1872.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
25 
(For other Household Items, see "Basket" pages. 
Sewing-Machine Accessories. 
■ — • 
A sewing-machine, of whatever make, is a won- 
der of mechanical skill. These ingenious machines 
have called out a number of accessories, some of 
which display almost as much ingenuity as the 
1. — BASKET FOB SEWING-MACHINE. 
sewing-machine itself. Several of these inventions 
have been purchased by the makers of the different 
machines, aud there are still others, some of which 
are very convenient attachments to a machine that 
must be purchased separately and of outside par- 
ties. We figure some of these devices that have 
been used in the families of our associates, and 
found useful. There are several besides these. 
Basket for Hohlinrj Work. — This is a handsome 
wicker-basket, made with hooks, which allow it to 
be hung to the cast-irou frame that supports the 
machine, as is shown in fig. 1, where it is attached 
to the frame of a Wilcox & Gibbs machine. 
Thread- Cutter. — A small blade in a plated guard 
is attached to the machine, as shown at A, figure 2, 
where it is shown upon a Singer machine. It is 
always at hand ready to cut a thread whenever 
required, and is so completely guarded that there 
is no danger of accidentally cutting the fingers. 
Casters. — A sewing-machine should stand firm 
while in use, and yet it is often a great convenience 
to be able to move it from place to place. We give 
in figures 3 and 5 illustrations of Sargent & Co.'s 
Fig. 2. — THREAD-CUTTER. 
casters, attached to a Wheeler & Wilson machine. 
These casters may be quickly thrown in and out 
of gear at will. Upon two of the legs are casters 
which only receive the weight of the machine when 
it is tiprjed, and at other times do not interfere 
with its steadiness. Attached to the iron frame, 
and at the opposite end of the machine, is a caster 
of such construction that when that end of the 
table is lifted the jointed caster falls into position, 
and the joint is caught and made solid. This tip- 
ping also brings the weight of the machine upon 
the other two casters, and be- 
ing supported thus upon three 
rollers is readily moved about. 
The long caster is readily un- 
shipped, and the machine 
placed on a firm foundation 
by a very simple movement. 
The Tuck-Marker.— This is 
an ingenious appendage to a 
machine, invented by II. C. 
Goodrich, and is used in sew- 
ing tucks. While sewing one 
tuck it marks the material in 
such a manner as to serve as a 
guide in sewing the next. The 
marker is laid upon the plate 
of the machine, aud the wire 
A is attached by a slide in such 
a manner that it is moved by 
the needle. At each motion 
of the needle the end of this 
wire is brought in contact 
with the part B. The curved 
end of B hasanotchinit.which 
strikes upon a sharp ridge immediately below it. 
The cloth passes between this ridge aud B, which 
has a slight motion, and as the needle moves is 
struck with a blow from A, which indents the cloth 
sufficiently to make a mark which serves as a guide 
got — such help from outside to see my particular 
faults aud failiugs — I dare say the process would 
have hurt me " awfully." In the criticism she 
received there was truth of a kind most wholesome 
for her to take to heart, if she would only believe 
it true, and if it had been given with more of a 
Fig. 3. — CASTERS ON MACHINE AT KEST. 
fellow-feeling for human weakness. One great 
drawback to its efficacy was the fact that it was 
given in the presence of others. 
Is it not a pity that any of us should grow up 
with such immoderate love of approbation that we 
Fig. i.— TUCK-MARKER. 
in sewing the next tuck. An adjustable scale al- 
lows the marks to be made at any desired distance. 
» i ■» !— I m 
Home Topics. 
BY FAITH ROCHESTEK. 
Family Criticism. — What a good thing it would 
be if we each had the "giftie" "to see ourselves 
as ithers see us" ! What an excellent thing if we 
were only willing to see our- 
selves as others see us ! " We 
don't know ourselves." This 
used to be the frequent remark 
of a person who considered it 
abuse never to be forgiven if 
any one frankly undertook to 
set a fault of his in clear light 
before him. A young woman 
once came to claim my sym- 
pathy on account of the abusive 
criticism a mutual acquaint- 
ance had given her. Her 
wounded feelings distressed 
me at first, but as she gave me 
the report, aud I saw how 
clearly her inveterate mental 
vices had been bared before 
her, I forgot her present pain 
and exclaimed : "I wish some 
one would give me such a talk- 
ing to!" She looked at me 
in utter astonishment, and 
said: "Then you thiuk the 
criticism a just one?" What 
could I say ? The suffering girl had beeu wounded 
again, in the house of her friends, and nothing I 
could ever say would heal the smart. 
Though I was honest at the time iu wishing I 
could have such a good lashing as that girl had 
can not endure a word of disapproval — so tender 
in our self-esteem that we can not live happily 
with those who do not feed us upon some sort of 
flattery? In my opinion, over-praise and over-blame 
both tend to produce these unlovely characters. 
A child is to be pitied for its faults, and should 
be helped to overcome them. To reproach it for 
its inherited defects of temperament is unreason- 
able. It is cruel. Just so in our treatment of the 
moral failings of the members of society. The 
Fig. 5. — casters on machine ready to move. 
same " old Adam " is in us all to some extent, so 
we may as well 
" Let a mournful fellow-feeling 
Temper all with love." 
It would be well to deal witli the faults of those 
