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DETROIT, APRIL

21, 1888.

 

 

THE HOUSEHOLD-"Supplement.

 

 

FOR THE BABIES.

 

A broad bright beam of sunshine
Came slanting ’cross the floor,
It lighted up the boot-shelves,
The pictures and the door;
And sitting in the sunshine,
W th hair lih e burnished gold,
Was blessed little Evls,
Our baby—two years old.

Oh! would I were an artist,
With canvas, brush and paint,
I’d catch the pretty 1 icture,
The face so like a saint;
The eyes as blue as skies of June,
The cheek with tint of rose,
With dimpled chin, and teeth of pearl,
And dainty little nose.

Ber playthings scattered all about,
Confusion had run riot;

Hushed is the merry ringing laugh,
Pervadel the greatest quiet,

For nestled close beside her
With grave and earnest look,

Is Raymond, turning carefully
The pages of the book.

A book of pea est interé st,
Last Christmas’ treasured gift;
And while he reads the verses quaint
The blue eyes wondering lift;
“ Now, I can read that piece,” she says,
“ They‘re just wee jingling rhymes,
There‘s nothing hard about it,
l’ve done it lots of times."

“ Here’s a plurmc'ake boy, smiling and bland,
With plums for his eyes and aplum in each
. hand.
Do you like plum cake? I like it too,
Eat some for my sake, it’s fresh baked new.
Do you like coffee or do you like tea?
Go and get some taffy to feed me.

“ Brother come, the cakes are made,
The oven’s all got . old;

Well, we’ll bake them in the sun,
Then mama cannot scold.

“ Here’s a wee, wee baby,
Going to pray; B( e!
I can fold my hands just like her,
(Gent‘y benis the knees.)
Now I lay me down to sle ep,
All curled up in a li tle heap;
I pray dear Lord my soul to keep,
If I should die before I wake.
If I’m naughty mama ’ll shake,
What a racket that will make.
Bless my dolly, she’s got no hea‘,
Bless my papa, mama too;
And please I want a dolly new—
Ain’t it most time to go to bed ?”

The sun has dropped behind the hills,
The daylight fades away,
The golden sunshine in the room
Gives place to twilight grey;
And he'e i sit and dream of years
That all too soon will fly,
The little wings I train out in
The busy world will hie.
And I, by lonely fireside
In silent room will dwell.
While those I cherished, loved and rezred,
Life‘s busy ranks will fill.
Barns CREEK.

EV ANGELINE.

 

THE WOMEN’S COUNCIL.

 

I had recently the pleasure of a fete a tote
with a lady just returned from Washington,
who had attended several of the sessions
of the International Council of Women,
which convened in that city last month. It
is needless to say that I availed myself of
the opportunity to learn her impressions of
the meetings, and some particulars not to
be found in even the voluminous newspaper
reports. Knowing her to be conservative in
her views, not given to thinking the old
ways are best because sanctioned by long
usage, I wished to‘know how one would be
affected by the speeches and papers, hear-
ing instead of reading them, and under the
magnetic spell of an enthusiastic crowd.

“ It was a great and notable gathering,”
said my friend. “The theatre, in which
the meetings were held, was crowded at
every public session; tickets were fifty cents
each, twenty-five cents to the galleries and
for standing room. I felt quite proud of
my sex, when I looked at that body of fine-
looking, representative women, elegantly
dressed, speaking with perfect ease and
without the least embarrassment before that
great audience, and all so evidently thor-
oughly in earnest and full of enthusiasm.
Most of the ladies laid aside their wraps and
bonnets, and their costumes were the per-
fection of beauty and elegant simplicity—
that kind of simplicity, you know, which is
so very expensive because of its perfect fit
and richness of material. I heard Mrs.
Stanton, Miss Willard, Mrs. Julia Ward
Howe, Abby Morton Diaz, and several
others whom I cannot name at the moment.
One thing I noticed, there was no Mrs. or
Miss among them; they spoke of and to
each other without these prefixes. _ Some of
the foreign delegates spoke but little
English; their remarks were simply ex-
pressive of the pleasure it gave them to be
in America, and to meet so many of their
sex engaged ‘ in the good work.’ I could
not help wondering how some of them, with
old world ideas of woman’s place, would
regard the very radical remarks of some of
the speakers; that is. if their knowledge of
our language enabled them to follow the
thoughts expressed.”

