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1,)Err;1sdi'1‘, JULY 13, 1886.

 

 

THE HOUSEHOLD-.—-Supplement.

 

 

AN IDEAL.

 

I think the song that‘s sweetest
Is the song that‘s never sung,

That lies at the heart of the singer,
Too grand for mortal tongue;

And sometime in the silence
Between the day and night,

He fancies that its measures
Bid farewell to the light.

A fairy hand from dreamland
Beckons us here and there,
And when we strive to grasp it

It vanishes into air.

And thus our fair ideal
Floats away just before,
And we with longing spirit
Reach for it evermore.

- --..—

WOMANLY WOMEN.

 

 

I feel that I have something to say upon
this subject, introduced by E. L. Nye, so
illlustrative of the oft-repeated course in
women’s lives. I entertain precisely the
sentiments which conclude her remarks,
and wish to present in connection with
those advanced by her, a retrospective view
of the subject. It directly interests and
enlists the sympathies and minds of
humanity; for not only are women sunken
in misery and degradation by the practices
of their husbands, but the offspring of vile
and vicious habits are brought into and
cast upon the world in a greater or less de-
gree, as a withering blight upon what
should blossom from pure parentage, and
obedience to the highest laws of married
life. TO me, the secret of marital success
is not in “woman’s servility” or loss of
womanly respect, through obedience to
man’s dictation; but in a wise, dominating
control over her own acts, and that
knowledge of self-hood, which endows
every woman with the might—as well as
the right-to exercise a power over man, in
whatever grade in life, to stay a downward
course, and assist in developing a truer
manhood. I go so far as to say, from the
cradle to the grave the destiny of the. race
lies in woman’s hands. Not for one
moment do I believe that womankind has,
as yet, cleared and poised her mental vision
and strength, so as to comprehend even to
the ﬁrst degree, the subtle and direct in-
ﬂuence she may hold over man. May the
day hasten when she more fully under-
stands a purer womanhood. Truly, “there
is nothing noble in servility” and inas-
much as the maiden ﬁrst begins to yield her
proper sense of right and reﬁnement to the
young man who smokes, drinks and swag-
gers in her presence, because it is custom,
places the ﬁrst link of bondage in the
hands of him who does so; and the long list

 

of selﬁsh gratiﬁcations and desires may
follow, in after years, should he become her
husband. Mothers should instruct their
daughters to honor the right, and dare to do
right; then they may hold the sceptre to
sway in the Sphere of true womanliness.

I conscientiously aver, that if woman,
true to herself, allows man to understand,
for a certainty, from the period of a ﬁrst
acquaintance with him, that she demands
the same retinue Of moral practices and
virtues he expects of her, and continues this
throughout all after associations, the road
to success is fairly opened for her, and
time will prove it so, and crown her efforts,
if they be not wasted upon material so
combined as to bury every spark of man-
hood. Such natures have no attraction for
true women. When at the altar’s shrine,
if he be her “heart’s desire,” and “by
and by” he is not as “brave,” and
“noble,” nor as “beautiful” and “strong,”
nor “as good,” or in any sense as lovable,
because he has developed moral cowardice,
etc, then she has married blindly. Having
previous to marriage enlightened your liege
companion—as every woman should do—
that your requirements of him are the same
as his upon you, when “moral cowardice”
ﬁrst crops crops out, treat him as rigidly
and earnestly as you would expect him to
treat you—women are not half in earnest
about their husbands’ indulgences—and the
restriction will stay the tendency toward
wrong, if ever. Put not off the day of re-
straint, hoping for better things, until all
the moral cowardice” he dares to practice,
brings you so low in the scale of being you
scarcely recognize in the wasted form, the
paralyzed will and deplorable conditions,
the one who stood at the marriage shrine
with her “heart’s desire.” Being dragged
to the level Of degradation, by and for man,

never yet touched a chord Of sympathy for
woman, or awakened a better resolve in his
nature, but through respect for herself and
right and justice, if redemption is to be
found in man he will restore his balance,
and thank woman for it if she practices a

wise course in virtue. MERCY.
Mnnxom.
——-—¢oo—-——
A CORRESPONDENT says: "We were

told the HOUSEHOLD could have but one
“ Mother;’ what has become of her?” The
Editor echoes the inquiry; we have also a
Grandmother, several Aunts, and a Cousin,
belonging to the HOUSEHOLD family, who
should let their “affectionate relatives”
hear from them more frequently.

