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DETROIT, JUNE: 15, 1889.

THE HOUSEHOLD-"Supplement.

 

 

WHATEVER IS—IS’ BEST.

 

I know as my life grows older,
And mine eyes have clearer sight,

That under each rank wrong. somewhere,
There lies the root of right;

That each sorrow has its purpose,
By the sorrowing oft unguessed;

But as sure as the sun brings morning
Whatever is—is best.

I know that each sinful action,
As sure as night brings shade,
Is somewhere, sometime, punished,
Though the hour be long delayed.
I know that the soul is aided
Sometimes by the heart’s unrest,
And to grow means often to suffer,
But whatever is—is best.

I know there is no error
In the great supernal plan,
And all things work together
For the ﬁnal good of man.
And I know when my soul speeds onward
In its grand eternal quest
I shall cry, as I look back earthward,
“ Whatever is—is best.”

 

 

NOBLESSE OBLIGE.

All the readers of the HOUSEHOLD have
undoubtedly seen the accounts of the cele-
bration at New York city of the centennial
anniversary of theiuauguration of Washing-
ton as ﬁrst president of the United States,
of the immense military and civic proces-
sion, the naval display in the harbor, the
banquet and its eloquent speeches, and the
grand ball at which were present the elite of
New York and her sister cities, the “select
four hundred” who represented the aris-
tocracy of birth, of money and rank of the
nation. The names of those who danced
in the premier quadrille, their dresses, many
of which came from Paris for the occasion,
Mrs. Astor’s diamonds, and all the rest of
it—lo, did not the Jenkins of the newspapers
give us glowing accounts of the brilliance,
the magniﬁcence, the lavishness of the Gen-
tennial ball, graced by fair women and
brave men, where money was spent like
water to ensure beauty and elegance, and
the earth and its fullness was not too good
for our best society?

Yet the same papers which “ spread
themselves ” in adjectives descriptive of the
brilliant scene, are telling some funny tales
as “ after-claps.” The supper room, after
the departure of the Presidential party, was
the scene of a disgraceful scramble for food,
as disorderly as the descent of a horde of
barbarians. Champagne ﬁred the patriotic
heart and tangled the patriotic feet as well.

and decorum was forgotten and decency-

outraged. But the maddest man, and the
most sorrowful one withal, was the ﬂorist

 

who decorated the opera house for the ball
and the banquet. Five thousand dollars
was his limit, but he was proud and he was
patriotic, and be spared no expense in col-
lecting choice plants, and ﬂowers by the
bushel, for decorative purposes, not expect-
ing to make aceut, but satisﬁed with the
reputation which he expected to obtain.
Between 80,000 and 100,000 plants were
used in decorating the rooms. and the
largest nurseries responded liberally to the
call for their choicest ﬂowering plants.
There was a hedge of palms, ﬂeas and
banana trees, with a border three fee-t wide
of pink and white azalias and Martha
Washington geraniums on the balcony; the
President’s table in the supper-room was
decorated with the national colors in red
and white roses and blue hyacinths, and the
box from which he surveyed the bail was
banked in choicest plants in full bloom;
hydrangeas worth from $25 to $40 each
framed the entrance, and ﬁfty baskets
of scarlet geraniums and 50 azalia trees
were used in various places in the vestibule.
The scene was rarely beautiful—before it
was invaded by the Goths and Vandals.
Afterward, hear what the ﬂorist says:
“There were trees of boxwood aud osage,
some 100 years old, which had been jumped
on, sat on, and set ﬁre to. The hydrangeas
at the Broadway entrance were literally torn
to pieces; it was here the men waited for the
ladies, and being full of patriotism and
champagne, broke oif great branches which
they presented to 'their partners. The
hedge of palms and azalias was trampled
upon and broken like so much corn before a
herd of cattle. In the ball room nothing
was spared which could be reached. As soon
as the President left the supper room the de-
corations on his table were carried off bodily,
not a ﬂower remaining; the plants in his
box were stripped while he was at supper, by
the eager rush for ‘souvenirsz’ the azalia
trees and the baskets in the vestibule were
missing. Of. the entire lot of over 80,000
plants, few of which were worth less than
$15 each, not one-tenth escaped serious in-
jury. I am out of pocket about $12,000." ,