“ Tell me your own impressions,” I urged.

”When we were younger women, my
sister and 1 used often to say that as we
grew old, we would try to keep pace with
the thought and progress of the age, and not
stay behind in the old ruts. I mean to be
conservative at least, inclining to liberal
ideas rather than holding the old ways,

somehow, that though there were many who
kept within the proper bounds, there were
others who by their internperate utteranceS,
their boasts of power and what they would
do with it, in fact, their revolutionary ideas,
actually harmed the cause they advocated.
Even among those upon the platform there
were not a few who could not accept these
radical utterances, and who afterward ex-
pressed regret that by their presence they
should seem to endorse them. As in most
public meetings, there was much chaff and
froth among grains of sound sense and solid
thought. Some heads were turned by the
flattery so liberally dealt out, some silly
things said, but no more, perhaps. than
might have been expected, for the excite-
ment of such a gathering always throws
some persons off their balance. Altogether,
I came home quite willing to be called an
‘ old-fashioned woman.’ ”

I could not help asking myself, in think-
ing over what this lady had said, what is
the reason we women can never get very
much in earnest without letting earnest-
ness get the better of our good sense? Why
cannot we keep our sayings within the
bounds of moderation, our advocacy of our
ideas or convictions within the limits of
logic and reason! Why, when we become
profoundly impressed by the importance of
a theory, or reform, must we urge it in
season and out of season, and so gain for
ourselves the epithet of “ cranks?” Now a
“ crank ” is a person who having formulated
for himself an opinion on some subject, is
not willing to allow others the liberty of
thought he demands for himself, but forces
his peculiar views upon them on all occa‘
sions, and considers them fools or villains if
they will not or cannot accept his ideas as law
and gospel. Usually posing as a reformer,
or the apostle of advanced thought. the
crank is really a dogmatic, prejudiced,
illiberal person, dominated by one idea, a
species of monomaniac, to speak plainly.
And it is a solemn truth that, with the very
best of intentions, the crank, forgetting that
“many things by season seasoned are to
their right praise and true perfection,” often
drives his victim in the contrary direction by
his ill-timed urging, his extravagant ad-
vocacy and constant iteration. There is
always a reflex current set in motion, in
mind as in matter, when mental or physical
forces are forced beyond their normal flow.
The winnowing-fan of the years will throw
the chaff from the grain, but ill-j udged haste
and unwise ‘advocacy hinder the sifting
process. Those who have the success of
any cause at heart, may well pray with old

 

simply because they are old. But I felt,

 

 

Henry VlII of England: “Lord, deliver me

 

 


  

  

2

THE HOUSEHOLD.

   

 

 

from my friends; I can take care of my
enemies myself.”

Mrs. Stanton said, in one of her addresses:
“The time is not far distant when if men
do not do justice to women, the women will

strike hands with labor, with socialists,
with anarchists, and you will have the
scenes of the Revolution of France acted
over again in this republic!” What!
American women, the women whom Mrs.
Stanton aspires to represent, join to repeat
the violence and bloodshed of the French
Revolution! What is this but senseless
ranting, which disgusts us with the cause
she advocates, for surely it would not be
prudent to add to our already too large
voting population, those who talk Of striking
hands with anarchists. Nor can she gain
suffrage for women by adopting the bois-
terous method of the wind in the fable.
which strove by force to rob the traveler of
his cloak. Here’s Matilda Joslyn Gage, so
impressed with the supreme spirituality of
the feminine nature that she tried to prove
before the Congress that the Holy Ghost
was the woman-soul of the Trinity! Miss
Wiilard, who has stood as the apotheosis of
the woman in public life, refined, intellec-
tual, gentle, and best of all blessed by a
heritage of sterling good sense, declares
that fine wheat breadpaves the way for
diseased and depraved appetites and hence
wheat bread must go! Lillie Devereaux
Blake declares women are slaves and men
tyrants, and this in spite of the well—known
fact that the education of the youngis almost
entirely in the hands of women, as mothers
and teachers, who must thus be responsible
for the bondage of their own sex. It is to
be regretted that the women who stand as
apostles of what they call the “ higher life ”
and the ”new mission ” for women, can—
not bear constantly in mind that every such
radical, extreme statement, scattered to the
four winds by the press, weakens the cause
they advocate and weakens as well the force
of all they say that is true and noble. Nor
ought they to assume to say what women
will do under untried responsibilities, pre—
dicting certain results to follow inevitably

