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The Brussels Post, 1951-6-6, Page 2You Can't Sneeze At Pepper Now All the world is 'pepper hungry. Not long ago the Customs eized 0'14,000 worth --part of an titbit Shipment—at the Landon docks and put it on sale. But not to the home market 'flee- peeper was sold to Ameri'a for ItHjoil dollars. t spiry profit for the British tawt aver. Speculators once tried to turner the world's pepper sutlly. t)uc Man bought 12,000 ton, in a year and then failed t"• find the aro essary $3,000.011ti cash for the Purchase. Today', crisis,, however, Began when the faeaue t. nerrtn Indo- vp'sitt tied ,lore o tt 1 the pepper vines in Meow of short-term crops. Because the pe -poi r plant takes - front fire to seven years to reach fruitful utatneity the world has been living eon its reserves. Pepper smuggling lay- air has be- emue lig lusine s nttw-ecu Suutatra end Singapore. Chinese se stuu, glers- are cashing in on prrcinn pickles put in safe Ridings before the war. Whole t:, itilies invested in p1' It' ''berries as a 111(411: cif investment, A Sumatra merchant stuffed a mat- tress; with pickle; and has now exchanged the mattress for a house avid car. last 350 years since' the East India Company's first ship sailed to fetch pepper. cloves and nutmeg front India. an expedition that prov- ed the first step towards the throne of India. Mighty Route itself was once held to ransom for 27 cwt, of pepper. So pass the pepper with tare. It's becoming to hot to handle! Shoulder With A View — This London lass solved her view problem without the aid of a periscopewhen the King and Queen of Denmark paraded through on their visit to England, The Bobby made a perfect re - 'viewing stand from which to watch the visiting royalty. Dying Getting Costller Too Each year the :\nterictu people spend more for funerals ($700.000,- 000) than for hospital care (some *513,000,000). A recent survey by sociologists states that there are 25.000 under- takers in the country; 520 casket manufacturers, about 40,000 ceme- teries and 24 mortuary colleges where students take degrees in how to manage funerals. Spectacular gangster funerals are evidently a Hollywood fabrication, but notorious underworld charac- ters and some rich, respectable citi- zens insist on being buried in coffins made of bronze. Al Capone was taken for his last ride in one. Coffins have a morbid fascination for some people. An eccentric Not- tingham man known as Ned Daw- son was a staunch Tory. He had his coffin made dttring his lifetime, and painted it true-blue—the Tory col- our. He used it as a cupboard for 'twenty-three years, but once each year, on the anniversary of his birth- day he dressed in his best clothes and lay down in his coffin to see That its dimensions were still tor- rect. The coffin was then filled with food and drink and carrier' into each room of the house itt turn on ' the shoulders of six of his friends. He followed it as chief mourner with a large jug of ale in his hand. The ceremony always ended with supper served on top of the coffin. Emperor Charles V of Prussia Tlso rehearsed his own funeral. ontb, coffin, black trappings, monks, servants, taper-bearers—all were summoned, and this :Majesty caused hinteelf to he carried on his own coffin, Not only did he hear his own re- quiem sung, but joined in it him- self. His funeral rites were observed in reality soon afterwards. Some people seem to be deter- mined to make sherry after they are dead, or at least afford their survivors the means of doing so, Herbert Foster left a bequest to a City Parish on condition that the church bells should ring a merry Igo Quo a gar, Dat there was a lar% We to the picture, The peal wan to be rung on the anniversary of his wife's death, 'whereas a sombre tolling was to mark the anniversary of his wending slay I More Money To See The Circus Cue, islet -u 1 was thighs -high to a grass -hopper and had earned a a hole quarter of n dollar ntcl,ing; potato -bugs off our potatoes ut rite cents ,t cupful, my father took ane on his wide knee told told me hots he earned his first dollar. Father was a small boy then. no bigger than 1 was that potato' hug day. But he note trouser•, down to his ankles, to that was a bong time ago, just a little after they discovered gold in California, Fa- ther, titer, with his short kg,, lead no hope of getting as far as l ,tlifor- nia and the gold. But something more exciting, titan all the ore c,1 the Pacific Coast was going to 1' right in the neat town, only nine miles away. It .was the great Philtres Barnum and his shot;, fresh from Be.ead- ttay. MY fatter yearned ,o to ge to that circus that he ached all ower, and he could not get his Saturday morning Milled -corn clown though it was covered n'itlt molasses. Ile would never have dared to mention to his father his thought of going to see such a wonder, so expensive, so far away. "William. you have been a good buy all the Spring and hugged in your wood without being told. Here's a silver dollar for you to spend, You take the steam -cars and go to the circus. And have a good time." William found a shiny brand-new dollar in his hot hands almost as big as he was. He had never had so much wealth in his hands before. He forgot even to say "Thank you, sir," He grab- bed his hat and coat and bolted for Cousin Trustum's itoifse. \\'il- Ham never thought of having a gond time without having ",'rustunt along, To see zebras and Tom Thumb and hear Jenny Lind sing was tite Promised Land of Canaan. But to Fide to them all on the steam -cars of the brand-new Portland and Ken - Boa 'ibis bedroom, the spotlight of attention is thrown upon the bed, which gains importance because of Its handsome spread and a furniture grouping slaatned around it. ecorating1 ra as By EDNA M LEf3 LOOK at the room at lent Like it? Chances are that its clean lines and dark walls will win your approval at once. But what is the center of interest? The answer is, of course, the bed. Few homemakers realize that lbe bell, loo oilen though{ of as a necessary but unwieldy piece of furniture, caul be the star attraction in a decorating drama. Otto way to "build" your t'ooan around lite bed is to cover it with a handsome and well -fitting tailored spread. Whether you choose a feminine or masculine pattern, be sure the colors tie in well with those chosen for walls, rugs and accessories. Where fo put the bed is the next question to arise. A plain wall, unbroken by windows or doors, can he utilized as a particularly effective backdrop. For added dash to the overall decor equip the bed with a sleek low headboard. Moderns also, favor a low roll bolster. To give the bed that close -to -the -floor look, choose night stands no higher than the headboard. To carry. the eye. up'aosrcl, choose tall lamps • for each stand. These will not only provide illumination for read- ing in bed but will serve to fraise a grouping of pictures on the wall above the bed. At night, substittite buoyant pillows for the bolster to aid you in taking advantage of the comfort offered by your decorator -beautiful bed. nebec Railroad Was heaven itsself. The dust of that sleepy village street tttrttrd to a baby cyclone as a little boy flew along oil his bare toes, 'f'rustum's father could not be outdone by his brother. He fetched up a silver cartwheel from his jeans and gave it to his son. So the two small boys ran hand in hand to the depot and the rttit- ilerful iro.0 horse that snorted nut .sieant and sparks. But my fatter stopped short just at the depot and ciug his toes into the Summer dust, "'frustum, you and me are going to walk to Brunswick and sate our dollar to spend all on Barnums1' It was the (lawn of genius. It was right then and there my father started being a ratan of wealth. — From •'\faire f)etings" by Robert P. 'Tristram Coffin, t • 1TAUt1S e eJam.e Andrews. 'They tell me that titers once was a Cookery Column conductor who took a wow that never again is 01141 she- print a recipe for Strawberry Shortcake. She got through the first season without too much trouble: but when it came to the middle of June, the second year, and still no S.S. recipe—well, something happened. Whether the lady was stoned to death by angry customers or just went and jumped off a cliff, I've never been able to find out. But before paying tribute to an inexorable custom, I think I'll slip in a little item, entitled "STRAW- BERRIES," which I clipped from the editorial page of The Now York. Times. I• only hope you enjoy it as much as I did. There is an Indian legend that The \figluy One created the first strawberries to tempt an Indian maiden running away from her husband after a quarrel. The ber- ries, says the legend, had to be so beautiful the maiden would stop to pluck them and so tasty