i89i 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
A MAN’S MISTAKE. 
HERE did yon get such a pretty 
breakfast castor ? ” asked one 
of the lady guests of the head of the family 
which we were visiting. 
“That?” said he, giving the castor a 
contemptuous little shove, “ugh I that’s a 
Christmas present my wife bought me 
with my money.” 
The questioner gave an unconscious 
stare; a look of pain and mortification 
flashed over the sweet face of the little 
woman behind the coffee pot, and the sub¬ 
ject was dropped, and forgotten by all 
present, excepting herself aid myself. She 
would never forget It. Why do husbands 
delight In making heart-stabs that never 
heal ? 
Soon after breakfast the wife came to 
my room, dressed in a plain, neat walking 
suit, with a market basket on her arm, 
asking if I wouldn’t like to go out with 
her, as she had heard me express a desire 
to see the town. I quickly donned my hat 
and j acket and, as we went into the street, 
said, in a tone of surprise: 
“ Do you do your own marketing ? I 
supposed city people had their servants to 
do that.” 
“ I have only one servant,” she answered, 
“ and I have either to do the housework 
while she does the marketing, or else to do 
the marketing myself, and I find that the 
latter is the better and the more economi¬ 
cal way.” 
It was literally “ a city set on a hill,” or 
rather on a succession of hills; and up and 
down and down and up, out beyond the 
busiest streets, into the smaller by-places, 
we went. 
“ What a long walk you are taking,” I 
said. “ Why do you go out so far? I should 
think it would be easier for you to make 
your purchases nearer home.” 
“ Yes, I suppose it would; but I can get 
just as good articles here and get them a 
good deal cheaper than I can on Main Street. 
Are you getting tired? If you are we will 
take a street car home. I don’t often take 
one unless it rains or I don’t feel able to 
walk. Of course the fare isn’t much; but 
when one goes out every day, as I have to, 
it counts up.” 
“Couldn’t you make purchases enough 
at one time to last two or three days?” 
“ Oh no, George is so particular; he has 
to have his fruit and meat and vegetables 
all fresh, and I have to go out every day, 
rain or shine.” 
“I see you keep account of everything,” 
I said, as she took a pencil and note book 
out of her pocket and made a memoran¬ 
dum of her purchases. 
“Yes; I am obliged to do it; otherwise I 
shouldn’t know where some of my money 
went to. I am allowed only a certain sum, 
you know, to pay my own and my house¬ 
hold expenses, and I have to reckon pretty 
closely to have anything left for myself ” 
“ Or for Christmas presents,” I added. 
“ Or for Christmas presents,” she echoed, 
with a sigh. “Just one more purchase 
and I am through. You know that silk 
wrap I wore last summer ? I’m going to 
wad and line it and make sleeves to it, so 
that it may do for my winter coat. Won’t 
that be quite a saving ? I can do all the 
fixing over myself and it will cost me al¬ 
most nothing. I think I can get the silk 
for the sleeves in here ;” and we passed into 
a dry goods establishment. As we came 
out she said again, “If you are tired we 
will take a street car.” 
I assured her that I was accustomed to 
long walks and did not need a street car. 
“ But I will take some of your packages,” 
I said, relieving her running-over basket 
and arms, “ Why do you carry so many 
things ? I thought town people nowadays 
had even their postage stamps delivered.” 
“ Some of the establishments I trade at 
do not deliver goods, and that is one reason 
why I get things cheaper,” she replied, 
with some embarrassment. “I don’t want 
you to think I’m miserly, but George spent 
so much money going to Europe, last sum¬ 
mer, that he can not let me have quite as 
much as usual: and, you know, Christmas 
will soon be here, and I can’t bear to let it 
Please mention The R. N.-Y. to our adver¬ 
tisers. 
When Baby was sick, we gave her Castoria, 
When she was a Child, she cried for Castoria, 
When she became Miss, she clung to Castoria, 
When she had Children, she gave them Castoria. 
go by without making some presents. It 
would seem to me like not having any 
Christmas at all.” 