the realization of long desired experiments. ~

Without doubt the best fruits of the
‘ Council will come from the grand utterances

on humanitarian themes which characterized
some of the sessions, and which will be
remembered and practiced when Antoinette
Brown Blackwell’s “ stellar” theory of
religion is quite forgotten. After all, the
patience with which some very prosy,
“ erankily ” theoretical papers were received
speaks well for woman’s forbearance and
large-hearted tolerance. There was among
the most truly representative women, no
sympathy with any movement looking to
' the breaking up of home life or the antag-
onism of the sexes. The Object of the
Council was to report the progress of
woman’s work for women. and to discern,
if possible, how this cause could be ad-
vanced; and one of the facts brought out
i very forcibly was the extent of the educa-
tional work which has been done for
women in the way of self-help; corroborat-
ed by the rapid increase of quiet, self-
respecting, helpful, purpose-ml women
BEATRIX.

workers.

 

THE BABY‘S BATH.

 

I wish to talk with the mothers about the
baby’s bath. I have a baby boy ten months
old, and I put him in a tub for his bath; he
is perfectly delighted with it, kicking and
splashing the water all over himself and
me. One of my friends says: “ How I
wish my baby would be so happy in the tub,
but he just cries and screams all the time I
am washing him.” At last I found out the
trouble, the water was too warm, it burned
the tender little body. You know we
mothers have our hands in very hot water
every day, and they get toughened to it. so
that water which seems only moderately
warm to the hand, is too hot even for our
own bodies. The first time 1 put babyin the
tub he pulled himself up and cried out; my
husband was there, and he said “The water
is too hot.” I did not think so, but he
said, “ Try it with your elbow.” I did so,
and was surprised to find it hot.

I have seen some people who called the
children to take their bath, and when the
children drew back jerked and slapped them
to make them get in the tub. Now I think
if the mother makes the bathing hour a
play-spell the children will never cry about
being washed, and all their after lives they
will look backto it as one of the pleasant
memories of childhood. I am one of those
who think the best way to manage children
is to do it quietly, with as little “ fighting ”
as possible. 1 have seen a mother whip her
child for getting angry and being cross,
when she herself was in a worse passion
than the child. I think every such scene
hurts the mother’s influence over the child.
Remembemhe dear little things have got to
learn all that we know, and let us have
patience with them.

I will send some recipes for that depart~
ment; and in reference to Mrs. E. H. S.’s
inquiry about the butter cookies, would say
the rule calls for 1% teaspoonfuls (struck
off level) of cream tartar and one teaspoon-
ful of soda. Mus. ED.

Oxnow.

 

AUNT PEGGY TO THE RESCUE.

 

Iread, with much indignation, “One of
of the Mistresses’s ” article on the hired girl
question, in the HOUSEHOLD of March 31.
She says Mrs. Croly does not mean the
class of workers we call ‘hired girls;’ but
means girls of education and refinement,
seamstresses, typewriters, etc., etc, just
as though hired girls had no refinement.
(It makes my blood boil.) I presume she
would have us think hired girls are a race
of immoral idiots. Although she does say
“The girl can be her mistress’ equal,”
she is evidently in doubt of that even, for
she adds, “in morality, but not much else.”
Further. she says “Generally he, the
farmer, considers it a hardship to take her
home for a few hours’ visit on Sunday.” In
relation to that I have one remark to offer.
Perhaps if these people for whom girls
work were more obliging, there would be
fewer of. the “ cross-cut saw species,” as she
very wittily terms them.

