\

swag l‘ ‘ _,

\
‘ W%h\\5\\\\\\
l II‘ ‘ l. .

 
  

   
 

 

 

DETROIT, JAN.

 

19, 1889.

 

 

THE HOUSEHOLD-"Supplement.

 

THE HOME-BOUND HOST.

 

The sound of a host advancing,
Tramp! tramp! tramp!
Under the windy flicker
And flare of the evening lamp,
Under the rteady whiteness
Of the clear electric light,
The sound of an army marching
Is in the streets to night.

Not to t‘ e clamor of bugles,
For the stormy beat of drums,
Not to the l‘a.ttle’s tocsin,
The jubilant army comes.
A sweeter music summons
And thrills along the line,
'Though each for himself may hear it,
And make to the next no sign.

The patter of tiny footfalls
That run to an open door,
The mother’s tender sin ring,
Her step on the nursery floor;
The boyish shout of welcome,
The girlish ripple of glee.
At the c ick in the guarded portal
or the home-bound father’s key.

This is the army's music;
Cheerily calls good-night
The merry voice of the comrade
As he passes out of sight
Into the heart of the household
When the day’s long work is done,
Arid wife and bairns are waiting
With a kiss for the d-; arest one.

Under the windy flicker
And flare of the evening lamp
I hear a host advancing
With steady and resolute tramp—
A host of the strong and gentle,
A throng of th 2 brave and true,
Dear little wives and mothers,
Hastening home to you!
——Margaret E. Sangater.

——.—-——...__.

MICHIGAN’S SCHOOL FOR THE
BLIND.

It was my good fortune, not long since,
to be entertained at the cottage of the
Superintendent of the School for the Blind
at Lansing. And by the way, this cottage
is abeautiful brick building, and cost the
State several thousand dollars. It is ad-
mirably constructed, with broad halls and
spacious rooms, is heated by hot air,
lighted by electricity, and thoroughly fur-
nished from garret to cellar, so that who-
ever is fortunate enough to secure the ap-
pointment as superintendent, may set his
family down in a mansion fit fora king.
The present incumbent, who was formerly
Superintendent of the Howell Union
schools, as well as his gifted, cultured wife,
are eminently worthy of any favors the
State may bestow.

I had visited the School previous to this
time, but it Was a great privilege to attend
the chapel exercises and watch the faces 0

 

the pupils, as they marched in two and two,
each taking his accustomed seat without
any hesitancy or confusion; and it was
hard to bring myself to realize that to these
ninety pupils, from the little one of ten
to the pupil of older years the light of
day had gone out forever. Their voices
rang out clear and melodious, in “The
Sweet By and By,” and “The Home Over
There,” and as Superintendent Barnes so
touchingly read the words of David, “The
darkness and light are both alike to thee,”
and earnestly besought the Throne of Grace
that blessings might rest upon them all. the
place seemed hallowed; and I thought per-
haps these unfortunate ones, who have
been shrouded in natural darkness, may
with keener spiritual insight than many who
look upon earth's beautiful things, “ behold
the king in his beauty, in the land that is
not very far off.”

The moral tone of the school is elevating
and refining, and the institution ls em-
phatically a school, not a reformatory or
asylum. It is fully equipped with a com-
petent corps of teachers, and the proficiency
of the pupils is astonishing; for those who
complete the eight years’ course of study
will have afund of informatidh equal to
that which is possessed by the average
student.

Kindergarten work, such as modeling in
clay, paper folding and weaving, forming
of pictures on card board, stick and tablet
laying is successfully carried on, and so
active are their minds and keen their per-
ceptions that many learn to read in three
months. The regular course includes all
the elementary branches, American litera-
ture, civil government, physical geography,
etc. In the school-rooms enormous globes
and maps are used, with the surface raised
and depressed to represent mountainsv
rivers and the different features of physics
geography. An extensive library for the
use of the pupils has been provided, and by
the Congressional grant of 1879 five hun-
dred and sixty dollars’ worth of books have
been recently added. The books are mostly
in line—print, some in point-print. so t may
be truly said this library is extensive, in
more points than one.

A certain time is set apart each day as
study hours, when the pupils of the diifer-
ent classes meet in different rooms, and to-
gether rehearse the lesson for the next day,

which was related to them .by their teacher
at the close of the lesson for the day.

Meanwhile the teacher is within calling dis-
tance, prepared to answer any question rel.
ative to the lesson.

ER is said that these pupils are not proof

   

 

!_a

against Cupid’s darts. It has never been
told me, but I have surmised that during
these study hours, shafts from his quiver
fly thick and fast, and surely those who
cannot see to parry his thrusts should not
be blamed; and then, out of pure sympathy,
he may be on the alert to find lodgment in
their hearts, for “ Love is blind.”

The taste for music, which seems pecu-
liarly intensified in the nature of the blind,
is in the school highly cultivated, and as
their fingers move so deftly over the musi-
cal instruments, they seem to wake the
spirits of the air.

There are thirteen pianos in the building,
and piano tuning is so thoroughly learned.
under the tutorship of Prof. Blakeslee, that
many go away from the school enabledto
gain a livelihood by this acquisition. The
acute and refined perception of the sense of
hearing, inherent in the nature of the blind,
renders them peculiarly fitted for this work.
and they have acquired such skill that many
large piano establishments employ them ex-
clusively in this department of labor: and
the Perkins Institute for the Blind has
been awarded the contract, for eight years
in succession, of tuning the pianos of the
Boston schools, one hundred and thirty-two
in number.

There are two caligraphs in the building ,
with the capitals separated by a wire, and
the pupils are quite expert in the use of
these iustrumen ts, often using them for the
purpose of writing letters to their friends.

It is the aim of the Superintendent to
make this school a home, and it certainly
seemed such, as we saw this large family
seated at the breakfast table, presided over
by the genial matron. The sadness and
doleful, dejected looks one might expect
to see were entirely wanting; and on the
playgrounds and in their daily walks there
is the same badinage, pleasant jokes, and
merry laughter as among other children.

This school was separated from the in-
stitution at Flint in 1879, and located at
Lansing in 1881. By an act of the Legis-
lature of the same year, the property, which
consisted of forty-five acres ofiand, and the
main portion of the building was purchased
for the use of the school. Two large wings,
the superintendent’s cottage and other
buildings have since been erected. The
grounds are beautifully laid out in walks,
drives and plats, and are adorned with
flowers, which the pupils soon distinguish
by their shape and fragrance.

The dormitories are pleasant and cosy.
Many of them are made attractive by
pictures, and bright colored obj acts, which
the occupants prize very highly. The girls’


   

 

  

2

THE HOUSEHOLD

; "21-.

 

workroom. is one of thy cheeriest, brightest
rooms of the building. They learn to run

the sewing menus. and to do many kinds

of fancy 'work;a1’1d I saw some of their
plain sewing, with which I should not dare
to compete, notwithstanding I’ have been

through this world nearly fifty years with

my eyes wide open, and big ones at. that.
The State provides for the tuition, board-

ing, washing, medical attendance, in fact:

every necessary for the comfort of the pupil,
at an‘ annual expense of twenty-four thous-

and dollars, and we all may feel a just

pride in “Michigan, my Michigan,” whose
nob‘ est monuments are her public institu-
tions.

All‘who can do So, will do well to visit"

this “School for’the Blind, and if any are so
fortunate as fer a moment to gain audience
with'the busy ‘ superintendent, they will be
smé‘bfa hearty welcome, but there is al-
waysyin attendance :1 courteous guide, who
has been in the school as a pup l and hav-
ing finished the course is employed as
visitors’ attendant.
Hemline. ' H ' L MRS. W. K. SEXTON.
.L': ‘H. _ '_ V . ,

GATEER UP" THE FRAsnrnryrs. . L

 

Economy on the farm' 13 a very different,
and ”far more diffizult matter to infana'go4
tha11 economy in a toivn. in town, if you
have only the fl1r'rison dollar- 11-day, it con:

sists more in wise buying than anything,

else while' on the farm it means the best

pos ble use (11 the’ materials the 1arm giv cs,

you, not depending much on buying for
securing plenty and variety, especially

varietyi“ It is easily said that one can ex-'

change the surplus farm products for what-
evefthjey wish, grown in other lands. But
when you have taken the team, time and

trouble tb make the exchange you seem to'

havé’ sold at the lowest free trade prices,
and bbught at the highest tari if rates. B *-
sides, there is much on a farm that you can-
not firéadily' 'fin-ri a market for, yet that
shouidLiiot be 12. asted.

lmreading lately of the starved lives 01

the poor in‘ Europe, of the Rissian peas-
ants’ lifelong hunger for enough to eit, just
once?- 61 the tarnishing poor of England
and Ireland: of the German woman who
sawediwood in the streets for twenty cents
a day, and fed her six children with the
watet in which the dishes of a restaurant
were ‘first washed, paying foritLten cents a
day, we realize the sin of wasteiuiness and
learnigratitude for the necessaries of life
we have in our Eown America. '

Have you noticed that in this country the
most extravagant people are those to whom
any money atoll to spend isavery new
thingywhile people who have been brought
up with the surroundings of wealthwill
pract'meeconomies that will cause them to
be ceded stingy by the wasteful poor?