As we neared her well ordered home we 
met “George,” sauntering lesiurely along 
the street, smoking a cigar, the price of 
which would have paid five streetcar fares; 
the money thus yearly expended would 
have tided the anxious, tired little woman 
at my side over many gift days, and I 
thought- 
“ ‘ Oh, foolish man ! and slow of under¬ 
standing !’ It was her own well-earned, 
hardly-saved money and not yours that 
purchased your undeserved Christmas 
gift.” GERALDINE GERMANE. 
SUGGESTIONS FOR AMATEUR 
DRESSMAKERS. 
EGINNERS in the art of dressmak¬ 
ing, like those in all trades, often 
fail miserably, or at least stamp their work 
as unprofessional through lack of atten¬ 
tion to details. 
A linen tape measure is one of the essen¬ 
tial requisites of a dressmaker’s outfit. 
Guessing is the foundation for the mishaps 
we call “ luck.” Plenty of basting thread 
and a colored pencil are quite as necessary 
to success. 
Choose a firm, light weight silesia for the 
waist lining. Economy here is “a saving 
that wastes.” Always cut this lining 
crosswise of the goods to prevent its stretch¬ 
ing by wear. 
I take it for granted that you use one of 
the full-size cut paper patterns. If you are 
careful in taking your bust measure not to 
have it small you need have no fears as to 
success. Read the directions until you 
understand them fully, then cut the cloth 
precisely like the pattern, and mark each 
piece plainly where the perforations for the 
seams are. Remember, this is a most im¬ 
portant point. 
In basting, hold the side backs a little 
full over the curve of the shoulder blades, 
and stretch the fronts tightly at the shoul¬ 
der seams. 
In fitting, make the main alterations at 
the under arm dart. If loose at the arm 
hole and neck in front, take a small gore 
plait at the front of the arm hole, and two 
inches back of the center of the front at 
the neck. Hem them down smoothly be¬ 
fore cutting the outside. 
Do not trim off any of the seams until 
you are ready to finish them. 
In dealing with the outside two points 
are positively essential to success: That 
you do not full the goods in basting; and 
that you have the perforations which show 
where the pattern is to be laid lengthwise 
of the goods, exactly in position. Many a 
dress is marked “ bungling ” by neglect of 
the latter point. 
Measure both the inside and the outside 
length of your arm before cutting the 
sleeve, and remember that all sleeves are 
now made very long. The upper part 
should be held a trifle full at the point of 
the elbow. Before pressing notch the in¬ 
side seam at the elbow, and at a point 
three inches each way from it. Great care 
should also be taken in notching the seams 
at the waist line of the bodice. 
Before facing the bottom of a basque 
fasten each seam down securely, after it 
has been turned up and basted. Do not 
fasten steels within half an inch of the top, 
and they will never cut through the goods. 
In basting the skirt always hold the 
gores next to you; for a stout person it is 
sometimes necessary to full the front one 
near the top. Have the seams of the skirt 
next to the drapery to give a neat ap¬ 
pearance to the inside. Cover the outside 
of the waist-band with material like the 
gown, to prevent Its showing when the 
arms are raised. 
Do not fail to add a loop at each side to 
hang the skirt by, and a belt to the middle 
of the basque. Tack this to the center 
back and under arm seams, to hold it 
firmly in place, katherine b. Johnson. 
NOTES AND RECIPES FROM SUB¬ 
SCRIBERS. 
“ How shall we warm the chamber 
without a stove ? ” was asked in a late 
Rural. It was suggested to “attach a 
drum to the pipe passing through such 
rooms.” As nearly every one uses a coal 
grate in the West, a plan that works to 
perfection is to cut a hole through the ceil¬ 
ing and chamber floor directly over the 
grate or heating stove, 10x20 inches, or any 
desired size. It can be cased with boards 
or tin curbing, with strong, hard-wood 
slats to be turned to control the heat when 
not wanted,j ust as heat is conveyed through 
a register on a more pretentious scale. 
Another handy fixture is a miniature 
elevator in the corner of the pantry or 
kitchen that drops into the cellar, so that 
table milk, butter, bread, etc., can be 
lowered, and thus the trouble of going up 
and down stairs at every meal be avoided. 
L. 
