1884 .] 
AMEEICAI^ AGEIOULTUEIST, 
517 
A concern in Massachusetts wants agents to peddle 
its Recipe for Making Soap. As an inducement, after 
the agent has sent the concern orders to the amount of 
fifty or seventy-five dollars, said agent can have a 
“ Cabinet Parlor Organ.” If that organ blows as loudly 
as do these soap circulars, what a noise it will make 1 
A. Very A«cie«tt, tJoailrivsnsice. 
The very w'orst forms of medical quackery are those 
that relate to troubles which can not, with propriety, be 
discussed in a family paper. Some of the circulars of 
these quacks are most pernicious in the manner in which 
they act upon the fears of those who may read them. 
Others contain the most absurd claims, and are fit sub¬ 
jects for ridicule. One of these, now before us, 
sets forth the merits of its peculiar crinkuui, and 
claims that “ discoveries made on mummies in old 
tombs,” show that this “very appliance (only not so 
crude), was in use by the ancient Egyptians!” Moreover 
the talk in the circular about the electrical action of 
the aflfair in question is most laughable in its absurdity. 
“Tlie Americait S^ropaganda 
SocieHy. ” 
One, from the name given above, would never guess 
the objects of the “Society.” The “ Propaganda” is 
the name of a Papal Society at Rome, for propagating 
the Romish faith. To use it for a secret society of lu- 
veniors, or a sort of Extended Patent Agency, seems 
ridiculous. A subscriber in sending us its pamphiet, 
circular, form of oath, and all the rest, asks us; “ tVhat 
do you think of it? Is it square?”—It looks upon the 
face of it as a scheme for making money out of the 
patent business. We think no good can come of join¬ 
ing a concern bound together by such oaths as are here 
printed. At the bottom of the form of oath are several 
questions, to be answered in writing by the applicant 
for membership. Among these we find the following: 
“ Question. Do you think any person should live, who 
will voluntarily take the above obligations, and then 
violate them?”—If this is not an intimation, that any 
one who violated the oath should not live, then what 
does it mean ? We do not think that the country is quite 
ready for this “Secret Order of the Great Ameiican Prop¬ 
aganda Societies, with its headquarters at Cincinnati.” 
'Vise New Yoflt ISoolc Omiparay, 
The advertisements in papers published at a distance 
from the city implied, that the “New York Book Com¬ 
pany,” No. 83 Nassau street, would supply books of a 
kind the sale of which is forbidden by law. The “Com¬ 
pany ” had long been under suspicion, but the officers in 
their visits to the place in Nassau street could find no 
evidence of traffic in improper literature. It was at 
length discovered, that the “Company” had an “an¬ 
nex” on South Washington Square, where a stock of 
contraband books was kept, and whore the books of this 
character were m died The law forbids the use of the 
mails for sending such books, and Anthony Comstock, 
as special agent of the Post Office Department, arrested 
Wm. Moore and Isaac Wallenstein, who made up the 
“Company,” and took them before a D. S. Commissioner. 
A CHAUGE OP ADDRESS. 
Those who may have occasion to write to the young 
men doing business under the high sounding title of 
“New York Book Company,” will be more likely to 
reach them if they address their letters to Ludlow street 
Jail, instead of 83 Nassau street. The Grand Jury 
recently indicted them for violating the law against 
Bending indecent books, etc., by mail, and they are in 
that celebrated retreat, Ludlow street jail, awaiting trial. 
Me Wsmits B“jiB*eEenljars. 
D. A. Mount, Middlesex Co., N. J., writes us, that a 
friend received a free Recipe for the Cure of Catarrh 
and Bronchitis, from a so-called Dr. Lawrence in Brook¬ 
lyn. N. Y. After trying to get the prescription prepared 
at the drug stores, and failing, his friend proposed to 
send the money to Lawrence himself for the stuff. Mr. 
Mount advised his friend to keep her money until she 
could learn something about said Lawrence, and he asks 
us “ to give the particulars-” in the American Agricul¬ 
turist. Wo only know this Lawrence l)y his publica¬ 
tions, and these proclaim him to be a quack. It is the 
olddodgoof offering a free recipe, and sending a pre¬ 
tended prescription that calls for articles that have no 
existence. There is always a saving clause in the cir¬ 
culars of these chaps. They foresee that there may be 
a difficulty in finding the articles called for by the recipe, 
and offer to furnish the compound at a round price. 
