' with other things.

FEW,

::\\\\\\\.

 

.\\\\ \\\\‘5
\_.__

     
   
  

 

 

 

DETROIT, NOVEMBER '7, 1887.

 

 

THE HOUSEHOLD-"supplement.

 

 

HINISTEIZING’.

 

What though your feet are often over-weary,
On ceaseless errands sent:

And tired shoulders ache and ache so sorely
’Neath he wy burdens bent?

Be patient, lest the ones whom you are serving
Be soon beyond your care;

Lest little wayward feet that you are guiding.
Slip past you unaware.

Ah, then, no joy would seem so dear and blessed,
As spending months and years .

In ceaseless service for the vanished darlings,
Sovainly mourned with tears.

But while you have your dear ones still around

you,

Do not regret your care;

Far easier aching feet and arms and shoulders.
Than aching hearts to bear.

——«.——

TAKING CARE OF THE CLOTHES.

 

-Why is it that two girls can expend the
same sum of money for their. clothing, and
one will always look well-dressed and the
other dowdyish and shabby? Generally
speaking, because one takes care of her pos-
sessions and the other does not. The wear
of many artichs depends greatly upon the
care taken of them. One girl will slip her
dressskirt down on the floor on retiring, or
toss it half on, half 01f a chair, and if it is
at all damp, or of goods easily crushed,
she finds it a mass of wrinkles when she
gets around to hang it up in the morning.
Or she goes out for a walk and on her return
hangs up her dust-laden skirt. to be shaken
out when she next wishes to put it on. it
is but a little time before a new dress looks
shabby under such treatment, and just so
I know two sisters, one
of whom has a good deal more to spend
upon dress than the other. yet the one with
the least always manages to look the best
dressed, one day with another. One is in a
chronic state of having “ nothing to wear,”
the other always looks fresh and trim in her
old dresses, though she may have to wear
an elbow turned in to hide a darn. One is
just as likely to throw her coat on the back
of a chair and her hat on the seat, and the
total depravity of inanimate things is sure
to cause the coat to eclipse the hat, to the
irretrievable damage of its trimmings. If
she has on her best dress and is called upon
to go down town, it only to the meat mar-
ket, it is too much trouble to change, even
though it may be raining; an i just so with
shoes and gloves; and all such things. She
wears the best every day, and consequently
has nothing in which she feels “ dressed
upg” and When she wishes to look particu-
larly well.‘ “0th a fuss is there, my
eonntryw‘bmenl” One thing after another is
discarded as too shabby .or “massed,” and

she generally retires into her pocket-hand-
kerchief before she is done reviewing her
dilapidated belongings.

A good many young and thoughtless girls
seem to think a “noble disregard” in
these matters is indicative of family pros-
perity and abundance; it is equivalent to
saying that when these are gone they can
get plenty more. But usually, after they
have learned h0w hardly money is earned,
and how easily it is spent, they are more
careful of what money buys; though some
seem to never learn habits of order and care.

Every dress should have loops attached to
hang it up by; then use them for that pur-
pose. If you have plenty of closet room let
each dress have two hooks; the drapery will
not then be crushed. If you have no closets,
make one according to the directions given
in the HOUSEHOLD some months ago. Or
curtain off one corner of your room with
cretonne or calico, and hang your dresses
in its seclusion. Never put away a dress
when it is damp or dusty, under penalty of
wrinkled shabbiness; nothing takes the
“ new ” off a dress so quickly. Two loops,
one at each armsize, keep a basque in better
shape than one at the back of the neck.
All heavy wraps, like cloaks and wraps,
should have a shoulder form, such as they
are kept upon in the stores, to keep them in
good shape. Provide a velvet brush for use
upon velvet or brocade goods: and don’t
use a whisk-broom on silk, or a bristle
brush either, for that matter; a piece of
crape or old velvet is much preferable to
remov ethe dust astt does not wear and cut
the silk like a broom or brush.

