Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 270, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 November 1913 — Page 2

HUNTING THE HEAD HUNTERS

YOU never can tell about your next door neighbor. For instance here is Dr. L. W. Luscber sitting peacefully in his office. You wouldn’t think tat a casual glance he was a “Soldier of Fortune.” says a writer in the Kansas City Star. Well, he isn’t —as the term has, come •to be used to describe every wanderer ■who strayed beyond the bounds of his native country. Let a track laborer return from Mexico and he’s a “soldier of fortune*’ The same goes for ia Cook’s tourist But there used to be real soldiers of fortune who had real adventures In unreal countries. Richard Harding Davis made a fortune writing about them, but most of them have been written out. Perhaps there is a new crop growing up in strange countries waiting to come home with new stories. However, there aren’t many of them these dull days that have new stories to tell. That’s why it is surprising to find Doctor Luscher sitting peacefully in his office and chatting about the times, he used to chase, headhunters in Formosa with native Chinese troops. It was so unexpected. You wouldn’t judge Doctor Luscher to be the sort of a man who plunged through dank jungles and over bleak mountains to run down the head hunting savages of an untamed country. The doctor seems to be too courteous to take part in anything of that sort. Still, he's not so young as he used to be and there is no telling what an adventurous soul he used to be when he slept under tropical stars. There must have been a powerful spirit of unrest within him, for it is known that he has served under four flags before he settled down to a staid prac l tice here. Served Under Four Flags. Doctor Luscher was present when American troops moved against Indians on the plains, when Cubans met Spaniards and when mongrel met mongrel in, Honduras. Also he has seen the Chinese troops charge with gongs and flags and devils’ heads against deadly aim of waiting and grinning French soldiers. He has seen the headhunters skipping through the tangled bush and has been fortunate enough to have dodged divers spears aimed at him. All 6f*these thlngs are written in his memory, which goes to show that you never can tell about ypur neighbor. Really you wouldn’t Suspect it of the doctor as he sits peacefully in his office *n the Argyle building at Twelfth afrfl McGee streets. An article published in the Star last Sunday told how Japan is openleg a military campaign against the headhunters on Formora. The headhunters are of Malay descent and were probably caston the coast of Formosa by storms at sea. Since man can remember they have been undesirab’e, with their head hunting and cannibal practices. China used to own the- island, but it was sick and tired of it when Japan came along in 1895 and took it In as a war prize. Japan has its own troubles with the natives who have only vague and indistinct ideas of mode of behaving toward “their fellow men. They eat their enemies and they haven’t a friend on earth. Altogether they are a wicked race, but they have been making both ends meet, after a manner of speaking, by hiding away in the topa of the rugged mountains of Formosa. It was into these mountains that Doctor Luscher went with 700 Chinese soldiers in 1886, Immediately after China had been counted out In the Franco - Chinese war. Doctor Luscher had been the only medical man with the Chinese army in the war. having organized a hospiUfl corps of fifty men.

The headhunters had been killing the Chinese camphor wood cuttera In the mountains. Reports had been drifting down to the government, but China was so busy trying and falling to whip Prance with magic charms and incantations that it didn’t have time to get aftur the wild tribes. It was great eport for the headhunters, swooping down on the helpless Chinese who wen* gathering camphor wood in/the forest and butchering them. At last China found time to start after the savages after peace prtth Prance had been established.