When the children’s beds are made it is 
well to turn the quilts and upper sheets 
down. Under the pillow slip a handker 
chief in readiness for use, should it be 
needed in the night, when most little ones 
dread to jump out in the cold to hunt one. 
Baby’s Knit Shoes.— Use black German 
knitting yarn. Cast 61 stitches on one 
needle. Knit plain, both sides alike, a piece 
an inch wide. Stick a pin in the center 
stitch. Narrow on each side of this stitch 
every second time across till you have nar 
rowed eight times, or 16 stitches. Knit 
twice across and bind off. Fold the work ; 
the place where the narrowing was done is 
the front. Sew down the back and under 
the middle of the foot. Crochet a row of 
scallops around the top. Draw around the 
top a cord to tie with, having tiny balls on 
each end. These are neat, comfortable 
shoes for babies. MRS L. niles. 
Bavarian Cream. — One-half box of 
Cox’s gelatine soaked in a cup of tepid 
water for two hours in a warm place; one 
pint of rich milk made into a custard with 
the yolks of four eggs, using one half cup 
of sugar boiled in the milk, and if vanilla 
is used steep a bean in the milk. When 
the custard is cooked just enough to firm 
on the edge of the steam cooker,beat it into 
the perfectly dissolved gelatine. When 
this mixture cools to set and thicken, beat 
one pint of rich, thick cream, very stiff, 
and stir It in carefully. If chocolate is 
desired grate one bar of Miner’s chocolate 
or four tablespoonfulsof Baker’s and stir it 
into the custard before putting in the 
whipped cream. A cupful of finely chop¬ 
ped pineapple is very nice ; a cup of strong 
cold coffee will do; or candied cherries— 
almost any dry sweet fruit will be an addi¬ 
tion. When well stirred have the molds 
ready, wet in cold water, fill them and put 
in a cold place to form. ELLA R. BEEBE. 
I would like to supplement “Farmer’s 
Girl’s ” suggestion with another. Take 
what mush is left from supper and put it 
away to be cut into slices and fried the next 
morning for breakfast. A nice syrup to 
be eaten with it, can be made of dark brown 
sugar. Mix sugar with water and put it in 
a tin dish, set it on the stove, and let it 
cook from five to ten minutes. It makes a 
clear, nice-colored syrup, quite the equal 
of maple syrup, and better than any syrup 
you can buy. If you wish a white syrup of 
a most delicate quality, you can use coffee 
C sugar; but the dark brown is preferable 
for mush. farmer’s girl no. 2. 
Recipe for Fish. —If you wish a delicate 
breakfast dish, take one or more fresh fish 
—we have brook trout, but any fish is 
good—that was cleaned and slightly salted 
the day before, place in a bake-tin, lay on 
bits of butter, then with a spoon or skim¬ 
mer spread thick, sweet cream over it, set 
in a moderate oven and bake. MRS. E. M. s. 
In writing to advertisers please always 
mention The Rural. 
CONSUMPTION 
in its 
early stages 
can be cured 
by the prompt 
use of 
Ayers Cherry Pectoral 
It soothes 
the inflamed tissues, 
aids expectoration, 
and hastens 
recovery. * 
Dr. J. C. Ayer & Co. 
Lowell, Mass. 
Dyspepsia is the bane of the present gen¬ 
eration. It is for its on re and its attendants, 
sick h eadache, constipation and piles, that 
fiitt’s Pills 
have become so famous. They act gently 
on the digestive organs, giving them tone 
and vigor without griping or nausea. 35c. 
175 
GOLD MEDAL, PARIS, 1C'75. 
W. BAKER & CO.’S 
Breakfast Cocoa 
from which tho excess of oil 
has been removed, 
Is absolutely pure and 
it is soluble. 
No Chem icals 
aro used in its preparation. It 
lias more than three times the 
strength of Cocoa mixed with 
Starch, Arrowroot or Sugar, 
and is therefore far more eco- 
I nomical, costing less than one 
| centacup. It is delicious, nour¬ 
ishing, strengthening, easily 
digested, and admirably adapted for invalids 
as well ns for persons in health. 
Sold by Grocers everywhere. 
