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DETROIT, MAY 23., 1.887.

 

 

THE HOUSEHOLDh-Supplemen’c.

 

 

HOME GIRLS.

 

The girls that are wanted are good girls.
Good from the heart to the lips;
Pure as the 1in is white and pure
From its heart to its sweat leaf tit s.
The girls that are wanted are home girls.
Girls that are mother's right hand,
That fathers and brothers can trust to.
And the little ones understand.

Girlsthat are fair on the hearthstone
And pleasant when nobody sees:

Kind and sweet to their own folk,
Ready and anxious to please.

The girls that are wanted are wise girls.
That know what to do and to say; ~
That drive with a smile or soft word
The wrath of the household away.
The girls that are wanted are girls of sense
Whom fashion can never deceive.
“'ho can follow whatever is pretty.
And dare what is silly to leave.

The girls that are wanted are careful girls.
Who count what a. thing will cost;

Who use with a prudent. generous hand.
But see that nothing is lost.

The girls that are wanted are girls with hearts?
They are wanted for mothers and wives;
Wanted to cradle in loving arms
The strongest and frailest of lives.
The clever. the witty. the brilliant girls.
They are very few. understand;
But. oh! for the wise, loving home girls.
There‘s a constant and steady demand.
-——-¢..____

IN THE SCHOOL‘ROOM.

There is one thing the teachers of our
country schools might do for the pupils in
their charge, at no expense and slight
trouble to themselves, which would be no
small benefit to the children. In so many
school-houses the desks are inconvenient,
and like the seats, not adapted to the size of
the occupants, who assume awkward, stoop-
ing, sprawling positions, which become
habitual; perhaps in addition they grow to
be round-shouldered. City mothers send
their awkward, self-conscious children to
dancing-school, where they are drilled into
erectness, and forget themselves in obey-
ing the short, quick orders of the master.
But many mothers feel themselves power-
less to fight awkwardness and shyness, and
can only wait for the children to outgrow
their uncouth ways. But if the teacher in
the school would interest herself in the
physical well-being of her pupils, as well as
in their mental advancement, she could do
more than the mother, because the drill is
“ fun ” when the whole school participates
in it, and awkwardness is soon overcome
where we find we are not particularly
observed. We all know what a. few weeks
of military drill will do for “ the awkward

 

squad;” how the slouching, lounging, dis—
jointed gait, as if the lad could hardly
hold himself together, is changed for an
erect, square—shouldered, straight-ahead
walk, so that the boy seems hardly the
same indivrdual. 1th not propose to in-
troduce a military drill into our country
schools, but it would do boys and girls good
to have a little of the Delsarte system taught
them, if only by imitation and without un-
derstanding it. One is invariably sur-
prised at the change which a vigorous, con-
tinued calisthenic drill will effect in the
personal habits of those brought under its
discipline, especially if the object is shown
to be a more pleasing personal carriage, a
means to be “like other folks.” The
word calisthenics is full of meaning;
it is derived from two Greek words
equivalent to strength and beautiful,
"beautiful strength.” What could be
more expressive? Many an awkward
way of standing one~sided, many a
stoop which becomes chronic, might be
overcome in this simple fashion, without
the restraint of shoulder-braces. Let a
teacher, after an hour’s study, make the
pupils rise at the tap of the bell, and teach
them how to stand straight. Heels nearly
together. toes out: eyes front and level;
heads erect, shoulders back and chests ex-
panded; it would take several lessons to
enable them to at once assume this position.
Let them stand thus, and go through a few
simple calisthenic movements, vigorously,
in unison, as the teacher counts for them.
Let them march up one aisle and down
another, if there be room to do so, keeping
perfectly erect. Let them go through their
calisthenic drill, each with a book on
the head, that they may know when they
are erect, and “ it is not so easy as it looks,”
either, and walk in the same way. Let the
teacher give a ten minutes’ drill of this
kind twice or three times daily: and the
results will be encouraging to say the least.

