Democratic watchman. (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1855-1940, November 07, 1919, Image 2

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    .
enorralic Matcumm
“Bellefonte, Pa., November 7, 1919.
EH AS STR,
EE ——
THE LITTLE HOME PAPER.
By Charles Hanson Towne.
The little home paper comes to me,
As badly printed as it can be;
It’s ungrammatical, cheap, absurd—
Yet how I love each intimate word!
For here I am in the teeming town,
Where the sad, mad people rush up and
down,
And it’s good to get back to the old lost
place,
And gossip and smile for a little space.
The weather is hot; the corn crop's good;
They've had a picnic in Sheldon’s wood.
And Aunt Maria was sick last week;
Ike Morrison's got a swollen cheek,
And the 'Squire was hurt in a runaway—
More shocked than bruised, I'm glad they
say.
Bert Wills—I used to play ball with him—
Is working a farm with his uncle Jim.
The Red Cross ladies gave a tea,
And raised quite a bit. Old Sol MacPhee
Has sold his house on Lincoln Road—
He couldn’t carry so big a load.
Phe Methodist minister's had a call
From a wealthy parish near St. I’aul.
And old Herb Sweet is married at last—
He was forty-two. How the years rush
past!
But here's an item that makes me see
What a puzzling riddle life can be.
“gd Stokes,” it reads, “was killed in
France
When the Allies made their last advance.”
¥d Stokes! That boy with the laughing
eyes
As blue as the early summer skies!
He wouldn't have killed a fly—and yet,
Without a murmur, without a regret,
He left the peace of our little place,
And went away with a light in his face;
For out in the world was a job to do,
And he wouldn't come home until it was
through! * © ¢ ¢
Four thousand miles from our tiny town
And its hardware store, this boy went
down.
Such a quiet lad, such a simple chap—
But he's put East Dunkirk on the map!
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF
CONFERENCE ON HOUSE
BILL NO. 703.
To the members of the Senate and
House of Representatves:
We, the undersigned, committee of
Conference on the part of the Senate
and House of Representatives for the
purpose of considering House Bill
0. 708, entitled “An act to further
amend section one thousand two hun-
dred ten and to repeal sections one
thousand two hundred eleven, one
thousand two hundred and thirteen
and two thousand eight hundred and
five of an act approved the eighteenth
day of May, one thousand nine hun-
dred eleven (Pamphlet Laws three
hundred and nine), entitled ‘An act
to establish a public school system in
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
together with the provisions by which
it shall be administered, and prescrib-
ing penalties for the violation there-
of; providing revenue to establish and
maintain the same, and the method of
collecting such revenue; and repeal-
ing all laws, general, special or local,
or any parts thereof, that are or may
be inconsistent therewith,’ and mak-
ing an appropriation,” respectfully
submit the following bill as our re-
port:
~ Wm. T. Ramsey, J. 1. Woodruff,
John M. Flynn, Committee on the
part of the House of Representatives.
James B. Weaver, Morris Einstein,
C. W. Sones, Committee on the part
of the Senate.
AN ACT
To further amend section one
thousand two hundred ten and to re-
peal sections one thousand two hun-
dred eleven one thousand two hun-
dred thirteen and two thousand eight
hundred and five of an act approved
the eighteenth day of May one thous-
and nine hundred eleven (Pamphlet
Laws three hundred and nine) enti-
tled “An act to establish a public
school system in the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania together with the
provisions by which it shall be admin-
istered and prescribing penalties for
the violation thereof providing reve-
nue to establish and maintain the
same and the method of collecting
such revenue and repealing all laws
general, special or local, or any parts
thereof that are or may be inconsist-
ent therewith” and making an appro-
priation.
