Women Make the 
Homes. 
Woman And 
The Home. 
Homes Make the 
Nation. 
NEW WALE PAPERS AND OTHER ITEMS. 
SUBSCRIBER sends a trio of questions begging in¬ 
formation concerning the newest wall papers, paste 
with which to apply the same, and liquid stove-dressing, 
such as is used by the hardware merchants. 
Wall papers, it is said, have never been so handsome, so 
really artistic or so cheap as is the case this present sea¬ 
son ; yet never, perhaps, have they been more expensive, 
if one chooses to buy expensive grades. 
Some one says that gold is a desirable adjunct in the de¬ 
signs of wall hangings, but it always increases the price 
greatly. Be that as it may, gold and other metallic effects, 
such as copper, bronze and oxydized silver, all dull rather 
than bright, are a feature of the season’s styles, especially 
in the best quality of papers. Light grounds, of which 
ivory seems to be the favorite tint, are almost universal, 
except, perhaps, in the leather and Lincrusta Waltons. 
Perhaps the handsomest rooms are hung with the heavy 
pressed or embossed papers. One beauiiful parlor re¬ 
cently done by professional hangers has the body of the 
side walls covered with heavy pressed, or leather paper of 
a rich old ivory ground, the pressed-out design being in 
shaded browns, outlined in dull gold, and melting into 
old pink and olive tints. A frieze 18 inches deep is sepa¬ 
rated from the main wall covering by a picture molding 
in golden brown, with carved gold blossoms forming a 
fancy edge thereto. The ceiling paper is also of heavy 
ivory pressed paper, of a slightly lighter pattern than that 
on the sides. The angle cornice which separates the ceil¬ 
ing paper from the frieze is also tinted to match the paper. 
Friezes are often 27 to 30 inches deep ; at times no frieze is 
used, and the angle cornice is widened to take its place. 
Some of them are 12 to 15 inches wide. In vestibules, if 
the wainscoting is very handsome, the frieze is sometimes 
omitted. 
Some of the Japanese leather papers come as high as $40 
per bolt; but although these are undeniably elegant, just 
as beautiful combinations in color may be found in the 
papers costing but a few cents per roll. 
Many refined people prefer the plain, soft-surfaced in¬ 
grain papers to the more aggressive pressed papers. They 
make less demand upon the attention, and therefore form 
a much better background for pictures, as a conspicuous 
paper renders the finest of pictures of no effect. 
Cheerfulness andgayety are the chief words in the hang¬ 
ings of the day. Dark rooms, especially, should have yel¬ 
lowish or creamy tints for a ground. Blue, it is said, is 
best for a low ceiling; and ceiling paper in squares is grow¬ 
ing in favor, as it does not so apparently lower the 
ceilings. 
Ox-blood, Pompeian red and heliotrope are fashionable 
tints which appear in the new papers. Baby-blue and gray 
are used to some extent in bed-rooms. Old-rose is also com¬ 
bined with metallic effects. 
It may not be amiss for the house wall-decorator to con¬ 
sider that the rough-surfaced papers must soil sooner than 
those of smooth finish, as they can but catch more of the 
dust which is always seeking an undisturbed place whereon 
to settle. 
We have never found it necesssry to have a better paste 
than that formed by cooked flour and water. If the flour 
is stirred to thorough smoothness with blood-warm water, 
before adding boiling water enough to make the paste of 
the consistency of thick, sweet cream, it will be thor¬ 
oughly satisfactory. Alum, dissolved in the water, is 
thought to make the paste stick better, and for papering 
over wood—as is sometimes necessary—a small proportion 
of dissolved white glue is desirable. Where it seemed 
impossible to entirely remove all the old paper, we have 
sometimes added a little carbolic acid to the paste, as a 
disinfectant, but the odor is apt to linger for some time. 
* * * 
We have no information regarding the liquid stove 
blacking, except that some hardware merchants will fur¬ 
nish it for home use, if customers desire it; and we think 
that this, in the end, would prove the most desirable way 
of obtaining it. Where retail prices must be paid for 
several ingredients, the economy of mixing small quanti¬ 
ties of things at home often lies largely in the imagination. 
* * * 
In the present issue will be noted an answer to a corre¬ 
spondent from the other side of the Atlautic. Roumania, 
according to the missionary workers, has many things for 
which to be thankful to our country, and it now appears 
that The R. N.-Y. is to be allowed to do missionary work 
there in the line of Yankee pancakes. Let the good work 
go on. 
EARLY SPRING “MERCIES.” 
PRING sunshine comes again. It is not a very steady 
friend, but allows us to be thawed and frozen in 
turn. It gives, however, new life and raises new hopes in 
a gardener’s heart. Are not fresh radishes and lettuce in 
prospect ? Does not asparagus loom up in the near 
future, with peas closely following ? Finish up the canned 
vegetables, for the day of the fresh stock is at hand. 