Plumes will keep in curl much longer if
after having been exposed to dampness or
dew, the hat is shaken gently over a fire, or
even the flame of a lamp or a gas-jet as
soon as removed, care being taken not to

get them too near and so scorch them. The

heat “livens” them again and dries out
the dampness, whereas if put away without
this preliminary drying they will soon look
so draggled that even a disreputable old
ostrich would seem them. It is not often
that a bonnet or hat will be worn a second
season without some remodeling, “therefore
it is best to rip up the trimming, brush
the dust out of the ribbon loops, and roll
them up tightly without pressing; usually
when undone in the spring the wrinkles
will have disappeared. The plumes or
wings should be put away in a box, out of
the reach of moths, which love to nest in
the soft fibres; and the flowers and lace also
in a box beyond danger of damage. One

reason why some ladies can afford so many

 

bonnets in a season is because they take

    

 

care of their materials, which reappear
again and again in new combinations. Last
winter’s velvet bonnet is made over for
this, with other trimmings, and perhaps
the same velvet will trim next spring’s walk-
ing hat. One of our city milliners is very
popular because of her taste in thus com-
bining old materials into stylish shapes,
and because she never “snubs ” those who
thus economize.

Going to the other extreme, what is so
unsatisfying as a shabby shoe! To keep
them looking nice and new, have a partly
worn pair for rainy weather, for wear un-
der rubbers, for nothing spoils them so
quickas mud and water, and rubbers. If
the buttons are all on, and the convenient
liquid polish used at need, one need not be
ashamed of boots past their pristine new—
ness, for with most of us a partly worn shoe
is “comfortable as an old friend.” A little
pure glycerine—a very little—carefully
rubbed on when the toes and sides begin to
look worn, discourages the tendency to
crack and keeps the leather pliable.

If you jerk off your kid gloves in a hurry,
and crush them up in a wad while ~still
moist with perspiration you need not won-
der that they soon look old. Pull out the
fingers and fold them together lengthwise,
then lay them straight in your glove box.
When gloves get dirty, have them colored;
I see so many soiled tan colored gloves that
I hate the color. A good kid glove can be
colored nicely, and the work is so well
done one need not be ashamed of them, nor
do they disorder the hands as when the art
of dyeing was less practiced. But it willnot
pay to have a cheap kid colored. Any
glove shrinks alittle in the dye, and will
be a tighter fit than before; it Costs 30 cents
to have them colored.

Now everybody knows these things I have
just mentioned, but how few, especially
among the girls, are careful in these and
other respects! To look well dressed it is
not necessary to be richly dressed, but it is
essential that there be no rips or missing
buttons, no tagged—out dressbinding, no
places where a stitch is manifestly needed,
and no pins doing duty for stitches.

BEATRIX.

————...——_

THE oldest canary on rec 1rd died at
Philadelphia recently, 24 years old. His
owner attributes his longlife to the p tree
of feeding him small quantities of area
which he was very fond, “(1188] never gio
him any anything sweet. Ty ”fig:

2‘5)- 3

was fed meat, and sometim ism
bit of salt pork «sinedwrma .bala;


 

2 THE HOUSEHOLD.

 

HOME TALKS.

 

N0. VL

 

We will make strawberry jelly and jam
to-day, as we have all the berries canned we
want. We will use the berries that are
white. just before they begin to color, they
makes much nicer jelly. Fill the kettle
full and add apint of water, let them boil
thoroughly and turn them into the jelly bag;
do not squeeze; let them drip. Clean the
kettle and weigh the juice before returning
to the kettle. Eight pounds, you say? well,
weigh eight pounds of granulated sugar,
but do not add it to the juice until it has
boiled up and been skimmed; you will find
the jelly will be made before the sugar is
fairly dissolved; dip up aspoonfull; see, it is
thick jelly all over the bowli Set it off the
stove and fill the cups as fast as possible.
You can fill eight of these tumblers for you
—put mine in the cups. We‘ve had
splendid success with this, Hetty.

