TWO-SWORD MEN OF »APAN
With Their Disbanding, Comparatively
Few Years Ago, the Secret of
Blademaking Disappeared.
As Inte ns l$*>K there were scum
400,000 two-swortl men In Japan, high
ly trained lighten attnehed to the
nobles of the land In bands ranging
from two or three, to an entire army
When the revolution eame the work
of the two-sword men was done, tie
nation was made into a solid unit and
the strength of the blade curriers wa*
needed at plow and bench.
With this disbanding, an exchange
explains, the trade of the swordtnaker
was also lost to tlip vttNt number fol
lowing It, and with them, as the years
passed, died the secret* of the war
rior tools. Swords can he obtained In
Japan today whose blades are so keen
they can cut through a veil or a sofa
cushion, and also can he driven
through a bar of Iron, provided the
wlelder has thp strength. Others have
blades covered with a beautiful and
Intricate tracery that disappears and
reappears at odd times, and no one
can solve fhe "why" of It. One mo
ment the blade Is as smooth and un
marked ns a mirror and the next the
design leaps out before the eye of the
•tartled beholder and cnn even be felt
by sensitive fingers. Yet other blades
are colored red, blue, silver or gold,
and while seemingly an alloy, a chem
ical analysis shows nothing hut steel.
Tet others are coated with a poison
that Is unseen, hut heyond all other
poisons dpndly. In large part It con
sists of decayed human blood.
RACE SOON TO BE EXTINCT
F--'Ib In Wake of Civilization Have
Spelt Doom to the Polynesian!
of South Seas.
That modem civilization Is bringing
death and extermination to the splen
did race known as the Polynesian, Is
the claim of all travelers who have
■pent time on the beautiful southern
Pacific Islands. Charles Bernard
Nordhoff. In the Atlantic Monthly, In
Borrowing over this says:
“To say that Christianity was their
undoing would he absurd; they died
and are dying under the encroach
ments of the European civilization of
which Christianity was the rerun
ner. Everywhere In the St „ seas
the story lias been the same, whether
told by Stevenson, or Melville, or
Louis Becke. We brought them dis
ease; we brought them cotton cloth
ing (almost as great a curse); we sup
pressed the sports and merriment and
petty wars which enabled the old
lalnnders to mnlt^iln their Interest In
life. And lastly, we brought them an
(Mew code of morals, which succeeded
chiefly. In making hypocrites of the
men whfme souls It was designed »o
save. Today there Is nothing to he
•aid. nothing to he done—the Polyne
sian race will soon be only a mem
ory."
New Method of Identification.
Not only are the finger prints of ev
ery human being different hut the po
sition of the hones of the fingers, anil
also the shape of the nails are differ
ent. Doctor Bcclere, a well known stu
dent of radiography, utilizes this fact
In a new method for Identifying crimi
nals. The method consists In making
an X-ray photograph of the hand,
•howlng the hones and the fingernails.
Ordinarily such a photograph would
not show the flesh, but In order that
the record mny he complete the fingers
•re sonked In an opaque salt, hy
means of which all the lines and marks
are clearly shown. Doctor Bcclere
considers that the possibility afforded
by his discovery of keeping a record
of nails as well as of finger prints
should prove of the greatest use lit
Identifying criminals.
Vast Wealth in Liberia.
The Sun and New York Herald a
few weeks ago wa probably the first
newspaper In our country to announce
that Liberia, In West Africa, had hist
come Into view ns very rich In natural
resources, both agricultural and min
eral. It Is nearly as large as the state
of New York, fronts on the Atlantic
for about 000 miles and Its coast belt
Ib only about twenty miles wide.
North of the coast belt the whole
country Is a vast forest, through
which Sir Alfred Sharpe of England
has recently penetrated. He has In
formed the Royal Geographical so
ciety of the enormous population of
this, till now, unknown forest land
and of the unexpected resources. In
cluding gold and other minerals, that
■wait development there.
Radio Control for Airplanes.
There can he rlonht that If the war
had lasted a few months longer we
would have witnessed the leading ar
mies employing great fleets of air
planes controller! by radio means. The
United States army had progressed
pretty far along this line when the
armistice was declared. The same
can he said for Germany. Now we
leant that the French have demon
strated that five or six small and In
expensive bombing planes, without pi
lot. can he successfully guided by a
“shepherd" In a larger plane through
the means of Hertzian waves.—Scienti
fic American.
