's (Dr.) St. Johannis Drops
Leslie Safety Razors
Louisenbad Reduction Salt
Lune de Miel Perfume
"Lustr-ite" Toilet Specialties
Luxtone Toilet Preparations
Mando, Depilatory
Manicure Goods
Mares Cough Balsam
Martel's (Dr.) Female Pills
Marvel Syringes
Mayr's Stomach Remedy
"Meehan's" Razor Stropper
Mey's Poultice
Mixer Medicine Company
Mt. Clemens Bitter Water
Musterole
Nardine
New Bachelor Cigars
Noblesse Toilet Preparations
Obesity Gaveck Tablets
Obesity Reducer, Downs'
Olive Oil
Orange Blossom
Orangeine
Ordway (Dr. D. P.) Plasters
Oriental Cream
Orthopedic Apparatus
Palmer's Perfumes
Paracamph
Peckham's Croup Remedy
Perry Davis Painkiller
Physiological Tonicum
Pinus Medicine Co.
Piso's Remedy
Planten's Capsules
Plexo Toilet Cream
Poland Water
Pozzoni's Complexion Powder
"Queen Bess" Perfume
Rat-Nox
Razor Stropper, "Meehan's"
Razors
Rex Bitters
Riker's Tooth Powder
Roachine
Rossman's Pile Cure
Saliodin
Salted Peanuts
Salubrin
Samurai Perfumes
Sandholm's Skin Lotion
Sanford's Inks
"Sanitas," Disinfectant
Scheffler's Hair Colorine
Seguin et Cie
Sharp & Smith
Shoes for the Lame
Shoulder Braces
Simplex Vaporizers
Skidoo Soap
Soaps, Stiefel's Medicinal
Solo Rye
Sorority Girl Toilet Requisites
Sponges
Stiefel's Medicinal Soaps
St. Jacob's Oil
Strong's Arnica Jelly
Strong's Arnica Tooth Soap
Sweet Babee Nursing Bottle
Tailoring for Men
Tanglefoot Fly Paper
Toilet Paper
Tooth Brushes
Typewriters
Tyrrell's Hygienic Institute
Villacabras Mineral Water
Virgin Oil of Pine
Whittemore's Polishes
Wright's Catarrhal Balm
Wright's Rheumatic Remedy
Young's Victoria Cream
SOCIAL FORMS
Manners and Customs of Good Society
ETIQUETTE OF COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE.
It is a growing custom in America not to announce an engagement until
the date of the marriage is approximately settled. Long engagements are
irksome to both man and woman, and a man is generally not supposed to
ask a girl to marry him until he is able to provide a home for her.
This, however, does not prevent long friendships between young couples
or a sentimental understanding growing up between them, and it is during
this period that they learn to know each other and find out if they are
suited for a life's partnership.
When a "young man goes a-courting" it generally means that he has some
particular girl in mind whom he has singled out as the object of his
devotion. A man a-courting is generally on his best behavior, and many a
happily married wife looks back on her courting days as the most
delightful of her life. At that time the woman is the object of a
devotion to which she has as yet conceded nothing. She is still at
liberty to weigh and choose, to compare her lover to other men, while
the knowledge that she is the ultimate girl that some man is trying to
win gives her a pretty sense of self-importance and a feeling that she
has come into the heritage of womanhood.
Whether it is one of the fictions about courtship or not, it is
generally assumed that a young woman is longer in making up her mind
than is the young man. When a man finds the right girl he is pretty apt
to know it, and it is his business then to start out and persuade her to
his point of view. "Neither willing nor reluctant" is the attitude of
the young girl.
Gifts and Attention.
Just what attention a man is privileged to show a young woman to whom he
is not engaged, and yet to whom he wishes to express his devotion, is a
point a little difficult to define.
If she is a bookish girl she will be pleased with gifts of books or the
suggestion that they may read the same books so they may talk them over
together. She will probably feel complimented if a man discusses with
her his business affairs and the problems that are interesting men in
their life work. When a man begins to call often and regularly on a girl
it is best to have some topic of conversation aside from personalities.
When a man is led to spend more money than he can afford in entertaining
a girl it is a bad preparation for matrimony. Courtship is a time when a
man desires to bring gifts, and it is quite right and fitting that he
should do so within reasonable limits. A girl of refined feelings does
not like to accept valuable presents from a man at this period of their
acquaintance. Flowers, books, music, if the girl plays or sings, and
boxes of candy are always permissible offerings which neither engage the
man who offers them nor the girl who receives them. This is the time
when a man invites a girl to the theater, to concerts and lectures, and
may offer to escort her to church. The pleasure of her society is
supposed to be a full return for the trouble and expense incurred in
showing these small attentions.
The Claims of Companionship.
A man cannot justly complain if a girl accepts similar favors from other
men, for until he has proposed and been accepted he has no claim on her
undivided companionship. An attitude of proprietorship on his part,
particularly if it is exercised in public, is as bad manners as it is
unwise, and a high-spirited girl, although she may find her feelings
becoming engaged, is prone to resent it. It should be remembered that a
man is free to cease his attentions, and until he has finally
surrendered his liberty he should not expect her to devote all her time
to him.
At this period it is a wise man who makes a friend of a girl's mother,
and if he does this he will generally be repaid in a twofold manner. No
matter how willful a girl may be, her mother's opinion of her friends
always has weight with her.
Moreover, what the mother is the girl will in all probability become,
and a man has no better opportunity of learning a girl's mental and
moral qualities than by knowing the woman who bore and reared her.
Engagement and Wedding Rings.
The form and material of "the mystic ring of marriage" change but
little, and innovations on the plain gold band are rarely successful.
The very broad, flat band is now out of date and replaced by a much
narrower ring, sufficiently thick, however, to stand the usage of a
lifetime. It is generally engraved on the concealed side with the
initials of the giver and the date of the marriage. The gold in the ring
should be as pure as possible, and the color, which depends on the alloy
used, should be unobtrusive, the pale gold being better liked now than
the red gold. Many women never remove their wedding ring after it has
been put on and believe it is bad luck to do so.
There is but one choice for an engagement ring, a solitaire diamond, and
clusters or colored stones are not considered in this connection. As
after the wedding the engagement ring is used as a guard to the wedding
ring, it should be as handsome as possible, and a small, pure stone is a
far better choice than a more showy one that may be a little off in
color or possess a flaw.
Correct Form in Jewelry.
On the wedding day the groom often makes the bride a wedding present of
some piece of jewelry, and if this is to be worn during the ceremony it
should consist of white stones in a thin gold or platinum setting, such
as a pendant, bracelet or pin of pearls and diamonds. If a colored stone
is preferred--and a turquoise, for instance, adds the touch of blue
which is supposed to bring a bride good luck--it should be concealed
inside the dress during the services.
As a memento of the event a groom often presents his ushers with a scarf
pin or watch or cigarette case ornamented with the initials of the bride
and groom, and the bride generally makes a similar present to her
bridesmaids of some dainty piece of jewelry. Whether this takes the form
of a pin, bracelet or one of the novelties that up-to-date jewelers are
always showing, it should be the best of its kind. Imitation stones or
"silver gilt" have no place as wedding gifts.
Wedding Customs.
There is no time in a woman's life when ceremonies seem so important as
when a wedding in the family is imminent. Whether the wedding is to be a
simple home ceremony or an elaborate church affair followed by a
reception, the formalities which etiquette prescribes for these
functions should be carefully studied and followed. Only by doing so can
there be the proper dignity, and above all the absence of confusion that
should mark the most important episode in the life of a man or woman.
Wedding customs have undergone some changes of late years, mostly in the
direction of simplicity. Meaningless display and ostentation should be
avoided, and, if a girl is marrying into a family much better endowed in
worldly goods than her own, she should have no false pride in insisting
on simple festivities and in preventing her family from incurring
expense that they cannot afford. The entire expenses of a wedding, with
the exception of the clergyman's fee and the carriage which takes the
bride and groom away for their honeymoon, are met by the bride's family,
and there is no worse impropriety than in allowing the groom to meet or
share any of these obligations. Rather than allow this a girl would show
more self-respect in choosing to do away with the social side of the
function and be content with the marriage ceremony read by her clergyman
under his own roof.
Invitations and Announcements.
In the case of a private wedding announcement cards should be mailed the
following day to all relatives and acquaintances of both the contracting
parties.
Evening weddings are no longer the custom, and the fashionable hour is
now high noon, although in many cases three o'clock in the afternoon is
the hour chosen. Whether the wedding is to be followed by a reception or
not, the invitations to it should be sent out not less than two weeks
before the event, and these should be promptly accepted or declined by
those receiving them. The acceptance of a wedding invitation by no means
implies that the recipient is obliged to give a present. These are only
expected of relatives and near friends of the bride and groom, and in
all cases the presents should be addressed and sent to the bride, who
should acknowledge them by a prettily worded note of thanks as soon as
the gifts are received or, at the latest, a few days after the marriage
ceremony.
Silver and Linen.
The usual rule followed in the engraving of silver or the marking of
linen is to use the initials of the bride's maiden name. The question of
duplicate gifts is as annoying to the sender as it is to the young
couple who are ultimately to enjoy the gifts. Theoretically, it is bad
form to exchange a gift after it has been received, but, in truth, this
is often done when a great deal of silver is given by close friends or
members of the family it is a comparatively easy matter to find out what
has already been sent and to learn the bride's wishes in this matter.
Prenuptial Functions.
After the wedding invitations are out it is not customary for a girl to
attend any social functions or to be much seen in public. This gives her
the necessary time to devote to the finishing of her trousseau and for
making any necessary arrangements for the new life she is to take up
after the honeymoon is over. Family dinners are quite proper at this
time, and it is expected of her to give a lunch to her bridesmaids. The
wedding presents may be shown at this occasion, but any more public and
general display of them is now rarely indulged in and is, in fact, not
considered in good taste.