Section 1. Be it enacted by” the
Senate and House of Representatives
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylva-
nia in General Assembly met and it
is hereby enacted by the authority of
the same, That section one thousand
two hundred ten of the act approved
the eighteenth day of May, one
thousand nine hundred eleven
(Pomphlet Laws three hundred nine)
entitled “An act to establish a public
school system in the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania together with the
rovisions by which it shall be admin-
istered and prescribing penalties for
the violation thereof providing rev-
enue to establish and maintain the
same, and the method of collecting
such revenue and repealing all laws
general, special or local, or any parts
thereof that are or may be inconsist-
ent therewith” which is amended by
the act approved the twenty-eighth
day of July, one thousand nine hun-
dred seventeen (Pamphlet Laws one
thousand two hundred thirty-five) en-
titled “An act to amend section one
thousand two hundred and ten of an
act approved the eighteenth day of
May, one thousand nine hundred and
eleven entitled “An act to establish
a public school system in the Com-
monwealth of Pennsylvania together
with the provisions by which it shall
be administered and prescribing pen-
alties for the violation thereof pro-
viding revenue to establish and main-
tain the same, and the method of col=
lecting such revenue and repealing all
laws general, special or local or any
parts thereof that are or may be con-
sistent therewith,” which reads as fol-
lows: fur
Section 1210. The minimum sala-
ry of every teacher in the public
schools of this Commonwealth shall
be as follows: Those teachers hold-
ing a provisional certificate, forty-five
dollars ($45.00) per school month;
those teachers holding professional
rr rr
twelve dollars and fifty cents per
certificates or normal school certifi-
cates, fifty-five dollars ($556.00) per
school month, and those teachers
holding permanent certificates or final
normal school diplomas, sixty dollars
($60.00) per school month,” is hereby
amended to read as follows:
Section 1210. One. The minimum
salaries of teachers, principals, su-
pervisors, directors of special subjects
and their assistants in the public
schools of the Commonwealth, accord-
ing to the standard certificates recog-
nized by the laws of the Common-
wealth shall be as follows: (a) pro-
visional certificates, sixty dollars
($60.00) per school month, (b) pro-
fessional certificates or State Nor-
mal school certificates, seventy dol-
lars ($70.00) per school month, (c)
State Normal school diplomas, coun-
ty permanent certificates, State per-
manent certificates or college provis-
ional certificates, eighty dollars
($80.00) per school month.
Two. Kach teacher, principal, su-
pervisor, director of special subjects
or any of his assistants in school dis-
tricts of the second, third and fourth
class who holds a certificate other
than a provisional certificate and who
for the school year one thousand nine
hundred eighteen and one thousand
nine hundred nineteen, received a sal-
ary of less than one hundred dollars
($100.00) per school month but whose
salary is not increased by at least.
twenty-five per centum, under the
provisions of clause one of this sec-
tion shall receive an increase in sal-'
ary of twenty-five per centum. Those
receiving one hundred dollars ($100.- |
00) and not more than one hundred
and fifty dollars ($150.00) per school
month, twenty per centum increase. |
Those receiving more than one hun- |
dred and fifty dollars ($150.00) and
not more than two hundred dollars
($200.00) per school month, fifteen
per centum increase. Those receiving |
more than two hundred dollars per
school month, ten per centum in-
crease.
Three. Of the salaries herein provid-
ed for teachers, principals, supervis-
ors, directors of special subjects and
their assistants of the second, third
and fourth class districts, the Com-
monwealth shall pay as follows: (a)
These holding provisional certificates |
and employ: in rural schools as;
hereinafter defined, ten dollars per
school month, and to all others hold-
ing provisional certificates, five dol-
lars per school month. (b) Those
holding professional certificates or
State Normal school certificates,
school month. (c) Those holding
State Normal school diplomas, coun-
ty permanent certificates, State per-
manent certificates or college provis-
ional certificates, twenty dollars per
school month and the remaining por-
tion of such salaries with percentage
of increase herein provided for shall
be paid by the school district.