You can make better use of the canelie,
the coarse flour that comes with the grist
from the mill, than giving it to the pigs and
chickens. Fruitcake and molasses ginger
cake are better mixed with it than with
flour, ~not aslikely to be sticky. - Bits of
meat left over, any‘klnd of canned fruit,
of which motels-not enough left toput'on‘
the table again, can all‘ go into the mince

’ sibie. Then with a coarse needle and stout

be found an improvement.

is; light and dark separate, F-and- sew like“

season in the bowl; put a lump of butter in
the Spider, when it is melted andlhot put in

and when it is heated through, the water
evaporated. and beginning to brown on the
bottom, dish it up carefully. The secret is,
"When it begins‘to cook'nes‘er 's‘sir it up with
spoon or knife, thereby making a sticky,
disagreeab‘e mess of it.

When. you: go into a store intent on
economy and a berg tin, and offer for the

tie be} : a, and the in arc‘zisi'it because he has
abi' 1i doe thit day that must be met, lets
you have it, right there is the time where
economy ends and highway robbery begins.

B:un'efiile, thank you for a good laugh,

have gone through the “mere form” 01

met the intense surprise at the end. L No
'_one can perfectly fit a'dress to herSelf.
'G'Jo'd pail rns nearly acCO nplish it, but
there mu-zt always be some fitting. I once

dresses fitted as she "could‘fit others.

more than a man of the same kinds of
much to keep adog: probably fifty dollars a

censuses. It I had a surplus hundred

soc ety, and willing to risk hydrop‘. mbia for
my children, 1 think I should keep two

dogs. ‘ L r Human PERKINS.

'Promn. - * - 1
. WOO——

HOME-MADE RUGS.

 

Simebo‘iy asked not long ago for direc-
tions for making rugs. One very pretty
style, but Which requires a. great deal of
work, ismade by cutting woolen ragsinto
small bits and stringing'them on stunt linen
thread or cord.- When enough is prepared,
the sag carpet weaver will weave them into
a‘ rug which will be thick, heavy, durable,
serviceable and good-looking; and which
will resemble somewhat in texture the
Snyr‘na rugs oi the stores.

Vary nerdy the Same effect is obtained
by cutting 11 runs! or Woolen rage in strips
three-quarters of an inch Wide—bias if pos-

linon threat} gather the strips lengthwise
through the centre, pushing them up close
on the thread. The rags are not sewed.
These are woven as above. The work is
not quite so slow as where the rags are cut
in bits before stringing, and the rug looks
equally as well. The easiest way to arr
range a pattern is to have a border of black
9. quarter of ayard wide at each end, and
the centre hit or miss, with as much bright
color as possible. Tue ends can he finished
with a fringe asdeseribed below, and it will

. Another method is to cut molen rags into
strips-threequarters of an inch Wide, keep-i

 

meat forples, anatheywfll be all thebetter

1:27... {i .2111;

 

a
Hash in; good thing to use up the frag

ments, and its being good depends entirely
onthe way it is cooked. Chop fineiand;

the hash and alittie hot water, cover closely L

article you want a.p.'ic.; that is casteralits

though I should be sympathetic, for I too '

making a‘ new dress over an old lining and

heard the best dressmaker I ever knew,
“liment that she oculd -' not have her" own-

1006. S ill I don’t" think it really costs as ‘ ' '
year Will cover the actual cost or the food it ‘

dollan a year, and i didn’t know what on .
983m “do With it- and was fond 0‘ dog ~ not lost interest however. but have been an

pins, in garter stitch, in sections. The
centre section is of dark rags, three-qmters
of a yard long and a quarter of a yard wide.
Then knit twelve blocks, six light and six
dark, each a quarter of a yard square. is:-
range them by placing a light block at each

blocks to fill in the sides. Saw the sections
together firmly on the wrong side, line it,
and border with a plain strip in garter
stitch, or with a fringe an eighth of a yard
wider-made of inch wide strips of heavy
Lwo‘olen‘cloth sewed on firmly between the
liningsnd rug.-. To makesuoh arugula»
rather hard on the hands, but when done
itis very serviceable; it is agood way to
use up the pieces of men’s clothing one
does not want to p11: in her carpet.

Hausa shoes for the chiliren may be

male of pieces of beaver cloth, the best
parts of an old overco: t or any heavy cloth.
R' .p 11p an old shoe for spattern, allowing
for seams; line with bright flannel, bind
Lwith braid, and 011': 20113 out of the topsof
a 5-pair 01 fine boots, shoes. or for quite
young children, out of the backs of buck-
skin gloves or mittens. These are softto
to the feet, noiseless, and, excellent and

slippers for winter,Las they protect the feet

and ankles more. BEATBIX.

I———-—O—§—O-————
SKETCHINGS .

 

it has been along time sinceIhave found
lomed place in the HOUSEHOLD. I have

l attentive listener to the talk around.

I have often believsd myself on rapport
with some of our writers. and am moved at
this time to give an outline impresSion of.
such mind photogra 1.11-

has been v ry observant, has broad and gen-
erous views of human beings and their
diverse ways of thought and'action. She
can pity the sinner while condemning the
sin; c m find good even in a depraved life,
make large allowance for human frailty and
surrounding circumstances. She has had a
life of mingled. Joy and sorrow, prosperity
and adversity, has known the true happi-

‘and love’s jewels, children. But the
evangel of Death has invaded that home.
I can almost hear the throbs of heart
anguish as the dear ones leave in his grim
company. 0‘s Death! that opens the door

How my sympathy goes out to her'in her
loneliness. Bit she accepts the flit of '
Providence with sweet resignation, and
takes up the burden of life, determined to
do its duties, and show and feel an interest
in those still Ieft.

Another I should picture as a bright,
‘piquant young woman, of a’dcep emotional
nature, highly gifted, and well educated; of
quick, deep feelings, capable of strong at-
tachments either to person, place or her
own ideas or the fitness or things.‘ sue
means to do just right, but has her own
ideas of the way to arrive at conclusions, ‘

 

carpet rags. Knit on woodenneédies or

it I; z:- 7;3. . 5.1.. 51

'j 2 1 2-1: ., l 11:: ‘ ‘;~.)' ,k.‘ :

end of the centre strip; this will bring a .
dark block at each corner, and alternatetho .

. , , ' economical for. house wear. Better than ‘
One"m‘ore hint: ‘11 you keep :1. dogs“
medium siz d one.‘you"know that it eats"

leisure and mood for taking my accusc.

One has seen many years of. earth’lite,

 

ness ofacongenial marriage, wedded love -

to Life, how terrible your face to mortalsi ' '

and 01106 16111166, Tddgme'nt' is firm; and y 1 _
if“? "ind” continents" demonstration mW

eh

   


 

THE HOUSEHOLD.

3

__

 

ms. 1-0! .: w «- .,-.. . mun?

necesSary to change her opinion. She 15 of
a type of woman that may make mistakes
In youth, from the mind being educated
faster than the judgment can mature, but
when the balance between intellect and
emotion is reached, a harmonious and
elevated character is evolved.

