GLEANINGS IN HEE CULTURE. 



Aug. 



the liabit of making littU' speeches sonie- 

 tbiuff like the following': ''My dear one, 

 this broad uiiiveise can fiiriiisli no pleasure 

 like the one of caring for yon, waiting on 

 you, lieing near you, and ministei-ing to 

 vour wants and comforts so long as a kinil 

 I'rovidence shall permit me to live and 

 breathe.'' Xo doubt we didn't all of us use 

 just exactly those words, but did we not 

 think as well as say something that came 

 pretty near it ? Now, to come down from 

 the honeymoon to something plain and i)rac- 

 tical, let me suggest to you how simple a 

 meal may be occasionally partaken of. and, 

 after all, one that suits me to a dot. It is a 

 pitcher of cold milk and a bowl of cerealine. 

 You probably won't consume the whole 

 pitcher of milk ithat is, unless you are a 

 very big man with a very strong appetite), 

 therefore the pitcher can be set back into 

 the refrigerator or cellar, without any wash- 

 ing. The bowl and one spoon will comprise 

 all the dishes to be washed for each individ- 

 uhI. I don't quite understand it, but this 

 cerealine is excellent food, without any 

 cooking whatever. Pour the milk on it and 

 let it stand two or three minutes, and it is 

 ahead of any cold mush to eat in milk I ever 

 came acro.ss, and I tell you I am very fond 

 of cold mush and milk too. This cerealine 

 is sold at nearly all the groceries, and costs 

 only ]() ets. for a package of five pounds. 

 Now, some of you may not fancy such a 

 supper as this, even if" I do. Oh, yes! I 

 want to say, also, that, it is tiptop to work 

 on. I can go and work in the garden aftej' 

 such a supper as well, or better, than on any 

 other I know of. My wife, however, some- 

 times feels sorry for me (or, at least, she 

 says so, and she is always truthful), and so 

 she gives me a dish of raspberries, huckle- 

 berries, or something of that sort, to sprinkle 

 in. This makes the pie, you know, or fruit ; 

 and as they are sprinkled out of a pint 

 basket right into the bowl of milk, even this 

 addition does not make any more dishes to 

 \vash. If you have not the cerealine handy, 

 you can substitute a slice of nice bread. 

 C'erealinte is, however, I believe, sold in al- 

 most every grocery in the United Slates at 

 the pi'ice I'have mentioned, or a little more. 



MRS. HARRISON TALKS TO US ABOUT 

 GASOLINE-STOVES. 



ALSO A WOHD IN HEG.VRD TO CARPET-SWEEPER'S, 

 PORCHES, ETC. 



H. EDITOR:— I have been very much inter- 

 ested in what has been written with refer- 

 ence to saving women's worls, and especi- 

 all3' Prof. Cook's kitchen. 1 cast about to 

 sec how 1 could lighten labor, and took gas- 

 oline-stoves under consideration. Women who had 

 used them spoke hijrhly of them as saving- from 

 cleaning' uji soot, ashes, coal, kindlings, etc., and 

 the labor of making- tires. After examining- 

 many different kinds 1 i)urchased one wliich I 

 thought had the most good points, and I call it my 

 "hired girl." It is very obedient and satisfactory. 

 I was afraid of it at first, both for myself and the 

 "orphans;" btU their curiosity was soon satisfied; 



and as the tire is all put out by turning down the 

 reservoir to fill it, I think it is safer than a kerosene- 

 lamp. On cool days I make a lire in the coal-stove, 

 and use it; and 1 find at night that I am a great 

 deal more tired than when I use the gasoline. Bi- 

 tuminous coal costs, delivered, $l.r>0 a ton, and gas- 

 oline 15 ets. per gallon. Early in the season, i:i cts. 

 Dealers in stoves are also interested in its sale, and 

 kept the price down until they had sold many 

 stoves. 



I also carpeted the kitchen. I tried this once be- 

 fore, but the dust from soft coal was such a nui- 

 sance that I took it up, but get along with comfort, 

 using gasoline. It I were a poet 1 would sing its 

 prnises— such a relief from heat I One room does 

 now where it took two before; and such a saving of 

 steps while ironing! The ironing-board can be 

 placed within reach of the irons. 



1 don't think any mother who does her own work 

 should sport many porches, especially if they are 

 near a driveway. No lady loves to see them dusty, 

 and harboring spiders, etc.; and to avoid this she 

 must constantly clean them. They should be in- 

 dulged in only by those able to hire a man to take 

 care of a horse, carriage, wash windows, walks, etc. 



Carpet-sweepers lighten labor, but they do not 

 fill the bill as a perfect sweeper. They do not 

 sweep corners or near walls. If a room is thor- 

 oughly swept with a good brush broom once a 

 week, and dampened meal be thrown upon the car- 

 pet, the sweeper can be used the lest of the time. 

 It is very convenient to gather up clippings, ravel- 

 ings, etc., and indispensable in a sick-room. Every 

 woman should have one. 



Bees barely make a living this season, owing to 

 the severe drought last year and this; and I get 

 fresh air in the hammock, in lieu of running the 

 lawn-mower, hiving bees, taking ofl' sections, etc. 



Peoria, 111., June 'i'^. Mrs. L. Harrison. 



MORE KITCHEN CONVENIENCES. 



WHAT CAN WE DO TO LIGHTEN THE HOUSEHOLD 

 DUTIES'::' 



^HIEND ROOT:— When farmers goto visit their 

 ^ friends they ai"e apt to spend much of their 

 time looking at the crops, or the stock or 

 barns. This is well; but they ought also to 

 examine the home, and its surroundings and 

 equipments. Why shouldn't we be just as anxious 

 to get suggestions as to how we could make our 

 homes a little pleasanter, or a little more conven- 

 ient for our wives and daughters to work in, as to 

 learn how best to fix our barns, or take care of our 

 crops'? In fact, ought we not to take much better 

 care of our dear ones than of our stock'? But do all 

 farmers do this? I fear not. Let me picture a case 

 that I saw with my own eyrs, and which has too 

 many duplicates. The farmer showed me through 

 a fine— yes, magnificent barn, with all the latest im- 

 provements and conveniences for the comfort of 

 the stock. His horses were fat, and showed that 

 they were never overworked. In the harness-room 

 I noticed nets to keep the flies off from them when 

 they were at work. When in the house I asked to 

 see the kitchen. Were there screens on the win- 

 dows and dooi'S so his wife could work without be- 

 ing bothered with flies? No. Were there any of 

 the numerous little conveniences that are found iu 

 the best kitchens nowadays? There were not. Did 