Referring to Aurora’s letter she quotes,
“The Master finds his own in the kitchen.”
Adding her own thoughts, “ I oftener find

 

her in the back yard talking to the

   

grocer's boy.” Now depend upon it, girls,
and don’t expect to meet a hired girl in
Heaven.

I know a great many hired girls—some
from the city, who are the equals of any lady
in the land. But ‘she says she never yet
found a girl in that position—that ofa hired
girl—whom she considered her equal. I
wonder if I would dare sit on the gate
post while she goes by!

Because girls are poor and perhaps
ignorant~some of them—I don’t believe in
denouncing the whole class. Because some
are bad is no reason we can teach them
noching. I fancy I have a little patience, I
have not lived all my life in Essex, I’ve
seen cities larger than Jackson.

Long life tothe HOUSEHOLD; I do not
take it, but live with a family who do.

Marni: Ramps. AUNT PEGGY.

+

POT-POURRI JARS.

Every well-regulated family nowadays has
its pot-pourri jar, which the young ladies of
the family take pleasure in preparing. The
HOUSEHOLD gave directions for making
them last year; and for the instruction of
new subscribers, or the prompting of those
who neglected their opportunities then we
give an English recipe, warranted as good
as the best: “Gather the rose petals in the
morning, let them stand in a cool place,
tossed up lightly for one hour to dry off,
then put them in layers, with salt sprinkled
over each layer, in a large covered dish—a
glass berry dish is a convenient receptacle.
You can add to this for several mornings
till you have enough stock—from one pint to
a quart, according to size of jar—stir every
morning, and let the whole stand for ten
day-x Then transfer it to a glass fruit-jar,
in the bottom of which you have placed two
ounces of auspice, coarsely ground, and as
much cinnamon, broken coarsely. This may
now stand for six weeks, closely covered,
when it is ready for the permanent jar,
which may be as pretty as your ingenuity
can devise or your means purchase. Have
ready one ounce each of cloves, auspice,
cinnamon and mace, all ground (not fine).
one ounce of orris-root bruised and shredded,
two ounces of lavender flowers and a small
quantity of any other sweet-scented dried
flowers or herbs; mix together and put into
the jar in alternate layers with the rose
stock; add a few draps of oil of rose, ger-
anium or violet, and pour over the whole
one-quarter pint of good cologne. This
will last for years, though from time to time
you may add a little lavender or orange
flower water, or any nice perfume, and
some seasons a few fresh rose petals.”

The jar should be opened every morning
after the sweeping and dustingare finished,
left open an hour and then closed.

 

A COREECTION.-—-M. E. F., of Galesburg,
says “dozer,” not “ Dover,” was the term
she did not understand and wished ex-
plained. A dozer is a small, light comforter
to be folded and laid across the foot of the
bed, so that if the sleeper is cold during the

night it can be unfolded and used. The
doner is usually an ornamental appendage,
being made of silk patchwork, thin silk.
satteen, or cheesecloth, prettily tufted and
with an edge of lace or crochet work. ac-

 

cording to the material employed.

  

 


 

    

THE HOUSEHOLD.

    

3

w

 

WHAT CAN A WOMAN DO.

 

[Paper read before the Otter Creek Farmers’
Club, March 29th, by Mrs. F. S. Leighton.]

As we ask ourselves this question, what
can a woman do, does not echo catch up the
refrain and answer back, all that she has a
mind to? Until within'the last half cen—
tury the hands of woman have been tied,
comparatively speaking; public opinion was
averse to her filling any prominent position
in life; she was confined to the household
duties of cooking, cleaning, Spinning and
weaving, making and mending; or in other
words, providing for the wants of her
family; and it she stepped beyond these
bounds she was considered out of her
proper sphere. But mark the change! Many
and various are the avenues nowopen to her
for both usefulness and improvement. We
are now permitted to occupy positions once
only filled by our brother man, we find our
sisters holding stations of trust, both public
and private, as clerks, accountants, photog-
raphers. telegraphers and journalists.