This Lawrence sends two recipes, one of which contains 
“Acetate Siiica,” an article that has no existence. The 
other recipe calls for the “ Compound Tincture of- Ara¬ 
bian Red Lava Flower,” a thing which Lawrence was 
sure that no apothecary would be able to supply. When 
one sends recipes, which he knows can not be prepared, 
is he anytiiing but a fraud, and a very mean one ? Mr. 
Mount should advise his friend to save her money. One 
who is faise in one thing is likely to be false in all. 
Correspoiad-iHg Witli 
No young girl should engage in a correspondence 
wliicli slie is unwilling tiiat her motiier sliould know 
about. No good cau come from corresponding with a 
stranger, and much evil may follow. It is not rare to see 
advertisements for a wife or for a husband. These, 
usually by persons well advanced in life, are sufficiently 
disgusting, but when young girls of sixteen or eighteen, 
advertise for correspondents of the opposite sex, with a 
view to matrimony, it is revolting to all right feeling 
persons. A paper published in Cliicago, devoted to 
matrimonial matters, has two pages filled with advertise¬ 
ments of those of both sexes, wlio wish correspondents, 
a most melancholy display. Many of tlm advertisements 
are most thoughtless, and sliow that the girls have no 
idea of the importance of the subject tliey approach willi 
so much frivolity. One girl writes : “ A Blooming Miss, 
of‘sweet sixteen,’ with long black hair and blue eyes, 
wishes to correspond with an unlimited number of gents. 
Object, mutual improvement, and may be-. Will 
reply to all who enclose stamp or photo.” There is 
plainly room for “improvement,” for any girl who speaks 
of gentlemen as “gents,” but wiiy “an unlimited num¬ 
ber?” Another reads: “Two young school girls, cul¬ 
tured and refined, botii brunettes, would like a few gen¬ 
tlemen correspondents. Emma is sixteen, and Geneva 
nineteen.” The appearance of that advertisement shows 
that people may have very different ideas about “refine¬ 
ment.” The whole thing is wrong, it has not a single re¬ 
deeming feature, and it is melancholy to think that there 
are so many young girls, as this paper shows, who are 
lacking in that modesty and that nice sense of pro¬ 
priety, which should be the crowning graces of girlhood. 
Sybils, aitrt tbe S-iike. 
The papers in all large cities, that will publish them, 
contain advertisements of persons who claim to possess 
clairvoyant powers, or to be remarkably gifted beyond 
ordinary mortals. They advertise to hold “ consulta¬ 
tions,” or “ seances,” upon business, matrimony, sick¬ 
ness, to aid in the recovery of lost or stolen articles, etc. 
One wlio reads these advertisements, may wonder that 
there should be people so foolish as to consult the 
advertisers, without suspecting tliat their innocent 
looking cards cover far more than appears on the sur¬ 
face, and may lead to the most diabolical transactions. 
THE COUHTESS DEL VASTO. 
Notwithstanding she claimed to be a Countess, the 
officers of “ The Society for the Suppression of Vice,” 
recently arrested a female, who has operated under a 
variety of names and titles. She has at'times been a 
teacher of languages, a professional beautifier, a matri¬ 
monial agent, etc. Latterly as the Countess del Vasto, 
she claimed tobe a “ Roman Sybil.” Her circular setting 
forth the various branches of her business, is a remark¬ 
able production. She claims to possess supernatural 
powers, and to be able to serve her patrons “ at any time, 
ill any way, and in any kind of trouble.” This would 
seem to be comprehensive enough, but she specifies 
matrimony, stock speculations, the healing art, and the 
art of beautifying, as among tiie things to which she 
gives special attention. A part of her business was 
dealing in “ rare photographs,” which proved to be pic¬ 
tures hardly suited for parlor decoration. One of her 
methods of forming acquaintances was to answer the 
advertisements of those in search of furnished lodgings. 
After all, her real business was that of a procuress, and 
the charge upon which she was arrested is that of lead¬ 
ing little girls to their ruin. The details of this horrible 
case would be out of place here, but the evidence appears 
to show her to be a vile monster in female form, and 
should convict her of a crime, for which, unfortunately, 
the law docs not provide an adequate punishment. 