The groom, as a prenuptial celebration, is supposed to give a supper to
his intimate bachelor friends and the men who are to act as ushers at
the marriage ceremony. The ushers are generally recruited from the
friends of the groom rather than those of the bride, but if she has a
grown brother he is always asked to act in this capacity. Ushers, like
bridesmaids, are chosen among the unmarried friends of the young couple,
although a matron of honor is often included in the bridal party.
The Bride's Trousseau.
The bride's trousseau should be finished well before the fortnight
preceding the wedding. Fashions change so quickly now that it is rarely
advisable for a bride to provide gowns for more than a season ahead. If
the check her father furnishes her for her trousseau is a generous one
it is a wise provision to put a part of it aside for later use, and in
so doing she has the equivalent of a wardrobe that will last her for a
year or more.
Custom has decreed that the bride's wedding dress shall be of pure
white, and, as the marriage ceremony is a religious one, whether it
takes place in a church or in a private house, that it shall be made
high in the neck and with long sleeves. Orange blossoms, the natural
flowers, form the trimming to the corsage and a coronet to fasten the
veil. A bride's ornaments include only one gift of white jewelry, pearls
or diamonds, from her future husband, and the bouquet he presents her.
So many awkward moments have been occasioned in wedding ceremonies by
removing the glove that brides are dispensing with wearing gloves at
this time. The bride's appearance is by no means affected by this
custom, and the slipping of the ring on the third finger of the left
hand is made simpler and thereby more graceful. The engagement ring,
which up to the time of the wedding ceremony has been worn on this
finger, afterwards serves as a guard for the wedding ring.
The Bridesmaids.
Millinery is a most important question in discussing a wedding, and we
cannot dismiss the question with the gown worn by the bride. A most
serious consideration is what the bridesmaids are to wear, and this is
generally only settled after long and serious consultation with the
bride.
It is generally agreed that all of these gowns shall be made by the same
dressmaker so that they may conform to the colors and styles decided on,
the gown of the maid or matron of honor differing slightly from the
general scheme. At a church wedding bridesmaids wear hats and carry
baskets or bouquets of flowers, but, if bouquets are carried, they
should be quite unlike the one borne by the bride. It is customary for
the bride to give her bridesmaids some souvenir of the occasion, and it
is expected that the groom provide the gloves and ties for the ushers.
Duties of the "Best Man."
The duties of the "best man" are arduous, and it is indeed wise, as it
is general, for a man to ask his best and most devoted friend to serve
in this capacity. The best man is supposed to relieve the groom of all
the details of the ceremony and to take on his shoulders all the worry
incident to its success as a social function. It is he who purchases the
gloves and ties for the other ushers and sees that they are coached in
their duties; he procures the marriage license, if that is necessary,
and has the ring ready for the groom at the critical moment. After the
ceremony he is supposed to hand the clergyman his fee, and at the same
time be in readiness to conduct the line of bridesmaids and ushers to
their carriages. He must be at the bride's home, in case there is a
wedding reception, before the principal actors in the ceremony are
there. It is he who sends the notices of the event to the newspapers,
and, if there is a formal breakfast with speech-making, it is the best
man who proposes the health of the newly-married pair and replies to the
toast in behalf of the bridesmaids. He is the one member of the wedding
party who sees the happy couple off at the station and bids them the
last farewell as they depart on their honeymoon. This is perhaps the
time and moment when his good sense and social tact is the most needed,
The foolish custom of decorating bridal baggage with white ribbon, and
of throwing a superabundance of old shoes and a rain of rice after the
departing pair, may be mitigated by a little care on his part.
MOURNING CUSTOMS.
There has been of late years a healthy revolt against the excessive use
of crepe or the wearing of mourning for an undue period. Mourning is
first of all a protection, for in these busy days and in a large city a
death affecting our acquaintances is not always known to us. If we meet
a friend wearing black we are instantly apprised that she has suffered
the loss of a near member of her family. It is easy to say under such
circumstances, "I am very sorry to see you in black," or "I am afraid I
have not heard of your loss."
For a father or mother full mourning, that is, black unrelieved by any
touch of white, is worn for a year, and at the end of that period half
mourning, consisting first of white with black, and then violet and
gray, is worn for the second year. For a brother or sister or
grandparent black is worn for six months, and then half mourning for the
six months preceding the wearing of ordinary colors. What is called
complimentary mourning, put on at the death of a relative by marriage,
consists of the wearing of black for a period of from six weeks to a
year, depending on the closeness of the personal relationship. For
instance, in the case of the death of a mother-in-law residing in a
distant city, it would only be necessary for a woman to wear black for a
few weeks following the funeral. If, on the other hand, she resides in
the same place and is a great deal in the company of her husband's
family, it would show more tact and affection on her part to refrain
from wearing colors for a longer period.
Crepe is no longer obligatory in even first mourning. Many widows only
wear the crepe-bordered veil hanging from the conventional bonnet for
the funeral services and for a few weeks afterward, when it is replaced
by an ordinary hat and veil of plain black net bordered with thin black
silk. Widows wear neck and cuff bands of unstarched white book muslin,
this being the only sort of white permitted during the first period of
mourning. Young widows, especially those who must lead an active life,
often lighten their mourning during the second year and discard it at
the end of the second year. Of course the conventional period of
mourning for a widow is three years, but, if there should be any
indication that a second marriage is contemplated, black should
gradually be put aside.
However, the discarding of mourning is no indication that a woman is
about to change her name, and the wearing of black is so much a matter
of personal feeling that a woman should not be criticised for curtailing
the conventional period.
In this country it is not the custom for young children to wear
mourning, and with men the wearing of a black band about the hat or on
the left arm is all that is deemed necessary.
A woman wearing full mourning refrains from attending the theater or any
large functions. She may properly be seen at concerts, club meetings or
lectures, and she may receive and visit her friends informally.
ETIQUETTE OF THE VISITING CARD.
The prevailing shape for a woman's card is nearly square (about 2-1/2 by
3 inches), while the correct form for a man's card is slightly smaller.
The color should be pure white with a dull finish, while the engraving,
plain script or more elaborate text, is a matter of choice and fashion
varying from time to time. It is safe to trust the opinion of a
first-class stationer in this matter, for styles fluctuate, and he
should be constantly informed of what polite usage demands.
A woman's card should always bear the prefix "Miss" or "Mrs." There is
no exception to this rule save in the case of women who have regularly
graduated in medicine or theology and who are allowed therefore the use
of "Dr." or "Rev." before the name. "Miss" or "Mrs." should not be used
in addition to either of these titles.
The card of a married woman is engraved with her husband's full name,
such as Mrs. William Eaton Brown, but she has no right to any titles he
may bear. If he is a judge or colonel she is still Mrs. James Eaton
Brown and not Mrs. Judge or Mrs. Colonel Brown.
A widow may with propriety retain the same visiting card that she used
during the lifetime of her husband, especially if she has no grown son
who bears his father's name. In that case she generally has her cards
engraved with a part of her full maiden name before her husband's name,
such as Mrs. Mary Baker Brown. In this country a divorced woman, if she
has children, does not discard her husband's family name, neither does
she retain his given name. For social purposes she becomes Mrs. Mary
Baker Brown or, if she wishes, Mrs. Baker Brown.
The address is engraved in the lower right corner of the visiting-card,
and, if a woman has any particular day for receiving her friends, that
fact is announced in the lower left corner. As a rule even informal
notes should not be written on a visiting-card, although when a card
accompanies a gift it is quite proper to write "Best wishes" or
"Greetings" on it. This is even done when a card does not accompany a
gift, but it should be borne in mind that a card message should not take
the place of a note of thanks or be used when a more formal letter is
necessary.
A man's visiting-card should bear his full name with the prefix "Mr."
unless he has a military title above the grade of lieutenant or is a
doctor or clergyman. In these cases the proper title should be used in
place of "Mr." Courtesy titles, although they may be common usage in
conversation and a man may be known by them, are best abandoned on the
visiting-card.
During the first year of marriage cards are engraved thus:
Mr. and Mrs. William Eaton Brown
and this card may be used in sending presents, returning wedding
civilities or making calls, even when the bride is not accompanied by
her husband. After the first year these cards are discarded, and husband
and wife have separate visiting-cards.
In some communities it is not the custom for a young girl to make formal
calls without her mother. To meet this requirement the girl's name with
the prefix "Miss" is engraved on her mother's card, below her mother's
name.
It is no longer considered necessary to leave a number of cards at the
same house when calling in person or sending cards. If there are several
women members of the family one card suffices. If a woman wishes to
leave her husband's card she should leave two, one for the mistress and
one for the man of the house. A woman never leaves a card for a man
unless she has called on him on a matter of business and wishes him to
be reminded of the fact.
At a tea or large afternoon reception a card should be left in the hall
as a guest departs, so as to enable the hostess to preserve a record of
those who have called on her. If she is not able to attend she should
send her visiting-card so that it may arrive on the day of the function.
After a dinner or any formal function she should make a personal call or
leave her card in person.
When making an ordinary call it is not necessary to send one's
visiting-card to the hostess by the servant who opens the door.
Pronouncing the name distinctly is sufficient, but, if it is a first
call, and there is danger that the hostess may not be familiar with the
caller's address, it is best to leave a card on the hall table when
leaving, no matter if the hostess herself conducts her visitor to the
door.
When one is invited but unable to attend a church wedding it is
necessary to send, on the day of the ceremony, cards to those who issue
the invitations. An invitation to a wedding reception or breakfast
demands a more formal acceptance sent immediately on receipt of the
invitation and couched in the same manner in which the invitation reads.
A newcomer in town or a young married woman may receive a card from an
older woman indicating her receiving days and hours. This is a polite
invitation to call, and if she is unable to make a call at the time
indicated she should send a card on that day.
Cards of condolence are left as soon as possible after learning of the
affliction. It is not necessary to write anything on the card; in fact,
it is better not to do so, for, if the acquaintance warrants a personal
message, it should take the form of a letter. On the other hand it is
quite proper in felicitating a friend on a happy event, such as the
announcement of an engagement in the family or the arrival of a new
baby, to send a visiting-card with "Congratulations" written on it.
