Plan of the Nebraska Postmaster s' Association
h HAS been said before, on many
I occasions, by many authorities,
I the trend of the times Is toward
fcSl consolidation, iiml In most cases,
Li '.ntsJ an has lx n mild before on many
occasions, tho consolidation results In bonc-
Ct Ul till! ft'W tO tll detriment lf till' 1I14UJ.V.
In marly every Instance consolidations or
Organisations aro formed thnt many who
Individually are weak mn by a eoncenlra
tluu of strvngth iut forth a bold front to
the enemy -the leophv
Nebraska, always full of surprises, ami
first always In springing them, lias coma
to the front recently with an organization
Which ha for Its object thnt which Its
pcuplo have long since dc.slrod better mall
Service. In llio conllucs of tills great state
doubtless there Is not a imstmastor but
Who during his term of office baa not be-en,
figuratively Bpeaklng, consigned to tho reg
ions below tltnca without number because
John Smith didn't yet tho mall ho cx
pected or becauuo thero was Ujo much red
tapo around the postollleo to cult Mary
JoUeS.
It Is to remove the cause of the ill nature
ftf John Smith and Mary Jones ct al thnt
tho postmasters of tho slate and the post
mistresses of tho state formed an organiza
tion. It In not tho intention of these offi
cials to remove the causo by removing
those who aro compelled to go to tho
ClUecs for their mail or money orders, but
by removing every little tangle of the red
tape and every litlh; hlii.iranee to tho public
and Instead of ree. living the "cassia' " of
the public tho postollleo officials expect to
receive tho laudation of every one. Con
sequently, even though a suspicious people
Will charge there Is politics behind th'i
organization. It' it brings about tho results
aid to bo desired by those who compose
It, it will have tilled a long felt want.
The organisation, which lias been n lined
tho Nebraska Association of l'osuiiastois,
bu every lejusou to believe that It will
(row und grow as time goea on, until It
becomes one of tho most compact and one
Of Uio largest of all state ussjciattons, for
tho reason that one iktsoii at least In
very city, town, village and hamlet In
tho state is eligible to membership. Such
an organisation had its Inception in the
fcrtilo brain of 1-Mward U. Sizer, who
represents I'nelo Sam's l'oslollice depart
ment in Lincoln, and who, bearing tho
cars of many successful political battles,
has the ability to make this organization a
success. l'atrons In Uncoln have little
complaint to make of tho service he has
given them in his conduct of the postoirice,
and it Is because of his success there that
they believe tho l'ost masters' association
will result In a betterment of conditions in
very mall distributing point In the state.
TU association was organized last Oc-
UK girl feminine has come into
Ther own aaln. The girl athletio
uo longer mouopoilzes the center
,:5 of the stage. It is the fad of
.f:J2t) the hour to possess at leajst one
dainty, feminine, household accomplish
ment, from butter-makiug to embroidery.
Tho new girl feminine Is like a figure
Stepping from an old-Ume picture of do
mesticity and adjusting herself to modern
conditions. She la a delicious combination
f the old-fashioned girl and the new. She
la Just about right; and happy Is that fam
ily of which she is a member.
This Is the season of the year when the
girl feminine who has a taste for cookery
executes her annual triumphs in the pre
serving line. She is not necessarily tho
eldest daughter, nor yet the most staid
member of the household. She may be
young and fond of sport, but she will
break an engagement to play tennis any
morning when she reads that berries have
dropped 3 cents per box.
Ma'mselle Daiuty'i great-grandmother
preserved over a huge cook etove, fed with
cobs and wood. It was one child's duty
to feed the stove and another's to Hwish
back and forth the ladle, not unlike a per
forated hoe, which kept the "Jam" from
burning. "Three-quarters of a pound of
sugar to one of fruit, and boll slowly un
til it is like thick mush." And to the chil
dren, called from play, it seemed an in
terminable task to bring tho fruity mix
ture down to tho thick mush stage.
But behold Ma'mselle Dainty in spotless
percule and cambric, adjusting the tlame
Cif her gas Move, secure in tho thought
that the temperature beneath the preserv
ing kettle cannot vary save at her touch.