There is an old saying whichIhave chosen
for a title, Noblesee oblige. which means,
Rank imposes obligations. Much is ex-
pected of. people of birth and rank; we have
a right to expect of them manners and
sentiments curresponding to their oppor-
tunities. Their practices constitute our
etiquette; we copy their behavior and their
garb, and too often accept their standards
and mould our opinions by theirs. Now I
don’t suppose the ladies who danced in the

‘ Centennial quadrille ” joined in this work

 

of devastation which so wrecked the decora-
tions of the ball-room that the unfortunate
ﬂorist shoveled up the remains of his
plants, his broken jardenieres and vases,
and re-trimmed the rooms again for the
banquet the next evening. Bat—who did?
Without doubt people who. knew better. who
under other circumstances might be decorous
and decent; but who, in their real natures
were wanting in moral principle and regard
for the rights of others, unmindful or un-
caring for the restrain-ts ot‘ decency and
good breeding, and who, forgetting noblease
oblige, conducted themselves with shameful
license.

Such stories as these. coming from scenes
where presumably people of pretensions to
social rank and breeding are the guests,
give point to that inquiry gravely propound-
ed several years ago by a popular writer—-
Is polite society polite? And we are often
forced to the unwilling conclusion that its
deportment is somewhat on the Turveydrop
order ——put on to ﬁt the occasion.

Detroit had a ﬂower show this spring, to
which anybody able to pay a quarter was
admitted. lwas there one evening when
six or eight of the veriest little hoodlums
in the city were “takin’ in de show”—
regular little street Arabs, with their stock
in trade—their newseppaers and blacking
kits—under their arms; dirty, ragged, grin-
ning, they mischievously blocked the
gallery stairs till a policeman ltad to be sent
for. Yet the managers said that during the
week’s exhibit, with every opportunity, no
a ﬂower was stolen or a plant mutilated. Is
there some sense of honor and reverence for
the beautiful common to the neglected waifs
of the street, which is lacking in those ac-
customed to beauty and elegance?

0:, after all, was not the devastation due
to the quantity and quality of the cham-
pagne, which is reparted to have been
“free as water” and which induced a {riski-
ness incompatible with the dignity of a
centennial anniversary? And would it not
be a good idea, on public occasions, to con-
ﬁne our weak-headed aristocrats to coffee
and not too strong lemonade?

BE ATRIX.

_—__....._.__g

CANNED SrnAtvnnnnrns—Use the fresh-
est, best berries, just picked. Hail them,
and as they are placed in the dish sprinkle
on as much sugar as would make them sweet
enough for immediate eating. Let them
stand half an hour, then put into the pre-
serving kettle. Do not add even a drop.
of water. Let them scald through, can, ,seal,

nd keep in the dark.
a

 


 

THE HOUSEHO'LD.

 

LOTS OF LITTLE THINGS.

Have you all tried A. H. J .’s recipe for
molasses cookies in the March number? It
is just “boss,” we think, and so handy too;
no kneading board or rolling pin to be got
round.

I want to tell my way of canning pie
plant. Gather, wash, cut in inch pieces, do
not peel. put in the can, ﬁll the can full,
then ﬁll with cold water; keep the cans in a
dark place. It keeps so fresh and nice I
like it better than when cooked before can-
ning.

I want to tell you how my mother used to
clean house. She always took one room at
a. time; took up carpets, re-papered and in
factthoroughly cleaned that room before
commencing another. We always had our
meals on time; the house was never all
“ up side down;” if company came we could
receive them, make them welcome, and they
would not feel as though they had come the
“wrong time." Everything seemed to go
as on oiled hinges.

How well do I remember when I was a
little girl going to spend an afternoon with
a girl friend. They were cleaning house,
not astraight room in the house; everything
topsy-turvy, carpets up, boxes out of their
accustomed places, bureau drawers emptied,
dishes on the tables, chairs or ﬂoors wher-
ever a chance to set them. The lady asked
me if my ma had got through cleaning
house; just imagine my answer, “My mamma
never cleans house.”

