Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 April 1878 — The Latest Trick of Trade. [ARTICLE]

The Latest Trick of Trade.

The Miller gives an account of a new trick where one would think it impossible to make a point. For instance, good honest wheat is good the world over.. But it is not so good when it has gone through the hands of a manipulator who oils it. The practice now obtains to a considerable extent on the Continent. It is stated that wheat, which in its natural condition would weigh 123 Dutch pounds, by the process of oiling will gain about six pounds, or from 10 to 12 per cent., in weight more than there rQtlly is of wheat. The gain on the part of the dishonest seller is from twenty shillings to twentylive shillings per ton. Tlie apparent increase in the specilic gravity is obtained by an outlay for rape oil of about four pence. Wheat thus treated can never be made into good flour. The practice is not confined to wheat alone, but is applied to all grain sold by weight. Of course the adulteration can be easily detected. But wheat oiled ip .this way is really a handsomer grain in appearance than when no such application has been made. It has been possible to adulterate flour and sugar. But who ever heard before of a process for adulterating wheat before milling? In this country', vyhere wheat is so cheap, it is not likely that the cheat will obtain very mytensively. But in times when the price is extremely high, if there coula be a gain of say $5 per ton as in Europe, there might be a great deal of oiled wheat. As a trick of trade this is the latest novelty.—Ban Francisco Bulletin.

An electrician in Austin, Nev., has devised an “ improvement” on tjie telephone, which he calls the “ kissograph.” This infernal noveltv makes it possible for an absent husband to pass osculations to a wife—or, horrible thought! to anyone else—though miles and miles intervene. Happy limitation, however. The Reveille says: “ s To make use of it for kissing another man’s wife disarranges the instrument and creates a current whiuh sets the steam whistle* to blowing and the fire-bells to ringing.” „

Thk New York Telegram thus speaks of painted females: “These nuisances are becoming more intolerable and numerous than ever. What do these women mean—many of them wrinkled and ruddied anti old—bv flaunting their features smeared with cosmetios in full jriew on Broadway, and advertising their ugliness and brazen ness to the world P” The first thing a wife dees now when her husband dies is to run over to his office aud inquire of the clerks, in smothered tones, “ How much insurance did tho old man have on his lifeP And was tho last premium paidP” etc. Sic morta est!—Chicago Times.