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DETROIT, DEC. 8, 1892.

 

 

 

 

THE HOUSEHOLD-"Supplement.

 

 

THE EBBING TIDE.

 

BY CLARA BELLE EOUTHWELL.

The broad sea sands gleam white and bare.
’Neath shore-rocks rising high and free;
Pink shells and stones lie whitening there,
Btrewn o’er them by the fitful sea.

I watch the pale-green sea-weed gleam
All idly scattered round about.

Small wrecks upon tie sand they seem;
Tue tide goes slowly, slowly out.

Life‘s wide sea sands are bare and white,
Stream o'er with wrecks of wasted years,
Dead hopes, ambitions. loat delight,
Dark sorrows lie and bitter t are.

We ne‘er again can call them ours,

Nor would we hold them for we doubt
The scent of pleasure's wasted flowers
When life’s last tide goes slowly eut.

——-———...—__—

REPLY TO “GREENIE.”

 

BY FATIMA.

 

I see no reason why a man

Should always be at wife's command ;
Nor is there any greater need

That he the marriage vow should he 3d;
To cherish, honor and obey,

And light the fire at dawn of day.

Nor do I think he shOuld be made

To rise and take the crying babe.

In ages past in Eden’s bower,

Eve fell beneath the serpent’s power,
And thus unmindful of all else,

She took the burden on herself.

And when for better or for worse

Man takes her, takes her with the curse,
He surely may depend upon it

She soon will want an Easter bonnet.
Two pocket books must be supplied,
To Keep he: ’3 full should always try,
For she when finances run down
Annihilstes him with a frown.

And with her grievance goes to press,
Or wishes she could change her dress

. And wear her husband’s pants and vest;
Life then for her would have some zest.

 

TEE MOTHER-IN-LAW.

 

This member of the “in-laws” which
are added to the young wife’s family at
marriage has recently received some
hard knocks in our HOUSEHOLD, and I
have expected that some one among
them who wears her mantle of deputed
motherhood with grace and ease, would
come to their defense as a class. But
so far silence. Perhaps it is owing to
fall house-cleaning rather than want of
interest or something to say.

I have never known a family unplea-
santness in which there was not fault
on both sides. Such troubles are not
as one-sided as we think them.

Of

 

 

course, conscious of the rectilude of our
own intentions, we are certain the fault
cannot pOssibly be ours. But we always
forget to credit the party of the other
part with the purity and benevolence of
motive which we assume for ourselves.
Hence, misunderstandings; next, War.

The young wife who goes into her
husba Id-‘s family is usually at first a
little too jealous of her rights; the older
woman too tardy in relinquishing the
rule she has held so long. Perhaps the
mother is a practical housekeeper and
the new daughter an inexperienced one.
The mother has little patience with the
novice and makes her feel her ignor-
ance and errors. Or perhaps the young
wife is willing her mother-1n-law should
continue to take charge if she will not
expect her to work under orders like
a housemaid, in which case the mother-
in-law generally feels aggrieved at hav-
ing to keep her place as manager while
“John’s Wife” is in the family. And I’ve
known girls to marry,knowing they were
going to live with “his" family,with the
avowed intention of making things live-
ly for “his folks”—and have found they
usually succeeded in doing it. I think
in nine cases out of dozen girls accept a
mother-in-law with the feeling that
they don’t intend to be “run” by her;
while the mother-in-law feels she would
have been resigned to the marriage of
her son had he chosen any other girl.
Thus the situation seems hopeless from
the very first, since, though so far as
possible falling in love may go Mrs.
Malaprop’s assertion that “it is best to
with a little aversion” may be true, it
doesn‘t hold good among relations-in-
law.

I’ve always had one stock example of
a case where a motherdn—law appeared
to love her son’s wife as much or even
more than her own daughters. I’ve
quoted this example more than once as
proof that if christian grace were vouch-
safed, the two might live in harmony
and “God Bless Our Home” not be a
hollow mockery. But I learned the
other day that my model duo hadn’t
spoken to each other in three months!
The christian grace didn’t hold out; it
fell short over money matters.