Our colleges are also educating women for
physicians. to which position they by natural
organization are well adapted. Also, as we
look over our broad land, we find them
engaged in successful husbandry, following
the tide of emigration to the far west, home-
steading their one hundred and sixty acres
of land, occupying it and gaining the deed
thereto. When I asked the question what
can a woman do, I did not wish to be un-
derstood as asking for her a place in the
political arena; we only ask to be permitted
‘to occupy those positions wherein we may
be benefitted and benefit others, become
equal intellectually to our husbands and
brothers; or in other words, educated with
them. But we are well aware there have
been great changes in favor of woman. She
is now permitted to occupy the positions
previously spoken of and not robbed in the
eyes of her brother man of the inborn
qualities that constitute a true lady. We
arenot compelled to grovel in the old time
pathways; but may search out and gather
gems of knowledge, and drink deep
draughts at the fount of learning. Very
many of the schools once closed to us now
stand with open doors ready to welcome us,
but yet can it not be bettered? Men of the
present day are not expected to confine all
the powers of their minds to their daily
tasks: while they are engaged in cultivating
the soil, plowing, sowing, reaping and mow-
ing, planning for this and for that, they
are expected to cultivate the mind by read-
ing from the best authors accessible to
them, upon subjects adapted to their work;
and they have many aids in the form of
agricultural papers and farm journals from

which they may obtain the experience of
those engaged in experimental husbandry.

All over our broad land we have agricul-
tural colleges provided by State legislatures,
fully equipped with the best of talent and
modern fixtures, and farmers reap the
benefit. I do not speak of this disparagingly,
for it is just as it should be; but why not go
a little farther and add a departure , for ex-
perimental bread and butter-making, where
each point may be thoroughly analyzed, and
we not be left to wonder why the white
flakes form in our cream? Our husbands
truly delight in snowy bread and golden

A

butter, we can an attest that fact, remem-
bering in the palmy days of success the
bland smile and genial look of our better
half as he brought an old time friend to
the table. But alas! the days of sour bread
and poor butter! well, you all know: I will
say no more. As it is we are left to grope
our way as best we may, profiting by our
own failures, and the experience of our
neighbors. Ought we not to have a depart-
ment in connection where these experi—
ments may be made and taught on philosoph.
ical principles? Will you not give us
your active co-operation in this matter, and
ask for us recognition in the form of an
appropriation by our State legislature, or at
least give the matter a little thought? And
farther, I would not ask for woman any
place in the grand drama of life that would-
detract from her influence as wife and
mother; but let us read more, think more,
and while engaged in life’s daily avocations
be something more than a mere tread-
mill, day after day following in the same
routine of work and thought. Let us
provide ourselves with some standard
authors, read a little each day, and not per-
mit our minds to become narrowed by the
prison walls of bread and butter making,
as they will unless we make an effort to the
contrary. Balance the mind, give it intel-
lectual food, let not its powers become
dulled and deadened. As some original
thought occurs pencil it down, never heed-
ing the fear of being called a blue—stocking.
Let us ever remember that life is a sacred
burden, that we must look on it, lift it,
bear it solemnly, stand up and walk beneath
it steadfastly. But I find as 1 advance the
subject broadens and deepens; there are
some points I designed to touch upon, for
instance the importance of the early training
of our children, knowing full well the truth
of the old adage, "As the twig is bent the
tree is inclined.” But fearing I may weary
your patience I will leave the subject for
abler pens than mine, and invite your
criticism upon the few thoughts which I
have written.

A SPRING TONIC.

