THE ALAMANCE GLEANER
VOL. 111.
By MILDRED JAKLON |
Drawing by Bay Walters.
a fortune? All you
have to do Is to think up
a new fad or craze, make
14 popular, and see that
you, not someone else,
gets the profits. But be
t fore you start thinking,
"sten in on this conversation.
A group of young newspaper men
and women, advertising writers, an
architect, a couple of artists of sorts,
and a wealthy woman who If a dilet
tante In various kinds of expressive
ar *i who compose an Informal lunch
eon-discussion organization, were re
ceQtly discussing the possibility of
concocting a profitable fad to succeed
toe cross-word puzzle.
two young men who had be-
Pin tlie argument maintained that the
Present trend of popular fancies was
toward mental gymnastics. They be
lied that a new kind of puzzle might
as successful as the cross-words
*hlch had been such' a remunerative
eld for many others besides the two
young men, Simon and Schuster, who
Parted cross-word puzzle books.
The girl who manages the adver
slng department of a large depart
ment store promptly refuted this.
Fada don't follow through con
sistently, like that," she said. "That's
e dlsturblng thing about them. They
j*°t be predicted. They Just happen,
e mah-Jongg, without rhyme or rea
-11 The number of game companies
insistently trying to manufacture
fflethlng to catch the public whim
ran evidence of that. A fad Is a
ety of contagion, and Its Inception
" a grpat deal to do with its ultl
"£*e success. I mean, that If the
D«ople, that is, right for Its
Can K UI " ei P a USlon, taMP It up, It
Unlverßal '*ed."
. course, there have been a nam-
Wchi't nthlet,c fads," pointed out the
«j ect - w ho wis an ardent golfer,
that Ki tl lnlt °' th ® tremendous hold
flmt » CJ clln g had In the nineties and
"v » BrS this century."
u, an °' admitted the girl advertising
ow* B *!!' "hut you're taking the most
anding f a( j oJ . a thietlc type,
la, * * ere num herless others preced
#esnT fo 'lowlng it which were not
&o d ' ®° successful. And they were,
MM , u , ' efforts by manufacturers to
***ttn» e plants. Roller
ttoQ *. another form of locomo
ctl provided another oppor-
tunity for social contact, spooning
parties, or what have ypu. Then
there was dlabtflo which was a matter
of skill rather than endurance.
"What about a new musical Instru
ment?" was the next offer. "Look at
the ukelele, and its accompanying
mania for the twanging of Hawaiian
troubadors, with their Insufferable
nasal voices and stringed instruments.
Good gracious, what an era that was!
Every summer resort was ruined by a
couple of the artists who Insisted
that you have 'Yakl Hula Hlcky Doo
oo-la' or 'On the Beach at Waiklkl'
with every meal and at all hours of
the night. There was a half-hearted
effort to make 'kazoos' popular, too.
Look at the popularity of the saxo
phone. A new noise maker would get
you an army of helpless enemies and
might get you your old shekels as
well. I don't suppose In this age of
jazz we could hope for the success of
anything similar to the gentle old
guitar or the genteelly handled banjo."
"Would you consider originating a
new dance step, something to follow
the Charleston with less hazard to
life, limb, and property?" queried an
other helper. "I should think you
might devise something like a resur
rection of the old waltz or perhaps a
polka. Think of all of the funny kinds
of dances that have followed each
other through the fancies of the terp
slchorean inclined. I remember the
bunny hug, the grizzly bear, the camel
walk, even before the complicated
tango which was stepped with so
much gusto to 'Too Much Mustard,'
the one step and the maxlxe became
popular with Irene Castle's bob. Now
I hear Ann Pennington Is trying to
Inaugurate the black bottom, a fear
some set of gyrations supposedly dem
onstrating the actions of negroes cap
ering in the muddy floors of swamp
land. Go to It, and beat her."
"There's another set of fads," came
from another source, "having to do
with adolescent courtship. When I
was In grammar school, every girl
with any pretensions to popularity
wore a friendship bracelet, made up
of silver links engraven with the Ini
tials of her various swains. A friend
of mine told me also of the custom
in her home town of 'hoo-doo' (
strings, a bedroom embellishment con
sisting of trophies In the way of dance
programs, cotillon favors, and all man
ner of trinkets denoting conquest"
"I know at two more fields wide
enough of appeal to have 'possibili
ties," said the wealthy woman. "Col
lecting and the various things that
pertain to current events. Do you re
member when you collected cigar
bands, pictures of baseball and movie
heroes from cigarette packages?
