Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1911 — Page 2

The American Home

WILLIAM A. RADFORD Editor

Mr. 'William A. Radford will answrr questions and give advice FREE OF COBT on all subjects pertaining to the subject of building for the readers of this paper. On account of his wide experience as Sdltor, - Author and Manufacturer, he la, without doubt, the highest authority on all these subjects. Address all Inquiries to William A. Radford. No. XM Fifth Ave., Chicago, XIL, and only onsloes two-cent stamp for replr-. The history of the human race presents no parallel to that of the marvelous development during the present generation In home architecture by the use of concrete hollow blocks and cement plaster. Signs are everywhere seen that this form of construction will continue to be in popular favor during the coming season. Home builders In all parts of the country are hungry for information about this material; what designs are best suited to Its use, what forms of construction bring the most lasting and satisfactory results. The demand for such information is unprecedented In the annals of building. “Tell us how to build a house of oement” is a popular fary heard throughout the land. The beginning of the twentieth century has witnessed rapid strides In the use of cement and concrete In a thousand and one branches of construction work; nor is it difficult to find the cause. The scarcity of timber and lumber Js the principal cause outside of all considerations of concrete as to its own Intrinsic value as a building material. The shortage of lumber and its high price has simply brought

the building world to a realization of its value sooner than would have been the case otherwise. Of all the manifold forms in which cement is being used in the various branches of construction work hollow concrete building blocks stand out most prominently. This without question is the most popular form in which cement is brought before the public, because it appeals to the home builder and to the contractor. , “I believe that concrete blocks represent the form in which concrete will be need to the very largest extent In the future,” an authority on this subject and a close observer of modern building tendencies has recently stated. “This is because the blocks are in a unit form, readily and easily adaptable to architectural arrangement. Moreover, every unit can be inspected before it Is placed in the building, giving to the builder a protection neoeasary to secure the very beat results in his construction work.” Concrete block construction offers many advantages. The hollow blocks make a saving of about one-third in the material without reducing the

Floor Plan

strength so as to impair safety in any manner. Attractive facings can be used which will give rich effects without the use of an expensive mixture in the body of the blocks. In addition to the well-known Are resisting qualities of concrete, a concrete wall has the advantage of the Interior air chambers which allow It to conduct heat or cold but slowly. During a recent lire, while the flames from an adjoining structure were beating against a concrete block wall the inside surface of this wall remained so cool that the hand could be placed against it without harm. The Are protection afforded by these qualities of hollow concrete block walls is an enormous advantage to the home builder, especially one locating in rural communities, for there It Is very seldom that any Are fighting equipment is available, and an ordiuary house if one* it catches Ore must certainly burn completely. There is but tittle hope of saving it j The ability of the hollow block wall to stop the passage of heat or, cold ****** houses of this material wans ft ✓

in winter and cool in summer. It tends to prevent sweating and in mild climates often makes it possible to put plaster directly onto the inside of the block wall without the use of laths. This should not be done, however t where the .winters are at all severe. The concrete block appears at once as a substitute for both brick and stone, having all the good qualities possessed by both and. In addition, several advantages possessed by neither. - * The design illustrated herewith will serve as a good example of a concrete block house, or cottage, at its best. Hollow concrete blocks are used, both for the foundation and for the walls up to the eaves, a„ smooth finished block of uniform size laid up in coursed ashlar style being used. The gable ends are filled in with cement plaster on metal lath, the surface being divided off into panels by wooden strips after the English half-timber style. The Interior of this dwelling shows an exceptionally attractive arrangement. It Is Just what we would expect from the substantial, homelike appearance of the exterior. The living room and dining room form what is practically one large room, 24 feet by 17 feet 9 inches In size. This space is divided through the middle by a very attractive columned opening. A beamed ceiling is used In both of these rooms, and they are made attractive and homelike In other ways

by means of built-in bookcases, open fireplace and mantel, large square bay window with window seat, etc. The kitchen is located in ah ell projection at the rear, and so Is separated from the rest of the house, at the same time being convenient to the dining room. The large built-in kitchen cabinet takes the place of the ordinary pantry. A cross ventilation Is provided in this room which is a very desirable feature. The two good-sized bedrooms are at the left from the living room. The bathroom is situated between them, a small hall or passageway connecting all three. The total cost of this five-room fireproof dwelling Is estimated at $2,000, using the very best grade of material and most thorough construction.

