THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
72? 
i89i 
Rex and flowering begonias, do splen¬ 
didly in the east windows, the protection 
from dnst, and continuous moisture insur¬ 
ing success in their culture. Besides this, 
we are always careful not to wet the leaves, 
especially when the sun shines, and never 
to handle them, as this leaves a mark upon 
their gloss. 
Nothing we have ever tried is more satis¬ 
factory in every way than the different 
kinds Of bulbs. FLORENCE H. 
CONVICTIONS OF A HOUSEKEEPER. 
LITTLE enforced leisure a few days 
since was spent in looking over some 
back numbers of The R. N.-Y., and an 
article on “Some Housekeeping Heresies ” 
set me to thinking about some of my own 
fads. I do not care a fig about having the 
kitchen towels ironed, and even the sheets, 
which are In constant use, rarely receive 
any smoothing except that given them by 
the hands when folding them to hang on 
the bars, but I want my table cloths to be 
marvels of glossy smoothness, and my nap¬ 
kins folded in dainty squares, with the 
edges matching perfectly on the outside. 
I never buy new material for dish cloths, 
and the supply is reinforced from almost 
any source, provided the cloth is clean and 
soft; but I want them kept sweet and 
clean, and I want for milk dishes a sepa¬ 
rate cloth, which is never used for any¬ 
thing else. 
An emphatic conviction of mine is that 
work should be done so thoroughly that it 
will stay done, as children say. Mr. Terry 
has voiced many valuable ideas in this and 
other papers, but I never felt so much like 
giving him personal thanks for any of them 
as I did when I laid down his article on 
“Thoroughness in Business” in The 
Rural. 
It is difficult to convince the average hire¬ 
ling that his interest and his employer’s 
are Identical. He does not understand why 
his fellow worker is advanced from place 
to place by reason of his faithful service, 
and regards the man as a fool for looking 
after the interests of his employer. 
What wages would a man regard as ex¬ 
orbitant, in a large business, for a subor¬ 
dinate who could be a second self, receiving 
orders with intelligence and carrying them 
out in the spirit as well as in the letter ? 
What a relief it would be to weary house¬ 
keepers could they secure a few days of 
conscientious, intelligent service during 
house cleaning and fruit canning and other 
tasks which cannot be trusted in careless 
hands. If the laundress could always be 
depended upon when delicate fabrics re¬ 
quired cleansing; If the sweeper removed 
the dust from the corners as well as from 
the center of the room ; if the dish washer 
kept the tinware bright and looked to it 
that the seams did not harbor dark lines 
of grease ; in other words, if the millennium 
had come, how happy we housekeepers 
might be. 
But if It were only the “helpers” who 
were slack, the evil would be less. Who 
does not know a family where the same lack 
of thoroughness is shown generation after 
generation ? The lamps smoke and throw 
off the vilest odors, the table cloths fray 
out at each end because the hems were not 
properly fastened. Sheets go to pieces pre¬ 
maturely for lack of turning, and carpets 
fail to serve out half their time because they 
were not ripped and the places of greatest 
wear changed. Out-of doors the fences fail 
to protect the crops for lack of a rail or a 
moment’s work with hammer and nails. 
The barn is in ruins because the boards are 
seldom replaced. Horses are injured for 
lack of proper attention to their stables and 
their shoes. Fowls eat the garden vege¬ 
tables before the family have a chance at 
them, and the mortgage eventually gobbles 
up all there is left for it. 
There is not a place in life where thor¬ 
oughness does not pay. If I have made 
this more emphatic than my other heresies, 
it is because I have so often proved its great 
importance. s. A. little. 
gtUwUiUtfouja §Mv*rti0i»0. 
In writing to advertisers please always 
mention The Rural. 
When Baby was sick, we gave her Castorla, 
When she was a Child, she cried for Castorla, 
When she became Miss, she clung to Castorla, 
When she had Children, she gave them Castorla. 
IS THE PUDDING TOO RICH. 
HE proof of the pudding is not in 
the eating, but in the digesting,” 
says a r scent Rural, and the test is so sug¬ 
gestive that I want to transfer it to the 
Women’s Department and preach a bit on 
it. When reading many of the recipes for 
the toothsome compounds in various house¬ 
hold papers, I often wonder how many 
stomachs can digest them with safety to 
the manners and morals of their owners, 
not that all palatable food is unwholesome; 
but many who give formulas for the prep¬ 
aration of food seem to think that if a dish 
pleases the palate, its component parts 
matter but little so long as they are not 
poisonous. Why do many housewives direct 
us to make puddings, pies, etc., of delicious 
fruits in their season, when the raw prod¬ 
uct, with or without sugar Is so much less 
work to prepare—no small Item—as well as 
more wholesome, and to a natural appetite 
so much more palatable? Or if fruit must 
be cooked why must It so often be smothered 
in pie crust or some sort of dough? Why 
must bread be white If to secure that color 
the sweetest, most nutritious part is cast 
out by the miller? Why, when bountiful 
Nature provides five grains for our use, 
wheat, rye, barley, oats and corn, do so 
many families limit themselves to one, and 
the poorest part of even that one? Why 
must the fine flavor of well cooked vegeta¬ 
bles be disguised by high seasoning? Why 
do so many life-long cooks know little and 
care less what are “ well balanced rations” 
for growing children—what will furnish 
clear skin, clear brain, well developed 
frames and steady nerves—than do many 
farmers for their growing pigs and calves 
and lambs ? 
