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DETROIT, FEBRUARY 9, 1886.

 

 

TIE-IE

HOUSEIHEOLDmaSupplement.

 

 

11? LITTLE WIFE.

 

She isn‘t very pretty,
(So say her lady friends);
She‘s mi'her wise nor witty
With verbal odds and ends.

K0 fleeting freaks of fashion
AcrOss her fancy run;

She's 1 ever in a p isslon—
Exccpt a tender one.

Her voice is low and cooing,
She Lstens more than speaks;
Whit: others talk of doing,
The duty near she seeks.

It may be but to burnlsh
The sideboa'd's scanty plate.
0r but with bread to furnish
The beggar at the gate.

80 l, who see what graces
She sheds on lc-wly life,

To fashion’s fairest faces.
Prefer my little wife.

And though at her with pity
The c'ty dames may smile.

Wno deem her hardly pretty
And sadly out o.’ sty.e;

To me she seems acreature
80 n usically sweet.

I would not change one feature
Ons curve from crown to feet.

And if I could he never
Her layer and her mate.
I think I‘d be for ever
The beggar at the gate.
—Henry Austin.

.—..‘___

THE BUS! 01" ll‘.

 

Had I obeyed impulse when I finished
reading Beatrix’s ”Womanly Accomplish-
ments,” Jan. 19, Ishould have shouted
“Amen” with a heartiness that might
have served to infuse new life into a
“ revival meetin." But the time was
about 10 a. n.—the scene—a Michigan
blizzard blizzing the best it knew how
outside—whileindoors—Hi. on my right
had so disposed himself in a big easy chair,
as to insure the glow of the fire from
tip to tip of his mighty longitudinality—
while he read aloud all the choice para-
graphs in the Fanunn's Shorthorn talk;
and on my left, Bob, with darning needle
threaded with twine, sat meditatively
mending his old mitten—no doubt re-
Yolving in his mind the blissful hours
that the man must enjoy who has a wife
to sew on, sew up, etc.

Therefore, knowing that if Ithus spoke
my joyful ' assent aloud. Hi would think
I was a fanny-tick on the Shorthorn, and
Bob would think I was a lune-tick on
masculine darned work, I repressed my
sentiments then and there, only to be

 

compelled to give them vent here and
now.

in that article Beatrix gives us the
two extremes in the feminine problem—
the woman who is composed solely of
“fashionable accomplishments,” and
the woman who is composed solely of
domestic graces, virtues and abilities.
These two she has handled in so neat a
manner, and has shown up the profit and
loss in such aclearlight as make; further
talk unnecessary—but of the “means”
(you see, my friends, I'm taking this
problem right into mathematics, and
propose towork it out by the “Rule of
Three,”) the woman who is absolutely a
do-nothing—who has neither fashionable
accomplishments, nor domestic nor
socialworth;and of the woman who by
some subtile alchemy developed in the
happy environment of a capable mind,
an affectionate heart and a nicely
balanced tact, vitality and will, com-
bines in her fully developed womanhood,
adue and happy proportion of all that
goes to makes up the “worth” of the
two extremes, with just enough of the
other mean to insure her life against
wasteful wear and OVcrtaxation—she says
nothing. Ah me! This type of perfect
womanhood! Does it exist in the
abstract alone? Ido not know. ButI
do know that there are many who ap-
proximate it so closely that there is no
cause for despairing. The world wants
more Peter Coopers. Looking at the
pictured face of the late W. H. Vander-
bilt last evening, a friend said “ Do you
suppose that man could comprehend his
wealth?” “No, inieed,” I answered,
“Had he comprehended it he would
have thrown wide open such flood gates
of education and self-helps as would
have made his nameasynonym for the
beatitudes throughout the civilized
world.”

Stands there within the limits of the
plane of life’s meridian, a woman with
“soul so dead as never to herself have
said” "Oh for a broader, deeper cul-
ture?” If so, then she belongs to either
one or the other of the first two terms of
our proportion—the ultra fashionables,
or the ultra failures in everything but
utter uselessness; since it is aforegone
impossibility for her to exist among
those who go to make up the sum of the
last two terms—the solely useful. and
those who approxim its perfect develop-
ment.