 

THE HOUSEHOLD this week has an entire

new “ dress ” of type. Neat as a new dress
only can he, isn’t it?

 

A PLEA FOR AFTERNOON VISITS.

 

In Beatrix’s article on “Invitations” she .

says: “I am inclined to take it as a favor-
able symptom Of the advancement of we.
men that the call and formal invitation are
replacing the old take-your-knitting—work-
and-spend-the—afterncon visit.” Perhaps I
am blind to the advancement of women,
but I plead guilty to liking the old-fashion-
ed visit. I enjoy calls when I can spend
the time, and many times they are more
opportrme and acceptable than a visit would
be. If I lived in town I would sru‘ely he in
favor Of general calling, for there one can
make a goodly number of calls in an after-
noon, as the ladies generally walk or take
a car, and the houses are closer together
compared with those in the country; neither
would I think frequent visits best or proﬁt—
able among mere calling acquaintances, but
in the country we have neighbors whom we
consider more than acquaintances; we re—-
gard them as friends, and a formal call
from them is very unsatisfactory, to me at
least. If we attempt to make calls the un-
dertaking seems quite formidable, as the
homes are frequently half a mile or more
apart, and think of
dozen calls in an afternoon, unless
one can have a horse, which perhaps you
can have and perhaps not. ond even if you
can it is quite a trouble to get out and hitch
so many times. Many times we have an
afternoon that we have some light work to
do by hand, knitting if you please, and we
can take it and walk half a mile and spend
a pleasant afternoon with a friend; our
work goes on, and we feel we have had an'
afternoon with a pleasant companion, and I
do not hear “hurtful gossip” when I visit
with friends. Do we not gossip? Yes, if
talking about our mutual friends and speak-
ing of their good qualities or pleasant ways
is gossip. Om' HOUSEHOLD members are
frequently the theme of conversation, and I
ﬁnd many are curious as well as Bess, for
the FARMER is generally taken in our
neighborhood, and the ladies are much in-i
terested in the HOUSEHOLD. I have been a
HOUSEHOLD member for some time-and is
it a wonder I like to hear the members
spoken of admiringly? I wish I might tell

some of the pleasant things the ladies say,

but they would be quite personal, and I see
Beatrix pointing her ﬁnger to stop.

I know that the custom of visiting with-
out fomial invitation is being abandoned,
and I am truly sorry, for there are so many
times I would be glad to have friends come
in unexpectedly and spend the day or after-
noon, as then they expect tO take things as

making half a‘

  
   
  
 
  
    
   
   
   
 
   
 
   
 
  
   
  
  
 
   
  
  
   
  
   
 
 
 
 
  
    
 
    
  
   
 
   
   
   
  
    
 
    
 
    
   
  
 
   
   
    
   
     
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
   
    
 
   
  
  
  
  
    

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HE HOUSIN—IOLI).

 

they ﬁnd them, and I think they want to
see me, and I can keep at my work; but ifa
caller, the work must be laid aside until their
departure, and if three or four callers come
during the afternoon the work is unﬁnished
and perhaps it is necessary that it should be
ﬁnished that day, in which case it will have
to be done at night, when no man should
work, or woman either.
OLD SCHOOL TEACHER.
TEcunsnn.

?ASHIONS FOR THE BABIES.

