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DETROIT, SEPT. 3, 1892.

 

 

THE HOUSEHOLD-"Supplement.

 

 

FOUB- LEAFED CLOVER.

Fortune will not some with seeking;
I have sought. it and I know:
I have looked for four-leafed clover
All the hill—side on and over;
By the brook and in the meadow.
In the sunshine. in the she-low,
But my clover does not grow.

For tune will not come with seeking.
Here beside my open door
I will rest. my search is over.
I can ﬁnd no four-leafed clover.
0n. through the deceitful meadow,
In the sunshine, in the shadow—
I shall never seek it more!

“Fortune will not come with seekinz."
So I muse with downcast eyes;
Eyes that gaze the hill-tops over.
Fall. and rest on four-leafed clover.
Close beside my doorstep growing.
Close at home my fortune growing;
In my home I win my prize.

~— >---—-...~ - -~~

A HAPPY THOUGH UNEVENTFUL
LIFE.

As Shiftless proposed changing her
'nom de plume to the one under which I
have written, I thought I would write
again, and often enough so that it
might be known that the name of
“ Busy Bee” is already claimed.

My thoughts this pleasant Sunday
have been about the past; of my life
since my wedding day, particularly. I
was just past sixteen at that time. My
husband had worked for my father for
some time, and my parents knew him
to besteady, industrious, saving, and
with no bad habits. This was perhaps
the reason they did not oppose our
marriage, although they would have
preferred us to wait a few years, as I
was so young, but my mother was only
ﬁfteen when she was married, and of
course I brought that up as an argu-
ment. We were married in June, the
“month of roses,” lived at home the
hrst summer, and in December moved
on 200 acres of wild land, and into a
small frame house, set right in the
middle of our new possessions; they
had to clear a place to set the house. It
was woods for a half mile each way
around us, and it was nearly three-
quarters of a mile to the nearest neigh-
bor (we have none nearer yet), nor
could we see ahouse. Strange as it
may seem, I never was homesick, nor
very lonely, and I had always lived in a
thickly settled neighborhood, and on a
road that was much traveled. Even yet
there is no regularly laid out road past

our house; although we go out in every
direction we have to open gates or let
down fences. As we are never bothered
with tramps, book agents or peddlers I
don‘t know but we enjoy life as well
without a road past our house. I have
always had workmen to do for, often
having two by the month the year
around, and, at times, as many as six
or eight when they were getting out
ties, hauling logs to the sawmill, har-
vesting, getting out staves; sometimes
I have boarded mill hands. I never
kept any help in the house until the
summer our oldest child came to bless
our home, over nine years after we
were married; I kept a girl all that
summer and the next two summers,
as in one of them we built a large barn,
and had two men by the month to
work on the farm, and with carpenters
and masons and the barn raising, and
a year old baby, [thought it best not
to try to do the work alone. My hus-
band would not say a Word against my
keeping a girl the year arounl, al-
though he would not think it his place
to hire her, or say I ought to keep
one; he thinks I know when I need
help as well as he does, and he is
willing to pay her and no grumbling.
As he always pays men good wages he
does not think two dollars large wages
to pay a girl. I have kept a girl since
the last week in June this year; she is
a good trusty girl, the daughter of our
nearest neighbor.

I guess I have been wandering away
from my subject, but to “ resoom and
continue on” as Josiah Allen’s wife
says, our farm is nearly cleared up now,
and we raise large crops. As I write
I glance out at the well ﬁlled barn,
and at stacks of grain more than could
bestored in the barn, and out on the
hillside pasture and see the cows,
young cattle, horses and colts, and a
large ﬂock of sheep and porkers; and I
can hardly realize that all this belongs
to us, nearly free from debt—free ex-
cept for some small debts contracted
this season. We commenced with just
a small payment on the farm, a yoke of
oxen, one cow, and less than one hun-

! dred dollars in cash to start us in house-

 

keeping and to keep us until we could
. get something out of our wild land. I
’ do not write this to boast, but I am
, truly thankful that we have done so
’ well and wish each and every farmer

might say the same. I always love te
have them sing “ The Dear Old Farm”
at our Grange; the ﬁrst lines are

" I love my home among the hills.
Where mends and blO-uKletS charm,
How rich and pure the. lniss that gilds
A life upon the farm "

I always go home thinking how much
I love our farm, and can truly sayi
would not change it for the best house
and lot and all the privileges of any
city, for I know I am :atisfied and cons
tented now, and do not know as I,
should be with city life.