SAMPLE OF FRENCH RED TAPE

Mayor and Citizens of Small French Village Stand and Watch Murderer at Ghastly Work. An extraordinary story of rural police methods comes from Pontcarre a little summer resort situated on the edge of the Forest of Armainvilliera, France, where a tramp murdered an old woman, the proprietor of a small inn. Her neighbor, hearing the old woman's screams, instead of giving the alarm, went off to fetch her hua band in a village,nearly a mile away, leaving the woman to her fate. The husband thought he had better tell the local watchman, and went off to the latter’s house. The watchman in his turn decided he must inform the mayor, who was working at M. Edouard de Rothschild's chateau, which Is in the neighborhood. The mayor immediately set out for the scene, accompanied by the watchman, a commercial traveler from Paris who happened to be in the village and a local wineshop keeper. Through the windows of the murdered woman’s inn they could see the murderer rifling the upstair rooms but the mayor refused to act until the gendarmes arrived. When the tramp came downstairs the party saw him stepping over his victim, who lay dead in a pool of blood. Only after the guardians of public order had watched the violation of the law for SO minutes did the watchman decide to take action, crying: “Open in the name of the law!” and beating on the door. But the murderer opened a back window and escaped into the black depths of the forest He has not been captured.

Divorce In High Life.

“Your wife Bays she will not contest your suit for divorce providing you will sign this document.” "Hm! How much of an allowance doe* she demand?” “It is not for an allowance. It gives her the custody of the poodle.”

“SPOKE THE ENGLISH”

BUT MEXICAN WAt NOT A FLU. ENT CONVERSATIONALIST. Schoolmaster’s Knowledge of Language Decidedly Limited, 8o That He , Was Not the Acquisition That Had Been Hoped. The wonderful old Aztec town of Mexcaltatan, the “Mexican Venice," la built in the form of a cart-wheel, with its plaza for hub and, for spokes, canals, bordered with huts, radiating out to an outer rim of water. Mr. Dillon Wallace, traveling recently “Beyond the Mexican Sierras.” not only found Mexcaltatan most picturesque, but experienced there that pleasurable thrill that always comes on meeting some one in a foreign land who can speak one’s own language. The conversational results are given below. Very entrancing the little town look]ed as approached. The sun was just dropping behind the lagunas, lighting the tops of graceful cocoanut-palms that rose high above the plaza, and setting on fire the red-tiled roofs of gray huts below, while the musky car nals lay in deep and somber shadow. A bit of old Mexico, solitary and alone, untouched and unmarred by the march of civilization, It seemed to breathe something of the mystery of forgotten days. Afterward we went to a fish breakfast at the hut which was the hotel; a guest was at table when we entered, who proved to be a school-teach-er from Topic. He rose, and extending his hand to each, greeted us in English: "Good morning! I—am—your—friend.” As we sat down he continued : “I —am —vera —much —hun-gerie I—am—the —school —master.” f It was gratifying to find some one who could speak English, and I was exceedingly pleased to meet him. A schoolmsater he was doubtless a man of some education, and his knowledge of English would enable us to converse with him, and thus learn much of our surroundings that we should otherwise miss. “How large a school have you senor?” I asked, by way of opening the conversation. “I—count —lt —forty-one,” he answered, with great precision. “A very good school,” I commented, “Have you been teaching here long?” “I —count—it —forty-one.” I looked at him with astonishment. He was not a day over twenty-eight. "Excuse me, how long did you say?” “I—count —it —forty-one.” Then he continued: ““I eata —the —meat. I—have —a —sickness.” We then noticed that, instead ol fish, he had a small piece of meat turned very black. “Is that better for your ailment than fish?" I inquired, beginning to wonder whether he was afflicted with leprosy, not uncommon in some localities ol western Mexico, and feeling a decided interest, for we had all shaken his hand. “I—have—a—sweet—heart—with the —beautiful —eyes,” was his reply. “Ah,” I remarked, “that must be very pleasant.” “I—likes—it—here.” And this was the limit of the schoolmaster's English, except “Good-by, I—am —your —friend,” which was repeated’to each of us as we departed.