 

The mothers who have babies to dress are
always on the qua? vice for new ideas in
dressing them, for there are fashions which
are quite arbitrary among these diminutives.
For the babe yet in long clothes the pretty
dresses displayed in our furnishing store
windows are principally of ﬁne French nain-
sook and lawn, a heavier quality being
chosen for every-day wear. These dresses
are now almost invariably made with high
yokes, long sleeves, and a skirt which
should be a yard and an eighth long when
ﬁnished. A beautiful dress had a yoke
made of lengthwise rows of ﬁne embroidered
insertion, alternating with puffs of nainsook.
There were three rows of the insertion
around the skirt, with clusters of very nar-
row tucks between, and an embroidered
ﬂounce. Lace insertion and ﬂouncing may
be used instead of embroidery. A pretty
but more laborious manner of ﬁnishing is to
make the ﬂounce of rows of tucks and in-
sertion, edged with a narrow lace or em-
broidery. The skirt to be worn under this
dress must be of nearly equal length, and
ﬁnished with a similar ﬂounce. The plainer
dresses are very neat when the tucks are
hem-stitched, with rows of feather-stitching
between them. The yoke is made of hem-
stitched tucks, each afourth of an inch wide,
with a row of feather-stitching between
each. The frills at the neck and sleeves are
hem-stitched. The skirt has a four-inch
hem, with four clusters of hem-stitched tucks
with feather-stitching between them. This
feather-stitching is a very eifective decora-
tion, wears and washes well and is very
rapidly done.

Cotton cordurette, which resembles the
corduroy so long in vogue, but can be wash-
ed as easily as pique, is a favorite material
for infants’ cloaks. It is made up in
M“ther Hubbard style, yoke plain, sleeves
fu , and skirt short enough to show the ﬁn-
isl of the dress beneath it. A round collar
de p enough to cover the yoke is added.
Tl 9 sleeves are ﬁnished at the bottom by a
fri lmade by running a casing for a draw-
ing-string of white ribbon, which is tied at
the wrist in a bow.

The ﬁrst short dresses are like those
described above for infants, except that
they are shortened to reach the ankles. At
a year and a half belts are worn: the yoke
should be very deep, making the waist a
mere puff between it and the belt. Some Of
our Detroit ladies are making very short
waisted, long skirted dresses for the two
and three year old girls, some of which are
of colored goods, and which give a very
quaint appearance, especially when a close
cap or Normandy bonnet is added. Some
small girls seem quite eclipsed by the very
large hats they wear; these are of leghorn,

with very wide brims turned up at one side,
and square crowns; they are trimmed with
white ribbons or soft china crape scarfs,
with ostrich tips, and are too expensive
to be very common. The newest caps for
the babies have bands of insertion alternat-
ing with rows of tucks, running from the
crown to the front, which is ﬁnished with a.
full ruche of lace. Others have rows of
tucks and feather-stitching passing round
the head. The strings are of the French
muslin of which the caps are made.

Afghans for summer use on the cradle or
carriage are of white canvas or scrim over
blue pink or white satteen or surah, and
are edged with wide lace. The scrim is
ornamented with feather-stitching in colors,
or threads are pulled and narrow ribbons run
through the meshes. Some, have a wide
stripe of lace down the centre, with a row
of wide ribbon on each side.

Flannel wrappers are made very hand-
some with feather-stitching on collar,
sleeves and down the fronts. Daisies em-
broidered between the lines in front would
make a wrapper of ﬁne twilled ﬂannel
handsome enough for a cloak.

__...__

STILL UNCHASTISED.

 

I am sorry the task of correcting Beatrix
seems always to fall upon me. I have a
heresy of her’s concerning patchwork quilts
laid away in my memory, and since her
ideas of home-made rugs need revising, I
will attempt both at once. There is the
same fascination in piecing quilts that there
is in any fancy work. I found that out in
the war times when prints (in the summer
of 1864) were ﬁfty cents per yard; then
piecing both sides of a comfortable meant a
saving of $7 or 38. Patchwork saves the
old grandmother, with failing eyesight
and trembling hands, from thinking
she is no longer useful, for it is genuine
creative work, making something out of
nothing. Of course no busy woman to
Whom the days are all too short for all that
must be done is going to undertake it, for
the house-mother who is lacking in good
common sense is a rarity; I never knew
one. In fact, the brightness of intel-
lect and kindness of heart we ﬁnd in almost
all women is continually a surprise to me,
for their circumstances generally do not
tend to deveIOp either. But still they could
be improved in the direction of never
speaking slightingly of each other. There is
very little of that in this HOUSEHOLD,
whether due to judicious editing or the real
kindly tie that exists between our members;
I prefer to think the latter. The advice to
women to read more so as to be able to con-
verse intelligently with their husbands, has
ceased to make me sick at my stomach. I
rather expect an insult in every newspaperI
pick up, but I do hOpe to never again see
the advice to women to culture themselves
clear up to the level of their husbands, from
a feminine pen.