Now for the jam: we will make about six-
teen pounds—six for you and ten for me.
Weigh the berries and mash them as fine
as you can, that prevents them from be-
coming hard; allow three-fourths of a
pound of granulated sugar toa pound of
berries. Cook the berries twenty minutes
before addingthe sugar, then simmer slowly
half an hour, it wants close attention and
frequent stirring. Take out a little in a
sauce dish as it cools: if no juice runs from
it and it looks shiney and glistens, it is
done; we will put this in these small stone
jars. When this is cold out some letter
paper to fit the jars. and moisten in brandy,
lay over the jam and tie closely. Tie the
jelly cups up with that straw colored tissue
paper, two thicknesses.

I'never want an elaborate dinner nor any
baking on hand when I am taking care of
fruit. With too many irons in the fire
some are apt to burn. It was just handy,
to-day, to have this roast and it is a good
large one too, for 1 want a meat pie to-

‘morrow for dinner.- Allow about twenty-
five minutes to a pound for roasting meat,
and then bastingit often seasons it through;
some cook-books say never season it until
it is done, but[ always salt and pepper it
when Iput it in the oven‘and spread on
some butter. Fill the dripping pauathird
full of hot water and have a hot oven, brisk
fire and keep it so. Sear the meat im-
mediately, then the juice will not drip out,

' and when it is done there will be a thick
brown glaze on the bottom of the pan, that
is the foundation of the gravy. Take the
meat out and set in the warming closet;
keep it hot as you can, set the pan over the
stove and turn in hot water, this will make
two quarts of rich gravy; we want so us for
to-morrow, you know. Make the thicken-
ing of the browned flour, take three table-
spoonfuls, mix it with sweet cream instead
of water; now stir it free from lumps. Al-
ways have your gravy smooth. Taste and
see if it is all right and thick enough, it
ought not to be thin like water, nor thick as
pudding; yes, that is right. Now you

, know how meat is roasted and gravy made,
ion’t you? Our dinner to-day is roast
)eef; boiled new potatoes; beets sliced with
sugar and vinegar over them; water cress
ialad, strawberries and cream. How deli-

 

cious this cress is! it grows so plentifully
too and so few know about it; the creek is
full of it. Now this common purslane
“pusley” most people call it—that is such
apest in gardens makes one of our most deli-
cious salads, city people go wild over it, it
is so crisp and juicy and the least bit of
snap to it. Wash the cress thoroughly
and shred with the fingers-always avoid
using a knife as much as possible, then set
on the ice to crisp. I like it best with
sugar, salt and vinegar; but a good salad
dressing is made with the yolks of three
hard boiled eggs rubbed smooth; half a
teaspoonful each of mustard and salt, a
tablespoonful of melted butter; one of
sugar; mix thoroughly, then add slowly a
small teacupful of vinegar. For lettuce
slice the whites in rings and lay over it.
There is nothing more appetizing than
salads of dilferent kinds: some are very
much opposed to their use, thinking that
the free use of condiments will create an
appetite for strong drink.

This afternoon we will get the dishtowels
hemmed and the comforters cut 01f and
sewed up; next week we will have our com-
pany and tie them off. Here are two
dozen towels all a yard in length, and this
bath toweling is for the dish cloths—eight
of those; your hand towels are all fringed,
you know. This cheese cloth I will make in
foot comforters, cut them long enough to
fall over the bed on either side and one
width across, we will put the nice wadding
in these. What apretty fashion it is, to lay
them over the foot of the bed! 1 am so
glad that the craze for sheet and pillow
shams has died out. I saw your aunt Mira
had her pillows with plain hem-stitched
slips on, laid down flat on the bed, then a
bolster was set up on them against the head
board; that had a slip on, then there was a
lace curtain, lined with satteen, a very
delicate blue,_anot‘1er pink, another old
gold, these were brought up over the bolster
and then twisted around in the center of
the bolster and held in place with abeauti-
ful bow of ribbon, the color of the satteen.
I never saw such handsome bedcovers.
You have lots of splashers and toilet mats
and tidies, all you will need. A great
many consider them superfluities, but they
are not, they are very useful, a well as
making the toilet table more attractive; and
show a great deal of skill in the designer.

