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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 1911)
If The Commonefi VOLUME 11; NUMBER 15 8 ' till . if in 7 llv"K!i-- trj avi v i -fiint mm mriiy k Y51it Cnndunfpa bv I u .. . ". j; .7. i fieiwwfflswwpci 4 eparimen Donblo Meaning When a woman tallca of women, you can see her at her worst Not tho woman who is talked of, but the most loquacious first. Whon woman talks of woman, then there's trouble in tho air, Uncortain as to details, but you may be suro its there. Whon man would talk of woman, or, indeed, of othor men, Why, something that is tangiblo will find expression then; He may not like tho person, but ho lacks tho art to say A harmless thing that has a sting whon said a cortain way. "Of course, you've tried hor cook ing?" with a quiet little sniff, As though of something dreadful one had Just obtained a whiff. "You saw her with young Barker at tho dance tho other night?" Tho tono alono would indicate it waB a shameful sight. "She's always changing servants; I wonder why they leave!" A meaning shrug of shoulders that must make tho angels grieve. "Tho manners of her children-r-have you noticed what they are?" The thought expressed unspoken would do credit to a star". However, this is nothing to the ex clamation heard When of tho neighbor's husband one may chance to say a word. It gives the chance she's seeking and accords well with her plan Tho essence of unkindlineBS Ib tho way sho says "Poor man!" Chicago Post. coming on the stage, moro or less equipped for the fight, or whose abilities are fresh for the new les sons which sho finds it so hard to learn. Sho cannot afford to enter as an apprentice, for sho must earn a living from tho start; she must, therefore, take what she can get, suitable or not. Sho cannot choose. Tho Woman Worker The woman who works in what is called "gainful" pursuits, in nine cases out of ten, has a family to sup port, either through having been left a -widow, or being burdened with an incompetent nusoana ana tne usual family of growing children, or she is one of the great army who has only herself to lean upon, and hor work is for her daily sustenance. In some cases, there is an ailing or broken down man in the home, and this is very often the case whore the woman Is old and forced to ask for money making tasks. And, if one lookB afoout ever so little, it will be found that the world is well supplied with men who give up the struggle and shelter themselves behind the should ers of a wife, or daujmter. or sister -who is really the most helpless of the two, but who struggles on bravely until they fall in the battle for bread, the "invalid" surviving her, only to bo an unwelcome depen dent upon some one else until finally, through some blessed chance, Provi dence is kind enough to take him out of tho way. Wage-earning is particularly hard for tho woman who has given her best years to caring for a homo and "tearing a family. Sho has, through her very good-heartedness, sunk into the rut of the common-place, and when she applies for work, she is either shortly refused, or offered a wage so paltry as to be almost an insult; but "needs must," and she accepts the pittance, doing work which could not otherwise be ob tained for many times the amount of salary. The "wisdom gained in their active life of the "unemployed" as she to regarded by the census man, does not avail her in tho now field, and she must enter the list against the young, attractive women who are "Making a Fortuno" One of our girls writes to know If I think she could mako a fortune growing and selling horseradish roots. I cannot say. This girl reads tho columns of "How to mako money at Homo" so freely given 'by tho ma jority of household publications, moro than sho studies her surround ings, I think. If the right person would take up the business of grow ing and marketing almost anything in tho way of foods, he or she could mako it pay provided. But thero is always an "if," and several pro visions. Whero one person makes a fortune, at anything, thousands who follow In tho footsteps of the suc cessful one fail to even clear ex penses, for there must be more than tho wish to make money, if one is to attain success. It might pay her to grow a small patch, and learn the culture of it, and the care to give the product; then, sho must have a market. That would require thought, careful planning, some time, a little money, and a good little bunch or industry, business ability and per serverance in the face of discourage ments. Th,e planting may be done in well-prepared ground in June, and the marketing begins in November. The roots are often sold by the bar rel lots; or, in small bunches in the local market, or to hotels and restau rants; or ready-ground, in small bottles, to families. and its time for rest. Our muscles, none of them even tho most untir ing waking movements are kept in continual action, though we may be "on the go" all day; for all that, we are not moving every part of the body at the" same moment, or we should soon be so exhausted that our muscles would refuse to perform their office. The brain never rests except in sleep; one is always think ing, the brain is always active, and thero is no such thing as rest so long as one is awake. No one ever yet succeeded in thinking of nothing at all. During sleep is the only time tho brain ever takes time to recu perate from the ravages of the wak ing period. Medical Adviser. to the brain, and sleep results. It is not easy to do this, as the moro .tho will is brought to bear on tho subject, tho more it rebels, and It is tho same way with trying to tire the brain out. Medical Adviser. Putting Away Stoves, Etc. When the stove pipes are put away, to prevent rusting, take equal parts of coal oil and pure linseed oil, mix and with a' soft piece of cloth rub thoroughly over the surface of the pipe.. Stoves may be treated the same way. To preserve steel articles, paint over them with beeswax dis solved in benzole; the benzole rapid ly evaporates, leaving the surface coated with a thin layer of wax. The solution evaporates rapidly, and must be kept tightly corked, pouring but a very nttie in a saucer at a time, and working rapidly. No fire must be near it. Involuntary Resting Even those actions which ore most continuous, for example, respiration and the pulsation of tho