Thing-s  Russian  and  Otherwise. 
HE  Russian  craze  in  fashionable  dress  is  rapidly 
increasing.  Twelve  illustrations  in  a  late  fashion 
magazine  were  devoted  to  things  Russian  :  Russian 
blouses  ;  Russian  waists  ;  dresses  with  Russian  closing, 
etc.  The  Russian  blouse  develops  downward,  many 
of  the  latest  models  reaching  nearly  half  the  length  of 
the  dress  skirt.  In  one  new  pattern,  the  sleeves  have 
double  caps ;  while  in  the  latest  variation  of  the 
blouse,  the  fronts  close  in  surplice  fashion.  The  clos¬ 
ing  edges,  the  caps,  the  bottom  and  the  yoke,  if  there 
be  one,  are  usually  bordered  with  some  woven  trim¬ 
ming,  such  as  Russian  embroidery,  passementerie  or 
curled  silk  feather-bands. 
The  latest  development  in  ugliness,  however,  is  in  a 
sack-coat  for  outer  wear,  having  under  arm  and  shoulder 
seams** nil),  and  half  long.  An  English  model  of  one 
of  this  style  has  a  wide  rolling  collar  and  a  Watteau 
fold  down  the  center  of  the  back,  and  resembles  noth¬ 
ing  so  much  as  a  bed  gown. 
Fancy  belts,  girdles  and  sashes  accompany  nearly 
all  costumes. 
Some  Interesting  Children. 
“  Four  Fortunate  Unfortunates”  is  the  title  of  an 
interesting  article  that  lately  appeared  in  Home  Maker. 
The  first  of  these  unfortunates  to  be  discovered  was 
Helen  Keller,  11  years  old,  whose  name  is  becoming 
quite  well  known.  The  others  are  Edith  Thomas, 
Willie  Robin  and  four-year-old  Tommy  Stringer. 
Willie,  six  years  old,  is  really  a  beautiful  child,  and 
from  the  photographs  of  her,  one  would  never  dream 
that  she  was  blind.  Tommy,  poor  baby,  had  lost  his 
mother,  and  neither  the  step-mother  nor  the  father 
wanted  the  unfortunate  child.  Through  Helen  Keller’s 
unselfish  efforts,  money  was  raised  to  care  for  him  and 
start  him  in  the  school.  These  children  are  now  being 
taught  even  to  speak — wonder  of  wonders — Helen  plays 
the  piano,  Edith  is  becoming  proficient  in  sloyd,  or 
manual  training,  and,  best  of  all,  all  are  bright,  happy 
and  affectionate,  all  but  Edith  being  especially  joyous 
in  disposition.  It  would  be  well  indeed  if  all  who  are 
inclined  to  complain  of  their  lot  in  life  could  read  and 
meditate  upon  the  story  of  these,  happy  children  who 
have  been  deprived  of  everything  that  goes  to  make 
life  endurable,  as  most  of  us  look  at  it. 
Different  Views  of  the  Teacher’s  Work. 
In  the  articles  dealing  with  the  district  schools, 
there  seems  to  be  a  somewhat  sharply  defined  differ¬ 
ence  of  opinion  as  to  the  real  duty— or  duties — 
of  the  teacher.  Some  correspondents  feel  that  the 
teacher  is  paid  for  teaching ,  and  that  the  too  apparent 
necessity  for  training  in  morals  and  manners  is  but 
a  hindrance  to  her  real  work.  Others  are  as  strongly 
convinced  that  to  mold  character  is  the  teacher’s  real 
work — the  work  for  which  she  will  be  commended 
or  condemned,  and  beside  which  the  mere  mental 
training  is  as  nothing.  Which  is  the  right  view  ? 
A  Summer  Accident— Sunstroke. 
AVERY  frequent  and  often  fatal  accident  on  ex¬ 
cessively  hot  days  in  early  summer,  is  sun¬ 
stroke.  It  would  be  more  correct  to  call  it  heat¬ 
stroke,  for  it  occurs  in  shaded  places  as  well  as  in 
the  sun ;  at  night,  as  well  as  in  the  day  time.  The 
only  condition  necessary  to  produce  it  is  external 
heat  sufficient  to  overheat  the  blood  (usually  from  100 
to  110  degrees  Fahrenheit),  hence  those  who  labor  in 
glass  works,  furnaces,  laundries,  etc.,  wherever  the 
air  may  become  intensely  heated,  as  in  the  narrow 
and  close  streets  of  cities,  or  in  the  harvest  field,  are 
all  liable  to  the  accident. 