TYPICAL HEAD HUNTERS

Doctor Luscher was with the force sent into the mountains to pacify the tribes. There were 700 Chinese, unskilled in the use of arms, against thousands of savages in the jungles and in the mountains. There was fighting whenever a head showed through the undergrowth. The Chinese cut roads through the jungles and began the ascent of a steep mountainside where a band of the headhunters fortified themselves. “We came upon the headhunters in the basin of an extinct volcano crar ter,” Doctor Luscher said one day laßt week. “The crater was about a half mile across and we threw a line of men around on the rim. Then we waited. It was tiresome waiting and we aroused a little interest in shelling them with a few light machine guns we had dragged along. But it was no use. "The headhunters Vere too fast and they scattered and we simply couldn’t kill them off. Besides, the Chinese were about as ignorant as the headhunters and not nearly such natural fighters. Our officers were literary gentlemen, but all they knew about war was hearsay. Once in a while at night one of our men would be killed with a spear. Awed Them With Firecrackers. “It happened that our Chinese soldiers had brought along a quantity of fireworks for their own amusements. They had dragged the packr of rockets, firecrackers, Roman candles, nigger chasers and colored fire over the mountains and through the jungles patiently and without complaint. “I claim credit for the suggestion. The headhunters had never seen fireworks. The Chinese general agreed. We touched off every kind of fireworks a native Chinaman could devise and threw them into the crater among the headhunters. The entire basin was a glorious spectacle of shooting flames of many colors. Nigger chasers chased headhunters and ptawheels spun In glorious circles in and out among the wild men, who were getting wilder every moment. It was a wonderful sight. There were blinding flashes of colored fire and wonderful sprays of multi-hued flame. The poor, bewildered headhunters had never seen anything like it and naturally they surrendered when they thought all the supernatural powers of evil were turned loose against, them. They came out and lay - before us in abject supernatural fear. They wanted protection. “Then we took them in and back to the settled country and dressed them up like Chinamen and tried to civilize them. They wouldn’t stay civilized, and I don’t know what did become of them—so many things might have happened to them over there.”

SMELL INSTEAD OF KISSING

Peculiar Way in Which Many of tho Mongols Pet Their Little Children. Many of the Mongols pet their children by smelling their heads instead of kissing them. In the Philippine islands the sense of smell is so developed that many of the people by merely sniffing a handkerchief can detect its owner. Lovers when separated often give each other handkerchiefs, and in their absence they keep each other in mind by inhaling the scent Certain races still salute each other by smelling. They apply the nose and mouth to a person’s cheek, and in this way draw a long breath. They do not say “Give me a kiss,” but “Let me smell you.”

In the Woman’s Home Companion Ignace Paderewski, the celebrated pianist, is interviewed on the subject, “What a Little Knolwedge of Music Means." In the course of the interview Paderewski is quoted as saying: 4 “But for women there would today be no art in the world, not alone in America, but anywhere. The assertion may seem a sweeping one, but I thoroughly believe it to be true. The women it is why, through inborn love of music, and responsive, deeply refined feeling, encourage It in brave, practical, energetic ways. The women ft is, too, who lead in the cause of Its fostering, and influence by their supreme enthusiasm the men to follow.”

Tribute to Women.

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, IND.

MME. MERRI’S ADVICE

EXCELLENT IDEA FOR ENJOYABLE HARVEST HOME PARTY. Combination of Good Deed With an Evening of Real Fun—Auttimn Tea Makes Most Charming, In- C formal Party. A committee of ladies who were much interested in a charitable institution devised this method of giving what was in reality only an old-time "pound” party. Only this affair was at a private home in the evening, and it was almost Hallow E’en, so the decorations were black cats (because once upon a time witches were supposed to go about in the guise of black cats). Pumpkin “Jacks” furnished weird lights, with quantities of candles in vegetable holders and a great bunch of mountain ash berries was tied to the door knocker because they are supposed to be a guard against evil spirits who may prowl about on Hallow E’en. Cornstalks, , autumn 1 eaves and sheaves of wheat were used as wall and corner decoration. Each guest was asked to come representing a country and to bring any offering characteristic of that locality. For instance, two Italian peasants arrived, and with them came olives (six bottles) and a* dozen packages of spaghetti and macaroni. Those who came from France had baskets of grapes. The gay bevy of maidens from Japan had tea, and their escorts from China had rice and chop suey. The Irish colleen and her boy “Pat” confided to the hostess that there was a bushel of potatoes out in the “car.” Scotland had oatmeal (Quaker Oats), etc. It was a very merry party, ending up, as everything does nowadays, with a dance to the music of the vier trola. The next day automobiles took the “results” to the “Home” and -the larder was most beautifully replenished. One of the guests said afterward that it was very satisfying to combine doing good with fun, and she didn’t feel after this party like she had wasted her time, as she did after many affairs. This is the season when charitable work begins and I hope the suggestions in this column will help many of you to decide what to do and how to do it. In the meantime, if any of you are especialy successful in your undertakings, or in your private parties write to me about them for the benefit qf us all. An Autumn Tea. Now in other gardens Up and down the vale. From the autumn bonfires See the smoke trail. Sing a song of seasons, Something nice in all; Flowers in the summer, Fires in the fall. —Robert Louis Stevenson. This is surely the season so beautlfully described by that household noet whose name Is signed to the above verse, and what is cosier than the first fire in the living room with a few congenial friends and their work. I wish we all might have more of these charmingly informal parties. I went to one last week and the invitations were all given over the telephone, "To come and bring your work for a neighborhood tea,” and we went, some twenty of us, and how good it seemed to meet and know we all could be our natural selves. At four, tea, sandwiches, olives and nuts were served, and then the hostess asked one of the ladies, who was president of a suffrage club, to give us a little talk about the cause and the work being done by her particular organization. It was all so enjoyable I wanted to tell the readers of the department about it and see if you all could not arrange to be more neighborly this winter. MADAME MERRI.