I have known teachers to object to such
innovations as destructive of discipline.
This is a mistake. The first attempts will
without doubt be irregular; the children do
not know what is expected of them, and
the mischievous ones will take advantage
of the occasion to poke a neighbor in the
ribs or give him a vigorous if undignified
push. But once interested in the drill
——and it is easy to interest them—they
will not be inclined for much nonsense;
besides, the drill is rapid, by count, and at-
tention must be paid to keep time with the
counting. Again, the exercise is a. rest,
and a relief to the restraint of sitting, so
that lessons are resumed with fresh interest.

    

 

Try sitting in one position for an hour, and
see it' it is not tiresome; it is ten times as
irksome to active, growing children. Tired
muscles are relaxed, and unused ones ex-
ercised; the children will soon discover this.
and enjoy the change, they will ask for the
“ play spell” if they think it is for: otten.
It will be the teacher’s own fault if order is
not preserved. or if the children do not
become interested.

I do not think it is all of a teacher’s
legitimate work to teach the lore of text-
books. l't' she wins her pupils’ respect and
afiection, she can correct many of their
awkward, uncouth ways; she can inculcate
habits of personal neatness; she can in-
terest them in many things outside the
scope of their previous observation: and un»
der the care of the right kind of a teacher,
the dull boy, who has heretofore been
thought stupid because his dog-cared books
held no charm for him, may develop some
special turn of mind which will one day
make him famous. One of our great
naturalists was the dunce of the school in
boyhood, till a teacher came who. seeing
him neglecting his book to watch a tly very
intently, asked him to describe it to her.
She was amazed to find with what an eager
interest he obeyed, and how much he had.
observed, and, being allowed to pursue such
studies as were adapted to his bent, he be-
came the brightest of students. Minds, no
more than faces, are cast in the same mold.
a fact the school system which prescribes a
uniform “course ” for all pupils, does not,
take into consideration.

Did you ever notice with what eager
curiosity a school reader of a new series is
examined by the children? lts possessor
can get a bite of the biggest, reddest ap‘
ple, and a chance to chew the collective
gum of the whole school, for the privilege
of examining the treasure. Is there no
lesson to be learned here? If I could
manage the schools of a township, [ would
provide each school with a different series
of school readers, at least, and after every
term an exchange should be effected, by
which every school should have a new set.
Do you wonder that children have little love
for reading, little idea of the charm of
books, when they are obliged to drone over»
and over the “pieces” in the readers which
have been in use year after year, ever since
they began to go to school, till they know‘
them by heart? Yet nothing makes Pater-.
familias grumble so vigorously as a demand
for. a new book which may perhaps cost
him sixty cents, somewhat less than his
weekly average for tobacco; and generally
speaking, the teacher expresses mild dis-


 

2 THE HOUSEI—I’OLD.

 

gust if she fails to find a charming unifor-
mity of text-books.

But even the old books can be made the
medium of much new and useful informa—
tion, if the teacher so will it. Nearly all
our school readers contain selections from
the works of well known and standard
authors. New zest may be added to these
“literary chestnuts” if the teacher will,
from her own knowledge, supply some-
what of the personal history of each,
giving such items as may arrest the at-
tention; and if possible, showing them a
picture of the writer. So many of dur illus‘
trated magazines have contained portraits
of authors, with sketches of their life and
work, that this is not difiicult. The whole
school will listen with pleased interest to
a selection read aloud by the teacher, and
with a good deal of general information
will be imparted also an increased desire
to know in we of such subjects, and the first
great step in education, as in every other
good thing, is progressive desire. When
we once want to know, we are soon alert
and active in the search.

‘80 too, in geography, which is usually
an exercise of memory to remember lists of
countries, cities, etc., bits of history, a story
connected with a town. the life of a native
of a certain country who figured prominent-
ly in his era, may be woven in to make the
study interesting.