It is a blindly instinctive sense of lack
in developed ability to appreciate anJ

 

administer to the beautiful in nature and
art, that makes the farmer‘s wife steal
her own money, by clande:tinly con-
verting the only articles of commerce
that she is permitted to handle—the
butter and eggs—into cash to pay for
music and painting lessons for her son
and daughter: the possibly close-listed
and debt-burdened husband and father
supposing until the day that the mer-
chant thrusts the big “ store bills ” in his
face, demanding payment, that these two
commodities have been used either to
cancel or to greatly reduce these same
housekeeping expenses. Now were not
this woman's instinctive cry and reaching
out after culture blind and misshapen,
she would have recognized the sublime
truth in moral ethics that makes her ex-
ample of embezzlement and treachery a
thousand fold more damaging to her
children than all the music and painting
that they can acquire but a superficial
knowledge of at best, can possibly benefit
them; thus in her barbarous method de-
{eating the very object that she is most
desirous of obtaining, namely, the develop-
ment of a grace and beauty in the mind
of her child, that will serve to win and
retain a larger share of popular admira—
tion and respect, while it greatly
augments the child’s chances for a larger
enjoyment of life.

The power to make an external display
by means of any accomplishment, either
ornamental or useful, can never com-
pensate for the hatefulness of that sub
tile, dangerous thing—a dishonest,
treacherous soul. And all “culture ”—no
matter how laboriously attained—that is
not based upon this safe old rock,
“Provide things honest in the sight of
all men,” and especially in the sight of
those with whom we are associated in
business or social relations—must sooner
or later be beaten by and perhaps swept
into the black waves of distrust or dis—
honor.

But the “sum” of it all is. that the
woman who is composed of fashionable
accomplishments only, bears the same
relation to the woman who is composed
of nothing-at-allativeness—as the woman
whom swell balanced training and a
wise culture has duly developed in all
directions. bears to her whose develop—
ment is purely and simply domestic.

E. L NYE.
Bonn-m rus-qus.

——ooo————

A 'rsasrooanL of borax put in the last
water in which clothes are rinsed will
whiten them wonderfully.

 


 

2

THE HOUSEHOLD. _

 

 

DIFFERENT METHODS IN AGRI-
CULTURE.

 

Paper read by Mrs E. 9. Cushman at the Insti—
tute of the Webster Farms 3’ Club, Jan. 20.

About sixty years ago people began to
start out from their homes in New Eng—
land‘to take up lands in the wilds of
Michigan. The State was described in
Malta Braun’s geography as avast swamp,
its edges lined with lily pads, on which
lived numbers of blow—snakes, whose
breath was supposed to be deadly poison.
After Ohio was considerably settled the
authorities sent word to the government
that Michigan would not be worth the
surveying. But notwithstanding all the
discouragements, inducements were
ofiered, and the love of adventure
prompted many to start with their fami~
lies on strip so full of hardships. It is
always interesting to listen to the pioneer
as he relates the incidents of the journey;
the building of» the log hut, the sufferings
of the first winter, when food was scarce
and prices high; the unwelcome visits
from the Indians, the encounters with
wolves, bears, Wildcats and other wild
beasts, and, most remarkable of all, the
great and rapid changes that he has been
spared to see and enjoy. Force and
energy mark ed his every step. His heart
was full of bright hopes and future
visions which we, his children, have lived
to see fulfilled.

I look at the farmer of to—day, with his
beautiful farm, handsome buildings, fine
stock and labor—saving machines, advan4
tages of church, school and society, and
wonder if it would be possible for him to
appreciate his advantages over his father
half a century ago.

How is it with Neth ngland,the home of
our fathers? Has it kept pace with Michi-
gan? No; rather it has gone backwards;
many of its farms have gone to waste.
General farmingis not a success for many
reasons. Dairying and market garden
ing are alone profitable in the extreme
cast, but some of the States make a
specialty of raising fine stock.

Not many years ago the far west was
called the Great American Desert. My
grandfather would never believe that
anything could ever be made to grow
there. Only a few ever ventured so far
away; but when the railroad opened the
way a crowd followed, some to find suc-
cess, many to return. The emigration
steadily increased; towns grew up almost
in a day; and now there are ranches
stocked with cattle and sheep, and in
parts immense grain farms, where may
be seen many wonderful machines. One
quite novel affair cuts the grain, threshes
it and;leaves it in bags all ready for the
market.