Our two little boys were welcome
additions to our home, and so would.
two little girls be welcome; more boys
would be loved, but {:1 'l5 would please
me better. I sometimes think I can—r
not grow old and enjOy life without one
or more daughters, but if it is my lot I
will have to bear it with grace.

I am doing well with my bees,
poultry and dairy—or did until we sold
part of our cows—and I have also
made a rag carpet and have it on the
ﬂoor. I will stop right now or I know
that basket will FCCUIVB a lot of mana-
script. BUSY BEE.

..__._._..,..___._.m.

A GOOD L ESSON.

Explain it if you c ._ l, but it is a fact.-
that deaf peeple hens».- nu board the
street cars better than anywhere else.
I have long been dob armed from hears
ing general convcrs xtiui, so I am often

by those in the same sett with me, or
in the one behind. Thu other day an
exceedingly spoony (:miulo were too
much absorbed in 0:16": other to mind
me, and I laughed at hearing the
“pop.” We passed a small cottage
with “To Let,” in one of the windows.
“See that pretty placel" said she, “I
wish I lived there.” “S ) you shall,”
was the answer, “if you’ll have atel-
ler,” and I looked over the horses9

her shawl. Not so pleasant were some
personal remarks that another time
were made by two well grown boys;s
but as they contained a good sized
pinch of truth, I took the lesson to
'1 heart. “That woman over there,” said
one of the boys, after we were well on
our way, and my ears were set to catch
what they could pick up, “hasa nice
, garden, but she aint careful one bit.
5 She leaves out her hoe and shovel and

 

much amused by picking up bits of talk.

ears while they squeezed hands under '

e: ""W 1?" - --~> nun—

. vw.-.

QC.» '

 

Ann—Mn... c..i“amfn7,ma.4a am.

 


  

2 The Household.

 

lots of things, and has a stock of nice

plants growing in pots.” “She’ll hear
you,” said the other, “No she won’t;
she’s as deaf as a post.” “Let’s go

round” said No. 2, "and see what we
can pick up.” “All right!” was the
answer, “we’ll clean out her yard.”
If those youngsters could have seen
through the back of my bonnet and
head, they would probably have been
aware that a “hoppin' mad” woman
was around. “Then I came home I
surveyed my back yard, found there
was a good deal of truth in the boy’s
rude remarks, and ﬁxed up accordingly,
and ,shall keep ﬁxed up to the end of
the chapter. So if they came into my
yard they must have been a good deal
disappointed. as they deserved to be.
An old man sat in the car one day, with
two young men behind. Above :the
jingle of the bell and rumble of the
wheels he heard, “That's a rich old
hunks over there .with a pretty
daughter. Let’s toss up and see who’ll
catch on; he ought to give a son-in-law
a chance to spend his money.” When
the old man came to his block he got
down, and looked the young men over,
and you may be sure they never got a
chance to win his daughter or spend
his money.

Half enough sympathy is not given
to deaf people. They generally shun
society, and they must be made of
sterling Stuﬁ‘ to keep good natured
under their aﬁiiction. Happy it is if
they like to read. Why cannot a mag-
azine be started for their especial
beneﬁt? About every disease and fad
is represented; a cheerful periodical
would ﬁll a long felt want. A deaf
person is sensitive about using an ear
trumpet, and no wonder. Who wants
to poke a ram’s horn into your face?
Spectacles are so common we hardly
notice them. Something that would
help the ears and that would not attract
attention ought to be put on the mar-
ket, and the vast army of deaf folks
would rise up and call the inventor

blessed. SISTER GRACIOUS.
DETROIT.

 

A DAY‘S IMPRE SSIONS.