Bhe further protects her handiwork by a
thick asbestos mat reinforced by a square
f sheet Iron.
Great-grandmother's preserving kettle
was of Iron, big and heavy as a small
washtub, and blackened on the outside
With coal and wood soot. Ma'mselle Vul ty
tises Austrian enamel, speckled blue with
out and pure white within, four ply thick,
yet light enough for her to lift with ease.
To match this kettle she has measuring
cups, colander and ladles in Austrian ware,
cherry pitters and apple parers and fruit
E. n. SIZKlt OP LINCOLN. PHKSN
DKNT NKH11ASKA ASSOCIATION
Ob' IVtSTMASTKKS.
toher with only a haiiilful of the official
answering ttio call, and at this time, after
only its iirst annual convention has been
held, the membership bus leached
The constitution of the organization re
cites that the a.H' alatlon I. as for Its oli-J.-ct
the betterment of the mall ht,it a. id
to those who have looked into the mail
matter there are many nasm.s why such
nil association sliouiil be a good thing 1 . r
the patrons of the tl if) emit ollices. At
regular Intel val.- meetii.gs of the associa
tion will be held and have been held at
which are discussed the rubs and regu
lations Issued by th- department at Wash
ington and Ideas are cxehangd that un
doubtedly will a' slt the ellielal in dis
charging his du'.i s intelligently. Of course,
the department issues rules that cover
every point that may be raised by the
most fractious patron of the the otliee,
but with postmasters of many minds it is
an easy matter for there to be many dif
ferent Interpretations of these rub s, neces
sitating a lot of needless correspondence
with Washington or other postmasters.
When all the postmasters of the state get
together in convention mid the depart
ment at Washington sends out a repre.'K it
atlvo as was done at the last meeting held
at Lincoln for the sole purpose of answer
ing iiueftior.s that may have vexed the
leas experienced oliiccr, a uniformity of
Return of the
knives with china handles. No patent his
ever Improved on the old-fashioned screw
top and rubber-band glasn Jar, but there
Is a pretty novelty In Jelly glasses, a small
cone-shaped glass to hold a portion of
Jelly for the Invalid.
The term preserving In the average
household Includes the making of jellies.
Jams, preserves, sweet pickles, relishes and
butter and the cunning of fruits, but It
Is upon her canning that Ma'muelle
Dainty particularly prides herself. This is
the most healthful and natural way to
preserve fruit
To bo a successful canner, she must be
as cleanly as a mirgeon, for canning is
merely sterilizing fruit by heat. To can
small fruits she picks them over carefully
and washes them. Then she packs them
In absolutely clean Jars, and fills the Jars
to the very top with cold water, after
which she adjusts the rubber bands and
Jays over each Jar Its screw top, Immacu
lately clean within and without.
She h:i.s ready a large, now wash boiler
fitted In tho bottom with a wooden rack
or tray not unlike that used in the ice
compartment of a refrig'Tator. She sets
tho filled Jars on this rack, pours cold
water Into the boiler until it rises to half
the height of the Jars, and ltghts the gas
flame beneath the b ller. She claps on the
boiler lid, allows the water to boil briskly
for five minutes, uncovers the boiler, lifts
ench Jar separately, being very careful
not to let its lid slip off, and, directly she
sets the Jar down, she screws the lid tight.
Her fruit Is sterilized and canned.
If she wants her canned fruit sweetened,
Bho sprinkle sugar over the fruit as she
packed It In the Jars. I.irgc fruits must bo
pcelevl and boiled In a sugar syrup, allow
ing a quarter pound of sugar to each pound
of fruit. When tender, the fruit is skimmed
and parked Into the jars, the syrup Is
poured over It and the canning process Is
completed an described.
Jollies, Ma'niBello DaJnty regards as es
pecially desirable In ease of illness, and
In her preference runs to crabapple, quince,
grape, blackberry, currant and a mixture
of raspberry and currant.
