THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



143 



now crumbled away and standing desolate 

 among the burning sands, show that the 

 whole country was in a state of great fer- 

 tility and supported a dense and wealthy 

 population. The French. Government is 

 now making excavations among these ruins 

 and bringing to light many wonderful 

 things. 



In view of the fact that peppermint has 

 proved of great service in the detection of 

 defective-plumbing.it is of interest to learn 

 that this herb is of benefit to sanitary well 

 being in another direction. The London 

 Daily Telegraph in a recent issue says : 

 "Peppermint is reviving the drooping 

 spirits of the depressed agriculturist. So 

 profitable has the Sutton Urban District 

 Council found its cultivation that it has 

 determined to add two more acres to the 

 area at present devoted to that fragrant 

 plant. The body mentioned has paid great 

 attention more than most local authori- 

 ties to the utilization of sewage, and pep 

 permiut is one of the products of the land 

 where this is turned to profitable account. 

 Last year there were 4 acres under cultiva- 

 tion. When the plant is cut and dried the 

 leaves are distilled and the oil thus ob- 

 tained finds a ready market. The yield of 

 this odorous liquid was 119 pounds." 



ODDS AND ENDS. 



SHE KNEW THAT WAS WHAT 



MADE HER HOUSE BURN 



DOWN. 



"Women are the most unreasonable 

 creatures in the world," said the fire 

 insurance man to his wife. 



' ; Some women," she corrected him. 



"Well, we won't quarrel about it, but 

 let me tell about that old lady in Slab- 

 town who had her house insured three 

 weeks ago," he went on. "She had a 

 $1,500 policy on it, about all it was worth, 

 really, and we were only getting $12.50 a 

 year for carrying it. Last night it burned 

 down to the ground, and to-day she was 



ni to see me. She was fairly sopping in 

 tears, and angry besides." 

 " .** 'I thought,' she sobbed, 'that if I 

 had my house insured it wouldn't burn 

 down. You told me that, I am sure.' 



' 'Oh, I beg your pardon, my dear 

 lady. I couldn't have said that,' said I. 



" 'Yes, you did, or I never would have 

 had it insured. I've been living in that 

 house for fifty years, and it never was 

 insured before, and it never burned down 

 before. And it wouldn't have been in- 

 sured now if you hadn't have put me up 

 to it. ' 



" 'Yes, you did too,' she insisted, 'for 

 what is the good of insuring a house if it 

 is going to burn down, I'd like to know?' 



" 'There's a good deal of good. For 

 instance, you will get $1,500 from the 

 insurance company, which you wouldn't 

 have got, and you have only paid $12.50.' 



" 'When do I get it?' she sobbed, as 

 if she wasn't going to get a cent. 



'' 'Just as soon as we can get matters 

 in shape and report the loss to the com- 

 pany. ' 



" 'Well,' she said, sniffing as she went 

 out. 'I suppose I will, but if T had known 

 it would have burned down, just the 

 same, I never would have had it insured, 



PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION. 



''What are you doing there?" said the 

 passer-by as he leaned over the fence to 

 speak with the farmer who was clearing a 

 piece of new ground. 



"Lifting the mortgage." 



Then came one of those strange coinci- 

 dences that we encounter along the path- 

 way of existence. A dynamite cartridge 

 exploded, fragments of a stump filled the 

 air, and it required no exaggerated stretch 

 of imagination to think that the mortgage 

 was being most effectually lifted. Detroit 

 Free Press. 



cooies of 103 cliff d rent Leading 

 Newspapers and Magazines sent 

 t<> any address upon receipt of 10 cents to pay 

 for mailing. U. S. SUBSCRIPTION AGENCY, 216 

 IS. Liberty St., Indianapolis, Ind. 