There are times when it seems necessary to send cards to practically all
one's acquaintances, This is wise after a long absence or a change of
residence, and when one is leaving town for a long period it is proper
to send cards with the French expression, "Pour prendre conge."
FORMALITIES IN DRESS AND ETIQUETTE.
"Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy" was old Polonius' advice to his
son, and he counseled suitability as well. It is this question of
suitability that is the hall mark of correct dressing. A safe rule to
follow, especially in the case of a young woman, is not to be
conspicuous in attire and to conform to the standards of dress as set
down by older women of recognized standing in the town in which she
lives and the community in which her social or business life is spent.
A young girl needs little adorning. Her school or college dresses should
be characterized by their neatness, freshness, correctness of cut and
utility rather than by elaborate trimmings or costly materials. Her
party gowns are simpler than those of a girl who has left school, and
she wears less jewelry. At the end of school life, if her parents are
able and willing to give her a coming-out party, she begins her social
career under the pleasantest auspices, and this is the opportunity for
her first elaborate gown.
The Debutante.
The character of this gown depends largely on the nature of the
entertainment given her.
It most commonly takes the form of an afternoon tea or reception to
which her mother invites all of her friends as well as the younger set.
The debutante receives with her mother and wears an elaborate frock of
light material and color, made high in the neck and with elbow sleeves.
Long white gloves are worn, and her hair is more elaborately arranged
than it was during her school-girl period. In fact, she is now a full-
fledged young lady and is dressed accordingly. Such a gown may serve
later as an informal evening gown, or, if it is made with a detachable
yoke, it may be worn as a dancing-frock or for any evening occasion for
which a full evening gown is expected.
The receiving party at an afternoon function generally includes near
relatives of the debutante, and a number of her intimate girl friends
are asked to assist in various ways. These receive with her and her
mother in the early part of the afternoon and later assist at the tea
table or mingle among the guests. The ladies assisting do not wear hats,
and the young girls in the party are gowned much like the debutante,
except that their gowns may be less elaborate if they choose, and they
do not carry flowers.
A popular girl or one with many family connections may count on a good
many floral offerings on the occasion of her coming-out party. These are
scattered about the room, either left in bunches or arranged in vases.
One large bunch she generally carries in her left hand, and it is a wise
girl who avoids singling out anyone of her men friends by carrying his
flowers. A gift from her father or brother or the flowers sent by some
friend of the family is the better choice. The success a girl makes
during her first year in society depends more on her general popularity
than on the devotion of any one man.
Afternoon Reception.
For an afternoon reception light refreshments, consisting of tea,
coffee, chocolate, perhaps a light claret cup, with cakes and delicate
sandwiches, are sufficient, and these are set out on a long table in a
room adjoining the reception parlors.
If a large number of guests are expected it is necessary to have a maid
or two in attendance to remove cups and saucers, keep the tea urn
replenished with hot water and to bring additional cakes and sandwiches
if the supply on the table is in danger of running short. Two women
friends are generally asked to preside at the refreshment table, one at
each end to pour tea and chocolate, and, as this task is an arduous one
and much of the success of the entertainment depends on its being well
done, it is advisable to relieve the ladies in charge during the
afternoon. This, however, like every other feature of the entertainment,
should be arranged beforehand. The charm of an afternoon reception lies
in its apparent informality, but every detail should be considered in
advance and all contingencies provided for. The debutante, and
especially her mother, should be relieved from all such responsibilities
before the guests begin to come.
The mother's duties consist in welcoming her guests and presenting her
daughter to them. If many people are arriving the guests are quickly
passed on to some one of the ladies assisting, whose duty it is to see
that they meet some of those who are already in the room and are
eventually asked to the tea table. A part of the receiving party, and
certainly the hostess and her daughter, should remain together in a
place where they may be easily found as the guests enter the room.
No more sympathetic act of friendship can be shown a debutante than to
contribute toward the success of her party. Girls who are asked to
assist should remember that their first duty is not to entertain their
own friends who may happen to be present, but to see that everyone is
welcome and that especially those who are not acquainted with many in
the room have an opportunity to become so. Anyone asked to assist at a
function of this sort is in a sense a hostess, and it is quite within
her province to enter into conversation with any unoccupied guest
whether she has been introduced or not.
The usual hours for an afternoon tea are from four to six, but in the
case of a coming-out reception the hour is often prolonged to seven so
as to allow more men to be present than would be the case if the time
were restricted to the early afternoon. In these busy days few men are
at liberty to make afternoon calls, and it is always a compliment to a
girl if her tea includes a sprinkling of black coats. Whatever hours are
decided on, they should be engraved on the cards sent out two weeks
before the tea. These are of the form and size of an ordinary
visiting-card and include the daughter's name below that of her
mother's. If she is the eldest unmarried daughter or the only girl in
the family the card reads as follows:
Mrs. Geo. Baker Blank
Miss Blank
December 9, 1911
4 to 7 o'clock
The daughter's given name is only used in case she has an older
unmarried sister.
Ball and Evening Reception.
A more elaborate form of coming-out party consists of a ball or of an
evening reception followed by dancing, and in this case the card
contains the word "Dancing" below the date of the entertainment and the
hours at which it is given. Few homes are large enough to provide for
even a small dance, and so a party of this sort is generally given at a
hotel. The guests as well as the receiving party wear evening gowns
without hats, and men are expected to come in full evening clothes,
which means the long-tailed coats and not the popular Tuxedo, white
gloves, and, although this is not obligatory, white waistcoats.
After a girl has been introduced into society she has her individual
visiting-cards, makes her own calls and is allowed to receive her own
friends. Social customs differ with locality, and the chaperon is less
customary in the West than in the East. In many cities girls are allowed
to go to the theater and to evening parties with a man friend without a
married woman being included in the party. A wise girl, however, is
careful that any man she meets shall be introduced as soon as possible
to some older member of her family and to introduce a young man calling
for the first time to either her mother or father. Also when she accepts
an invitation to an evening's entertainment she insists that her escort
shall call for her at her own home and bring her directly home at the
close of it. Dining or supping at a restaurant alone with a young man is
sure to expose a girl to criticism.
A Woman's Lunch.
There are many pleasant forms of entertainment offered to a young girl
entering society in which men are not included, and the most popular of
these is a woman's lunch. This is a favorite form of entertainment for a
young married woman to give in honor of some girl friend who has just
come out in society or whose engagement has just been announced. One
o'clock or half after is the usual hour, and the meal is served in
courses and is as elaborate as the household resources may allow. The
decorations of the table are important, and three courses are sufficient
if they are carefully arranged. Handsome street costumes are worn for a
function of this sort, and the guest of honor, if there is one, dresses
as the others do. Outer wraps are left in the hall or in a room put
aside for this purpose, and, as a rule, hats are retained and gloves
removed when the guests sit down at table.
The custom of wearing a hat during lunch is not an arbitrary one, and it
is not universal. In France, for example, where social customs are most
carefully observed, it is the custom to wear handsome afternoon gowns if
invited for the noon meal and to remove hats. The noon meal there is a
social function, and certain formalities are observed. In London, on the
contrary, no matter if a number of guests are expected, lunch is an
informal occasion, and women dress for lunch as they would for an
afternoon tea.
Hats are worn and women are prepared to rush off afterwards to meet
other engagements. The English custom prevails now in the large cities
in America, and, moreover, women seem disinclined to remove their hats
after they are once dressed for the round of the day's social
obligations.
It is simpler and really quite conventional to leave the wearing of hats
to the individual. The hostess should ask her guest if she wishes to
take her hat off or retain it, and she can at the same time intimate to
her guest, if she is a stranger in the town, what the others will
probably do in this connection. True hospitality on the part of the
hostess is to make her guests at ease, and true politeness on the part
of the visitor is to conform to the rules governing the community that
she is visiting.
PROPER APPAREL FOR MEN.
American gentlemen are no longer dependent on English tailors or on
English fashions as they were some years ago. The American type of
physique is a distinct one, and London tailors have never been able to
fit American men as well as they do their own clients. Moreover social
life is so different in the United States from what it is in England
that men really need different clothes.
Practically all American men are business men for the working hours of
the day, and few of them have any time or inclination for anything save
business clothes while daylight lasts. For dinner or for the evening
what are generally called evening clothes are permissible, and in fact
obligatory in large cities for anything beyond the most informal home
functions.
For the evening there is the informal and formal dress suit. The former
consists of the long-tailed coat worn with either a white or black
waistcoat. For a dancing party or formal dinner the white waistcoat is
generally preferred, and, if it is worn, it must be accompanied by a
white lawn tie. A made-up bow is considered incorrect. The
accompaniments to a suit of this sort are patent-leather shoes and white
kid gloves if dancing is a part of the evening programme.
The informal evening suit includes the shorter dinner jacket or Tuxedo,
as it was formerly called, and, strictly speaking, this is only
considered proper for the club or for parties where ladies are not
expected to be present. However, men who commonly dress for dinner in
the home circle generally prefer the dinner jacket to the long coat, and
well-dressed men are often seen wearing it at small dinner parties, at
the theater or at any informal evening event. This coat is always worn
with a black tie and waistcoat, and it is not a suitable apparel for a
dance or any large formal evening affair.
The correct dress for a daytime wedding is a black frock coat with light
trousers, light fancy waistcoat and gray gloves and gray Ascot or
four-in-hand tie, and the frock coat with black waistcoat proper for
church or when making afternoon calls. Many young men are adopting for
afternoon wear the English morning suit, which consists of a cutaway
coat with trousers and waistcoat to match and made of some other color
save black.
WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES.
| First Anniversary | Cotton Wedding |
| Second Anniversary | Paper Wedding |
| Third Anniversary | Leather Wedding |
| Fifth Anniversary | Wooden Wedding |
| Seventh Anniversary | Woolen Wedding |
| Tenth Anniversary | Tin Wedding |
| Twelfth Anniversary | Silk and Fine Linen Wedding |
| Fifteenth Anniversary | Crystal Wedding |
| Twentieth Anniversary | China Wedding |
| Twenty-fifth Anniversary | Silver Wedding |
| Thirtieth Anniversary | Pearl Wedding |
| Fortieth Anniversary | Ruby Wedding |
| Fiftieth Anniversary | Golden Wedding |
| Seventy-fifth Anniversary | Diamond Wedding |
HOW TO SELECT COLORS
The Natural Laws of Tints, Tones, Shades and Hues.
Some combinations of color are pleasing to the eye, and some are
discordant. The reasons for this are based on natural laws and are
explained in a very simple manner in a learned article by Dr. W. K. Carr
which originally appeared in Shop Notes Quarterly. Impressions continue
upon the retina of the eye, says Dr. Carr, about one-sixth of a second
after the object has been moved. For this reason a point of light or
flame whirled swiftly around appears as a continuous ring. Or take a
piece or red ribbon, place it on white paper, look intently at it for
thirty seconds and suddenly remove the ribbon. The portion of the paper
which was covered by the ribbon will then appear green. The explanation
is that the color sensation in the eye is caused by the almost
unthinkably rapid whirling of electrons around their atoms, and that the
retina, becoming fatigued by the vibration of the red, is therefore less
sensitive to them. When the ribbon is suddenly removed, the eye sees,
not the blue, yellow and red which produce the white surface of the
paper, but, because of the fatigue of the eye to the red, it sees only
the blue and yellow constituents of the white light. But blue and yellow
produce green; hence the tendency at the eye to see the complementary of
a color. This may be referred to as the "successive contrast of colors."
Colors for Blondes and for Brunettes.
Now, for a practical application of this knowledge.
The hair of the blond is a mixture of red, yellow and brown. As a rule
the skin is lighter, that is, it contains not so much orange, and the
tinges of red are lighter. Nature, therefore, very properly made the
blond's eyes blue, since the blue is complementary to the orange of her
hair.
The brunette's skin, on the other hand, has more orange in it, and hence
a color favorable to one would not be becoming to the other.
What would be the effect of green upon a complexion deficient in red? It
would certainly heighten the rose tints in the cheeks, but the greatest
care should be exercised in the selection of the proper shade of green,
because the brunette's complexion contains a great deal of orange, and
the green, acting upon the red of the orange, could readily produce a
brick-dust appearance. Green, therefore, is a risky color for a
brunette, and so is violet, which would neutralize the yellow of the
orange and heighten the red. But if the orange complexion had more
yellow than red, then the association of violet would produce pallor.
Yellow, of course, is her color, since its complementary violet
neutralizes the yellow of the orange complexion and leaves the red.
But with the yellow-haired blond the conditions are very different. The
complementary of blue is orange, which improves the hair and freshens
the light flesh tints. A blond, therefore can wear blue, just as a
brunette can wear yellow.
In arranging flowers the same law holds. Complementary colors should be
placed side by side; blue with orange, yellow with violet, red and rose
with green leaves. And anyone who successfully selects his wall paper
and house furnishings is drawing unconsciously, perhaps, on an intuitive
knowledge of these fundamental facts. Dark papers are bad, especially in
rooms with a northern exposure, because they absorb too much light. The
complementaries of red and violet are exceedingly trying to most
complexions, and orange and orange-yellow are fatiguing to the eye. The
most pleasing effects are to be had with yellow, light blue and light
green, for the latter freshens the red in pale skins, and the blue
heightens blond complexions, and goes well with gilding and with
mahogany and cherry furniture.
COLOR CONTRAST AND HARMONY.
The following tables will be found useful in selecting colors for dress,
decoration, or any other purpose in which the proper application of the
true laws of contrast and harmony in color is desirable:
Contrasts in Color.
Yellow contrasts with--
Purple, russet, and auburn.
Red contrasts with--
Green, olive, and drab.
Blue contrasts with--
Orange, citrine, and buff.
Harmonies in Color.
Yellow harmonizes with--
Orange, green, citrine, russet, buff, and drab.
Red harmonizes with--
Orange, purple, russet, citrine, auburn, and buff.
Blue harmonizes with--
Purple, green, olive, citrine, drab, and auburn.
THE CARE OF THE TEETH.
Decay of the teeth, or caries, commences externally, appearing upon the
enamel or bony structure of the teeth. Usually it is the result of
chemical action produced by decomposition of food. Acids found in some
fruits will cause decay if allowed to remain in contact with the teeth.
Then there are the natural mouth acids, which, although not strong, are
none the less effective if allowed to remain long enough around the
teeth. Microscopical examinations have shown that the secretions of
almost every person's month contain more or less vegetable and animal
life that will withstand the application of acids and astringents and
will only succumb to alkalies. A dentifrice or mouth wash should be
alkaline.
Toothache.
Toothache is not always due to an exposed nerve, for in the majority of
teeth extracted because they are painful the nerve is dead. Inflammation
is often the cause of the trouble.
A toothache due to inflammation is a steady, aggravating pain,
overspreading the affected side of the face, sometimes even the neck and
shoulder. As there is no nerve to kill in a case of this kind, the tooth
should be treated until cured, or removed upon the first symptom of
trouble. Its extraction would be unattended by any danger and would
afford welcome relief.
Tartar, a creamy, calcareous deposit, supposed to be from the saliva,
will sometimes cause toothache. It accumulates around the necks of the
teeth and eventually becomes hard and dark-colored. It also causes foul
breath and loosens the gums from the teeth, causing them to present an
unsightly appearance.
The Teeth of Children.
Children have twenty temporary teeth, which begin making their
appearance about the sixth or seventh month. The time varies in
different children. This is the most dangerous and troublesome period of
the child's existence, and every parent will do well to consult a
reputable dentist. About the second or third year the temporary teeth
are fully developed. They require the same care to preserve them as is
exercised toward the permanent set.
About the sixth year, or soon after, four permanent molars, or double
teeth, make their appearance. Some parents mistakenly suppose these
belong to the first set. It is a serious error. They are permanent
teeth, and if lost will be lost forever. No teeth that come after the
sixth year are ever shed. Let every parent remember this.
At twelve years the second set is usually complete, with the exception
of the wisdom teeth, which appear anywhere from the eighteenth to the
twenty-fourth year. When the second set is coming in the beauty and
character of the child's countenance is completed or forever spoiled.
Everything depends upon proper care at this time to see that the teeth
come with regularity and are not crowded together. The teeth cannot have
too much room. When a little separated they are less liable to decay.
Dentifrices--Useful and Injurious.
The habit of caring for the teeth daily, and if possible after each
meal, should be established early in life.
Those who have neglected to do so should lose no time in consulting a
reputable dentist, and then persistently caring for their teeth day by
day. Children especially should be taught to use the tooth-brush and
some reliable dentifrice. The more pleasant the preparation the easier
it will be to teach them its daily use. A fragrant, refreshing liquid is
recommended, as it is a mouth wash as well as a tooth cleanser. The
habit thus formed, neglected for even a single day, will make the mouth
feel decidedly uncomfortable.
Cleansing the Teeth.
Preparations for cleansing the teeth and purifying the mouth should be
free from all acids, and should be saponaceous or soapy, containing as
one of the principal ingredients an alkali to neutralize the acids and
destroy the animal and vegetable parasites which, as the microscope
would show us, are in the secretions of almost every person's mouth.
A finely triturated powder having slight abrasive properties, but free
from dangerous grit, should be used as the complement of a liquid. One
way to use both is to pour on the wet brush or into the palm of the hand
a sufficient quantity of powder and moisten it with the liquid.
Occasionally the powder or the liquid alone could be employed. Be
careful to use a liquid and powder of established reputation.
Beware of thy teeth.
Take good care of thy teeth,
And they will take good care of thee.
THE PERFECT FEMALE FIGURE.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Miss Helen Loewe, a student at the
Chicago Art Institute, is credited by art critics with closely
approaching the standard of physical perfection set by statues of the
goddess Venus. Miss Loewe was posed as a model for a series of
photographs issued for the benefit of the playground fund of Oak Park.
Aside from the artistic nature of Miss Loewe, a comparison of
measurements with those of the typically perfect figure explains part of
the success of these photographic studies.
| Miss Loewe. | Perfect figure. | |
| 5 ft. 7 in | Height. | 5 ft. 8 in. |
| 138 | Weight | 140 |
| 13-1/2 | Neck | 13 |
| 32 | Chest | 33 |
| 36 | Bust | 37 |
| 22 | Waist | 23 |
| 36 | Hips | 39 |
| 22 | Thigh | 24 |
| 10 | Upper arm | 11 |
| 8-1/2 | Forearm | 9 |
| 14 | Calf | 15 |
MEN AND COMPLEXIONS.
Dr. Katherine Blackford, of Boston, speaking of men's complexions,
arrives at the following conclusions. There are, of course, exceptions
to all rules: "As a general rule, the blonds are inconstant. They change
their minds too often. They get angry one moment and forgive the next.
They are impulsive, and when they do commit crimes they are done on the
impulse of the moment. A blond radiates his personality about him. The
brunette, on the other hand as a rule, likes to concentrate on one
subject. He is a specialist. He prefers his home and family, and his
pleasures are more often lectures and kindred entertainments than those
of a lighter order. He learns slowly, but he retains what he knows far
better than does the blond."
HOW THE BABY'S MIND DEVELOPS.
In his book on "The Development of the Intellect," Mr. H. W. Brown
presents a conspectus of the observations of Prof. Preyer on the mind of
the child which shows chronologically the gradual development of the
senses, intellect and will of the growing child and presents in a
condensed form the result of a great number of careful observations.
It is recorded that sensibility to light, touch, temperature, smell and
taste are present on the first day of infant life. Hearing, therefore,
is the only special sense which is not active at this time. The child
hears by the third or fourth day. Taste and smell are senses at the
first most active, but they are differentiated. General organic
sensations of well being or discomfiture are felt from the first, but
pain and pleasure as mental states are not noted till at or near the
second month.