 

I wish I could give some return to
the world for the grace and joy of days
and scenes I have known here. One of
these golden days was in the middle of
February last, when a friend who has
come from Michigan to live “among
the angels” took me for a drive of
about twenty-ﬁve miles around through
Pasadena and the surrounding country.
Passing out of the city we drive along
by pleasant ranches among-”the foot
hills, pretty homes all of them are,
amid gentle scenes. The day is
ﬁne for sightseeing, cloudy so we
are not sun-blinded, changeable,
showing gloomf and storm in the dis-
m1?” mountainsuwhose mist falls now
and then on us. then at sunset the sky
is light and full of beauty. There are

long drives along the fertile valleys,
but often a turn, an elevation, and an
entirely new scene is before us, another
vista of valley, other mountains vanish-
ing in the gray distance. In one of
these little valleys we were entirely
surrounded by mountains, while wind-
ing; roads climbed out of it in all direc-
tions. Behind us and just beyond were
nice homes, but there we found a spot
as still and lonely as though man had
never disturbed its solitude. After
climbing steadily up around the as-
cending road toward the mountain‘s
top, we paused to take a View from
the heights. Stillness so profound
one’s own breath and_pulse of life
thribbing to and fro seemed to break
like waves upon a soundless shore. Our
voices fell faint and vanishing. Human
sounds seem here to fade from out
God’s skies. I do not feel as though the
mountains hear or keep our thoughts.
Silence ﬁts their mood. One may
fashion great thoughts in this element,
bit may not speak them. Who could
laugh there! The eternal hills mock
alike at laughter and tears.

The earth girds us with kindness.
In the mountains there is mystery,
sternness, and awful solitude which to
me brooks no interruption. Any trace
of man left there but reminds me that
his life is but as that of a drifting leaf
buried by a careless wind. Every-
thing fades and pales and dwindles
among the vast heights and depths.
Sometime I think I may feel other
phases of their calm and silence, but
they are very stern to me now. Near
by their form is deﬁnite, they have
reality. But look on and on over
ranges far, till they blend with the
clouds; look into the very heart of
night and chaos. Fasten the eye on
that impenetrable gloom and void, and
thought itself is stayed. There seems
no beyond!

How should we be wiserin our fancies
and beliefs than the dusky race which
moved among these mountains and
lived in their valleys, did we not know
the story of human life? We are
wrought from the palpitating fabric of
an age enriched by accumulated
growth and knowledge, else we too
should picture faces in the rocks and
hear supernatural voices in the solemn
silence. We, too, should endeavor to
placate the god of the mountains by
vows and offerings, the guardian being
whose thunders spoke his wrath and
Whose smile was the sunlight.

We descend the mountain by a horse-
shoe curve and steep winding ways, on
one side a sheer descent of one hun-
dred feet or more. Pasadena is near,
with its pretty drives and orange
groves. This is a city of mushroom
growth, dull in business, but a choice
residence place for wealthy people.
The Hotel Raymond a mile out is the
chief feature of interest. Of recent

 

date, it is already well known and
occupies, one may say, one of the com

 

V

manding sites of the world. From the
grounds one can see for miles in every
direction over a beautiful landscape.
The view is too large for any words I
have, though I see the new Century
dictionary deﬁnes two hundred and
ﬁfteen thousand. I wish I could paint
for you the lovely valleys. green and
smiling with beautiful homes: I wish I
could show you the far glimmering
plain, the ever present mountains in all
their gloom and glory. Nothing can
paint the lovely light over the west
that day, and the tender tones it lent
to the vanishing mountain outline. I
turned from it, spirit-ﬁlled and awed.
till I could only feel the widening
circles of earth’s shining beauty round
me. And as my eyes rested among the
soft shadows lying over the palms and
touching the purple heliotrope and
snowy marguerite bordering all the
paths, I felt as though I were waking
from a dream! Oh, life is sad, else
why should we say when beauty beams
along its waves till we grow hushed in
joy, “ Do I dream? ”

The sky was rivalling the earth that
day at sunset. The heavenly plains
ﬂamed with crimson, and over a thou-
sand heights and into the valleys below
were scattered the hues of the rose.
One must kneel before the throne of
that heaven! Call it nature, law, God!
The soul bows low and is transfused
with light and hallowed influence.
Like a lingering, sweet Amen the soft
glory faded from the aisles of earth.
The twilight grew and the sky purpled
and darkened in the silence. Night
came, calm as the Angel of Death, and
like Death it might also say to the
earth-children amid its shadows:

" I am the brooding hush that follows strife."
HATI’IE L. HALL.

