21 G 
fWWMW MWMWW 
November, 1889. 
ORCHARD 
GARDE 
Family RniiiIdiik. 
There is nothing better than the old 
New England fashion of regarding Thanks- 
giving Day as a time for family reunion, — a 
day when all the widely scattered members 
of a large family will, if possible, return to 
the old homestead and sit down together at 
the old table. In this hurrying, restless age, 
brothers and sisters drift apart and become 
indifferent to each other, while children 
seem even to forget their parents. 
Often this condition of things is wholly 
unnecessary and is simply the result of care- 
lessness. We haven’t meant to be neglect- 
ful and yet we haven’t given our friends an 
urgent invitation to visit us at a fixed time. 
Effort and exertion are necessary in order 
to keep up these social relations, but 
nothing worth having comes without 
some trouble. 
The love of brothers and sisters, of 
parents and children for each other 
is too precious a thing to be lightly 
lost: it should be considered done of 
our priceless possessions. Let us do 
all we can to strengthen and cement 
it: and, to that end, let us make a 
special effort this year to eat Thanks- 
giving dinner with friends, at their 
table or our own, as may seem most 
agreeable to all. 
The thought of an elaborate dinner 
for so many people, discourages the 
average house-keeper at the outset; 
and the grace of hospitality is in dan- 
ger of dying out if the present ten- 
dency to extravagant display is not 
checked. Better a simpler man- 
ner of living and more opportunities of en- 
joying the society of our friends. 
Consider tlie Poor. 
When looking over our possesions in pre- 
paration for the winter, let us be sure that 
no half-worn, out-grown clothing is left use- 
less while many among the worthy poor are 
suffering cold and discomfort from the lack 
of those very things. 
The old proverb “keep a thing seven 
years and it will be of use’ - has a bad side. 
To run the risk of injury by dust, moth, 
or fire, for years on the chance of being 
able to use a garment sometime, when we 
know it would do somebody good at once is 
a selfish way of managing. 
It is right and a duty to economize, but 
we ought not to forget the needs of our less 
fortunate neighbors. 
With a little care and planning, every one 
of us can make Thanksgiving Day a glad 
and happy time to some family that might 
otherwise see no cause for thankfulness. 
IWantel Drapery. 
An ugly mantle or other shelf may be 
transformed into a thing of beauty by this 
pretty and effective drapery. Cover the 
shelf with old rose brocade, tacking it close- 
ly, but allowing it to hang down all around 
to the depth of nearly half a yard. Fasten 
little tassels of the same color along the bot- 
tom of the brocade, at distances of an inch 
apart. 
Over the shelf drape a scarf of linen-col- 
ored pongee (or primrose yellow if the room 
will admit) which should be two and a quar- 
ter yards long. On each end of the scarf, to 
the depth of three-quarters of a yard, paint 
or embroider a design of paeonies or chry- 
santhemums in old rose shades. Drape the 
scarf gracefully according to your fancy. 
You may let one end fall over a corner of 
the shelf, then bring it up to the top, let it 
fall again a short distance beyond, then 
catch it up a little and drop it carelessly over 
the end of the shelf. 
Instead of the brocade, a novel effect is 
Locker Sofa. Fig. 1618. 
obtained by using the bark of the beautiful 
white birch tree, though it is not easy to 
obtain a sufficiently large strip. 
^locker” Sofa. 
A most convenient and comfortable arti- 
cle for hall or bedroom is a locker sofa. A 
long, deep window-seat may form the bed 
of this capacious lounge; but there are com- 
paratively few houses in which the windows 
are sufficiently large, and it is quite as well 
to have the lounge complete in itself. 
Its peculiarity consists in having the space 
underneath utilized, where deep drawers or 
compartments with doors, extend from the 
bed to the floor. Two large, square cushions 
filled with hair serve as mattresses on which 
one may, if need be. have a good night's 
rest; soft, generous pillows being provided 
for the head. In the illustration the sofa is 
shown at the end of a hall or corridor, but 
it will be found equally desirable in a bed- 
room.— M. C. Rankin. 
The Health of our School Children. 
Although childhood is naturally a period 
of health, we constantly see weak, nervous, 
and sickly school-children. If we comment 
on the fact, we are told that they are wort 
out by study, and our modern methods of 
education are held responsible. Now, in nine 
cases out of ton, to say that study has in- 
jured them is to state only a half truth. If 
study has hurt them it is because they are 
not properly fed, clothed or rested. 
Children, when in school, need an abun- 
dance of plain, wholesome food, comfortable 
clothing and plenty of sleep. Late hours 
are not for them. Their brightness and 
quickness of mind largely depend not only 
upon the amount of sleep they have but 
when it is taken. Going to bed late at night 
and getting up so late in the morning that 
there is only time for a cup of coffee and a 
cracker before starting for school is a pret- 
ty sure way to undermine the health. One 
who has never given the subject any thought 
will be surprised at the small proportion 
I of school-children who have proper break- 
fasts. Many, especially among the 
girls, depend upon coffee, making 
up deficiencies by a lunch of candy 
and cake at recess. 
Questioning a bevy of girls, one ad- 
mitted that her break-fast had con- 
sted of fried apples! Several had 
had nothing but buckwheat cakes, 
some had eaten sausage with their 
cakes, while only three or four had 
had a sensible breakfast of oat-meal 
with cream, rolls, milk, eggs or hash, 
A month ago a school-girl of four- 
teen, and an onlv daughter, was tak- 
en from a beautiful home to an in- 
sane asylum. It wasn’t over-study 
that sent her there, but wrong habits 
of living, — late hours, beaux, and 
parties. The effort to be a child and 
a young lady at the same time was 
great a strain upon her mind whose 
home was in a neglected body. 
When children break down in school, the 
fault is usually with the mothers and not 
the teachers. When every mother realizes 
that in order to have her children strong 
and well while in school, she must insist 
upon their having sensible clothing, whole- 
some food, proper hours for sleep, with 
plenty of fresh air and out-door exercise, 
then we shall see a decided improvement 
in the health of our school-children. — M. C. 
Rankin. 
Cheese Cake is a popular old-fashioned 
dessert. Use a cup and a half of fresh, 
sweet cottage cheese, press it through a col- 
ander, add two tablespoonfuls of cream, a 
teaspoonful of melted butter, half a cup of su- 
gar, the juice and rind of a fresh lemon, or 
if that is not at hand, a teaspoonful of 
nilla extract, and last, three eggs, beaten’ 
very light. Beat all together until smooth; 
line a deep pie dish with plain pie crust, fill 
and bake in a quick oven for half an 
1 hour. 