The first sign of speech in the shape of utterance of consonant sounds
is heard about the end of the second month, these consonants being
generally "m," "r," "g," or "t." All the movements of the eyes become
co-ordinate by the fourth month, and by this time the child begins to
have the "feeling of self," that is, he looks at his own hands and looks
at himself in the mirror. The study of the child's mind during the first
year shows conclusively that ideas develop and reasoning processes occur
before there is any knowledge of words or of language; though it may be
assumed that the child thinks in symbols, visual or auditory, which are
clumsy equivalents for words. By the end of the year the child begins to
express itself by sounds--that is, speech begins. The development of
this speech capacity is, according to Preyer, in accordance with the
development of the intellectual powers. By the end of the second year
the child's power of speech is practically acquired.
THE WONDERFUL HUMAN BRAIN.
According to the novel computations of a renowned histologist, who has
been calculating the aggregate cell forces of the human brain, the
cerebral mass is composed of at least 300,000,000 of nerve cells, each
an independent body, organism, and microscopic brain so far as concerns
its vital functions, but subordinate to a higher purpose in relation to
the functions of the organ; each living a separate life individually,
though socially subject to a higher law of function.
The lifetime of a nerve cell he estimates to be about sixty days, so
that 5,000,000 die every day, about 200,000 every hour, and nearly 3,500
every minute, to be succeeded by an equal number of their progeny; while
once in every sixty days a man has a new brain.
MOURNING COLORS THE WORLD OVER.
Black is by no means the only color used by man to express grief or
mourning for the dead. In the South Sea Islands the natives express
sorrow and hope by stripes of black and white. Grayish brown, the color
of the earth to which the dead return, is used in Ethiopia. Pale brown,
the color of withered leaves, is the mourning of Persia. Sky-blue, to
express the assured hope that the deceased has gone to heaven, is the
mourning of Syria, Cappadocia, and Armenia. Deep blue in Bokhara. Purple
and violet, to express "kings and queens to God," was the color of
mourning for cardinals and kings of France. The color of mourning in
Turkey is violet. White (emblem of hope) is the color of mourning in
China. Henry VIII. wore white for Anne Boleyn. The ladies of ancient
Rome and Sparta wore white. It was the color of mourning in Spain till
1498. Yellow is the color of mourning in Egypt and in Burmah. Anne
Boleyn wore yellow mourning for Catharine of Aragon.
CURIOUS FACTS ABOUT HAIR.
The hair of men is finer than that of women.
The average weight of a head of hair is from 5 to 12 ounces.
On an average head there are about 1,000 hairs to the square inch.
Hair will stretch about one-fourth of its length and retract nearly to
its original length.
Four hairs of good strength will hold suspended a one-pound weight. A
single head of hair, of average growth, would therefore hold suspended
an entire audience of 200 people.
THINGS THAT ARE MISNAMED
Catgut is gut of sheep.
Baffin's Bay is no bay at all.
Arabic figures were invented by the Indians.
Turkish baths are not of Turkish origin.
Blacklead is a compound of carbon and iron.
Slave by derivation should mean noble, illustrious.
Turkeys do not come from Turkey, but North America.
Titmouse is not a mouse, but a little hedge sparrow.
Dutch clocks are of German (Deutsch), not Dutch manufacture.
Salt (that is table salt) is not a salt at all, but "chloride of
sodium."
Galvanized iron is not galvanized--simply iron coated with zinc.
Ventriloquism is not voice from the stomach, but from the mouth.
Kid gloves are not kid at all, but are made of lambskin or sheepskin.
Pompey's Pillar, in Alexandria, was erected neither by nor to Pompey.
Tonquin beans come from Tonka, in Guinea, not Tonquin, in Asia.
Fire, air, earth, and water, called the four elements, are not elements
at all.
Rice paper is not made from rice, but from the pith of Tungtsau, or
hollowplant.
Japan lacquer contains no lac at all, but is made from the resin of a
kind of nut tree.
Pen means a feather. (Latin. "penna," a wing.) A steel pen is therefore
an anomaly.
Jerusalem artichoke has no connection with Jerusalem, but with the
sunflower, "girasole."
Humble pie, for "umbil pie." The umbils of venison were served to
inferiors and servants.
Lunar caustic is simply nitrate of silver, and silver is the
astrological symbol of the moon.
Bridegroom has nothing to do with groom. It is the old English "guma," a
man, "bryd-guma."
Mother of pearl is the inner layer of several sorts of shell, and in
some cases the matrix of the pearl.
Sealing wax is not wax at all nor does it contain wax. It is made of
shellac, Venice turpentine and cinnabar.
Cleopatra's Needles were not erected by Cleopatra, nor in honor of that
queen, but by Thothmes III.
German silver is not silver at all, but a metallic mixture which has
been in use in China time out of mind.
Cuttle-bone is not bone, but a structure of pure chalk imbedded loosely
in the substance of a species of cuttlefish.
America was named after Amerigo Vespucci, a naval astronomer of
Florence, but he did not discover the New World.
Prussian blue does not come from Prussia. It is the precipitate of the
salt of protoxide of iron with red prussiate of potass.
Wormwood has nothing to do with worms or wood; it is the Anglo-Saxon
"wer mod," man-inspiriting, being a strong tonic.
Honeydew is neither honey nor dew, but an animal substance given off by
certain insects, especially when hunted by ants.
Gothic architecture is not that of the Goths, but the ecclesiastical
style employed in England and France before the Renaissance.
Sperm oil properly means "seed oil," from the notion that it was spawn
or milt of a whale. It is chiefly taken, however, from the head, not the
spawn of the "spermaceti" whale.
Whalebone is not bone, nor does it possess any properties of bone. It is
a substance attached to the upper jaw of the whale, and serves to strain
the water which the creature takes up.
THE LANGUAGE OF THE FLAG.
To "strike a flag" is to lower the national colors in token of
submission.
Flags are used as the symbol of rank and command, the officers using
them being called flag officers. Such flags are square, to distinguish
them from other banners.
A "flag of truce" is a white flag displayed to an enemy to indicate a
desire to parley or for consultation.
The white flag is a sign of peace. After a battle parties from both
sides often go out to the field to rescue the wounded or bury dead under
the protection of a white flag.
The red flag is a sign of defiance, and is often used by revolutionists.
In the naval service it is a mark of danger, and shows a vessel to be
receiving or discharging her powder.
The black flag is a sign of piracy.
The yellow flag shows a vessel to be at quarantine or is the sign of a
contagious disease.
A flag at half-mast means mourning. Fishing and other vessels return
with a flag at half-mast to announce the loss or death of some of the
men.
Dipping the flag is lowering it slightly and then hoisting it again to
salute a vessel or fort.
If the President of the United States goes afloat the American flag is
carried in the bows of his barge or hoisted at the main of the vessel on
board of which he is.
DEATH SENTENCE OF THE SAVIOR.
The following is said to be the sentence of death, word for word,
pronounced against Jesus Christ:
Sentence pronounced by Pontius Pilate, intendent of the lower province
of Galilee, that Jesus of Nazareth shall suffer death by the cross. In
the seventeenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, and on the 24th
day of the month, in the most holy city of Jerusalem, during the
pontificate of Annas and Caiaphas.
Pontius Pilate, intendent of the Province of Lower Galilee, sitting to
judgment in the presidential seat of the Praetors, sentences Jesus of
Nazareth to death on a cross between robbers, as the numerous and
notorious testimonies of the people prove:
1. Jesus is a misleader.
2. He has excited the people to sedition.
3. He is an enemy to the laws.
4. He calls himself the son of God.
5. He calls himself, falsely, the King of Israel.
6. He went to the temple followed by a multitude carrying palms in their
hands. Orders from the first centurion Quirrillis Cornelius to bring him
to the place of execution. Forbids all persons, rich or poor, to prevent
the execution of Jesus.
The witnesses who have signed the execution of Jesus are:
1. Daniel Robani, Pharisee.
2. John Zorobabic.
3. Raphael Robani.
4. Capet.
Jesus is to be taken out of Jerusalem through the gate of Tournes.
THE HORSE'S PRAYER.
To thee, my master, I offer my prayer: Feed, water and care for me; and
when the day's work is done, provide me with shelter and a clean, dry
bed. Always be kind to me. Pet me sometimes, that I may serve you the
more gladly and learn to love you. Do not jerk the reins, and do not
whip me when going up hill. Never strike, beat or kick me when I do not
understand what you want, but give me a chance to understand you. Watch
me, and if I fail to do your bidding, see if something is not wrong with
my harness or feet.
Do not overload me or hitch me where water will drip on me. Keep me well
shod. Examine my teeth when I do not eat; I may have an ulcerated tooth,
and that, you know, is painful. Do not tie or check my head in an
unnatural position or take away my best defence against flies and
mosquitoes by cutting off my mane or tail.
I cannot tell you when I am thirsty, so give me clean, cool water often.
I cannot tell you in words when I am sick, so watch me and by signs you
may know my condition. Give me all possible shelter from the hot sun,
and put a blanket on me not when I am working, but when I am standing in
the cold. Never put a frosty bit in my mouth; first warm it by holding
it in your hands.
I try to carry you and your burdens without a murmur, and wait patiently
for you long hours of the day or night. Without the power to choose my
shoes or path, I sometimes fall on the hard pavements, and I must be
ready at any moment to lose my life in your service.
And finally, O, my master, when my useful strength is gone, do not turn
me out to starve or freeze, nor sell me to some human brute to be slowly
tortured and starved to death, but do thou, my master, take my life in
the kindest way, and your God will reward you here and hereafter. Amen.
A LADY'S CHANCE OF MARRYING.