heart, have distinct periods of rest. After each beat of the heart there is an interval during which the organ is at rest. This amounts to one-fourth of the time requisite to make one pulsation and begin another. During an ag gregate, of six hours out of the twenty-four, tho heart is not work ing, and is in a state of repose; it takes Bhort periods of rest like a sailor, but It has its due allowance for sleep, for all that. This is equally true of breathing. If we divide the respiratory act into three equal parts, one will be occupied in inspiration, one in exnlratlon. n-nri the othor by a period of quiescence. During eight hours of the twenty four, the chest and lungs are inac tive. So with the other organs of the body; each has its time for work Tho Home-Beautiful The window garden used to be a winter affair, but now the windows of tho most hopelessly "groundless" building may be made as gay as the flower-lover likes with window boxes on the outside sills of the windows. In any sporting-goods house may be found boxes in which the jointed fishing poles are packed and shipped, which are about the right size for the house-window; but if these can not be had, any one who can use aj saw ana hammer can make the box, and the flower lover can hide its ugliness with vines and foliage. If the window ledges are of wood, there should; be a lining of galvanized iron, slanting somewhat to one corner, in wnich a' small pipe is inserted for drainage, the pipe being, only- suffi ciently long to carry the water away from the ledge. If the ledges are stone or metal, this is not necessary, but it is better. The soil for filling must be very rich and porous, and kept well watered. Geraniums, ver benas, hybrid -petunias, nasturtiums, coleus, and many foliage nlants nr used, while Jor vines to hang over the sides nothing is more satisfac tory than vincas, ivy geraniums, and parlor ivy, but these by no means complete the list. Tall plants are not aesiraoie ror the boxes, but this may be remedied by pinching out rank growth, causing the plant to branch or bush. The boxes need only to be watched so that they do not drv out. nnH iio soil stirred with a table fork or hook weeder. Weak manure water is a good fertilizer. A good fertilizing liquid is made by putting into a bar rel a bushel of well-rotted horse ma nure, ana aaamg to it one pound of nitrate of soda, then fill the barrel with water; stir well, let stand a week, then strain the water off into a clean barrel, then apply two or three times a week. A half peck of sheep manure may be used instead of the nitrate of soda. For porch or trellis vines, nothing is lovelier than the large-flowered clematis, fragrant honeysuckle, or any one of tho new hardy everbloom ing roses. Nothing adds to the beauty of a house as do thrifty vines and luxuriant window boxes. Bedding Plants Among the many , beautiful bed ding plants, none are more satisfac tory than the improved geraniums and cannas. Tho geraniums will grow under almost any treatment, but they well repay care. If the ground is made too rich, they will all go to growth, and give few blooms, while in ordinary garden soil they bloom beautifully, with a more dwarf, bushy growth. On the other hand, you cannot feed the cannas too Jiighly. They should have rich, moist soil, in a sunny bed, and they will reward you with huge spikes of wonderfully colored flowers. If they have been started in March, either from root or seed, they begin early to bloom, but they should not be planted out-doors until danger of frost is over. In buying, you should get the dwarf kinds, and as the seeds do not "come true," as to color, if you are particu lar about any one color, it is best to get the roots of a reliable florist. The Bedding petunias are lovely, and to get the best, one should try the rare varieties; the new shades and variegations are exquisite, and petunias bloom freely, wet or dry. Like many other bedding plants, if the ground is very rich, there is more stalk and foliage thanflowor. These make fine plants for porch or window boxes. j The old-fashioned pinks and sweet Williams are fine for beds, and as they are hardy, they last for years, seeding the beds so that new plants are constantly coming on. They are old favorites, and are of many beau tiful, colors and markings. Double daisies come readily from seed, and set in the border, they bloom all summer and until late frost. As the roots are hardy, the plants will come again next spring, and the new flowers will be larger and handsomer than those of the seedlings. The new varieties much finer-flowered than the kinds. are old Sleep - One potent cause of sleep, and one of which we habitually avail ourselves, is diminution nf nttwi shutting the eyes so a to exclude the light, getting beyond the sound of noise, refraining from employ ment of the senses, avoiding thought as much as possible, will do much to induce sleep. By this means we lessen the amount of blood supplied The Water Garden Many aquatic plants may bo grown in the garden at a trifling ex pense. For the tank, either cement, or a strong, tight barrel may be used. If the latter, get a strong, water-tight barrel or cask, and saw this in two in the middle; this will make two tubs. Dig a hole in the la-wn the size and depth of the tubs and large enough to hold both of them. Put the two tubs in the hole, side by side, and fill in the irregular spaces between with stone and soil. Moisture-loving plants may be set here, as they will flourish in the overuow of the tubs. Six or eight Inches of mud from the bottom of a pond, or a mixture of rich garden loam and old manure is first put in, then to a depth of an inch or more with garden loam that is quite rich. In the top soil set the bulbs or roots, being careful that all small roots are well straightened out; then, over the soil place an inch layer of sand and fine gravel to weight down the soil and roots, and slowly turn the water Into the tubs, filling each tub to the brim, and adding a few pieces of charcoal to keep the water sweet. .Viu vmo muHi ue laicen, in mime In the water, that the roots are not disturbed. Any water-loving, or aquatic plant will grow in this, and the water must be filled in as fast as it evaporates. The first filling may be done with a sprinkler in the form of a shower, as a stream, of water would wash out the roots. In I