OVER FIVE HUNDRED LETTERS. 
When the creature was arrested, over five hqudred let¬ 
ters were seized, which fully reveal the nature and ex¬ 
tent of her crime. Some of these letters, it is said, are 
signed by men weli known in business and other circles, 
who have heretofore been regarded as respectable. The 
creature, since her arrest, has threatened to expose cer¬ 
tain wealthy persons, who have had “business relations” 
with her, unless they come to her relief. The whole 
crew of clairvoyants are frauds, and some of them use- 
the business as a cloak to cover the vilest occupations. 
TTSae iBsterioi* Associ:ttcd Mress. 
The circular or prospectus of the “ Interior Associated' 
Press ” is rich reading. It intends to have a circulation 
of one million for the “ Parmer’s Ledger.” To this end 
it proposes to have a “local edition ” of the paper in 
every count}', until the million is reached, -when out¬ 
siders must stay out. The plan is for a person in each 
county to proclaim himseif Publisher and Editor, get 
all the subscriptions and advertising ho can, and for¬ 
ward his orders with money to headquarters. His 
papers will be forwarded to him all printed and proper¬ 
ly edited with local news to suit his particuiar meridian. 
PUBLISHING MADE EAST. 
This “ Association ” shows how any one, no matter 
what his previous experience may have been, cau at once 
bloom out as editor and publisiier. This he can do with 
no cost to himself, and make much money besides. 
What a pity the rest of us had not had this chance years 
ago. “Young man,” said the old man to a beginner, “ the 
most compendious way to make money, is to buy goods 
very low on a long credit, and to sell them very high for 
cash.” That is a poor way of money making compared 
with the plan of this “ Interior ” concern, which requires 
no capital at all, while the profits are large—besides the 
“ passes.” A strong inducement to enter the business 
of publishing is the passes on railroads, to circuses, 
and other shows, which the local publisher and editoi- 
is to enjoy, and full directions as to “ How and where 
to apply for passes ” are given, as apparently the most 
important of an editor's iabors. Each local edition of 
the “ Farmer’s Ledger ” stands a chance of being unlike 
ali other editions, as the paper will be furnished to each 
publisher “ Democratic, Republican, Greenback, Pro¬ 
hibition, Agricultural, Literary, in short any style of 
paper.” Being a *■ Farmer’s Ledger,” one would sup¬ 
pose that the paper might be slightly “agricultural,” 
without detriment. But the “Ledger” can be ‘‘all 
things to all men;” so long as the money is paid, the 
“Interior Associated Press” says, “you takes your 
choice.” This grand scheme has its headquarters at— 
whore else should it be—Cincinnati. But “as soon as 
the necessary machines can be completed, we will open 
offices in New York, Boston, New Orleans, and St. 
Louis.” Pray hurry up that machinery, and not confine 
all the fun to Cincinnati. 
HOW IS IT WITH OLD SCHEMES ? 
This “Interior ” scheme reminds US of “The Ameri¬ 
can News Exchange,” and the “Mutual Press Associa¬ 
tion,” also of Cincinnati, which two or three years ago 
were such “ promising” concerns, but of which, of late, 
we hear nothing. Is the “Interior Associated Press” 
an outgrowth of these, or is it a rival shop ? 
We have never before extended this liberal pro¬ 
position. There are, however, so many requests 
from new subscribers for our Premium List,which is 
a supplement to our October number, that we have 
decided to extend the terms of our liberal oiler 
to subscribers, which is as follows : Every new sub¬ 
scriber, English or German, for 1885, whose sub¬ 
scription is received at this office before Decem¬ 
ber 1st, can have the October, November, and 
December numbers of this year, 1884, free. 
This extension of course entahs much additional 
expense upon us. We have to-day, for example, 
again put the forms of the American Agrmdturisi 
upon the press, and are striking otf a heavy addi¬ 
tional edition to meet the wishes of the new sub¬ 
scribers who want the October number, as well aa 
the November and December of this year. Can¬ 
vassers, Club Raisers, and those who are working 
for Premiums, ought to be able to readily in¬ 
duce people to subscribe, when the remainder of 
this year is given free to all new subscribers. 