Theoretically, it would seem the mu-
tual love for the son and husband would
be a bond uniting his mother and his
wife with more than common affection.

 

Practically it sometimes seems topper-

ate exactly the other way. Can it be
true, as I have sometimes thought. that
wife and mother are jealous of each
other’s influence over the man?

Come, let us reason together over this
“in-law” relationship: The young man
who complains that he married too-much
mother-in-law forgets that up to the
day when he took her from her father’s
house, his new-made wife had been that
mother’s fondest care since her existence
began. Can a few words spoken by the-
minister release all the chains of love
and tenderness and motherhood built
up in years of watchful devotion, self~
sacrifice and love? The mother may be
glad her girl is safely settled in life,
with a good husband to protect and
cherish her= out there has been no magic
in the marriage ceremony to sunder the
ties that bound the mother’s heart to her
child—bone of her bone, flesh of her
flesh. That she shall continue to advise,
counsel and perhaps restrain is perfect-
ly natural though without doubt often
injudicious. I think there is always a
touch of jealousy (not always of the igo
noble kind) in a deep, sincere love. Can
we wonder that the mother is a trifle
jealous of this interloper, who has come
between her and her child! Should he
not, then, be very generous and respect
this feeling, though he cannot quite
understand it and is perhaps a trifle
piqued that the mother of his wife
should think him hardly good enough
for her? Let him be patient and gentle,
and wait to prove himself indeed the
husband she herself would have chosen
for her daughter. And in the days to
come, when the wife is sick and the
hired girl leaves between two days, and
the baby has the croup and the Lord
knows what, he’ll be glad enough to
have his mother-in- law come to the res-
cue and get up warm meals for him,
even if she does say things that make
him squirm occasionally.

And, on the other hand, the young
wife should remember that, just as she
has been the object of her mother’s love
and care, so her husband has been an-
other mother’s pride and joy, perhaps
dependence and support. If he has in-
deed been a good son let herbe truly
thankful, for he will be all the better as
husband. There is no better recommend
for a young man than that he is
good to his mother and sisters. And
she makes a mistake—3. grea

  


 

‘ 2

    

The Household.

 

 

mistake—if she tries to alienate him
from them. Every anchor that holds a
man to home and family should be
strengthened. Don’t try to uproot the
habits and loves of a lifetime to make
your husband more devotedly yours. It
is a dangerOus experiment. The love a
man holds for his mother is Of an entire-
ly different quality from that he feels
for his wife. It is possible to love both
devotedly, dearly, and cheat neither out
of one iota Of the love that belongs to
either. And the same is true of the
wife and her husband and mother.
There is no occasion for jealousy.

And the mother-in-law! How shall
she regard her new son or daughter?
Surely, however persistent her Opposi-
tion may have been beforehand, when
the union is accomplished and her ob-
jections have proved futile, it is time
to accept the situation and make the
best of it. Many mothers resent what
they feel is the turning of the love 01:00
theirs into new channels~if they could
understand the diversion is but tempo-
rary that presently the flame will bright-
en again, and be dearer for the expan-
sion of its powers,-—if they could feel
they have gained a daughter, instead of
losing a son—~there would be less of that
bitter hardness which so often repels
the new daughter and sends back, froz-
en almost at its birth, the affection she
longs to bestow upon her husband's
mother. Shame on the mother who
sneers at or scorns the tender atten-
tions and thoughtfulness her son mani—
fests toward the girl he has taken from
‘her own home and kin! A deeper blame

, attaches to her when she plans to alien-
ate one from the other and cause hard
feeling or discord. A man in these days
needs the strongest Of cords to bind
him to his home and family; it is a peri-
lous thing to weaken the ties. If the
mother-in—law would but say to herself,
“How would I like my girl to be re-
ceived in her husband’s family?” and
force conscience to answer the question
honestly “Am I doing by my son’s wife
.as I would like my daughter done by?”
.how different would be the relationship!