Speaking of the war times, how oddly we
used to dress in those days. Immense
hoops, full skirts, Garibaldi waists and
Zouave jackets. Then the ﬁrst bonnet
without a cape regularly gathered or pleated
on the back was made, and was a startling

 

innovation.

[II have a neighbor, one of the very neatest
of housekeepers, who because a tin wash-
basin is a convenient size and shape for
stirring cake in, bought one and uses it for
that purpose. Occasionally a baked pudding
is placed upon the dinner table in the same
wash-basin. Isn’t there something about
avoiding the appearance of evil? But I have
used my space in talking of my neighbor,
so that Beatrix must go uncorrected and un-
enlightened concerning home-made rugs.
until a more convenient season.
HULDAH PERKINS.

——-——ooo———— '

THE WEBSTER FARMERS' CLUB-

PIONEER.

 

In the HOUSEHOLD of June 29th the Ed-
itor expresses a wish to know something of
the organization, programme of exercises,
etc., of the Webster Farmers’ Club.

I will endeavor to give such information
as I am able; if it will beneﬁt any who may
wish to organize a similar society I shall
feel amply repaid for doing so. That our
Club “ranks with the best of its kind in
the State,” we feel to be highly complimen-
tary, coming from the source it does, it be-
ing only in its infancy as yet.

In January, 1885, some of the farmers of
this township and their wives woke up to
the advisability of getting acquainted with
their neighbors, and their different methods
of farming, doing housework, raising flow-
ers, etc.

They appointed a meeting which was at-
tended by a dozen or ﬁfteen, when they
elected ofﬁcers to act until they or others
were elected formally; also committees, of
which there are quite a number, essayists,
time and place of next meeting, and such
other business as was thought of at the
time.

The committee on permanent organiza-
tion, rules and by-laws, was able to report
at the next meeting, and so get things into
working order.

As the Club was not organized under
State law there has been no printed report
of the organization. I will say, however,
that the ofﬁcers consist of president, two
vice-presidents, recording secretary, corres-
ponding secretary and treasurer, elected an
nually.

A meeting is held each month in the year,
excepting July and August, at the homes of
the members, by invitation. A committee
of ladies is appointed at each meeting to
furnish refreshments. Our programme
varies somewhat from time to time; it usu.
ally consists of a business meeting, which
familiarizes the members with parliamentary
rules,‘ (if they are used) one or two essays,
select readings, discussion of questions pro.
posed by the chairman of the committee on
topics, music, etc. There is plenty of time
for social intercourse, there being about two
hours’ recess in the middle of the day. The
hour of meeting is ten o’clock A. LL, and
we Spend the day.

There is a committee on farms, whose
business it is to look over the farm buildings,
stock, and various other things, and report
at the following meeting; and this we think
a very good thing, as it is quite sure to pro-
duce improvement in the general appear-
ance of the surroundings. The owner of

 

the premises wishes to hear as good a report

a.
‘._

 

 

. - , ,. v. M. gyr‘ﬁliﬁ‘ﬁﬁ‘;7¢r’rﬁ 7911'» .- v'“

H . A A


 

 

    
 

     
 

    

  
     

 

 

of his farm as his neighbor gets, I think it
is generally admitted that the members of
the society have been greatly beneﬁted by
the organization, and work for its continu-
ance. It is well in organizing a club, we
think, to elect ofﬁcers who will attend
strictly to their business, and work for the
success of the society.

As Natural History divides animals into
classes, a farmers’ club might come under
division ﬁrst, or vertebrata, having a verte«
brated backbone. If it lacks this essential
part, it will not long retain its equilibrium.

If a copy of the constitution and by-laws of
this Club would be of any use to any person
or persons, I think the Club would furnish
such copies gladly on application.

