“Knock-down” furniture and picture frames are an old story, but “knock-down,” or ready-to-make wearing apparel is “a new one” to most people.
A Chicago woman who was an expert cutter, and who knew that most women and girls would like to make their own clothes if they could only be assured of a perfect fit, saw an opportunity here to not only save these women at least half on the cost of their apparel, but to make money as well, out of the business of supplying their needs.
She arranged with a popular pattern house for the loan of current illustrations with which to publish a monthly fashion bulletin, featuring those particular patterns, and with a wholesale dry goods house for the regular discounts on dress materials, trimmings, etc., securing a line of small samples of each piece of goods in most demand.
Then she began advertising that for $6.50 she would furnish all the material for a certain dress, ready cut, ready to sew together, that would cost, made up, at the stores, $15, and other goods in the same proportion.
To women answering these ads. and asking for particulars, she would send a small sample of the goods desired, together with a copy of her bulletin, illustrating each pattern, and showing the difference in the price when cut to fit by her, as compared with the same dress bought at a store, and usually requiring extensive alterations. She was soon obliged to employ a number of skilled assistants, in order to turn out the work that came to her.
The pattern selected by the customer was used for cutting the garment, then sent to her with the material and it was an easy matter to complete a perfect fitting dress, at a great saving in cost.
Being a secretary by mail is a man’s-size job, and few there are who can fill a position so exacting and often so delicate in the performance of its manifold duties. However, a Denver young man, of literary tastes and a lot of good business sense, felt that he could do it, and found that he could.
He began by catering to the mail-order merchants who wish to keep posted on new advertisements and schemes, and answered all such ads. for his clients, sending them the replies received. He wrote attractive business-getting letters for mail-order and other people who were poor letter writers themselves, but who knew the value of good ones. He attended to business matters in his city for his clients, occasionally made collections for them, and performed many delicate forms of service that proved of great value. In short, he did the work of a regular secretary, but did it better than most of them are capable of doing, the main difference being that he was secretary for some 200 men or firms, instead of for only one; and, though his charges in each case were very small, they amounted to a good deal in the aggregate, and brought him a nice income for comparatively little effort.
It was a successful combination of the right man and the right plan.
A Seattle man worked out the following plan.
He called upon the managers of half a dozen or more of the 5 cent motion-picture houses and told them if they would sell him tickets at one-half the regular price, to be paid for in cash, in lots of 500 or more, he could greatly increase the attendance at their theatres, as the tickets would not cost the holders anything, and everybody who had free tickets would be sure to come.
Practically all of those approached accepted this offer, and then he had several thousand coupons printed, at a cost of 50 cents per 1,000, and used a special tint of paper to prevent counterfeiting.
Thus armed, he next called upon a number of merchants with a proposition that, for $1.25, he would give them 100 of these coupons, twenty-five of the 5 cent admission tickets, and an attractive show-card calling attention to the fact that he was offering his cash customers free motion-picture tickets. The twenty-five tickets alone, at their face value, were worth the amount he asked for the entire outfit.
Most merchants were glad to give a discount of 5 cents on each $1.00 cash purchase, as it had a tendency to convert many credit customers into cash buyers, and the favorable publicity it gave was worth a good deal. He gave one coupon with each 25-cent cash purchase, four for a $1.00 purchase, and these four coupons entitled their holder to a free 5-cent theatre ticket. He gave out, on an average, 100 of these coupons and twenty-five tickets each day, with cash purchases amounting in all to $25.
The young man’s profit on each 100 coupons, accompanied by twenty-five of the 5 cent tickets, was 40 cents, or $2.40 a week for each merchant giving out 100 coupons a day. This amounted to $124.80 a year. Twenty-five merchants therefore netted him $3,120 a year, while fifty merchants as regular customers would net him $6,240, and 100 merchants, $12,480.
“I had always believed that only a resident of a big city could engage in mail order business,” said a successful Eastern Washington farmer, the other day, “but I have learned from my own experience that this is not true.
“Last spring I began to realize what a great demand there is for sweet potato slips, and believed there would be money in supplying this need, so, in February, I bought and “bedded” 100 bushels of sweet potatoes, and in May the first lot of slips was ready for the market. Between that time and July 1st I disposed of 500,000 slips, at an average price of $1.50 per 1,000, and then realized that if I had specialized on a certain brand of potatoes, besides the regular line, my profits would have been much larger. When it is considered that only a few months’ work was involved, I regard the returns as very satisfactory, for my net profits on the entire transaction were $540. By enlarging my scope of operations next year, I expect to do very much better, and then have the greater part of the year left, to devote to other purposes. I believe thousands of other men can become successful mail order operators by specializing on some similar line.”
A mail-order man back east hit upon a new plan of making money, and received $321 during the first three weeks.
