
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DETROIT, J‘U'NIEI 22.

1889.

 

 

THE HOUSEHOLD-"Supplement.

 

 

“IF I COULD SEE HIM AGAIN.”

 

If I could see him again,
If I could hear him say,
Merry and kind as he used to do,
“ Well, little wife, what has come to you
All through the busy day,
While I have been away ?”

Often then I was cross;
Often I used to reply,
" What comes to a woman everywhere?
Washing, and baking, and household care;
I declare it makes me cry
To think how my days go by I"

Then he would kiss me again,

Try to be still more kind;
Tenderly say, “ My poor little wife!
Would I could give you an easier life :"

How could I be so unkind?

Oh, how could I be so blind":

God took him away one day,
Took him away from me;
Now, thoughI labor the whole day through,
Nobody asks: “ What has come to you?"
Nobody pities or shares
The weight of my household cares.

Oh, yes, I have children, too;
A mother cannot complain;

But never a son or a daughter’s grace
Gan ﬁll the void of their father’s place.
A mother cannot complain;

But, oh, for my husband again!

If I had only known
That I should ever ﬁnd
It was an angel love that for years
Worked for me, cared for me, dried my tears,
I had been far more kind;
But, oh, I was blind! so blind!
~Lillie E. Barr, m Ledger.

_——_——Q..-—————

THE ETIQUETTE 0F CALLS.

 

A valued correspondent asks some infor-
mation upon the above subject, which she
further qualiﬁes by the adjective “fashion-
able.” 1 may as well confess at the outset
that I know little about this topic by experi-
ence. Life is too short, its days too full of
duties to permit me to go into society in a
pasteboard way. But I do not know that
the etiquette of a fashionable call differs
much, except in the matter of. more formali-
ty, reserve and dignity of manner, from any
call upon those with whom we are not inti-
mately acquainted.

Mrs. Sherwood calls the card the “paste-
board protocol” of society; therefore our
ﬁrst care must be to provne suitable cards
for the neat little Russia or alligator leather,
or silver or pearl card-case. The plainer the
card the better. The plain, white, oblong
card, perhaps one and a half by two inches,
is always in good taste. Avoid “fancy”
cards of every description; they are not tol-
erated in society. The name should not be

 

printed in text, but either written by hand
or engraved in ﬁne script. These are im-
portant points, although we may think them
immaterial; there are a thousand gossamer
threads, separating what is and is not
“ proper,” we all know.

We will suppose the caller arrayed in her
best gown and Sunday bonnet, out making
her rounds, generally with a friend for com-
panionship’s sake. Ladies who have many
calls to make often hire a coupe by the hour.
and thus expedite matters, for few calls are
made before four o’clock or after half-past
ﬁve. and if time is an object it is really an
economy.

Madame is supposed to be in her parlors,
ready to receive visitors, if it is her “ day.”
The caller gives her name to the servant
who opens the door, who mentions it to her
mistress as she ushers her guest into the
room. Brevity characterizes the fashion-
able call, and having exchanged a few com-
mon-places, it is time to take leave. In the
hall will be found a tray or salver, and upon
this the caller leaves her card, either on entry
or departure, to remind her hostess that she
has been “ on evidence.” If calls are made
at another time than the regular reception
day, and " not at home” greets our inquiry,
cards are handed to the servant who opens
the door. It is proper for a married lady to
leave her husband’s card with her own. even
if he does not accompany her: she repre-
sents him.

It is not correct to hand one’s own card
to the hostess, or in fact, to any one. To
do so savers too much of the methods of the
commercial man " representing the house of
So-and-So.” Pronounce your own name
distinctly, by way of introduction, if recog-
nition is not instant.

It is not proper to call on a friend who is
visiting a lady who is a stranger to you,
without asking for her hostess, and a card
should be left for both. And if you call,
and ﬁnd your friend out, leave a card for
her, and one for the lady of the house.

If you are visiting in a town where you
have acquaintances, send your card with the
address at which you may be found, by post,
to those whom you wish to have call on you.