Marriage Promotes Long Life.
Marriage. according to Doctor
Schwartz of Merlin. Is the most Im
portant factor of longevity. Of every
200 persons who reach the age of forty
years, 126 are married and 76 unmar
ried. At sixty the proportions are 48
to 22; at 70 years, 27 to 11; and at
ninety years, « to 8. Fifty centenari
ans had all been married.
PROPOSE FOREST
PROTECTION PLAN
Wood and Pulp Famine Spurs
Experts to Action.
LEGISLATION IS SUGGESTED
Bill to Be Offered In Congress Calls
for at Least $11,000,000 a Year—Ad
equate Protection Against Forest
Fires, Reforestation of Denuded
Lands and Extension of National
Forests Among Things Sought by
Forestry Association.
A bill is to be introduced In con
gress for u national forest program,
Including better tire protection for tbe
forests.
"This step following an agreement
by all the Industries Interested, murks
the flrst united move in this direction
in this country,” says Charles l.uthrop
Pack, president of the American For
estry association, which announces the
outline of features to be embodied in
the proposed legislation. The plan
calls for national appropriations of at
least $11.000,00(1 a year.
Would Help States.
The provisions of the proposed
measures are two-fold—for a consid
erable extension of direct federal ac
tivity in forest ownership and produc
tion and for the development with fed
eral aid and encouragement uf syste
matic policies In the several forested
states to bring about adequate forest
production and reproduction.
The program provides specifically
through co-operution between the gov
ernment, the ktates and owners of
tlmberlunds, for adequate protection
against forest fires, for reforestation
of denuded lands, for obtaining es
eentlal Information in regard to tim
ber and timberlands, for extension of
the national forests and for other
steps essential to continuous forest
production on lands chiefly suitable
for this purpose. The following legis
lation Is proposed:
Authorizing the secretary of agri
culture, after consulting appropriate
local agencies, to approve an adequate
policy for each state, covering fire pro
tection, reforestation, cutting and re
moving of Umber crops. Not less
than $1,000,000 annually available for
such co-operation with states.
Provides for Experiments.
A survey of forest resources, forest
production and forest requirements of
the nation.
Provision for studies and experi
ments in forest reproduction methods,
wood utilization, timber tests, wooil
preservation, development of by-prod
ucts and other steps to bring about
the most effective use of the nation's
forest resouiies.
Provision toi a study of forest taxa
tion, to assist states In devising tux
laws which will encourage the con
servation and growing of timber. Also
of methods of Insuring against forest
losses by fire.
Provision for more rapid replanting
of the vast areas of denuded lands
within the national forests.
Appropriation of $10,000,000 a year
for five years for the purchase of
lands, which should he added to the
national forest system, whether or not
on the headwaters of navigable
streams ns such purchase* are now
limited.
Authorizing the addition to national
forests of lands now in other forms of
government ownership but found
chiefly suitable for permanent forest
production.
"The \ery great Importance of this
program and the suggestion outlined
cannot he overestimated,” said Mr.
Pack. “They affect every state In the
Union and the business Interest of ev
ery state, which means that every man
who wants to build a home, who
wants to get along, will be affected by
this Important legislation.”
PUTS BABY TO SLEEP
Young Father Has Happy Thought
and It Works Like Charm.
41. L. Leahy of Wichita. Kan., haa
discovered wlmt he considers an en
tlrel.v new way of putting bullies to
Bleep. Leahy Is a young married man
and has a three-months-old haby. The
little one has been automobile riding
several times and Leahy has noted
how (pilcltly the motion of llie cur and
the purr of the mol or has Induced
sleep.
Recently the baby was put to hod
but instead of going to midland as a
well-regulated baby should. Insisted on
crying. Happy thought, the fnther
procured their vacuum sweeper, In
stalled It Under the crib and watched
results. It worked. Haby went to
sleep and was quiet as long as the
sweeper hummed. When It quit, baby
stirred. It Is not recorded whether
the motor was allowed to run all
night.
—
Where Sympathy Lie*.