From an electrotype company he purchased 200 mounted electrotypes of different subjects, all suitable for advertising in weekly newspapers, for 10 cents each.
Then he had printed 2,500 circulars, 24x36, showing the 200 cuts, and mailed the circulars to that number of country merchants whose names he had obtained by sending for sample copies of weekly newspapers within a radius of 250 miles from the city in which he lived.
Now, country merchants are always glad to use cuts in their ads., if they can only get them at low rates, and when they were offered to them at 20 cents each by express, or 22 cents if sent by mail, postage paid, they were very glad to get them, and the orders came in rapidly.
As the orders were received, this man forwarded them to the electrotyping company to be filled, enclosing 10 cents for each cut ordered, and retaining the other 10 cents as his profit. Some merchants ordered from five to fifty of the cuts, and after the mail-order man had had several thousand more circulars printed, he used the 200 cuts he had bought in filling orders, and thereafter all orders were filled direct by the company making the electrotype cuts.
Extending his field of operations to cover more territory, the mail-order man found it so profitable that he made it a regular business.
A young Denver widow, whose husband had been a druggist, but had left her practically destitute at his death, decided that a formula she had successfully used herself for quickly removing grease, paint and oil spots from wearing apparel, carpets, silks, laces, woodwork, etc., besides being an unequaled shampoo for the hair, could be made a source of considerable revenue if properly presented to the public.
The formula for making this magic annihilator is as follows:
For making one gross of 8-ounce bottles, take aqua ammonia, one gallon; soft water, 8 gallons; best white soap, 4 pounds; saltpetre, 8 ounces. Shave the soap fine, add the water, boil until the soap is dissolved, let it get cold, then add the saltpetre, stirring until dissolved. Now strain, let the suds settle, skim off the dry suds, add the ammonia, bottle and cork at once.
This will not injure the finest texture, and its chemical action is such that it turns any oil or grease into soap, which is easily washed out with clear, cold water. It is excellent for cleaning silver, brass and copper, and is certain death to bedbugs, if applied to the places frequented by them. Used as a shampoo, with an equal amount of water and a stiff brush, it produces a lather that removes grease and dandruff, while a cloth wet with it will remove grease from doorknobs, window sills, etc. To remove grease from clothing, pour on a quantity of it, rubbing with a clean sponge, on both sides of the article to be cleaned. For carpets and coarse goods, use a stiff brush and wash out with clear, cold water. One application is sufficient for fresh grease spots, but where old and dry, apply again, if necessary. For cleaning silverware, etc., mix with an equal amount of whitening, and rub briskly with a rag.
Pasting a neat label, containing the directions, upon each of the 144 bottles, she started in business by selling it from house to house, but as the demand increased, she employed canvassers, placed it on sale at the various drug stores in the city, and later advertised it with excellent results.
Although the cost was a mere trifle, she found a ready sale for it at 50 cents per bottle, and it has proved so profitable that she has greatly increased her facilities and is to-day enjoying an income considerably larger than her late husband ever derived from his drug store.
A man who had held a good position in the city decided to move to the country and raise chickens. He bought a small home, besides a number of hens, and started in business. But the hen project was a failure, and he was about to return to his old place in the city. But he had a bright, enterprising wife, who had some ideas of her own, and she vetoed the plan of going back to the old drudgery of a clerk’s position, which had almost ruined her husband’s health.
Having read a good deal concerning the value to farmers of the parcel post, she decided upon a plan of action. She wrote a catchy ad. offering to furnish dinners to city people; everything, even to the floral decorations, being complete, and delivered by parcel post on the day desired. This ad. she sent to each of the city papers, and in a day or two the first order arrived.
The dinner she sent consisted of one pint of shelled peas, a few young potatoes, one broiler, a pint of strawberry preserves, a pint of cottage cheese, a quart box of cherries, fresh from the tree, a loaf of home-made bread, an angel food cake, one-half pound of fresh, sweet butter, and a number of sweet, old-fashioned roses. All were neatly packed in a strong container and the postage prepaid. It was sent in the morning, and arrived that afternoon.
For a dinner like that she charged $2.00, which was considerably less than it would have cost in the market for stale stuff, but which cost so little to produce that it yielded a very good margin of profit.
The family to whom the first dinner was sent promptly placed an order for two dinners each week, to be varied according to the season, and their example was followed by so many others that both husband and wife were kept busy as bees in putting up parcel-post dinners. But they were making money—more than the husband had ever earned before.
A widow lady who lived near a large factory, and who had done some sewing for the wife and daughters of the superintendent, was told by that official that she could make considerable money by bringing small box lunches to the factory doors at noon every day, and that if she cared to try out the plan she could have the exclusive privilege of doing so.