Let every farmer see to it that there is a bit of choice 
loam prepared for fruits, vegetables and flowers ; let it be 
part of the work to beautify the homestead as well as to 
discover how much can be made in the shape of bushels of 
potatoes or oats. There is nothing so unjust to the 
“ bread ” savers, who are co-“ winners,” as to give them 
grudgingly a bit of weedy, unimportant land in which to 
delve and raise the choice fruits or vegetables which they 
are quite willing to share when they come to the table. 
I know a farmer who plants early potatoes right up to 
his doorstep, and leaves room only for a few cabbages; 
but when his wife took the trouble to raise some tomato 
plants in a pan in the kitchen, and cleared out an old 
stone heap to make room for planting them, he did not 
forget to eat them, or to tell his neighbors how early and 
superior “ his” tomatoes were that year. 
There is nothing more satisfactory than a home table 
where the best of home-grown products abound. Our young 
people sometimes complain that the city friends have a pa¬ 
tronizing tone when they speak of our home productions. 
“ Delicious honey—grow it yourselves ? ah 1 ” “ Such 
cream!—you keep cows, of course? ” “ Luscious raspberry 
jam; your own growing ? ” etc., etc. But all the time they 
are doubtless enjoying or at least appreciating our riches, 
and comparing them with the stale and high-priced pro¬ 
ductions of the street, market or shop, be the latter as fresh 
as it is possible. 
So let us begin while there is time and use these spring 
days in preparing for our gardens and for their untold 
wealth. We are richer than we know in our blessed air 
and sunshine and all the products that we can have as the 
saying is “ within ourselves.” Fresh eggs that can hardly 
be bought in winter, the extras of the poultry yard, the 
fruit of orchard and garden, all make us kings and queens 
of our table, and so of the home. And I would not change 
places with any average commercial man if I had a 20 or 
80-acre farm in a good locality, easy of access to the city, 
with good water and pure air. So many things cannot be 
bought, and we are too apt to count other peoples “mer¬ 
cies ” instead of ourown__ _ ANNIE L JACK. 
ANOTHER ANSWER TO THE QUESTION. 
Y theory of the happy change in the young teacher 
whom May Maple described in The R. N.-Y. of Jan¬ 
uary 10, is this : I feel assured there was a change in Rose 
too, though the writer did not mention it. I’m sure her 
friends had occasion to remark her improved manners, so 
quiet and lady-like, and the teacher got credit for exercising 
a good influence over the hitherto considered incorrigible 
hoyden. 
Rose was a well matured young lady—healthy, happy 
and possessed of superabundant vitality which she needs 
must work off either at task or play ; the teacher, though 
perfectly healthy, had been burdened with hard study and 
care, and probably lacked proper exercise and nourish¬ 
ment. Rose shared her bed with the pale-faced teacher 
and cherished her. In the case under consideration both 
were benefited ; while oftentimes one bedfellow robs the 
other of vitality, and gives nothing in return. 
I presume the sanitary regulations of the “ little house 
on the slope of the hill,” were not bad, and the fare, 
though plain, was well cooke 1 and abundant. The 6x6 
upper room may not have been absolutely air-tight, and 
the sheets, etc., were kept clean and fresh. Last, but not 
least of recuperative influences, I count the warm welcome 
and paternal care given by the “ rough, though good- 
natured farmer and his large-framed, pleasant-faced wife.” 
The moral is plain : Let parents beware of allowing their 
children to sleep with the aged or infirm, maky hablan. 
A BROTHER’S NOTES ON THE PRIZE ARTICLES. 
MONG the many valuable hints to be found in the 
prize articles on pages 214 and 215, are two or three 
that are actually worth five years’ subscription to any 
reader of The Rural. One of these is found in the first-prize 
article. It is to make two lists before purchasing—the 
“ wants ” and “ must havts.” Have others of the Rural fam¬ 
ily ever tried this plan ? It has saved me many a good dol¬ 
lar. Almost all of us want a great many things which wecan 
very well get along without if we will try, while there are 
a good many things we must have in order to economize 
in time, labor and materials. Let the “ wants” rest until 
the desire for them cools a little, and put the cash in things 
of the “ must-have ” sort, and you will soon learn a lesson 
In economy that will save you many a pinch and many a 
blunder. 
In the second-prize article is a hint that is especially 
valuable. The writer says : “ I economize in friction by 
attending to my own household affairs instead of my neigh- 
bpr’s; by not interfering with my husband’s business when 
I know that my opinion is not desired, and that it will not 
in any way change his plans or his work.” There is plain 
common sense for you, applicable alike to both sides of the 
house. There is one of the great secrets of making life a 
real pleasure. First of all, let your neighbor alone. His 
affairs are not yours, and by simply attending to your 
own many a bitter quarrel is avoided. To interfere In his 
business is one of the shortest ways to make an enemy of 
a friend or neighbor. 