An Overwhelming Charge.

The magistrate looked sternly over his gold-rimmed glasses at the puny individual in the' dock. “You are charged," he remarked, reading the formal complaint, “with having willfully, feloniously and with malice aforethought appropriated to your own use and behoof a certain article, to-wit, a one-wheeled vehicle, commonly called a wheel-barrow, the said vehicle having been wrongfully and feloniously abstracted by you from the premises of one John Smith, carpenter, on September 18, Anno Domini, contrary to the statute in such cases made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of this great realm. What have you to say? Are you guilty or not guilty?” The prisoner’s face assumed a peagreen hup, his knees trembled and he stammered forth: “Not guilty, guv'nor. All I done was to steal a barrow!” —Tit-Bits.

Danish Convict Garb.

Convicts In Danish prisons wear light gray uniforms made of coarse material. The blouse is ample, but the trousers come only to the knees. “When half the term has been served the trousers are lengthened, and they are made longer from time to time, reaching full length at the end of the term,” says a letter from Copenhagen, describing the reception at the Horsens prison of ex-Minlster of Justice Alberti, who was recently convinced. “Alberti is so tall and stout that none of the clothing on hand would fit him. and be had to be measured for a uniform. He la too heavy for the ordinary cot, and a special bed had to he taken to his cell. While the various humiliating formalities were taking place he was more at ease than the prison authorities, who from that day and for eight years will know the once powerful courtier as 'No. 75.*”

Hopeless Case.

“Is he a has-been?” “Worse than that” "A never-was?" "Even worse.” ”1 know. He’s a never-wlll-be.”

PIGEON A HOSPITAL PATIENT

Boston Surgeons Successfully Set Broken Leg for Bird That Had Applied for Admission. If the pigeon patient whose left leg has been in a plaster cast at the Relief hospital for 11 days were able to talk probably t£e first thing it would do after its “discharge” from the hospital would be to fly. to Pemberton square, the general meeting place of the plgfeons, and tell the others what a wonderful thing surgery is. The pigeon at the Relief hospital had the plaster taken from its leg by Dr. Shedd the other morning. There were many surgeons present and they manifested no little interest in the work of Dr. Shedd, who has taken considerable interest In the case of the helpless pigeon, which a few days previous tapped its bill repeatedly against a window of the hospital until an attendant came to itß assistance, i The pigeon was “admitted” and Dr. Shedd, after setting the injured leg, placed it In a cast, also placing the right leg in a cast The" bird has been given much attention and has been an ideal patient One morning the. bird was taken to a private room and Dr. Shedd and Mr. Hartlgan, the attendant, placed it on an “operating table” and removed the cast. When the cast was removed it was evident that the pigeon had forgotten all about flying. The bird flapped its wings once, but made no attempt to fly out of Mr. Shedd’s hand. The injured leg was mended well, and in another week the patient will be discharged." The injured pigeon has become a mascot at the Relief hospital. The attendants would like to keep the bird there. Several persons have promised to give the bird a home should the attaches of the hospital Wish to give it up. The managers of the poultry show made an effort to get the bird for exhibition purposes, but Dr. Shedd felt that the patient was not strong enough for show purposes. In the accident the pigeon lost its tail, some plumage and broke its leg. It was a wise old bird, the doctor said, when it fragged itself to. the window of the hospital. Dr. Shedd said that the pigeon seemed to take an interest in his operation and blinked its eyes approvingly when the cast was re moved. —Boston Globe.