"Golf, tennis, swimming, and polo
are also amateur athletics. Do you
call them fads," put in the wealthy
woman, and then answered herself.
"No, the element of a fad is Its com
parative brevity, and I think It also
has something to do with the Intensity
of Its practice during its popularity.
"That's true," clamored another,
"but suggest something that would be
easier to promulgate than a new ath
letic game. We want to make our first
million without any capital."
"Well, how would you like one of
the numerous 'occupations-for-women
type'?" another member of the group
offered. "In that class come all the
various forms of handiwork -which
have attracted women periodically. Do
you recall the atrocities that filled
every china cupboard when hand
painted china occupied the energies
of properly brougK-up young ladles?
"And then, there was the pyrog
raphy craze when no young man was
a success unless he had at least one
tie holder of burnt wood to vouch for
his true love's devotion, when there
were glove - boxes on every dresser,
and plaques of Pocahontas or Little
Laughing Water over every mantel
piece, and In the nest of every pair
of newlyweds, and when the cur
tains were not safe from conflagration,
due to overzeaious plying of the inter
esting tools employed. The later de
velopments of such decorative aims
are painted wood articles, parchment
and silk lamp shades, polychrome and
the sealing wax Industry."
"Another branch of the same ten
dency of women toward creative art is
the endless variety of needlework,"
someone else put In. "Beginning back
with samplers, which are now such
prized possessions of their owners,
women have always had a new kind
of sewing to offer. The attic has a
trunkload of my dear little baby
clothes crocheted within an inch of
their lives., Tatting was a great pas
time for awhile, and look at the way
all ages of women fell for the knit
ting racket during the war."
"Yes," scoffed the would-be money
makers, "but women don't have time
for sewing these days. They have
time savers galore, but any husband
would drop dead If he saw bis mate
sitting quietly In a chair sewing a
fine seam. It's apparently a fad these
days not to sew. And then, the latest
fads haVe been, I think, more sociably
Inclined diversion*. Something that
two or a group can do."
GRAHAM, N, C., THURSDAY, JULY 1, 1926.
GAME OF
HEADS OR
TAILS
By VEROA M. JOYCE
(® by W. O. Chapman.)
(("T T ELLO"—challenglngly.
I I "Hello yourself'—suspl-
X X clously.
Thus two young men of
Irvington, meeting, almost collided at
• hedge and tree-environed corner of
the country village.
"New tennis racket?" projected the
first speaker, Albion Merkle, after a
critical stare at the paper-enveloped
parcel the other carried and clearly
outlined as to shape.
"Oh, yes," was carelessly nodded,
with a free swing of the article In
question. "Tours a golf club?"
"That's It," acquiesced Merkle, cas
ually. "S£e here, a rent we working
at cross purposes?"
"What do yov mean?* questioned
Ned Dallas.
"Nellie—Miss Warren. Oh, come
now, Dallas I you're thinking of a
game at tennis \With that charming
young lady." I*
"I am going to her home this after
noon, yes."
"So am J," coolly asserted Merkle.
"You see, it comes to a problem of
precedent I'm the oldest I've known
her longest, and her venerable father
pleasantly told me that my company
was acceptable."
"Why I" flared out Dallas, "he said
exactly that same thing t6 me."
"Yes, he is a liberal-minded old fos
sil and wants to give his lovely daugh
ter a chance. Here's three of us, and
the best man wins."
"Three?" questioned Dallas.
"I'm Including Roy Elston."
"You needn't His cake Is dough."
"How do you know?"
"Old Warren told me so. That Is,
he entertains a suspicion that Elston
Is a fighter. Those scars on his face
make the old fellow suspect he was a
prize fighter one*. You know Mr. War
ren is peculiar In hi* dislike for fight
ing" J i
"H'm!" muttered Merkle. "Then lfs
between you and I. See here, we both
want to see the charming Nellie this
afternoon. 11l toss you to see who
goes."
"Done!" acquiesced Dallas.
The shrewd eyes of his companion
twinkled cunningly as he thrust his
hand Into his pocket. He fumbled
two coins there.
"One guess," he said. "Heads or
tails r
"Heads."
"Throw."
Merkle smiled to himself as he fin
gered those ready coins under cover.
He produced one. Dallas tossed.
"Lost" announced Merkle cheerily
as It came down "tails."
As the precious twain —who had
risked their chances if it ever came to
the ears of Nellie Warren that her
company had been bargained for as
If She; were a prize package—went
their way, Just behind the hedge there
arose In view a smiling, bright-faced
young fellow.