‘It would pay any teacher who has a desire

”to succeed in her work, an interest beyond
drawing her pay, to subscribe for The
Youth’s Companion or Harper’s Young
People, for use in her school. The school
board ought by good rights to do it, rather
than the teacher out of her scanty wage.
But I notice that the teachers who take an
interest in the progress of their pupils, and
neglect no means, even though at a personal
sacrifice, to really educate them, get a repu-
‘-tation which leads to better situations and
*better salaries. “ The great want of the
itime ” is teachers who will do earnest,
’conscientious work for the small stipend
paid in our country schools, where, gen-
erally, the lowest bidder takes the contract,
but without giving bonds for its faithful
performance. anrarx.

———.w——————

TIRED OF LECTURES;

 

A letter by Dill in the Housekeeper meets
my hearty approval. I am glad to see a
word in praise of the girls. They have
been preached about, at, and to, until I
wonder if they are not all, like myself.
completely disgusted. I do not believe
there is a young lady in this county but
what understand housekeeping thoroughly,
as well as how to do many other things.
As to the making home happy, I think there
are two sides to that question, and would
like to hear the young men preached at a
'while for a change. What right-minded
girl does not like to be always neat? As
for me, that is my principal objection to
housework, for with the never-ending
routine of washing, ironing. baking, churn-
ing, it is almost impossible to keep in good
trim always. I presume more than one
tired girl who has taken pains to “ fix up ”
'a little, has felt as though it were labor lost,
as a friend and myself did one day. when,

 

from the hurry of baking and ironing, and
preparing a meal for nine, we snatched
time to make ourselves fresh and present-
able for the table. We found, when the
men had gone, our dainty damask table
linen stained with the perspiration from
their hands and clothes. I think if the
“lords of creation” were taught a little
more appreciation of the many things done
for their comfort by willing and generally
loving hands, there need not be as much
said about “smiles and neatness.” Self-
respect would keep me neat under any
circumstances, and I do not believe other
girls are so much different, though mamma
laughs and calls me one of the “ pizen dirt
women.” A friend often says, “Never
mind a little dirt, Mae; that is the way we
get our living.” But I can never contem-
plate calmly the appearance of the men from
the harvest field, and think I must eat with
them.

Mamma says if she could write out all
the letters she thinks of while washing
the dishes, the HOUSEHOLD would have
plenty of manuscript. But I must cut this
short, or Beatrix will have to do so for me.

Fun. MAE.

———¢oo——

FASHIONS FOR ELDERLY LADIES.

 

It is a mistake to think that when we be-
gin to go down the hill of Life, toward the
sunset side, we need no longer care for our
personal appearance—beyond the neatness
which self-respect demands at any age, and
can wear dowdy dresses and unbecoming
bonnets, because we are “old.” On the
contrary, it is in this period of decadence
of whatever physical charms nature be-
stowed upon us at first, that we should
give most attention to making ourselves at-
tractive. Not that we are to resort to art
to conceal the ravages of Time; it is dis—
gusting to see wrinkles filled with powder
and rouge overlying a yellow, withered
skin, or a juvenile “adjustible” bang at
the front of a bonnet and straggling gray
locks at the back. Nor is it pleasant to see

an elderly woman who seems to have for-

gotten her years and the dignity that should
accompany them, and dresses with an af-
fectation of juvenality, indicative of frivoli-
ty and unbecoming vanity. A woman can
add to or take away ten years from her ap-
parent age,- by her manner of dressing and
“getting herself up,” and employ no arti-
fice, beyond the art of wise selection of ma-
terial and choice of color and make up.
And it is a duty she owes herself, her
friends and society at large, to make herself
as attractive, personally, as possible, just
as she should strive to attract by her
graces of mind and manner.

