People don't often look back on the early 1900's for advice, but what if we could actually learn something from the Lost Generation? The New York Public Library has digitized 100 "how to do it" cards found in cigarette boxes over 100 years ago, and the tips they give are so practical that millennials reading this might want to take notes.
Back in the day, cigarette cards were popular collectibles included in every pack, and displayed photos of celebrities, advertisements, and more. Gallaher cigarettes, a UK-founded tobacco company that was once the largest in the world, decided to print a series of helpful how-to's on their cards, which ranged from mundane tasks (boiling potatoes) to unlikely scenarios (stopping a runaway horse). Most of them are insanely clever, though, like how to make a fire extinguisher at home. Who even knew you could do that?
The entire set of life hacks is now part of the NYPL's George Arents Collection. Check out some of the cleverest ones we could find below. You never know when you'll have to clean real lace!
More info: The New York Public Library
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It looks like the steam also makes human bodies dissappear. Creepy!
I have broken enough glasses already . I wish I had known this trick.
This is a very useful life hack. I always needed to draw a duck without pencil leaving the paper and l strugled so much...
"Test the purity of butter by rubbing it on a fresh burn. If the burn still burns, it's butter. If the burn ignites then it is lava."
If the stick is wet, its raining. If the stick is dry, its sunny. If the stick is gone, its windy.
Ok, this one I will try. Do they have a hack for when the candle is too small? ;)
"How to attract the larger male match during mating season using a captured female."
This chick likes it better when you forget the water and leave the wine in the nottle!
Whosoever knocks over the urn now, must agree to consume all of the sand, as is customary.
Apologies to germaphobes, but it is far easier on the form arm and wrist, especially with a full pitcher.
Milk works, my husband had a pen that leaked in the pocket of his nice white shirt and I soaked it in milk. All the ink went.
"How to discover your house's hidden interdimentional portal or rift."
Add this final step - hold your arm overhead with fingers 'loosely' straightened - gravity will help blood leave the finger. Jeweler's trick.
Maidens are often quick-witted and nimble. How are we to catch them and extract the hair for this experiment?
"Be sure to take photos of your experiment using the Gallagher quad copter - pictured at bottom right. Now with compass and extra nicotine."
Bodkin - a blunt, thick needle with a large eye used especially for drawing tape or cord through a hem.
And if you soak an egg for a week in vinegar, the shell disappears & the egg becomes see-through & pickles
And you will have wasted a horrible amount of water :/
Or if you haven't got wire, get a piece of thread and put a loop in each end. One end goes round the pencil and the other round a drawing pin or straight pin stuck into the paper.
"Simply insert one of Gallaghers delicious cigarettes into each hole and light. Smooth. Cancery. Cures trees."
Especially useful after walking with brads inserted into the soles of one's shoes.
I used to make these by rolling the old news paper into tubes then flatten them and then plat them, they used to burn longer doing it this way.