Every woman has some chance to marry. It may be one to fifty, or it may
be ten to one that she will. Representing her entire chance at one
hundred at certain points of her progress in time, it is found to be in
the following ratio:
| Between the ages of 15 and 20 years | 14-1/2 per cent |
| Between the ages of 20 and 25 years | 52 per cent |
| Between the ages of 25 and 30 years | 18 per cent |
| Between the ages of 30 and 35 years | 15-1/2 per cent |
| Between the ages of 35 and 40 years | 3-3/4 per cent |
| Between the ages of 40 and 45 years | 2-1/2 per cent |
| Between the ages of 45 and 50 years | 3/4 of 1 percent |
| Between the ages of 50 and 56 years | 1/8 of 1 per cent |
After sixty it is one-tenth of one per cent, or one chance in a thousand.
Some hae meat and canna' eat,
And some wad eat who want it;
But we hae meat and we can eat,
So let the Lord be thankit.
HINTS ON SHAVING.
Learn to shave right.
Don't shave in a hurry.
Have the water hot enough so that it won't cool too quickly.
Wash the face with soap and hot water before lathering, especially if
the beard is hard.
Have the lather very soapy--thin enough to spread easily, yet thick
enough so it won't drop. Rub well into the face with the brush, then
with the fingers. The longer you lather and the more you rub, the easier
the shave.
The hair usually grows downward. Shave with the grain, not against it.
Use a sliding motion, as well as downward.
If you get a "nick," wash with cold water. Rubbing the cut with a piece
of lump alum will stop the bleeding at once and help to heal.
Hold the razor properly. Lay it as flat as possible--the back of razor
nearly touching the skin. Have it under easy control. Don't grab it--an
easy position means an easy shave.
A poor strop will spoil the best razor ever made.
To buy a good razor and a cheap strop is pour economy.
If you prefer a swing strop, pull it as tightly as you can. Better use a
stiff strop--cushion or solid--if in doubt.
A serious mistake made by a number of self-shavers is to hold the strop
loose. This bends the invisible teeth and rounds the edge.
Strop your razor before and after shaving. This keeps the edge free from
rust.
Dip your razor in hot water before stropping and shaving. This dissolves
the accumulation in the invisible teeth.
Press as hard as you like on the back of the blade, but very lightly on
the edge.
As you reach the end of the strop, turn the razor on the back of the
blade to strop the other side, pulling toward you.
Keep rust away from your strop, and remember that a cut in the strop
will ruin your razor. Don't use a strop that is cut.
FACTS TO SETTLE ARGUMENTS
Telephone invented. 1861.
There are 2,750 languages.
Sound moves 743 miles per hour.
Hawks can fly 150 miles an hour.
Chinese invented paper, 170 B. C.
A hand, horse measure, is 4 inches.
German Empire re-established, 1871.
Storm clouds move 36 miles an hour.
The first steel pen was made in 1830.
Phonographs invented by Edison, 1877.
Light moves 187,000 miles per second.
Watches were first constructed in 1476.
First steamer crossed the Atlantic, 1819.
Rome was founded by Romulus, 752 B. C.
First musical notes used, 1338; printed, 1502.
The first Atlantic cable was operated in 1858.
The first balloon ascended from Lyons, France, 1783.
Slow rivers flow at the rate of seven-tenths of a mile per hour.
Napoleon I. crowned Emperor, 1804; died at St. Helena, 1820.
Harvard, the oldest college in the United States, was founded, 1638.
The first steam engine on this continent was brought from England, 1753.
The most extensive park is Deer Park in Denmark. It contains 4,200
acres.
Measure 209 ft. on each side and you will have a square acre, to an
inch.
Albert Durer gave the world a prophecy of future wood engraving in 1527.
The first iron ore discovered in this country was found in Virginia in
1715.
"Bravest of the Brave" was the title given to Marshal Ney at Friedland,
1807.
The highest bridge in the world, 360 ft. from the surface of the water,
is over a gorge at Constantine in Algiers.
The first volunteer fire company in the United States was at
Philadelphia, 1736.
St. Augustine, oldest city in the United States, founded by the
Spaniards, 1565.
Jamestown, Va., founded, 1607; first permanent English settlement in
America.
Books in their present form were invented by Attalus, kind of Pergamos,
198 B. C.
Robert Raikes established the first Sunday-school, at Gloucester,
England, 1781.
Oberlin College, Ohio, was the first in the United States that admitted
female students.
The first knives were used in England, and the first wheeled carriages
in France, in 1559.
The largest park in the United States is Fairmont, at Philadelphia, and
contains 2.740 acres.
The highest natural bridge in the world is at Rockbridge, Virginia,
being 200 feet high to the bottom of the arch.
The largest empire in the world is that of Great Britain, being
8,557,658 square miles, and more than a sixth part of the globe.
The first electrical signal ever transmitted between Europe and America
passed over the Field submarine cable on Aug. 5, 1858.
Paris was known as Lutetia until 1184, when the name of the great French
capital was changed to that which it has borne ever since.
The longest tunnel in the world is St. Gothard, on the line of the
railroad between Lucerne and Milan, being 9-1/2 miles in length.
Burnt brick were known to have been used in building the Tower of Babel.
They were introduced into England by the Romans.
The loftiest active volcano is Popocatapetl. It is 17,784 feet high, and
has a crater three miles in circumference and 1,000 feet deep.
The largest insurance company in the world is the Mutual Life of New
York City, having cash and real estate assets of over $350,000,000.
The Latin tongue became obsolete about 580.
The value of a ton of pure gold is $602,799.21.
First authentic use of organs, 755; in England, 951.
Ether was first used for surgical purposes in 1844.
Ignatius Loyola founded the order of Jesuits, 1541.
The first newspaper advertisement appeared in 1652.
Benjamin Franklin used the first lightning rods, 1752.
Glass windows (colored) were used in the 8th century.
The largest desert is Sahara, in Northern Africa. Its length is 3,000
miles and breadth 900 miles, having an area of 2,000,000 square miles.
The most remarkable echo known is that in the castle of Simonetta, two
miles from Milan. It repeats the echo of a pistol shot sixty times.
The first deaf and dumb asylum was founded in England, by Thomas
Braidwood, 1760; and the first in the United States was at Hartford,
1817.
The largest diamond in the world is the Braganza, being a part of the
Portugese jewels. It weighs 1,880 carats. It was found in Brazil in
1741.
The "Valley of Death," in the island of Java, is simply the crater of an
extinct volcano, filled with carbonic acid gas. It is half a mile in
circumference.
The grade of titles in Great Britain stands in the following order from
the highest: A Prince, Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, Baron, Baronet,
Knight.
The city of Amsterdam, Holland, is built upon piles driven into the
ground. It is intersected by numerous canals, crossed by nearly three
hundred bridges.
Coal was used as fuel in England as early as 852, and in 1234 the first
charter to dig it was granted by Henry III. to the inhabitants of
Newcastle-on-Tyne.
The present national colors of the United States were not adopted by
Congress until 1777. The flag was first used by Washington at Cambridge,
January 1, 1776.
Tobacco was discovered in San Domingo in 1496; afterwards by the
Spaniards in Yucatan in 1520. It was Introduced into France in 1560, and
into England in 1583.
Kerosene was first used for illuminating in 1826.
Cork is the bark taken from a species of the oak tree.
National banks first established in the United States, 1816.
Introduction of homoeopathy into the United States, 1825.
Egyptian pottery is the oldest known; dates from 2,000 B. C.
Authentic history of China commenced 3.000 years B. C.
The largest free territorial government is the United States.
The Chaldeans were the first people who worked in metals.
Spectacles were invented by an Italian in the 13th century.
Soap was first manufactured in England in the 16th century.
Julius Caesar invaded Britain, 55 B. C.; assassinated, 44 B. C.
Medicine was introduced into Rome from Greece, 200 B. C.
First electric telegraph, Paddington to Brayton, England, 1835.
First photographs produced in England, 1802; perfected, 1841.
First life insurance, in London, 1772; in America, Philadelphia. 1812.
Slavery in the United States was begun at Jamestown, Va. in 1619.
The highest denomination of legal-tender notes in the United States is
$10,000.
Postage stamps first came into use in England in the year 1840; in the
United States, in 1847.
The highest range of mountains are the Himalayas, the mean elevation
being from 16,000 to 18,000 feet.
The term "Almighty Dollar" originated with Washington Irving, as a
satire on the American love for gain.
The largest inland sea is the Caspian, between Europe and Asia, being
700 miles long and 270 miles wide.
A span is ten and seven-eighths inches.
First watches made in Nuremberg, 1476.
Pianoforte invented in Italy about 1710.
The value of a ton of silver is $37,704.84.
French and Indian War in America, 1754.
A hurricane moves eighty miles per hour.
Coaches were first used in England in 1569.
The first horse railroad was built in 1826-7.
Electricity moves 288,000 miles per second.
Modern needles first came into use in 1545.
The average human life is thirty-three years.
French Revolution, 1789; Reign of Terror, 1793.
$1,000,000 gold coin weighs 3,685.8 lb. avoirdupois.
Mormons arrived at Salt Lake Valley, Utah, July 24, 1847.
The largest cavern in the world is the Mammoth Cave, Kentucky.
Experiments in electric lighting, by Thomas A. Edison, 1878-80.
Daguerre and Nieper invented the process of daguerreotype, 1839.
First American library founded at Harvard College, Cambridge, 1638.
First cotton raised in the United States was in Virginia, in 1621; first
exported, 1747.
First sugar-cane cultivated in the United States, near New Orleans,
1751; first sugar-mill, 1758.
First telegraph in operation in America was between Washington and
Baltimore, May 27, 1844.
The largest university is Oxford, in England. It consists of twenty-one
colleges and five halls.
The first illumination with gas was in Cornwall, Eng., 1792; in the
United States, at Boston, 1822.
Printing was known in China in the 6th century; introduced into England
about 1474; America, 1516.
The great wall of China, built 200 B. C. is 1,250 miles in length, 20
feet high, and 25 feet thick at the base.
Glass mirrors first made by Venetians in the 13th century. Polished
metal was used before that time.