Mule’s Testimony Effective.

A most amusing incident occurred a short time ago in a Massachusetts court, when the convincing testimony of a mule led to the owner of the animal being fined SSO. A driver had been charged with driving a galled mule. The prisoner had an expert witness who testified that the sore on the mule’s back did not pain the animal in the least. The judge listened attentively to the long technical opinion, and then demanded to know where the mule was. It was harnessed to a wagon on the street in fiiont of the court building. Ordering that court be adjourned for five minutes the judge proceeded to the street, and with the end of his cane touched the sore on the mule’s back. The mule almost kicked the dashboard off the wagon. Once again the judge touched the sore and the frantic beast almost demolished the wagon with his kicking. The judge returned to the bench. The prisoner was called before him. “With all due respect to the expert testimony you have had Introduced in your behalf to show that the sore on the mule's back does not pain him, I will fine you $50,” announced the judge. “I asked the mule if the Bore hurt him and he said It did.”

As One Man.

It was a story night, and the audience of Professor Cheatum, mindreader and prestidigitator, was composed exclusively of men and boys. The lecture had begun at half past seven, and it was nearly an hour later when Professor Cheatum began his exhibition of mind-reading. “Theje is a man in this hall,” he said, gazing at the ceiling for inspiration, “whose mind I can read like a book. He means well, is a good father and a kind husband; active in the church and all town affairs. He has only one fault that I can see—he is forgetful. "This very night his patient, hardworking wife asked hip— ’ There was such a Bound of scuffling and tramping in the hall that the mind-reader paused, and lowered his gaze. The men were fleeing, and the boys were moving up toward the front. “It’s yeast-cake night,” cried one small boy, “and the store’ll be closed In ten minutes! Say, mister, read our minds before they get back.”—Youth’s Companion.

Lonely Isle of St. Kilda.

The loneliest inhabited island in the Western Isles is surely St Kilda, situated some 85 miles west of Harris, says the London Daily MalL A Glasgow flrm of shipowners has received a letter from the clergyman located on the island, stating that the first mall the islanders have received since the Glasgow steamer Hebrides made her last cruise at the end of August was brought in by a trawler the other week. It was a day of great rejoicing. They are looking forward to the Hebrides' first visit in May with her usual complement of tourists and stores. All the natives, who number about 80, are In the best of health, and the weather has been exceptionally mild. The spinning season la in full awing. They are all working steadily away untroubled by the turmoil of general elections, and happy in their own little Atlantic kingdom.

WILL TEACH JAPS BASEBALL

Msnaysr McGraw of New York Giants See* Much Promise for Our National Game In Japan. Not satisfied with developing soma of the best baseball players in the United States, John J. McGraw, manager of the New York Giants, is going to act as tutor, to the Japanese nation in the great Yankee game. Togo S. Hamamoto of Tokyo has applied for the position of baseball apostle to his countrymen and McGraw plans to do all in his power to spread the gospel of the game in foreign lands. Hamamoto, who has the backing of a number of influential citizens of Tokyo, will go to Marlin Springs with the Giants when they start training, and will devote his time to mastering the game. His backers plan to develop professional baseball in their own country as a great popular sport. With their characteristic enterprise, when desiring to learn something from the western nations, they decided to send a delegate to America to study the game and bring back the best of American methods and training. As a matter of fact the Japanese have been playing a sort, of indifferent baseball for several years, but the game has not been brought to a high stage of development. Several of the college teams of this country have made excursions over there, among these being the trip of the University of Chicago nine last fall. While the Japanese do not play much of a game as yet, they are said to be alert and quick. Their speed makes them promising material and Manager McGraw is

Muggsy McGraw.

prophesying that some day a real world's championship will be played' with the United States and Japan as rivals.