An auto speeder, lined several
weekfc ago, pleaded with Judge Ber
nard C. Fox of the Cincinnati Mu
nicipal court for u suspension of the
fine, saying he helps support Ids moth
er. “Some of these," Judge Fox said,
pointing to the number “57,” which
shows the total number of automobile
fatalities here during the year, a sign
which hangs before his desk all the
time, “some of these supported moth
era. too.”
WELL-LOCATED SINK REDUCES
HOUSEWIFE’S KITCHEN WORK
in a Well-Plarined K'tchen Like This a Good Sink la of First Importance.
Une of the biggest savers of time,
strength, and lahor In the kitchen Is
the sink. Yet many women are strug
gling along with none at all or, at
best, a poor and badly placed one.
The following suggestions in regard
to sinks are given by household spe
cialists of the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture:
The size of the family and of the
kitchen must determine the size of the
sink, but a short sink \vith ample
table and shelf room near It may be
more convenient than a long sink.
Two smaller sinks, one for the table
dishes near the dining room and the
other for general use in the kitchen,
are very convenient.
No Cracks or Square Corners.
The material should he the best
available, nonabsorbent of grease as
well ns of moisture, and there should
be no cracks or square corners to In
crease (he work of keeping It cleun.
A wooden sink, even when It receives
an annual coat of paint, will afisorb
moisture nnd grea.se which attract In
sects, and Is likely to be swarming
with bacteria and to “sour” and have
an unpleasant odor. Even drainboards
of wood are not recommended unless
they have a waterproof finish of var
nish. oil, or paint. If a wooden sink
Is necessary, It Is better to have It
metal lined, provided the sheets of
metal, which Is usually tin, zinc, gal
vanized Iron, copper ot lead, are
soldered where they are Joined and
all parts of the sink. Including the
tops of the sides, are covered with the
metal, so tha there Is no chance for
the wood to absorb moisture. Another
plan Is to have a cement sink built
Into a wooden frame and lined with
sheet copper or tin.
Iron sinks of good quality are su
perior to wooden ones, since they do
not absorb grease or moisture and are
durable. They are easily kept clean
If smooth (and they will soon wear
smooth), hot they have the disadvan
tage of neither showing dirt, nor pro
claiming their cleanliness. Unless
the front Is protected by a strip of
wood, the dresses and aprons of the
worker are likely to become stained
with Iron rust.
A soapstone or a slate sink Is dur
able, hut sometimes becomes uneven
with wear, and if this happens much
brushing and scrubbing are required
to remove (he sand and grease that
SUPERIOR QUALITIES
OF HOME-MADE BREAD
Most Appetizing of Foods When
One Is Hungry.
Loaf Should Be Light In Weight Con
sidering Its Size, of Symmetrical
Form, With an Unbroken, Gold
en-Brown Crust.
flood home-made bread Is about the
most appetizing of foods when one is
hungry, but there are ninny kinds of
home-made bread. Siyne is good, some
Is Imd. arid some Indifferent. Which
kind do you make? If you don’t know.
Judge it by the following description
of a good loaf given by the home eco
nomics kitchen of the United States
Department of Agriculture:
flood bread Is porous and contains
a large number of holes or cells, all
of which are of about the same size
and shape. It Is better for soing rea
sons to think of It as n mass of tiny
bubbles made of (lour and water and
hardened or fixed In shape by means
of heat. This calls attention not only
to the size of holes or ceils, but also
to the character of walls of the cells,
which In good bread are always very,
thin.
A loaf of bread should he light In
weight, considering its size, and should
have a symmetrical form and an un
broken, golden-brown crust. The crust
should he smooth on top and should
have a certain luster, to which the
term “bloom" has been given.
The loaf as a whole, the crust and
the crumb, should he elastic. The
loaf, If pressed out of shape, ns It
often Is when slices are cut from It,
should regain its form when the pres
sure is removed. Hits of the crust.
If bent a little between the fingers,
should show the same power to re
bound. ns should also the cut surface
of the loaf if pressed.
The crumb should he creamy white
In color and should have a “sheen,"
which muy be compared with the
biooih of the crust. This sheen can
best he Heen by looking across a slice
rather than directly down Into It. The
gather in the depressions when vege
tables are cleaned, dishes washed,
etc. Like iron, they do not show
whether they are clean or not.
