At the Breakfast Table.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 12785, 7 May 1914, Page 5

At the Breakfast Table.

"I like to read those statements ot deceased persons' estates published by the papers every month," remarked the Landlady. "They show so clearly how some people have got on in this world."

"But there is a tinge of melancholy about them," said the Philosopher, "for they show that after all the toil and anxiety of life the owners of the wealth have had to leave it behind them." "Just as well," growled the Cynic. "Metal will melt and bank notes will frizzle.'' "It may also be remarked," said the Moralist, "that though a man may scrape together a mass of wealth, or during his life may have added field to field, there is no guarantee that his descendants may not become paupers. The miser is frequently succeeded by the spendthrift, and an estate which took years to accumulate is dissipated in a few months." "Oh well," observed the MaD of the World, "there is one good fe'itara about these lists. They mean tL k the State has collared a portion ' I ike estate."

"Yes," said the Cynic, " ">S-n the owner is dead he cannot dei '" l 4 his property against those who 'like f;ho ghoul of the East, come to feed at hit> grave.' " "It's a good thing that the owners can't come back," said the Moralist, "or they might disturb the heirs and even arouse their resentment.''

" Talking of the dead coming back," said the Clerk, "did you notice the ingenious methods of those Italian witches? They were quite up-to-date in their work and used the | cinematograph with effect. In hands of charlatans the discoveries of science can be made to despoil and terrify the ignorant." "I have often wondered," said the Philosopher, "what might have been the effect on the human race if, say, the priests of ancient Egypt had invented the telephone or phonograph, or the moving picture, or were able tj make a wireless call from space ? They would indeed have convinced the people that their statues uttered the voice of a god, and that the secrets of life were bared to them."

1 ' They had their devices,'' said the Historian, "and used them to play on the superstition of the people. They were the possessors of the knowledge of the times, and kept it from the common people."

"Human nature is a curious thing," remarked the Moralist, "and men will cheerfully do for sentimental reasons what they will not do as a matter of duty. Look at what has happened in Germany. People had been evading income tax, but whei the tax-gatherer appealed to their patriotism the money began to flo u in."

"When patriotism affects the pocket/' said the Philosopher, "it is the genuine article. It is quite a common practice to evade income or anyother tax, and very few realise the immorality of the evasion. To dodge the Government seems to be the first idea of many, from the wealthy down to the man who practises 'the Government stroke.' The chief charm of smuggling was the sense that the exactions of Government were evaded, and even the squires and other local magnates prided themselves on the possession of liquor and other articles that had never paid duty."

"That's a great idea of Dr. Goldwater's, of New York," observed the Man of the World. "He wants all the people to be examined every year as to the state of their health."

"At a fee, of course," said the Cynic. "It seems a first-class scheme to cause gold to flow to Goldwater." "It only requires a little extension to make it perfect," said the Clerk. "Why not make an annual examination of teeth necessary in the interests of dentists? And why should not an annual examination of everything be compulsory in the interests of all professions and trades?" "It seems to me," said the Cynic, '' that a much better idea would be to adopt the Chinese method of paying the doctor a certain sum every year on condition that he keeps you in perfect health, the pay to stop immediately illness occurs." "One great objection to that," said the Philosopher, "would be that your doctor might then insist on the right to control and regulate your habits, which would be awkward for some of us."

A JAYE PENNE

THE RECENT EPIDEMIC OF SMALLPOX AND DIPHTHERIA

would certainly not have attained such proportions if it were more generally known that the disinfection of the mouth by a reliable and harmless antiseptic is a great protecting factor against all ailments where the infection is through the throat or re< spiratory tract. By putting 3 drop! of SANDERS' EUCALYPTI EXTRACT on a piece of loaf sugar an/ allowing it to dissolve in the moutl that cavity is thoroughly disinfected, and the result is protection from all infectious diseases. SANDERS' EXTRACT is volatil and penetrates every device and SANDERS' EXTRACT is not nauseous nor depress ing like the common eucalyptus.Advt.