The fashions for elderly women are
modified from those designed for younger
ones. Women of decided embonpoint

wear the plain tailor cut basques which‘

are trimmed with flat braid or galloon, or
with perpendicular folds down the front.
Polonaises are revived for them, and
fitted smooth and plain over the hips,
are draped in various ways to suit the
figure. Slender women prefer basques
with revers in front and postilion
pleats in the back; and really, you
know, there’sno reason why an old woman’s
clothes should not fit her as well as a younger

 

woman’s. Full straight skirts and long
draperies are worn by everybody, and even
the burden of her sixty years need not pre-
vent a lady from having a long wrinkled
apron in front, and a back drapery of
straight widths caught up in the middle at
the top to give the effect of two points.
These draperies must be full enough to
avoid any appearance of scantiness; one and
ahalf widths, or even two widths of 42“
inch goods are often used for the back
drapery alone.
have the front laid in three wide box pleats,
with a back drapery in any mode recom-
mended previously in the Hor’snuom); and
the basque be trimmed with a fan—shaped
pleated revers, narrowing to a point at the
bottom of the basque. Black guipure or
French laces are again used on such dresses,
being slightly gathered and set on under
the hem. Cashmere is restored to favor,
and is especially stylish made up over black
silk skirts. Wraps are almost universally
the visite in medium lerg hs; or for shor

ladies the wrap comes just below the waist
line in the back, with longer tabs in front.

In colors, black is the universal prefer—
ence, but dark brown and greys are also
worn, also wool goods in fine lines and
checks in gray and black, orin the “ Scotch
mixtures.” These often have the edges of
the drapery and basque finished by many
rows of machine stitching.

Bonnets are of the shape worn by younger
persons, only longer in the crown at the
back to conceal more of the hair. Straw
bonnets are trimmed with feather-edged
ribbons in black, and a few loops of gray
or heliotrope; for more dressy wear, with
fans of lace and loops of ribbon. Strings
are made up into bows with short ends to
fasten under the chin. Very few caps are
worn by elderly ladies; and these are almost
invariably of white lace.

.___...___._

OUR FIRST DUTY.

 

1 find the axiom, “Duties never clash,”
sometimes very diflicult of interpretation.
I meet a friend who asks, “ Why were you
not at the meeting of the literary society
Thursday evening?” Another says: “So
sorry to miss you from the sewing society
Friday afternoon;” another, “ Now it can’t
be pOSsible that you are losing your interest
in the missionary society; you were not at
the meeting Saturday,” and still another
remarks: “I am so sorry that we cannot
interest you in the W. C. T. U.; do come to
our next meeting and you will become in-
terested;” and so on it goes through the
days, weeks and years. Now in all of these
things I am very much interested, but I find
it necessary to take as my motto “This
one thing I do.” I believe it to be the first
duty of every mother of young children to
make their well being, mentally, morally
and physicially. her highest aim; in this
aim I find it necessary to have a little time
afternoons for the improvement of my own
mind, otherwise I shall become fossilized
and not in sympathy with their growing
minds. Even were I able to hire all my
work done, there is so much that cannot be
delegated during the years of childhood.
Take as an illustration the life of Moses;
all authorities agree that he was removed
from his mother’s influence at a very tender

The best black silk may.

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THE HOUSEHOLD. 3

 

———

 

 

age, yet so wisely had she used her oppor-
tunity th tt his whole after life was molded
by her teachings.

I would not be understood as not being
in sympathy with these labors of love and
charity; on the contrary they are most de-
lightful, and in the life of nearly every
woman there comes a time when her chil-
dren do not need her care so much, and this
too before old age with its infirmities creeps
upon her, when she may devote herself to
the world around her, and to the heathen
beyond the seas, instead of settling down
into a money-maker, as many do at this
period of their lives. When my children
arrive at maturity I shall feel like pushing
them from the nest as the birds do, to sink
or swim financially, as lhave done. I do
not find those mothers the happiest who
strive to keep their children within call, nor
are the children apt to make as helpful,
self-reliant men and women.

HOWELL. MRS. W. J. G.

.____“..———

SPRING HOUSECLEANING.