It was Roy Elston, to whom the
would-be lovers had alluded. His face
was, Indeed, scarred on one side. He
was athletic. There was too much
manhood in the clear open counte
nance, however, to suggest the bruiser.
"So, Mr. Warren has taken an an
tipathy to me?" mused Roy. "I mast
disabuse the Impression," and going
home he wrote to a certain General
Revere, as follows:
"Dear Old Friend:
"Mr. Robert Warren, whose daugh
ter I know, and who seems to be an
old acquaintance of yours, has formed
a prejudice against me. Won't you
write him assuring him as to my In
tentions as a peaceable, respectable
Individual V
Then Roy took a photograph from
his pocket, smiled upon It pressed It
to his lips and murmured softly:,
"Dear, sweet Nellie!"
For Roy In his quiet earnest way
had weeks since outstripped Albion
and Ned In the estimation of Miss
Warren. In fact there was a clear
understanding between them. Mr.
Warren treated Roy with rather scant
courtesy, but Roy hoped to soon re
move this unfounded prejudice.
That evening Roy called at the War
ren home. Its dignified proprietor be
stowed a rather cool nod upon him,
as he passed him walking in the gar
den with his daughter. Then, the
lovers once alone, Nellie Indignantly
told her favored suitor some things
he had not of.
It seems that there was no danger
of Roy fearing his rivals, at least for
some time to come. Both were laid
np at home, badly battered and dis
figured.
"The Idea of tossing a penny to see
which should call upon me first!"
fluttered Nellie. "The Idea of It!".
"Why, where did you hear of that?"
voiced the discreet and astonished
Rojr.
"It is all over town," and
gave the facts of the case. It seemed
that Merkle after leaving Dallas had
boasted of his two "trick coins, loaded
to come up heads or tails, as he
chose." Of this the duped Dallas had
heard. He sought out his rival. Re
sult : a fist fight bitter and to a finish,
and neither would be presentable for
some time to come.'
Some girl friends bad come to spend
a week with Nellie and a grand pro
gram for outing nnd pleasure had
been formulated. In their beds the
wounded rivals groaned and writhed
as they heard of the great doings of
the happy group, where modest unpre
tentious Roy Elston was the prized
chevalier of the occasion.
IJr. Warren did not welcome hU
daughter's suitor with any warmth at
any time. In fact, his chilliness was
constantly on the Increase.
He had acted several times as
though Inclined to call Roy to an In
terview, probably to ask him to dis
continue his attentions to his daugh
ter.
This rather Impressed Roy. and one
afternoon as he and Nellie sat resting
on a bench after a game at tennis,
he rather covertly watched Mr. War
ren, who was pacing up and down a
near path in a manifest state of un
easiness or excitement
"It's coming," murmured Roy ap
prehensively, as Mr. Warren after a
thoughtful pause advanced directly
toward the spot where he and Nellie
sat. Ml
"Ahem!" observed her father
"Young man, I hope to be considered
a fair-dealing and truthful Individual."
"I have never heard that disputed,"
averred Roy promptly, wondering
what his unusual and mystifying dec
laration might preface.
"Just so—Just so," floundered Mr.
Warren. "Well, as you know I am a
man of peace. I don't see how I got
the Impression, perhaps the Influence
of an Idle remark, but somehow 1
fancied you were of a belligerent dis
position."
"Why, papa!" piped In the Indig
nant Nellie—"he is a—a perfect
dove!"
"At all events I was unjustly preju
diced," went on Mr. Warren, "and I
wish to make amends. I have Just
received a letter from an old friend
of mine who knows you very well."
"Perhaps you mean General Re
vere?" intimated Roy deftly.
"Exactly, and —and I wish to apolo
gize for my mistaken opinion of you,"
broke out Mr. Warren, Impetuously.
Roy gladly nnd eagerly clasped the
extended hand of the man who held
his fate In his power.
"And, by the way," pronounced Mr.
Warren, "I—l think Nellie will be in
terested In reading the general's
letter."
With glowing eyes Nellie perused
the epistle that had come in answer
to the request of her lover. It ex
plained those tell-tale scars. It re
cited a deed heroic In the collapse of
a small theater building, where Itoy
had risked his life, but had saved
some twenty imperiled women and
children.
Mr. Warren watched her face for a
moment, remembered that he was
once young himself, and descreetly re
tired.
Nellie sprang to her feet, her whole
being breathing out soulfulness. She
threw her arms around Roy's neck.
