Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-04-24
WIsHBoNE,s HArE 4 rALUE.
A Purchaser Took Half Million on On
Contract Recently,

A Purchaser Took Half u Million on One
Contract Recently.
Do not pull your wishbones Send
them to market, for they have money
value, says the Chicago Chronicle,
Everyone recognizes that the modern
industrial world has carried to great
perfection the system of utilizing
small things that were once considered
of no Importance or even as expensive
refuse that had to be gotten rid OF.
For ages, perhaps since the first man
ate the first spring chicken, the most
useless of the UNBEATABLE portions Of the
fowl has been the wishbpne. That is,
it is useless in commercial way.
The superstition that gave it a value in
the eyes of the young folk dignified
be striven for, but this was always
sort of reputation like that of the
man whom his friends call ga good fell
low that was considered as badge
of its utter worthlessness for any
practical purpose The man who has
settled himself to the belief that there
is no place in the modern commercial
world for the despised wishbone has
| made u mistake, however, and bad
one for his own reputation Of having
proper appreciation of the possibilities
of the modern system of utilization of
small things.
One of the largest handlers of poultry
| in the country, which has its gather
ing stations in a score of States and its
cooking and canning plants in half
dozen cities, handles tens of thousands
| Of wishbones every day or at least
every week. Ii would he considered by
the outsider that there was no more
value to this little two pronged piece
of the fowls anatomy than was to be
extracted in the place where bones are
| ground and bone dust made. Not so,
however, for Just the other day one
| dealer closed contract with this
corporation that handles the chickens,
| turkeys and other domestic fowls by
the thousands, and that contract called
for the delivery of half million of
nicely cleaned wishbones, everyone OF
which is to be perfect and unbroken.
The firm buying the wishbones is not
alone in the business and there are
others who have appreciated The com
mercial value of the little framework
on which the white meat grew.
The particular big order for 800, 600
was to be used as quickly as the order
was filled in an advertising scheme
that had struck the ingenious man
who attracts the attention of the public
| to the firms goods and at this time
they are doubtless being sent out over
the country. The barriers once broken
down and the reputation of the wish
bone for being mere article to afford
excitement to the superstitions If the
young being destroyed by the cold
proposition of buyer to pay money
for them in half million lots, there is
no telling where the thing will end.
The discovery that the wishbone has
commercial value may result in the
chickens of the near future turning
/ their attention to the cultivation Of
larger and finer shaped ones and a
breed of barnyard fowls with extra
finely developed wishhones may he
coming to ill the commercial demand.
There is nothing on earth equal to
that same commercial demand for de-
veloping things from the quick fatten-
ing porker to the writer of funny
poetry. If there is a sale and the price
to be paid will Justify the trouble the
porker will be produced, and the
poetry, too, why not the wishbone?
| Looking Ahead.
A good story is told of one of the
| ulRnlJuFltS VI lUb oCUlblSH SuuTGu,
Before he became known to fame he
was minister of a remote country
parish, and was not considered par
ticnlarly attractive preacher.
At his suggestion extensive altera-
tions were made in the transept Of his
church, and these had the effect OF
sweeping away considerable seating
accommodation.
One day after the alterations had
been effected he visited the church tc
see how it looked.
"What do you think of the improve.
ments, Johny' he asked of the beadle.
Improvements exclaimed John,
in disdain; " they're no improvements
at all. Whaur are ye goin' to put the
folk?"
"Oh, ." said the minister, Eve have
abundance of room, John, considering
the size of the congregation, ~
That's a very weel the moo, " re.
torted the beadle; "but what will We
do when we get a popular meenister?'
London It'll Bits.