Did any of the housekeepers ever shed
tears over a baking of bread? How many
hands up? I have. I had been keeping
house nearly two months when we received
word that some of “his folks ” were com-
ing. Of course I wanted to have everything
“ tip-top.” I set bread to bake the day be-
fore, kept it warm, too warm, but it would
not rise; coax as I would, it wouldn’t budge.
What should I do but sit down and have a
good cry. Well, I felt better, got up, emp~
tied every vestige of that bread dough in the
swill barrel, and commenced over again—
not to cry but to make bread—put the pan
on the table instead of behind the stove,
when behold! my bread came up just as
nice and was baked before the four o’clock
train whistled for the station.

I wonder how many of the HOUSEHOLD
readers like to and still do piece bed quilts.
Methinks I hear some one say " waste of
time.” I think it a nice way to keep the
pretty pieces. I have one quilt that I com-
menced and ﬁnished while teaching a three-
months’ school. 1 can look over that quilt
now and think just how the little faces
looked framed in the dresses of which they
brought “teacher a piece.” I think it would
make a lovely album quilt, one which a
young lady would delight in possessing, to
save a piece of each little dress and apron
that baby has till she is sixteen.

Poor Evangeline! I wonder if she thought
while writing “ One Week ” that any of the
sisters would doubt her word? I for one do
not; for if a strong woman improves every
minute from half-past four A. M. till nine
. at night she can do a host of work. Evan-
"geline most likely has a handy house and

makes every step count. I should like to
have some of the less smart women send an-

-- W? V. ,--.._W ""_ r... A :1,

other week’s history. But oh, Trixy. I
don’t believe you can set up a ﬂirtation with
Philander! I imagine he is a very stately
sort of a man, not very talkative; when he
does say anything means just what he says;
very determined, and very seldom notices
one of the feminine gender.

Do you never get provoked trying to pin
a stiff cuff in your sleeve? Well, don’t pin
it then; just sew a loop of cord rubber on
the inside of the sleeve; when you put your
cuff on slip the loop over the cuff button,
and there you are.

Can dress steels be put in a gingham skirt
that has no drapery so the skirt will hang
good and not show the steels? J. SNIP.

OXFORD.
———“.——

TWO MONUMEN TS.

I had purposed some time ago to speak of
the Washington monument in a separate
letter to the HOUSEHOLD, but have not
found leisure until now.

The ﬁrst sight I obtained of it was as it
rose, white and ghostly above all shadows,
ina dense fog. It is the point to see all
about the city; by reason of its great height
it is visible from all places, yet its immensi-
ty does not impress the visitor until you ap-
proach it. It towers over all. of course, but
every one remarks, “ I thought it would seem
taller.” But as you approach it grows upon
vou, and when you are at its foot the feeling
of its greatness and the dwarﬁng of all its
surroundings gives one an uncanny feeling.
The monument is a plain square shaft, 555
feet high, tapering at the rate of a quarter
of an inch to a foot rise. It is built of white
granite on a foundation of rock and con-
crete. It was built about .150 feet high and
then left for years, the society which ﬁrst
undertook the erection having failed. In
1876 Congress took the matter in hand, tak—
ing the franchise of the old society. It was
found that the foundation was insufﬁcient,
so the earth was removed and a vast amount
of new material put beneath and around.
The new foundation is 126 feet square; the
monument proper 80 feet square. It com-
mences 30 feet below the surface; estimated
weight. 81,120 tons; dost, $1,167,000; cor-
ner-stone laid July 4th. 1848; cap-stone set
Dec. 6th. 1884; inauguration ceremonies,
Feb. 22d, 1885.