The question is sometimes asked if it is
not a slight to leave cards instead of calling
in person, when the lady of the house is at
home. No; for one may have engagements
to meet, or there may be other reasons why
she cannot Spare the time. But, in case the
lady herself should open the door, it would
be awkward not to pay a brief call. But
then— fashionable ladies never do open
their own doors to admit callers.

It is wel to remember that a ﬁrst call

 

should be returned in person, and that its
etiquette should govern that of the return.
After a dinner-party, a call in person is
obligatory. After any other entertainment,
except a tea, cards are sent or left. At the
tea the guests leave their cards as they enter
or depart, and do not send or call after.
Whether I have or have not satisﬁed our
correspondent on the etiquette of calls I can
not tell, but if not, if she will kindly specify
on what points she desires further informa-
tion, I will do my best to respond.
BEATRIX.

”.49....—

SORROWS.

 

To one who gazes on the ocean for the
ﬁrst time, lying placid and quiet in the sun’s
rays, its surface sparkling like myriads of
diamonds, just the least possible ripple, so
far as the eye can reach sky and water
meeting, the broad expanse, heavenly blue,
bending to the immensity of water, there
are no words to express the wonderment,
the vastness, the sublimity of it. And the
wish rises that life might always be like the
scene before us—placid, even, perfect. But
as we think it over, how cruel the ocean is!
aiips, freighted with human souls, start
from her harbors; flags are ﬂying, music ﬁlls
the air; hearts beat with pride; good wishes
are showered upon them. farewells are said,
friends part to meet soon, and the vessel
sails away over the waters. Perhaps not
many days from shore fearful storms arise;
high winds send the boat now on a huge
breaker, now completely out of sight as a
wave breaks over her. Of no avail are
prayers, life-boat or preservers. Every pas-
senger sinks under the waves—“ a hundred
fathoms deep.” No need of requiem; no
shroud or winding sheet. And on the mor-
row the beautiful, cruel waters smile at the
skies and sparkle in the sunbeams. with no
trace of yesterday’s storm. Old Ocean holds
her secrets, fast hidden in her caves, lying
in her valleys, buried among her wealth,
over which living animals roam, never to be
known until the sea gives up her dead and
all things shall be known.

We look on some faces, they are bright
with smiles; the voice utters pleasant words;
the life is an active one, a useful one. It
may be one who labors in the Master’s ﬁelds,
lifting up earth’s fallen ones, speaking .
words of cheer or comfort to discouraged
souls. It may be a home and loved ones
claim the time and attention. I hardly
think it matters in the Father’s eye where
we labor or what we do, if we but do as well

as we can. If we want a ﬁeld of labor we
can ﬁnd it anywhere. We look on this life

 


 

2 THE HOUSEHOLD.

 

and on that life, and wish that our lives
could be as fairand pleasant as those before
us. Have you ever stood by a rose bush and
admired the beauty of roses and inhaled
their fragrance? Every bud and blossom
seemed perfect in form and coloring. But
open one of the largest, most beautiful
roses, part the leaves, and down deep in
its centre you may ﬁnd an ugly worm eating
into it, destroying it surely, slowly. We
cannot judge of a person’s inner life; we
cannot look upon the heart. The smiling
face may typify a happy heart, a careless,
easy life, a heart that knows no sorrow or
ache; or it may be a mask that covers an
aimless life and blighted hopes. The merry
laugh and gay sally serve to drown the pain
that is ever gnawing at the heart. The area
may see, beyond our vision, a ghost at every
feat.

Sorrows! oh, they rankle in every breast;
they sit in every house; they wait like senti-
nels at our doors; they come to us unbidden.
I have read that not even the faintest whis-
per of sound was ever lost; that somewhere
upon the eternal shores the acoustic waves
are ever breaking, never to sink in silence
while nature’s laws endure. If this be so,
what a record we are making! The sighs,
the moans, the words that fall so easily from
our lips, are gone beyond recall.