Four. In addition to the minimum
salary provided for in clatise one and
in addition to the portion of salary
required to be paid by the Common-
wealth the Commonwealth shall pay
to each teacher of a rural school hold-
ing a certificate higher than a pro-
visional certificate five dollars per:
school month. The term “rural.
school” as used in this section, shall |
be taken :.to mean any school not be-!
ing a High school,
open country, or any school not being
a High school, situated in small cen-
ters of population. The decision of |
the Superintendent of Public Instruc- |
tion as to whether a school is a rural |
school, shall be final and when any
such decsion is required the secretary |
of the board shall furnish a statement
to the Superintendent of Public In-|
struction containing such information |
as he may require. |
Five. The following increases :
the salaries of teachers, principals, |
supervisors and directors of special
subjects and their assistants in the
first class school districts, based on |
the compensation paid by the several |
school districts
year one thousand nine hundred eigh- :
teen and one thousand nine Wendred |
nineteen are hereby made. (a)!
Those receiving less than one hun- |
dred dollars ($100.00) per school
month, twenty-five per centum in-
crease. (b) ose receiving one
hundred dollars ($100) and not more
than one hundred and fifty dollars
($150) per school month, twenty per
centum increase. (c) Those receiv-
ing more than one hundred and fifty
dollars ($150) and not more than two
hundred dollars ($200) per school
month, fifteen per centum increase.
(d) Those receiving more than two
hundred dollars ($200) per school
month, ten per centum increase and
each school district in the Common-
wealth that does not increase sala-
ries in accordance with the provisions
of this act shall forfeit its right to
share in any appropriation for the
public schools of the Commonwealth.
Of the increases hereinbefore provid-
ed for teachers, principals, supervis-
ors, directors of special subjects and
their assistants in the first class
school districts the Commonwealth
shall pay one-half and the remaining
one-half shall be paid by the dis-
tricts.
Six. Like increases in salaries as
provided in this section for teachers,
principals, supervisors and directors
of special subjects and their assist-
ants shall also be paid to nurses en-
gaged in any work concerning or rel-
ative to the public schools of this
Commonwealth. Provided, That such
nurses are regularly engaged as a
full time occupation outside of vaca-
tion periods. The increases herein
provided for nurses shall be paid one-
half by the Commonwealth and the
remaining one-half by the school dis-
trict.
Seven. No payments on account
of any increases shall be made by the
Commonwealth where the compensa-
tion of any teacher, supervisor, prin-
cipal, director of special subject or
any of his assistants, or of nurses is
reduced for the school year nineteen
hundred nineteen and nineteen hun-
dred twenty or in any subsequent
school year below the compensation
paid for the school year nineteen hun-
dred eighteen and nineteen hundred
and nineteen.
Eight. Nothing in this section
contained shall be construed to in- |
rarfere with or discontinue any sala- |
ry schedule now in force in any school
district so long as such schedule shall
situated in the!
uring the school |
meet the requirements of this section
nor to prevent the adoption of any’
salary schadnle in conformity with
the provisions of this act.
Nine. On or before the first day of
October of each year each school dis-
trict of the Commonwealth shall file
a certificate with the Superintendent |
of Public Instruction in such form as
he may prescribe and on blanks to be
furnished by him showing the num-
ber of principals, teachers, supervis-
ors, directors of special subjects and
their assistants and of nurses in its
employ, and the compensation paid
them for the school year one thous-
and nine hundred eighteen and one
thousand nine hundred and nineteen.
Ten. Upon receipt of said state-
ment the Superintendent of Public In-
struction shall ascertain and deter-
mine the amount payable to each
school district in accordance with the
provisions of this section and appor-
tion and allot the same to and among
the respective districts.
Eleven. When the amount paya- |
ble to each school district has been
ascertained and determined by the |
Superintendent of Public Instruction
he shall certify the same to the State :
Treasurer and Auditor General who |
shall place the amounts to the credit
of the res ve school districts and '
the Superintendent of Public Instruc- |
tion shall transmit to each school dis- |
trict a statement showing the amount |
which has been apportioned and allot-
ted Ife * 5 |
elve. e amount apportioned
and allotted to each school district
shall be divided into equal semi-an-
nual installments and the Superin-:
tendent of Public Instruction shall
draw his requisition upon the State
Treasurer in favor of each district
semi-annually for the amount to'
which it is entitled and upon approv-
al by the Auditor General in the us-
ual manner payment thereof shall be
made.