She selects fruit that la barely ripe
rather than over ripe to secure firm, clear
W. J COOK OF rtLAin. REOKKTAHT
ANI THICASURNU OK THH NK
liKASKA ASSOCIATION OF 1'OST
MASTEKS. Interpretation Is bound to be tho result.
The delays and the extra correspondence
and worry of tho minor otliclal is the ti not
neces; ary.
Men high in the confidence of the de
partment were sent to Lincoln several
we ks ago on the occasion of the (irt un
runl baiiiiuet of the association, and they
were there merely to assist the post
masters In learning their business, to the
nil that the puirous might be better
servi d.
Among these officials wl.o delivered ad
dresses were: lOdwin Sands, superintendent
of the registry dixision of Washington,
whi remaiiml throughout the two days'
session; S. H. Hathl.onc, superintendent of
the western rural free delivery division, of
Omaha; John M. Until r. chief cb rk of the
railway mail si r Ice, of Lincoln; 1. J.
Sinclair, postoflieo inspector, of Omaha,
find a number of prominent Nchrnskans,
Including Congressman Hitchcock and Con
gressman Klnkaind.
An interesting feature of this moetinff
was tin r;i;eston box at which each otluial
present had a chance to learn things with
i lit displaying Ignorance. The ipiesiionn
were dropped in the box unsigned, and
const qucntly many little things that had
Vexed the postmaster because he was too
modest to ask pie.-iions were expl lim-d.
They do say that anionic the questions pro
pounded was whether tin precedent set by
Girl Feminine
Jelly. In tho cool of the evening, she
cooks her fruit for tho first time, allowing
one quart of watt r to each pound ol fruit
and twenty minutes for the boiling pro
cess. The juice is poured Into the Jelly bag,
Ma'mselle Dainty using lioub'e ciicesj
cloth instead of the flannel bag her great
grandmothe.r considered essential for clear
ing jelly. It is left to drip over night into
a largo agate bowl.
Tho next morning Ma'mselle Dainty
measures off fruit Juice und sugar, half
a joiind of best granulated sugar to each
pint of Juice. She briug the juice to a
boll, and spreads the sugar on tins, set
ting them in the oven to heat. When the
Juice has beilled ten minutes, slu; drops in
tho hot sugar, "tries" the jelly on a cold
sauce plate set on the ice, and quite gen
erally finds that, thanks to the hot sugar
H already "forms." Then she ihiuis It
into ttio sparkling glasses and leaving it
to cool, she is away on her game of tennis.
,On her return, she covers tho glasses
with white paper, fiistened down with
White of an egg, cleanliest of all mucilugcfl.
When country relatives, with gaze crit
ically fixed on city ways, visit M I'mselle
Dainty's home she surprises them with
preserves equal to any country-mado
sweets.
In preserving, her primary object Is to
retain the shapj of the fruit, so she handles
it with infinite care. Strawberries, rasp
berries and blackberries are washed by
piiuiglng the colander Into cold wntcr
before stemming the fruit. If they nre
Ftommed flr.it, they soak up water. Only
tho largest and firmest fruit is selected
for preserving.
Allow one pound of best granulated
sugar for each pound of fruit. Arrnnge
in the preserving kettle a layer of sugar
on the bottom, next eino of berries, and so
on until all are used. Stand the kettle
over the gas stove, with the Are turned
low and heat gradually until the tioiltng
pednt Is reached, or until the fri.lt Is
thoroughly scalded.
With a perforated ladle, lift the fruit
out of the syrup in small quantities, so
that It will not be bruised, and flU the
jars half full or mora Hoii down the
tho Texas Dostmlstress In compelltn
to remove their hats at tho door beforw
asking for their mail should bo followed
and others wanted to know whether 1
was right for the postmaster to refuse
credit to 'Colonel Foote" or some othec
colonel, and each got his answer. This
jjuesUou box will be a permanent teaturs
of the meetings.
But President Slzer saw to It that all was
not drudgery for the visitors, livery mail
man and every mailwoinan In Laucastc
county composed a reception committee,
and everywhere lu Lincoln where there was
a chance tor olio of Uncle Sam s minions
to stray there was a ribbon-bedecked men
ber of tho committee to steer him right.