I do not hesitate to say that in case Of
difficulty and separation it is the hus-
band’s duty to stand by his wife. But I
do say the wife and the mother should
be very, very cautious about forcing an
issue which shall bring about such a
rupture, a breach which may never be
healed, or if healed is like an old wound.
«always in danger Of breaking out. A
wife makes her husband break with his
family only by a great tension on his
love. She runs the risk oi his refusing
to do it,and imperils his respect for and
confidence in her if he does. And the
mother who tries to set her son against
the woman he swore to love and cherish
deserves the dislike the wife inevitably
feels for her whether she succeeds or
fails,and is forever estranged from both
in the last event. For men hate such
troubles; they cannot see why women
cannot get on without petty squabbles

    

 

and live peaceably and quietly together.
Perhaps we could if we were broader-
minded and more liberal, less sticklers
for trifles, less inclined to make mount-
ains out Of mole-hills. more magnani-
mous tO others' failings, more truly
christian in practice.

"Goal-will be.in thy heart. to all who thee sur-

round!
Bear balm toothers' hurt and this shall close thy
wound." BEATRIX.

my...“

HAPPY THOUGH AFFLICTED.

 

In a HOUSEHOLD. some months ago,
Sister Gracious said: “Half enough
sympathy is not given to deaf people.”
I have always thought it a dreadful
misfortune to lose one’s sense of hear-
ing. There is so much pleasure deaf
people miss as they pass along through
this life, though I think I could much

etter spare my ears than my eyes. I
can probably say nothing to Sister
Gracious that has not been said until
she is tired Of~not hearing but seeing
those things. But I will tell her of an-
other deaf one, which may perhaps
comfort her a little.

A year ago I was called to my Old
home in the State of New York to bury
my only sister. There I meta sister-in-
law who had become deaf. She could
hear no sound without an ear trumpet,
except while riding in the cars or in a
carriage when the roads were hard and
the horse trotting; then she could hear
as well as I and we could converse on
any topic; but the moment the horse
stopped to a walk. you could see by her
face she heard not the least sound of your
voice; of course a very small part of an
ordinary woman’s life is spent on the
cars or in a carriage, so to all purposes
she was deaf. She is a minister’s wife.
and a teacher in the Sunday school,
president Of the missionary society, one
of the leading women in the W. C. T.
U., and is often called upon in neigh-
boring towns tO give a lecture for one
or the other society. But above and
best of all, she is a lovely Christian
lady. ,

One day I was trying to express my
sympathy for her on account of her
great affliction; and this was her re-
ply: “Oh. sister Mary! don’t waste a
particle of your sympathy on me. I am
the happiest of women ll have one Of
the dearest and best of husbands, a com-
fortablehome, and a great many very
dear friends ; and the Lord is so good
to me every day, my heart sings praises
to Him all the time. And you do not
know what beautiful thoughts I have
to entertain me; and so many foolish
and unpleasant things I never hear.
Oh, sister, I settled it all with God long
ago, and I am perfectly happy and cOn-
tented.” There was much more she said,
but perhaps this is enough to show that
it is possible to be happy and useful
even if deaf. Wherever there is sor-
row and trouble there she will be found,
repeating all the comforting texts of
Scripture and all her own kind heart

can suggest; where the marriage bells
are ringing. there also she will be
found assisting in making things beau-
tiful: it seems as if her’s was an ideal
life in one sense Of the word.

I fully realize that everyone is not
fitted to live on the mount of transflgu-
ration (is that word permissible ‘5'), be-
cause they have never tried to clim‘) so
high, not having the taste for that
kind of living, or because their time and
attention are so completely taken up
with a lower order of things they nev-
er have time to think about it. I must
say that her life seemed so very beauti-
ful to me, I could not feel my sister-in-
‘aw needed anybody’s pity.

ALBION. M. E. H.

W

HOW TO MAKE POULTRY PAY.

 

In the first place look at the two chief
points in the business. Are you near
enough a large city to drive tO town
twice a week? If you are, then it will
pay you to raise early spring chicks for
broilers, and you should select a large
breed. I think the Plymouth Rocks the
best for early broilers as they are better
feathered whemyoung and mature quick
er than most breeds, and the hens are
good mothers.