Section 2. Any school district is
authorized to make payments of any
such additional salaries in advance of
the Tecelpt of the moneys therefor
from the State Treasury.
Section 3. For the purpose of car-
rying out the provisions of this act,
for the two fiscal years beginning
May thirty-first one thousand nine
hundred and nineteen, the sum of six
million dollars ($6,000,000.00) or so
much thereof as may be necessary is :
hereby specifically appropriated and.
in addition thereto and in lieu of the |
sum heretofore paid by the Common- |
wealth from the general appropria-
tion for the support of the public.
schools to the several school districts |
as the Commonwealth’s share of the
minimum salaries of teachers the |
sum of four million five hundred |
thousand dollars ($4,500,000.00) of i
! of ‘the fly ‘and more salutary
FROM THE PENNSYLVANIA DE- U.S. AS A FARMER OF FOXES. :
PARTMENT OF HEALTH.
The State of Pennsylvania has in-
augurated its campaign against ven-
ereal diseases by the establishment
of forty clinics in which those unable
to pay are rendered mon-contagious
and are cured.
These clinics are conducted by men
who will receive special training in
the treatment of these infections;
their duties include not only the
treatment of such patients as present
themselves, but also the discovery
through the evidence from these pa-
tients and of others, of sources of
contagion, the examination of these
sources to determine whether they
are or are not diseased, and if they
be of such character as to make it
probable that they will continue to be
menaces to public health the quaran-
tining or sequestration of them until
they cease to become carriers. |
The laws of the State give full au-'
thority for quarantining; and seques-
tration should be assured where need-
ful by local ordinances. : i
The major source of venereal infec-
tion is the prostitute. Practically all
of them are diseased and no cam-'
paign against venereal infection can
be successful without their elimina-
tion. This is much easier than is that
tary from the
stand point’ of public health. It ‘is’
dependent upon the determination of
a community expressed by a driving
force. Even apathetic health officers
can be driven to action by an arous-
ed public opinion.
Syphillis and gonorrhea are cura-
ble. Even in its worst form syphilis
can be rendered non-contagious in less
than twenty-four hours, but contin-
ued treatment for the complete eradi-
cation of the infection which may last
for months or years is essential if the
late results of a failure to cure, such
as paresis, hardening of the arteries,
apoplexy, heart break down, diseases
| of the bones and joints, and other
forms of crippling are to be avoided.
Gonorrhea once developed remains
transmissible for weeks, months, and
at times for years even though skill-
fully treated. When well treated its
cure is as a rule a matter of weeks
and most of the patients get entirely
well, . : |
Chancroid is a local sore which
gets well in a few weeks, moreover it
is a disease rarely encountered ex-
cepting in those of careless and filthy
habits. -
The first step in the State cam-
paign is, the elimination of the pros-
titute. This implies appropriate or-
the sum appropriated by the General | dinances and their enforcement; and
Assembly of one thousand nine hun-
dred nineteen for the support of the
public schools or so much thereof as
may be necessary is hereby specific-
ally set apart out of said appropria-
a mechanism by which these unfortu-
nates may be given a means of liveli-
hood not disastrous to public health. !
Thereafter follows the finding and
curing of those already infected and,
tion for the payment of ‘the Common- | where needful, quarantining and re- |
wealth’s share of the salaries ‘and in-
creases herein provided for,
Section 4. That sections one: thous-
and two hundred eleven, one thous-
and two hundred thirteen and two
thousand eight hundred five of said
act be and the same are hereby re-
i
: pealed.
Keep Eyes on Gasoline Pump and
Save Fuel and Money.
Points for motorists to remember
| when purchasing gasoline have been
| formulated by the National Automo-
bile Chamber of Commerce, with a
view to conserving gas and saving
money for the car owners. He is ad-
vised as follows:
First. Urge your dealer to make
a daily test otf the accuracy of his gas-
oline measuring pump with a stand-
ard five-gallon measure.