The entrance is through a small building
located at one side, sunk below the surface.
The walls are 15 feet thick and are perpen-
dicular inside. The thickness of the wall
gradually diminishes to one and a half feet
at the top, by the the outward slope. 0n the
inside face are beautifully decorated slabs,
sent from different States and from various
foreign countries as tributes to the memory
of Washington. A large elevator is run at
regular intervals, and staircases are con-
structed so that one may ascend by easy
stages to the top. It is lighted by electrici-
ty, and at the base of the cap-stone are two
openings on each side for outlook. There
are swinging marble closures to shut it up
in stormy weather. The inside is very
damp; one’s clothing is steaming if the visit
is at all protracted. The view from the top
is grand in fair weather, limited only by the
power of vision. The Washington monu-
ment was until recently thethighest struc-

 

cently constructed at Paris. discounts it. I
came across a description of this wonder,
and will summarize it in this connection:
This tower is of cast iron, of pyramidal
form, 1,000 feet high. Four pillars support
the corners, which are 322 feet apart, and
the arch above them is 151 feet high. At
192 feet from the ground there is an outside
gallery 48 feet wide. At this point are res-
taurants and waiting~rooms. At 450 feet
from the ground there is a second gallery 30
feet wide. From this the tower narrows
rapidly to what looks like a small point, yet
there is room in the cupola and balcony for
hundreds of people to stand and gaze over
the beautiful city and its environs. It is
said people can see ninety miles away.
This, I think, should be taken cum grano
salts, or their visual powers are marvelous.
The river Seine at its foot looks like a gutter
along a footpath, and the gilded dome of the
Invalides looks like a bright pin-cushion.
This tower was projected and built by M.
Eiffel, a distinguished French engineer, in
the face of objections, doubts and ridicule.
It is on the Champ do Mars, at the entrance
to the World’s Exposition, now in progress.
The tower is pronounced perfectly safe; no
one can fall out of the elevators or oh the
Stairways. Four elevators run to the ﬁrst
gallery, one the balance of the way, and
stairways accommodate those who prefer

such ways of locomotion. A. L. L.
Inansmn.

A YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER’S FIRST
CALL.

I have been a reader of the HOUSEHOLD
for three years, but have never before had
my ambition aroused sufﬁciently to write.
for I do think it needs a certain gift of
which I have a very small supply. I can
say for one I have found Evangeline’s let-
ters interesting, but 1 had to use a great
deal of imagination as to the cooking, for I
have a case of dyspepsia in the family and
am fearful of the results if I should do as
she does. I have to use my own judgment,
which is rather limited. Any advice sug-
gesting what I could cook, not “too sweet
or too sour, or too rich,” would be appre-
ciated.

Did any of you ever think Evangeline
might have taken one day of each week for
her wonderful amount of work? And per-
haps she made those night-dresses like
Beatrix’s dressing sack. If she is healthy
and has good help and every convenience to
do her work, all very well; she can accom-
plish a great deal.

I have a small family but don’t keep my
work done as I would like. I have a. little
girl two years and baby boy ten months old,
and it takes a great deal of hard work, rain
water and snap to keep them presentable;
and much picking up of playthings and
tending to all the mischief they get in to
keep the house in order, which is in fact
never tidy except when the black and blue
eyes are closed in slumber. I never ﬁnd
time to take a nap of. three hours in the
afternoon with my babies, or an all night’s
sweet repose.

I have proﬁted by most of the HOUSE-
HOLD letters. and h one 1 may have some.
thing of some interest to others to write
some time. KATE.

 

ture in the world, but the Eiffel tower, re-‘

BRIGHTON.

 

 

 

4.1__-__..m--u'


 

 

 

THE HOUSEHOLD. 3

 

TEA-GOWNS AND COTTON DRESSES.

 

The tea-gown has become the most modish
house dress of the period. It is with fash-
ionable women something much more
elaborate than the princesse wrapper with
full front, in which guise it ﬁrst came to
us. But these gowns, which are elegant
enough for Madame to wear while receiving
her afternoon calls in her home parlors, are
too expensive and dressy for ordinary folks.
The “evolution of the tea-gown” may do
for fashionable women, but we will be con-
tent with the simple, graceful form in
which it ﬁrst madeits appearance. Dress-
makers say a good deal of ﬁtting goes to a
tea-gown, for the perfection of outline and
comfort must go together.