 

What a flood of pleasant memories cluster
round the labors of the past few weeks!
First and foremost, we had the house turned
upside down, (figuratively) to allow a duo
of paperhangers to exercise their artistic
vocation. How we revelled in pleasure
during those days! The autocratic artists
were in perfect control, and all we had to
do was to obey their behest. How nice it
seemed to lay down the burden of care and
authority for a few days, while a foreign
element prescribed what one needed and
wanted done to make one’s home (house]
perfect; and then kindly carried out their
plans! Did I protest? Not I. I have been
better educated. At the commencement of
the job, the boss, with a very grand air,
wished to know how the work was to be
done. Did I desire todirect, or should they
manage the business in a proper manner?
Iassured him that I appreciated the com-
pliment conveyed, but that I did not care to
pay for work and then perform the labor.
I should not overwork my brain to save
theirs; they must plan the work and do it,
too. We had bargained for skilled work-
men, and expected them to use their skill.

“All right, ma’am; but werk that is done
right is not always appreciated by people
not up with the times; but we will do your
work right. Some folks give so many
troublesome directions and then growl at
the results, when their own mistaken in-
structions are "carried out.”

We subsided, and the work went on.
The artists were so pleased with us, them-
selves and their work, that, were we con-
ceited, we should have grown proud under
the shower of compliments paid. Hus-
band and I were ra-ra avis, of such fine
judgment and excellent good sense. And
when the job was accomplished, and our
satisfaction was expressed, we found that
we possessed most positive artistic taste.
Indeed, to so high a degree was this talent
developed, that the average human stood
far, far below our plane.

In this state of satisfaction we bade them
a cordial adieu, considering the amount
chargeda mere bagatelle for such artistic
labor and high compliments.

Being once more in possession of my

 

 

house, I set about the delightful work of
bringing order out of confusion. What if
paste and color covered floors and smutted
furniture? in such an exalted state of
mind, one would scarcely notice such small
matters. Like magic room after room
seemed settled; carpets never fitted so well,
or went down so nicely. Dust, spots, paste
specks, all tied in dismay before the happy
mortal who wielded broom, duster and
brush. Windows and mirrows were
polished with scarcely an effort, closets
and cellar were made tidy and order—

ly without a thought of designating
them “ plagues.” With pictures re-
hung, curtains in place, with their

flowing freshness, and all the little touches
of renovating finished, the same serene
state of mind prevails: the same sweet state
of self-satisfaction still remains.

The stoves were taken down and stowed
away without a “swear word ” from the
“ gude mon,” and he bought a new carpet
stretcher of a peripatetic render, which
proves he must have shared my happy sen-
sations.

The spring housecleaning, instead of
being as usual 3. dread, a nightmare, has
taken on the form of a poem set to sweetly
modulated music. Delighted with the effect,
I do not care to inquire too closely for the
inspiring cause, but have contented myself
with recital of the facts, leaving any who
may be interested to draw their own con—
clusions, or mtke satisfactory deductions.
Hoping that others may be as fortunate as
myself in finding the new and pleasant road
through a former disagreeable thoroughfare,
I placidly await the further developments
of the seasons, hoping to find each in its
turn imbued and enshrined in the new halo
of desirable exertion, entirely transformed
from the former disagreeable drudgery. Is
it not after all better to make life an active,

happy dream, than a wakeful desert of woe?
[:lxunnstnn. A. L. L.

Cheese for the Home Table.

 

Henry Stewart, in an article on cheese
in the Rural New Yorker, says:

“ An exquisite small cheese may be made
in imitation of the Neufchatel, which is
exceeding popular in the large cities, both
in America and Europe. This is made of
sweet, fresh milk, to which is added the
sweet cream of the previous milking. The
fresh milk of a good butter-yielding Jersey
cow would make these cheeses without the
addition of cream. The mixture of milk
and cream is warmed to 80 degrees, and
sufficient rennet is added and stirred into
it to make the curd in an hour and a half or
two hours. The curd is dipped out very
carefully with a strainer, as soon as it is
firm enough not to break, and is put into
cylindrical molds about six inches in hight
and two or three inches in diameter. These
molds are made of tin; a small fruit or
oyster can, having the top and bottom
melted off on a hot stove, would make an
excellent mold for this kind of cheese. The
molds should be pierced with holes to let
the whey drain off, and are placed on a
clean folded cloth to be filled. As soon as
the and becomes firm enough it is turned
out of the mold and set on a table covered
with a straw mat, to permit the still exud-
ing moisture to drain off. These cheeses
are eaten fresh when ten or twelve hours
old, or they are lightly salted, wrapped in
parafiine paper and kept in a cool' place,
neither dry nor damp; where they will keep
a long time in good condition.”