Second. On pumps making one-
in | gallon delivery, see that the pump
operator makes a full stroke and that
the piston travels its full length.
Third. Watch the counter or indi-
cating device on all pumps provided
therewith.
Fourth. See that the operator
drains the delivery hose.
Fifth. On pumps provided with
graduated glass-cylinders, see that
the gasoline reaches the proper grad-
uation.
Sixth. Beware of the filling sta-
tions where the delivery is outside and
the pump inside of the building. The
motorist should be able to see the
pump under operation.
_ Seventh. Operators should will-
ingly test pumps in the presence of
the autoist with the five-gallon stand-
ard measure sealed by the local in-
spector of weights and measures.
Eighth. Short delivery gasoline is
sometimes caused by leaks in the sup-
ply line to the pump. This condition
causes the pump to deliver air instead
of gasoline and can be detected by the
sputtering sound.
Ninth. If the gasoline is low in the
supply tank, short delivery is likely
to result. This can be detected by the
irregular flow of gasoline and the
sputtering sound. Such a condition is
frequently encountered where port#-
ble filling tanks are used.
Tenth. The first delivery made by
a pump after it has been standing
idle for some time is invariably short.
This is caused by the gasoline already
in the measuring chamber leaking
back into the dealers supply tank
through a leaky check valve.
Eleventh. View with suspicion a
gasoline delivery hose attached to a
well in the curb. It is impossible to
properly drain a hose so installed,
and adequate measure cannot be ob-
tained unless this is done. All deliv-
ery hose should have an overhead de-
livery.
Twelfth. In rare cases pumps may
be deliberately manipulated to deliver
short amounts through the changin
of measuring adjustments. Suc
cases are difficult to detect. When in
doubt insist on a test.
It’s Come.
New London advertisement. “Car-
penters wanted; beer and sandwiches
served at 38 o'clock. Apply J. W.
Trud, 21 Mather Court.”
The Continuous.
“1 like vaudeville,” remarked a girl
the other day, “because the intermis-
sion doesn’t come until the end.”
Timely Music.
Though grand the organs thunder roll,
Though sweet the twanging lute,
We'd rather hear our winter's coal
A-rumbling down the chute,
straint.
The third step, perhaps thc most |
important of any from the standpoint :
of public health is the use of an ear-
ly treatment package following ex-'
posure. The bacteria which cause
these diseases are deposited on the
, surface and these bacteria are readily
! destroyed by antiseptics which are
harmless fo the individual. In the
| course of hours the bacteria penetrate
| beneath the surface; cause inflamma-
tion: and can no longer be reached by
an antiseptic substance. The early
treatment. package contains antisep-
ria. The application should be made
as soon after exposure as possible,
always within twelve hours. With |
the passing of each hour the prospect ;
of destroying the bacteria by the ap- |
plication diminishes. i
In the State Laboratory careful |
studies have been conducted for some |
months. The early treatment pack- |
age approved by the Department of
Health is the result of this study.
The antiseptic, in the form of a thin
cream, is contained in a collapsible
tube something smaller than the lit-
tle finger. The package contains
printed directions for its use and a
statement that it is approved by the p
Pennsylvania Department of Health.
It can be had at practically any drug:
store in the State for about twenty-
five cents. If applied according to di-
rections and promptly it will prevent
the development of disease in more
than ninety per cent. of those who
otherwise would have suffered.
Against the sale of these packages
it may be urged that a knowledge of
the immunity given by their use will
encourage immorality. Such has not
been the effect; moreover an absolute
guarantee against infection cannot be
gen even though the packages be
used. :
Through you the Department wish-
es the public to learn that such pack-
ages exist, that they are harmless,
that they are effective, and that they
may be obtained at any drug store.
Vivisecting the Frog.
