Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 January 1917 — Welcome Good Fortune [ARTICLE]

Welcome Good Fortune

Are afraid to sit down when you would make the thirteenth at the tahle? Well, then, you yep. likely are afraid to pick up a pin* when the point is toward you, or to see the moon thru glaiss or over your left shoulder. Maybe you don’t go under a ladder without spitting, and if you break a mirror you doubtless watch for grandpa to die. GJves you a sort of thrill—oh, of course you don’t believe in anything ho foolish—but it does give you a nort of a thrill to, have an umbrella opened TSTtbenoroe; — Then, whenever you say, ‘‘l haven’t Had a touch of hay fever this summer,’ you hasten to rap on wood. Mentioning your good fortune wouldn’t give you hay fever —but not for worlds would you let the remark go without rapping. If you smash a dish you are worried until you’ve smashed two more. .There’s no end.ta the.!itt!@. superstitions that pester you, half without your own knowledge, every day. Would you begin an undertaking on Thursday or Friday? Woqld you get married on the thirteenth of the month? Believe in all these omens If you wish. Take fiendish delight in wondering who is to die next when any" one of a, number of “death signs” occur. Take pains to pick a quarrel with your best friend because she went round the other side of a tree when you were out walking. Do all of these things and as many more as will make you contented—but don’t fall into the habit or believing that good things are not going to last Life is sometimes a hard problem. In fact, for we may as well be honest About it. life la abont always a hard problem. And yet, life Is likely to be much better than we give It credit for being. We don’t give It half a chance. Any good fortune gets discouraged when the welcome it receives is: ’•Well, come in if you like, but I know you won’t stay more than a minute and then bad luck will be knocking at the door.’’ It is a very poor habit to get into — this looking for a joker in each piece of happiness that is given you. A better way—indeed, the best way _is to live in the present Easy enough to preach, but dismally hard to practice. We clutch the present nervously, with a backward glance at the past and one hand trying to ward off the future. In some things, naturally, we must look ahead. But why do this more than Is necessary? The future, with whatever It holds of good or 111, is coming toward us relentlessly. No amount of worrying or of pleasant-an-ticipation will hurry or delay It. Bring your children up to be happy. Don’t let thgm be any more superstitious than you can help. But, at any rate, avoid one horrible, haunting belief that good things can’t last. The good things are the only eternal things of the world.

Table Salt

Coarse salt and bits of newspaper •nut in the bottle-mid shaken up with a little water should clean your bottle. Salt is good for so many things about the house that I will give you a list of some of them, hoping you may at some time find them a help. Rinsing the Mouth with a little salt and cold water will keep the teeth in good condition. Put damp salt on burns. It kills the pain. Dry salt and a brush will take dust off of velvet, plush and heavy embroidery that cannot be washed, — In making fruit pies, should they boil over, sprinkle salt in oven and they will not smell. Add a pinch of salt to starch. It will keep the Irons from sticking. A little salt under the tongue will stop nose bleeding. Salt on fingers when cleaning fowls, meat or fish will prevent slipping. Salt thrown on coal fire when broiling steak will prevent blazing from the dripping fat. Salt as a gargle will cure soreness of the throat Salt in solution inhaled cures cold in the head. Salt water is good to clean ware and matting. Salt in the oven under baking tins will prevent scorching on the bottom. Salt puts out a fire In the chimney. Salt and vinegar will remove stains from discolored teacups. Salt and soda are excellent for bee stings and spider bites. Salt thrown on soot which has fallon on carpet will prevent stain. Salt put on Ink when freshly spilled ox carpet will help in removing spot gait in whitewash makes it stick. Bali thrown on a coal fire when It Is low will revive it Salt used in sweeping carpets keeps •nt moths.