SHIRTWAISTS FOR THE FALL

Just What Is to Be “the Thing” in This Most Useful and Popular Garment. The chic shirtwaist this fall will be washable. “No starch” is the verdict f6r the fashionable shirtwaist. Many waists of chiffon will be worn. Chiffon waists may be washed if stiffened with a somewhat stronger gum water, two teaspoonfuls of the stock solution to a cupful of water., Plain shirtwaists will be worn tnie fall—linen, dq,ck and gingham being popular. Extremely simple cuts are the rules In shirtwaists. Very close to the man’s shirt is the fall waist for women, elongated shoulder line and short yoke being the rule Cotton crepe, voile, satin and brocaded waists must all have the short york. For a plain tailored waist of linen, madras, pongee or wash silk the yoke may be omitted and the plaits at both front and back run to the shoulder. Stitching will be made prominent on tailored waists.

Clock Photo-Frame.

One of the attractive little useful ornaments that have recently been brought out to tempt the moneyspender is the clock-photograph frame. It is in the form of an oblong easel and it holds at one end a sunken circular clock and at the opposite end a sunken frame for a vignette photograph. Between the time-piece and the picture frame is a space for an engraved or etched monograip or crest This little ornament for ths

THAT RUG FOR THE BATHROOM

Is Apt to Present Something qf a Problem, bqt Its Solution May Be Found. fit ——— Somehow a bathroom rug is a more or less unsatisfactory proposition. It is very likely because water \ will splash upon it and damp towels and unslippered feet insist upon seeking its soft surface. And so, from sheer sanitary necessity, the bathroom rug must be, washable; and from sheer contrariness will slip and wriggle—at least nine out of ten do. But there is one. kind that is more quietly inclined than most, because it is heavier—the old rag rug of our grandfathers’ days. Cut an’ oval from some heavy washable material the size you desire the rug when finishedDenim would answer the purpose. Then from strips of some heavy, soft, washable goods make an even braid, being careful to fold in the rough edges neatly while plaiting the strips. The braid may be as wide or as narrow as you wish, and the strips cut. accordingly. If the rug is to be blue and white, have one strip of white and two of blue, so that the r,ug will not show the soil too easily. Do not have the strips too long, and have one shorter than the other. . This is to prevent tftem from becoming tangled in the plaiting, another strip can be attached* to it neatly and the joining will be scarcely perceptible. Braid only a short length at a time, sewing them to the oval piece of denim, which forms the foundation, as they are finished. Use strong linen thread and sew along each edge of the braid, concealing the stitches under the loose parts of the braid.