If not near a city market you can
make more money, and make it easier
by making a specialty Of eggs, and you
want the hens that will lay the greatest
number. These are the Wyandotte and
Brown Leghorn, either of which will
lay well, but a cross between the two
will lay better.

-Having selected the branch Of business
you will try and the breed or breeds you
will keep, the next step is to have your
houses and yards in shape. If you have
only Brown Leghorns you must have a
house with nest boxes, dust bath, lime,
pure water. milk, and ashes, before
them all the time. Back of this
house you should have a warm room
with roost. There should be a door be-
tween these that can be closed at night
in the coldest weather, but it should be
made so that it will let some air in even
then. A good way is to make the top
half Of the door of lath, leaving a quar-
ter inch space between the lath. In
front of the house should be a yard en-
closed with slats, and it will be all the
better if it is roofed with slats, then the
hens can not fly out, for if hens run at
large they will scatter their eggs. My
yard is made in this way and the hens
are shut in every night and kept there
till about four in the afternoon, when
they are let out to get green food. When
nearly dark they are called in and given
a supper Of corn, warm in winter. Hens
do best alone; do not keep turkeys or
ducks with them, no, not even
roosters.

Have a small yard or yards it you -
wish to have more than one breed,with
house and roost together to save ex-

 

pense.and boxes for nests at side. Then

early in February put ten hens and a

 

 

 


 

 

 

The Household.

    

8

 

male in each-yard, and in ten days or
two weeks the eggs will be fertile.

If you wish to cross a breed you can
put Brown Leghorn and Wyandotte
hens and a Wyandotte male in one yard
and you will have pure Wyandottes and
a cross of Wyandotte and Brown Leg-
horn; but if you have more than ten
hens to one male your chicks will not be
so strong. .

You must take a good poultry paper;
give warm food in winter. with a little
red pepper in the morning; gather the
eggs often, sell none but those strictly
fresh, and almost any one will pay from
one to two or three cents more a dozen
for eggs that are stamped with your
name, and sure to be fresh, than for
eggs gathered once a week and sold not
very clean, as a good many come to the
country store. You can get the best
,pure breeds now at 75 cents apiece for
males, 50 cents for hens, and 50 cents for
thirteen eggs, that is—where they can
be found near enough home to not have
:to pay shipping charges. But my paper
is getting too long for the HOUSEHOLD,
so if "Little Nan,” wants to hear any
more of my years of experience in the
business,if she will address Box 75,Good~
rich,Genesee Co., Mich. I will be glad
t) help her,for “Poultry Does Pay.”

“89‘”

 

TEE DOMESTICATED BE AR.

 

I have had two or three subjects in
my mind that I thought I would lay be-
fore the readers of the HOUSEHOLD. The
subject I will first consider is this: Why
will a man say meaner things (i do not
know but there are just as many women
who do the same thing) to the one
he loves best or cares most for, and
who he knows cares most for him, than
to even the tramp he despises? And
at the same time the person he is thus
addressing is one whom every one else
respects and esteems highly, and treats
with respectful consideration. But this
one man for whom she labors, and sac-
rifices time, strength and comfort, tells
her he never saw anyone “who would
not have known better than to have
done that," or says if she had “the
judgment of a child, she would have
known better;” or tells her he never
saw any one who knew so little of the
value of money, “you act as if you
thought I was made of money.” "A
woman always thinks she knows more
than any one else; if you had your way
we’d be in the poor-house in less than
ten years.”

Such remarks are sure to come if a
woman chances to make asuggestion
which she thinks would be for the
mutual benefit of the parties concerned,
if it chances to conflict with the general
routine Of things. especially if it reflects
in any way upon a slack, slip-shod
management. If she obiects to the dis-

respectful language addressed to her,
she is told “a woman knows very little
-of the perplexitles a man has."