she would forget her anger. So the Mighty One gathered sweet mist from the mountains, dew from the sweet grass, honey front the bee, colour from the red bird, bright speckles from the trout and beauty from the hummingbird. The berries thus created stopped the angry maiden's height, sit eetened her temper and ltd to a legendary ry re- conciliation. The berries, of coarse, were wilts one: and their lineal descendants are in blossom tint', gathering all the elements tite Mighty One pro- vided in legendary days. Also in bloom are tite tame berries which impatient Wren have developed and provided for our gardens and our table;. Some of them are as good as the wild ones, and all of then are much bigger. One gardener we know, a senti- mental kind of person, some years ago sought nut a fete wild straw- berry plants and moved thein into his garden alongside his domesti- cated strawberries. He didn't really expect the two varieties to set ex- amples for each other, though he hoped in a most unscientific way that they might, instead, he now has two strawberry beds, one for eating and the other for tasting, and he thinks he is fortunate indeed. Which he is. Anybody is fortunate who has wild strawberries tasting Garbed Godiva—A modern "Lady Godiva," wearing more clothes than the fabled lady of Coventry, rides a golden palomino horse up to Los Angeles Municipal Court tw defend herself against charges of doing an indecent strip -tease. This "Lady Godiva"-- she refuses to use any other name—was nabbed by cops at a Hollywood club. uC� themselves' in Inc -Pack yard and paying tribute every June for that privilege. ,Nuel now for that shortcake, Tt can be trade of rich, crisp pie dough or of light, tender cake— whichever you and your fancily pre- fer—and, of course. topped off with the red berries with high piles of snow-white whipped create. If you happen to believe that the only proper shortcake is made from cake; use any simple cake recipe. But here is one you may like: STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE 2 cups sifted flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt ?'q cup sugar 6 tablespoons shortening as to 1 cup milk Sweetened strawberries Whipped cream Method: Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Cut or rub in shortening. Add milk to stake a thick batter, stirring only until dour is well moistened. Spread fu ungreased 9 -inch layer cake pan. Bake at 450 degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes, Cut into pie -shaped wedges. Split crosswise. Spread bot - tout layer lightly with butter or margarine. Cover with sweetened berries and replace top. Cover with more berries and whipped cream. Makes six servings, a • w Most folks like chocolate and here is a change frothe usual chocolate pudding or pime. CHOCOLATE DUMPLINGS Chocolate Sauce: a,4 cup brown sugar 14 cup cocoa 1 tablespoon cornstarch ].)ash salt 2 cups water 2 tablespoons butter or mar- garine Combine brown sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt in heavy skillet and stir in the water. Cook until mixture begins to boil and thicken slightly, stirring constantly. Add margarine and ;nix well. Remove from heat while making dumplings, Chocolate Dumplings: 1 cup sifted flour 2 teaspoons baking powder T1i teaspoon salt ;4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons cocoa 3 tablespoons shortening 1 egg ?5 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla Sift together flour, baking pow- der, salt, sugar and Cocoa. Add shortening, egg, milk and, vanilla. Stir to blend ingredients, then beat for one minute, Return skillet to heat and bring chocolate sauce to boil: Drop dumplings by spoonfuls on chocolate sauce. Reduce heat, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Serve warn. with cream, ;Bakes six dumplings. PICNIC LOAF 1 Pound ground pork 1 Pound ground spoked ham 2 eggs 1 cup breadcrumbs 114 cups milk 54 Cup minced onions je Cup minced Pimiento 1 teaspoon salt .54 teaspoon pepper cup brown sugar 1% teaspoons dry mustard TA cup vinegar / cup water Mix together the ground neat, eggs, breaderunbs, milk, onion, pimiento, salt and pepper. Form into a loaf and place in a 10x5x3 inch Loaf pan. Combine brown tug- ar and mustard. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees F,) one hour or until the meat is done. Combine vinegar and water and baste hath loaf as it bakes. Ten to 12 servings. This Ilam loaf pelts well for picnic travelling, Slice it thick for hearty picnic sandwiches. CHICKEN CASSEROLE 04 cup fresh or frozen peas ;i cup chopped carrots ?/ cup chopped celery 1 cup chicken broth or chicken Bouillon 3 tablespoons flour 10/e cups cooked chopped chicken 2 ounces (?scup raw) macaroni, cooked 1 1004 oz, can of cream of chicken soup !'a cup diced pimiento la cup sliced canned mushrooms 1 teaspoon pepper teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 cup grated sharp cheese T'artially took peas, carrots and celey. Thicken chicken broth vtith the flour. Combine all ingredients except ?i cup of the cheese. Pour into a 1?z quart .casserole, 'fop with remaining cheese and hteke in a moderate oven (350 degrecs F.) 45 minute.. Senses eight. Dead Rats Payment For Income Tax The whole thing appears to have started in A.D.5, when, as the ltihle tells us, "it came to pass an those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed" (Luke 2.1) —and, ever since, kings and chan- cellors have been cudgelling their brains to devise new methods of stinging the People,. For years British chancellors have toyed with the idea of taxing cycl- ists, but each has finally by-passed the two -wheeled brigade for fear of losing 10,0(10,000 votes. Yet, in Vienna before the war, the author- ities imposed a tax of about a dol- lar un each machine and swelled budget by over $1000,000. In the old Turkey, where the sul- tans were never satisfied with their wealth, new taxation had to be thought of every year to fill their coffers. In the eighteenth century when collectors called on the local pasha they were gis'en a free meal, and one 'sultan conceived the idea of collecting "teeth money" for the wear and tear of the officials' molars in masticating such meals, In the new Turkey woolen were westernized almost overnight, and officials, feeling that make up and new fashions were setting a bad example, promptly ordered that teachers in girls' schools be fined if they used paint, rouge or even powder. A tax was placed on the wearing of coloured finger nails, jewellery --and short skirts1 '.''here are numerous precedents for new taxation, but chancellors mast walk warily, Henry VIII tax- ed beards—and beards vanished. Pitt placed a tax on hair powder and another on certain styles of hats, and women defeated hint by . discarding powdered wigs and adopting new styles of headvear. Ivfitten were first worn only because leather gloves were heavily taxed. In Belgrade the town council once imposed a "dissipation tax" of a penny for those who stayed on in first-class cafes after eleven, and a halfpenny in workmen's cafes. This did not deter the customers frons "dissipating," but provided a steady trickle into the Exchequer. In many Continental countries taxation of clogs varies with either weight or value of the annual, In France you can keep a mongrel for a few shillings, but a pedigreed animal nnay cost $10 or more, In some countries even the lordly cat is taxed. Entertainment tax is by no means new, for Charles II decreed that "everyone who resorts to any of tlse playhouses and sits in the boxes shall pay one shilling, and everyone who sits in the pit sixpence, and any others threepence," In Bombay, some time ago, the authorities decided that defaulters could settle their tax in rats—ten dead rats equalling one rupee (20 cents). If Ottawa adopted this me- thod it might clear the country of a lot of vermin. But very likely some sharpshooter would start breeding rats, and cashing in on thea', Maybe YoI z Don't Read Fast Enough Few people read with the meet - mum of comfort. How are you holding this paper? Tf it is farther than ten inches away from your eyes, and your eyes are normal, the eye muscles_ are being strained, for the normal eye sees clearest at - ten inches. How fast 00 you read? You are much more likely to grow tired if, you read slowly. 