Meerschaum means "froth of the sea." It is white and soft when dug from
the earth, but soon hardens.
In round numbers, the weight of $1,000,000 in standard gold coin is
1-3/4 tons; standard silver coin, 26-3/4 tons; subsidiary silver coin,
25 tons; minor coin, 5-cent nickel, 100 tons.
The highest monument in the world is the Washington monument, being 555
feet. The highest structure of any kind is the Eiffel Tower, Paris,
finished in 1889, and 989 feet high.
There has been no irregularity in the recurrence of leap year every four
years since 1800, except in 1900, which was a common year, although it
came fourth after the preceding leap year.
It is claimed that crows, eagles, ravens and swans live to be 100 years
old; herons, 59, parrots, 60; pelicans and geese, 50; skylarks, 30;
sparrow hawks, 40; peacocks, canaries and cranes, 24.
The greatest cataract in the world is Niagara, the height of the
American falls being 165 feet. The highest fall of water in the world is
that of the Yosemite in California, being 2,550 feet.
The most ancient catacombs are those of the Theban kings, begun 4,000
years ago. The catacombs of Rome contain the remains of about 6,000,000
human beings; those of Paris, 3,000,000.
The first English newspaper was the English Mercury, issued in the reign
of Queen Elizabeth, and was issued in the shape of a pamphlet. The
Gazette of Venice was the original model of the modern newspaper.
The Great Eastern, at one time the greatest steamer afloat, and twice as
long as any other vessel at the time of her launching, in 1858, was 692
feet in length and 118 feet in breadth. She was too large to be handled
profitably with the motive power then available, but proved
indispensable in the laying of the Atlantic cable. She was broken up and
sold as junk, although the Isherwood system, on which she was built, has
since been revived, and is now successfully employed in shipbuilding.
The seven sages flourished in Greece in the 6th century B. C. They were
renowned for their maxims of life, and as the authors of the mottoes
inscribed in the Delphian Temple. Their names are: Solon, Chilo,
Pittacus, Bias, Periander, Cleobolus, and Thales.
A "monkey wrench" is not so named because it is a handy thing to monkey
with, or for any kindred reason. "Monkey" is not its name at all, but
"Moncky." Charles Moncky, the inventor of it, sold his patent for
$2,000, and invested the money in a house in Williamsburgh, Kings
County, N. Y.
The "Seven Wonders of the World" are seven most remarkable objects of
the ancient world. They are: The Pyramids of Egypt, Pharos of
Alexandria, Walls and Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Temple of Diana at
Ephesus, the Statue of the Olympian Jupiter, Mausoleum of Artemisia, and
Colossus of Rhodes.
In 1775 there were only twenty-seven newspapers published in the United
States. Ten years later, in 1785, there were seven published in the
English language in Philadelphia alone, of which one was a daily. The
oldest newspaper published in Philadelphia at the time of the Federal
convention was the Pennsylvania Gazette, established by Samuel Keimer,
in 1728. The second newspaper in point of age was the Pennsylvania
Journal, established in 1742 by William Bradford, whose uncle, Andrew
Bradford, established the first newspaper in Pennsylvania, the American
Weekly Mercury, in 1719. Next in age, but the first in importance, was
the Pennsylvania Packet, established by John Dunlap, in 1771. In 1784 it
became a daily, being the first daily newspaper printed on this
continent.
"Liberty," Bartholdi's statue, presented to the United States by the
French people in 1885, is the largest statue ever built. Its conception
is due to the great French sculptor whose name it bears. It is said to
be a likeness of his mother. Eight years of time were consumed in the
construction of this gigantic brazen image. Its weight is 440,000
pounds, of which 146,000 pounds are copper, the remainder iron and
steel. The major part of the iron and steel was used in constructing the
skeleton frame work for the inside. The mammoth electric light held in
the hands of the giantess is 305 feet above tide-water. The height of
the figure is 152-1/2 feet; the pedestal 91 feet, and the foundation 52
feet and 10 inches. Forty persons can find standing-room within the
mighty head, which is 14-1/2 feet in diameter. A six-foot man standing
on the lower lip could hardly reach the eyes. The index finger is 8 feet
in length and the nose 3-3/4 feet. The Colossus of Rhodes was a pigmy
compared with this latter-day wonder.
The largest and grandest temple of worship in the world is St. Peter's
Cathedral at Rome. It stands on the site of Nero's circus, in the
northwest part of the city, and is built in form of a Latin cross. The
total length of the interior is 612-1/2 English feet; transept, 446-1/2
feet; height of nave, 152-1/2 feet; diameter of cupola, 193 feet; height
of dome from pavement to top of cross, 448 feet. The great bell alone,
without the hammer or clapper, weighs 18,600 pounds, or over 9-1/4 tons.
The foundation was laid in 1450 A. D. Forty-three Popes lived and died
during the time the work was in progress. It was dedicated in the year
1826, but not entirely finished until the year 1880. The cost, in round
numbers, is set down at $70,000,000.
The great pyramid of Cheops is the largest structure of any kind ever
erected by the hand of man. Its original dimensions at the base were 764
feet square, and its perpendicular height in the highest point 488 feet;
it covers four acres, one rood and twenty-two perches of ground and has
been estimated by an eminent English architect to have cost not less
than 30,000,000 pounds, which in United States currency would be about
$145,200,000. Internal evidence proves that the great pyramid was begun
about the year 2170 B. c., about the time of the birth of Abraham. It is
estimated that about 5,000,000 tons of hewn stone were used in its
construction, and the evidence points to the fact that these stones were
brought a distance of about 700 miles from quarries in Arabia.
The largest body of fresh water in the world is Lake Superior. It is 400
miles long and 180 miles wide; its circumference, including the winding
of its various bays, has been estimated at 1,800 miles. Its area in
square miles is 32,000, which is greater than the whole of New England,
leaving out Maine. The greatest depth of this inland sea is 200 fathoms,
or 1,200 feet. Its average depth is about 160 fathoms. It is 636 feet
above the sea level.
The corner stone of the Washington monument, the highest in the United
States, and until 1889 the highest structure in the world, was laid July
4, 1848. Robert E. Winthrop, then Speaker of the House, delivered the
oration. Work progressed steadily for about six years, until the funds
of the monumental society became exhausted. At that time the monument
was about 175 feet high. From 1854 until 1879 nothing to speak of was
done on the building. In the year last above named Congress voted an
appropriation of $200,000 to complete the work. From that time forward
work progressed at a rapid rate until December 6th, 1884, when the
aluminum apex was set at 555 feet 5-1/2 inches from the foundation and
the work declared finished. The foundation is 146-1/2 feet square;
number of stones used above the 130-foot level, 19,163; total weight
stone used in work, 81,120 tons.
The largest State in our grand republic is Texas, which contains 274,350
square miles, capable of sustaining 20,000,000 people, and then it would
not be more crowded than Scotland is at present. It has been estimated
that the entire population of the globe could be seated upon chairs
within the boundary of Texas and each have four feet of elbow room.
The Mississippi River, from the source of the Missouri to the Eads
jetties, is the longest river in the world. It is 4,300 miles in length
and drains an area of 1,726,000 square miles. The Amazon, which is
without doubt the widest river in the world, including the Beni, is
4,000 miles in length and drains 2,330,000 square miles of territory.
THE SINGLE TAX.
This idea was first formulated by Mr. Henry George in 1879, and has
grown steadily in favor. Single-tax men assert as a fundamental
principle that all men are equally entitled to the use of the earth;
therefore, no one should be allowed to hold valuable land without paying
to the community the value of the privilege. They hold that this is the
only rightful source of public revenue, and they would therefore abolish
all taxation--local, state and national--except a tax upon the rental
value of land exclusive of its improvements, the revenue thus raised to
be divided among local, state and general governments, as the revenue
from certain direct taxes is now divided between local and state
governments.
The single tax would not fall on all land, but only on valuable land,
and on that in proportion to its value. It would thus be a tax, not on
use or improvements, but on ownership of land, taking what would
otherwise go to the landlord as owner.
In accordance with the principle that all men are equally entitled to
the use of the earth, they would solve the transportation problem by
public ownership and control of all highways, including the roadbeds of
railroads, leaving their use equally free to all.
The single-tax system would, they claim, dispense with a horde of
tax-gatherers, simplify government, and greatly reduce its cost; give us
with all the world that absolute free trade which now exists between the
States of the Union: abolish all taxes on private issues of money; take
the weight of taxation from agricultural districts, where land has
little or no value apart from improvements, and put it upon valuable
land, such as city lots and mineral deposits. It would call upon men to
contribute for public expenses in proportion to the natural
opportunities they monopolize, and make it unprofitable for speculators
to hold land unused or only partly used, thus opening to labor unlimited
fields of employment, solving the labor problem and abolishing
involuntary poverty.
THE MYSTERIES OF HYPNOTISM.
A Compend of the General Claims Made by Professional Hypnotists.
Animal magnetism is the nerve-force of all human and animal bodies, and
is common to every person in a greater or less degree. It may be
transmitted from one person to another. The transmitting force is the
concentrated effort of will-power, which sends the magnetic current
through the nerves of the operator to the different parts of the body of
his subject. It may be transmitted by and through the eyes, as well as
the finger tips, and the application of the whole open hands, to
different regions of the body of the subject, as well as to the mind.
The effect of this force upon the subject will depend very much upon the
health, mental capacity and general character of the operator. Its
action in general should be soothing and quieting upon the nervous
system; stimulating to the circulation of the blood, the brain and other
vital organs of the body of the subject. It is the use and application
of this power or force that constitutes hypnotism.
Magnetism is a quality that inheres in every human being, and it may be
cultivated like any other physical or mental force of which men and
women are constituted. From the intelligent operator using it to
overcome disease, a patient experiences a soothing influence that causes
a relaxation of the muscles, followed by a pleasant, drowsy feeling
which soon terminates in refreshing sleep. On waking, the patient feels
rested; all his troubles have vanished from consciousness and he is as
if he had a new lease of life.