It has been said there are two
"golden belts” in the United States,
one oflthese, in Southern Michigan, be-
ing a strip of land fifty miles wide, ex-
tending from Lake Erie nearly to Lake
Michigan, the other from Chicago to
Omaha.

But thefipeople who go west are often
times very much disappointed. I know
of one woman who has lived many years
onfga ranche with her husband where

there is notanother woman within sixty-
five miles. I wonder how many of us
would enjoy such a life, way out on the
wide prairie, without a tree to be seen,
no fences. nothing to relieve the monot-
ony except a trip once or twice a year to
town.

Agreat deal of land is now taken up

seen what developments the next fifty
years will show.

Those who visited the New Orleans Ex-
position could not help noticing the fine
exhibits from this western country, and
the attractive manner in which they were
arranged. The monument of corn and
the beautiful fruit from Kansas will be
long remembered. The houses made of
rice and cotton, the quantities of sugar-
cane, tobacco and semi tropical fr .ii is.
marked the peculiar agriculture of the
Southern States.

The immigration to the United States
annually from Great Britain alone is
200,000, while Germany sends as many
more. There has been a decrease of two
millions in the population of Ireland in
the lasztwenty years, and England has
sent us five million in the last fifty-eight
years. There certainly must be some
reason why these people should wish to
leave their own 0 tuntries. I will give
some fac‘s concerning the agriculture and
habits of difierent countries, and you can
see for yourselves how they compare
with our own.

In the first place, England is smaller
than this State and has twenty-eight mil-
lion inhabitants, while Michigan has less
than two million. Then there are several
million acres of land that cannot be culti-
vated, and a great amount devoted to
hunting grounds. The rich lords own
all the land and rent to the tenant f armer,
who considers himself well off and seldom
leaves his country.

In a recent article on "Landlordrsm in
America,” written for the North Ameri
can Review, it is shown that this system
of land tenure has already gained a
dangerous foothold in America. From
the statistics of the last census it appears
that while two million farmers own their
land, the rest of the seven million per-
sons engaged in farming are either ten-
ants or laborers for wages; and the de—
duction the writer makes is that land
monopoly will ultimately produce the
most disastrous results.

The land in England is fertile and well
tilled, and the people 'are industrious.
They keep only the finest grades of cattle
and only coarse wool sheep. There is
such a dense population that there are
more to work than can be supplied. The
laborer gets about one—quarter as much
there as here, and is compelled to live
without meat mostly, though all can
afford their beer and whiskey. The ex-
tremes of society are very noticeable
there.

Only a step into Ireland, and you find
quite a change. Two-fifths of this island
are bog land; the arable land is leased in
small patches of from one to seven acres.
A gentleman traveling from Belfast to
Cork, a distance of 800 miles, in the

 

busiest season of the year, did not see

merely for speculation, and it is yet to be'

 

one person working on the farms. The
people seem to lack ambition; I do not
know whether it is laziness or despair,
as they certainly need to work, for nearly
all the people in the South of Ireland live
almost. entirely on potatoes and salt. As
you go north you find more Scotch and
English, and everything in a more flour-
ishing condition. .

In Germany there is no machinery to
speak of, and a great proportion of
laboring men, and the wages are ex
tremely low. A man will work ayear
for $30, and as money is the prize for
which most people are striving. i'. is not to
be wondered at that so many turn toward
a free country where wages are higher
and every one stands an equal chance to .
succeed. The law in Germany that com—
pels every young man to serve three
years in the army drives a great many
away.

An acre of land that would. be worth
$100 here would be worth five times that
in England, and still more in France.
About three-fifths of the population in
France are engaged in agriculture. The
average size of the farms is four acres.
Imagine a farm that size, with a strip a
rod wide of wheat, another of barley,
another of oats. a beautifully kept garden
and a large, thrifty vineyard. Four per
cent of all the land is devoted to the cul-
tivation of the grape. The peasant owns
his land. Here, as in Germany, Ireland,
and England to a great extent, there are
no buildings on the farms, but the houses
are built together, forming little villages.
Every one drinks wine and other weak
drinks, but the traveler seldom sees any
drunkenness, which is so common in
most of the other countries. The people
are industrious, mostly atheists, devote
much time to amusements and seem to
find a.- great deal of enjoyment in this
life, which is all they expect. Sunday
especially is a general holiday.