We do not always know who needs our
advice. Those whom we may consider
“ fallen ones” may be nearer Heaven than
we are. A noted divine says that to many a
body that is carried to the potter’s ﬁeld in a
pine box the chariots of Christ will come
down. In laboring for the so-cailed “ fallen
ones” I should not advise the squandering
of pen, ink, paper and time. There was
never a wanderer reclaimed simply by read-
ing of the prodigal son. When Jesus walked
among men He did not heal them by touch-
ing them with a ten-foot pole; He laid his
hands on them. We never can reclaim one
who has gone astray by talking about them
at sewing societies, or by writing to them
how they ought to do, and holding our skirts
aside when they are passing. We want to
labor for love—a love that prompts us to take
the grimy, dirty hand in ours, to bind up the
wounds and sores, to hold the cool drink to
parched and thirsty lips. Love, suchas One
better and purer than you or I, gives freely to
a sin burdened humanity. Love like this is
as rare as birds in midwinter. In getting
near to those who need help, who are grasp-
ing blindly after some good, I often think
we are nearer the heavenly Father; for isn’t
it a natural supposition that He is near those
who need Him? We are told that for every
thorn there is a garland of roses, for every
dark day there is a season of sunshine;
and for every groan there are a thousand
hymns of praise. It is apleasing assurance,
I am sure, and brings comfort even if it is

never fully realized. EVANGELINE.
Burns Cnnux.

 

A USEFUL Suesnsrron.—I want to tell
the Housnnonn readers that when making
pieplant or any very juicy pie, a narrow strip
of old cotton cloth—white—wet and placed
around the edge of the pie, will prevent the
juice from boiling over. After removing
from the oven strip off the cloth. Try it and
be convinced. An. W.

Omen.

 

CLOTHES FOR THE LITTLE PEOPLE.

 

The ﬁrst short dresses for the baby are
yoke slips of nainsook with high neck and
long sleeves, trimmed with tucks and
feather-stitching, or a narrow edge of em-
broidery. The yoke may be made a part of
the slip, by making lengthwise clusters of
tucks with feather-stitching between, or lay-
ing the fulness in four or ﬁve narrow box
pleats. The slip is made long enough to
reach the tops of the little shoes, and ﬁn-
ished with a hem three or four inches deep,
which is thought most elegantly ﬁnished it
it is hem-stitched. If separate yokes are
preferred they are made of tucks and inser-
tion of lace or embroidery, and sewed with
a cord to the full breadths of the skirt.

For the year old babies the same style pre-
vails, except the yoke is lengthened to form
a little round waist, only coming two or
three inches below the armholes. These
waists are tucked and feather-stitched after
the fashion of yokes. For girls two and
three years old the guimpe dresses are pre-
ferred, the dresses being cut with low necks
and worn over tucked guimpes, with a frill
of embroidery turned down round the neck,
and a belt of insertion. A sash of the ma-
terial of the dress, with hem-stitched ends,
is sometimes sewed in under the arms and
tied in a large bow behind. Colored ging-
hams and chamberys are made up in this
style to wear over guimpes of embroidery.

The baby boys’ dresses are made a little
different from the girls after they get to be a
year old. They wear dresses pleated from
neck to waist, but plain on the sides. The
front is cut off at the waist and tucked like
a shirt bosom; the skirt is gathered to this.
The back of the waist has a box pleat down
the middle. concealing the buttons, with
narrow side pleats on each side of it. (The
back is continuous from neck to foot.) A
separate belt is added, which however does
not extend across the front. The little
turned over collar is divided in the front
and narrows on the shoulders and it, the
cuffs and belt, are feather-stitched in red or
blue. Thick white goods are made up in
this fashion.

Boys of three and four years wear one
piece dresses in wool or gingham, with a
kilt and belt, and a waist laid in ﬁne tucks
in front and wide ones behind. Colored
kilt skirts are also worn with white blouses
with sailor collars. For boys of four and
six, there are Scotch ﬂannels made up in
kilt-skirts with zouave jackets over white
waists; or the sailor suits of blue ﬂannel,
which have kilt skirts and blouse waists

_with deep sailor collars trimmed with her-

cules braid.