I declare it is teatime and you must get
the potatoes ready for the bread; pare six
medium-sized ones, cut them small and
boil them in two quarts of water; when
they are done rub the whole through the
colander; that takes out all lumps, and set
it on the back of the stove to keep warm;
sift your flour and add two tablespoonfuls
of sugar, a lump of lard the size of a black
walnut and one coffee cup of yeast to the
wetting, which must be lukewarm. Stir
the sponge quite stiff and beat it about ten
minutes; this will probably be the kind of
bread you will make, but in the whey bread
you must exercise much care in cooking the
whey. Four quarts of thick milk will need
one quart of water, and it must boil gently
for two hours or until it tastes sweet and
looks a clear greenish color; the curd will be
in granules, and will settle to the bottom of
the kettle as it cools. While it makes

a

 

whiter bread and finer texture, it is seldom
made in town, for sour milk is not to be
obtained always, and then tow it is more
work to prepare it. You can make bread
cakes for breakfast. Put three pints of
sour milk in a small pan and add two
slices of bread; in the morning it will be
soaked fine; then add half a cup of sour
cream and one egg; two teaspoonfuls soda:
one teaspoonful of salt, and flour for a
batter not quite as stiff as cake dough. The
bread makes them light, and you will find
some maple syrup in cans down cellar.
Pick up some codfish and soak that over
night; in the morning drain off the water.
you will need a pint bowl full of the fish.
add a pint of new milk; a well beaten egg:
lump of butter the size of an egg; or a little
larger; a little thickening, pepper and salt.
Plain boiled potatoes, doughnuts and coffee.
Iwill help you, as you have bread to mix.
You will not make sucha mess with the
flour after you have mixed and stirred a
few times; practice makes perfect and you
are doing finely: it is half in having the de-
sire to improve. EVANGELINE.
BATTLE Cams.
“.0.—

FEMININE APPAREL.

 

I would commend E. B.’s idea of gain-
ing warmth by wearing flannel drawers over
the knitted underwear instead of a flannel
underskirt; the drawers are much warmer,
protecting more completely the lower limbs.
Wear but one skirt, and that a light one,
and seek for warmth by increasing the un-
derclothing.

I’ve heard so much said about the weight
of feminine apparel, its burdensomeness.
that heavy skirts are dragging us to untime-
ly graves. and that men’s clothes were so
much lighter, etc., etc., that I really began
to feel as if my raiment must be making an
angel of me, gradually. I’ve learned that a
great deal we read and hear talkel passes
current as truth, simply because it is pre-
sented to us in an authoritative manner.
One has only to advance some theory with
a good show of confidence to convert some-
body to his peculiar views, however erron-
eous, simply for want bf original thought
or investigation. A good many of our be-
liefs are accepted as we take medicine:
somebody has prepared it, says “ Here,
open your mouth,” and down it gees. We
take it for granted it will be good for us.
Well, I weighed in the balance a full set of
feminine paraphernalia, excepting shoes,
including the abused corset and despised
bustle; everything I wear, even to cuffs and
linen collar—with the buttons in ’em. The
dress was the heaviest article of the outfit,
of course; it was made of heavy all-wool
goods, and 11 yards double-fold, went to its
making; it is faced with canvas and‘has its
complement of steels, etc; a regular street
toilette, in fact. How much do you think
the whole outfit weighed? I confess I was
surprised, as I think you will be. Seven
and three-quarter pounds. And of this,
the dress alone weighed not quite .four
pounds. Considering I’ve heard it charged
that a woman’s dress weighed from 10 to 30
pounds, I was so delighted I kept on weigh-
ing. A silk dress heavily trimmed with
jet weighed 3% pounds, a camelette walk

 

 

 


 

 

. THE HOUSEHOLD.

 

 

ing dress something less than three pounds;
in fact the dress weighed with the whole
outfit weighed the most of any I possessed!
These dresses are made in the prevailing
mode, for I have no ambition to make a guy
of myself trying to “reform” the fashions;
I follow them humbly, but nearly enough
not to be conspicuous; and I am tall. and it
takes a good deal of drapery to a dress-
skirt.

