The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-08-01
OF HELIGOLAND.
They Are Curious, but on the Whole
the People Are Sober and
Matter of Fact.

toms OF The lnnaD1IanIS OF 1ellgO-
land. They are a very sober, matter
of fact people, and their offences are
Says the London Tines of a most
trivial character. Let it be noted
that there is no lawyer on the island.
and each person pleads his own case.
They marry and intermarry, bu
there is only one lunatic on the island.
The young people walk arm in
arm until they + betrothed. This
is a most solemn act, publicly an
nounced. Owing to the fewness of
the houses and the want of space to
| build new ones, the young couple
| court for years, and on the decease of
a householder they begin h~ousekeep-
ing on their own account. The mar
riage having been arranged for the
usual day-Sunday afternoon between
the hours of three and four-pre-
paratlons are made to fur
| day. This is called the bedding day.
| Then the brides female friends assist
her to take the bed and bedding,
which the bride must contribute. to
her future home, with her other
furniture and wedding presents. The
| natives have settled the vexed ques-
| ton of women's rights, for the women
have to bear the chief of the carrying
burden. After the wedding the
bridal party peranbulate the whole
of the town, when they repair to the
dance house and spend the evening
in dancing. 1t must be noticed, how
| ever, that the Sabbath begins at six
D.. III. on Saturday, when the church
bell is tolled, and ends On Sunday at
the same hour. Formerlyslo vessel
could leave port between these hours.
Marriage cancels every other engage
ment, so there can be no breach of
promise brought against a man when
once he is married.
The Inhabitants have a strange GUS
tom on New Years Eve. They then
perambulate the streets with broken
pots and pans, which they place be-
fore their friends doors, and the man
| who has the largest heap before his
| cottage is considered the most popu-
lar. The fisher-girls bait the hooks
and carry them in large wooden bas-
ket filled with sand to the fishermen
on the beach. This is by no means a
light burden, yet they may be seen
/ cheerfuIIy chatting with their COM
panions as they march onward with
woollen shawls over their heads.
Heligoland has a small prison or lock-
up, but they rarely lock any IN up,
as they do not care to board the pris-
oner. There is also a small cottage
hospital ready for use Unnecessary, but
patients are few and far between.
There is also a poorhouse. Here poor
people live rent free. The plan
adopted is for parents and children to
go before the magistrate, when the
farmer resigns any little property
they may possess to their children,
who in their turn promise to find
them in food. When the husband dies
the wife takes the property. and at
her decease it is equally divided be-
tween the children. There are no
horses or donkeys on Heligoland, for
they would be useless there, but there
are eight COWS and about thirty sheep
tethered and MIXED, the milk being
considered superior to that of cows.
There are three policemen, the junior
being known by the extra amount of
gold lace worn by him. The coast
| guard consists of five Englishmen,
| who are not permitted to act as o
stables. There are also sixteen active
ildtlV6 COdot SudIOS dlo SlAUGe1l III re-
serve. When there is a wreck the
whole island claims the salvage.
Pastry AS a Means Of Death.
Modern pastry was a vehicle of
death unknown in the time of the
Medici, or they would never have
risked tn cir Threats by sending white
arsenic in confectionery, Dr. putting
chopped horsehair in an enemy's
yictuals. That compound of lard
| dripping and white flour which has
| just escaped baking in an underheat
produces morbid effects in the system
which exactly follows the symptoms
| of slow poison. l do not wish to speak
disrespectfully of good pastry, which
Is one of the best made dishes in the
world; but pastry is like religion, it
must be the right sort or it is the
worst diabolism. If tombstones told
truth they would say, "Died Of green
~currant pie and boiled dinner in the
midst of his usefulness, "or "She died,
deplored by her friends for a tart
temper caused by too much fondness
for strawberry shortcake and Wash
ington pie,n or "She was widely be-
loved among the Kings Daughters
and active in the Society of Christian
Endeavor, but she never attended to
her health; her system was never
cleansed from years end to years end;
she lived on the worst food and the
closest air she could get, affronted heI
body and its Maker in every way, and
died suddenly of Bright's disease, just
as life was worth living. May heaven
have mercy on her sinful SOUL
Shirley Dare.
What the Moon Saw.
yesterday. said the moon to me,
II looked down upon a small court.
yard, surrounded on all sides by
houses. In the courtyard sat acluck-
ing hen with eleven chickens, and {
pretty little girl was running and
jumping around them. The hen wa
frightened, and screamed and spread
out her wings over the little brood
Then the girls father came out and
scolded her, and l glided away ant
thought no 0 of the matter.
But this evening, only q few min
MAS on0 lnoLad 1nwn into fhs