Such a pretty, simple cloak, which any
woman could duplicate, was worn by a six
year old, fair-haired lassie. The outside
was of ﬁgured satteen, a pale blue with a deli-
cate vine pattern running over it, and lined
with plain pale pink satteen. There was a
perfectly plain round waist and semi-loose
sleeves. The full satteen skirt was kilted
to the waist, and a cape made by pleating a
straight piece of the material, lined, to ﬁt
about the neck and letting it shape itself to
the shouldm's. Large pearl buttons closed
the waist, which Opened in front. The sat-
teen being so soft, fell in very pretty. grace-

 

ful folds. With it was worn a wide-

brimmed black straw hat, trimmed with full '7

rosettes of half-inch feather-edged satin rib-
bon, in pink and blue, set on round the
crown, with one quite large one fastening
the brim back to the crown.

W

DIRECTIONS FOR COUCH COVER
AND BRACKET MATS.

 

Seine twine makes very pretty and ex-
tremely durable couch-covers, while carpet-
chain can be purchased in nearly as many
pretty colors as the seine twine, wears well
and is very cheap and answers every pur-
pose. Use a coarse steel hook. 1st row—
seven chain, unite; under this circle work
three dc, (one chain three dc) three times,
one chain, one single crochet on ﬁrst of the
dc. 2nd row—ﬁve ch, one dc, in next
one chain, ﬁve ch, one do in next one
chain, ﬁve ch, one do in same loop; repeat
again; then ﬁve ch, one dc on last of the dc
stitches; ﬁve chain, one dc in same loop.
3d row—* ﬁve dc under the next ﬁve, ﬁve
ch, one dc under ﬁve ch at the corner, ﬁve
ch, one dc under the same. 4th row—ﬁve
ch, one do under each ﬁve chain. making
ﬁve ch, one do under the same, ﬁve ch at
each corner, that is the same as the last
row; end with ﬁve ch, one dc under the
same, ﬁve ch at corner, *. 5th row—* three
ch, seven trebles under ﬁrst ﬁve chain, one
do under next, seven trebles under next,
three ch, one treble under ﬁve ch at corner,
three ch, one treble under same, repeat
from *, end after ﬁnishing the last corner.
6th row—four ch, 15 trebles, that is one

treble on each treble and dc, four ch, one

treble under three ch at corner, four ch, one
treble under the same; repeat; end after
last corner. 7th row—ﬁve ch, 15 trebles on
trebles, ﬁve ch, one treble at corner, ﬁve
ch, one treble under the same; repeat; after
ﬁnishing the last corner, make one ch. 8th
row—* six dc under ﬁve ch, 15 dc, on
trebles of previous row, six dc under ﬁve ch,
four dc, one ch, four more do under ﬁve ch
at corner; repeat from corner; at the end
fasten oﬁ. Make as many of these squares

as required and sew them together. Crochet

any pretty border. This can be easily
shaped to ﬁt the couch.

Another style may be made as follows:
Begin in center with 24 ch, join, and into
this work *, ﬁve trebles, ﬁve ch, one treble,
ﬁve ch, *, repeat three times from * to *,
work two more rows in same way, increas-
ing the number of loops of ﬁve oh by one in
each row, and working seven trebles in the
ﬁrst and nine trebley in the next row. In
the next row work the same number of

. trebles with loops of seven chain between

the groups. The little rings at the top of
each point are worked with the ﬁrst row of
double chain by simply working the ﬁrst
and last stitches together. The corners are
formed by making loops of one chain in
ﬁrst row and of three chains in second
row. The squares are to be united with
smaller ones made the same way. No border
is needed.

New and delicate toilet sets or mats for
brackets are made of all over ﬁgured lace,
placed o'ver any pretty colored silk or satin.
A lace edging to match, about two and a
halter threeinches wide, is failed around

 

 

 

 

.._.._.._.4mL-PII


w:

 

 

THE HOUSEI—IOLD. 3

 

the edge, and an inch wide ribbon is run
around the whole just above where lace is
whipped on, to cover the joining of lace.
Place a double bow of ribbon on lower
right hand corner. Ribbon and lining must
match. of course. Toilet sets are made of
ﬁsh net scrim in the same manner.