There is one more country that I wish
to mention because it is such a contrast
in every respect to anything with which
we are familiar. This is Iceland, the
only civilized country in the world where
there is not a road or wagon of any (lea-
cription.‘ Transportation is all done on
the backs of ponies. There is no peat,
coal or wood on the island, so it is neces
sary for the inhabitants to keep warm
during the long and tedious winters by
animal heat alone. The agriculture is
naturally very limited. During the short
summer the people dig up patches of
ground at the foot of the mountains, pile
the sods, to give the ground. which is
frozen about ten feet deep, a better
chance to thaw. The shoveling is re-
peated at intervals until they.have re-
moved about two feet of the surface.
The sods are then put back and turnips
sown, which never have time to mature,
but the people consider the green tops
a great delicacy. Besides ponies they
keep cows, and a large, coarse sheep,
covered with long hair and an inner coat
of wool, which is shed annually and at
the proper season is pulled; these sheep
are white, black and yellow. The stock

live in winter on the Alpine" moss. which
they dig for themselves; the cows are fel

 


 

 

THE HOUSEHOLD

 
 

3

 

a great many fish heads. There is no
cheese or butter made on the island, but
each house has a large tub, made for the
purpose, which receives all the milk,which
is allowed to get extremely sour, more
acid than vinegar if possible. This is
called skir, and is used for food, together
with fish heads, and occasionally mutton.
The people are very much attached to
their country and are generally well edu-
cated and very religious.

With this cold and desolate country let
us leave this zigzaging about, hoping
that we shall feelthankful, content and
happy that we live in Michigan, in the
very center of “the Golden Belt.”

————-¢o

RELIGIOUS LOTTERIES AGAIN'

 

 

To my views on “Church Lotteries,”
in the HOUSEHOLD Of December 29th,
your Ohio correspondent, Petresia Peters,
replies in the issue of January 26th. She
does not believe that any of the church
festival games with which she is acquaint-
ed ever “helped to cultivate a taste for
gambling in places where the breath of
infamy blocks the windows, and the
presence of true and noble woman is
never known.”

I am sure Idon’t know what church
festival games she is acquainted with,
and therefore cannot say how much dif—
ference of opinion there may be. Some
of these games I have never claimed were
anything very bad in themselves, but only
to be avoided for the tendency they might
have to create a taste for games of chance
in other places. And we should remem-
her that all the gambling for money is
not done in the worst places. There are
many so-called high-toned and otherwise
temperate houses in the cities where
gambling for money is indulged in; also
at some of the clubs. These, perhaps,
form an intermediate grade, leading to—
ward the regular gambling hells.

I am not prepared to say that a “ grab-
bag” game, where nothing but “ bushels
of fun,” and no prizes Of real value are
drawn or expected, has a harmful tend-
ency. Possibly my own views of this and
some others have been slightly modified
since reading so interesting a defence of
them. Still I must insist that any game
where real prizes are drawn—where the
prize sought is the leading object and in-
ducement to buying the chances—has one
influence in the direction of gambling,
and all the more so if surrounded with
the'fascinating presence and approbation
of “true and noble women.”

As to the example and influence of the
two families sue has sketched, my sym—
pathies are entirely on the side of the
younger sister and her methods. Her
more liberal ideas, her way of allowing
children and young folks to have some
enjoyment of life, and the innocent na—
ture and good influence of those enjoy-
ments, Ifully believe in; and as clearly
see the chilling influence of the “creed
clad” bigotry and narrow ideas of the
elder sister, and her rigid, straight laced
manner of bringing up her family, deny-
ing them rational pleasures and making
their lives dreary and miserable. Such

treatment in general is enough to make a

 

boy hate the religion of his mother, and
drive him to seek more congenial com-
pany elsewhere—quite likely to the other
extreme; in fact, enough to send him to
the bad, without charging the result es-
pecially to the one fact of being prohibit-
ed from taking part in a church lottery.
(By the way, had not the writer asserte i
that the sketch was from real life of
families of her own acquaintance, we
might conclude she had invaded the do-
main of fiction, and given us a chapter of
a serial to illustrate her views.)