This might _ be tried and give a good

 

article for home consumption, at a mini-
mum of trouble.

——...————

OUR SURROUNDINGS.

 

[Paper read by Mrs. Elliot '1‘. Sprague, of Battle
Creek, at the Farmers‘ Institute at Athens.)

That labor is a condition of life is a fact
that we all admit; but whether it is a
pleasant task or irksone duty, depends al-
most entirely upon our surroundings.

While there is a certain formula that we
follow, adaily routine we pass through in
order to accomplish, busy brains and in-
quiring minds have opened avenues where-
by workers can get out of the old rut, the
groove in which they have run along, and
better their condition. It is indeed a cold,
dull, senseless nature that does not aspire
to something better. There is nothing
that is satisfied to stand still in this nine-
teeth century. Progression is stamped upon
everything. With what perfect amazement
would our ancestors look upon the improve-
ments of to-day. The world now wants the
the very best thing. It is not only a privi'ege,
buta sacred duty to cultivate and utilize
the highest gift. We can never hope to
achieve success, unless we throw our heart
into our work, for all true Christian culture
begins in the heart. Every one holds in his
own hands the making of his destiny. We
can be helped and encouraged by others.
but the main road of life we must tread
alone. But we do not to think of self
alone, we must train the eye to see, the ear
to hear, the heart to feel for others. It is
truly a most desirable thing to cultivate this
feeling of interest for others, to have

“A heart at leisure from itself
To soothe and sympathize."

It “is not all of life to live;” all' people
are not organized alike, for while many
plod along, performing their work in the
hardest way, seeming more like pieces of
machinery, than.beings imbued with life
and energy, never noting whether the sky
be blue or grey, the path rough or smooth to
their feet, others pass through life gleaning
the wheat from the chaff, plucking roses
from the thorns, finding much of beauty
and information from their surroundings.
With hope such a large element in our
character it seems wrong for any one to
indulge in the so-called “blues,” making
not only one’s self miserable and deSpon-
dent, but clouding the lives of our friends.
If we will only train our eyes to see, God
has made a very beautiful world for us.
No, I think he made us for the world, gave
us eyes to see, and inquiring minds, that
out of these beauties of nature, these
pleasant and agreeable surroundings, we
should gather knowledge. It is not enough
for a man to know that a thing is so. He
should know why it is so. In this way great
discoveries have been made. It was only a
tiny piece of seaweed floating past the ship
that showed Columbus that he was nearing
the New World, and quelled the mutiny
that seemed inevitable. There is a Russian
proverb that says “He goes through the
forest and sees no firewood.” Solomon
says “ The wise man’s eyes are in his head.
but the fool walketh in the darkness.”
Galileo was but a youth of eighteen, and
was idling in a cathedral in Pisa. One of

the vergers had just replenished a lamp

 


 

4: THE HOUSEHOLD.

 

with oil. It swung slowly and regularly,
to and fro, and while watching it, Galileo
conceived the idea that it could be applied
to the measurement of time. Yet it took
fifty years of hard study and experiment
before he completed the invention of the
pendulum. Sir Samuel Browne, an English
engineer, who brought into use both chain
cables and iron suSpension bridges, was one
day walking in his garden, and observed a
Spider’s web suspended across the path:
quick as thought he saw how a bridge could
be constructed on like principles, and the
result was shown in his invention of a
suspension bridge. The iron tube that con-
veys water under the Clyde was modeled
afteralobster shell, by Sir James Watt,
who made the discovery while eating
lobster on the shell at the dinner table. So
we see that the great things in life are often
suggested by the small ones.