Durable little mats are made of peacock
blue felt. Cutout two circles for each mat,
ouea size smaller than the other. Cut the
edges in small scallops, or pink them with
apinking iron. Work tiny stars with old
gold embroidery silk in each scallop and
join them with long spiky stitches of silk.
Do this with both circles. Place the center
of small circle upon the center of larger one
and fasten them with a half dozen small
stars of silk, one in the center and ﬁve
around it, made by simply crossing long
stitches. _

For “Sweet Pea” lamp lighters, cut a
strip of white paper half an inch wide and
eight inches long; roll or twist in the usual
way—between the thumb and ﬁnger. Cut
two pieces of tissue paper, one red and one
white, in shape of a heart, but left half an
inch wide at the point. Crimp down the
center with a pin, paste or gum on the
lighter, ﬁrst the white, then the red one;
bend in shape. When ina vase they look
likea bouquet of sweet peas and are very
pretty. MILL MINNIE.

FOREST LEDGE.

—_...._——

HOW TO MAKE HOME PLEASANT
FOR THE CHILDREN.

 

[Paper read by Mrs. D. 0. Blair, before the Na-
poleon Farmers’ Club at its March meeting]

There are several essentials to a good and
happy home. Although wealth is a very
great convenience, it is not necessarily one
of these essentials, for in many an abode of
honest poverty, contentment dwells. Out of
such lowly cottages have sprung our great-
est, noblest men and women. The riches
of those humble dwellings were industrious
hands, contented hearts and grasping in-
tellects, perseveringly and industriously as-
cending the Hill of Science by the feeble,
ﬂickering light of the old time candle,
until its heights were gained and a nation
honored them. Our Lincoln, Grant and
Garﬁeld are recent illustrations of the in-
ﬂuence of this kind of a home.

A truly good home must be an attractive
spot intellectually, morally and socially.
If these are all in exercise, our children
will not ﬁnd inducements to call them away
into haunts of danger and sin. Inasmuch
as prevention is better than cure let us pro-
vide wholesome pleasures, thus preventing a
desire for vice. Foremost of all charms of
home I would mention music. Shakespeare
says:

“ The man that hath not music in himself,

And is not moved with concord of sweet

sounds,

Is ﬁt for treason, stratagems and spoils.
Let no such man be trusted.”

Many, if not all of us. have realized the
exhilarating, satisfying effects of singing in
the days of yore; and delight now to recall
those songs and the enthusiasm connected
with them. Let us cultivate singing in our
families, and also instrumental music, and
many wearisome as well as lonely hours will
be remedied. Father Matthew recognized
‘hecharms of music, and followed up his

 

temperance movement by establishing
musical clubs all over Ireland, feeling that
as he had taken the people’s whisky he
must give them some wholesome stimulus
in its stead. Evangelists consider music a
avery important factor in their work. and
invariably seek for a musician as a traveling
companion.

True courtesy and sincere politeness have
large place in a happy home, exhibiting
themselves in a disposition to contribute to
the happiness of others, and in refraining
from all that may annoy them. Politeness
is grateful, as well as kind, and readily
acknowledges kind actions in others.

Give the children encouragement. Honest
commendation gives them courage. Ben-
jamin West, the great artist, said, “ A kiss
from my mother made me a painter.”
When she looked on his ﬁrst boyish sketch
she praised it. Had she said “ Foolish boy,
don’t waste your time on such daubs,” she
would have quenched every spark of his
ambition, and probably turned the current
of his life into obscurity. There is many a
boy who has been spoiled by harsh dis-
couragement. Recently we read an ac-
count of a young girl, gifted with artistic
aspirations, who was discouraged and de-
feated by her injudicious mother, until the
artist soul in her was dead.

Instructive books are the best companions
for our children, and they easily form an
attachment for them. Their tastes should
be directed to make proper selections,
books of good character, not of the dime
novel description. Reading aloud by some
member of the family we regard as very
beneﬁcal. There are many harmless games
found in nearly every household now, en-
livening the long, dull evenings with
Sprightly and stimulating amusements.
Historical cards, Logomachy or war of words,
Lotto and Authors are insuuctive and
pleasantly exciting. Parents should play
with the children, sharing the joys and
pleasures together. Birds and ﬂowers add
much to the attraction of home, as well as
pictures on the walls.