 

Biliousness is a term often used incor-
rectly, being regarded as a disease of the
liver, instead we condition brought about
by indigestion and‘over-eating. Its symp.
toms are sluggishness and inactivity of the
digestive organs, derangement of the
natural functions, sallowness and yellow-
ness of the skin, a coated tongue and bad
breath. There is an idea current that at
this seaSon of the year some nauseous
medicine must be taken “ to clear out the
system,” somewhat as the housekeeper
cleans house, by taming everything topsy-
turvey. The victims to this mistaken
notion swallow pills, “tonica” and “bit-
ters” at a dollar a bottle, and feel worse
than they did before. There is a cheaper
c'ure. Let medicine alone. Give Nature a
chance to effect a cure in her own way. Eat
less, instead of more, and abstain from
food entirely for a day or two, eating at
most but a few mouthfuls of easily digested
food. On rising in the morning, halfan
hour before breakfast, drink a glass of cool
fresh water, or squeeze the juice of a lemon

 

into a glass, add a scant teaspoonful of

 

 

sugar, fill up with water and drink. The
same is excellent at retiring. Lemons are
cheap, cheaper than. patent medicines or
doctors’ bills; you know what you are taking
and that there can be no bad results.

Physicians prescribe an acid to act on the
liver: fruit juice is more harmless than the
acids of chemistry. Lemon juice thins the
sluggish blood and helps it throw off its
impurities. it also stimulates the torpid
liver. You can take them, prepared as
above, with safety as long as the necessity
exists, twicea day for three months, for
instance, and in the slow and gentle fashion
in which Nature works her cures, they will
be doing you good all the time. 1 know
this to be true from experience. '

BEATBIX.
-———-—ooo-—————

ABOUT CHICKENS.

In answer to Huldah Perkins, whose
letter was published some weeks since in
the HOUSEHOLD, 1 would say that some
poultry raisers have two apartments in their
hen-houses, with a row of nests between.
The nests are boxes, minus one side, with
the back of the box placed toward one
apartment and the open side toward the
“living room.” When ahen is set, her
nest is turned and she can only leave it to
get in the other room, or “ setting room.”

I think Huldah will make a mistake if
she carries out the plan she has laid for
April and installs her Langshan rooster in
her Plymouth Rock flock. The Plymouth
Rocks are unsurpassed for table use, but
the Langshans dress dark, and the flavor is
not good. The bones contain dark streaks.
and I don’t like to eat from variegated or
decorated bones. The color of the plumage
in either breed is not improved by a cross,
and the Langshans are not one bit more
energetic than others.

I have a pen of seventy White Coehins
that have no more variety in their garb than
nuns, or Sisters of Charity, so when I have
decided that one of the hens shall at least
set for a family (and motherly things they
are too), I mark one wing or both with com-
mon red chalk, and then can easily pick out
my setters.

I wish Brunefille would tell us how much
lemon juice was put in with the thorough‘
wort used to clear the complexion, and
how much of the mixture should be taken
for a dose. BETH.

._____...___.

Tun April number of the American
Magazine is rich in topics of the season.
The peculiar ceremonies with which the
Moravians of Salem, N. 0., celebrate
Easter are described by Edward A. Oldham.
The "boom, boom, boom” of the prairie-
cock—a harbinger of spring—gives Hamlin
Garland a theme for the third of his sketches
of a farmer-boy’s life in the west. Ernest
E. Thompson presents in musical annota-
tion the song of the meadow-lark of Mani-
toba, and claims for that vocalist the highest
order of merit. Equally appropriate are the
stanzas “ Mistress April ” 'by Helen Chase,
“My Pansies” by Nellie M. Garabrant,
and “The Resurrection” by Margeret H.
Lawless. A new serial story, “ Two
Coronets,” by Mary Agnes I‘incker, is
begun. Its scenes are laid alternately in
Italy and America, and domestic life in the
two countries is contrasted.


 

4:

    

THE HOUSEHOLD.

 

 

AN IMPROMPTU DESSERT.

