NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



487 



diately commence the manufacture of the machines, 

 for sale. We think it will secure the attention of 

 manufacturers and others who consume large quan- 

 tities of oil, the quality of which they cannot easi- 

 ly determine until it has been used for some time. 

 — Traveller. 



Will the next Woman's Convention take this sub- 

 ject into consideration ? — Portland Transcript. 



The Electric Ball. — An electric ball is to be 

 put up on a prominent spot on South Foreland 

 Point, near Dover, Eng., which will act simulta- 

 neously with the electric clocks at the Greenwich 

 Observatory. The falling of this ball, and the si 

 multaneoua firing of a gun by electricity, will en- 

 able all vessels within ten miles, and those in the 

 Downs, to regulate their chronometers to a sec- 

 ond. 



Reduction of the Houks of Labor. — The Low- 

 ell Machine Shop, as well as the machine shops at 

 Lawrence, Manchester, Biddeford and Holyoke, 

 have reduced the hours of lapor to 11 per day for 

 the workmen in their employ. 



Death of an Inventor. — William Howe, of 

 Springfield, the inventor of the celebrated bridge 

 for railroads, which bears his name, and which 

 has been brought into extensive use in nearly all 

 parts of the country, died in Springfield on Sun- 

 day. His invention was a source of great wealth 

 to him. 



[jcg^ The shoe business in Lynn during the past 

 year has excelled in activity the enterprise of ma- 

 ny preceding years, and the demand promises well 

 for the future 



CatTtra' Department. 



POOR, ABUSED WOMAN. 



Women have been called the martyr sex They 

 certainly do serve a hard master, to whose tortures 

 they submit even cheerfully ; in this, we suppose, 

 showing their martyr spirit. Sometimes, by this 

 tyrant, they are compelled to wear shoes so very 

 small as to painfully cramp the feet, and again, of 

 so thin a texture as to subject them to colds, con- 

 sumption and death ! Again this ingenious tor- 

 ture takes another form, and women are seen with 

 enormous burdens on their backs, while they are 

 at the same time dragged to the earth by numer- 

 ous heavy encasements of wool or cotton. At other 

 times they are subjected to agonizing pressure 

 about the waist by ''infernal machines," called 

 corsets. Often they call forth the sympathies of 

 all beholders, as they pick their weary way through 

 the muddy streets, with bedraggled skirts, whose 

 length the tyrant prescribes, flapping uncomfort- 

 ably against their heels. And as if all this were 

 not enough, their pretty faces, — which every body 

 knows is the nature of woman not to thrust bra- 

 zenly forth to the gaze of the crowd, — together 

 with a large portion of the head, are left exposed 

 to glaring sun, and staring eyes, by an abbrevia- 

 tion, which, in derision of its short comings, we 

 suppose, is called a bonnet ! And yet how cheer- 

 fully, with what alacrity, even, does woman submit 

 to these painful exactions. 



That this monster, who torments the better half 

 of creation, may be held up to the execration it de- 

 serves, we shall publish its name. It is — Fashion ! 



DOMESTIC RECIPES. 



Gingerbread, No. 1. — One pound of sugar, one 

 pound of butter, three pounds of flour, two table 

 spoonfuls of ginger, one gill of cream, one pint of 

 molasses. Rub the butter in the flour ; add the 

 other ingredients. Roll out the dough, cut it into 

 cakes, place them on buttered tins, and bake in a 

 moderately cool oven. Wash the cakes over with 

 molasses and water before you bake them. 



Gingerbread, No. 2. — Half a pound of sugar, 

 half a pound of butter, one pound and a half of 

 flour v one ounce of ginger, one pint of molasses. 

 Rub the flour and butter well together, add the 

 other ingredients. Roll out the dough, cut it in 

 cakes, place them on tins, wash them over with 

 molasses and water and bake them in a modorate 

 oven. 



Boston Gingerbread. — Three cups of flour, one 

 cup of butter, one cup of molasses, two eggs, one 

 table spoonful of dissolved salosratus, two large 

 table spoonfuls of ginger, one table spoonful of cin- 

 namon, milk enough to form a dough. Rub the 

 butter and flour together, and add the other in- 

 gredients. Roll it out in sheets, cut thin, butter 

 your tins, place them, and wash the cakes over 

 with molasses and water before they are put in the 

 oven. They require a very moderate heat to bake 

 them, as they easily scorch. 



Common Gingerbread. — Haifa pound of butter, 

 half a cupful of ginger, one pint of molasses, two 

 pounds of flour, one table spoonful of salteratus. 

 Rub the flour and butter together and add the 

 other ingredients together. Knead the dough 

 well. Roll it out, cut it in cakes, wash them over 

 with molasses and water, and bake them in a mod- 

 erate oven. 



Plain Gingerbread. — Three pounds of flour, a 

 quarter of a pound of sugar, half an ounce of 

 ground ginger, half a pound of butter, molasses 

 sufficient to moisten the flour. Cut up the but- 

 ter in the flour, add to it the sugar and ginger, 

 and stir in molasses barely enough to moisten the 

 flour, as it will become softer by kneading. Knead 

 the dough well, roll it out in sheets, cut it in cakes, 

 place them on tins, wash then over with molasses 

 and water, and bake in a cool oven. — National 

 Cook Book. 



A PSALM FOR THE SORROWING. 

 Gay wanderer in a homeless world, 



Poor pilgrim to a dusty bier; 

 On Time's great cycle darkly hurled 



From year to year; 

 See in the sky these words unfurled — 



'•Thy home is here!" 



Pale mourner, whose quick tears reveal 



Thy weight of sorrow but begun — 

 Not long ihy buidened soul shall reel 



Beneath the sun, — 

 A few swift circles of the wheel. 



And ill is done. 



Though galled with fttters ye have lain, 



To vulture hopes and fears a prey, 

 O, moan not o'er your ceaseless pain, 



Or slow decay; 

 For know, the soul thus files its chain 



And breaks away. T. B. Reed. 