As I view it. the bad influence and ten-
dency of some of the festival proceedings
may be held to account for spoiling the
otherwise harmless fun and amusement,
and thus excluding some from its enjoy—
ment. Let the young have all the inno-
cent pleasure possible—make the occasion
joyous, cheerful, social, but avoid the

. objectionable features—substitute some-

thing better in their place. Do not deny
the young folks, or the old ones either,
this true want of their nature, but give
the mental food in a healthy, moral form,
not in one of dubious influence.

However, there is little room for con—
troversy, for our friend admits nearly all
that I claim, as will be seen by the fol-
lowing sentence: “I frankly admit that
many things have been done at church
festivals that I very much disapprove, be.
cause they furnish an excuse for some to
say, ‘It is no worse for me to gamble at
the saloons than for Christians to gamble
at the church.’ ”

Yes; not only an excuse for, but an in-
fluence in that direction. It may be, as
Petre sia says, sometimes a veryfinice point
for those having the management of
children to decide just how far it will do to
indulge them in the various amusements
'by which they are surrounded.

‘ PAUL J0 EINSTON.

HoLLr.

——ooo-——
.A PUZZLE FOR. COOKS.

 

I have felt for many weeks, in fact ever
since Beatrix thought there was “too
much Beatrix,” not enough of others, 1
would do a little to relieve her, if I could,
for it did seem as though we had all
“shirked” a little. But to-day when I
took up the HOUSEHOLD and thought it
was “the best,” as I do of nearly every
one, Idecided to write a line to let the
E liter and contributors know that 1 ap—
preciate it. Of course I was, like every
body else, very busy before and during
the holidays, and since then I have been
trying to do something beside “ fix
ing up ” for Christmas. I am making
rugs out of old stair carpet, for one thing,
and I often think of what some one said
in the Housnaonn, “It will require a
good deal of carpet and patience,” but 1
think it will make very pretty ones when
I have them woven.

I wonder if any other housekeepers
have trouble in making cake from gran—
ulated sugar. We have used it for years.
never found any fault with it, and don’t
know as I do now, but our cake falls
every time, especially when we use bak—
ing powder. Some Of the ladies with
whom I have talked think it may he the
sugar. Oar Ladies’ Aid Society gave a

 

 

social recently, and I was requested to
make cake, or if prefered, biscuit. Well,
my girl makes the biscuit (lovely ones,
too,) butI had asked her so many times to
do it for a like occasion, I thought I
would make the cake. Itook every pains
and had fresh eggs, and did it all to the
best of my ability. Yet it was not light
and nice, as I had reason to expect, not
really spoiled, so I could not take it, but
I did not feel satisfied with it. If‘any one
has hada similar experience, I would like
to hear from them.

There are many thlngs I would like to
speak of, but I think short calls are better

than too long ones. in.
Iowa.
[Try a new baking powder. We should

charge the failure to adulterated powder
sooner than to the sugar.—ED ]
..___..._____
THE FARMER BOY.

If it be true that “history repeats '
itself," then look for the future great
men among the farmer boys of the present
day. All the possibilities of life, of suc-
cess, of goodness, of greatness, are
possessed alike by the boy in the mansion,
and the boy in the log cabin. The sur-
roundings of one may be more favorable
than the other, and in this respect none
can be more favored than the farmer’s
boy. Everything tends to make him ob-
serving, thoughtful, earnest, and energet-
ic. The forests, the brooks, the bills,
the vales, have their influence upon his
life. In the varying changes of nature,
from life in the spring time to the enter‘
ing into rest of winter, he learns many
lessons.

“ Nature answers all he asks,
Hand in hand with her he walks,
Face to face with her he talks."

Year after year he witnesses the ful-
filling of the promise of seed time and
harvest; he sees “first the blade, then
the ear, after that the full corn in the
ear,” and learns the lesson of patient
watchingand waiting, and that time is
necessary for the perfecting of all great
work. He lea rns that promptness is one
of the essential elements of success in
business; that the delay of a few days in
seed time may bring disastrous results in
harvest. He learns that diligence is an—
other factor entering iuto success in life,
that he who “ will not plow by reason of
the cold. shall beg in harvest and have
nothing.”