The frog is the vivisectionist’s fa-
vorite victim, not because his struc-
ture is at all human-like (though he
is built somewhat like a man), but
for the reason that he will endure be-
ing chopped up to a remarkable ex-
tent and still retain life. If his brain
be removed he can get along without
it, swallowing whatever is put into
his mouth and otherwise behaving
much as usual, though in automatic
fashion. If his lungs are cut out he
will survive for a long time because
he can breathe through his skin. The
corpuscles of his blood being remark-
ably large, that fluid serves admira-
bly for the instruction of the seeker
after medical knowledge.
The Sleuth at Work.
The detective sat in a corner of the
station house exclaiming, “He’s a
thief, a scoundrel, a blackleg—"
“Less noise there,” said the ser-
geant. “What are you doing la
“Why, I’m running down a crimin-
al.”
Her Will Too Active.
Client—Can I bring proceedings in
court to set aside my wife's will?
Lawyer—Why, your wife isn’t dead,
is she?
Client—No, that’s just the trouble.
Inconvenient, We Fancy.
Advertisement i “Furnished room
with large widow looking out on the
Tr) 9
But wouldn't the large widow rath-
er shut out the light?
Like everything else, blue foxes.
are going up. A good skin of this
much-prized animal will cost you at
least $200 in the coming winter.
It should not be confused with the
silver fox, which is a phase or variant
of the common red fox; the same ani-
mal, that is to say, with a freak color
(black with white-tipped hairs),
which may be perpetuated from gen-
eration to generation by selecting and
breeding.
The blue fox is, in the same way, a
variant of the white Arctic fox, which
has a brown and tawny pelage in the
summer time. In other words, its
color, which is a dark blue-gray, is
abnormal and rare. But, for some
unexplained reason, most of the fox-
es on the Pribylof islands, in Bering
sea, are of this color.
Hence the fox-farming operations
in which Uncle Sam is engaged on
those islands. The skins (of which
he will have about 1000 this year) are
sold at auction in St. Louis, and the
next batch will probably fetch an av-
ov of $100 apiece. Retailers will
double the price.
Before we bought Alaska a Rus-
sian-American company held rights to
the foxes on the Pribylofs, and from
1842 to 1880 took an annual average
of more than 1800. skins therefrom.
No care was then taken of ‘the ani--
mals, which were wild, feeding on
C—O SAR,
FOR AND ABOUT WOMEN.
DAILY THOUGHT.
No persons need hope to be successful
unless they enjoy their work more than
any recreation they can find. Recreation
is all right occasionally, but as a steady
diet give us work in which we are inter-
ested and in the doing of which we are
happy!
The United States Fisheries Bureau
is anxious to make fish tails fashion-
able. It urges that some fish tails
are very handsome, and that, supple-
mented with fins, they would furnish
most attractive ornaments for wom-
en’s hat. With an incidental trim-
ming of the beautiful and delicate
water-weed recently discovered in ex-
tensive beds on the bottom of the
Chesapeake, they might—both fins
and weed being dyed—lend a marine
effect extremely fetching.
This idea is specially recommended
for mermaids and other young ladies
visiting the seashore.
Care of the Umbrella.—The many
, who receive umbrellas or parasols for
ifts, as well as those who buy the
gh-priced silk article, will memorize
these rules concerning this useful ar-
ticle and. its holder:
When putting it into the stand be
- careful not to thrust it through the
birds and on seals left on the killing
fields.
Since 1896 the foxes have been reg-
ularly fed in the winters, and on one
of the two islands (St. George) they
may be said to be semi-domesticated.
Refuse meat and offal from the seal
killing is stored for them, either salt-
ed or preserved by drying, and is dol-
ed out to them during the cold sea-
son, when otherwise many would
starve.
On the other island (St. Paul) they
are helped in the same way, but there
they are caught in steel traps for
market, whereas on St. George their
capture is effected in such wise that
they are neither frightened nor hurt
until humanely slaughtered, and con-
sequently have become so tame as to
frequent the neighborhood of houses,
occasionally jumping - through the
kitchen windows. : : -
The islands are small. £
thirteen miles long and St. George
twelve miles. On the latter the foxes
are far more numerous, largely be-
cause of extensive rookeries of sea
birds, which in spring and summer
afford them a plentiful food supply.