These

 

 

are only a few of the many unkind words
which are familiar to many women’s

ears, but are enough to show the in~
stability of the foundation on which
many homes rest. Can children go out
from such a home and make better or
more lovely ones? If they do it is not
the parents who deserve the credit,
And the nation is a reflection of the
homes of that nation.

It it said a London paper offered a
prize for the best definition of home.
Answers, 5,000, were sent in; many of
them fine, and all very true, though
some are rather cynical. I will copy
two or three of them. “An abode in
which the inmate, the ‘superior being’
called man, can pay back at night with
fifty per cent interest every annoyance
that has met him in his business through
the day.” “A popular but paradoxical
institution, in which woman works in
the absence of man, and man rests
in the presence of woman.” “VVnere
you are treated best and grunble
most.” Tnese are but three out
the five thousand; but are they not
true of a much larger proportion Of
homes? Why is it thus? My mind re-
verts to Darwin's theory of the survival
of the strongest; where might makes
right; where everything in nature, in
the animal and the vegetable kingdom,
the strongest crowd the weakest to the
wall, even if they d) not kill. It does
seem as if man was largely animal in.
his nature, even yet. He claims to be
endowed with reason and still allows
that faculty to lie folded in a napkin,
when he closes the door which shuts
out the public; and his conscience has
been abused until it has gone to sleep——
I’ll not say it is dead. This habit of
snarling and grumbling and spiteful—
ness is too much like wild beasts.

I am thankful the world moves,gro w-
ing better every day. I would like to
see the day before I close my eyes,where
men and women treat each other in
their own homes as well as they treat
their acquaintances in the next school
district. It is one of the saddest sights
to see a Strong, burly man venting his
ill-humor upon the one who is doing
every thing in her power for his comfort
and convenience, denying herself rest
and recreation, comforts and con-
veniences, to save the money he thinks
she does not need, but he does, to build
more barns, buy more land and stock;
while she, the white slavein his kitch.
en, does twice the work any hired
girl would do, and receives,
what? You can see by her appearance
at church,on the street; she has nothing
nice to wear, and very seldom anything
new. And is he never ashamed of his
treatment? Along at first he may be a
little; but the wife sheds alew tears,
then goes to work harder than ever,try-
ing to please and merit kind treatment.
Can any one tell how to teach this class
of men decency? Thank fortune they
are very few in my sphere of observa-
tion. Perhaps I have taken too strong

 

 

 

a view of this subject; if so, I beg par-
don; but it seems to me i have touched
it lightly from my point of view. The
subject grows more and more distaste-
ful to me with every word I write, so
I will say no more.

RIVIBDIDI. PRESCILL A.

.u—————...___.

DOES THE COAT FIT YOU?

It has several times happened, since
Ihave had the conduct of our little
HOUSEHOLD, that persons feeling
themselves aggrieved at what they
considered personal reference to them-
selves or their affairs in letters from
correspondents, have written me to
protest, to complain or explain, and
once by way of variety, to threaten.
Each time “the clouds rolled by” and
nobody was killed or wounded, but the
latest instance where somebody was hit
byachance arrow set me to thinking
Why are we so ready to believe that
anything we can distort intoarefer-
ence to ourselves or our friends must be
meant to affront and offend us? Why
are our suspicions so easily roused and
we so anxious to try on the coat whether
we know it is intended for our wearing
or not? The letter which I have more
particularly in mind alleges that a
HOUSEHOLD article recently puolished
contained reflections u pen. a certain
family which “would be readily recog-
nized by many readers.” in ins-reading
the article referred to, i find it
might apply with quite as much rel-
evance to persons whom. i myself
know personally, but with whose cir-
cumstances and surroundings the
writer of that article is totally unac-
quainted.

Life’s incidents are being constantly
repeated. We are apt to think no one
has ever heard ofjust the conditions, the
calamities, the pecularities of our own
or our neighbors’ lives. But when we
getout into the world we find these in-
cidents repeated in their outlines over
and over and over again. In almost
every community there is found the un-
happy home, the unkind parent, the
penurious man, the troublesome, quar-
relsome neighbor, the undutiful child.
Must allusion to these, or any one of
these, imply that some particular in-
dividual known to us personally has
been impaled upon the needle of criti-
cisrn and “shown up?” 071 no, by no
means.

