House and Garden 
Before You Subscribe to Any Magazine 
Get our New Subscription Magazine Catalogue. Every magazine published 
is offered by us singly or witb others at a special price—lower than you get 
them from the publishers. 
Subscription Department 
1006 Arch Street . . . Philadelphia 
company has been the equalizing of the 
summer and winter consumption. The 
average takings from each meter in the 
service of one of these London com¬ 
panies is about T3, or ^15, per an¬ 
num. 
There h ave, of course, been attempts 
to cheat the “ penny-in-the-slot” meter. 
In those first supplied the weight of the 
penny set the mechanism in motion, 
but with the latter patterns it is neces¬ 
sary to turn a handle after dropping in 
the coin, and if a penny with a piece 
of twine attached is introduced the 
machine simply cuts the cord and gathers 
in the coin.— N. T. Times. 
HOW SCULPTORS’ FRAUD ENRICHED 
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE 
^ I ^HE origin of the word “sincerity” 
is profoundly interesting and sug¬ 
gestive. When Rome flourished, when 
her fame was spread the world over, when 
the Tiber was lined with noble palaces 
built of choicest marbles, men vied with 
each other in the construction of their 
habitations. 
Skilful sculptors were in request, and 
immense sums of money were paid 
for elaborate workmanship. The work¬ 
men, however, were then guilty of prac¬ 
tising deceitful tricks. If, for example, 
they accidentally chipped the edges of 
the marble, or if they discovered some 
conspicuous flaw, they would fill up the 
chink and supply the deficiency by 
means of prepared wax. For some time 
the deception would not be discovered, 
but when the weather tested the build¬ 
ings the heat or damp would disclose 1 
the wax. At length those who had 
determined on the erection of mansions 
introduced a binding clause into their 
contracts, to the effect that the whole 
work from first to last was to be sine 
cera —that is “without wax.” Thus 
we obtain our word sincerity. To be 
sincere is to be without any attempt on 
our part to mislead, misrepresent, de¬ 
ceive or impose on another; to be, and i 
appear to be, what we are; to say what 
we mean, and mean what we say.— 
The Churchman. 
As all persimmons are not fruit bear¬ 
ing, the fruit bearing sorts of Japanese 
varieties are usually grafted on seedlings 
of our native sorts. Strong two-year 
seedlings are good for the purpose.— 
Florists' Exchange. 
14 
la writing to advvrtisers please mention Uousk and Garden. 