The next problem was to ascertain the
weight of the average masculine outfit. A
little diplomacy put me in possession of the
fact that a suit. of clothes, heavy enough
for wear the year round, tipped the beam at
a fraction less than eight pounds, between
that and seven and three-fourths. I am
firmer than ever in my opinion that all the
talk about women’s clothes is merely the
ravings of those one-idead individuals we
call cranks, and of newspaper reporters who
whenever they are out of a subject, give us
a jeremiade on feminine frailties because

. they know the women will not bother their
- pretty heads to contradict whatever they

may say. and that men will be pleased at
the superior sense of their own sex by con—
trast with the follies of womankind. But
its just “six 0’ one and a half dozen of the
other.” The fashions of one sex have as
many weak points as those of the other.

Somebody will perhaps rise to remark
that eight pounds of clothing is a good deal
of a burden to carry round. I suppose one
might lessen it by wearing a Roman toga;
but judging from those I’ve seen worn upon
the stage, which were said to be historically
correct, we would be glad enough to get
back to our present modes—at least during
the winter. I believe it to be possible to
considerably decrease the weight of the
clothing we wear, simply by a little thought
in making the underwear warmer, and
using lighter goods for dresses, though ade-
quate protection during our 3 were seasons
inevitably entails greater weight.

I find the disagreeable feeling—and ap-
pearance —caused by the dress skirt slipping
down, leaving a space between skirt and
basque, on slender women, particularly, can
be remedied by having a band attached to
the two side-form seams at the back, at the
waist line, fastening in front, and having a
buttonhole about half an inch in front of each
point of union. Buttons are attached to the
band of the skirt, at the corresponding
place, and the skirt buttoned to the band
after the basque is put on and b’éfore it is
buttoned. This allows part of the weight
of the skirt to be upheld by the shoulders.

BRUNEFlLLE.

___._—...———

TRAINING THE CHILDREN.

 

I have been reading the letters written by
the HOUSEHOLD members for some time,
and have been tempted to answer some of
their sayings. As regards training hus—
band and raising boys, I think I know
something about both. I find it much
easier to talk than to do, and the one who
does the most talking generally does the

. least training.

My husband was an only son, having a
mother and two sisters: his father died
when he was 14 years of age. Of course he
was mother’s pet and sisters’ pride; they
were always ready to go at his calling, yet

 

he was not spoiled. He was taught to
hang his coat and hat on such a nail, and
his underclothes were put in one place so
he could get them when needed; thus cul-
tivating his bump of order, which now does
its work at the barn as well as at the house.

I find it much easier to have old coats and
hats hung up than thrown down, and I
give my mother-in-law, who is now 84 years
of age, many thanks for training her son in
the way he should go, saving her many
steps and perhaps not a few cross words.

I have helped raise four boys and have
tried to teach them order and neatness,
by giving them a trunk or drawer to put
their things in, and showing them how to
place them that they may not be soiled.
Every week their clothes are put away;
when Sunday comes they kno N where to go
to get ready for church. It is amusing to
look into my youngest boy’s trunk: he has
a box for this and a box for that, placed in
proper place, and they must not be dis-
turbed; anything he thinks of value he locks
up, showing care and order.

There is agreat difference among chil-
dren in one family, and there must be great
care in governing, in order to have them
grow up to love each other and to honor
their parents. Love is the fulfillment of
the law, and where that reigns peace and
happiness will reign in the family, causing
contentment among the boys and a desire
to stay at home. I think mothers have
more responsibility resting upon them than

.fatners, because they have the children

under their care from babyhood, and should
watch and teach them everything for their
good through life. Fathers who govern
their children and have them do right, are
respected; they will try to do as father
wants them, and they will grow up good
kind men and husbands, having a nail for
all coats and hats and bootjacks.

HORTON. MRS. E.

____«¢——————

FROM OVER SEAS.

