A Back Scratcher

Human ingenuity has taken a new turn, produced a back-scratcher, and got it patented. Heretofore there were three methods in use, two of which were very premitive. One was, to throw the right arm over the right shoulder, grab the elbow with other hand and push on it, shut the eyes, wrinkle the nose and dig away for dear life. The other primal method was to back up to a post or the door jam, undulate the body, give the knees a springy, life-on-theocean-wave movement and grin till the corners of the mouth pass each other on the back of the neck. A more itnproved method, was that adopted by politicians, trusts, and congressman who want river, harbor and various improvements. This is the plan of scratch-mybac-kand-I '11-scratch-yours. Yesterday, however, a vender of back-scratchers was on the street, with a device which those afflicted with cutaneous disturbances will appreciate. It is a kind of wooden half-hoop with sundry notches or escallops at one end. You pass it down the back of your shirt collar and rake away. The man probably has no license and is likely to have his back scratched by the marshal.