Those who live in the country have an
opportunity to learn much, very much from
their surroundings. No man should make
farminga business simply as a matter of
dollars and cents. There is no branch of
business that will give a man more practical
use of book learning, chemistry, geology,
mineralogy, botany and natural history,
character and physology of animals, for all
through his life he must have to do with
them. Their breathing forms are all about
him: his food, drink and dress, are all
within them, and he must draw them out.
“There is no honorable calling in life that
may not engage the interest and attention
of a whole mind, and be adorned and
made attractive by the productions of a
cultivated intellect.” Observation and per-
severance have done much for us. “It has
put into motion thousands of spindles,
winged as many flying shuttles, harnessed
thousands of iron steeds to freighted cars,
and set them steaming from town to town,
and from water to water; tunneled moun-
tains of granite, and annihilated space
with the lightniug’s speed. It has whitened
the waters of the world with the sails of a
hundred nations, navigated every sea, and
explored every land. It has reduced nature
in her thousand forms to as many sciences,
taught her laws, prophesied her future
movements, measured her untrodden
spaces, counted her myriad hosts of worlds,
and computed her distances, dimensions
and velocities.” The glory of accumulated
wealth grows dim beside some of these
achievements of eye and brain; nights and
days of wear-iness and toil, months and
years of vigilant. powerful effort, are spent
in achieving what the world bows to in
reverence. Nature’s thousand voices teach
us perseverance. When the Alps stood be-
tween Napoleon and Italy, did that great
general give up the dearest wish of his
heart? No! he scaled the mountains, and
the surprise of his startling descent more
than half conquered the country.

While the world has great thinkers, men
of sound common sense and practical
knowledge, it has also visionary ones, men
who spend a whole lifetime dreaming over
an invention that .will benefit mankind, a
half conceived idea which never matures;
and then say that Fats has woven a web of
circumstances around them, and they have
no power to break through. I tell you op-

 

position is what some natures want. Fate
wants to conspire against them; they need
to be put to their wits’ ends to bring out
force of character. They want to be hedged
in, where there is no chance to turn to the
right, or turn to the left, or to back out, but
are forced to go ahead or fall; then if there
be any strategy or ingenuity about them, it
will be called forth. “Straws tell which
way the wind blows.” A young man once
went to one of the Rothschilds for help;
while nature had been lavish with her gifts,
fortune had denied him money which
seemed necessary to success. The rich
banker was sizing him up” and had about
arrived at the conclusion that he would not
advance him the desired capital; when the
young man, who was slowly walking up
and down the room, paused and stooping
down picked up a pin that lay on the car-
pet and placed it on the mantel near by.
This simple movement determined the
course of his whole future life, for it proved
conclusively that he was careful, prudent
and saving; the money was furnished him,
and he honored the trust by becoming a
successful business man. Brains grow by

use. as well as hands, or other members of
our body; a small suggestion has often
opened up an avenue of thought, and the
great idea that was slumberiug in the
embryo was awakened, brought forth and
utilized.

(To be continued.)

————fl.—_—_

HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

 

PERHAPS the reason why some hav
succeeded in canning corn by the process
several times given in the HOUSEHOLD,
While others have failed by exactly the
same method, may be in the corn, not the
canning. It is said the corn must be
freshly picked, not more than four hours
from the field.

 

BEFORE wool goes “way up,” make
your wool mattress. It is not- such an
awful task as some suppose. Use one
pound of sal-soda to water enough to wash
15 or 18 pounds of coarse wool. Wool mat-
tresses are not made so thick as hair ones.
They are very comfortable, and so cheap
that expense need not deter those who
covet them from possessing one.