Knameled-iron sinks are smooth,
last well with careful use, and may
be easily kept clean, but they are
more expensive than Iron. Porcelain
sinks are similar to the enameled
ones, but their price Is almost prohibi
tive. Perhaps the ideal plan, if cost
Is not to be considered, would be to
have an enameled or porcelain sink
for the tableware In the kltchen»or the
pantry near the dining room and an
Iron or soapstone sink for the heavier
kitchen ware.
The double sinks, with one basin for
washing and another for draining
dishes, are very convenient, but un
fortunately they are relatively expen
sive. A small sink with a rubber
stopper for Its escape pipe may be
used as a dlshpan.
The plumbing should be easy of ac
cess, and therefore It Is better tha*
there should be no closet under the
sink. Hooks or shelves under the sink
or near It will accommodate every
thin* usually kept In the dark, often
musty, sink closet" of older kitchens.
A “sink closet” can be kept sweet and
clean but It means extra work to do It.
Location of Drain Boards.
If possible, there should be a wide
shelf or drain board on each side of
the sink on the level with the rim of
the latter, one to receive soiled dishes
and the other clean ones. Some house
keepers have these covered with zinc.
As in all other places where It Is used,
the metal must be neatly fitted and
closely fastened down so as not to
leave any chance for loose, rough
edges, or to provide breeding places
for Insects or a lodging place for
grease and dirt If there Is no place
for permanent drain boards, sliding
or hinged shelves may be used. A
right-handed person usually holds the
dish In the left hand while washing
or wiping It, and the dishcloth, dish
mop, or towel In the right hand. It
Is convenient, therefore, to have the
dishes move from right to left as they
pass from dlshpan to rinsing pan, and
from rinsing pan to drainer and tray.
This should be kept In mind, and pro
vision made for soiled dishes at the
right and for a drain board at the
left of the sink.
distribution of the holes, on the other
hand, and the thickness of the walls
can best he examined by cutting a
very thin slice and holding It up to
the light.
The flavor of the bread should be, as
nearly as possible, the flavor of wheat
developed or brought out by the use
of salt. This flavor Is not easy to de
scribe, but Is familiar to those who
have tasted the wheut kernel.
■1».. .. —•
KITCHEN IS WORKSHOP
The kitchen is the workshop
In tnoat farm homes. In It the
housekeeper and Jier helpers
prepare the food for the fam
ily, and from It as a center car
ry on most of the other house
work.
More and better work can be
done In A well-lighted shop ar
ranged for the comfort and con
venience of the workers and
equipped with good tools than In
a dark shop where much time
must be spent In unnecessary
steps and energy wusted with
scattered equipment. Business
men have found this a sound
principle, and It should he up
plied to the farm kitchen so
that the housekeeper can do her
work more quickly and with the
least fatigue.
'>■ - 1. -»
I HOUSEHOLD NOTES I
s
A small Blok with a rubber stopper
for Its escape pipe may be used as a
dlshpan.
• • •
With roast pork serve apple sauce,
mashed potat oes and green vegetable
—peas, beans or spinach.
• • •
Celery, lettuce and other salad
plants, because eaten raw, must be
washed with the greatest care.
• * *
Sal soda In hot soap suds is splen
did for removing grease from a gas
rAnge. See that It Is thoroughly dried
afterwards.
see
/
EX-FIGHTERS IN
CIVIL SERVICE
Sixty Thousand Have Passed
Examinations for Positions
Under the Government.
__
PUT SNAP INTO THE WORK
—
Amendments to the Law Establish
Preference for Soldiers—Not Dis
qualified by War Wounds—Num
ber Increases Steadily.
■Washington.—The civil service is un
dergoing a change, for many former
army raeaare “still in the service” and
are injecting some of the old-time war
pep Into their handling of the mail, ;
keeping records of government insur
ance, helping to liquidate the nation's
war contracts, putting together the re
sults of the 1920 census, opening up
and Irrigating and draining new gov
ernment land, clerking in all the vari
ous government departments — doing
anything that needs to be done around
the national household. The number
of ex-service men working for the gov
eminent is Increasing steadily, and to
day numbers 60.000 who have passed
the examination and 40,000 who have
been certifier) for appointment. At the
present time the' actual count is 15,750
ex-service folk now detailed for duty
with the government, but with these
new appointments the number will be
doubled and trebled in the near future.