Sun-stroke  is  more  common  and  more  fatal  in  the 
early  summer  than  later ;  for  the  reason  that  the  sys¬ 
tem  in  time  becomes  accustomed  to  the  great  heat  of 
the  hot  season.  Those  habituated  to  the  use  of  al¬ 
cohol,  and  the  weak  and  debilitated  are  probably 
more  disposed  to  attacks  than  others.  It  is  well  to 
remember  that  children  and  infirm  people,  warmly 
clad,  and  in  warm,  close  rooms,  may  suffer  from  heat 
prostration,  as  well  as  those  who  labor  in  the  open  air. 
Precautions. — Alcohol  and  dark,  close-fitting  cloth¬ 
ing,  with  compression  of  the  chest,  neck  and  abdomen, 
should  be  avoided  during  the  heated  term.  For  this 
season,  clothing  light  in  weight  and  color,  with  a 
light,  open  straw  or  felt  hat,  should  be  worn.  A  hat 
perforated  so  as  to  permit  a  circulation  of  air,  is  to  be 
preferred.  Constipation  of  the  bowels  is  to  be  avoided. 
On  excessively  hot  days,  one  should  try  to  work  in 
moderation  to  avoid  becoming  overheated,  while  the 
head,  chest,  neck,  hands  and  wrists  should  be  bathed 
frequently  in  cold  water.  Some  green  leaves  or  a  wet 
cloth  should  be  kept  in  the  hat  by  those  who  are  com¬ 
pelled  to  work  in  the  sun  on  intensely  hot  days,  and 
c  ire  should  be  taken  to  wet  the  towel  or  leaves  with 
cold  water  at  frequent  intervals.  Water  should  be 
drunk,  not  in  great  quantities  at  once,  but  frequently 
in  small  quantities.  Ice  water  and  cold  spring  water 
may  be  used  with  this  one  precaution,  to  drink  fre¬ 
quently  and  not  in  large  quantities. 
When,  on  a  very  hot  day,  the  skin  becomes  dry  and 
uncomfortably  hot,  and  a  burning  sensation  is  felt  in 
the  head,  while  the  face  is  flushed  and  the  eyes  con¬ 
gested,  with  a  frequent  desire  to  urinate,  the  person 
should  immediately  quit  work,  retire  to  a  cool  place,  and, 
if  possible,  after  bathing  the  body  in  cold  water,  rest  in 
quietness  in  the  shade.  If  it  is  not  possible  to  take  a 
full  bath,  bathe  the  head,  neck  and  arms  with  the 
coldest  water  to  be  secured.  A  cup  of  hot  tea  or  a 
glass  of  hot  milk  may  be  taken  with  advantage  by  one 
threatened  with  sun-stroke. 
TREATMENT. 
1.  After  an  attack,  at  once  carry  the  patient  to  the 
coolest  shaded  place  accessible,  where  there  is  plenty 
of  pure,  fresh  air.  2.  At  once,  without  waiting  for  a 
physician,  strip  the  clothing  to  the  waist,  and  place 
the  body  in  a  recumbent  position.  3.  Pour  cold  water 
— ice  or  cold  spring  water  is  best — upon  the  head  and 
chest  from  a  considerable  height,  until  consciousness 
returns.  If  ice  is  accessible,  it  may  be  applied  to  the 
head  and  chest  and  rubbed  over  the  body.  If  the  skin 
is  cold,  no  ice  should  be  applied  to  the  body.  Inter¬ 
nally,  milk,  with  small  doses  of  brandy,  may  be  ad¬ 
ministered  ;  but,  in  all  cases  of  this  sickness,  a  physi¬ 
cian  should  be  summoned  as  soon  as  possible,  and,  on 
his  arrival,  the  patient  should  be  put  in  his  charge.  It 
is,  however,  well  to  remember  that  in  the  country, 
where  it  might  not  be  possible  to  get  a  physician  for 
several  hours,  by  the  immediate  attention  to  the  above 
rules,  lives  may  often  be  saved  ;  while,  if  a  physician 
had  been  waited  for,  at  his  arrival  nothing  could  be 
done  for  the  relief  of  the  patient. 
Patients  who  have  suffered  from  sun-stroke,  are 
often  left  in  an  enfeebled  condition  from  which  they 
recover  very  slowly.  The  mind  is  very  frequently 
weakened.  Those  who  have  once  suffered  from  sun¬ 
stroke  are  more  liable  to  another  attack.  Insanity 
frequently  follows,  for  which  reason  the  patient  should 
avoid  worry  and  overwork  for  some  months.  Careful 
nursing  and  kind  attention  may  in  time  produce  a  full 
recovery.  [dr.]  geo.  g.  groff. 