1xceptional people can read at a speed of 1,0011 words a minute, but 400 to 500 words a minute is a good speed for efficient reading, The average adult reads at about 250 only. When you are reading how often do yon move your eyes in the course of a line? Scientist, have calcu- lated that most people take a line of type in six or eight "jumps," If you can learn to take it in only three jumps you will read a great deal faster and with less strain on the rye muscles. Reason why most of us read so slowly is that almost every ratan and woman over 35 way taught to read by the oral method. Our teachers made us read aloud to teach us ]taw to pronounce. Since the pronounced only one word at a time we learned to see only one word at a time. As a result, most of us read about half as fast as we should—and with twice as much muscular work for our eyes. Caught In The Act — Perhaps hoping to make his "coming- out" party a private affair, he little fellow, above, found that he was the center of attraction as he saw. light of day for the first time in Perth. "Your true garden -lover lives in the present and for the future. There are no backward glances, except for the correction of faults." —C. 13. Mortlock. Folks Scandalized By Awful Dance the devalue, romantic vt aha, the 11,0s1 popular of all dame 5, iv;c ,r.tt leseribed as an incitement to inful patxshut! It wens leant ie Vienna as an e,,tl ion t I react -ion from the Napoli ouic \\ us- lust as t,irz came after the hn•st World War and h,eoid ss ogle after the' last tate. \ ul lite r, t oI Etn'upe utas seuiti h e,L 1 i'lnuq spurned It as int - 11,0r111 and ti bunk was published mtder tltt hoftp title of "-\ Proof that the \\ eltz is t' \Ian t Source ui lite \\'l of the Body and \tied of our 1 uteraton," The dance. reached England in 1110 and iOc r' w'as a getiral out- cry of !therm.. "This s lit ed destitute ef grace, ili Ii uy and propriety" was one -out aged comment, Peeling ran very high and it was vert an uncommon thing v, hen tut e.ech„stra played a waltz tune for many ',cool! to walk out. Estill.). Burney, the novelist, rais- ed her handy in delicate horror at the thought of the daughters of English mothers with their partner's arms around their waists and re- ferred in hashed tomes ,in the way such freedom was encouraged and cveu returned by some females. Endangered Virtue Both Church and laity agreed that it endangered virtue and that the home; of England were in danger. Lord Byron shouted his de- nunciations. lie wrote a poem called "The \i'altz" and in it showed viv- idly the effects on a good husband Who .secs his wife with her amts half round a ratan he had never seed before, and his arm more than half- way round her waist, turning round and round to a "dammed see -saw up and down sort of - tutee." tt0 so, in good soelety, the waltz was banned. Then the world shook when it was whispered that a man named Strauss had actually played a waltz tune at BuckinghamPttlttre. That was shocking enough, but nothing to the shock received by the aristocratic guests invited to Queen \'iitoria', first State Ball, when they actually saw, with their own ey es, the young and lovely Queen tarn to her hie:hand and then glide away in his arils—to a waltz. .. The Queen's Ankles The whole Court was =cttndalised that the Queen's ankle,; and calves had been visible to everybody, in- cluding the footmen and members of the orchestra. Her action set the seal on the waltz, No Imager dare the aristocracy refer to it as im- moral. It was Strauss senior, the father of Johann, who conducted the or- chestra on that historic.. occasion. Johann wrote the "Blue Danube," bet by that time-1867—the waltz u as respectable, Its very popularity killed Strauss pore, for everybody wanted a new waltz for every occasion and Strauss need to dash from cafe to cafe and from ball to ball to conduct the orchestras in each new one he wrote and the strain eventually proved too much for him. The waltz killed Johann, too, for he 'caught a chill after sweating from the exertion of conducting a new waltz in Vienna and died from it in 1899, ON THE SPOT A bus -driver was trying to inter- est passers-by in his sight-seeing trip at a holiday resort, when e quaint figure carte towards hint. An elderly lady, tall and graceful, site . wore a black lace dress that almost touched the ground and barely re- vealed her old-fashioned buttoned boots. A crocheted cape hung over her shoulders, and a large black hat bobbed up and down with each step. The bus -driver's eyes brightened, "See the sights of the town, madam?" She said, with dignity, "I am one of the sights of the town,.' He Says No—Oscar-winner Jose Ferrer, testiying before the House Un-American ActiviMes Committee, said that he was never a Communist. He fold the Holly.wood.Communism investigators that he had been a victim of "Communist big -name hunters." f {