Like Old Times.
“It reminds a person of old times to
wander through some government
buildings and hear a head clerk shout
out the never-to-be-forgotten ‘snap to j
It,’ ” writes .1. W. Rixey Smith. “Many
a sedate and settlerl-for-the-ages gov
ernment hurean has had its papers and
Its calm rutiled recently as the thou- j
sands of men who did their hitch in
the army or the navy walked in under
civil service to occupy desks In Just
about the same manner as they would
take trenches. They hurl papers
1 around as if they were throwing Mills
bombs, and they chase in and out as
if they were always after a German,
bitterly lamented one old-timer about
to be retired to make way for the new
! blood.
“Many amendments looking toward
civil service Johs for ex-service men
and women and their dependents have
been added to the civil-service laws.
Five such amendments and two execu
tive orders of the President have been
Instrumental in opening the gates of
government service as wide as pos
sible to the ex-service man.
“One amendment establishes prefer
j ence for all honorably discharged sol
diers. sailors and marines, wives of
disabled men and widows of service
men In appointments to certain posi
tions in the District of Columbia.
“Another amendment provides for
the reinstatement of all civil service
employees who went to war. Another
restores to their places on the civil
service eligibility list all those who
lost their civil service status by reason
of Joining the militnry or naval forces.
“A fourth amendment makes it pos
sible for a disabled ex-service man to
hold n civil service position in spite of
his disability npon the certification of
the federal board for vocational edu
cation that he has been trained for
and is capable of performing the work.
“The fifth and last amendment pro- i
vldes that, Instead of the percentage I
of 70 required to be made on the regu
lar civil service examinations, a per
; eentage of 65 made by ex-service per
I sons shall result not only in their pass
ing but In their being placed on the
civil service eligibility list above all
others regardless of the marks made.
Civil Service Preference,
j “Of the two executive orders of the
President on the subject of civil serv
ice and the ex-service man, one pro
vides for the reinstatement, within five
1 years of an honorable discharge, of
those who held positions before the
war in the compel Itlve classified serv
ice, and the ether extends civil service
preference regulations to all postmas
tershtps of the first, second and third
classes.
“Despite the fact that (10,000 war
veterans are on the civil service eli
gibility list and that these changes
have been made in the law In their
Interest, only 15,750 V.'ve so far re
ceived civil service ^ointments.
There are two reasons fo. th\»: Th«
first and most obvious Is thal there
have not .been 60,000 vacancies. Tits
second Is that the law requires In the
malting of the civil service appoint
ments the names of the three highest
ellglhles shall be submitted to the de
partment head. Where the name of
an ex-service man Is submitted, along
with the names of two other persons
who have made the highest marks of
any civilians taking the examination,
the department head may choose either
the ex-service man or one of the other
two ellglhles for the position. Thus
all of the congressional amendments
and preference talk notwithstanding,
the civil service Job for the ex-service
man depends In a great measure upon
the department heads of the govern
ment.
“Salaries In the civil service vary
greatly. The average departmental po
sition In Washington pays anywhere
from $1,200 to $3,500 a year, while
many civil service positions In the
work of the different departments
throughout the country pay as low* as ■
$500 a year with quarters and mount I
as high as $5,000 a year. All salaries
under $2,500 carry a yearly b tons at
$240.”
The Pretty Dream
By MOLLIE MATHER
-- i-A. .A_- . . -■*>
<(c). 191*0, Western Newspaper Union.)
Julie thought It would be different
dfler she was married; everyone told
tier so. Aunt Mlllleent In comfortable
complacence explained how light ro
mantic visions vanished in the renlity
■of sensible devotion, and surely no
husband lmd ever been more sensibly
devoted than Tom. He was kindly
concerned in her health and her pleas
ures ns wed, and never too wrapt up
,!n business to refuse a sympathetic
ear. Vet, the “visions” remained.