Another stands in the prime of life, cul-
tured, social, capable; the owner of an ex-
perience that has developed a clear knowl-
edge of human nature, and a capacity to
turn that knowledge to account. She will
put the most awkward at ease; to her the
most silent can talk, and in her the reaerved
confide. She is happy, self-reliant and will
geti‘th‘e best out of life, circumstances and
friends. The world is better for her living
in it. _

Another blends the highest sentimental
and the most severely practical. She will
feast with you on the ambrosia of the gods,
or on a well cooked meal. She is not fond
of mathematics, I should say, yet method
marks her how ehold workings. The silver
lining of the cloud is for her, and She has a
remedy at hand for each ill. Her children
will 'go out well trained for the battle of
life; and she will herself tread the down-
hill "of life without murmuring. '

Another is nothing if net original. She
is a little inclined to a morbid view of life,
but so beautiful y protests ag1inst her own
v1ews, 1n her actual life, that one l1a1‘d1 y
dare bring the accu=ai1on to her. lt1solu.e
in performing every duty, 9. firm friend, a
conscientious 1 wife and.
mother,.she is entitled to more sweets than
she is likely to glean from life. But her
reward is sure; on for a stronger faith and
deeper trust, for this 111m , womanly Woman!

Another' is; quick ofsoeech, of act and
conclusions; ready to do battle for her
opinion, of most advanced position as
regards woman's spas 1, and quite ready to
takes front rank whm the line advances.
She is mt of. an equahle nature, but apt to
soar high on imaginatiou’s wings, and to
drop to the valley, if f1rtune clips those
wings. She is alternately elated and de-
pressed, as the world—her world—moves
according to 1' against her ideas of pro-
priety. She is ready of speech, vigorous of
style, and will mske her mark.

Another has seen the seasons comeand go
for a goodly number of. years; sorrow and
adversity have been not infrequent visitors,
but all events as they came were resignedly
accepted, and she has grown quieter,
sweeter, and more likeihe flowers she loves
and tends with kindly care.

One gentlemm that occasionalLv visits
the HOUSEHOLD is very civil, companion-
able, and .a valued friend, often giving
words of counsel and discriminating
criticism, Zihat might work to can profit as
well as pleasure; but the poor man is so
bashful and shrinking that he needs a
greatdeal of encouragement. Ihope the
ladies of the HOUSEHOLD will not forget to
make him sure of a welcome. And not he
only; we would, I am sure, be very glad of
any who'would take sulficient interest in
the little paper to knock at the open door.
I am sure all would say: “Enter, you are
welcome.” -‘ '

Now this is only a sort or dreamland
descriptions Ifhopenone {who may imagine

self-sacrificing.

 

they have sat for a portrait will be offended
at the picture. If it does not look like you,
no one will be the wiser, and perhaps you
are someone also after all. This is a free
country, and if the limnings are caricatur-
ed, please correct, or revenge yourself by
causing some one else to sit for a portrait.

The new year, with all its promises, its
hopes, doubts and fears, is with us. May
our lives he so ordered tint the result of our
labors may sum up satisfactorily at the
close; and mistakes, and consequent re-
grets, be reduced to a minimum. Dear to
the heart of every one of 111 is the HOUSE-
Iro'LD. Eicll one is indebted to its pages
for many hints anal helps. This being the
case, let us each r31 olve to help our good,
patientQ13e11 B and each other by sen (1-
ing all t‘h1 helpful hints :13 can, that when
“copy” is called for, her heart be not
burdened. A. L. L.

INGLESIDE.

—-—OOO—-—

A LESSON IN GRAMMER.

 

[Essay read by Clara Bell 8011' hw 311 at a meet-
ingof the Li serarj Society of Merely/o ]

Not mere beginners are we to- night in
the study of grammer. We have already

learned to designate the parts of speech.

Hive studied more particularly nouns; we
know that giodness and truthfulness are
called common 11011.13, but. are much too un—
common in this world. We have met some
peeple who seem to have a great liking for
personal-pronouns, first person. They seem
to havoc. sort of mania for using I, we,
my, etc, while we have met others to
whom self is the last consideration, always
placing others first. We have now arrived
at that part of the book where the words at
the top of the page are: “ Conjugation of
the verb be.” -Let us learn this.
out tense, indicative mood, “I am.”
Stop? 1 am what? A post once said: “ My
greatest joy isthat I am.” 1 am on earth
and what for? it is not an ac.i lent. There
is a work for each of 113. We have a. life to
live, and a life which is as we make it.
"Tue web of life isdrawn into the loom
for 111, but we weave it ourselves; we throw
our own shut- tle and work 01. 1.: ovu tre die.
Tue warp is given us, but 1‘11 1v.) of we m 1110,
find our own maferids 9.2111 col-.9111: , and
figure it to our own tests.” We are weav-
ing now. Are our colors the hes-5? our
figures perfect? our ma’erials strong? We
do no: wants. poor Shot in this we: k, we
want it to wear. We want our m1t2rials
and colors to he the has .1 we can find, new;
tomorrow we may not have o;‘uort unity to
obtain tl‘ em. I rim—who .1? Truthful?
Good? Remember what we now are we
te.-.ch others to be. Our charac.ers are the
mirrors in which our intimite friends see
themselves reflected. D) you admire truth-
fulness? Be truthful. D) you admire
goodnes s? S rive to lie—not perfect—no
one loves a “perfect” person, there is a
dangerous rock underneath that still spot
of waters, but strive to he better. One
can not try too much for this. I ssil'wh at
we are we teach others to be; in our actions
are much greater lessons than in our words,
and lessons which are much easier to learn.
Both our actions and Our words will live

.after us, and our book of life may be nearly
finished. Erch day, we write a page, and

Pres?

 

on each page should be recorded at least one
thing worthy of being repeated; one good
deed which has brought smiles to the tear-
ful face, or joy to the sorrowing heart. Do
not wait until tomorrow to do good, begin
now. “It is not until Time with reckless
hand has torn out half the leaves from the
book of lifeLto light the fires of passion
with, that man begins to see that but few
leaves remain, and to remember that on the
earlier pages was written a story of happy
innocence, which he fain would read
again.” Gm we not realize that the past
can never be recilled? Those leaves which
Time has torn from our books are Time’s
leivss. not ours. Those we are now writ-
ing are cars. Can we not- make them bet-
ter than Time’s? Let us strive to do for
suffering humanity. Nothing cm be more
pleasing to seein after years, in 0111: book of
life, than a statement thit we have helped
some one by a kind word or deed. ltell
you there are more people starving to-day
for food for the soul than for food for the
body. Hive we yet learned this tense of
the verb be? No indeed, we have only be-
gun. “1 am,” means all we do or say or
think. E 16; makes a link in the chain of
our characters, and what our characters are
we are.

Let us lee 173 this and go on. “He is.”
Bit why shoul l wes .udy what he is? how

can we k 0w? We cannot judge by ap-

pearance; we should not judge by manners.
He may have great faults, still appear as
the best. How c111 we know, I ask, of
What is in his heart? it mzy be the home
of sorrow. 1t is not the heaviest- grief for
which we wear the willow. The heaviest
crosses are known by none save God. “ Be-
lieve me, every mm has his own secret
sorrow, and we ofttimes call a man cold
when he is only sad.” Judge not b 3' man-
ners; no one always thus shows his real
character. To be sure manners are the gar-
ments of character, but all, even the most
devout, are capable of hypocrisy:
“ J11 ige not. The working of his brain,

And of his heart, thou can st not see.

Wl11t so 1ms t1 t 1 din ey es a stain
I11. (101s p11r1 sig ‘1t may 0 sly be

A so. 11‘, hro1 1_ 1h. fro .11 some well w- 1'1 field
\\ here thou Would :tonly faint undyield. ”

“l was.” D) we cm: to study uh1t‘ 18
past? Wrong must have been done, but no
good comm of calling up in line before us
old sins, to see which was the worse, or
where w 8 were nust in the wro: 1g. G)Od
might have been done. G111 remembers
it. If we are going on a journey we don’t
want to be going back every day or two to
see how far we have got.

“Islnllbe” and “1111'5’113 hate
What toil and trouble, time and tears, are
recorded. in those little wesds; the former
the music of youth, sweet as the sound of
silver bells, fresh .11.: :he bre1z; r1..‘-l. of “in~
cense breathing morn.” The latter the
plaint of age, the dirge of hope, the inscrip-
tion for atomb. The one trem‘oles upon
thin lips, parched with life’s fibful fever;
the other swells from strong young hearts
to lips rounded and dewy with the sweet-
ness of hope. Tue one is timed by a heart
that flutters and wears out, 'while the other
boats right on in the bold march of Life.
How like a bugle-call is that " I shall be,”
fr0m a young soul strong in prophecy? I
shall be -great, henored, afiiient, good, ’

,,,,,

 


 

4':

THE HOUSEHOLD.