 

“Come up and see my treasures, just
through the custom-house from Germany,”
said a friend the other day, and so I follow-
ed her upstairs and into “ my lady’s cham-
ber,” all littered with bric-a—brac and the
like, souvenirs of a two years sojourn in
the various cities of the German Empire. but
chiefly from Leipsic and Munich. The
principal part of the collection consisted of
specimens of Bohemian glass, bits of Dres-
den china and Royal Delft and Wedge-
wood, for my friend has a weakness in that
direction. The vases and pitchers, of many
styles and shapes, in Bohemian glass were
exceedingly beautiful. all emblazoned with
gold and dazzling with dashes of white on
their rosy sides. Some were very small,
tiny cups and glasses holding a scant thim-
ble-full, so fragde one felt almost as if she
were attempting to handle soap-bubbles.
There were acorn-shaped vinaigrettes, the
acorn part of the brilliant glass, the cups of
frosted gold, furnished with little chains to
attach them to belt or chatelaine; I took a
great fancy to these, they were so unique.
A flat piece of blue-and-white earthenware,
about twelve inches long by six inches
wide, with one end curved and having a
round hole in it, was a bread board; the loaf
of bread is cut at the table during the meal,

 

each slice as it is needed, and the cutting is
done upon this “ board,” which when not
in use is hung upon the wall in the kitchen.
Then I was invited to give an opinion on
the German beer-mugs, which would hold
almost a quart and were in shape not unlike
the brown earthen teapots we find here,
minus the spout, and with large handles:
some of these were rimmed with silver. The
jolly Dutchman who drinks the health of
King Gambrinus in these great mugs, often
keeps his individual tankerd at his favorite
resort, where he spends his evenings with
pipe and bowl. Some beautiful specimens
of wood carving had survived the ordeal of
an ocean voyage; a salad set exquisitely
carved in oak leaves and acorns was too
handsome for use: while pipes and cigar-
ette-holders were cut in grotesque figures
and faces. There were some dolls, design-
ed for little nieces, dressed in their pictur—
esque peasant costumes, the gay short
skirts, black velvet bodices and white
sleeves which make up their holiday dress:
there was also a doll dressed as the German
women dres's their babies. It is a solemn
thing to be a German baby. Till he is seven
months old he is kept on a pillow-shaped
contrivance which has a sort of flap which
folds up over the little occupant, keeps him
warm and obviates the necessity of skirts.
keeps him out of. his mother’s way and right
where she can put her hand on him any mo-
ment. The mothers of those youngsters
who are as restless as the Irishman’s flea
will doubtless consider the Teutonic method
an improvement. He is never taken out of
those swaddling clothes except to be washed
and his clothing changed, till, as I have
said, he is about seven months old; the re-
sult is a great many handy-legged children,
for of course the limbs are Weak and unable
to support the body when finally released.
Some of the most beautiful silver and amber
jewelry was also shown me: and a piece of
amber 2% inches long and half an inch
thick with a mosquito prisoned in it. Beads
of the clouded amber, which is rarer and
more valuable than the clear, and a brboch
cut in a fine floral design, made a set des-
tined for “ Missy,” and pins and brooches
of the clear amber, which seemed to have
prisoned the sunshine in their sparkling
depths, were very handsome. But to my
fancy the prettiest bauble of all was a silver
pin in edelweiss pattern, its petals in frost
ed silver, and the heart of the blossom
faceted globes of bright and frosted silver
there was a bracelet composed of smaller
flowers arranged in a band; another pretty
thing was a large “ blue-bottle ” fly, as we
call them here, perfectly imitated in the
same material.

Everybody has heard of the Edelweiss, the
Alpine flower so famed in song and story, and
which blossoms on the snowclad Alps where
nothing else can subsist. My friend brought
home some dried specimens of this plant,
which, though they had lost some of their
beauty and all their fragrance, were yet
very interesting to me. The bloss‘oms,
though tarnished and blackened in drying
and the long sea v: yage, evidently resembl-
ed in texture our own early spring blooming
plant, Antennaria, which has a white
“wooly” bloom, covered with down. as if
nature provide her firstlings with a blanket

 


THE HOUSEHOLD.