Then too. methodical labor brings with it

pleasure and interest in the house; teaching

them there must be a place for everything
and everything in its place, ultimately gives
them a relish for being orderly, neat and
prompt in their work. Let us by all means
teach that labor is ennobling, and never at a
discount among sensible people anywhere,
and whatever they put their hands to, teach
them to do it well.

“ He that hath a trade, hath an estate,”
was the idea of an honored senator in a
neighboring county, and although in af-
ﬂuent circumstances, two of his daughters
became apprentices. Education is an estate
for our children, and if thoroughly wrought
into their minds, they are prepared for con-
tact with the world under any circumstances.
Addison says, “What sculpture is to a
block of marble, education is to a human
soul.”

 

AN INQUIRY.-—Will some one kindly
furnish me a recipe for lady ﬁngers? 1 en-
joy reading the HOUSEHOLD very much, es-
pecially the editorials on dishes, furniture,
etc. We have tried many of the recipes and
like them. v. B.

 

APPRECIATIVE WORDS.

 

I am a constant reader of the little paper
and prize it very highly. Among the many
papers and magazines which we read there
is none we take so much interest in as the
HOUSEHOLD. I have used a great many of
the recipes and have always been successful.
I do not remember to have seen one for lard
cookies. I have one which is very nice and
has been thoroughly tested. (See third col-
umn, fourth page—ED.)

In regard to liquid shoe polish, I would
say 1 have used that made by G. H. Wood
& 00., Boston, for about two years, and it
will not harm any leather.

1 like the correspondents of the HOUSE-
HOLD very much (though I am a stranger to
them); and I wish to thank Beatrix for aid-
ing us in regard to our wardrobes as well as
in many other directions. Her minute de-
scriptions of dresses, materials, making,
etc., are of far more value to me than the
fashion plates.

1 read Evangeline’s “ Week ” with great
interest, and it was a surprise to me that one
person could accomplish so much. Perhaps
she had just as soon tell us if every week is
as busy, or if this was an especial one. I
fully agree with Trixy that she has a hus-
band almost perfection, and should not be
at all surprised if some of the young ladies,
as well as married ones, got up a ﬂirtation
with him.

Well, I am so glad that some kind friend
is going to tell us about a “ Cloudy Week;”
it will be so great a contrast to Evangeline’s
“ Week.” Few of us know perfect bliss
here on the earth, and I think we can sym-
pathize with her. But I trust we may all
see more bright than dark days. VERA.

 

INFORMATION WAN I‘ED.

I have recently rendered a triﬂe of assist-
ance in taking care of a pair of twin infants
belonging to a neighbor; and as their only
food is taken from bottles. I found some
diﬁiculty in cleansing them and the small
tubes and sprayers attached. Besides, I fear
the help-lady did not feel over-burdened
with anxiety about the perfect sweetness of
those necessaries of life to the said twins.
I think Evangeline or some one who looks
into the practical methods of everything as
well as the beautiful things in life, could
give a hint on this subject, which is very im-
portant after all. I cleansed said articles
with baking soda as well as I could, and the
glass was clear. Is there not a way to treat
the tubes? Could not some of the mothers
who feed babies from bottles also state
whether sugar should be added to the milk,
or water to reduce the richness? Please
tell, it may beneﬁt someone else; besides,
I may feed the twins again. DILL.

FFNTON.

A lady who does her work with her brains,
says she recently had a pair of overalls to
wash which were so stiff with dirt that her
hands and wrists were too weak to make
any impression on them. So she laid them
on the washboard, soaped a part at a time,

'and took her scrubbing brush to them.

 


:2; Mm...” vagrant... . -

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5
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A. CLOUDY WEEK.

( Continued.)