What are the farmer boy’s opportuni-
ties of learning from books? The dis-
trict school does not teach the higher
branches, but no doubt the common
English branches are more thoroughly
taught than in many other schools. and
if the boy only learns to read well, he
will have in his possession the key that
will unlock the vast storehouse of
knowledge within books. By reading
well I do not mean that he shall be able
to read fluently, that he shall be an
elocutionist able to read to the edification
of others, but that he shall real under-
standingly, that he shall not allow him.
self to pass by any word, name of place
or person. without a complete and per—
fect knowledge of the meaning of the

  


 

4

THE HOUSEHOLD.

 

word, or of the history of the person or
place. If he hungers after knowledge,
then knowledge will be his whatever his
opportunities.

What lessons are learned by the farmer
boy in the evening? Not such as are
taught in the streets of cities; not those
an attendant upon saloons will learn,
but such as are taughtdn the quiet, rest-
ful home, from father, mother and sister.
With such preparation for the duties of
life he is able to go forth into the world,
strong and upright, with sufficient self-
reliance and courage to do that which is
right.

The question which seems to be con-
tinually arising in farmers’ institutes
and discussed in farm journals is, “ How
shall we keep the boys on the farm? One
advises giving acalf, or piece of land,
and the care of the same. Well, that
is a good idea, inasmuch as ownership
brings responsibility, and then he wiil
learn how to care for stock, how to till
the soil, and thereby acquire habits of
industry and knowledge of business
transactions; but do not think the calf
will chain him to the farm. Another
says the best way to keep the boys on the
farm would be for the farmers to assert
their rights in the political field, and
teach the b0) s that they can go to Con-
gress from the farm just as well as from
the city. It is well to teachthat farmers,
as well as others, are citizens of the
United States, having the same privileges
and duties, amenable to the same laws,
but to hold up office as a prize to keep the
boys on the farm, is as absurd as the
proposition to give a sheep. What would
we think, if at every convention held by
lawyers they should occupy the time dis-
cussing “ How shall we keep our boys in
the oflicei How make them choose law
as a profession? They are determined to
become doctors; they will go on the
farm. Let us give them a law book, and
tell them that if they study law they may
become Congressmen.” This would be no
more absurd than the ado farmers make
concerning their boys entering other busi-
. ness or professions than farming. When
yOur boy is old enough to choose his
vocation in life, if he announces his in—
tentionto leave the farm, listen to his
reasons, talk with him as with an equal;
advise, but do not coax or seek to compel
him to remain. If he concludes to go
there is this consolation, he goes forth the
better equipped for having lived on the
farm. It may prove to be a wise choice,
for while some who would have excelled
as farmers have made poor merchants,
there are others who would have made
good merchants who have made very
poor farmers.

But if all should leave the farm, mak-
ing achange from tillage to pasture, it
would be a sad day for this people, for
from that day the nation would decline.
Everything would need be imported,
(then would bethe time to desire free
trade). Our treasury would soon be
empty, even though we continued coin-
ing the silver dollar. It then the agri:
cultural interest is of such importance
to the welfare of the nation, it ought to

 

command more attention. Let us hope
the boys will remain on the farm, and
that some day one of them will be the
eighth member of the President’s cabinet.
J ANNETTE.

______‘..*_———

FROM A LITTLE INVALID.

 

I told you in my last letter I was an in-
valid, and have been confined to the house
for over a year. My complaint is hip—
joint disease, and as it seems to be a very
common disease now, as I know of four
cases within as many square miles, and
has to be taken at an early stage to efiect
a cure, I am going to describe its symp-
toms for the benefit of those who may
need it: It commenced with a pain in
the knee, which turned the knee cap in
and caused the knee to be weak and kind
of powerless to lift or step over anything;
on going up-stairs, I could not put it first,
but had to drag it after the other; it re-
mained so about six weeks or more, then
the pain seemed to go to the hip joint,
and became quite severe, with shiverings
and fever. After the pain lasted for about
three days, a physician was called in; he
pronounced it hip-joint disease, and put
a steel splint on my knee to stretch the
joint; it is taken off at night and a four-
teen pound weight hung to my limb. If
I had gone to bed sooner and had the
weight hung to my limb it might have
prevented it or helped it very much; but
as it is I don’t know where it is going to
end. It seems to have come without any
cause that I know of, for out of six child-
ren I was the spryest on foot and had the
limberest joints.

I have described the symptoms of the

first twelve months. Being a little girl,
thirteen years of age, I hope the readers
will excuse any mistakes I may make in
composition, and I may come again.

TEMPERANCE.
Woonsmn.