  

 

and then— but who can fill out the thens?
Who but the painter who has dipped his
pen in sunset, who but the poet whose lips
have bren touched with fire from the altar
of Inspiration. Before the memory has a
tomb in it, before it becomes the cemetery,
the Greenwood of the soul. “ I shall be ” is
as beautiful as an old ballad. When graves
are digged therein, and willow planted and
hopes are buried “I shall be” is as grand
as an old poem. When ” the battle is done,
the harp unstrung, its music trembling,
dying,” then “I shall be” is as sublime as
an old prophecy.

I shall be—but what? The light of the
deeds we now perform will never cease to
shed a light around us. Do we desire a
happy old age and still happier eternity?

Would we become and remain pleasant
companions for ourselves and those whose

life paths are nearest ours? Let us not
then, sink into the narrow ruts in our own
road. so deep that we lose all inclination
and at last all power torise out of them to aid
or cheer another whose way may be rougher,
or whose feet not so well shod as ours. Let
us woo Love. with his caressing grace; Un-
selfishness with ready thought for others;
Hope with her fairy wand, and sunny
Cheerfuiness. transmuting all things into
good in the alemhic of her light. Let us
woo these to dwell in our hearts, and when
they have made the heart beautiful then
will our faces show our happiness, our
hearts will be full of peace and our eternity
supremely blast.

“I ought to have been!” How easy it
is to feel the prick of the thorn after we
have gathered the rose! The rose is fra-
grant, but thorns are sharp, and we cannot

recall the roses of memories of happy old‘

dreams, without again feeling the prick of
the thorns of remorse in our conscience‘for
some old sins sometimes when we ought to
have been better. Let them go. No good
comes of living them over; “ I am” is all
we have; “ I was ” and “I ought to have
been,” are ours no more. Let us forget
them; for memories of the past always bring
sorrow as well as joy:

“ Keep out of the past. for its highways

Are damp with malarial gloom,

Its gardens 9 re sere, and 115 forests are drear,
And everywhere moulders a tomb.

Who seeks to regain its lost pleasures,
Finds on'y a rose turned to dust.

And its storehouse of wonderful treasures,
Is covered and ccnted with lust."

W

COFFEE-MAKING.

I actually made a mistake when I said
that method of making coffee with cold
water was Miss Parioa’s. It was Miss Juliet
Carson; she is writing a series of articles
for the Minneapolis Housekeeper. I have
a friend who makes very delic’ous coffee,
and this is her modus operandi: For a
medium-sized coffee pot, say one that holds
two quarts, she takes a teacupl’ul of ground
coffee and one egg, both are put into the
pot, then it is shaken vigorously, then filled
with boiling water, and art on one side of
the stove, so far back it cannot possibly
boil, this is steeping about twenty min-
utes; it pours off a beautiful golden color,
and with sugar and rich cream is good
enough for common folks. - We are
using a new brand of coffee at present,
Wood’s “Javanese;” it is thirtycents per

  

pound. and has a delicious flavor. I have
not bought the green berry in three years.
1 buy fresh roasted and ground each week,
and I like it just as well as though I broiled
myself a bright crimson while roasting the
berries a chestnut brown. There is con-
siderable imagination about things we eat,
and our method of preparing certain articles
of food. Now for instance, I know a
woman who says she will not use any
coffee but Old Government Java and Mocha
mixed, half and half. bought green. she
roasts it, and while it is hot beaten eggs are
poured over it, stirred thoroughly and put
into a close can. I happen to know that she
gets deceived quite frequently on the
Mocha. I have read that Mocha coffee is
raised in Anbia, or rather the best quality

is raised there: the next in quality comes
from Java. But the greater part of. it is

raised in Brazil and shipped to Arabia, and
it then finds its way. into the markets. I
remember during the war father paid as
high as seventy- five cents a pound for Java
coffee. It was during the war that so many
substitutes were manufactured; chicory,
bran and molasses, carrots and the like.

I never think it a good plan to leave
the coffee pot half full of cold coffee;
by managing, about th’erequired quantity
can be made each time. Wash the pot and
set it away empty; the inside can be
cleansed of the black deposit by filling with
very strong soap suds and boiling for
several hours, throw the suds out, take a
dry cloth and wipe around the sides and one
can see what a deposit is in the majority of
coffee pots. The same is true of tea pots:
they can be. kept clean and bright in this
way. EVANGELINR.

Burma me.

__._..*————

WORDS OF SYMPATHY.

 

[t is a long time since I wrote to the
HOUSEHOLD, and now I come to express
my sympathy for Old School Teacher in her
sorrow. Since I wrote last, I too have had
a great trouble; I have lost the dear little
mother who was so dear to all of her chil-
dren; and Ican feel for any one else in
sorrow.

Is it not strange that although we all
know we must meet death for ourselves
and all who are dear to us, we are never
really prepared for it, never quite ready?
Although we know they are going where
they will be infinitely better off, we can-
not belp mourning. not on their account,
oh no! but on our own; their gain is so
truly our loss. I went home to Detroit for
the holidays, and I could see mother in
every room in the house, in the very chair
she used to sit in. It does not seem pos-
sible she is gone away for all time. I hOpe
this mourning mother will look for comfort
to the only One who can give it. When we
really come to “heart sorrow,” there is
nothing else will sooth that but the thought
of Our Father’s promises. Mus. En.

Oxnow.
———«Q——I—

HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

 

FRESH meat is usually kept in winter by
being frozen in large pieces. But if out up

in proper size for cooking, before freezing,

 

in cutting the unmanageable food, and the
men be spared from breach of the third

commandment.

 

THOSE troublesome things known as
-‘ cold sores ” or fever blisters, can be cured
early in their career by the application of
anything hot, hot water, a. hot potato, etc.,
kept on a few minutes. Very strong cam.
phor will have the same effect. To be
effective the treatment must be begun as
soon as the sore app ears.

 

PROF. STEWART. after telling us that
the seat of nausea is not in the stomach,
but in the brain, informs us that relief from
this distressing sensation may be obtained
by cooling the base of the brain. He has
tested this often and thoroughly in the case
of sick headache, bilious colic, cholera mor-
bus and other ills in which nausea is a dis-
tressing symptom, without a single failure:
and once relieved the nausea resulting from
cancer of the stomach by the application of
ice to the back of the neck and occipital
bone. The ice is to be broken and the bits
placed between the folds of a towel. Relief
may be obtained by holding the head over
a sink, or tub, and pouring a small stream
of water on the back of the neck. This is
worth remembering as a relief for sick head-
ache, to which so many women are subject.

_-—...—

Contributed Recipes.

 

Monrcsmr Cormrr Dououms.—Two '
eggs, well beaten; add one cup sugar and
beat again; one cup sweet milk; two table-
spoonfuls lard; one heaping teaspoonful
baking powder; one small teaspoonful salt;
nutmeg. Mix soft. Has. ED.

Oxnow.

 

Bucxwrnur CAkns Wrrrrou'r Yunnan—Two
cups buttermilk; two cups sweet skimmed
milk; two teaspoonfuls salt; thicken with
buckwheat flour, stir well and let stand over
night. In the morning add two teaspoonfuis
of soda dissolved in a. little warm water; let
stand a few minutes after stirring in the soda.
and the cakes will be light and nice. Save
half a pint or-more of the batter for leave:
and in stirring up the cakes afterward use
sweet skimmed milk and only one teaspoon-
ful of soda. If you have not plenty of milk,
part water will do.

PORK Gama—Half pound fat pork, chopped
fine; half pound raisins; two and a half cup!
brown sugar; one and a half cups hot water;
four and a half cups flour; one teaspoonful
soda; one of allspice. This cake will keep a
long time.

SPICE CARL—Three eggs; one cup brown
sugar; three-quarters cup butter; one cup
sour milk; one cup New Orleans molasses;
three and a half cups flour; one teaspoonful
soda; one teaspoonful each of ginger. all-
spice and cinnamon; one teaspoonful cloves;
beat the eggs well. M. L.

RILEY CENTRE.