GOSSIP OF SPORTDOM

Baseball critics already have begun to pick the winners for 1911. Gotch, Mahmout, Hackenachmidt and Zbyszko have gone to the mat in a deadlock. The Boston National league moguls met and decided to let Fred Tenney run the teaml Patsy Donovan, manager of the Boston Red Sox. says he wants to drill hia team for speed. The richest wrestlers in the world are said to be Gotch, Hackenschmldt, Roller andJZbysrko. Brooklyn fight fans are hilarious about Joe Coster, who, they think, had something on Abe Attel recently. “Gabby” Street in eight years has caught in 860 games—a record equaled by no other m&Jor league backstop. Freddie Welsh, the English lightweight png champion, says he would rather meet Packey McFarland for his next opponent. Eddie Hahn, who tppped the Chicago City league with a hatting average of .375 last year, batted only.. 181 for the White Sox in 1909.

S^Omlcidto! V. W U. WHEOR D NCmfr *Tve just got home from Washington,** said Uncle Jared Green; “I can’t begin to tell you all the splendid things I’ve seen— But best of all, or worst of all, dependin' on the view. Was this here incident which I’m about to tell to you.” Uncle Jared "bit a chew from oft his heavy plug And spat reflectively and set his shoulders in a shrug. o "I seen our statesmen hard at work; t* set there in the loft • An’ felt as if they’d run me in if I so much as coughed. I realized that history was makin’ down below, That here our country’s future was to get its weal or woe. When up arose a man who sneered until he showed each tooth An’ said the other ffellow was a stranger to the truth. / Up jumped the other fellow, an’ his bow was most polite; He said the honored brother was a fool. .An’ that means fight put here where things is common. But .i the honored brother smiled An’ said the other gentleman would steal gum from a child! Then up arose another with his hair draped in his eyes, An’ he thrashed his arms an’ shouted: ‘Sirs, both of the others lies!’ "Then two—three more got up an’ yelled; the floor began to shake; One man with yellow whiskers called another man a snake; ’ ■> Another shook his list and' cried:: ‘My honored friend is drunk!’ The honored friend retorted with some words about a skunk. An’ then all over everywhere they riz, an’ names were flung That ought to mean plain murder when they sizzle off the tongue. "Well! What d’you think? The clieermjui rapped his table for a while. An’ then one member he got up an’ pulled ai pleasant smile, An’ when no more the other men in anger rared an’ lunged He said:: ‘I move that these remarks shall hereby be expunged.’ They simmered down, an’ in a wink the motion carried through— An’ that was all that happened; hope to die if it ain’t true! "I loafed around for quite a spell; I shivered with alarm— An’ them contendin’ statesmen riz an' walked out arm in arm! They took each other out for lunch— or drinks, as like as not— An’ not a nose bloodied, not a man was knifed or shot! So I come home, an’ here I’ll stay, whera ‘liar’ ain’t repealed. An’ where the man that says It has to b« most plenty heeled."

In His Line.

“And so you are a journalist?” asks the girl with the trusting eyes. “Why, in a way, yes,” replies the young man with the double watch guard. "And what part, of the work do you do?** “I have charge of the circulation.” “O, how lovely! Them you must manage a Heart to Heart column.”

So Embarrassing.

“You know Mr. Ganderby is so nearsighted?” “Yes.” “Weil, the other evening he went home, and the beautiful Mrs. Giddley was calling on his wife, and he went into the room and kissed her by mistake.” “Kisfeed Mrs. Giddley? There must have been a scene.” “fto. He kissed his wife. But there was A scene.” “I don’t see why.” “Well, he apologized to her, calling her ’Mrs. Giddley.’ ”

A Luxury.

"Father,” said the son of the Kansas fanner, "why don’t you get in line with modern sjfctems of managing a farm and buy a wind pump?” "■Wind pump!” says the father. "Wind pump? Gosh all over! Who wants to pump wind ont here, when It blows in so dummed fast its hard; for a body to keep his hair on?”