Very few white ones are left on St.
George, for the reason that they are
St. Pail is
systematically destroyed lest they im-
pair the purity of the blue breed.
- On St. George millions of auks, puf-
fins and murres build their nests
among the cliffs, over which the fox-
es in pursuit of feathered prey climb
to places seemingly inaccessible to a
quadruped. They store many of the
eggs for future meals by burying
them in moss. In winter they catch
fish,’ and an occasional dead sea lion,
whale or walrus, cast up by the sea,
helps out.
An old boathouse on St. George
island serves the purpose of a feed-
ing place and at the same time that
of a trap. The food is placed in one
of the rooms, in and out of which the
foxes go freely. Thus they lose all
timidity, and when. it is desired to
capture a lot of them all that is nec-
tics which destroy the surface bacte- essary is to wait until many are in
the room and then pull a rope that
shuts the door. :
All feeding and trapping is done at
night. The food is stored in the same
building, where, in another room, the
skins are stretched immediately after
being taken. Each fox before being
killed is held up by the tail and ex-
amined. If it be crippled or diseased
tit is killed. If it be not full grown or
in poor condition it is released. If it
be an exceptionally fine specimen it is
liberated, because valuable as a
breeder.
An adult male may weigh as much
as fourteen pounds, a. female ten
ounds. The animals find their dens
in holes among rocks, or, if it be in a
sandy district, beneath a rock. Ordi-
narily the female gives birth to six or
seven pups in a litter, but there may
be as many as eleven.
about two and one-quarter ounces
when born.
Blue fox farming is now a prosper-
ing industry in central and southern
Alaska, on islands leased by the gov-
ernment to private concerns. The
requisite breeding stock to start with
is furnished from the Pribylofs, the
urchasers ordinarily paying about
$100 apiece for the live animals.
White fox furs have been much in
fashion during the last three or four
years, and, though far cheaper than
the blue skins, they now command a
far higher price than formerly.
Shooting With Silk.
During the war great quantities of
waste silk—“floss” from the outside
of cocoons, not available for spin-
ning—were purchased by the United
States government in China. ;
The stuff was required for the mak-
ing of bags to hold the smokeless-
powder charges of big army and navy
guns.
It is of utmost importance that
when the powder charge of a big gun
explodes the bag shall be instantane-
ously consumed. For the very large
naval guns there may be half a dozen
bags of powder to a single charge,
Several hundred pounds being requir-
ed.
Every particle of the smokeless
powder (which is as powerful as gun-
cotton) is instantly converted into
gas. There must be no smoldering
residue of the bag tissue left in the
powder chamber of the gun, else it
might set fire to the next charge,
causing a disastrous explosion. This
might easily bapoen if cotton bags
were used, but silk solves the prob-
lem.
It is not explained why the navy
gave up the plan, experimentally tried
a while ago, of making powder bags
themselves of smokeless powder. The
latter was turned out in the form of
thread, which, woven into fabric, had
the appearance and texture of silk. It
was in fact an artificial silk, white
and so beautiful that any woman
might have been tempted to make a
dress of it. Of course, when used for
powder bags it became practically
part of the explosive charge.
——They are all good enough, but
the “Watchman” is always the test
covers of. other umbrellas there, thus
spoiling them beyond repair.
Have it checked or marked if you
have to leave it at a public stand.
This will keep some unscrupulous per-
son from carrying it off,
If you own a china stand put a rub-
ber mat made for this purpose at the
bottom to keep the metal points from
cracking or breaking the holder. A
coil of rope or rubber tubing placed
flat on the bottom is still better.
The umbrella should never be open-
ed in order to dry it, as the ribs get
sprung and it will never roll up neat
and tight after once dried in this
manner. Doing this will also spoil
the cover by straining the weave un-
naturally.