 

 

for protection. But the Edelweiss is beauti-
ful in form. There are wide rays from a
centre of soft downy spheres; the whole
plant is downy, aud'fiowers and leaves alike
purely white. It only grows six inches
high. Amid Alpine wastes it flourishes in
the scanty soil, nourished by the few sun—
beams which penetrate to the ravine or
recess among the rocks which conceal it.
The Swiss peasants have hunted it so per-
sistently in response to the demand for it
by tourists, that some of the cantons have
forbidden its further sale, and have taken
meaSures to prevent its total extinction,
providing gardens for its cultivation. But
the specimen from the garden loses much of
the romance and mystery attached the plant
when it grows at its own sweet will on its
native crags. .
The legend of the Edelweiss, which
brought the modest plant into prominence,
is that there was once a maiden so fair, so
pure, so heavenly-minded that no suitor
could be found worthy to win her; and so,
though all men sighed for her, none might
possess her. She was therefore metamor-
phosed intoa flower. white and star-like, and
placed high up on the mountain tops, close
to the snow she resembled, to be a type for-
ever of purest and loveliest womanhood.
And because the flower was found only by
peril and toil and upward struggling, it be-
came a saying that to win the love that was
highest and noblest was to pluck the Edel-
weiss; and no higher honor could any lady
merit than to have this white flower placed

in her hand as her own emblem.
BE ATBIX.

—_—_...-——

HOME AMUSEMENTS.

 

Nearly every one will remember the once
popular game of “ authors’ cards.” A
variation on this which may serve to amuse
aparty of young people for an evening or
two, is played with the alphabet blocks often
bought for children. One box of letters to
four persons is necessary, and the blocks
are turned face down on a small table
round which the players sit. The first
player takes up a letter, and if he can form
a word he places-it in front of him—I, O,
and A are classed as words—and draws
again; if not hesays “ pass” and pushes the
letter, face upward, back among the others.
The next player takes upa letter and if he
can form a word with that letter and his
neighbors’ words or the faced letters on
the table he makes it, and draws again.
Thus if one player has formed a word “ hat”
and another picks up the letter t, making
“that,” he can take it. lnversions are
allowed; “sum” can be made into “mush”
if one picks up an h, but plurals and slang
are not allowed, nor can two words be
formed of your own letters, the pool, and
one 'word taken. Ten. words form the
game.

Mummy parties are very amusing. The
company divides into two parts. one divis—
ion goes into an adjoining room where they
range themselves on chairs, arranging as
muchaspossible to be nearly of the same
height, when seated. Each person is then
carefully wrapped in a sheet to conceal
every bit of the dress and features, leaving
only the eyes visible. The disguise should
besocompleteasto concealthe sexof the

individual completely; the hand holds
the drapery in place. It is not so easy,
when the remainder of the company
returns to the room, to guess the identity of
the ghostly, uncanny eyes peering from the
enshrouding whiteness.

“ Donkey parties ” are an intellectual
form of entertainment suited to the mental
scope of nearly everybody; few get below
the level, at least. The figure of a donkey,
as comical as you can make him, is sketched
on heavy paper, out out and covered with
grey canton flannel. The donkey is then
pasted on a piece of white cotton goods,
stretched against a blank wall or on closed
folding doors. The donkey should be large,
four or five feet long, and tail-less. A
variety of tails are provided, some orthodox,
others ludicrous, as the ace of hearts in red
flannel, a spade in black, a large initial let-
ter, etc, and at the top of each tail is attach-
ed a bent invisible hairpin, by which it
may be attached to the unfortunate donkey,
A member of the company is blindfolded,
given one of these tails, turned round three
or {our times and started in the direction
of the donkey, with instructions to remedy
the misfortune of the mutilated donkey.
The tails are left in position till all have
had a try, and hence one for each member
of the company must be provided. It is
very funny to see how far from the mark
some very confident decorators will get, and
really a “ donkey party” furnishes plenty
of amusement, especially for young people.

There is a literary flavor about the latest
Boston idea, the " quotation party,” a
pleasant recreation for those fond of read-
ing. The hostess prepares a list of perhaps
thirty or forty familiar quotations; the guests
come provided with pencils and paper, and
.as the hostess reads off the quotations, the
guest writes the name of the author, and
the papers—which are not signed—are col-
lected and compared. Three prizes are
given; half the quotations must be correctly
named to secure the first, one-third the
second, and one-quarter for the third. As
the papers are not signed no one is mortified
by failure, or falling below the others, and
the successful ones are very willing to claim
their own papers. The quotation party is
instructive as well as pleasant, and it is
quite an honor to win a prize, even the
lowest.