"Oh! you brave, modest hero!" she
cried adoringly.
Smallpox Ancient Disease
Smallpox, which at one time or an
other has been endemic in almost
every land, was recorded In the earli
est historical records of Egypt and
Arabia but it was not Introduced Into
Europe until about the Srafth,,century.
At the end of the Eighteenth century
the death ratd on the continent was
210 per thousand, while In Russia
two million persons died of smallpox
in one year. A Hindu physician.
Dhanwantarl, is believed to have given
the first Inoculation for smallpox
about ISOO B. C. Cotton Mather first
recommended this means of fighting
the disease In the United States.
The Matter
"Ton know that there dura' mule I
swapped oflTm you day before yester
day?" asked. Gap Johnson of Rumpus
Ridge.
"Eh-yah; what's the matter with
him?" askfed the former owner of the
varmint
"Nuth'n* much, except that he got
loose and kicked the whole side of tke
house In, run three t>t the children
ofm the bluff and threatens to tear
the whole deturnal farm to pieces. I
am going to build a pen around him,
and then take a-gun and shoot him."
—Kansas City Star.
Bird Champion Sprinter
The speed of the pheasant is com
puted to be in the neighborhood of 15
or 18 miles an hour. When the col
lege sprinter runs the 100-yard dash
in ten seconds, he exceeds but slightly
the time the bird makes in the much
shorter runs. Considering that the
stride of the average good sprinter Is
about eight feet or nearly eleven times
that of the bird, the pheasant's per
formance stands as remarkable.—De
troit News.
mnm
QLEAWNQS
PEACH DROPS ARE
CAUSE OF INJURY
Observations taken at tlie Federal
Peach Pest laboratory at Fort Valley,
Ga., emphasize the Importance of
prompt destruction of all peach drops,
according to E. H. Kawl, associate
extension horticulturist.
Practically all of the small peaches
which drop to the ground within a
Uw weeks after the "shuck*" have
been pushed off are badly infested
with curcullo worms, about 75 to 90
per cent of the drops containing one
or more worms.
Growers should bear In mind that
the larvae remain In these drops and
that, after a process of development
they emerge and enter the ground for
pupation. Each larva prepares a cell
within about three Inches of the sur
face, In which it undergoes trans
formation and from which It later
emerges as the adult beetle. This bee
tle gives rise to the second genera
tion that in turn lays eggs and causes
wormy peaches Just before picking
time.
It Is quite obvious that picking up
and destroying the early drops will
prevent heavy infestation at picking
time. The Infested drops should be
collected and burled at least 24 Inches
deep. It Is usually advisable to make
two or three gatherings of the drops.
Bpeclal care should be taken that the
very small shriveled peaches are
gathered, for they are more likely to
contain worms than the larger drops.
In one of the Georgia observations
two and one-half bushels of dropped
peaches were placed In a wire screen
container and watched carefully.
Within a few weeks 13,000 larvae
emerged from these drops. This num
ber would have produced sufficient
second brood curcullos to badly Infest
100,000 peach trees. Such conditions
emphasize the importance of using
proper control measures In connection
with the early peach drops.
In addition to picking up the drops.
It Is a good thing to disk or harrow
the surface of the orchard frequently.
The tools should loosen the ground
at least three Inches deep. This will
break up the pupal cells and expose
the Inactive insects to heat and
weather. The pupal stage usually
averages about one month and disk
ing at Intervals of one week should
continue from the time the peaches
bloom until late varieties are almost
ripe.
Good Bordeaux Mixture
Controls Apple Blotch
There has been some tendency late
ly for fruit growers to reduce the
strength of their bordeaux mixture
below the 3-4-50 strength, and, accord
ing to Dr. H. W. Anderson of the Col
lege of Agriculture. University-of Illi
nois, this is a mistake.
He says, "While there Is reason to
believe that a 1-3-50 bordeaux would
control apple blotch under certain
conditions, it would be unwise to use
this on the entire orchard. Growers
who are confident that they are apply
ing sprays In a very thorough manner,
and who have not been seriously
troubled with blotch the last few years
might well try this weak bordeaux on
a small block of their trees one year
In order to test the effect However,
the old expression that 'lt Is better
to be safe than sorry,' applies to the
use of fall strength bordeaux for
blotch control. Last season was un
favorable for apple blotch, and the
chances are that blotch will not be
very serious this season. It would be
a good policy, therefore, to keep the
disease In check by using methods
which have proved successful for
many years.