One of. the prettiest of the plainer gowns
of this style I have seen was of crushed
raspberry cashmere, with a front of silk in
lighter tint of the same color, separated
from the cashmere by revers of black surah,
You would hardly fancy the combination
would be so handsome as it is in fact. The
silk is laid in pleats at the throat, drawn
out loose across the bust, pleated at the
waist line, and falls in deﬁned, broadening
pleats to the foot; the surah revers deﬁne
this, tapering to give a slender effect to the
waist, and widening on the shoulder and at
the foot. There are long “angel” sleeves
of cashmere, lined with silk, over close
elbow sleeves ﬁnished with a deep fall of
lace.

Another pretty gown I saw at a dress-
maker’s was of mignonette cashmere cut
princesse in the back; with a front of
changeable silk in mignonette green and
pale pink. This was smocked a distance of
about four inches from the neck, conﬁned
under a ribbon belt at the waist and ﬁnished
with a deep hem across the foot. The cash-
mere skir. was ﬁnished at the bottom by a
pinked racks of the same, laid very full in
triple box pleats; and the bell-shaped sleeves
were lined with silk. Another, of dark
ruby-red cashmere, had the full front of
cashmere, laid in inch wide, forward turning
pleats at the neck, and conﬁned at the
waist under a. wide silk sash sewed in at the
under arm seams, drawn across the front
in folds at least six inches wide arranged on
a crinoline foundation so as to keep their
place, and loosely tied at the side. The
ends of the sash were gathered to a point
under a passementerie tassel. The sleeves
were “mutton-leg ; ” bias bands of the silk
ornamented the deep cuffs, and the collar
was of. silk folds.

Other dresses in cashmere and Henrietta
have the back in princesse shape, and the
front cutoff at the waist line to form a
jacket; under this is set a full gathered vest
of cashmere, which is held under a wide
moire sash. The front of the skirt is tucked
to the knees, lengthwise, left loose below,
and edged with two or three rows of moire
ribbon. The jacket front has short revere.

We shall have to come to plain straight
skirts without drapery. Rebellion is use-
less. The ﬂat has gone forth. Straight full
skirts without a drapery are ﬁgured on all
the new models. But do not for a moment
fancy them the full skirts of twenty-ﬁve
years ago. These are made up over a
foundation skirt, the back breadths are

 

gathered and hooked on the back of the
waist, the side breadths are turned back in
revere the whole length, and the front
breadth is variously ornamented and de-
corated. The full vest and jacket front
described above are suitable for the waist.

Wash goods are made up with shirred and
belted waists and full straight gathered
skirt, with full sleeves also, on which will
appear fine white embroidery as trimming.
A princesse polonaise, very long and full, or
with the fullness of the back attached to the
waist by hooks, is a good compromise be-
tween extremes, and a safe model.

There are quantities of pretty summer
goods in cotton, outing ﬁannels, cheap
satteens, ginghams, and the like, for sale
here which make up into simple, cool and
suitable house dresses for hot weather. One
of our stores showed last week a line of
“pansy cloths ” at 12% cents ayard. wider
than calico, a smooth, even weave, with ﬂower
patterns upon light buff, drab, and pale blue
ground. Any of these cotton goods make
up well with plain round skirts, hemmed at
the bottom and gathered three or four times,
an inch apart, before being sewed to the
band. The skirt should measure 4% yards
round. For waists with these plain skirts
are worn blouses, sailor waists, or those
with yokes; all are out long enough to come
below the skirt band, and are gathered and
securely fastened to an inside belt, which
keeps them in place. A sash of ribbon, of
silk, or of the dress material may be added;
a ribbon belt fastened at the side under a
rosette, or a bow with long loops and ends
can be added as a dressy afternoon hnish.

Another pretty way to make a waist for a
wash dress is to cut a plain round basque,
and before sewing the shoulder-seams. in-
sert a straight strip, gathered several times
at the end, in each seam, close to the neck,
and cross the strips, surplice fashion. The
skirt, set up over the bottom of the basque,
holds them in place. The V-shaped opening
at the throat may be ﬁlled in with a rafﬂe of
the goods which extends around the neck
instead of a collar, and within which is set a
frill of pleated lace. Sleeves to such dresses
are made moderately full, gathered into the
armhole on the shoulder, or tucked a third
of the length from shoulder to elbow, and
again at the wrist; these full sleeves are
sloped to give less fulness at wrist than at
the armsize. Black lawns will be made up
in the same style, except that a foundation
skirt of double-faced cambric—white on one
side, black on the other, supports the full
breadths and holds the steels, which despite
the prophecies of the prophets, are still
seen, though very much reduced in size.