Let  Us  Rather  Eat  to  Live. 
LMOST  any  physician  will  say  that  we  eat  not 
only  too  much,  but  in  some  cases  too  often  ;  and 
the  people  who  live  to  eat  are  always  groaning  over 
some  ailment.  In  spite  of  the  fact  that  we  are  making 
giant  strides  towards  a  better  civilization  and  a  higher 
plane  of  life,  we  still  carry  along  and  are  hampered  by 
the  flesh-pots  of  Egypt ;  are  yet  too  prone  to  indulge 
and  pamper  the  animal  instincts  and  desires  of  our 
bodies.  On  every  possible  occasion,  and  on  the 
slightest  pretext,  we  make  feasts,  and  eat  and  drink 
to  the  detriment  of  our  physical  and  mental  health. 
In  the  name  of  hospitality  we  entertain  our  guests  at 
the  table  with  all  the  refinements  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  but  with  a  sumptuousness  that  smacks  strong¬ 
ly  of  our  barbaric  ancestry  ;  it  is  not  a  compliment  to 
our  powers  of  entertaining,  or  flattering  to  our  guests’ 
mental  caliber. 
Rome  commenced  her  first  downward  steps  when 
her  citizens  were  searching  every  known  portion  of 
the  world  for  new  and  strange  dishes  with  which  to 
tickle  their  palates. 
We  should  be  epicures;  not  gluttons.  A  man  can  be 
quite  as  much  of  an  epicure  over  a  crust  of  bread 
served  daintily,  as  over  a  dish  of  peacocks’  tongues  or 
a  turtle  soup. 
Every  woman  should  learn  to  cook  common,  ordinary 
food  daintily  before  attempting  fancy  cooking.  This 
was  once  forcibly  illustrated  in  my  case  when  an  ill¬ 
ness  necessitated  the  hiring  of  a  girl.  She  had  the 
reputation  of  being  an  excellent  housekeeper,  and 
proved  worthy  of  her  recommendation  in  everything 
but  plain  cooking.  Given  plenty  of  material,  she 
would  make  delicious  desserts  and  cakes  that  would 
melt  in  the  mouth  ;  but  she  could  not  cook  bread, 
meat  and  potatoes  decently.  The  bread  was  coarse 
and  dark,  the  meat  always  underdone,  and  the  gravies 
white,  and  tasting  like  starch.  We  longed  inexpress¬ 
ibly  for  a  well  cooked  roast  or  stew,  and  the  head  of 
the  family  nearly  starved  ;  for  cakes  and  desserts  alone 
could  not  satisfy  the  cravings  of  the  inner  man. 
T  asked  this  girl  one  day  why  she  did  not  mash  the 
potatoes  sometimes.  She  looked  surprised,  and  said  : 
“  We  had  some  for  breakfast  this  morning.”  It  was 
now  my  turn  to  be  surprised;  for  the  potatoes  in  ques¬ 
tion  were  so  lumpy  that  I  had  supposed  them  to  be 
some  she  had  warmed  over.  I  silently  wondered  if 
all  the  families  for  whom  she  had  worked,  lived  on 
cake,  pie,  etc.  It  was  unaccountable  that  she,  a  poor 
man’s  daughter,  working  in  different  places,  had  never 
learned  to  cook  plain  food  well. 
Farmers’  wives,  as  a  rule,  are  good  cooks,  and  their 
tables  are  bountifully  supplied  with  vegetables  and 
fruits;  if  there  be  anything  lacking,  it  is  variety;  this 
difficulty  can  be  obviated  by  the  housewife’s  taking 
pencil  and  paper,  and  each  Monday  making  out  a  new 
bill  of  fare  for  the  coming  week;  she  will  bQ  surprised 
to  see  how  many  changes  can  be  rung  on  even  a  few 
dishes.  1  nforeseen  events  may  cause  some  change  in 
the  programme,  but,  as  a  rule,  it  can  be  carried  out 
with  little  trouble. 
Fancy  cooking  can  be,  and  is,  successfully  introduced 
into  those  households  where  there  is  plenty  of  help 
for  the  housekeeper,  but  it  is  not  for  the  great  mass 
of  farmers’  wives — those  who  do  not  have  plenty  of 
help  and  whose  flying  feet,  from  March  until  Christ¬ 
mas,  scarcely  find  rest  between  dawn  and  dark. 
country  woman  already  devotes  double,  yes,  trehl&wTe 
time  the  city  housewife  gives  to  the  preparation  and 
care  of  food  for  her  family;  and  she  can  ill  afford  the 
extra  time  required  for  the  concocting  of  fancy  dishes. 