Simon went to market this morning with
a load of wheat, and sold it for twenty-live
cents a. bushel less than he was offered last
fall. The ﬁelds look thin. and altogether,
we feel pretty poor. But I have set. my
stake at a sale carpet for the parlor. I’ve
never had anything but rag, but the warp
is so poor now they don’t wear long, and
I’m so tired of making them, and think the
sale is so much prettier anyhow, that I ﬁgur-
ed on raising a lot of turkeys, and by
squeezing a little out of my butter-money,
to have a new ingrain in time for Thanks-
givmg. I have thought t good deal about
how it would look, and how it would seem
to walk overa sale carpet of my own. I
had extra good luck with my earliest lot of
turkeys. I kept them in a dry yard the
most of the time, and there was no wet long
grass for them to run in. Wet feet and legs
are the worst thing for young turkeys—un-
less it is sulphur—but I’m getting ahead of
my story. There were twenty of them, about
half grown, when we found they were awful
lousy. Some one told us to grease them
under the wings and on the head with sul-
phur and lard. We did so last night, and this
morning, Phil brought them in in a bushel.
basket, all dead but two. I felt as if I had
no hearttogo on, but heart is not much
account in housekeeping, and the work had
to be done. I hung out the white clothes,
and washed the colored, and then, to have
the worst over ﬁrst, dampened the starched
clothes and ironed them after dinner. There
was a funeral last week at the Corners and
Simon was pan-bearer. so his white shirt
was in the wash. I always dread to do it
up, and to-day in tryingto ﬁnish up with too
not a ﬂat iron, I scorched the bosom a little,
and remembered that some one said to hang
it in the hot sun and it would draw it out. I
did so and the color was soon gone. I
thought I had just about time to ﬁnish Lou’s
dress before supper, and got along real well
till I found out the arm-hole was an inch or
more too big for the sleeve. As I could not
remember ever having seen a dress gathered
into a sleeve; I was puzzled for a time to
know what to do, but soon concluded to
taper all the seams and make aﬁt. This put
me back some, and just as I was hurry-
ing to catch up, in came Mrs. None.
I suppose she is a good woman; at least I

never knew any harm of her; but she is a-

little tedious to me for she is always talking
about her cooking. If she remembers any
great event of the world it is sure to be be-
cause it happened on the day she made cream
cake, or plum pudding, or something else,
after a certain recipe. I often think what a
good cook-book she would be if she could be
preserved. Two or three years ago, her hus-
band just sat back from the dinner table and
died in a minute, and she is never tired of
telling what a good dinner that was and how
thankful she is that he went to heaven on a
full stomach.

While I had been sewing the baby had
amused himself, and when Istopped to pick
up, such a looking room as that was! The
most discouraging part of my work is the
continual picking up. If it is done it doesn’t

 

'I‘HE HO’USEHOLD.

show. but if it islet alone for a single hour
it shows dreadfully. I stoop over so much
that 1 am afraid I shall have a rush of brain
to the head.

The children came from school as hungry
as wolves and just about as manneriy. 1
had steamed a big cornmeal loaf for two
hours, which I browned nicely in the oven.
This, with baked potatoes, nice cream gravy
and fresh apple sauce made up a bill of fare
which seemed to suit. Our children are good,
and mind when we make them, but we don’t
make them half as much as we ought to, and
I often feel ashamed of them at the table.
We are all so hungry and in such a hurry
that we can’t wait to do as the HOUSEHOLD
says we should. The children seldom re-
member their ” please ” until reminded of
it. and then jerk it out in a way that is just
as bad as leaving it. Sometimes they sing,
and if we don’t happen to want to talk, 1
let them go on; partly because 1 like to see
them so happy but mostly because when l
was a child I never dared to act out nature.
In a book we borrowed last winter, one, Joe
Gargery, said he had rather be “ inconwen—
ienced” himself than to be “hard on a we-
man,” and I feel a good deal the same about

the children.
(To be continued.)

-zﬂ—‘w—

OUR LONELY HOME.

As the weeks ﬂy by and I enjoy the little
paper so much, I have felt conscience-
smitten many times that my pen has been
idle so long. But hands so busy minister-
ing to the wants of the suffering one, had
little time or opportunity for writing. I
have the deepest sympathy for El See; the
shadow of a great sorrow that hangs over
her is not felt by her alone. The white
winged messenger has recently visited our
home, and left us with lonely and desolate
hearts. Our little boy, the light and joy of
our household, has been borne away through
the shining gates. Though we know he has
gained heaven and all its splendor, and that
the joys and beauty of that “ beautiful city”
are far beyond our comprehension, we miss
the child-voice and our hearts go out in
longing for “ the little boy that died.”