Los ANGELES, Cal.
~~ - -~”.——-—-——

OUR RIGHTS. 6'

 

Wouldn’t it be a grand idea if the laws
of this country gave women acertain
portion, however small, of the contents
of their lord and master’s pocketbook?
To my mind it is the most humiliating
condition of married life that com-
pelsa woman to ask her husband for
spending money. Some men are manly
enough not to place their wives in
such a situation, but their number is
few and far between. Hasn’t a woman
a right to part of the earnings, even if
she does’t go in the ﬁeld and plow,
drag, and drill? Her work in the
house is as laborious for her as man’s
work out of doors is for him. They
say a farmer’s wife has a “shadow”
(but I deem it a very dim shadow) of a
chance to get now and then a few cents;
she can “slip away ” a few pounds of
butter, a dozen of eggs or something of
that kind. But there is a time when
we do not make much butter, and the
husband sells the eggs at the door and
pockets the money himself, even when
his better half helps gather the eggs.

 

If your husband is one who thinks his

  
 

 

 

 

 

(DEPH’YbﬂdOJHCDH'W‘thlO-“d

I—d" Phi-F

“A Fl! A a;

A—JHUCHn—nL—J-lmﬂ-bh—MAII“

m

  


 

 

 

  

  

The Household. 8

 

 

wife needs nothing but her daily bread,
it is no use reasoning with him. The
selﬁshness and small-mindedness of
such a man is beneath comment. The
property is as much hers as his, that is,
in a reasonable sense. But on a farm
or in a city, what is a woman to do
whose lawful provider refuses to fur-
nish her needed funds, either from in-
difference or else from ugliness? A
woman knows what is needed to keep
the household machinery running in
good order, and ought to have the
means in her power for replenishing
the supplies when out. The more I
see of men the more selﬁsh I ﬁnd them
to be. I do not say women are perfect,
far from it, but a great many of their
weaknesses can be laid directly to their
husbands.

Men trust their wives with every-
thing but money, and why is it? Do I
overdraw the truth whenIsay there
are few women who can count the con-
tents .of their pocket books at over
twenty-ﬁve to ﬁfty cents on an average,
unless it’s their own special property
or they earn it independent of their
husbands? .I say it is not the ex-
travagance of women, it is the selﬁsh-
ness of the men that makes the most
mischief in domestic affairs. It is
natural to us to like pretty things,
bright colors, etc.: they were all made
for humanity to use and admire, and it
is not wrong for them to be indulged
in in moderation. It is a great pity
Ebenezar’s precious pocketbook ever
has to be opened, but as he spends
what he likes, then let Maria have the
same privilege. on not so costly a scale,
perhaps, and he can furnish heraV,
or an X, and will not impoverish his
ﬁnances so very much,

I wish every man who reads the
HOUSEHOLD would strike this as the
ﬁrst piece he reads and air his Opinion
on it if he wants to. I’ve not said all I
think now. but perhaps I’ve said
enough if it isn’t very palatable.

LIMA. GREENIE.

A SERMON ON CHARITY.

I am rather amused and somewhat as-
tonished to learn that we have a “Dead
Man " correspondent: still more aston-
ished to be told that he sits “upon the
edge of a billowy cloud,” watching
women whose ways do not seem to
please him. He says he is not annoyed
by earthly things. but still takes
cognizance of them, I suppose by way
of command. One would suppose that
the charity he so strongly recom-
mends to others would forbid his cen-
suring women. He describes one as
hysterical or feigning sickness; another
as foolish and vain of her stylish house
and furnishings: another has taken
letters from the postofﬁce that did not
belong to her, opened and read them,
then returned them to the ofﬁce and
made the contents known. Only one of
the four women he describes is right,

 

and she lives among her books and
flowers and genial friends. Poor
“Dead Man,” don’t you see you practi-
cally ignore the charity y0u recommend
to others? You had better come down
from your sublime eminence and learn
some good practical common sense.
Perhaps the woman you call hysterical
is really sick; possibly she whom you
call jealous and vain has some good in
her heart. Bit that wom in who took
letters from the otll 3e that did int be-
long to her and made the contents
known, then carefully rescaled and re-
mailed them! Well, that was bad.
Perhaps there were two men whose
names were exactly alike whose mail
came to the same office. It would be
an easy matter to make such a mistake
under such circumstances, and if the
wrong person got the letter, found out
his mistake, sealed it again and wrote
on the envelope “Opened by mistake,"
that would answer the requirements of
the law. Ah! “Dead Man.” he sure
you get the right story before you cen-
sure. “Charity suﬁ’ereth long and is
kind; Charity envieth not; Charity
vaunteth not itself, is not easily puffed
up, behavsth not itself unseemly,
thinketh no evil.” If you have as good
neighbors as any one don’t slander
them. L. A.