BEATRIX.

CROCHETED COUCH COVER.

 

In reply to the inquiry of C. C. in the
HOUSEHOLD of June lst, with reference to
a crocheted couch cover, I would say that
the young lady of our family who crochets
has not long since completed one which
proves very satisfactory. Material used, two
and one-half pounds best quality unbleached
prepared carpet warp. This cover is made
in close shell work, each shell made of six
stitches, and twenty shells across. Begin-
ning at the head of the couch, narrow off the
foot to ﬁt that end of the couch, but scatter

 

the narrowing through the center instead of
putting it all at the edge, leaving the edge
smooth; then put a pretty border clear round
—ours is about two and a half inches wide
—by so doing it may be turned over when
’tis best; and the border on the back is nice
to tuck in, thus preventing the cover from
slipping. Care is needed that it be not
made too long, as it stretches in washing.
We are careful to wash so as to bleach as
little as possible. If it is not thought desir-
able to stretch the end somewhat to ﬁt it to
the head of the couch, two more shells may
be added at ﬁrst and narrow three times be-
fore reaching the seat. Some make these
covers in fancy, open-work pattern, but I
much prefer the close work, as protection is
what I want.

I too feel like saying, not “thanks,” but
“ I thank you” to Evangeline for the many,
many helpful things she is telling us all
along, and would second the able defense of
her work made by L. 0., of Detroit. I look
upon her not so entirely as a “woman of
great executive ability” as one who pos-
sesses within herself unbounded resources—
a sort of encyclopedia of practical informa-
tion, and not to be put under oath with
reference to time and space. It is not need-
full should endorse all her sentiments ex-
pressed, which 1 cannot; neither is it neces-
sﬁry that I should adopt all her methods.
Many of them have proved helpful to me
while still others may beneﬁt others. She
is evidently possessed of that grand, nobl
nature that can endure repeated abuse
“beautifully,” and return us only a con-
tinuance of her helpful words.

I would like to know how to care for a
smilax vine. are they short lived, or does
their longevity depend upon their treatment?
I have lost two after keeping each little
more than a year. E. B.

Oonom CENTER.

—...._—

AN OUTLET FOR SURPLUS BUTTER.

 

Butter, during the summer months. is al-
most invariably a drug in the country mar-
kets. Prices are so low that it does not pay
to make it, if one’s labor is valued at all, un-
less he has a city market or private custom-
ers, and makes a ﬁrst class article through
the use of the best dairy methods and appli-
ances. Not a few good farmers save much
unproﬁtable work to their wives by feeding
the surplus milk to calves and pigs, but
others think this “ wasteful ” and expect it
to be manufactured into butter even if it
brings but eight or ten cents a pound “ in
trade” at the village grocery. Any person
whose butter does not command a higher
price than this can proﬁt by the suggestion
made by the correspondent of an exchange,
who says: “ Any butter-maker so unfortu-
nate as not to have a creamery or proper con-
ditions for keeping the milk cool and sweet
while the cream is rising, only helps over-
stock the market with an article which soon
turns rancid and becomes unﬁt for cooking
purposes. As lard usually sells at retail
from 12% to 15 cents per pound, and makes
a poor substitute for butter in many kinds
of cooking, here is a method for making but-
ter for cooking purposes that will keep fresh
and sweet for months and will enhance the
value of low grade butter at least one-half.

 


 

4: THE HOUSEHOLD.

 

 

When churning is done (and it makes no
difference whether butter is made on the
granular plan or in the old dash churn, only
the granular butter is easier washeﬁ) and
the butter is washed, put it into a clean tin
pan, set it on the stove and let it boil for an
hour, slowly. Care must be taken to stir
frequently while boiling to prevent scorch-
ng. When taken off, let it stand to cool
and settle, then pour into a crock and cover
with paper and a cloth. Butter put down in
this way will keep perfectly sweet without
salting, the boiling expels the elements in
the butter that would cause it to become ran-
cid. This kind of butter is equal to lard for
general cooking, and far superior to lard in
many kinds of pastry cooking.”

