The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-01-13
BY WALTER d. HICKMAN


Book League of America.
BY WALTER ID. HICKMAN
4 VERY time I open a copy of
Il The Old Farmers Almanac,
I seem to think of the old fashioned
home, years ago, when mother made
her own bread, jams and apple but
ter and Dad put gallons of apple
cider away in the cellar side by side
with cabbage, apples, pumpkins and
the like.
Have just received the 1888 edition
of The Old Farmers Almanac" by
Robert B. Thomas and published by
the almanac company at Boston
Mass.
This is the one hundredth and
forty-first year that this almanac
has been published and / am of the
opinion that if I had every edition
for those many years I would own
an invaluable history of the life OF
this nation.
The new almanac for this year
contains advice to the ladies 1877
years ago" and it was published in
the almanac in 1876.
This advice is so priceless because
it belongs to the corset and long
flannel nightgown period of home
life that 1 will give you several OF
the startling rules of conduct as set
down in 1896
The good wife should firSt-"she
should be like a snail, always keep
within her own house: but she
should not be like a snail to carry
all she has upon her back"
And alSo-"She should be like a
town clock, always keep time and
regularity; but she should not be
like town clock, to speak so loud,
that all the town may hear her"
The quaintneSs of this advice
makes one wonder how we ever got
suffrage and the vote for women.
What they laughed at in 1893?
Well, this was published in the al
>manac in 1793-"A clergyman OBJ
served to his friend, that upon the
last Sabbath, he was much disturbed
by COW who looked in at the door,
and beloved in his face. Sir says
the other, "a calf has no right in the
pulpit
Do we laugh at this one in 1888?
Let me know Well, anyway the
joke they laughed at in 1893 is and
was clean.
You will be in error if you get the
impression that this 1888 almanac is
frivolous and sillv
Each month has advice to the
farmer or to his wife on how to shell
peas so as to save time. During the
month of July, the farmer is warned
against rabies and in December he
is told how to spend his long eve
nings at home with his family and
of the advantages of having whole
some and cheering" apple cider in
the cellar.
OF course most of the advice is for
farmers and others living in the
New England states, but the homely
wisdom of years and years is ma
tional in appeal.
1t may seem strange to review
an almanac, but I got myself criti-
cized for reviewing a cook book
some years ago and then proceed
ing to make biscuits, The cook book
was o. k. but my biscuits-Well we'll,
we'll.
The Old Farmers Almanac" for
1888 sells for Is cents
This almanac goes on the shelf
in my own library marked Books I
Want to Keep
Based on sales reports in their
stores all over the country, Bran-
tano's. New York, lists the following
as the best sellers in fiction: Flow
ering Wilderness" by GalSworthy
"Munity on the Bounty" by Nord-
hoff and Hall; Public Faces" by
Harold Nicolson; Never Ask the
End" by Isbale Peterson; Peter
Ashley" by Du Bose Hayward. and
Invitation to the Waltz" by Rosa
mond Lehman.
Have received word from Live
dresser
has written new novel, The
Stoic," as the third volume of The
Trilogy of Desire" of which The
Financier" was the first volume. and
The Titan" the second. Publica-
ton date is not announced as vet.
Now we know the name of one of
the authors of "WaShington Merrv-
Go-Round" series, according to an
announcement by Liveright. Inc
The publisher announces that in
March he will releave The Ameri-
can Diplomatic Game" by Drew
Pearson, co-author of "WaShington
Merry Go Round ana More
.Merry-Go-Round," and former cor
respondent for the Baltimore Sun in
Washington, and by Constantine
Brown, former foreign correspon-
dent for the Chicago Daily News.
1t is claimed this book is an ex-
posture Of the entire field of our
foreign relations" and 1T touches off
gunpowder blast from which
there viii be powerful repercus-
sions."
The mid-winter issue Of THE
Hound and Horn" the edition for
January, February and March. con-
tains a startling article relative to
the present status of American
: civilization" The article is called
America DeSerta," and is by Muriel
Draper.