Care is taken, always, to exclude from
HOUSEHOLD columns personal attacks
or anything actuated by malice, spite
or pique; but those general instances of
the foibles of humanity which serve to
point a moral or illustrate an argument
without being too plainly drawn to the
indivxdual case are certainly permissi-
ble. Yet how can a stranger tell who
draws his illustrations from real life
next door and who from imagination?
It is told that agreat novelist once
framed an incident and invented a
name, thinking both entirely new and

   


 

The Household.

    

 

 

 

original. but when the story appeared
in print, an angry individual forced his
way to the writer’s study and threaten-
ed corporeal punishment because, as he
said, some busybodv had told the author
the story of his life and the latter had
meanly published it, even using his
own name! Some years ago a HOUSE-
HOLD correspondent made some com-
ments on the conduct of a ladies’ society.
to which several other ladies belonging
as they thought to the same society,
took strong exceptions. And it took
some time and several postage stamps
to convince them that the writer was
not a disgruntled member of their own
society, who had sought to criticise
them openly. But a good round hun-
dred miles or more separated the two
societies.

At another time, a purely fancy or
imaginative sketch provoked a very in-
dignant letter from a lady who was
sure the author meant her. Yet the
writer never even dreamed of her exist—
ence.

Don’t think, then, that because some-
body writes something which you think
can be made to fit your own or your
neighbor’s case, the writer has you or
your friend in mind. One reason why
’ the name and address of correspondents
are required. is as achcck upon the mis-
ehievou=, the malicious or envious,
who will not say over their own signa-
ture what they would write anonymous-
ly if the editor would publish. It
is only a low-minded, vindictive char-
acter that desires to resort to such
cowardly means to wound or injure
another. We must have peace in our
HOUSEHOLD family, and to that end
must avoid these personalities which,
like personal comments in families,
stir up strife and provoke hard feel—

ing. It is well in writing then not to
draw the picture too strongly, since al-
ways somebody's shoulders are present-
ed to wear the coat you have woven—
out of your own fancy. perhaps.
BEATRIX.

SEEN IN A SCHOOLROOM.

 

Our Editor’s letter in the HOUSEHOLD
of Nov. 12th. calls to mind a visit re-
cently made to a district school.

The teacher—a bright girl who had
many good qualities—sat in her chair
near a recitation seat. She said, “J ohn-
nie, you read next.”

The boy arose from his seat and was
about to begin when she asked for his
book, which was accordingly handed
her and which she placed in her lap.
As the lad hesitated she commanded
him to “Go on,” and he did “go on!”
With head and shoulders bent forward
he endeavored to read from a book at
least two feet from his face, and what
was still more trying the book moved
occasionally, which caused him to “lose
his place,” for which he was chided.

Children crossed and re-crossed the
room at an angle that would make my

notice it. During one half day’s visit I
failed to see one child make any at-
tempt to sit, stand -or walk correctly.
In my experience of seven years I
never found a child who would not try
to become straight after a few lessons ;
and if parents will be so thoughtless of
a child’s health and appearance, then
teachers should use their influence.

Let us have more gymnastic exercises
1n our district schools, and fewer puo
pils built like a rainbow ; and teachers,
don’t get discouraged if some “ crank”
in your neighborhood calls it “folderol”
for I know from experience it is bene-
ficial. CASSANDRA.

 

SUNDRY SAYINGS.

I have long been waiting for an in-
spiration to write up something for the
HOUSEHOLD and failed, so will now
look over some late numbers and see
what I can find.