DON’T BRUSH HAIR TOO MUCH

Gentle Treatment Will Do More to Retain Beauty Than Over-Vigorouk Use of Toilet Articles. Healthy hair grows five to seven inches a year and faster in warm weather than in cold. Overbrushing is one of the prevalent fallacies. The “hundred strokes” a day is fatal practice for any one who would have nice hair. Brushing should be resorted to as a polish, not for cleansing purposes, and then the strokes should be of the lightest character. Likewise ,the benefits of the finetooth comb are a delusion, the coarse teeth of the ordinary toilet comb answering every purpose. Cheap brushes arfi to be avoided, for the bristles are generally stiff and prone to split, and the bristles should be of different lengths In order to reach and properly polish the different layers of hair. The indispensable quality of combs is that the teeth be perfectly smooth. Even at that the comb Bhould be used most carefully, never being drawn roughly through snarls, but rather beginning the combing below the4angle and working upward. Parting the hair continuously In the same place is not advisable. The hair should not be unduly exposed to the elements por yet too closely covered by heavy hats. Sun and air baths are excellent, provided they are not overdone. But prolonged exposure to hot sun’s rays dries and weakens as well as fades the hair. Baldness in women usually Indicates a weakened nervous systiem and, obviously, nothing can be hoped for in the way of correcting it unless the system Is in condition. A tincture made of one-half ounce of oil of mace mixed with one pint of deodorized alcohol rubbed upon , the bald spots three times a day should induce hair to appear again. Friction is invaluable. I would advise friction treatments once a week, not only as a cure for debilitated hair, but for keeping good hair in condition.

toilet table or the chiffonier comes in an ivory-finished composition, in silver or in gun metal, and makes a unique favor or card prize.

HAT SUPPORT

A wire frame set into the hat box keeps the bat in* good shape, and saves under-brim trimmings from be ing crushed. The frame as shown is easily made from ben* wire.

Belts of the Hour.

One of the pet vanities of the school girl in her belt, and this autumn she has two new models from which to chooße —if she cannot afford both. Qne of them is the extremely broad band .of glace kid in bright green, blue or red, fastening with a buckle set with stones of a matching color. The other new belt is very narrow, sometimes scarcely an inch across. It comes in both glace and Buede kid, satin-lined and self-buckled.

To Prevent Shoes Squeaking.

Have the shoemaker "spring” eacl shoe and insert a spoonful of French chalk between the soles. »w ' *

GROWING CROP OF CELERY ON SMALL FARM

Boards Set Up Beside the Rows of Celery During the Blanching Period.

« (By ANNA GALIGHER.) As St rule, late celery makes more growth during the fall months, after the weather gets cool, than at any other time. Iu hot, dry weather celery needs a great deal of attention, for unless tie roots of the plant can be kept cool and wet there will be no growth to speak of. For this reason as well as several others, I prefer to bank the rows with earth as the plants grow. When blanching by this method is out of question, I mulch them with well rotted manure out of the poultry house, and then set broad boards on edge several inches from the plants in either side of the row and fill the space around the plants with hay or dry leaves. Y I like to draw the earth up to the plants as they grow, "because in this way one will have far more white Btalks than when the work of banking is done all at one time. Some people suppose that no matter how large the branches are, the stalks will all turn white after being banked. The truth is, a stalk of celery that has attained its full size before the blanching process begins will remain green, while the heart of the bunch which has grown in darkness will be white. Another reason why-l prefer to use earth is that it protects celery from the early freezes. And then if a covering of dry leaves is put on top of the ridges, and weighted down to preOne year our celery was left ifi the ground until after Christmas, and with additional protection it would have kept much longer. Celery must have air to keep it from rotting, therefore the tips of the branches should never be kept covered over with earth. Anything that is dry and is easily removed, will help to keep out the frost, but dry leaves