We do not think the direction to let the
butter boil for an hour is essential. The
application of heat is for the purpose of
separating the oil or pure fat from the caseine
and other elements present in butter, which
through exposure to air become rancid. A
thorough heating to boiling point, causing
this separation of the oil, is all that seems
to be necessary. Then, carefully pour off
the fat, or oil, which can be used for short-
ening. It is better than rancid butter for
culinary purposes, but lacks the “butter
ﬂavor” which is imparted by an aromatic
principle volatilizcd by heat. Except for
table use and for seasoning vegetables, etc.,
it can be acceptably employed in cooking.

———-—...————

A CLOUDY WEEK.

 

(Uontinued,)

This has been a rainy day. Not one of
those warm, soft rains that keep everything
growing and the birds singing and people
happy through it all: but a chilly, disagree-
able, pinching sort of a sloppiness that seems
to soak through everything in the house.
After breakfast Simon said he was going to
take a rest, and I knew when I heard that
that it was going to be a hard day for me;
for if there is any one thing more trying to
my patience than anotherit is Simon’s rests.
I washed the white clothes and put them in
the rinse water, ready to hang up as soon as
the weather cleared. Phil, the twelve-year-
old, pumped the water for me and started to
wring out the clashes, but got to experiment-
ing with the wringer and broke it, so I had
to ﬁnish by hand. Before leaving for school
he was carrying out some dirty suds for me,
and left a pail full of it where the three-year-
old baby set over backwards into it, ﬁtting
so tight that I had to turn the pail over to
get him out. He was wet through, and
I hadto drop everything to hunt up a change
and put it on him. All the time he
screamed, and I scolded, and kept telling
myself how thankful I was that the water
wasn’t hot. Meanwhile, Simon began to
grease boots. He got about a dozen pairs
together, of different sorts and sizes, and
warming the black, nasty grease by the
cook-stove, began to rub it over them with
his ﬁngers, dropping some on the ﬂoor and
whistling all the time as happy as a lark.
Then he daubed some on the baby’s nose
for a joke, and I got crosser all the time, for
everything and everybody kept making me
more work.

After dinner and its work was over I

 

I thought maybe I was going to have a little
peace, and perhaps sew on the dress 1 am
making for Lou; but just as 1' had washed
my hands Simon brought in a half-dead
lamb to be fed and warmed. He also
brought news that the old hen turkey that
had begun to hatch yesterday was bound to
leave the nest with her brood. It always
riles me to see anything or anybody that
don’t know enough to take care of their
young; but there is no reasoning with a tur-
key, and the rain would be sure death to her
brood. so we brought them in by the stove.
too. You can’t make them comfortable
enough to stop their yeeping, the lamb got
so it could bloat, and so we had music and
fragrance, too. And to cap the climax Si-
mon brought in the work harness and spread
it all over one side of the kitchen to mend
it. I had to hunt up a darning needle for
him, then some twine, and hand a knife
now and then. It wasn’t much, but some-
how I could not get any sewing done.

When the three children, Phil, Lou and
Kate, came from school they brought in a
load of mud and more drying. They also
brought me a letter from sister Maud. She
is going to spend the summer at the sea-
shore, and enclosed samples of half-a-dozen
new dresses; and she tells me that her hus-
band surprisad her with a set of pearls on
their wedding anniversary. Well, I’m not
naturally envious, but I’ve always hankered
for a sight of the sea, and imagine it would
rest me clear through to hear the roar of its
waves. And then that wedding present!
I don’t want the pearls—but the remember-
ing—that must be nice! I’m sure that if
Simon Snail had to give the date of his mar-
riage or die, it would be die. Still, he has
never been mean enough to let on he regret-
ted the day, if he can’t ﬁnd it in the alma-
nac; and I wouldn’t trade him anyway and
take the chances. Poor Maud! She has no
children; she has never known that love and
joy which seems to awaken to its fullest at
the sound of a baby’s ﬁrst cry, yet grows
with its growth and strengthens with its
strength through all the years. I soon rea-
soned myself above the mean feeling, and
was glad Maud had the sea-shore, the dresses
and pearls, and that I had my noisy, ruddy
children, Simon, the turkeys, the lamb and
even the harness. It is not for all of us to
be blessed alike.