A MEMBER.

WEBerR. __.”____

CANNED CORN.

 

Ho! ye corn-canners, I am going right
straight to the point of that corn-canning.
If possible have your corn gathered on the
morning of the day you intend to can; it is
much sweeter. One bushel basket heaped
and husked will ﬁll about seven quart cans.
Husk and silk all before commencing to cut
oﬁ. Have good sharp knives, and out ﬁne,
Cut all off before you commence to can.
See that all the cans are perfect, good rub-
bers being absolutely necessary. Now set
your clean can into a clean vessel so that
what runs over can be saved; put in about
two cupfuls, then commence to press down
and continue to add and press to the very
top. I use an old-fashioned rolling-pin, the
top of a potato-masher, if ﬂat, would do;
press down until the milk runs out, and un-
til you can see no bubbles or air-holes
through the glass; press until you are quite
tired, but knowing that unless youdo this
part thoroughly it will not keep. Round up
the top and screw on the cover as tight as
you can with your hands. When they are
all ﬁlled put a thick cover of corn-husks on
the bottom of your boiler, put in the cans,
more husks and more cans until all are in.
I put sixteen cans in my boiler at once; it
is a large one, though; and in any shape but
with the top down. Now ﬁll with cold wa-
ter, and after they commence to boil, boil
slowly and steadily three hours. Take out
while hot and screw up the covers with a
wrench. Next morning move if possible,
putting them in‘ a clean dry box, and cover
to exclude the light. I keep mine in the
coolest and darkest place in our cellar. I
have canned corn in this way six years with
success.

I do not agree with Bess that the water
in which it is boiled does not hurt the corn
if a little boils in. Every can that I ﬁnd
“smelling” I attribute to the water boiling
in. We found but one can spoiled last sea-
son. With my daughter’s help we put up
the sixteen cans last year, and had a seam-
stress in the house who demanded some of
our time. I even had to go with my hus-
fband to help gather the corn.

Now, dear HOUSEHOLD reader, this is
'nothing but the truth, and if you follow out
this, as I hope you understand it, you will

feel fully paid. And before it is time to
commence using your corn, I'hope I may
ﬁnd time to tell you some of our ways of
cooking it. MINERVA.

CANNING RED RASPBERRIES.

 

I appreciate and value the HOUSEHOLD
very much, and have often wished I could
write somethingto help ﬁll that “aching
void” the editor complains of. But I al-
ways make such a blundering mess of it, if
I undertake to write anything in particular.
When L. C. told us that her red raspberries
would not keep well, I thought to myself,
now there is a chance for me to say some-
thing, as I know all about red raspberries,
having put them up with perfect success for
the last ten years. My method is to ﬁll the
cans as full of fresh berries as possible, put
on the covers without the rubbers and screw
down slightly, wrap the cans in a cloth,
being careful to have the bottoms well
covered. Invert a plate or pie tin in the
bottom of a kettle in which place the cans,
and ﬁll the kettle with water, the water
should come nearly to the top Of the cans;
heat slowly and let the cans remain ﬁfteen
minutes after the water commences to boil.
Then lift them out, remove covers quickly,
and ﬁll up the cans with boiling sugar
syrup; put on the rubbers and replace the
covers and screw down tightly. Great
care should be taken to fasten them very
tight. If the berries seem inclined to
separate from the juice and rise on top,
stand the cans upside down until cool.

I agree with L. C. that light will cause
fruit to fade, and therefore wrap the cans
in dark paper, and keep them in a dark
place.

If any of the HOUSEHOLD ladies have
had experience with the Woodbury can, I
would like to hear their opinion Of it, and
whether they consider it superior to the

 

Mason. AMELIA.
Vomxu. .
REPLIES.
L. 0., of Detroit, inquires for new

methods of canning red raspberries. I
think the “ active principle of fermen ,” of
which she complains, develops in the time
which must elapse between the picking
and the cooking. I have never found more
difﬁculty with this than with other fruit,
but I have always had it direct from the
plants. It is a soft, juicy fruit and quickly
ferments on exposure to air. I like L.
C.’s plan of making a hot sugar syrup in
which to put the fruit, but I rarely skim
out the fruit, as I like my canned fruit very
juicy, in fact consider the juice the best
part of it. I cook my canned fruit con-
siderably more than some do, and think it
an improvement.