 

DOUGHNUTS.——One cup of cream, put into
a. abowl and fill up with buttermilk; one
coffeecupfui sugar; three eggs; 9. quarter
teaspoonfui each of salt and grated nutmeg,
and a teaspoonfui of soda, dissolved in a little
warm water and thoroughly stirred into the
cream and buttermilk. Mix soft; fry nicely
in lard “not too hot, just hot enough," take
out with a skimmer into a colander set on a
baking plate, let them drain a few moments.
then transfer to a. pan. Given a good appe-
tite, and nerves of taste not palsied by tobac-
co. and any fainminded man will admit they

 

the housekeeper will be spared some trouble

are “ just like Mother's.” Bn'nnx.

  

 


 

 

 

 

    

DETROIT, JAN. 26, 1.889.

 

 

THE HOUSEHOLD-"Supplement.

 

 

THE BEST SOCIETY.

There’s a question which has puzz‘ed
As I’ve conned it o’er and o'er,

As it perhaps has troubled

Many other folk before,

Which perhaps you may be able

To answer clearly unto me.

And that is, Wh) are they who make
The “best society.”

Is it they who spend their money
With a carelessness that says

We don’t know much of poverty
And its sad, uncertain ways?

They who dress in gorgeous colors.
And display their jewels free.

Are thesethe people who compose
The “ best society ?”

Is it maidens who know 11 ught of work,
But who dress from day to day

So that Solomon in glory

Was not half arrayid as they?

Do those youths whose manly Virtues
A e very hard to s:e

(Although they havelon’g purses)
Make the “best society?"

’Tis not where fashion’s Riddy whirls
H er foolish votaries claim,

‘Tis not where accident has made

A little earthly fame,

’Tls not where riches are displayed
With ostentation free

That we can always surely find

The “ best society."

But they who do the tasks that come,
With patient faith each day

Who strive to help some neighbor
Have a little smoother way.

Who have clean hearts and helping hands,
Whoever they may be,

Such, whe her rich or poor, make up
The “ best society.”

—-——QO.——-—

THE TABLE.

It is “no trick at all” to set a table
nicely, quit-lily and properly-4f you know
how. And any 'shouid we not all know
how, and prec'ice our knosledge?

in the first plaCe, we want a good large
tabie~one sniiii-iezniy ample to give every-
body ninow roam. l have read somewhere
that at the sta‘e dimnrs attire White House,
the table. is H) Crowded one person must
lean back in his seat to permit his neiglr
bor to eat. Perhaps: the honor of dining in
such distinguished company may cmnpen-
sate for the discomfort actually encounter-
ed; but it seems 415 if the better way would
be, since the diningsroom will not expand,
to contract the number of invitations. A
tattle, to look well, should not be crowded
either with dishes or food. The round ex-
tension tahle is generally most favored,
and enough “leaves” should be put in
to give ample room for the family

 

and the transient guest also. A
cover of felt or doublefaced canton
flannel is a necessity; it not only giV'rs
body to the tablecloth, but also prorects the
varnish of the table from injury by hot
dishes and the accidental upsets that will
occur “ in the best regulated families,” and
in case of such accident prevents the spread
of whatever may be overturned and keeps
it from the carpet; it also deadens the r at-
tle of the dishes.

lam thankful to say that the reign of
Colored table linen is entirely over. It was
never meant for use except at lunch, at the
outset, and its a lop'ion at other meals was
a gross perversion of its legitimite purpose.
It may have been a. saving of labor, to a
certain extent, but what was gained at the
washtub was lrnt in the appearanca of the
table; and in so far as it H'lCi‘l'l”;lgdi circ-
lessness was a. positive detrime it to CxI'B‘
ful manners at the table. I have heard of
people who omitted table linen in the in-
terest of economy, and ate their ”181.15 from
a table covered with enameled cloth, or oil-
cloth; indeed, (finite a little discussion was
carried on in one of our agricultural ex-
changes, relative to the expedieuce of thus
saving work in washing and ironing. I
think this a very great mistake. Batter do
the economizing somewhere else and spread
the fruiral repist on a cit-an write ClUZ'l,
especially if you have children to adult-3'54, in
table manners. If they are alto Ned to slop
on oilcioth to save Work, they wiil do the
same on damask.

The p'avitl‘) for husband and wife, who
wait. upon the table, is opposhe nix-l1 otinr
on the center oi ezch side; thus
they cm 063‘. Serve all DPT-1071?. ht‘a'r‘xi at i'.
One. of the most awkwardlr arr-gmsawi and
served t-t'iles i rVr:l‘ sat (luv-Jr: to, was one
where. thalmshani and W1 '
side, on i ii1.-'s:lii::=-r.:;u “ s it
newiy

fr..- s"; HUG 3”!
(F'lt‘

3-??2‘l3r'ai.

around."

' i

inure—d couple ne'- mils
tilt‘fllfiriVeS a“. the '(‘jiilllifig oi‘ their lite
together; the first billy hsd . -
its mother’s right hand, an; n N.) :3
came along, Na). 1 was ii‘RTisie—i'zWJ ..; 53“;
father‘sside. and so on, and the 3; had Lev r
seen tit to change ihwir that “1411313314“
location.

Squarely in front of the Cerver’s iiiiL‘F.
spread an Oblong napkin for 1% e
(Mats to protect the tnbie viii:
netted it the canton ll :innelcny’er nit-n21 7n-
ed previously is used.)

I . i ' ‘-
Ui't‘ii 3:1'4'1-1‘ :vi.
1
\

3." 1 l

p 3'»: .kai'.
.t if, DJ,

.1

Lay the Csil‘Yi..::Li

knife and tork, handles to the right, on this
edge or“ the napkin and parallel to the
edge of the table; tablespoons for veget-
ables at the right, and the plates at the
carver’s seat— and do not forget to have them

(‘1 leztl‘li, 1‘

 

 

    

warmed in winter. "The Secret of good
dinners,” saysDierai—li, “is hot plates.”

lfatray is used for cups and saucers,
c iver it with a. tray-cloth: if not, spread the
tray-cloth on the iahlecloth. This, and the
napkin at the carver‘e place, may be made
as handsome with etching; and drawn-work
as you please. Arrange the saucers about
on the centre of the cloth, a little nearer
the edge of the table, the cups. not over
two in a, pic, at the left, and the coffee or.
teapot at the right.

At each place. lay the knife at the right
ban 1, exactly at right angles to the edge of
the tahln, and with it the taofespoon for
soup and the napkin neatly folded in its
ring; it the leir. the fork and teaspoons for
Viilabi‘Vc‘I‘ sill be serv «'i that is eaten with a
Spoon; anish the individual salt cellars
from your table—They went “out” with
colored ta‘ile linen—and buy 9. half dozen
nit-shakers, dispersing them about the
table where two persons can use one. At
eacn end of the table, inside the circle of
knives and forki, and alittle beyond the
centre, lay t-vo small fancy napkins. on
which place mustard pot, pepper-box, cat-
sup or pepper sauce. The pretty jugs for
vinegar and the pickle :di.~hes will be out-
posts of the tray of cups and saucers, and
the celerygiass stand guard over the meat
piatter and the vegetable dishes—end see
that the currents are carefully washed
clean. freed irom specks of rust, and then
don’t hit up the glass with water and let it
soak all the thvor out of the stalks.

The butter may be put upon the table in
a butter-dish, and. some member of the
family til the little individual plates, and
hand thorn show; or lilt‘ plates may be filled
haters and one gist lt- each place, wail out if
the W5}; oi" the manor piste and {Xactly in
from; of. the Tin:- glass for
Water iv. to b.- simiim'iy place-i. 'l‘hr‘ goblet;

  

yr'l'drll sitting.
l h; :2', :4 canning in favor again, now all of
us a .i suppiwd with the pretty timed
turn-era. of time

that :2. will he plea-t
' he

5.
iii i' f'Dzz‘ili" :' h hire
-, U be in}; rein-int: 1‘?
"--‘l V etc-i should he gmninngi by

\
last -i..- .» .. r. -. in .,.
plats-i. ; .2 par,- ~.