She thought the matter over carefully and decided there might be something in it, so she procured a hundred small, cheap, paper boxes, and filled them with light, simple lunches which she could sell at a profit for 5, 10 and 15 cents each, and from the very first she found a ready demand for them. Many of the operators, especially the young women who had previously brought their lunches from home, preferred to buy these, as they afforded a variety which, though limited, was something of a change, and the lady found her time fully occupied in planning and preparing them for service while the net profits amounted to something over $2.50 each day.
An Indiana farmer devoted six acres of his land to currant culture and in a year or two began to realize that he had quite an undertaking on his hands.
From these six acres he usually picks 1,000 crates which sell at $1.35 per crate, and it is necessary for him to hire a large number of boys and girls to do the picking. To these he pays good prices, and after all expenses are paid, he generally comes out about $600 ahead. As this is much more than can be produced by any other crop, he has about decided to plant his entire farm of 160 acres in currants, and thus clear $16,000 a year from a crop that requires but a few months each season to look after.
By using a two-horse cultivator, he need spend but little time or labor in raising the currants, while no planting is required after the first year, and the picking can be let out so as to furnish employment to a large number of boys and girls, as well as those men and women who are not otherwise engaged and are looking for work.
Many women dread the shopping it is necessary for them to do every little while, for to them it is the hardest kind of work, and most of these women would be glad to pay someone to do it for them. But here was a woman who positively delighted in shopping. She loved it for the variety, the excitement and the adventure it afforded.
She called first at the homes of a number of the women whom she knew could not afford to spend much time in shopping, being thoroughly occupied with the numerous duties and responsibilities of their own households. Besides, they did not like to shop anyway.
To these women she made a proposition to attend not only to all their local shopping, but to help them make selections from the catalogs of big mail-order houses, and order whatever goods they wanted from those sources, as well.
For these services she named a rate of compensation that seemed surprisingly low to those for whom they were rendered, but when these small sums were multiplied by 100 or more, they amounted to considerable in the aggregate, so that the arrangement was eminently satisfactory to all parties concerned. Besides, it gave the woman who loved shopping an opportunity to do so without any limitations to her favorite pastime, and it made her a good living.
Ever since the dawn of civilization many men and women have endured various forms of stomach trouble, usually as a result of abusing that delicate and sensitive organ, yet often arising from causes over which the sufferer has no control. And in practically all these cases every known means has been employed in an effort to find a remedy for this distressing affliction.
All sorts of “cures” have been foisted upon these people from time to time, and fortunes have been made from the miseries of the human race, for nowhere else are there such fertile fields for heartless exploitation as among the hosts of the afflicted, who would gladly give all they possess to be restored to that robust health so easily promised by those who profit upon the sick.
It has remained, however, for Father Kneipp, a well known scientist, to discover and perfect a method of curing stomach trouble that, for its simplicity and effectiveness, has never been equaled, and which is now being used with great success in this country and Europe. Several large sanatoriums have been established in various European countries, where this treatment, which is nothing more nor less than a perfect milk diet, is administered with astonishing results.
A young American, who had been a patient at one of these sanatoriums, succeeded in obtaining the exact method or formula for giving this treatment, and believing he could bring untold benefit to thousands of stomach sufferers in this country, and at the same time derive a good income himself from sending them full printed instructions for taking the treatment in the proper manner, devised the following admirable method of procedure:
Through an advertising agency, he inserted the following advertisement in a list of newspapers within a few hundred miles of his home town:
“The world’s most successful treatment for the regeneration of shattered, weak and disordered stomachs and for all chronic ailments of the digestive apparatus, that make life miserable for those so affected. Builds up thin, ill-nourished people, and reduces the superfluous weight of fat people. Relieves and heals disorders of the liver, kidneys, bladder, the circulation, etc. Restores rheumatic sufferers to health, strength and happiness. Milk, which you can take in your own home, is nature’s own sanative, but you must know how to take this diet. Obtain complete instructions, fully describing the method of taking it, by writing us today for the great two-course treatment, and learn how, if you would be well.”
A surprisingly large number of inquiries were received in answer to the above ad., and to every inquirer he sent a circular letter substantially as follows:
“Dear Friend: I have your inquiry relative to the principles of rejuvenation through the Milk Diet, and take pleasure in referring to the really wonderful work it has accomplished for those suffering from ailments of the stomach.
“That famous scientist, Father Kneipp, who recently discovered certain priceless principles of bodily rehabilitation through the medium of the Milk Diet, was so greatly impressed with the marvelous results obtained, that he opened a sanatorium in the Tyrol mountains, to which thousands of wealthy Europeans suffering from stomach or other intestinal disorders are flocking every year, and from which in from two to six weeks they emerge rejoicing in regained health and a new lease on life, the result of a simple and delightful course of treatment. Indeed, patients who are able to pay the expenses of so long a journey are going there from all parts of the world.