W. BAKER & CO., Dorchester, Mass. 
11a— CTUnY Thorough and practical 
llllHIr '■* 1 w ** " instruction given try 
llwIVIh Mail in Book-keeping, Business Forms, 
Arithmetic, Penmanship. Shorthand 
etc. Low rates. Dlsta ce no objection. Circulars free. 
Bryant & Stratton, 415 Main Street, Buffalo, N. Y. 
T |£ I f-. \J Complete LAIUKS GUIDE 
I U rv V/ LVJ VJ I Alice II. Stoekham, 91. D. 
Tho very best book for ACENTS. Samplo pages free. 
Prepaid (2.76. A. II. Stoekham & Co., 157 LaSalle St., Chicago. 
True Danvers Onion Seed. 
My seed farms extend into Danvers, and I fre¬ 
quently buy of the best onion raisers there hundreds 
of bushels of their handsomest onions to plant to 
grow seed from, sometimes paying as high as five 
dollars a barrel. I offer such seed, all tills, yeur's 
growth and of my own raising, at # 8.00 a pound, with 
a discount on largo quantttles. Much of the onion 
seed sold Is either too flat or too round for true Dan¬ 
vers. Choice Danvers carrot seed $1.08 per pound. 
Seed catalogue sent FRKR to every one. 
JAMES J. II. GREGORY & SON, Marblehead, Mass. 
GRAPE VINES 
Plants of Boot duality. Warranted trno to namo. Lowoat 
Pricos. Largest Stock and Assortment of Old and How 
Varieties. Sond for Prioo List. 
BUSH & SON h MEISSm, Bnshliorg, Mo. 
Rural New-Yorker No. 2. 
Seed tubers of this famous potato for sale. Guaran¬ 
teed pure. 
II. V. M. DENNIS, Freehold, N. J. 
_*__ 
“EKEMPHf 
CENT. SAVED IN LABOR. 
While in 
operation 
it spreads 
manure 
with the 
rapidity that 
a mowing 
machine cuts 
Grass. But the 
chief merit is the ^Jl pulverizing and oven 
dletribution of manure. FULLY WARRANTED. 
Catalogue and full Price List sent free 
KEMP&BURPEE MFC. CO, Syracuse,N.Y. 
THE'IPOUNOER I HARROW 1 f LEADS' I THEM ALL' 
Sells best, Works best, Warranted best, 50,000 in 
use. One at wholesale i f you send now for illus¬ 
trated circularto G. II. Pounder, Ft. Atkinson,Wis. 
fl hampion f yaporator. 
For MAPLE, SORGHUM, CIDER, 
AND FRUIT JELLIES. 
Corrugated pan over firebox, douhlin 
boiling capacity. Small interchange 
able syrup pans (connected by si- ' 
phone), easily handled for cleans-/c 
ing and storing, and a Pcrfec 
Automatic Regulator, j 
The Champion is as great \ 
an improvement over the 
Cook Pan as the latter 
was over the old iron ket¬ 
tle, hung on a fence rail 
The C. H. GRIMM 
MFC. CO. — 
Hudson, Ohio and Rutland. Vt. 
General Advertising Rates of 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
TIMES BUILDING, NEW YORK. 
The following rates are invariable. All are there 
fore respectfully informed that any correspondence 
t eith a view to obtaining different terms will prow 
futile. , 
Obdinapv Advertisements, per agate line (tibia 
sized type, 14 lines to the Inch). SOi&mik 
One thousand lines or more,within one year 
from date of first insertion, per agate line, 2t •* 
Yearly orders occupying 10 or more lines 
agate space.25 * 
Preferred positions.25 per cent, extrt 
Reading Notices, ending with “Adv.," per 
line, minion leaded. 25 oeat 
Terms of Subscription. 
The subscription price of the Rural Nxw Yomiii a 
Single copy, per year.§2.00 
** 14 Six months. Lll 
Great Britain, Ireland, Australia and 
Germany, por year, post-paid. §3.04 (12s. VT) 
France. ... 3.04 (1 Is .) 
French Colonies. 4.08 (29^ fir.) 
Agents will be supplied with canvassing outfit ea 
application. 
latere* at fifae Ftwt-offloe at New 'ffertt City, 1, 1 , 
m M tsai-elswe *tJ0. mtltou. 