W

INFANTS’ CROCI-I ETED SHOES.

 

Perhaps I can tell M. J. H. how to
crochet infants' shoes so she can under—
stand, as they are easily done if any one
can crochet:

First, make a chain the length of the
child’s foot; then crochet around that in
short crochet stitch, widening occasionally
at each end (by making two stitches in
one) until it is shaped just like a little
boat. Then crochet across the toe, back
and forth, until it forms a shpper. Then
crochet the top in long crochet stitch to
suit your taste and fit the ankle. Tie at
the instep with ribbon or cord and tassel.
These are pretty made of two kinds of
yarn, using dark for the bottom part. I
can send directions for knitting shoes
with four needles that are pretty and
durable.

In answer to conundrum No. 3. I
would say that a man badly in debt, with

an extravagant wife, is not likely to get
out very soon, as it is said, and I think
truly, that a woman can throw out with
a spoon faster than a man can bring in
with ashovel. But what to do with an
extravagant wife? Keep her, of course,
as he has taken her for better or for
worse. Bass.
111nm): Hon.

 

"COUNTRY Harsann ” wishes Temper-
ance, of Woodside, to tell her what tw
means in directions for knitting asilk
purse given in the HOUSEHOLD of Dec.
29th, 1885, also if three or four needles
are used, and what colored silk to use,
which is, after all, a mere matter of fancy
or taste. Our correspondent values the
recipes furnished by our good cooks; and
advises her sister housekeepers that to
get carpet rags out of the way most ex -
peditiously, they should be sewed on the
machine. She folds them as for sewing
by hand, then sews across bias, and
when she has a quantity sewed, cuts the
threads between the rags.

——_——...—-——_

Mns. L. 8., of Mason, says that till she
began reading the Honsanonn she did
not know that other women were so
“beset with work and plagues” as she,
but that it encourages her to know that
others who have similar trials, work on
and live through them. [Ahl L. 8.,
“every heart knoweth its own bitterness,"
there is no life without its trials, and it
all depends on how we meet them whether
we make ourselves and those around us
happy or miserable. Thanks for your
kind, appreciative words, and please
write for the little paper.—En.]

___..__...———-

CUT a fig once or twice in two, put it
in a cup, pour boiling water on it, let it
stand till cool, not cold; then bathe the
eye with the water quite frequently. It
is a sure cure for a stye on the eye, says
an exchange.

.___...___
Box Am's want has been supplied.
._.———...————

Contributed Recipes.

Cocosxn'r Cusraan Cure-One egg} one
cup sugar, one cup sweet milk, two cups flour,
two tablespoonfuls of butter, two teaspoon-
fuls baking powder, pinch of salt; sift powder
and flour together. Bake in a qulck oven.
Custard: Half cup sugar, scant half cup flour,
one egg. one-half pint milk, lump of
butter and pinch of salt, one cup cocoanut.
Cook over steam, or set in boiling water, and
spread between the layers when cool.

DARK Sraauao PUDDING. —One cup molas-
ses; one cup sweet milk; two cupsfiour; spices
of all kinds; one teaspoonful soda; one cup of
currants. Put in a basin, set in steamer and

steam two hours. To be eaten with sweetened
cream. 11. s. P.
OKs-nos.

 

Sroxon CARL—Three eggs, one cup sugar,
four tablespoonfuls sweet cream, one cup flour,
two heaping teaspooufnls baking powder. Lem~
on to taste.

Taexoca CREAM.—Soak one small teacupful
of tapioca in a little milk over night; add the
beaten ymks of three eggs, and boil in one
quart of milk. Add a little salt; when at
boilinghe it sweeten and flavor; then stir in
the beaten whites of the eggs lightly. To be
eaten cold.

J UMBLES —Five eggs, two cups sugar, one
cup butter, two tablespoonfuis 0 baking pow-
der; flavor to taste.

Savoar Beam—Three and a half pounds of.
beefeteak, chopped tine; three eggs; twenty
crackers, r tiled fine; four tablespoonfuls
sweet cream; a small piece of butter; salt and
peppertotaste. Thin with milk until about
the consistency of biscuit dough; put in a
buttered tin and bake slowly one and a half
hours . Let stand until cold, and then slice.

> MRS. T. W. SPRAGUB.
BATTLE Oman.