I once worked for a farmer whose wife was a very fine 
woman in all particulars except one. Whenever he began 
any farming operation, such as plowing for corn, sowing 
wheat or harvesting, she would volunteer her advice as to 
how it should be done when she knew that from the nature 
of the case her advice could not be followed. If owing to 
inclement weather or other good reasons he was unable to 
carry out his plans, she delighted in ridiculing his man¬ 
agement. But for this they would have been perfectly 
happy. 
Another man for whom I once worked had a wife who 
was neatness itself, and who was as industrious and econ¬ 
omical as any woman could be; but she had one fault, and 
that one caused more wrangling and friction than all other 
things put together. She was continually deprecating his 
management of the farm; and, what was worse, she would 
call on me, or any one else present for a verification of her 
assertions. The man was really an excellent farmer, but 
uot a good trader, and sometimes he would get slightly 
nipped. Whenever he made a blunder of any kind she 
would make life a burden to him for weeks. He was a very 
fine man and she admired him greatly, but she had fallen 
into a bad habit. 
Years ago I drifted into one of the finest farming sec¬ 
tions in this State, and hired to a farmer for a couple of 
months. He owned a splendid, well stocked farm, had 
something over $1,000 in the b\nk and owed no man any¬ 
thing. He was energetic and an excellent manager, and 
was making money, while his wife had everything she 
needed to make a pleasant, happy home. I learned that 
they had been married about four years. She was not 
satisfied with her surroundings, however, but wanted him 
to move into town, where she could get “ into society and 
be somebody 1” He declined to sell out, on the ground 
that they had not yet accumulated sufficient wealth to 
enable them to live in town in good style. The day my 
time expired two young ladies came from a neighboring 
town on a visit. When we were seated at the supper table 
these visitors began to recount the delights of country life, 
when one of them said: “I and Jennie have been talking 
it over, and we have decided that we won’t marry any¬ 
body but rich farmers !” 
“ I hope you won’t be fooled like I was!” exclaimed the 
hostess, in a sneering tone. 
There was friction for you ! We see it on every hand. It 
is 10 times more wearing on mind and body than hard 
work, yet it is something that is easily avoided. The 
surest way is that pointed out by Geraldine Germane. 
_._ FRED GRUNDY. 
SOME SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES. 
OFTEN cure severe cases of neuralgia by simply rub¬ 
bing extract of peppermint on both gums and face, 
putting some on cotton in my ear, and wearing an old 
hood: if it is at night I go to bed and keep warm. 
One of my cough remedies which I know from experience 
to be good is as follows: Take five cents’ worth of hoar- 
hound, and the same of lobelia; put them in one quart of 
vinegar, and steep until the strength Is well extracted ; 
then add enough loaf sugar to make a syrup ; use half a 
teaspoonful for a child, twice as much for an adult, every 
hour if necessary. This is a simple remedy and within the 
reach of all, and I have known it to cure most severe 
coughs. It is especially good when there is a tickling sen¬ 
sation in the throat, and is also a first-class remedy for 
croup. 
I never call a physician except in very urgent cases. Our 
family physician in Ohio once told me that I studied doc¬ 
tor-books too much. I said “Yes; too much for the good 
of your pocket-book.” He laughed; but I have saved many 
a doctor’s bill, nevertheless. 
My husband had been sick with malaria several weeks. 
I got yellow dock, burdock and dandelion root, wild cherry 
bark and pulverized rhubarb, and steeped all together in 
water till reduced to one pint, then added enough of the 
best whisky to make It keep. Of this he took a spoonful 
three times a day. I gave him physic, sweated him, gave 
him dry baths, sponge baths and emetics. I always 
thought I had the worst of it; I feel quite certain that not 
many doctors of to-day would exert themselves as much as 
I did to cure a patient. 
It happened to come to my ears that one of my neigh¬ 
bors had kindly remarked that my husband had consump¬ 
tion, and I had refused to call a doctor. I was angry, and 
immediately sent for one. At that time we were living on 
the banks of Lake Erie, four miles from town; the road 
lay along the shore, and it was a most beautiful drive. I 
thought the doctor should have paid me for calling him 
out that way; but instead, he sat down, looked at«my 
patient’s tongue, felt his pulse, and coolly remarked: 
“ Well, captain, you have been a very sick man ; you have 
had a serious run of malarial fever; but you are on the 
mend now, and in the course of a day or two your wife 
will have to hire an extra cook to keep you in food. I 
don’t know what your treatment has been ; but whoever 
has been your physician has done just right. However, 
(Continued on next page.) 
In writing to advertisers, please mention The R. N.-Y. 
u Packer’s Tar Soap has been on the 
market now for twenty years. This valuable 
toilet adjunct has long ago distanced all its 
competitors, and each new year only in¬ 
creases its popularity.”— Medical Standard , 
Chicago, April, 1891. 
u Packer’s Tar Snap is of great value 
for cleansing the scalp, and is soothing and 
healing in irritable conditions of -the skin.” 
—Toledo Medical and Surgical Reporter, 
April, 1891. 