“But there are unnumbered thousands everywhere who are suffering equal tortures from disordered stomachs, yet who cannot afford so expensive a trip, and it is now made possible for these people to obtain the same wonderful benefits right in their own homes, through being given the proper instructions for taking this simple yet powerfully effective treatment. Even so great a boon as is the Milk Diet would avail but little unless taken according to the established method adopted by Father Kneipp as the result of years’ of experiment and research. Every good result depends upon knowing how to take the Milk Diet, and those instructions I am prepared to supply for the merely nominal payment of one dollar, which but little more than defrays the cost of printing and mailing. I am offering the two complete courses for this small amount, and am willing to refund even this if you are not more than satisfied with the results of the treatment, when taken according to the instructions I furnish.”
In case this letter failed to bring an order, one or two “follow-up” letters were sent, emphasizing the need of the treatment in all forms of stomach derangement, and again calling attention to the curative qualities of milk when used as a diet in the proper way. He referred to the fact that Americans are particularly subject to stomach difficulties, as a result of improper food, especially hot bread, pies and pastry, and reminded the recipient of the letter that the Milk Diet was easy and pleasant to take; that it was the first natural food of mankind, gives the stomach a much needed rest, and enables it to rebuild under Nature’s beneficent ways; that his course showed anyone exactly how the treatment should be taken, to obtain the desired results and regenerate the entire digestive system, and offered to leave the decision of the case to the party’s own family physician, provided he was a good doctor, and an honest man.
In his third letter he offered to send the course on approval, if desired, expressing full confidence that the patient would remit the $1.00 promptly after having thoroughly tested the merits of the treatment.
The first letter usually brought an order, accompanied by the $1.00 asked, and so uniform was the success of the treatment that not one person ever asked to have his money refunded. On the contrary, dozens of others sent in their dollars after seeing the wonderful results the treatment accomplished.
In the meantime he had had the instructions governing the taking of the treatment neatly printed in an attractive little booklet, the cover containing the words, “The Milk Diet, Nature’s Greatest Remedy for the Relief of Those Suffering from Stomach Troubles, Indigestion, Dyspepsia, Constipation and all Intestinal Ills,” and below this was the picture of a fine cow of high-class stock, contentedly browsing in a green, shady pasture, with trees and a running stream. In this booklet were printed complete instructions, as follows:
“In order to restore the digestive and assimilating processes to a condition whereby they can perform their functions properly, the first requisite is to give the stomach a complete rest, by providing it with food that will not tax the stomach and digestive organs, yet will nourish the body.
“Scientists have discovered that Buttermilk, used to the exclusion of all other foods for a stated time, is the ideal food for that purpose as it contains all the elements of nourishment, and is free from indigestible butter fat; that it thoroughly cleans out the system, eliminating all the toxic poisons and fermented contents of the stomach, which having entered the circulation, upset the whole system and produce disease. It expels the bile, mucus and acids produced by incorrect digestive action, cleanses the stomach and intestines, the liver, pancreas, kidneys and blood, enabling the system to throw off every trace of toxic poisons, and bring a speedy return of the normal appetite and renewed energy.
“The element in buttermilk scientifically known as lecithin, acts on the system as a tonic, which clears the complexion, brightens the eyes, and imparts the glow of perfect health to the entire body.
“But one fact must be kept constantly in mind while taking the Milk Diet, if success is to be assured: A strict adherence to the rules as herein laid down. To take it in a haphazard fashion, on and off as the notion strikes one, will do no good, and a lapse from the regular program will set you back to where you were at the beginning. Therefore, do exactly as the course prescribes, without the deviation of a hair’s breadth from its positive and plainly-stated rules.
“Before taking this course, give the system a thorough purging, with castor oil or saline laxatives, to carry off the contents of the intestines and prepare the stomach for the beneficent action of the buttermilk.
“The Buttermilk Diet Course is divided into three periods: the first two of four days each, and the third until a satisfactory condition is obtained, which should be in from four to ten days.
“During the first four-day period, take one-half pint of fresh, pure buttermilk every two hours during the waking hours, beginning at 7 A. M. and continuing until 9 P. M., or 11 P. M., if preferred. This amounts to from 2 to 21⁄2 quarts of buttermilk a day for the first four days. Should this produce vomiting, as it may in a few cases, do not be alarmed, for it simply indicates that the system is taking notice of what is being done for it, and is trying to expel some of the poisons it is unable to get rid of through the intestines. Keep on taking the buttermilk, even increasing the quantity, until the vomiting ceases and the stomach accepts it without protest.