Firstl notice some have had expe-
rience with tramps. When we first
came here one called at the back door,
and asked for something to eat; I car-
ried him a good lunch and he very
humbly asked if he might stand there
and eat it. My good neighbor feeds
them often, and was much amused one
day when she had given a tramp his
hands full, and was delivering a free
lecture, to see my Plymouth Rocks
jump up and help themselves to cake.
He listened very attentively, lifted his
hat in a very gentlemanly way and said,
“ I thank you, madam, I will try to re-
member what you have said.” Not
long since afriend and myself were re-
turning from the county seat after dark,
and on a lonely piece of road the horse
suddenly shied; on looking sharply, I
espied the form of a man lying close by
the roadside. Conundrum — What
ought we to have done, and what do
you think we did do ‘? [Sensible women
would have driven straight on and sent
a man back to look after his fallen
brother. And we‘ll bet a pumpkin pie
that’s what these two women did.——ED.]

I have been making what is ‘called a
memory jug. It is one of these you buy
containing seltzer water. I do not
know as that is the right name ; but it
is a small jug holding about a quart,
upright, with a small handle at the top.
I had putty prepared by a painter (I
think plaster paris is added), between
two and three pounds for a jug. W01 k
the putty soft in the hands and place
smoothly all over the jug, half an inch
thick. Have ready all the little relics
and trinkets you can find—acorns, nuts,
screws, corn, or any and everything
you choose, only the smaller the better.
Begin by putting the larger things on
first, then fill in with the smaller, until it
is covered all over ; imbed them snugly
in the putty and leave about two weeks
to dry. Then bronze all over with

bronze paint, and you have something
both curious and pretty. I have a piece

of cork on mine that came from a life-

 

back ache, yet their teacher, who tip-
toed-—-with body bent forward, did not

I agree perfectly With J ohn’s Wife on
the pocket-book question, as I think a,
woman too meek-spirited who never has

acent of her own. I keep all of my
pennies in a little heap on the pantry

shelf, for there is a constant demand.
for small coin here—and more for larger

size than I can always supply.

Will some one tell us what old post-
age stamps are used for. I have asked

but found no one who knew.

I promised to tell how a family of

seven—now increased to eight—can and

do live on $550 a year. They buy all

their butter at retail prices; eggs and

vegetables of all kinds at the grocery :

they do not buy meat for every meal,

but average once a day the year round.

Taken altogether they are what we

would call good livers. They have a
girl nearly all the time and pay her from.
$1.50 to $2 per week, beside her board.
The children, of Whom there are six,
are always neatly and comfortably dress-
ed, the baby always in White; all in-
tidy shoes and stockings, the older ones
wearing homeknit hose; and this
mother is ever ready and willing to
give to the needy, or lend a helping
hand to the sick. Better than all, the
father never spends a cent for tobacco,
not even a cigar, nor whiskey either.

’ PLAINWELL. BESS.

W

HOME-MADE CITRON.

 

I fear if I do not .visit the HOUSE»
HOLD soon I shall forfeit all claims to
membership, so am going to tell its
readers how I prepare apples for cake:

Pare nice large sweet apples, halve,
and take out the core, then stew gently
in a rich sugar syrup, until tender.
Dip out on plates, boil the syrup until.
quite thick, pour over the apples and
dry, turning the pieces frequently that
the syrup may dry in. Pack away in.
cans or boxes, and when wanted for use,
slice thin, but do not chop. We prefer
it to citron for fruit cake.

A. El. J ., was there' not too great a
pressure brought to bear on those cu-
cumbers?—to keep them in the pickle,
you know? But possibly a few doses of
boiling water during the process of
freshening might help them to swell
out and resume their original propor-
tions (the hot water to be applied to
the pickles of course). I wonder what
there was so irresistibly funny about
A. H. J .’s comparison? I laughed al-
most till the tears of sympathy started.

The Thanksgiving turkeys will soon
cease to gobble, and be gobbled, the
pumpkin pies be a thing of the past,
and the fatted calf be anxiously await-
ing his turn. As to the Thanksgiving
sermons—well, I have always been
pretty well satisfied with the length of
the modern sermon, and although that
good old Elder Brewster, who preached
the first Thanksgiving sermon, was my

great, great, great—I don’t just know
how great—grandfather, I can’t say I

 

preserver off the Alpena.

am really sorry I was not there to hear
it. S. J. B.