On rainy days, a sponge placed in
a shallow stand will keep - the accu-
mulation of drippings from overflow-
ing. . The sponge can be allowed to
remain there all the time if. one is
kept especially’for the putpose, ition-"
ly being necessary to relieve it of the
moisture after rains, so that the con-
tinual dampness will not rust the steel
ribs of the umbrellas.
When coming in from a storm car-
ry the ferrule upwards till you have
placed the umbrella in the stand, thus
avoiding the unpleasantness of trail-
ing the water over the carpet.
Wool Lace is Good.—A considera-
ble disparity, both in line and treat-
ment, is to be noticed in street and in-
door garments, or in morning and
afternoon types, to be more exact.
The chemise frock is still very good,
with an emphasis on the long waist-
line, which is delineated for the most
part with a wide soft ribbon, a cord
girdle or a narrow leather belt. Very
little intricacy of line is to be found
in the indispensable street frock of
serge or tricotine, but there is variety
of trimming. Wide bands of wool
scrim or wool lace in self tone are
very stunning, for instance, and when
the wool lace is inserted in.a strip of
silk jersey, a novel effect is. gained,
indeed. Embroidery still holds for
the wool chemise frock, and is seen in
very heavy effects of silk floss or flat
silk tape.
Collarless effects still predominate,
but .very often the harsh neckline of
a serge or satin frock is softened by
narrow hand-embroidered collars of
batiste or organdie, or frills of lace
or net.
But with the afternoon and even-
ing dress severity is a thing forgot-
ten. Plenty of trimming, almost too
much, is prominent. Short sleeves
and startlingly low decolletage lines
suggest evening affairs rather than
afternoon teas or matinees. While
these first-comers may be exaggerat-
ed, the fact remains that the conserv-
ative frock for afternoon will be the
exception rather than the rule. Plen-
ty of lace for whole frocks and for
trimming helps out this “dressy” ef-
1aY . fect. Val lace in deep tones. of yel-
They weigh 155" also black, is used considerably
in combination with satin and chiffon.
Shawls of real lace are cleverly drap-
ed on skirts and the cape backs for
really handsome gowns. Combina-
tions of as many as four or five ma-
terials further the elaboration of aft-
ernoon and evening gowns. Satin,
lace, chiffon, fur and metal cloth may
all combine on one frock, and beauti-
fully, too.
Materials are not very different
from what we have been using. There
is talk of more broadcloth, which is
welcome news. Plush and long-nap-
ped velvets figure prominently. Em-
broidered crepes and crepe brocades
are included among the handsomer
fabrics. Monkey skin for trimming
has crossed the ocean, but whether it
will be taken seriously is doubtful.
Wool Lace is Popular.—Wraps re-
fuse to give up cape lines, and, in-
deed, if full hips and crinoline effects
are to hold good they cannot afford
to give up fullness. Straight lines
for coats compromise with this neces-
sity for fullness i using cleverly-
concealed pleats at back and sides.
The straight, low-belted, long, al-
most full-length, coat is the suit coat
of the winter, though another type of
coat that has a waist fitted in basque
style and a full peplum over the hips
will be followed for the dressier type
of garment.
In millinery no one period or style
predominates. Generally speaking,
however, styles are soft and pliable.
Blocked shapes are practically absent.
Crowns are low and supple, and all
hats whether large or small, are worn
to cover the entire brow. }
Odd things are being done in mil-
linery, and one of the oldest is feath-
er applique and feather embroidery.
Ostrich feather fronds outline a pat-
tern on the underbrim of a softly up-
turned velvet hat. Feathers make
stripes, too, on fabric grounds. The
underbrim trimming is particularly
good. One picture hat of extreme
lines, but also otomely chie ~rved
its black satin brim slit in the front
at the base of the crown, and through
the slit was drawn about two inches
of the border of a very handsome cir-
cular veil of Chantilly lace. The rest
of the veil covered the crown and
hung in graceful folds down the
| back.