“In the second four-day period, the amount of buttermilk taken should be increased to one-half pint every hour and a half during the waking hours, or nearly three quarts of buttermilk a day.
“After the eighth day, take half a pint of buttermilk every hour, and continue this until you feel that you have been restored to a healthy condition. This feeling will be manifested by a sensation of complete ease, bodily and mentally, and an active desire for solid food—a desire which will have disappeared almost entirely after the second or third day of the first period, and does not return until the system is once more balanced and healthy.
“If unable to get absolutely pure, fresh buttermilk take pure, fresh milk, draw off the cream or butter fat which rises to the top of the bottle, and add buttermilk tablets, which can be procured at all drug stores and many grocery stores, with directions for use on the package. Buttermilk made in this way is far better than poor grades of real buttermilk that is not fresh.
“The buttermilk should be taken lukewarm—not iced, chilled or hot—and sipped slowly, not gulped down.
“If, while taking the course, you suffer from hunger or thirst, do not allow yourself to either eat or drink anything—not even water—but always take some more of the buttermilk, as this will relieve the hunger and satisfy the thirst.
“While taking the treatment, always keep the bowels open, and enemas, or internal bathing, are advised for this. In taking the enema, or rectal injection, use a two-quart bag with syringe, having the water blood-warm, or just so you can hold your hand in it. To a two-quart bag of this warm water, add half a cupful of pure glycerine, shaking it up thoroughly, and, lying on the floor on one side, with the legs doubled up, inject the entire contents of the bag into the rectum. Hold this in for ten minutes, then evacuate it naturally and thoroughly. This internal bath should be taken every day during the first four-day period, then every other day during the second period, and after that twice a week, until you are having two natural passages every day. Make an effort at these times, whether the desire exists or not.
“In taking the enema, regulate the flow so that it will not be too violent. Hanging the bag of the syringe from 21⁄2 to 3 feet above the floor will give the correct impetus to the flow. These internal flushings remove the secretions from the lower intestine, where they are prone to lie and ferment, and are a great aid in preserving the general health, as they assist nature in eliminating waste and poisonous matter.
“After completing the Buttermilk Diet, as directed herein, use caution in taking solid nourishment for awhile. For a few days reduce the supply of buttermilk, and substitute light, easily digested foods, such as eggs, boiled, poached, or creamed; chicken, broiled lamb chops, small quantities of rare roast beef, broiled steak rare, boiled fresh fish, rice, macaroni cooked in milk until tender, fresh vegetables that do not contain starchy elements, and ripe, wholesome fruit. Also eat dry toast, or whole wheat bread in place of fresh bread made from white wheat flour. This course has, no doubt, broken you of the coffee habit, so avoid coffee in future, and use milk or buttermilk instead, as it will be much better for you. Resume the eating of solid foods by eating only one meal a day, about noon, taking the milk or buttermilk for your morning and evening meals, as well as during the day when hungry or thirsty.
“Thoroughly chew your food after returning to a solid diet, and thus avoid many stomach troubles, while obtaining more nourishment from your food. Besides, by eating slowly, you will eat much less, and feel all the better for it.”
“Because people are inclined to eat more for the pleasure it affords them than for the necessary nourishment of the body, they usually eat too much, and suffer from stomach disorders and derangements in consequence. Especially is this true in the United States, where high living is the rule, rather than the exception, and it is here that so many thousands are suffering untold agonies from various forms of stomach and intestinal complaints.
“But Nature herself has placed within easy reach of all a safe, certain and pleasant remedy for the myriad maladies caused by improper eating, as well as sufferers through inherited tendencies. And that supreme and sovereign remedy is—milk.
“The efficacy of the Milk Diet is now so thoroughly and firmly established that thousands have been the beneficiaries of its marvelous healing power, while still unnumbered thousands are earnestly longing for the blessings it will bring them when properly brought to their attention.
“Milk possesses certain properties that heal and anoint those organs of the body which digest and assimilate the sources of nourishment, and pure milk will counteract many ailments which no other seems able to reach. The systematic drinking of milk, under certain well established rules, if persistently adhered to, will practically restore the shattered and disordered stomach to that condition of health and strength which is its natural birthright and inheritance.
“The first requisite in the use of milk as a remedy for stomach ailments is that it be absolutely pure and fresh. It must not be taken cold, but cool enough to be palatable, though preferably blood-warm, as it is then easier to digest and is more quickly assimilated. It must be taken from healthy cows, must not be skimmed, and must be sipped slowly, not gulped down.
“In taking up the Milk Diet, you must give up all kinds of food and drink—except milk—and it is best to rest the body as much as possible during the period of the treatment, so as to conserve all your energies for renovating and rejuvenating your system. Complete physical relaxation during the first ten days is highly advisable, lying on the back as much as possible, and making no unnecessary effort along the line of physical activity. Afterwards, however, light work or moderate exercise is desirable.
