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would let that go for forty cents per pound," says the merchant. That is decided to be too dear; and after sampling about eighty other kinds, Mr. Gerdes, in despair, asks if there are no samples of Carbuckles coffee at all. There is not; but finally a brand worth seventeen cents is selected and the coffee party is at an end. On the purchases of tea and coffee, the board has saved the state nearly ten dollars, which helps to make up the salary and expenses of the board of about forty dollars for the two days. And not only does the board save money by making purchases, but also by reducing and refusing unnecessary and extravagant requests for supplies. For instance, fruit cannot be bought on contract, and all requests for such must go to the board. Here comes a request from Superintendent So-and-so for bananas, for this superintendent likes bananas for breakfast. "Didn't we let him have some bananas the other day?" says one member. "Yes we did," says

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another. The request for such a luxury is refused, but the superintendent, however, may buy some at his own expense. Another dime is saved.

And recently the board has shown its usefulness in still another matter. It has sent out notice to all superintendents to get rid right speedily of all relatives who are on the pay roll - save one, as permitted by law. Gus. Buchholz, farm superintendent at the penitentiary, came first, he being the brother-in-law of Henry Gerdes, a member of the board. I feel sorry for the state in this instance, for Mr. Buchholz is the best farm superintendent the prison ever had, and was just the right man for the position a well as a good, true man and a gentleman. The warden will have to hunt a long time to find a man a competent as Mr. Buchholz. Several other wives, daughters, aunts and cousins had to walk the plank. At the Soldier's Home at Milford, Colonel David Rowdin, the commandant, cleaved onto his

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son, who is the adjutant of the home, and presented his wife, daughter and son-in-law with their time checks. The board goes on to announce that it will not permit the shifting of relatives of one superintendent to the jurisdiction of another. At Hastings, Superintendent Baxter of the insane asylum has a choice between his wife, who is the matron, and the daughter. The daughter walks the plank. At the prison, Warden Fenton' accepts the resignation of a cousin, W. J. Fenton, who is a guard and a competent one at that. A flock of relatives at the other institutions are preparing to go, and it looks as if every superintendent must get their books of genealogy and trace back at least seven generations. In this respect Mr. N. C. Abbott, superintendent of the state school for the blind, at Beatrice, has them all beaten. He has before him his book of genealogy and can trace back for seven generations. When his second laundress quits, and a woman by the name of Abbott is appointed to take her place, the superintendent after

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a careful search, sits down and writes to the board that it is with regret that he reports the loss by resignation of one of his most valued employes (sic), and that he has Mabel Abbott to take her place. In order to prevent the newspaper boys from throwing any fits on the, score of nepotism, he adds that she is of German origin, while his branch of the Abbotts has picked up no foreign blood save that of Spanish, Irish, Jew and Swedish.

And not even the method of that sterling democrat, Mr. T. W. Smith, the former warden, seems to fit for this occasion, for when Uncle Sam discontinued the Lancaster post office, his daughter, the postmistress, automatically became short of a position that had paid her about thirty dollars per month. Mr. Smith appointed her a mail clerk at a salary of thirty-five dollars. It appears to me that the only thing for the army of dear ones to do is to go hunting for other places. In this undertaking I extend to them my heartfelt, sympathy, and hope that they all succeed.