BRIGHTON.
-———-—.o.——————

USEFUL HINTS.

Nettie T., apply fresh lard to ma shine
oil stains, (rub in with the hands) then
a half teaspoonful of kerosene; pour
upon italittle melted soap. roll the
article up tightly and put it into your
boiler of clothes, and if not very stub-
born indeed, you will ﬁnd upon exami-
nation, when you remove it from the
boiler, that but little if any vestige of
the stain remains. If a yellowish stain
is still visible, rub just a little good
soap upon it and hang in the sun, wet-
ting it occasionally. until the stain
disappears. Just here I will mention
that of all things I have ever used to
lighten the labor of washing clothes.
kerosene gives me the greatest satis-
faction: for although it cannot do its
work alone, it does away with much
rubbing—that b ick-breaking process——
and is a bleaching agent to whiten
clothes while it does not fade the
colored garments. If any of the HOUSE-
HOLDERS do not know how to use it
satisfactorily I will write an explana-
tion, for some future number of the
HOUSEHOLD. of my way of utilizing it.
I ﬁnd it useful in other ways too. A
ﬂannel rag saturated with it will clean
the tin teakettle with less “elbow
grease" than scouring with ashes or
soda, and is cheaper than the latter.
It will also clean the rubber rollers of
a clothes wringer, only use it on a
cotton rag for that. It is good for sore
throat when applied either with ﬂan-
nel bandages or combined with lard and
rubbed on the neck, and will loosen a
cold if applied 'to the chest, above and

 

between the eyes and on the temples;
but here let me caution all to combine
it with lard, as it has been known to
affect the brain when used in a clear
state in quantities. and with frequency,
on account of its penetrativeness.

Speaking of soda as a cleansing agent
[wish to enlarge up'm its merits of
usefulness in the household aside fi-an
its “ raising” properties. It will make
silverware "' look ’znost good as new”
when applied wet. with a flannel or
canton ﬂannel rag. After a brisk and
thorough rubbing rinse in clear warm
rain water and rub dry with canton
flannel. It will keep the inside of
coliee and teapots clean and pure by a
fortnightly bath ofatablespoonfui in
water, ﬁll the utensils two-thirds full.
and allow to boil an hour on the st0ve:
afterwards wash out with clear warm
water and a clean rag, and rinse thor-
oughly. {This last precaution is given
to guard against any carelessness, as
soda is a very unpleasant ingredient in
tea or coffee, even in small quantities.)

A small amount of soda in a swallow
of water will neutralize acidity of the
stomach, and if taken in time will pre-
vent nausea and its disagreeable effects.
It imparts a delightfully cool and re
freshing sensation to the skin when
used in the bath on a hot summer day:
and I can recommend it to those af-
ﬂicted with heat, rash or chicken-pox.
Dissolve a level teaspoonful of soda in a
quart of warm water and bathe the
affected parts. I have heard it said
that it would cure corns on the feet if
applied wet and bound on with wet
rags, but I never tried it.

My remedy for hard corns is acetic
acid, applied every night and morning
with a cork; in two or three weeks they
can be removed easily. I will say that
I give these hints for the beneﬁt of
those who may not know about the
various ways of utilizing the things
mentioned to the greatest good. Some
are as wise as I am and may have bet-
ter ways of accomplishing the desired
results.

There is much written and said on
butter-making that seems to me al-
most useless mines to any one raised
on a farm where cows have always been
kept. There are few engaged in butter-
making who do not know how to churn

cream and care for the butter, andI
ﬁnd it an easy matter to make good
sweet butter by keeping everything
used for milk and cream clean and
sweet. Absolute cleanliness is strictly
essential in every detail in the care of
milk, cream and butter. The cellar,
or milk house. must be clean, cool and
well ventilated, and right here I again
make use of that ever useful agent,
soda. Do not be stingy in its use
(though it need not be wasted).