There wasn’t a blessed thing in the house
for dessert save one forlorn apple pie.
Dinner was ready to put upon the table,
and the guest in the parlor was evidently a
“stayer” and would have to be invited to
remain, and there was no reasonable room
to doubt the invitation would be promptly
accepted. There was not a bit of fruit in
the house, not even canned. and as “it never
rains but it pours,” we had eaten the last
of the fruit cake Sunday night and were
shut off from the dernz'er resort of a plum-
pudding. The apple pie was a fixed fact,
and that was all there was about it. I tried
to comfort myself by thinking that what was
good enough for our own family was good
enough for the stranger within our gates,
but nevertheless I dad want something a
little more dainty than plain uncompromis-
ing pie! The milkman had left half a pint
of cream that morning, and my eye “in a
fine frenzy rolling ” chanced to fall upon it.
Happy inspiration! “ Polly, put the Dover
into that cream, and give it ‘ a whip.’ When
you serve the pie, put a teaspoonful 'of
powdered sugar on each piece, and a big
tablespoonfui—mind, a big one—of the
whipped cream. Get amonld of currant
jelly, and put a nice smooth slice of it on
top of the cream. Be dainty about it, now,
and be quick,” and before the last word
was out Polly had the egg-beater in the
cream and the dessert difficulty was solved
as satisfactorily as possible.

Good housekeeping means Knowing what
to do in an emergency, and also making the
best of the materials at hand. Artemus
Ward said of Washington that whenever an
unexpected, unforeseen event threatened
disaster he at once “ arose and busted the
emergency.” It is the housekeeper’s busi-
ness to “ bust the emergency,” and show
her generalship. 1 confess I was not
ashamed of that apple pie when Polly
presented it, decorated with snowy cream
and ruby jelly. L. c.

DETROIT.
———...—————-—

TWO-LINE THOUGHTS.

The bustle is not abolished, don’t you
think it. It will outlive the summer. But
it is no longer the square, shelf-like pro-
jection lately worn. In its most modish
form, it is a small cushion filled with curled
hair. The upper steel in the skirt is placed
about fourteen inches from the belt, and
is fifteen inches long; the second is a couple
of inches longer, and placed about sixteen
inches below the first.

Changeable silks are very much the
fashion just now. if you have an old silk
of this kind now is the time to make it use-
ful. Make it up with cashmere or He'n'
rietta cloth of the general color, using the
silk for a lower skirt and tucked vest. If
your pattern of silk is scant, make the
draperies very long, otherwise the lower
skirt may shownnder the shorter panier. A
straw bonnet trimmed with changeable rib-
bons and perhaps a couple of changeable
ostrich tips, completes a very elegant cos-
tume. A polonaise with back draped upon
the back of the basque, is suitable for wear
with silk skirts.

Braids, gimps and galloons are more

 

stylish than patterns which can be detached
into motifs; they range in prices from fifty
cents to two dollars and a half. Many have
threads of gold and silver tinsel inter-
woven, making them quite showy.

A skirt of watered silk, with draperies
and basque of fine drap d’ete or Henrietta
cloth is at the moment a more fashionable“
dress than an all silk costume. It is also
almost as expensive, as the moire is $1 50‘
per yard in black and $2 in colors, and a
silk warp Henrietta cloth costs from $1 35
to $1 50.

Manties for elderly ladies are short in the
back with long tabs in front, and of silk or
wool goods, trimmed with yards upon yards
of lace pleated and cascaded down the
fronts and across back and sleeves. The
neck is finished with a turn-over collar with-
out lace.

Short mantles worn by young ladies are
masses of jet and lace; they are very showy
and costly. Some simpler styles have a silk
or velvet basis, and are trimmed with jet
galoon or silk cord passementerie, passing
over the shoulders and bordering the edges.
For older ladies these are popular with
pieatings of lace added. and a few loops
and ends of ribbon at the waist line in the
back. The beauty Of these little wraps de—
pends upon the accuracy of their fit.

_._...___.
SCRAPS.

