Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-14
sPINELEss BROTH

A T the great risk Of being though
n light-headed and with a pro
found apology to DR.. Leon Ell
bert Landone, the pioneer cactus eatei
of the world. who has slid into fam,
during the past few days, we arr
prompted TO endeavor to draw {
parallel between his experiences ant
that of worthy precedessor. DR.
Landone, according to the newspaper
accounts of his experiments, ha:
demonstrated that he can live severa
days on a diet OF spineless cactus
supplemented by a few nuts, some
lettuce, casaba melons, bananas and a
small quantity of celery" 1t is the
supplementary joke that reminds us
of the original genius who managed
to get along very comfortably on a
diet of zero.
Once upon a time a vagabond car
rying the burden of an empty stomach
stopped at house and asked for
something to eat. The frugal house
wife demurred. my dear madam"
insinuatingly suggested the gentleman
of the road, perhaps you will be good
enough to permit me to make little
stone broth. If you will do so it not
only will help me to keep on my feet
for awhile but from my culinary opera
tions you may learn a valuable lesson
in economy-and I perceive that you
are economically inclined" "Stone
BROTH" quoth the good housewife.
What in the world is stone broth 2"
Il will make some. madam, if you
will be good enough to supply the ma
terials therefor"
Whereat the vagabond inquired of
the housewife IL she would permit him
to use fer the purpose in hand a small
stone which he saw lying in the yard.
Upon receiving permission to do SO,
he asked to be allowed the loan of a
pint of hot water. After carefully
washing the stone and placing it in
the water. he carried the cooking pot
merrily to simmer.
Now, madam, as L presume you
will want your stone broth to be more
palatable than that to which ! am ac-
customed, may / presume upon your
good nature by asking if you will
kindly lend me trif1e of milk, say a
cupful, and pinch of salt?" His re-
quest being granted he poured the
milk in the now boiling water, adding
the salt. Possibly you might be able
to find q small bit of bone to add to
the decoction,'' suggested the vaga-
bond. mo, I have no bone" replied
the good housewife, but here is
small piece of meat that may answer
the purpose
The meat followed the milk and the
salt. Again, madam, do you think
you could get me crust of stale bread,
and possibly wee bit of cold potato or
little turnip?" The now thoroughly
interested and curious woman (for
what woman is not curious?) complied
with the request implied. Both
watched the contents of the pot as they
merrily simmered over the hearth. AS
an afterthought, just as the vagabond
was about to announce the stone broth
as ready to taste, the good housewife,
struck by a happy thought. rushed to
the larder and, bringing out a piece
of butter the size of an egg (according
to the recipe for the making of cake
dough and the half of a breast of cold
chicken, defiantly flung them in the.
pot, to the evident chagrin of her
guest. Nevertheless, being exceedingly
hungry. he entered no demurrer to this
proceeding. A moment later he lifted
the pot and it's contents from the
hearth and Ito cut long story short)
together they sat down at the board to
eat their stone cactus--no, their spine
less broth.-The End.