“Taking into consideration the rich elements of milk, it is best at first to take only small quantities, and repeat often. Half a glass every half-hour will do to begin with, and the quantity can be increased gradually, until the stomach will retain a full glass every half-hour. Keep this up during the first ten days, keeping your body relaxed meanwhile, and after that a half pint should be taken every hour during the working hours, and a pitcher of milk be kept within reach to drink during the night. In a thoroughly well ventilated room the milk will keep sweet all night except in the hottest weather, and is good in case of sleeplessness.
“Some people become bilious when taking nothing but milk, the biliousness being evidenced by the regurgitation of the milk, by acid eruptions from the stomach to the mouth, and even by vomiting. But do not be discouraged. Keep on drinking the milk, for these manifestations are merely nature’s protest against the condition of the stomach, and not against the milk. Soon the vomiting will clear out the accumulations of bile and mucus from the stomach, the milk will cease to distress you and will be easily and quickly digested. If milk does not lie quietly on the stomach, it is because the stomach is not in a fit condition to receive it, that is all.
“As the milk begins to be absorbed by the circulation, it permeates all parts of the system and cleans them out, for the cleaning power of milk is very great.
“Some persons, after taking the milk for awhile, begin to loath it, and in these cases the juice of a lemon may be substituted for a short time, but only occasionally to overcome the feeling of nausea. A little lemon juice is also advisable following the vomiting incident to the biliousness that sometimes occurs.
“In taking either the milk or buttermilk treatment, the patient will experience, at first, great hunger, and a longing for solid food. In all such cases, drink milk, plenty of it, and it will be both food and drink for you. After the third day, the craving for solid food generally disappears, though it is best to keep away from food and avoid temptation for a few days and soon you will have no craving.
“Before beginning the Milk Diet, a good dose of castor oil is advisable, though not so essential as in the Buttermilk Diet. But after the course has started, no drugs should be used for keeping the bowels open. If constipation develops, as is likely, flush the rectum with the enemas, as in the case of the Buttermilk Diet, doing this every day for three or four days, then one every other day for the next four days, and after that once or twice a week, so as to keep the bowels moving regularly, assisting nature in having regular passages every morning and evening. Always add half a cup of glycerine to the two quarts of warm water used as an injection, as this acts as a lubricant and softener of the inner tract, and water alone will dry out the colon, which is dangerous. If the patient is suffering from piles, use a soft catheter or rubber in taking the injections. The internal bath conquers looseness of the bowels and diarrhea, as well as constipation, and when used with glycerine is a sedative to the irritated colon or intestines.
“How much time should be given to taking the Milk Diet? That depends entirely upon the person taking it. Many who know its great benefits advise that it be taken at least once every year, especially by hearty eaters and high livers, who should take it for two or three weeks each spring and fall, as by doing so they can always be perfectly healthy.
“Relief in chronic ailments due to indigestion, stomach or intestinal troubles, and derangement of the kidneys and bladder, varies with the aggravation of the case, and nature itself will show when the regeneration is completed. But the safe rule is to continue the treatment until you know you are well, though your judgment may not always be infallible.
“Fat people who take this treatment to reduce their weight, and thin people who take it to build up their wasted bodies, will know when to stop, and by using proper care in the selection of foods, will be able to maintain a normal condition, but even then it is better to continue it a little longer than to stop too soon, and not resume hearty eating too quickly. Observe the same rules in preparing the system for the taking of solid foods as are prescribed in the Buttermilk Diet, beginning lightly and gradually increasing the quantity taken. A few people are affected strangely by the results of the Milk Diet upon the nervous system, where it has been badly run down by excesses in eating or the ailments that follow them, but this condition is only temporary, and will soon pass away through perservering in the diet, and the nerves will be greatly strengthened and renewed by the rich new blood that is the natural result of the Milk Diet.
“To only one class of persons is there any danger in taking the Milk Diet. People who have organic heart trouble are liable to find the flow of new blood too strong for a weak heart, and should be guided by the advice of a reputable physician before beginning it, so as to avoid serious consequences.
“The Milk Diet should be taken only by adults; as children are rarely to be found suffering from stomach trouble and their strong young systems require solid food for proper development.
“Nor should the Milk Diet be taken by anyone without first flushing the system by the use of the enema, as above set forth.
“Above all things else, take absolutely no food or even a drink of water, while taking the Milk Diet, as this will undo all the good that has been accomplished and make it necessary to begin all over again.