In the true hypnotic condition, when a patient voluntarily submits to
the operator, any attempt to make suggestions against the interests of
the patient can invariably be frustrated by the patient.
Self-preservation is the first law of nature, and some of the best known
operators who have recorded their experiments assert that suggestions
not in accord with the best interest of the patient could not be carried
out. No one was ever induced to commit any crime under hypnosis, that
could not have been induced to do the same thing much easier without
hypnosis.
The hypnotic state is a condition of mind that extends from a
comparatively wakeful state, with slight drowsiness, to complete
somnambulism, no two subjects, as a rule, ever presenting the same
characteristics.
The operator, to be successful, must have control of his own mind, be in
perfect health and have the ability to keep his mind concentrated upon
the object he desires to accomplish with his subject.
HOW TO CARE FOR A PIANO.
By William H. Damon
The most important thing in the preservation of a piano is to avoid
atmospheric changes and extremes and sudden changes of temperature.
Where the summer condition of the atmosphere is damp all precautions
possible should be taken to avoid an entirely dry condition in winter,
such as that given by steam or furnace heat. In all cases should the air
in the home contain moisture enough to permit a heavy frost on the
windows in zero weather. The absence of frost under such conditions is
positive proof of an entirely dry atmosphere, and this is a piano's most
dangerous enemy, causing the sounding board to crack, shrinking up the
bridges, and consequently putting the piano seriously out of tune, also
causing an undue dryness in all the action parts and often a loosening
of the glue joints, thus producing clicks and rattles. To obviate this
difficulty is by no means an easy task and will require considerable
attention. Permit all the fresh air possible during winter, being
careful to keep the piano out of cold drafts, as this will cause a
sudden contraction of the varnish and cause it to check or crack. Plants
in the room are desirable and vessels of water of any kind will be of
assistance. The most potent means of avoiding extreme dryness is to
place a single-loaf bread-pan half full of water in the lower part of
the piano, taking out the lower panel and placing it on either side of
the pedals inside. This should be refilled about once a month during
artificial heat, care being taken to remove the vessel as soon as the
heat is discontinued in the spring. In cases where stove heat is used
these precautions are not necessary.
The action of a piano, like any other delicate piece of machinery,
should be carefully examined, and, if necessary, adjusted each time it
is tuned. The hammers need occasional and careful attention to preserve
original tone quality and elasticity. Never allow the piano to be beaten
or played hard upon. This is ruinous to both the action and tuning. When
not in use the music rack and top should be closed to exclude dust. The
keyboard need never be closed, as the ivory needs both light and
ventilation and will eventually turn yellow unless left open.
The case demands careful treatment to preserve its beauty and polish,
Never use anything other than a soft piece of cotton cloth or cheese
cloth to dust it with. Never wipe it with a dry chamois skin or silk
cloth. Silk is not as soft as cotton and will scratch. A dry chamois
skin picks up the dust and grit and gradually scours off the fine
finish. In dusting never use a feather duster, nor rub the piano hard
with anything. The dust should be whipped off, and not rubbed into the
varnish. If the piano is dingy, smoky or dirty looking, it should be
washed carefully with lukewarm water with a little ammonia in it to
soften it. Never use soap. Use nothing but a small, soft sponge and a
chamois skin. Wipe over a small part at a time with the sponge,
following quickly with the wet chamois skin wrung out of the same water.
This will dry it immediately and leave it as beautiful and clean as new.
Never use patent polishes. If your piano needs polishing employ a
competent polisher to give it a hand-rubbing friction polish.
The highest mountain on the globe is not, as is generally supposed, Mt.
Everest, that honor belonging to a lofty peak named Mt. Hercules on the
Isle of Papua, New Guinea, discovered by Capt. Lawson in 1881, According
to Lawson, this monster is 32,763 feet in height, being 3,781 feet
higher than Mt. Everest, which is only 29,002 feet above the level of
the Indian Ocean.
[Transcriber's Note: The highest point in New Guinea is Puncak Jaya
(Mount Carstensz or the Carstensz Pyramid), at 16,023 feet.]
SALT-RISING BREAD.
The real formula for making salt-rising bread, as set down by the
daughter of Governor Stubbs, of Kansas, and by him communicated to
Theodore Roosevelt, is as follows, according to the "Saturday Evening
Post":
"On the night before you contemplate this masterpiece of baking take
half a cupful of corn meal and a pinch each of salt and sugar. Scald
this with new milk heated to the boiling point and mix to the thickness
of mush. This can be made in a cup. Wrap in a clean cloth and put in a
warm place overnight.
"In the morning, when all is ready, take a one-gallon stone jar and into
this put one scant cupful of new milk. Add a level teaspoonful of salt
and one of sugar. Scald this with three cupfuls of water heated to the
boiling point. Reduce to a temperature of one hundred and eight degrees
with cold water, using a milk thermometer to enable you to get exactly
the right temperature. Then add flour and mix to a good batter; after
the batter is made, mix in your starter that was made the night before.
Cover the stone jar with a plate and put the jar in a large kettle of
water and keep this water at a temperature of one hundred and eight
degrees until the sponge rises. It should rise at least an inch and a
half. When it has raised mix to a stiff dough, make into loaves and put
into pans. Do not let the heat get out of the dough while working.
Grease the loaves well on top and set your bread where it will be warm
and rise. After the loaves rise bake in a medium oven for one hour and
ten minutes. When you take the loaves from the oven wrap them in a
bread-cloth."
A CURE FOR LOVE.
Take twelve ounces of dislike, one pound of resolution, two grains of
common sense, two ounces of experience, a large sprig of time, and three
quarts of cooling water of consideration. Set them over a gentle fire of
love, sweeten it with sugar of forgetfulness, skim it with the spoon of
melancholy, put it in the bottom of your heart, cork it with the cork of
clean conscience. Let it remain and you will quickly find ease and be
restored to your senses again.
These things can be had of the apothecary at the house of Understanding
next door to Reason, on Prudent street.
DOING BUSINESS WITH A BANK
In opening your account with a bank it is proper that you should first
be introduced to the cashier, or some other official. If you are engaged
in business, that officer will inquire as to your particular business or
calling, your address, etc., and unless he is already satisfied on this
point, he may make inquiries as to your business standing. This being
satisfactory, he will hand you a passbook, and some deposit tickets,
whereupon you make your first deposit, entering the amount on the
ticket. You will then be asked to write your signature in a book
provided for that purpose, or upon a card to be filed away for
reference.
The Signature.
This signature should be just as you intend to use it in all your
dealings with the bank. If, for instance, your name is John Henry Smith,
you may write it J. H. Smith, J. Henry Smith. John H. Smith or John
Henry Smith, but whatever form you adopt should be used all the time.
Once having adopted the form, it should be maintained in exactly that
way. The only excuse for variation from your usual signature is when
presenting checks or other paper made payable to you. In that case,
supposing you had adopted the form J. Henry Smith for your regular
signature, and the check is made payable to John H. Smith, you should
first write on the back of that check "John H. Smith," and immediately
under this you should place your regular signature.
Depositing Money.
When making a deposit, always use the deposit ticket provided by the
bank, filling it out yourself in ink. From this ticket, which is first
checked up by the receiving teller, the amount of your deposit is placed
to your credit. Do not ask the teller to fill our your deposit ticket.
No doubt he would be glad to accommodate you, but to do so would violate
a rule which protects both the bank and the depositor, Deposit tickets
are preserved by the bank, and often serve to correct mistakes.
How to Avoid Mistakes.
Consider for a moment the vast aggregate of bank transactions, and you
will see that perfect system on the part of the banks and bank officials
is required to insure accuracy and avoid mistakes. Sometimes the
requirements of the banks may seem arbitrary and troublesome, but
reflection will show that they safeguard the depositor as well as the
bank. The simple rules here laid down will enable anyone who has
business with a bank to do so with the least trouble and with absolute
safety.
How to Make Out a Check.
Checks are the most satisfactory and most convenient method of paying a
debt or making any ordinary remittance. The stub of your check book will
furnish a permanent memorandum, and when the check is canceled and
returned to you by the bank, it is an indisputable evidence that the
debt has been paid, or that the remittance has been made. The making of
a check is a simple matter, but even the best business men make mistakes
sometimes which are as difficult to remedy as they are easy to avoid.
The hints here given and the facsimiles of checks printed in
illustration will repay careful study.
A Check Properly Drawn. The name and amount are against
the left side of their fields.
The first facsimile shows a check properly made. It will be seen, in the
first place, that this check is written very plainly, and that there is
no room for the insertion of extra figures or words. The writing of the
amount commences as nearly as possible to the extreme left of the check.
The figures are written close together and there is no space between the
first figure and the dollar mark.
All erasures in checks should be avoided. If you have made a mistake,
tear a blank check from the back of your check book and use that in
place of the one spoiled.
Some business men allow their clerks to fill out checks on the
typewriter. This is ill-advised for two reasons: First, it is much
easier to alter a typewritten check than one filled in with a pen; in
the second place, a teller, in passing on the genuineness of a check,
takes into consideration the character of the handwriting in the body of
the check as well as in the signature. The typewritten characters offer
no clue to individuality.
Never mail a check drawn to "Bearer." Remember that if your check is
made payable to "Bearer" or to "John Smith or Bearer" it may be cashed
by anybody who happens to have it. Unless it is for a large amount the
paying teller of your bank will look only to see whether your signature
is correct, and, that being right, the bank cannot be held responsible
if the check should have come into the wrong hands.
A check drawn to order can be cashed only when the person to whose order
it has been drawn has indorsed it by writing his or her name on the back
and the bank will be responsible for the correctness of the indorsement.
If you make your check payable say, to William Armstrong or order,
nobody but William Armstrong, or some one to whom he indorses the check,
can collect the amount, and if through fraud or otherwise some one not
entitled to it gets the money which the check calls for, the
responsibility is not yours, but the bank's. It is for that reason that
bankers and business men use such great care in accepting checks.