I rinse all my milk pans in a quart
of boiling hot water in which a tea-
spoonful (heaping) of soda has been
dissolved, then rinse in clear water. I
use the same solution in rinsing the
cream jar and churn after washing,
and I know by long experience that it
pays if it does take one pound a week
to do it all. HONEY BEE.

  
    
  
  
     
  
   
  
 
     
  
  
   
 
  
  
   
  
    
   
  
   
   
  
    
     
 
  
   
     
    
  
  
  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
   
   
   
  
 

.~._ "‘r""'

 

  
  

 
   

 


 

4 The Household.

 

 

ODDS AND ENDS.

 

What a hue and cry Beatrix’s “ City
Boarders” has raised! It is true that
there are many farmers’ wives who
would ﬁnd this way of earning money
an impossibility, having already more
than double their share of work, but I
know of a great many farm homes
where the taking of summer boarders
would be not only possible, but really
an easy task. Let the owners of such
homes avail themselves of this oppor-
tunity if they choose, and those to
whom the privilege of boarding their
city friends is denied he so generous as
to give Beatrix all due credit for
her thoughtful suggestion. I actually
“smiled out loud ” at the idea of any
one being afraid of Beatrix. I am
positive that I have all proper respect
for her, and a great deal of admiration
aswell (if she will pardon my saying
so), but I think she is too true a friend
to farmers’ wives and daughters for
us to be afraid to take a refreshing
peep at her when we can. I know I
should not hesitate to indulge had I
the opportunity.

So our Shiftless has turned out to be
a Honey Bee! I am not surprised at
the transformation, but must confess I
like the old name better.

I can not believe that Almira realized
that her letter was thoughtless, or she
would not have written words that
may leavea sting in more than one
tired heart.

We who are possessed of that greatest
of all blessings, good health, should at
least have a tender sympathy for our
sisters who are deprived of it, and yet
are compelled to toll on day after day,
with no visible reward for all the loving
self-sacrifices. At least we need not
condemn what we know nothing about.

I am so happy myself in the love of
one of the best of men that as I read
Shiftless’ letter I wonder and wonder if
the time will ever come when I shall
feel life to be a burden. It does not
seem possible, but it makes my heart
ache to think of the hundreds of women
who are worn out in body and mind,
through ceaseless care and toil, and yet
live their hard lives without a murmur
at the ingratitude which is their only
reward.

I have talked too long already, but
if I am worthy of a corner in our
HOUSEHOLD, I wish to ask some
questions on a subject I have been

studying lately, some time in the future.
BAmn me. BIDDY.

 

TEE FRUIT CLOSET.

 

Good Housekeeping tells how to make
grape jam that is “delicious:” .
“ Take thoroughly ripe grapes—Con-

cor'ds are the best, because of their,
Remove the skins—this:

tender skin.
can be done very rapidly by slight
pressure between the thumb and ﬁnger
—and put the skins in one dish and the

 

pulps in another. Then put the pulps
over the ﬁre with a very little water,
and let them boil for ten minutes or
longer. Then pass through a sieve
ﬁne enough 10 retain all the seeds. Now
put pulp and skins together over the
tire, with sugar—ten ounces to each
pound of the fruit. Boil slowly, stirring
and skimming for forty minutes, when
it is done. The skins should be thor-
oughly broken and blended with the
pulp, and to effect this more perfectly,
the jam may be passed, if desired,
through a coarse sieve, then boiled up
once again before putting in jars. If
other grapes than the Concord are
used, a larger proportion of sugar will
be needed.”

For preserved peaches of superior
quality the Country Gentleman gives
the following elaborate directions:

“ To make ﬁrst-class peach conserves
-—the pieces whole, firm and semi-
transparent, and the syrup clear and
light colored—we must select fruit with
white meat, sound, perfect in shape,
freshly gathered, and that which is not
quite ripe. Now we must not take
peaches that are really green, for then
our conserves will come short of their
delicious fruity flavor, and be insipid
in taste as well as tough and leathery
in texture. Get clingslone peaches by
all means—one of the varieties of Heath
preferred, as being ﬁrm in ﬂesh they
keep theirshape nicely. Peel smoothly,
and drop each peach directly from the
lingers into a vessel of cold water, so as
to prevent t eir turning dark from ex-
posure to the air. A receptacle of
stone or wood is best. as there is then
no danger of the fruit becoming dis-
colored from contact. A pound of sugar

. toa pound of fruit is the invariable rule

with many housekeepers for all kinds
of preserves; others consider three-
quarters of a pound amply sufﬁcient
unless the fruit be unusually acid; but
Whatever the amount used, always
make the syrup first, and have it thick
and clear and boiling hot when the
fruit is put in— that is, if we want to
keep the peaches from coming to
pieces, as in jam or mar male. to.