The  expense  of  fancy  cooking  would  be  the  last  item 
considered,  as  most  of  the  materials  are  procured  on 
the  farm  at  first  cost.  Josephine  starh. 
Parents  as  Ilinderers. 
PEAKING  of  my  own  experience,  I  can  say  that  1 
have  seldom  had  any  trouble  with  pupils  who 
have  received  proper  training  at  home.  The  parents 
who  take  pains  to  cultivate  the  manners  and  morals  of 
their  children,  and  accustom  them  to  obedience  from 
infancy,  send  out  with  them  a  wholesome  influence 
which  goes  far  towards  helping  their  teacher  to  govern 
his  school  successfully.  On  the  contrary,  those  who 
are  not  taught  obedience  at  home  are  often  ready  to 
defy  any  authority  which  threatens  to  interfere  with 
their  ideas,  and  their  proper  behavior  in  school  is  only 
in  proportion  as  they  have  been  brought  under  sub¬ 
jection  by  their  teacher. 
I  once  had  in  my  school  a  bright,  pleasant-faced  boy 
whom  I  liked  much,  because  of  his  open,  cheery  coun¬ 
tenance  and  usually  good  behavior.  One  day,  however, 
I  discovered  a  side  to  his  character  which  I  had  not 
before  suspected.  He  sullenly,  and  without  apparent 
cause,  refused  to  write  at  the  hour  set  apart  for  that 
exercise.  He  said  that  other  teachers  let  the  pupils 
write  just  when  they  chose.  I  explained  to  him  that 
I  had  arranged  a  special  time  for  each  branch  of  studj% 
and  thought  it  a  much  better  way,  and  that  1  must  in¬ 
sist  on  having  my  plans  carried  out  unless  there  was  a 
reasonable  excuse  for  not  doing  so.  He  reluctantly 
complied,  but,  in  an  insolent  manner,  demanded  a 
“copy.’  “Certainly,”  I  said,  “when  you  ask  in  a 
civil  way  for  it.”  This  he  refused  to  do. 
The  next  morning  his  father  came,  in  great  ire  to 
the  school  house,  with  his  son,  and  proceeded  to  up¬ 
braid  me  in  the  most  severe  terms.  He  declared  it  be 
my  duty  to  accede  to  the  demands  of  the  boy,  whether 
he  was  insolent  or  not,  that  I  was  not  hired  to  teach 
the  children  manners.  I  quietly  replied  that  I  should 
require  the  pupils  to  be  not  only  obedient  but  respect¬ 
ful.  “Then,”  he  said,  “my  boy  shall  not  come  to 
school,”  and  thereupon  he  gathered  up  his  books  and 
took  them  and  the  boy  home. 
I  felt  truly  sorry  to  lose  this  pupil,  because  I  believed 
that,  given  opportunity,  he  had  the  ability  to  rise  in 
the  world  ;  and  I  believed  that,  with  the  right  kind 
of  moral  training,  he  would  become  a  good  and  useful 
man.  Had  the  parents  cooperated  with  the  teacher 
in  trying  to  lead  the  boy  in  the  path  of  duly,  encour¬ 
aging  him  to  do  what  was  evidently  right,  he  might 
have  received  an  impulse  which  would  have  carried 
him,  as  he  grew  into  manhood,  to  a  piece  far  above 
the  ordinary  level.  As  it  was,  his  evil  passions  were 
fostered,  and  he  was  at  once  deprived  of  his  only 
means  of  improvement. 
Another  incident  in  my  experience  will  further 
prove  how  much  parents  have  to  do  in  helping  or 
hindering  the  successful  government  of  a  school. 
I  had  a  boy  in  my  school,  whose  mischievous  pranks, 
perpetrated  “  on  the  sly,”  on  purpose  to  draw  the 
attention  of  the  other  scholars  from  their  books,  and 
to  make  them  laugh,  caused  much  confusion,  and 
made  it  impossible  to  preserve  order.  After  trying-, 
in  various  ways,  to  induce  him  to  behave  properly,  I 
finally  banished  him  to  a  small  room  designed  for  a 
cloak  room,  where  I  placed  a  desk  and  seat,  making 
everything  comfortable  for  him,  except  that  he  had 
only  the  bare  walls  at  which  to  make  his  grimaces, 
and  no  one  to  appreciate  and  laugh  at  them.  Here  he 
was  at  first  condemned  to  stay  for  one  day  only;  but  as 