To be Continued.

m...—

SUMMER SHOPPING.

 

I wish to say to ladies who want shop-
ping done in this city, that after the Fourth
of July, it is the custom of our merchants to
reduce stocks by marking down all cotton
dress goods, pattern dresses, all-over em-
broideries for dresses, light weight wool
goods in colors, and to put upon their bar-
gain counters remnants and short lengths
at reduced prices. Those who need such
goods later, or who can hold them over till
another season, will ﬁnd it very advanta-
geousto wait for these sales. It is impos-
sible to send samples; the goods would prob-
ably be gone before an answer could be re-
ceived. The best way would be to write
directions as to what is wanted, color,
material and quantity, and price you wish to
pay. and let the buyer use her judgment in

 

selecting. To state the complexion of the
person to wear the goods, and such partic-
ulars, aids a selection 'sometimes. To the
question whether anything‘; can be saved
by sending here, and paying commission
and mail or express charges, I would say
that I think perhaps those who can buy in a
large town or city, where competition keeps
down prices, can do as well at home, prob-
ably. But those who must buy in small
towns can save money on dress goods, trim-
mings of all kinds (1 do not mean linings),
ribbons, laces, gloves, etc. “Better quality
for less money than 1 would have paid
here” has been the return from many
orders already ﬁlled. BEATBIX.
—-—-—OO.———-
HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

STRAWBERRY ICE-CREAM.——The juice of
one quart of strawberries and one pound of
sugar, let the sugar dissolve in the juice,
then add it gradually to a quart of cream.
Freeze quickly, or the cream will change.

STRAWBERRY PRESERVEs.-—To a quart
of fruit allow three-fourths of a quart of
sugar and half a pint of Water. Boil the
sugar and water to a syrup, put in the ber-
ries, cook twenty minutes, and seal. Nice-
for tarts.

 

To make a paste which will stick paper
to tin, make a thin solution of glue and
thicken it with wheat ﬂour until it is the
consistency of paste. Put the paste on the
paper and apply to the tin. and it will “stay
put.”

 

To keep salad plants, like lettuce celery
and cress and fresh and crisp, do not put
them Wholly into water, but wash them,
wrap them in a wet cloth and lay next the
ice or in a cool cellar. Sprinkle peas, green
corn, beans, with water, throw a wet cloth
over them and if kept in a cool place they
will be fresh and crisp when wanted.

 

CUFFS that are laundried at home often
fail to please because they are ironed out
ﬂat, and when the buttons are put in the
cuﬁs blister and wrinkle. This can be
avoided, if the laundress only knows how to
iron the cuifs until they are perfectly dry,
and then takes the broad end of the ﬂat-
iron. and, pressing very hard on the edge,
slowly goes over the length of the cuff. The
and will roll as the iron leaves it. This is
so simple an operation that one is likely to
succeed the ﬁrst time she tries to do it.

—-—-<Ob-—-—-
Contributed Recipes.

 

GINGER Commas—First boil one cup good
molasses, remove from the ﬁre and stir in one
cup sugar, one tablespoonful soda, and one of
ginger and two of vinegar: when cool beat an
egg and stir in. Stir up stitr with ﬂour and
let stand, awhile before rolling out. This is
the recipe which was lost.

CARAMEL FOR CAKE—Boil two cups best
brown sugar with a piece of butter the size of
an egg and three-quarters of a cup of sweet
milk- boil 12 minutes, stir constantly, strain,
beat kill cold and thick, add tablespoonful
vanilla. This is for a white cake of four lay-
ers. Cream may be substituted for butter
with good results. DILL A. TORY.

' CHARLOTTE.

 

”awe. .

‘~.2.-e..:-m

 

 

 

+

 