"Bordeaux spray should not be ap
plied during cold or rainy weather.
Clear, bright days should be selected.
If possible, and If the weather con
tinues cool, lime-sulphur, 1-50, should
be used In place of the bordesox mix
ture. In fact, on those varieties espe
cially susceptible to russettlng, lime
sulphur should be used throughout
the season, since It will give almost
as good control as bordeaux."
Horticultural Facts
Cultivate the strawberries as soon
as they are through bearing. It stimu
lates growth and keeps down weeds.
• • •
On a bearing apple tree the desir
able amount of annual terminal growth
Is usually about 10 or 12 Inches of
plump wood.
• • •
Ton can save later pruning on your
newly set trees, and have better-shaped
tops by going over them occasionally
and robbing off buds' that come where
you don't want limbs.
NO. 21.
GOODH
ROADSHI
IMMENSE AMOUNT
FOR RURAL ROADS
Reliable estimates Indicate that the
United States will spend more than
11,000,000,000 on the bulldinfc and
maintenance of rural roads daring the
year 1920.
This means the disappearance of
the "rube" from American lite. Ton
may be able to find him on the stage.
In vaudeville, In the movies, or be
tween the pages of alleged humorous
magazines, but not on the farms, says
the Minneapolis Dally Star.
The "rube" Is a product of Isolation
and the spending of $1,000,000,000 for
the rural roads means an end of iso
lation. The American fanner from
now on lives on a main traveled high
way.
When the day's work Is dene be Is
only a few miles away from enter
tainment If be prefers to sit by bis
own fireside he may read his dally
paper delivered by the rural routes,
get his daily market reports over the
radio, or listen to tbe best music and
lectures that America can offer any
one.
His children are seldom more than
20 minutes away from an excellent
high school. There they are being
trained in all the social graces, tanght
the fundamental principles of culture
and living a life as bropd and beauti
ful as that enjoyed byany of the city
children. On commencement day it
is Impossible to distinguish between
the youths from tbe farms and tboae
from the city.
The co-operative marketing a—or!
atlons have taught him tbe art of
working with other men. Tbe good
road makes it possible for blm to at
tend frequent meetings, participate in
the discussions and become a part at
the busy world of thinking and action.
Rural roads put him In easy touch
with distant markets. If his local
merchant cannot supply him with tbe
goods he wants, a couple of hoars'
drive will bring him to a city of 20,-
000 or more where he can bay any
thing he wants.
The modern farmer is not easily
Imposed upon. He is a poor customer
for gold-brick merchants. Bankers'
figures show that tbe average city
dweller Is much the easier victim at
the con man.
Improved rural roads mean conaoll
dated schools, less loss In crops, ad
vantageous marketing. The hard
surfaced road has done much to give
the American farmer his opportunity
as a business man.
It Is true that the rural church has
had hard sledding, bat the farmer can
reach the village or city church with
greater ease over good roads than he
could get to the rural church a tew
years ago through the mud.
Good roads make good citizens. The
election booth is seldom more than
five minutes sway from tbe kitchen
door, and the farmer Is voting, and
rapidly learning his political lessons.
One billion of dollars spent for
rural roads means that the American
farmer Is now living as close to the
world as tbe city dweller. He no
longer lives alone, astride his plow.
He is on a highway where "the* race
of men go by."
Center-Road Hog Menace
to Traffic on Highways
One of tbe greatest menaces to
traffic on the streets, the boulevards
and even on the country highways is
tbe slow driver cruising down tbe
center of the thoroughfare. That this
Is the case is attested by hundreds of*
letters to the American Automobile
association.
"The rules of tbe road" require all
slow-moving traffic—'whether passenger
automobile, truck or bus —to keep to
tlie right near the curb. This rule is
violated every day, and all the time.
Everywhere may be found the slow
traveler, creeping down tbe middle of
the driveway, blocking traffic and
actually endangering tbe lives of
others.
"Can't youl do anything about the
man who has the 'middle of the road
complex?" Is n*e complaint of so
many letters that It looks
as If the road hog will never learn.
Good Time for Action
The present generation has a right
to expect the building of Improved
highways—which In the last analysis
are the most economical. It requires
no great amount of argument to prove
that a hard-surfaced highway will not
cost as much to maintain as a grav
eled road does. There Is considerable
difference In the expense, and no good
reason why the auto owner should
not have the benefit of the saving that
paved highways are certain to bring
about It is the time for action. —
Mankato (Minn.) Free Press.
i Wu&j