I entirely agree with “Old School
Teacher” that it is a “ ridiculous custom ”
to carry away more than one can eat at a
wedding repast. But while the dear girls
are taught that marriage is the aim of a
woman’s existence, surely their innocent
desire to dream of the “coming man” must
be catered to, even if an extra tax is im-
posed on the lucky maid (or her mamma,)
who has gained the coveted position of
marriage. So let those who are preparing
to enter the holy bonds of matrimony re-
member their former desires, and bake an
extra cake or two for their less fortunate
and yet anxious companions. If the bride

 

“ RURAL VALLEY."

isting necessity, and prepare beforehand.
they may limit the quantity and yet give
full and unbounded satisfaction. But don’t

shut down on the custom entirely.
L. L.
IEOLEerE.
9*—

ANSWER TO INQUIRY.

 

The black millers, which trouble B083
and the rest of the human race, are nothing
more or less than butterﬂies. They belong
to that vast race of insects called hexapoda,
under the sub-order of lepidoptera. The
name is derived from the Greek lepis. a
scale, and pteron, a wing.

The lepidoptera have a tongue consisting
of two grooved threads placed side by side,
so that the grooved sides come together,
adapting it for sucking purposes. When
not in use this tongue is rolled up like a
watch spring, beneath the head, and more
or less concealed by an organ called a pal'
pus. The legs are six in number, but the
forward pair is short, and sometimes rudi—
mentary or wanting.

The lepidoptera include the butterﬂies
and moths. The former are readily dis—
tinguished by their knotted antenna: and
size. The moths have variously formed,
but never knotted antennae. All the
lepidoptera undergo a complete metamor-
phosis in coming to maturity.

These millers are butterﬂies, not moths.
as sometimes supposed. They do not
possess the brilliant colors of the rest of the
order, partly because they are nocturnal in
their habits, but the leading characteristics
are the same in all cases. KATE.

BATTLE CREEK.

.—‘..>__

ANOTHER YOUNG CONTRIBUTOR.

 

As there are already two thirteen-year-old
contributors to the HOUSEHOLD, I thought
I would put in my mite, as I belong to that
class.

It is vacation now, and I have plenty of
time for writing and practicing on the piano,
and helping about the housework.

I like to go to school, but in warm weather
it is tiresome to walk so far, (for I have a
mile to go) and I enjoy a rest.

How sorry I feel for Temperance! I don’t
know what I should do if I could not romp
around.~ I wish I lived near her; I would
take her out riding, for we have a gentle
horse that I can ride, or drive.

I am a great girl for pets. I have a lamb,
a bird, a kitten, and about sixty chickens.
A few days ago thirteen were hatched outof
a setting of twenty eggs. Thinking the
rest of the eggs might hatch, I put the
chickens in a box to wait till their mother
came off the nest; but they made such a
fuss I had to hunt up a mother, or rather a
substitute for one. At last, I found an old
felt hat with a hole in the top. I put this
over them, and I actually believe they
thought it was their own mother. .

I should like to make 'Violet’s acquain—
tance, as I sometimes visit Okemos.

GEORGIA.

Mum.
———ooo——-——-

UPON Opening a HOUSEHOLD letter the
other day, the picture of a sweet-faced lady
dropped out, our latest addition to the
HOUSEHOLD collection. We return thanks

 

or her mamma will just recognize the ex-

   

to Mrs. R. D. P., of Brooklyn.

  

 

 

 

 

 

  
 
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
   
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
  
  
    
   
   
   
   
  
  
  
  
   
  
 
  
 
  
  
   
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
   
   
   
  
   

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SCRAPS.