EASTERN EYES ON ALFALFA PLANT

Crop Will Do More to Restore Worn Out Farms Than AnyThing Yet Suggested. A carload of alfalfa seed shipped from Oklahoma to the farmers of the New England states opened the eyes of the eastern press and caused them to give much publicity to the importance of this valuable harvest. This carload of seed consisted of about 600 bushels, worth $7.60 per bushel, or $5,000 in round figures. It was retailed to farmers at $lO per bushell, or more, but even at that price it was cheaper than any other seed they could us© for producing stock food. The newspapers of the east have advertised the importance of alfalfa and so have most of the agricultural colleges, but the farmers who read western farm papers are just learning what it means and its popularity as a reliable and profitable farm crop. Where the ground has been prepared in the proper manner and pure seed sown under favorable conditions alfalfa has produced from one ton to a ton and a half per acre at a single cutting. As alfalfa always produces two and sometimes three crops a year the yield is much larger and the money-earning capacity of the land many times greater than any other farm feed that can be raised on New England soil. ft is a wrong theory that alfalfa cannot be raised in the east. Many farmers have tried it and failed, but the failure almost in every instance may be traced to four things: Sour soil, lack of bacteria, insufficient preparation of the soil and impure non-germinating seed. Lime will sweeten the soil. Soil from an old alfalfa field will supply the bacteria and the application of common sense and patience will do the rest Alfalfa will do more to restore worn out farms of the east and south and do it more cheaply than anything else.

Proper Feed for Sheep.

Don't forget that while the ewes ■re feeding their lambs, they are also growing wool The feed should be abundant enough to supply both demands, and keep the ewe in good health. It never pays to let a flock run town In condition. * -

is the best material for the purpose that we have ever used. The frost will not penetrate the leaves, if enough are used, and when the sun shines and the" air is mild I rake off the leaves and then replace before sundown. If there are indications of a severe freeze, some old carpet or something of the sort is spread fiver the top of the ridges. I would rather do all of this and be rewarded with crisp, fine-flavored celery, than put it in the cellar and have a lot of tasteless stuff that is only a disappointment at best. No matter how much earth clings to the roots or how careful one is to protect them from the air, whenever the roots are once disturbed the plant loses its fine flavor. Another peculiarity of the plant is this: If the roots are not cut off soon after the plant is taken from the ground much sis the fine flavor will be lost. This is strange but none the less true. v A few light frosts will not Injure growing celery, but a freeze always injures it more or less. Those who grow the self-blanching variety should, if possible, bank with earth for the reasons mentioned above, though it will blanch without being banked, if the rows are close together. The so-called self-blanching celeries are AH inclined to bfe somewhat tough, unless either banker or protected in seme manner. Some people use drain tile and some prefer to wrap paper arouridT the bunches. I have grown very nice celery of the Golden Self-Blanching sort without banking, using hay and leaves as before mentioned, but when cold weather set in, the work of furnishing additional protection took as much time as does the banking up process.,

PROPERLY PACKED BUTTER SELLS BEST

Takes But Few Minutes More Time and Increases Price When Selling to Merchant. (By W. H. UNDERWOOD.) When a farmer’s wife or daughter has a sufficient quantity of milk to be able to sell some butter she ought by all means to find out Just what sort of butter people will pay the highest price for, and how the same is packed for sale, and comply with these conditions. If they do so they will get all it is worth. On a Saturday not long since I was waiting in the store, several persons brought in butter, and with the exception of that from two customers (myself and one other) it was all made In round prints and wratflled in oil paper, and some of the large rolls were also wrapped in oil-paper. The clerk weighed a basket of 8pound prints, and they tipped the scale at 6*4 pounds only. I asked him what he paid and he said 20 cents. I tasted the .butter. It was good and the merchant would have been glad to pay S 5 cents, the same as I got, but he said he could not sell it for more on acount of its mussy appearance. If each one of those persons would pay $1.25 for a brick-shaped butter mold that will make an exact pound; 60 cents for a roll of parchment paper 7>4 inches wide, tear the paper with the aid of a ruler into sheets 2% Inches long, dip these into cold water and wrap each pound neatly, pack them neatly in a clean box lined with white paper. I assure you they can then get 25 cents a pound for their butter and the gain in price will give them a good many dollars to put into their pockets. 1$ will not take ten minutes longer on churning day to do this, and the knowledge of putting a first-class article on the market in first-class condition will repay In Itself. It is not best to use the oiled paper. It is impossible to handle the butter without tearing it, and it makes the butter look any way but well.

Feed While Milking.

Feeding the cows while milking need not be any disadvantage to the quality of the milk produced, provided the right kind of feed and the right sort of pfll are ÜBed And it frequently has a quieting effect on the cow. .