Is there anything that will make a home
so lonely as the loss of a little one? El See
would answer yes; but I do not know. We
are all prone to believe our burdens the
heaviest, our grief the greatest. I wonder
as I read El See’s letter about the sale of
the old home why she parted with it; it
seems if, if all else were gone, I should still
cling to my old home or even to my new
one, as we have only owned a home for the
past year. We enjoy living in northern
Michigan very much; the neighbors are very
kind, they have proved themselves friends
indeed in time of need; and the abundant
ﬂoral offerings sent at the death of our child
prove what was grateful to us, a tender
thoughtfulness for us in our great bereave-
ment. A delicate cross of maiden-hair fern
and white lilies, patterned after the fashion
of Old England, and sent by one recently
over the water, was beautiful and emblematic.
My heart grows sad and weary, and I
wonder if any of. the HOUSEHOLD members
have a kind word for long absent 7

MAY BELLE.
Wonvmumr, Cheboygan Co.

 

A Qunwrlon ANswr;nE1:.—~J. Snip can
put steels in her unlined gingham skirt in
this way: Take a couple of widths of calico,
lining, or whatever material is at hand; have
them long enough to come just below the
lower steel. Run shirs for the steels at the
proper distances, put in the steels, gather
dress-skirt and this foundation skirt to the
belt in the usual way, and before drawing
up and tying the steels in shape, tack the
outer or gingham skirt to the foundation at
the sides; this is to keep the fulness in
place in the back. Then draw up the steels
and there you are. Get the idea? Some
ladies have a skirt with steels in it to wear
under unlined dress-skirts, but there is al-'
ways trouble with the fulness of the back
breadths, which swings to the sides.

BEATRIX.
--——-—-<reo—-—-—

HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

No matter how hard you try, you cannot
get a ﬁne polish on cuffs. shirt bosoms and
collars with an ordinary fiat-iron. Get a
polishing iron.

 

EIGHT or ten drops of ammonia in a quart
of warm water, used to water the house-
plants, will invigorate them and start new
growth and bloom. A Chinese primrose
that had bloomed a long time and was yet
full of buds seemed to fail to perfect them,
the corolla within the wide green calyx turn—
ing brown before developing. After the
second application of ammonia as above, at
intervals of a week, the plant seemed to take
a fresh start. and was soon pink with bloom
again. Do not, however, proceed on the
theory that “if a little is good a good deal is
better,” because it will prove a fatal error
to the plants.

THE Home—Maker tells us how to make an
iron-holder that is warranted to stay on the
iron until it is- taken off. Cut two oval
pieces of cretonne, the larger nine inches
long by six inches wide, the second half an
inch smaller all round. Cut several pieces
of felt or old blanket half an inch smaller
than the second sized piece of cretonne. Put
this padding between the pieces of cretonne
and gather the edges together, letting the
fullness come on the rounded ends. Sew on
to a band fourteen inches long and two
inches wide, sewinground with the machine, ‘
turn the band over and hem down by hand.
A brass ring sewed on to the band ﬁnishes
it. It will look a little like a sweeping cap,
but is a perfect ﬁt for the handle of the iron;
and an article that sells well at fancy fairs.

_-___...___
Contributed Recipes.

 

LARD Commas—One pound sugar; one
pound lard; three pounds ﬂour: four eggs;
two teaspoonfuls soda in half cup sour milk.

WASHING FLUID.—0ne pound unslaked
lime and two pounds sal soda, in two gallons
of water. Mix well, let settle, pour off the
clear liquid, and use one cupful for each
boiler full of clothes. VERA.

Rom. JELLY CAKE—TWO eggs beaten well
with two-thirds cup of sugar; when light, add
one cupful ﬂour, one heaping teaspoonful of
baking powder. Bake in a quick oven, spread
with jelly; roll up while hot. .

CREAM SPONGE CAKE—One cup ﬂour; one- _
third cup sugar; half cup cream: two eggs;
half teaspoonful soda mixed in the ﬂour. Beat
the eggs, sugar and cream together: then add
the hour; beat lightly and bake at once.

 