 

" DEPOT,” with the e long as in even;
“depot,” with the e short as in elf;
"’ depot,” as if spelled " daypo,”
“ or deppo,” which is the proper
pronounciation? Opinions differ, and
who shall decide when those disagree
who are well versed in what may be called
the "eccentricities of language?” I will
tell you a neat and easy way of getting out
of the difﬁculty, and yet being more correct
than those who use the disputed word.
Do not say depot at all. It is a French
word, meaning storehouse, or building for
the storing of baggage, and \is not correctly
applied to that built for the convenience of
passengers. The correct term is station,
referring to the building we usually call
“ the depot.”

 

I HEARD the other day of a lady who
termed an acquaintance “ an ill-bred
woman” because while being taken through
the speaker‘s garden, she gathered several
ﬂowers without permission. I am inclined
to believe the term was not undeserved, be-
cause people of good breeding are ever
mindful of the rights of others, even in
very small matters, and careful never to in-
fringe upon them. This “ ill-bred woman”
would not, have stepped up to her friend’s
tea-table and taken a biscuit or piece of
cake, because it “looked good” yet she did
not scruple to appropriate what her hostess
prized far more highly, because “ so‘ sweet
and beautiful.” The rights of property in
ﬂowers are quite too much disregarded by
the majority of people. They think it is
“only a ﬂower,” not reﬂecting that care
and culture and inﬁnite painstaking wait
upon its successful'growth, and that people
in general are not sufﬁciently public-
spirited to grow ﬂowers to give their acquain-
tances the pleasure of picking them. I was
present at a little gathering not long since
where a lady told of a visit she had lately
paid to one of our city greenhouses. She
said: “He”-——referring to the owner—“is
a stingy old thing, and I just made up my
mind I’d have some of those ﬂowers in Spite
of him. So while the rest were on ahead I
dawdled behind, and whenever I got a
chance I’d snap one off and slip it in my
bag, and when we had made the rounds, Ihad
enough for a nice bouquet, if you’ll believe
me, so I divided with the others and we had
great frm over the way we outwitted old
‘ Cross-patch.’ ” I confess I was surprised
and shocked at this boasting confession of
violation of the eighth commandment, from
the lips of a woman of education, culture,
and—I had heretofore supposed—good
breeding; withal a church member. These
ﬂowers were raised for commercial pur-
poses; the fair thief—that sounds harsh,
does it not?—-might as well have ﬁlled her-
shopping bag with oranges from a fruit store,
or lace or gloves from a dry-goods house, as
to have helped herself to probably a dollar’s
worth of choice ﬂowers from a ﬂorist’s. Yet
she would have been shocked at the
thought of taking any such thing, and
called the act by its proper name. In our
city cemeteries stringent rules relative to
the gathering of ﬂowers from the graves,
and from the shrubs planted in the genera]

 

plan of adornment are necessary to keep
people from denuding them. In rural
cemeteries. where the rules are less sternly
enforced, plants are often carried off
bodily, as also the cut ﬂowers laid upon the
little hillocks that mark the resting place of
the beloved dead. All this goes to show
that we need to be better educated in re—
gard to the value of ﬂowers, both monetary
and sentimental, and also in regard to the
rights of others in their possession. Make
it a rule never to lay hands upon a blossom
belonging to another without express per—
mission, and you will avoid the epithet ap-
plied above to the unthoughtful woman.

 