“Fat people usually lose two or three pounds a day when they first begin taking the Milk Diet strictly according to the instructions herein given, while thin people commence to gain in weight, for it brings real health, instead of merely artificial relief, such as is given by drugs. And after the treatment is taken, practice simple living, eating plain but substantial food, and you will find yourself completely restored to perfect health. In the meantime, keep the bowels regular, by an occasional enema if necessary, and your troubles will be over. However, you can bring them all back, by again abusing the delicate organism of the stomach.
“Sleep enough, but not too much, in well ventilated rooms. Exercise moderately and thoroughly masticate your food before swallowing it.”
Within a month after inserting the advertisements, several hundred people had ordered the course, remitting the $1 requisite, and almost without exception those who completed the treatment according to the instructions sent, began sending testimonials to the marvelous effects of the Diet in their individual cases. The enterprising citizen had no capital invested, carried no stock, and had only to mail the printed instructions for taking the treatment, and the patients gladly did the rest. And he not only made a good living for himself but brought health and happiness to a host of suffering people.
A farmer’s wife in Iowa, who wanted to make some money of her own, instead of feeling that she had to ask her husband for every dollar she received, started in a systematic manner to have a bank account of her own.
The family lived within twenty miles of a large city, and the farm contained an extensive orchard, as well as over an acre devoted to gardening purposes, and in these the wife found a broad field for her activities.
She thoroughly understood the many tempting ways in which fruits, vegetables and other orchard and garden products can be put up, and she knew the city people would pay for the products of her skill, so she entered upon an extensive campaign of canning, pickling and preserving, any one of which lines will furnish any energetic woman with a way for making money, even though she may adopt only one of the profitable plans. She could not begin to supply the demands of the city people.
There are few things that have a more delicious taste than pickled peaches or pears, especially when pickled the way this farmer’s wife pickled them.
Take one-half cup of vinegar and one-half pound of sugar to a little over a pound of the fruit. Place the sugar and vinegar over the fire until it comes to a boil. Add a layer of fruit, and cook until soft enough to run fork through it; then remove the fruit and fill the same way until all are done. The syrup needs no more cooking. Stick cloves in the fruit before cooking, and add cinnamon to syrup, if desired.
When she sent these to the city, she soon had calls for more, and the prices they brought were a source of much pride as well as profit to the energetic housewife who put them up.
Apples, especially those of the choicest varieties, are very good without pickling, but a great deal more so when they are pickled the way the farmer’s wife prepared them, as follows:
Take ripe, hard, sweet apples. Peel evenly, and if the apples are perfect, leave them whole, otherwise cut in quarters. To a peck of apples, take about two quarts of vinegar and four pounds of sugar, half an ounce of mace, half an ounce of cloves, and the same amount of allspice, all unground; one teaspoonful of mustard seed, a few pepper grains and a little salt. Heat the vinegar and sugar together to the boiling point, skim well, put the spices in a thin muslin bag and add the vinegar, then put in the apples. Place over the fire, and stew slowly until the apples are soft. Then take out the apples, let the vinegar boil down, and pour in over the fruit. Cover and put away.
Of course, in making large quantities, she increased the amount of the ingredients accordingly, yet maintained the proportions named.
The cherry trees were full that year, and she made good use of cherries by using this recipe:
To every quart of cherries, allow a cupful of vinegar, one-half cupful of sugar, one dozen whole cloves, half a dozen blades of mace. Put the vinegar and sugar on to heat, with the spices, boil five minutes, turn out into a covered stoneware vessel and let it get perfectly cool. Strain out the spices, fill small jar three-fourths full of cherries, then fill up with cold vinegar. Cork or seal tightly. Leave the stems on the cherries.
Besides filling several shelves in her own cellar with these, she sold large quantities to her city customers at “top” prices.
It would hardly seem possible to make a plum any better than it is when ripe and right off the tree, but this Iowa woman did so as follows:
To seven pounds of plums, take four pounds of sugar and two ounces each of stick cinnamon and cloves, one quart of vinegar and a little mace. Put in the jar first a layer of plums, then a layer of spices; scald the vinegar and sugar together, and pour over the plums, and when the jar is full, scald all together. They are then ready for use at once.
But she didn’t use all she put up. She sold to city people who liked her other products so well.
People like cucumber pickles, so this woman catered to their taste as follows:
Take ripe cucumbers, cut in two, scrape out the seeds, cut into strips and soak over night in salt water. To every quart of vinegar add one pound of sugar; boil and skim. Boil the strips in vinegar until tender and quite transparent. Take out the pickles, strain the vinegar, put it over the fire with a small muslin bag of mixed spices, boil two hours, pour over the pickles, cover and put away.
She sold these pickles at a good profit.