 

at the urns-r 5 fight,
-::2 at the right, nod the
other t: .i u; "

at @‘zgt‘ii-b‘o a" the! i if. Any

,1

 

dish, I «3 “mm mm or shawl annuities,
who ‘; m1Cur-sinbeiiai-(i-‘du‘cnntinsmell

dish-s, «2:0 mi, it p risihie, he served ‘oy a
thinl ninio r of the iamiiy, “hose seal:
s‘iouiti b; at the enzi of the table.

is is to; as easy to set a table so that it
lmks nest- ant inviting, as to throw things
on it as if they held ceen shaken out of a
basket? And that reminds me to say that a


2 THE HOUSEHOLD;

 

 

handled basket in three divisions, two
lengthwise for knives, forks and spoons,
and one across the end for napkins, ex~
pedites the table-setting business very
materially. A ten year old girl can be
taughttowash her hands, put on a little
white or llaht print apron, and set the
table while her mother prepares the food, if
you will show her how at first, insist that
she shall follow your instructions exactly,
and then when she shows an interest and
pride in her work, give her a few words of
praise yourself and privately request her
father to say publicly “Well done, little
daughter!” The praise of others is more
grateful to children than to grown people,
and you all know how a few words of
timely commendation brighten our own
outlook. BEATRIX.

PREPARING FOR COMPANY.

 

This is a subject which I commence con-
sidering, every fall more particularly, es-
pecially as connected with one lone woman
in. a house. There is no need of my saying
even to the woman who keeps a hired girl,
or one who has one or more daughters of
her own, that in preparing a company din-
ner for one dozen or more extra persons,
there are many steps and many motions
which must every one accomplish some-
thing.

Toe point which 1 wish to bring under
consideration is, how much and what can
be prepared before the company arrives; that
the hostess can give a share of the time to
entertaining her guests, otherwise than
by feeding them. I know there are people
who go visiting more to get something
good to eat than for an interchange of heart
sentiment; to such as these the absence of
the hostess from the parlor is but of small
account. I am glad to say I think this
class is in a very small minority.

I have been studying and experimenting a
little. as circumstances favored, but have
attained no great prohciency in the art of
getting things all done and ready before-
hand.

I will tell you a few things that I have
discovered are just as good, or so nearly so
as to piss, in cold weather. All cake can
be prep ared days beforehand, the kinds
and place to keep it determining the num-
ber of days. Fruit cake and any of the
white layer cakes with figs, cocoanut or
chocolate, can be kept fresh, and in fact
perfectly good, if put into anything that
will shut up tight and impart no foreign
flavor, then placed out in the back room
where everything else freezes solid. There
has never been weather cold enough so I
could tell by the cutting that it was frozen.
1 don’t think it freezes; I do not bring it in
the warm room until one of the last things,
and it is surprising how moist and fresh it
is. Any good pie is good enough. Any of
the salads, chicken or celery, it kept cold
but not frozen, is good for a week.

Turkeys can be dressed and stuffed the
day before they will he wanted. Many
people think they are better for standing
over night, as the seasoning strikes into
the fowl. (l hays been thinking I would
tell our dear B. how I mike my dress-
ing, ever since she told us her way; I have

not had time yet, but will take time some

of these rainy days.) Ham can be boiled
afew days beforehand, and beef the day
before; if they are properly treated after,
they will not not dry. To me there is
nothing more unpalatable than dry boiled
or roast beef, unless it may be dried
chicken.

For my own eating l would choose bread
a week old, it the bread was once good.
Chickens for a pie can be made ready for
the kettle the day before, set away in a pan
of cold water with a little salt added, and
cooked‘when most convenient, the day they
are wanted, or the day before if desired,
when tender put in a pan just before the
time for guests to arrive; heat the chicken
while making the crust, set in the oven and
bake; it can then be set on top or in the
warming closet to keep warm until wanted.
Crackers for scalloped oysters can be rolled
the day or week before, it is then a very
small task to prepare them for the oven.
Pickles can be put in the castors and pickle
dishes; cake, pie and cheese cut, if not
brought into a warm room until wanted.

Will not some one give a. few more ideas
on this subject? M. E. H.

“H—

PERSONAL TIDINE'bS.

I was interested in A. H. J.’s article on
toilette matters a few week-5 ago. It set me to
tlriniiug, and although I thought we were
as particular in that respect as the average
farmer’s family, a radical change has taken
place already. Our one child has taken
kindly to the idea from the first. He has a
comb and brush, towel and small mirror, of
his own, hung in a convenient place, and I
notice that he uses them to much better ad-
vantage than heretofore. Near by is screwed
a set of hooks, low enough to be convenient,
on which his cap and cent are kept when
not in use, and I intend to add a receptacle
for his mittens. A tooth-brush will be ad-
ded, with a mug for that special purpose,
now that he is old enough to use it.

Next summer, our entire family, it it
numbers half a doz an men. will'be accommo-
dated each with his own set of: toilette ar-
ticles, as fortunately our washroom is sufli -
ciently large to admit it. The “missus”
is not to be i'icluded in this arrangement, as
she always performs her ablutions in her
own room.

Now just a few words on personal tidi-
nsss. Are fairmers’ wives in general as
particular as they might be about their dress
around home, especially mornings? How
much more work does it make to have the
morning dress neat and clean, with linen
collar or “tourist” rushing in the neck,
which, with neatly combed hair, makes one
look and feel so much better than to have
tumbled hair, soiled and torn frock, with
half the buttons elf, perhaps? The “tour—
ist” ruchiug comes in rolls of two or three
yards, which cost but ten cents, and a piece
can be out (if and busted in the neck of the
morning dress, and when soiled put in the
rag-bag. THIS is less work than to wear
linen collars. For myself, I like best a
piece of thin muslin, edged with the fine
narrow lace, (which sells at two or three
cents per yard) straight on one side and
rounded on the other, which is placed

 

around the throat. outside'the dress, and

 

   

held in place by a brooch. An indigo-blue
print wrapper, made basque waist, with full
skirt gathered about the hips, gives beet
satisfaction for a morning dress.

Then when your after-dinner work is out
of the way, don’t sit down until you have
changed your dress; it it is no more than to
put on another print, with clean white
apron, and if necessary rearrange your hair
and slip on another pair of shoes. Then when
callers drop in, you will be spared much
mortification. But even _if no one should
call, I hope you still care to fix up for your
husband’s benefit as much as in the old
courting day s.

And your care will not be lost upon the
children either, for what the mother is de-
termines to a great extent what manner of
man or woman the child will be.

FLINT. ELLA R. WOOD.

__..__....____.

HINTS FOR COLD NIGHTS.

There is a pile of cloth waiting to be cut
and made into garments. And I must say
that the pile is larger than it would have
been if I liked to sew; but sewing is some-
thing I never would do if I were able to
hire .it done; I am unlike most people, for I
would rather mend, darn and patch any
time than out out a new garment. But the
pile will have to wait until I write this let-
ter, for l have thought of something I want
to sly. My acquaintances would tell you
“That’s nothing new for her,” but you do
not hear from me very often, so you can
afford to listen. .

I read the other day about what is nice to
take to bed with you ifyou have to sleepin a
cold room; and I will pass the information
along. Take a quart of sand, wash it clean
and put it in a stout cotton bag; heat it hot,

'then slip it into a clean sack and you are

ready for sleep and warm feet. If your
feet are not naturally cold, but at the same
time you dread pushing them down between
two ice cold cotton sheets, buy one and a
half yards of thick canton flannel, sew up
and hem, lay this under the pillow and
when you get into bed put your feet into
this; if you are not too tell it will come to
your knees, and then you can straighten
out and imagine that you‘ are between
woolen sheets, that is, as far as it goes, and
when you'wake up in the morning you will
not feel as though you had been tied in a
bow knot.

Will Euphemia tell us whit stitch she
used in crocheting covers for those bottles.
I have one I would like to cover it in the
way she mentions. And .did she narrow
any towards the top?

I would also like some pretty ways of
making mats for the dresser. I don’t
mean those that are crocheted in long
loops that you catch your fingers in every
time you touch them in the dark, but some-
thing suitable for hairpin box, combs,
cushion, etc, also a pretty tidy for a sofa
pillow. By answering soon you will confer
a favor and receive many thanks from

BATTLE CREEK. X. Y. Z.

W

THOSE of our readers who wish back
numbers to complete their files must send
for them soon, or we shall not be able to
furnish them.

 
     

 

I
|
l
l
l

 
     


 

THE HOUSEHOLD. . 3

 

 

EVANGELINE’S “ FORTUNE."