Visions of a green bordered road with
a lake blue and sparkling at its foot,
(if a summer (here, the magic of its
moonlit nights. Of a crude, pictur
esque cabin at the edge of the wood
where a young man labored over pos
sible Inventions, a bronze faced, dark
eyed young man with a smile of wom
anly sweetness, and a tender voice to
match the smile. Julie had been much
in this man's companionship. It was
her uncle who had whimsically intro
duced the two.
“Stewart,” he said, “this Is a mod
ern maid of the cities; Julie, my friend
here was born a future Edison, but
he has not quite achieved—not yet.”
After that the girl had seemed to
chance upon the unusual man every
where—in the wood where the trees
made a cathedral, on the banks of the
lake, where his little boat was har
bored—sometimes they would row to
gether, sometimes talk idly as he ex
plained and laughed with her about
his future inventions.
There were hearts, Julie was told,
that had loved and lost where Stewart
Holmes was concerned. But the girl
smiled and went on to hpr fate—
for Julie, too. learned to love the man
of gentleness and charm. All nt once
Tom Carter hack In the city seemed a
crude being, on an endless quest for
mere dollars. Hollars won by hard
thinking and tireless action in a big
concern In the city. Tom’s brief
notes proved to her his absorption In
mercenary pursuit. “Hear Julie,” Tom
would scrawl—“Busy every minute;
thinking of yon .lust the same, and
hoping you will hurry home from the
wilds.”
And while Julie would crumple her
unsatisfactory letter. Stewart would
go on talking In ids beautiful way, hint
ing sadly of what her return would
mean to him. Julie realized what It
was going to mean to her.
When Stewart made love to Julie
she longed wildly to break her engage
ment, and told him so. But even in
his disappointment Stewart was
thoughtful.
“Take time to think It over. Jewel,”
he said.
Jewel was his name for her.
“There will be plenty of time to
think, I fear,” he added sadly, and mo
tioned about the cabin toward his
many half-finished plans. It was then
that Aunt Mlllleent Interceded regard
ing practical choice in a husband.
Stewart was their loved friend, she
said, but Tom was their choice. Stew
art himself settled the grievous ques
tion. Julie had gone, near the time
of her departure, to meet her wood
larfd lover on the hank of the lake, and
as the moon turned the waters to
gleaming silver, Stewart tenderly
leaned toward her, while her hands
clung to his.
“Oood-niphi and good-by, little
Jewel,” the man said. “Ours has been
a pretty dream."
Later she told hip Tom all about it.
Tom’s only answer was the repeated
urging that she set their marriage day.
As far as Julie could judge, her sum
mer romance troubled him not at all.
But as years passed, and Julie en
deavored to be worthy of her hus
band's sensible devotion, the dream re
mained to haunt her happiest hours.
Unconsciously she found herself con
tinually comparing Tom’s good nature
with the oilier man’s sympathetic un
derstanding; Tom’s bluff ways with
the. other’s tender, half-uttered
thoughts, and she wondered If front
that gifted mind some idea had not
gone out to enlighten a world. She
wished, sometimes impatiently, that
Tom v as not so commonplace in his
care for her; every physical comfort
was well si ppiied. Tom’s labors had
won hint success, hut still—her dream.
Then one day they motored to a dis
tant town. Tom had business there,
and Julie accompanied him. Half-way
on tlmir journey they en ’Cantered en
gine trouble. The spot was a strangely
familiar one—tlie short-cut through
the woods, a crude cabin near by.
"Tom," orb d Julie, "this is where
I used to visit with Uncle five, six
years ago before we were married.
You remember, Tom?" Her husband
nodded absently; he was examining
the car’s engine. “Now, if I could find
some fellow to help me,” he said. A
man came from the cabin.
“In trouble?” asked a musical voice.
Tersely Tom explained.
“Sorry I can’t help you,” Stewart
Holmes said, “but I am not much on
practical work. There’s a garage at
the bend.”
“You won’t mind waiting?” Tom
asked his wife. Julie shook her head,
then she and Stewart Holmes looked at
each other. The man’s face seemed
untouched by tlit* years, his mouth less
purposeful, perhaps, his clothing worn
and faded. The cabin door hung on
its broken bingo, the pictures had
turned to shithbiness. And after
a while, as Julie and iter bust., *«i rode
»n their way. she looked up In his face
with a little happy laugh.
“What foolish, romantic dreams girls
can have, Tom dear,” she said.