The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-05
An Industry That ThriyeS
Best in Hard Times.
Mother Goose of Nursery
Rhyme Fame Was a aReality.
Sailors Supcrstitions--What Cr0m-
we'll Might Have Done.

One would suppose that good times
wcrt necessary 20 the prosperity OF any
business, but there IS one at least that
thrives best in times of depression ana
stagnation in industrial and commercial
affairs The industry which enjoys this
unique distinction Is that of the manu-
facture of paper bags The moro strln-
gent the financial pressure becomes the
more paper bags are sold and used To
the grocery stores customers Will come,
and instead of ordering bushel OF pota-
toes as formerly, will order a quart or
two, and carry them homo in u paper
bag. Groceries of all kinds are purchased
in small quantities. and the paper bag Is
used almost exclusively 60 do UP, not only
groceries, but fruit, vegetables and
candies In hard times customer VIII
call and buy half pound of tea and in
few days he will call again and buy
another half pound, while in good times
he would have purchased two pounds and
one bag would have wrapped IL up. IL
is the same with all kinds of groceries
and with everything purchasable, for
which bags can be used, and the only real
complaint that will bc found coming
from the paper bag makers will be on the
occasion of prosperous timess
It is not generally known that Mother
Goose, whose name is attached To tho
hut such was the case. Mrs. Goose was OF
a wealthy Boston family. Her eldest
daughter married Thomas Fleet, an en-
terprising printer, and Mrs Goose lived
with them. When their first child was
born she was delighted and spent nearly
the whole time in singing songs and
ditties which she had learned In her
youth, TO please the baby. The unmusical
sounds annoyed everybody, and especially
Fleet, who loved quiet. He remonstrated,
coaxed. scolded and ridiculed the old
lady, but in vain. He could not sup
press her. SO he resolved TO turn the an
noyance to account by gathering up and
publishing the songs, ditties and non
sensical jingles Of his mother-in-law, and
furnishing her by attaching her name
TO them. In l7l9 they were published in
Pudding Lane, now Devonshire street
Boston, with the title of "Songs for the
Nursery, or Mother Goose's Melodies for
Children" The latter part of the title
was intended by Fleet TO get even with
las musical mother Law.
A barber, who Is an expert at his bust
ness, says that the finest grades of razors
are so delicate that even the famous
Damascus swordblades connot equal them
in texture. 1t is not generally known that
the grain of Swedish razor Is SO sonsi-
two that its general direction Is changed
after short service. When one buys n
fine razor the grain runs from the upper
end OF the outer point in a diagonal direc-
tion toward the handle. Constant strap
ping will twist the steel until the grain
appears To be straight up and down. Sub
seguent use will drag the grain outward
from the edge, so that after steady tise for
several months the fiber of the steel occu-
pies a position exactly the reverse of that
which IL did on the day 10 was purchased.
The process also affects the temper Of the
II. 49,.
lower and outer point toward the back one
has razor that cannot he kept in condi-
tion, even by the most conscientious
barber. There Is another curious freak
that will take place in the same tool.
Leave the razor alone for a month or two,
and when 1t is taken up it will be found
that the grain has assumed Its first posi- |
tion The operation can bo repeated until |
the steel Is worn through to the back.
What curious discoveries the men of |
Iledicine make sometimes. Here comes |
DIR. James Wood, of Brooklyn. who declares |
that Of all the patients applying for treat |
ment at the principal dispensary In that |
city, no less than ten per cent are tea |
drunkards. They arc not aware OF the fact, |
but thc symptoms of their cases point un-
To over indulgence in tea, and !
that presumption, on inquiry, Is confirmed |
by their confessions. They suffer from |
headache, vertigo, insomnia, palpitation |
of the heart, morbid depression of spirits |
nausea, hallucinations and sometimes !
from suicidal impulses. These patients |
are OF both sexes and all ages, and confess |
from pint and half To fifteen |
pints Of tea a day.
Although people are disposed TO laugh |
at the superstitions of the sailor. poor |
Jack can point to the fact that since men |
went down to the sea i'm ships the sailor |
man has had superstitions galore. Even |
the Pbocnicians believed In god of the |
sea, whom they worshippcd. In tho newly !
found tombs of Egypt are approximations |
of the voyage Of Orsiris the sun god, i'm |
his golden bark in the underworld. The |
Hindoos had their cloudships. and the |
Vcdas believed that their gods sailed on "A |
lotus leaf. Spectral ships have figured |
largely from time immcmorial and will |
continue to hold the highest point i'm fas-
cination as long as ships and sailors navi- |
gate the sea. Many fishermen believe that |
boats from which men have been drowned |
~ ro svor nft rd ttpIu.l-v n Tho Habtta,c