They were taken on jaunts to tho Hospital
lor the Insane, not that they were headed
that way, but just to look around; to the
penitentiary and to other points of inter
est, Including the state farm. Here was
where the real fun was had, to say nothing
of the sure enough luncheon that was
served by this end of the State university.
The feature of this event wiu the guessing
contest over tho weight of a big, fat male
cow, the pride of the farm, at which Karl
Kramer of Columbus lost out so terribly
after trying to run a hoodoo on his com
petitors. He was further humiliated by
seeing a woman, a mero deputy, Mrs. MaU
tie L. Llbby of Klk Creek, win the prize,
guessing the weight of the bovine to 111
pound. On the road to the state farm
Kramer ran into an old-time friend who
is considered an authority on stock. T
this friend Kramer told of the notable con
test that was to occur and Invited him to
bo present and quietly give hime (Kramer)
a hunch as to the weight of the animal.
The friend promised and was there. After
each of the contestants had examined the
pride of the farm to his or ber heart's con
tent, the stockman whispered his guess to
Kramer and Kramer registered the guess.
Kramer missed the mark just a thousand
pounds and as soon as the result was an
nounced he missed his stockman friend,
and doubtless thereby saved himself a life
term in the penitentiary.
The ofhVers of the association are E. R.
Slzer of Lincoln, president; H. K. Talmer
of Omaha, tirst vice president; H. G. Mil
lar of firand Island, second vice president;
Mrs. C. K McDougal of Friend, third vice
president; J. W. Fouts of Hiller, f urth
vice president; W. J. Cook of Blair, secre
tary and treasurer; W. S. Kaker of Gretna,
secretary of the executive committee. This
committee Is composed of one member from
each congressional district, as follows: O.
L. Vance of Humboldt, First district; W.
S. Raker of Gretna, Second district; Don
nld Mcleod of Schuyler, Third district;
John A. Anderson of Wahoo, Fourth dis
trict; J. II. Tower of Sutton, Fifth dis
trict; J. M. Erikson of Dannebrog, Sixth
district.
syrup, pour it over the fruit in the Jars,
and leave the jars open until the pre
serves are cold. Then cover as directed
for jelly.
There lives not a man who does not re
call some friend of his mother, famous
for her brandied peaches, and It Is to
please "Father" that Ma mstlle Dainty
perfects herself in the art of brandylng
peaches.
For this sho selects the firmest and
finest peaches on the market, the best
French brandy, and the purest granu'ateJ
cane sugar. To every four pounds of
peaches, pared, she allows an equal we glit
of sugar and a pint of brandy. The
peaches are laid In the enamel kettle, cov
ered with the sugar and allowed to stand
over night.
The next morning the peaches are swim
ming in a syrup formed of the sugar and
their own juice. Kach peach is lifted out
carefully with a skimmer and laid on a
platter, after which the syrup is brought
to a boiling point, skimmed carefully, und
allowed to boil until quite thick. Then
the peaches are returned to the boiling
syrup and cooked until clear, when they
are skimmed from the syrup and dropped
skillfully into glass jars. The syrup Is
again boiled down until thick, the brandy
is added, and the mixture poured over the
peaches until the Jar is full, when it is
sealed just as for preserved fruit.
On her list of meat relishes, Ma'msalle
Dainty prides herself Justly upon Chill
sauce, tho like of which no canning fac
tory ever produced. It is made when to
matocs are plentiful and cheap.
A peck of ripe tomatoes nre plunged Inle
belling water and peeled, then chopped and
boiled until thick and mushy. To this,
sho adds one pint of chopped onions, one
half-dozen large, green peppers, chopped
fine, and boils them gently for half an
hour; after which she adds one-half cup
of sa!t, one pint of vinegar, one table
spoon of cloves, one of cinnamon and two
of whole mustard sids. The savory mix
tures simmers gently for an hour more,
after which it Is bottled In Jelly tumtlers
or clean, old pickle bottles, corked and
ten led with the same old beallng wax ber
great-granduioUior used.