.___—-...—————————

A SUNDAY REVERIE.

 

What a type of some lives this day has
been! Dark, filled with storm until late in
the afternoon, and at the very last the sun
breaks forth, in an eifulgence of golden
glory that makes its setting a something
beautiful and sublime, long to be remem—
bered. And so there are human lives that
from the cradle to the confines of life’s
latest limit—be its years many or few—are
filled with the drip and the pour, the crash
and the lull of storms, chilled by fierce
winds and shadowed by perpetual cloud,
until as if to prove that earth holds of
Heaven a part, suddenly this is all
changed, anda brief respite of terrestrial
joy is vouchsafed to the too weary one, ere
a new existence is entered upon. And if
ever orthodoxy with its stern, inexorable
dams and curses. whispers to our hearts a

 

perilous fear in their behalf, we have but to

 

recall the look of infinite, of perfect peace,
of immortal, unending rest that left the dear
face looking as though a Righteousness
whose fullness is as the waves of the sea",
washed head and hands and heart free
of all earthly stain.

Goethe says, “ Nature will be obliged to
give us another form of existence .when
that which -we have can no longer contain
the spirit.” AndI have often thought in
contemplation of this and the preceding
evidence that in this, Nature, which is but
another name for God, is very kind. Lift-
ing the storm-driven, cross-bearing, ever
8 acxificing soul instantly from the entangle-
ments and slavery of the flesh into the
fullness and freedom of the sphere that is
to that soul sustaining, satisfying.

I never realized the possible power of a
firm, unquestioning faith in the tenets of the
Christian religion, as taught by the churches,
as I did to-day while listening to aprayer
offered at a morning service by one of

Flint’s most popular divines. .. ~

And this faith in its entirety, its per-
fected form as required in the gospels, can
' only be held by “ the pure in heart.” The
rest must rough it, as best they may.

FLINT. E. L. NYE.
——ooo—-——-

AN Old Farmer, in the Indiana Farm,
advises the women of farm homes to make
overshirts of coarse bedticlring for their
husbands and sons to wear in the stables
when cleaning them or grooming the
horses, reni’oving them when these tasksare
performed. Then the men can come to-
their meals without bringing the offensive
“ stable odor ” with them, or scattering the
stray horsehairs over the house. Moreover,
these shirts are a great protection to the
clothes, saving them from dirt and wear.
It is a good idea. _

.____._...———
Confectionery.

 

VANILLA Canaan—Break into a bowl the
white of one or more eggs, as the quantity you
wish to make will require, add to it an equal
quantity of ' cold water, then stir in XXX
powdered or confectioners’ sugar until you
have It stiff enough to mould into shape with
the fingers. Flavor with vanilla to taste.
After it is formed into balls, cubes or lozenge
shapes. lay them upon plates or waxed paper
and set them aside to dry. This cream is the
foundation of all the French creams.

CHOCOLATE Dimes—Take French cream
and mould into cone-shaped forms with the
fingers. Lay them on waxed paper or on a
marble slab until the next day to harden, or
make them in the morning and leave them
till the afternoon. Melt some chocolate (con—
fectioners' chocolate is best) in a basin set
in another basin of boiling water. When
melted and the creams are hard enough to
handle take one at a time on a fork and drop
intro the melted chocolate, roll it until we'l
covered. then slip from the fork upon waxed
paper and set them aside to harden.

Antonin—Make an oblong roll of French
cream and press into the side of it an almond
meat, or blaneh or chop the almonds and mix
them through the cream.

mm: SUGAR.—-Grate maple sugar, mix it
in quantities to suit taste with French cream,

adding enough confectioners' sugar to mould .
. into any shape desired.

SPICED “mourn—Have some chocolate
grated in quantity desired, as some prefer
more than others. Add ground cinnamon to
taste. Mix these ingredients into French
cream and form into small cubes.