“ Boil rapidly half an hour, then with
a wire spoon lift the fruit from the
kettle and Spread, each piece to itself,
On a broad. flit dish, and place in the
hottest sunshine you can ﬁnd This
seems to make the sugar strike in and
Causes the fruit to assume a clear, al-
most transparent appeara’nce, besides it
gives us the opportunity of boiling
down the syrup withssut over—cooking
the fruit. The syrup should be boiled
rapidly, skimming when neCess-ary,
until it seems quite thick and clear,
then drop the fruit lightly back again,
keeping the contents of the kettle at
the boiling point all the while. as the
greater expedition we use the lighter
in color will be our preserves. No
exact rule can be giVen for the length
of time required for cooking the pre-
serves after they are put back the
second time, so much depends upon the
size of the peaches, and the heat of the
ﬁre; then too, individual tastes in such
matters are so different. Unless the
pieces are very large a short while is
sufﬁcient, as the conserVes are sure to
keep if sealed air-tight in glass jars
and kept ina cool, dark place.

”When putting the fruit in the jars,
use the same precautions as advised for
canning, have the fruit boiling hot, the
jars dry and warm, and the tops and
rubbers selected and ﬁtted beforehand.
Try to proportion the fruit so as to have
a uniform quantity in each jar. till with
syrup to the brim, Wipe off with a
warm damp cloth, put‘ the rubber in

 

l

place, and screw down the top as
tightly as possible.

“Peaches of medium size are nicer
preserved whole, but when very large
they may be cut smoothly in halves or
quarters, though even then to leave
some of the pits attached gives a
pleasant flavor.”

 

\

WHENEVER an individual who is de-
prived of one or more of the senses, or
is in any way afﬂicted beyond the com«
mon lot of humanity evinces ability in
any direction, or makes an effort to
rise above misfortune and win recogni-
tion through good work done, partial
friends willingly overlook faults and
weaknesses in pity for the misfortune,
while even the world recognizes the
effort as praiseworthy whether the
result be entirely satisfactory or not.
But When that work is oﬁered in the
world’s great marts, whether it be
painting or statue, book or music, it
must be offered on and judged by its
merits, not the limitations under
which the author labored. And so,
when “Ida Glenwood” sends out her
novel, “ Lily Pearl and the Mistress of
Rosedale,” the announcement that the
author is blind is in a way a depreca~
tion of criticism. Yet people do not
buy books because the writer is blind
or deaf or poor, but because they hope
to be instructed, or interested or
amused. And we cannot commend
“Lily Pearl” as being any one of the
three. Had the person selected to edit
the manuscript—Major Joseph Kirk-
land—been more competent or more
careful, the result might perhaps have
been a triﬂe more satisfactory. The
superabundance of italicised words—~
always an insult to the intelligence of
the reader—might have been eliminat-
ed, and such an atrocious error as
“ plaintiif (for plaintive) smile” would
not occur. A wider knowledge of life
and society would have spared us some
serious social blunders, such as making
the host give the signal for the ladies
to leave the table at a dinner party,
which is always some woman’s duty,
and a young man named as chaperon of
a party of young ladies! These are but
a few of the faults seen at a brief re—
view; and however commendable it
may be in ” Ida Glenwood ” to write a
book. though blind, it is asking a good
deal of a reading public to expect
people to pay $1.25 for it when so many
better books can be had for less money.

 

Contributed Recip es.

 

A rpm: S wnnmnus.—Pare medlum~sizsd,
sound sweet apples. Make a syrup of good
vinegar and sug it. One pint of Vinegar to
three pints of sugar, or if lemons are
available use the juice of two in a pint of
water. In the syrup boil a gallon of the
apples (a few at a time) until tender. Lift
out into a jar and when all are done boil
the syrup a few minutes; pour over them
the syrup, to which must be added the
lemon rinds out in rings. When cold itis
delicious. Bonn Baa.

 

 

 