 

There drifted into my native town, one
'week in the spring, an English family. and
included with its members was a boy of
perhaps nine years. His father and mother
had died with ship fever on the passage to
New York. There was no one who had
any especial interest in the boy, so he
came along with a young. couple. They
went to live in an old rickety house called
the “Ohio house,” and it was said to be
haunted. I do not know whether anybody
had ever seen any demonstrations of the
spirits, as Tam O'Shanter did. I rather
think that the wind rattling the loose shut-
ters and t reaking the clapboards and floors
‘was about all there was to it; but they took
possession and lived there quite peaceably.
This boy—called Curley Wiley—was a per-
fect stub as far as size was concerned, his
head was surmounted with a shock of
tangled black hair, the only redeeming
feature in the case was a pair of splendid
black eyes, withasad friendless look in
them that went straight to one’s heart.
Many and many a sugar-coated cookie, red
checked apple, piece of mince pie and
various other “goodies” have these pathetic
glances wheedled out of me, for in those
days I could not resist the glances thrown
from a pair of 11 rudsome eyes. When we
cleaned house in the fall we put down a
.nice new rag carpet in the dining room, the
big rocking chair was newly cushioned,
new curtains at the windows and the room
looked clean and cozy. Curley came in
one day, opened the door and peeked in,
boy fashion, then he said, “ Oh! what a nice
room; why don’t you have a grandma in
it.” I didn’t know then what the child
meant, but have learned since that in Eng-
land when the old mother begins to show
signs of failing, the younger members of
family take the burden of the work, and
she is given the big comfortable rocking
chair, where she takes life easy. That is
rarely the case in America, where the
mother brings up a family of children, and
before she has a. chance to forget “how the
thing’s done,” keeps in practice with a
young school of grandchildren.

It was late in November when a band of
gypsies came from southern Ohio and
camped about a mile from our house. They
had regular houses on wheels, containing
beds, stoves; there wasatrain of horses,
and pack of dogs, to say nothing of women
and scores of children. The women for—
aged the country, selling laces and telling
fortunes; and the men traded horses, and
it is needless to add always got the best of
the bargain. This day that I am speaking
of was grey and cheerless, the snow was
falling in great big flakes. Mother had
gone visiting, leaving me the “boss bal-
ancer” in the kitchen. 1 had tried my
hand on boiled cider pies, and failure had
stared me in the face; they had run over,
filling the oven with a diabolical mixture
and the Whole house with a black smoke.
Lite looked so dark and despairing to me
I thought I would visit the gypsy camp,
and find out by the oracle there whether
or no I should ever be a professional cook,
or what the future held in store for me.
Among my earthly possessions I found one

 

silver dollar, so I “ fined up” and started;
on the way I encountered Carley and took
him along. I reached the place and met
with a warm reception; every dog set up a
yelp in a variety of keys, I was tempted to
run but as I felt anxious about the future I
thought I would stand my ground, dogs or
no dogs. I had read of bags and weird
people stirring pots of boiling stuff, but
here 1 saw it. The old woman who offered
to tell my fortune looked as if she had been
hung up and smoked, she must have been
one hundred years old, all bent over as she
stirred the pot which was hung up on three
sticks with a fagot or two under it, and
muttered and talked. Then I gave her the
silver, she crossed my palm with it and
commenced. My hand on the inside is
covered with little fine lines that cross and

recross, she said that was a sign that my.

life would not flow along smoothly in one
current, but would be full of changes,
crosses, troubles, and that I wouli crass
water to meet the man Ishould marry. That
was the sum and substance of it, but she
took about two hours to tell it.

I turned my back on gypsies and all kindred
spirits, as it was growing dark, and I tell
to imagining Macbeth’s feelings when the
old witches of Fares hailed him. My own
feelings could be told in few words. I had
made a fool of myself and was one dollar
short. Curley had traded his pocket knife
and a.few nails and buckles, and had his
fortune told; but he didn’t believe it at all.
He was going to cross the ocean. but on the
way would die and never see his native land.
Luckily I reached home before mother did
so she never knew of my cxperience in pie
making, or my having squandered a dollar
in “futures.” Poor little Carley! He had
a few years of happiness, for everybody
liked him, then some relatives sent for him
to go back to England. I bade him ateartul
adieu, filled his lunch' basket with every-
thing good, and wished him a safe voya ge.
But the old fortune teller was right; he died
of fever and was buried in the ocean.
There was no one to soothe his suiferings;
no one to whisper aprayer when he died;
no one to drape tear when he was sinking
in the cold blue waters. Perhaps he found
a soft bed at the bottom of the ocean. where.
we read it is paved with shells and plant
life of every description, or it may be a
hungry shark lying in wait, snatched him
as he left the plank. No one knows or ever
will know. The checkered life elicited we
fell to him, for his short life na'l many
changes, with only a small amount of
pleasure; and it may be it was for the best
that it was brought to a close, for a boy
without father or mother, with no one to
feel an interest in him. does not always turn
out as “John Halifax” did.

, What a foolish way to be anticipating
troubles! Those that we look for are often
averted, and those we know not of drop
down on us with crushing weight. Our

'troubles compared with those of others are

often like ripples alongside. huge Waves that
rise like mountains; drum or dew against
tn‘rents that swell and pour over the
country destroying whatever comes in their
way. Peer as we may into the future we
are in total ignorance of what lies before
us; it is so willed and it is better so. Let

 

 

us enjoy our homes and loved ones all we
can, hug them close to our hearts; see our
blessings while we have them, not wait to
catch the brightness as they take their flight.
not counting as troubles the little loving
acts that we do for each other. Life is
made up of acts of kindness, little self-
denials. Each day brings its cares and
duties if faithfully performed, the entry in
the book will be perfect, the page free from
blot. But however perfect and well done
we consider it, remember it is far from per-
fect in the Father’s eyes. The little child,
happy in the thought that the day has been
well spent. falls to sleep contented.

“ We are but children, the things that we do
Are but as play in the infinite view.”

BATTLE CREEK. EV ANGE LINE.

——...—__

HOW TO CARE FOR TRIPLETS.

They were not exactly triplets; but three
children, the youngest a few weeks old, and
the eldest too restless and timid tosleep
alone, was the shape our blessings assumed
one winter; and as somebody else may
have the same problems to solve, I give
some of my plans. That of sleeping at
night seemed the most difficult, for our
beuroom was too small to allow a crib, and
I too nervous to think of “three in a bed;”
so I took the little twenty months old girl,
who insisted upon her right to he “the
half baby,” beside me, and made for the
younger a snug nest of warm woolen
blankets and. pillows upon the outside of
the foot or my bed. Here I could reach
him to attend to his wants withou'. getting
up in the sold, for we sleep in a room shut
away from the fire and light, and the ar-
rangement preved very convenient, for
when warm weather brought us into more
roomy quarters, he would sleep alone in
his crib.

Another puzzle was to get them both to
bed at night. The “half baby” insisted
upon being nicked, or told continuous
Mother Goose stories. Polly, the large rag
doll, did a good thing here; for a new dress
and face made her such a treasure that she
had to be taken to bed and sung to sleep,
and the youthful mamma always dropped
off first.

03:.- lIousnrrom) spoke some time ago of
having discovered that holding the hand
over baby’s chest will often stop a cough.
I have often tried it both with my children
and myself, and find holding the throat
quite tight, the best remedy for that
tickling which will promise to keep one
coughing forever. I also often relieve
aslight pain in a child’s stomach or be Nels
at night by patting, or the warmth of my.
hand; thereby saving the trouble of getting
up. One of our children, or nervous tem-
perament, had a trick of suddenly jumping
up in her sleep 'with terrified screams,
would throw herself out or bed it‘ not held,
and did not seem to know us, appearing
perfectly wild. For some time we tried
tender reassuring talk and tones; but found
that nothing restored her to her normal

l self so quickly as harsh scolding and shak-

ing. If this trouble repeated- itself, as it
sometimes did every half hour or so, a drink
of salt and water and good ruhblng over the
stomach and bowels seemed to give relief.
Another thing WlllCLI bothered me, was

 


 

4. hTI—IE HOUSEHOLD.

 

 

how to take time from my crowded morn-
ing hours to wash my babies. I soon
adopted the plan of washing them at night
instead, and found it better, for I had
leisure, the room was thoroughly warm, and
no callers, and Open door. interrupted.
None but the first baby ever received a
plunge bath. Infantile graces show off well
in a bath tub in a chrome, but [think it
very weakening, and doubt notthat many a
babe is injured by its daily use.