 

OLD Chamois—skins may be softened and
cleaned by the following process: Rub
plenty of castile soap into the skin, and
soak for two hours in a’weak solution of
sal-soda in warm water, then rub it well
until quite clean. Afterwards rinse in a
weak solution of sal-soda and soap in water;
after rinsing, wring it dry in a coarse tbwel:
and when full dry, beat it until soft and
smooth, and it will be finer and better than
most new Chamois-skins.

 

A HOME-MADE furniture polish which is
well recommended is made as follows:
“ Over a moderate fire put a perfectly clean
vessel. Into this drop two ounces of white
or yellow wax. When melted, add four
ounces pure turpentine; then stir until cool,
when it is ready for use. The mixture
brings out the original color of the wood,
adding a luster equal to that of varnish. By
rubbing with a piece of fine cork, it may,
when it fades, be remov .”

 

AN exchange recommends the following
method of re-curling ostrich plumes:
“ Have ready some corn cobs and common
salt, and let the fire in the cook stove burn
down till you have a good bed of coals, lay
the cobs on and sprinkle them with salt,
and shake the feather in the smoke. Add
cobs and salt from time to time and be sure
to shake the plume well, turning every part
to the smoke. The harder you shake the
feather the better it will look. Be careful
to keep it far enough from the fire to keep it
from burning. The livelier the coals with-
out blaze the better.” A white plume may
be washed in suds made of white soap,
drawing it repeatedly through the fingers,
gently; rinse in clear water and shake
vigorously till dry; then re-curl as recom-
mended above. A more laborious but better
way is to curl each barb separately over -a
dull knife.

DAISY aprons are made of one breadth
of dotted mull, which has dots large enough
for the daisy centres, and a sufficient dis—
tance apart to prevent the flowers from ap-
pearing crowded when the petals are
worked. Dots the size of five-cent pieces,
and one and a half inches apart, work well.
Make a three-inch hem, stitched with yel~
low silk, in feather stitch, on the right side,
for the bottom. Make a narrower one for
the top, through which to run a two~inch
wide yellow ribbon of sufficient length to
tie with long loops. Work the dots for the
centre of the daisies in brown silk, satin
stitch or French knots. Make the petals of
yellow silk, with long loop stitch. Tiny
pockets, with bows of ribbon, add to the
dainty effect.

-___...__

WE would remind our readers that if they
miss or lose an issue of the HOUSEHOLD
and expect to have the numbers bound at
the close of the year, the surest way is to
write at once for the lost copy. At the close
of the year it is often impossible to supply
back numbers, but we can nearly always do.
so if ordered at once.

—-—§..__..__
Contributed Recipes.

MARBLE CAKE—Light part: One and a
half cups sugar; half cup butter; half cup of
milk; Whites of four eggs; two and a half
cups flour: one teaspoonful baking powder.
Dark part: One cup brown sugar; half cup
molasses; half cup butter: half cup milk;
yolks of four eggs; cloves,cinnamon,nutmeg;
two and ahalf cups flour: one teaspoonful
baking powder.

RUSSIAN CAKE—Dark part: One cup
brown sugar: half cup butter; half cup milk;
two cups flour; one cup raisins, stoned and
chopped; one tablespoonful molasses; one
teaspoonful cinnamon; half that quantity of
cloves: yolks of three eggs; two teaspoonfuls
bakingfipowder. White part: One cup white
sugar; half cup butter; half cup milk; whites
three eggs: one cup flour; one cup cornstarch:
one teaspoonful baking powder. Bake each
part separately in jelly tins and put jelly be-
tween the layers. MRS. C. C. B.

FOWLERVILLE.

 

 

 

FLOWER SEEDS FOR 1887.,

I will send one package of choice pansy seed,
mixed sorts, for 15 cents. Dahlias, any color, 12
centseach; five for50 cents; 12 for $1. Seeds
from over 100 choice varieties of perennials,

everlastings, annuals or herbs, six packets for;

250: 13 for 500 or 30 for 81. Send stamp for list
RS. M. A. FULLER (DILL),
Boa: 297.Fenton. Mich.

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