A YOUNG lady who had mastered stenog-
raphy and secured a situation at good
wages, was discharged at the end of her first
week’s service because though she could
take dictation rapidly and manipulate her
typewriter readily and rapidly, she could
not spell correctly. “Cincinnatti,” “con-
sidderable,” “ mashinery” and kindred
errors, in every letter written. wore out the
patience of her employer, and greatly to her
disappointment, she was told her further
services could be dispensed with. At a
recent teachers’ examination, some of the
papers in certain branches contained from ten
to twenty-five misspelled words, and in one
instance the fault was so atrocious that a
certificate was withheld, the want of pm"
ficiency in this simple elementary branch
being sufiicient to warrant such action on
the part of the examiners. What a com-
ment on the efficiency of our primary
schools! What a reprimand to the haste of
those teachers who slight the foundation
walls to‘ erect an educational superstruc-
ture of “oiogiesl” A good deal of the
practical work of the world is carried on by
correspondence, or by writing, in one way
or another, and penmanship and spelling
are two sadly neglected branches of educa~
tion.

 

COL T. W. HIGGINSON, who lives in a
town which boasts of its thriving, world-
famons Universrty which has an “ annex”
for women, and who has ample opportuni-
ties to judge of educational conditions,
gives it as his deliberate opinion that the
sacrifices made by young women for the
sake of an education are far greater, and
their opportunities of aid far less than
those of young men. The woman’s ex-
penses are inevitably greater for room rent
and board, as she does not enjoy the

privileges of the public tables and the-
college dormitories are not for her. It is
far less easy to raise money for the assis--
tance of young women who are struggling
for an education than for young men of
less signal ability. Col. Higginson notes
that this narrowness which would deprive
woman of the advantages freely accorded
her brothers is more pronounced among our
most highly educated classes. In the
public schools, which are managed by the
“ plain people,” girls and boys meet on an
equality of privilege; it is only when they
desire to go to colleges carried on by private
munificence that they are handicapped. In
the great universities of the west the utmost
liberality is shown. Of course Col. Hig-
ginson is contrasting the narrow policy
which makes the “Harvard annex” and
its limitations possible, with the broad
view which opened the doors of such in-
stitutions as Michigan University to young.
women. Most women enter college from one
of two reasons, love of study or the neces-
sity of self support; they mean to and do
work hard; and it is unjust and unmanly to
compel them to struggle with greater ob-
stacles than young men encounter.

———-—...——-———

IF you miss a copy of the HOUSEHOLD,
or as sometimes happens, by accident re-
ceive a copy printed only on one side, write
for the missing paper at once if you desire
it. If you neglect doing so until the close
of the year, the chances are we will not be
able to supply it.

..____...._____.

Mos'r men are wise when they follow the
advice of their wives. Solomon was the
wisest among men, and why shouldn’t he
be, when he had 700 wives to instruct
him?

___...__.

Contributed Recipes.

 

CHARLOTTE AMERICAINE.—-Soak one-half
pound of evaporated apple rings over night.
Make a syrup of sugar and water and the
juice of half a lemon, simmer the apples in
this till they are clear. Take slices of stale
sponge-cake, or lady fingers, arrange them
around a glass preserve dish, laying a bit of
jelly on each. In the center of the dish heap
up the apples, and just before serving cover‘
with:whipped cream, or serve the cream when
the charlotte is served. B.

 

ONE, Two, THREE, FOUR Cairn—One cup-
butter: two cups sugar; three cups flour;
four eggs; one cup sweet milk: ta 0 teaspoon-
fuls baking powder. This makes two rich
cakes, which keep a long time. Sometimes I
vary it by putting into one-half of the mix-
ture one-half cup Of cocoanut. Then again I
bake one-half as above, and for the other
loaf take out in a bowl about one cupful of
the dough, mix it with grated chocolate and
marble the cake with this; it is very nice.

OXBOW. Mas. En.

 

FAVORITE CAKE—ODS cup sugar; two eggs;
three-fourths cup cold water; three scant
teaspoonfnls baking powder, and one and a
half cups flour. Bake in three or four round
tins, and when cold take the sweet cream
from one pan of milk and with 8. Dover egg-
beater beat it until thick; sweeten and flavor-
to suit taste. I very often put cocoanut on
the cream after it is spread on each layer.

 

OWOSSO. E. D. G.