WHEN “Old School-Teacher” names as
a “ ridiculous custom” the fashion of
taking home pieces of cake from the wed-
ding feast “to dream over,” she aims
a blow at the stability of one of our
purely “ American institutions.” Did she
never in her girlhood, may I ask, tuck a
morsel of indigestible fruit cake under her
pillow to ensure visions of “the coming
man,” and retire to dream persistently of a
one-eyed individual with a green wig and a
cork leg? Having enjoyed all this hap-
piness in her youth, is she selﬁshly un-
willing that the rising generation should
participate iu the same pleasures, know
the same thrilling delights? Is she one of
the iconoclasts who would do away with
all the old and charming superstitions of
the past, such as throwing a pinch of salt
in the ﬁre if you chance to Spill the ,con—
tents of the salt-cellar, sitting down if you
are forced 'to go back for something for-
gotten, and implicit reliance on the “com-
ing true ” of your dreams in a strange
house? But, jesting aside, I think I can
match her “ridiculous custom” with an-
other, equally as silly, and that is the un-
written law which exacts a gift as an
equivalent for an invitation to a wedding.
“ Requests your presence,” in an invita-
tion of that character has been wittily
paraphrased into “ requests your presents.”
The custom, were it not made obligatory, is
all well enough so far as the immediate re-
latives of the bride are concerned. But I
have known some “ big weddings ” made,
to which wealthy people were invited in
the expectation that they would make
handsome presents; and I have known
some of these “great expectations” woe-
fully disappointed. Everybody was ex-
pected to bring a gift of some kind, and
the knowledge that these would be dis-
played, properly ticketed .with the donor’s
name, led to much social rivalry both in the
givers and the recipients, and to not a lit-
tle hard feeling and jealousy in many in-
stances. Knowing their gifts would be
criticized and compared while an evidence,
many gave beyond their means; and in a
wide acquaintanceship the constant calls
often became a heavy drain upon anything
less than the purse of Fortunatas. It once
required a good deal of moral courage to
attend a wedding without laying an offer-
ing at the shrine of the fair bride; one was
quite certain to be dubbed “stingy old
thing” in the privacy of the family in con-
clave assembled. I am happy to say that
the practice is falling into disuse. Many
of our best people are putting the words

 

“ no presents ” on not only wedding cards,
but also on invitations to those anniversaries
known as wooden, tin, etc., weddings.
Very rarely are the presents at weddings
on exhibition, unless to a few of the
family relatives. and this of itself has done
much to check the ostentatious giving with
the intent to outshine some one else. It is
a custom “more honored in the breach than
the observance,” for presents extorted by
custom, made because they are expected, or
prompted by anything but love and affec-
tion, are forced contributions, not gifts.
BEATRIX.

—-oo*———

A CORRESPONDENT at Bellevue asks
whether the HOUSEHOLD Editor endorses
all that appears in the HOUSEHOLD
columns, the idea evidently being to ascer-
tain whether any article advocating dif-
ferent theories than those held by the
Editor, would be published. Well now,
what a question? and from one who says
she has read the HOUSEHOLD “ with great
interest and proﬁt since its inception!” It
would be a very dull department indeed did
all its members think exactly alike, or if
the Editor published only the echoes of her
own opinions. No indeed, J. B., the ut-
most liberty is allowed in the expression
of individual opinion, the only limit being
courtesy toward those holding a contrary
view, and this has, so far, always been
manifested. That would be a remarkable
occupant of the editorial chair who would
insist everybody’s opinionmust be an echo

of her own.
——oo.———-—

To KNIT the heel of a stocking double,
when the heel is set, widen two stitches,
when you commence to knit, slip off the
ﬁrst stitch, knit the next, slip off the next,
and so on all the way across. In knitting
back, knit all the stitches, then repeat the
former operation until the heel is ﬁnished.
This makes a good heel and will last twice
as long as one knit in the usual way.

.—_..._.__

Useful Recipes.
5

 

GREEN GOOSEBERRY J Ara—Having removed
stalks and tops weigh the fruit and mash it
slightly; boil six or seven minutes, stirring
it well; then add two pounds and a half of
sugar to every three pounds of fruit, and boil
rapidly three-quarters of an hour. Stir con-
stantly while boiling and skim carefully.

 

RASPBERRY VINEGAm—TWO tablespoonfuls
of raspberry vinegar stirred into a glass of ice
water make a delicious and cooling drink for
a hot day. Put red or black raspberries into
a stone jar and cover with strong vinegar.
Let them stand one week: then strain, prese-
ing out all the juice from the berries. Add a.
pound and a. half of lump or granulated sugar
to every pint of liquid and boil until the sugar
is dissolved, skimming 011’ all the scum. When
it is cool bottle and cork it tight.

 

To PRESERVE STRING BEANS.—The follow-
ing is a simple method of preserving string-
beans, recommended by an exchange: Fill
a jar with alternate layers of beans and salt
and place a board and weight over them to-
prevent the beans ﬂoating on top of the brine.
When wanted for use wash them and soak in
cold water over night; then after cutting

them up let them stand an hour or two in.

cold water before boiling.

year,