Another point to remember is, that a
child ought not to be expected to be good
natured when hungry any more than an
adult; and in its Second year, a child
awakens from a long night’s sleep very,
_ very hungry. Every moment’s delay in
giving food is apt to be juit so much worry
and cry; and a glass of milk or some light
food should be always ready. In such a
case as I am writing about, [ think a. great
deal too much is expected of the “half-
baby.” The younger is So much more help-
less that we hardly give this one time to
grow naturally into self-reliance and help,
but thrust her out of her right to babyhood;
and see our mistake when we reach easier
times and look back.

I find that children as well as house-
plants and other folks, “spindle” in too
warm an atmosphere, and prefer warm
clothing and thin fires to the reverse; but it
always pays to keep the feet warm and dry.
and add an extra toasting of the “five lit-
tle pigs” before putting to bed.

I must boast a little before closing: That
baby who was put to sleep at the foot of the
bed, alone in the dark and cold, has passed
his third year without losing or causing us
to lose an hour of rest, and without the first

dose of any sort of medicine. A. H. J.
THOMAS.
—-—-—-¢o.——-—-——-—-
PANSIES.

I have got-d suczess in growing pansies;
perhaps I can help Grace out of her trouble.
The pansy is one of my favorite flowers. I
love it forits fragrance, its brilliancy, the
Variety of its rare rich colors and the
durability of its bloom. It has everything
desirable you could ask of a flower; I have
thought sometimes it was almost human,
as it greets me with a smile on its up«
turned face.

Ifind the pansy one of the most easily
grown flowers that we cultivate, in fact it
grows in my yard without much care. I
have them in my walk; and almost every-
where, I give away hundreds of plants ever;
season. I think the pansy the only howl r
we have here that wrll blossom
mouth in the year without any protect-sou
but what nature gives it; not every winter
either, for some of our winters are too
cold, but it will bid defiance to old Jicz
Frost», and will litt up its bright face long
after the last boutpret is gathered; if there.
comes a calm in winter’s chilling blast and
the thermometer points to fifty degrees, it
will burst its prison bands of ice, and with
an upturned face will say “ Here I am!”

In1887 I picked panties Jan. 23d. and
Feb. 10:1), and it is not uncommon to have
them in March. They sufier more from
heat and drought than from cold.

Now for the pansy bed: Select a cool
and partially shaded place (mine is beneath

e M y

 

 

 

the shade of a large spreading evergreen);
the soil is sandy loam with plenty of well
rotted barnyard fertilizer, the ground can-
not be too rich. Coolness and moisture are
necessary; they are great lovers of water,
for without water they will die. Sow as
early in spring as you can work the ground.
l sow my seed twice in the year; in spring
for summer and fall bloom and in Septem-
her for winter and spring blooming. To
have good flowers the plants must be vigor-
ous and make a rapid grownh. Young
plants give the largest flowers. Keep your
blossoms well picked off, leaving only those
you wishpfor seed, and those should be
selected with care. My bed is so large that
I cannot keep the blossoms all picked-off, so
Idepend on resetting, as they, transplant
very easily. In the spring I reset mine so
al to enrich and mellow the soil.

BROOKLYN.
——-——*oo—-—-——

PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH.

Yes; and preach what we practice. [won-
der how many of us do that at all times. I
was wondering as I read A. H. J.’s advice
to use separate towels and combs for the
whole family, it' she really does practice it,
kno wing she has a lot of little folks. How
many of the HOUSEHOLD readers do prac-
tice ll? Among all of my acquaintances]
never before heard of such a thing. Cer-
tainly, if any member of the family has a
scrofulous or contagious disease, he ought
to use a separate towel; but as a general
thing I don’t see why it should be any more
unclean to wipe and comb together, than to
eat and sleep together. It is my Opinion if
Some of our large families were to adopt.
that method they would Want a room set
apart for towel racks and comb cases. and
then would not the good mother often be
accosted Will), “Say ma, can‘t Tom quit
using my towel? ” and “Ma, make Jane
put my comb up.” for children will be
children the world around. And then
what enormous washings it would make!
I think if each member uses plenty of good
clean rain water, thoroughly applied. and
the family has a clean towel as often as
necessary, we will not die of filth.

OXFORD. AUNT PHILENA.

DIANA.

 

————¢-oo—

A LADY who was a summer boarder in a
farinlr’s family last July and August re-
cently sail to the Editor of: the HOUSEHOLD:
"i do get so tired of brand and baking-
powder biscuit! We had a gre lb variety m
(nice, but I longed for smoothing besides
bread for breakfast and biscuit for supper.”
This lady voice-J one of the major distinc-
tions heme n city and country housekeep-
ing, as as have observed it, the greater em-
ployment of all variations on the bill of
fart: that can be made of flour and meal.
We Want for our recipe department Some
teamed recipes for graham and wheat gems.
:t.i.fiius, rusks, rolls, corn bread, jl'lhnny
Cake, graham bread, and. pancakes. Any-
thing Ilia!) will Vary the bill of fare will be
acceptable. IIousakeepers who have been
placing too great dependence on “the staff
of life” often think it too much trouble to
bake muffins, gems, etc, for breakfast, but
would be surprised to find how quickly it is
possible to make them, once they get ac-
customed tothe idea that they can do so.

 

 

It is variety that makes good living, and
healthful living, too; and it is a great mis-
take to think that variety means expense,
for such is not the case. It would be much
better to omit the plate of doughnuts or
cookies from the breakfast table, and sub-
stitute warm gems or rolls, or some such
light, palatable preparation of flour. Will
not our readers kindly send us such tried
recipes as they may have, and thus help
on the cause of good food and healthful
diet?

.——__...o_-——_

HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

 

DR. HOSKINS says that the prevalence of
the idea that bread made from graham flour
is more wholesome than fine fiour, has-
given millers the opportunity to get rid of
great quantities of inferior wheat which was.
unfit to make good flour.

 

To keep cranberries fresh, plump and
without withering, look t hem over carefully,
rejecting all but sound berries. Put them
into a jar and cover with pure cold water.
Keep them in a cool place and they can be
had as iresh and nice as in November,
until quite as late as anybody wants to eat
crux-berries. Even if the water freezes the
fruit is uninjured.

A CORRESPONDENT of the New York
Tribune says: We find the flavor and
quality of most peas much enhanced by
slewing the pods in a little water and when
quit-2 tender pressing till the pulp exudes.
This sweet marrowy puree is the very best
part of the pea yield, and should not be
thrown to the pigs, although their great
enjoyment of fresh peapods is a pleasant
thing to see.

__.__...__
Contributed Recipes.

HARRISON Gama—One cup sugar; one cup
molasu-e; one cup butter; one cup sweet
milk; one cup raisins; four cups sifted flour;
three eggs; two teaspoonfuls cream of tartar;
one teaspoonful soda; one teaspoonful each
of Spices.

GOLDEN Commits—One cup butter: one
cup sugar; three well-beaten eggs; one tea-
Spoom‘ul soda. Season with lemon: mix
soft. AUNT PHILENA.

Oxr‘oun.

 

CHEAP Funrr CAKE—One cup molasses;
one cup sugar; one cup shortening; tour
egos; hell cup cold coffee; one cup raisins;
one cup cuzrsmts; one tablespoonl‘ul ground
cloves: one and a half teaspoonfuls soda;
flour to make a stili’ tnltor. This will make
two large, or three 5.111.211 cakes, and will keep
two or three weeks.

Hiokmtyxu'r Carin—One cup sugar; two
eggs; innf cup sweet milk; piece of butter the
size of an egg; thrvre teespooul‘uls baking;
powder (”03310; two cups flour. Bake in
layers. home: Into the spider put one. cup
eacn of rich sour cream, sugar, and hickory-
rlut mesh; slir all together and let boil till
rightsth‘ncss. When cool put between the
layers and frost the top.

GINGER Sean’s-One cup butter; one cup
sugar; half cup sweet milk; one cup molas-
ses; one tablespoonful ginger; heaping tea-
spoonful soda. Knead very stiff; roll thin,
and bake in quick oven. They will “ snap.”

YPSILANTI. MILDRED IONE.