This will be something new to many people, but it is so good that almost any woman could derive a good living from making and selling this and nothing else. Here is the way the Iowa lady made it:
Pare, core and chop in small squares pieces half a pound of sour apples, and to them add half a pound each of tomatoes, brown sugar, stoned raisins and salt, a quarter of a pound each of cayenne pepper and powdered ginger, two ounces each of onions and garlic, one quart of lemon juice and three quarts of vinegar. Mix all well together, and put in a closely covered jar. Keep in a warm place, and stir every day for a month, being careful to see that it is kept covered; strain through a sieve at the end of this time and bottle. The liquor may be used as a sauce for fish or meat, and imparts a flavor seldom equaled.
Any one should be able to obtain any quantity of currants desired in their season, and make extra money by spicing them as this Iowa lady did, as follows:
Three pounds of white sugar, five pounds of ripe currants, one tablespoonful each of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. Boil currants one hour, then add sugar, spices and one-half pint of vinegar and boil one-half hour longer.
This was one of the best sellers she put up.
With tomatoes as plentiful and cheap as they are almost every year, and with so many people who like them, it is a wonder that thousands of women do not make a living by preserving, according to the following recipe, which this lady used:
Peel the tomatoes, and to each pound add a pound of sugar and let stand over night. Take the tomatoes out of the sugar, and boil the syrup, removing the scum. Put in the tomatoes and boil gently twenty minutes. Remove the fruit again, and boil until the syrup thickens. On cooling, put the fruit into jars and pour the syrup over. The round, yellow variety of tomatoes should be used, and as soon as ripe.
It is hard to imagine a more delicious preserve, or one that will bring a better price.
While thousands of bushels of crab apples are allowed to go to waste every year, and cost nothing but the picking, hundreds of women could be earning considerable money by gathering them, as they make the best jelly in the world, and it can be sold at almost any price one may ask. This Iowa lady used her surplus stock of crab apples as follows:
Wash the fruit clean, put in a kettle, cover with water, and boil until thoroughly cooked. Then pour into a sieve and let it drain. Do not press it through. For each pint of this liquor, allow one pound of sugar. Boil from twenty minutes to half an hour. Jellies can also be made from quinces, peaches and Porter apples in the same way.
Even with all of this she could make, the lady was unable to supply the demand.
She secured customers for her products through a few short ads in the city papers.
Nothing affords the housewife more pleasure or pride than to have her glassware, mirrors, window panes, etc., show that brilliancy and lustre so universally admired, but it is difficult to obtain.
A young man in San Diego, California, who had the formula for one of the best of these polishes, but very little else, anchored his hopes of making a living on supplying all the homes he possibly could with the means of keeping their glass surfaces shiny and clean. Therefore he made up as much of the preparation as he could afford for a starter, from the following formula:
Prepared chalk, 9 ounces; jewelers’ rouge, 1⁄2 ounce; white bole, 1⁄2 ounce; alcohol, 3 ounces; water, 5 ounces. Mix into a stiff paste.
To use, moisten a cloth with alcohol, place a small quantity of the paste, not larger than a pea, on the glass, and rub over the surface with the cloth until dry, and until the powder is completely removed. The result was good.
Not having sufficient capital to advertise his preparation, or to make it in sufficient quantities to employ agents or supply it to the drug stores, he made up a small amount at first, and introduced it into various homes by asking permission to polish up some glassware or a window, and the lustre it left was so brilliant that he sold some of it at most every house in which he demonstrated, and as the profit was very large, he soon had enough capital to make it on a larger scale. Then he placed a crew of agents in the city and surrounding towns and thus created a demand for the product which the druggists were glad to supply from the stocks he had left with them for sale.
In a short time he was able to advertise it thoroughly, and in the course of a couple of years he had built up a business that is today netting him a very good income.
But his success need not exclude others from this field, and there is still room for hundreds of other young men who wish to follow his example.
A young lady in Denver, the possessor of a pleasing manner, neat and attractive, felt the need of making some money to help support her invalid mother. She had been employed in a hair-dressing establishment for some time, and had learned all the secrets of the business, so she put her knowledge of the business into practical form and made a success of it.
She was personally acquainted with a number of women in her section of the city, who, though not regular patrons of the leading hair-dressers, liked to have their hair done up in proper form, and could afford a reasonable price for such service. She therefore had some neat cards printed, announcing that she would do all kinds of hair-dressing for ladies at their homes, at very reasonable rates, and, calling upon these women, she left her cards, with a request that she be allowed to dress the hair of each one as a sort of demonstration of her ability, also asking the ladies interviewed to hand her card to some lady acquaintance.
She was surprised by the large number of “trial orders” she received, and she performed the service so well that practically all the women, after having her dress their hair once, insisted upon paying her rates, which were not considerably less than regular hair-dressers’ prices.
In a short time she had all the permanent patrons she could serve, and the reward of her tact and skill came in the form of a good living.