If as Wm. Blaikie asserts, American 
stamina is declining, is it not due as much to 
lack of nutriment as to lack of the exercise 
he advocates? And who is so much to blame 
for improper food as the housewife ? Our 
ancestors who knew nothing of fine flour 
and French cookery—so called—knew noth¬ 
ing of dyspepsia and kindred ills either. 
Now we are called “a nation of dyspeptics” 
and we merit our name. Our much vaunted 
higher civilization Is sadly at fault if it 
eliminates healthful cookery. 
Of course in some quarters an aggressive 
and progressive reform in this matter is al¬ 
ready well begun ; but I fear the average 
farmers’ kitchens wofully need the benefits 
to be obtained from “ agitation and educa¬ 
tion ” on this subject. judy jones. 
SOME NEW THINGS FOR BRIDES. 
HE current number of Harper’s Bizar 
pictures an elegant wedding toilette. 
Pearl white satin and lampas brocade are 
mentioned as suitable fabrics for such 
gowns, but the sweet little bride who has 
not much to spend on elaborate gowning 
can follow this mode in the simplest of soft 
wool materials with almost as pretty effect 
as is given by these sumptuous ones. The 
gown is princess in style, the front similar 
to a double-breasted polonaise lapping well 
to the left. The left front is covered with 
a surplice fold from shoulder to waist line; 
the right, overlapping front has its outline 
followed in the sweeping curve from shoul¬ 
der to hip, and thence straight to the foot of 
the skirt with a garland of orange blossoms 
—now restored to favor. A full, soft ruche 
is at the high neck, and filmy lace in the 
sleeves, which have shoulder puffs outlined 
with folds running to a point, after the 
fashion of a year or so ago. A knot of the 
flowers is fastened at the point of each 
puff, another at the left of the waist: at the 
throat another knot confines the long veil, 
and the foot of the trained skirt is bordered 
with a lovely ruche of ostrich plumes. 
In copying this, even with a simple wool 
gown, the folds of trimming and the fluffy 
ruche could be made in white silk, and the 
generel effect would be much the same. A 
box plaited panel at the left side, forms a 
good background for the flowers, and re¬ 
lieves the otherwise plain front of the skirt. 
A cloth gown which may accompany this 
costume, being for church wear and for re¬ 
turning bridal calls, Is of chocolate brown 
with trimmings of turquoise blue cloth, 
all of which are braided all over with black. 
The Recorder gives directions and menu 
for a wedding, with everything in white like 
the bride. Let the cloth and the napkins be 
of the finest white damask. Diagonally 
across the table throw a scarf of white Chi¬ 
nese silk, with white flowers in its folds. 
In the middle of the table have a crystal 
bowl full of white flowers. 
Begin the breakfast with canteloupes, 
half to each person, and imbedded in green 
leaves. Following, serve in white paper 
cases with silver edges either creamed fish 
or lobster with hot rolls. Next, have broiled 
or fried chicken with green peas, Vienna 
bread rolls and coffee. Then mayonnaise 
of potatoes filled with stu fling. Serve thin 
water crackers with this course. Now, have 
everything removed from the table except 
the decorations, and serve mixed creams to 
each guest. Fancy cakes, of course. Your 
menu will run like this : 
Melons. 
Creamed Fish. Rolls. 
Fried or Broiled Chicken. Peas. 
Vienna Rolls. Coffee. 
Mayonnaise of Tomatoes. 
Wafers. 
Ice Cream. Ices. Cakes. 
The Chicago Woman’s News, speaking of 
the advancement of one farmer’s daughter 
says that a women employed in the 
Tiffany jewelry bouse receives a salary of 
$2,500 for designing watch cases and lorg¬ 
nettes, which are submitted to critical buy¬ 
ers. Ten years ago this woman was a girl 
living on a farm up in the hills of Massa¬ 
chusetts. 
The women’s publ'cations tell of an In¬ 
dian woman, Miss Nancy Cornelius, a grad¬ 
uate of the Indian school at Carlisle, Pa., 
who has taken a full course in the Hartford 
Training School for Nurses, and has lately 
received her diploma. She is the first In¬ 
dian woman to prepare herself for nursing, 
by a scientific training. 
A BOOK that has been much needed, and 
which the author has had in mind for some 
time is a key to parliamentary usage for the 
convenience of women’s clubs. Mrs. Har- 
rlette R. Shattuck of Malden, is the com¬ 
piler. The work will be ready for the pub¬ 
lic in time for use at the beginning of next 
winter’s work. 
A popular New York paper is authority 
for the assertion that China silk in art 
shades beautifully figured is still the favor¬ 
ite and most fashionable thing In mantel- 
drapery. Over elaboration is a thing of 
the past. Buy two and a half or three 
yards of the stuff, put fringe or lace across 
the end, screw a gilt or bronze or silver ring 
three inches across into one end of your 
mantel-board, slip an end of your silk 
through it, and tie the fabric sash fashion 
in an easy, soft folded knot—a knot with¬ 
out bows, of course. The short end ought 
to hang about a third of a yard below the 
mantel. 
Drape the long end over and along the 
shelf, letting it fall well over the edge, but 
making soft, curving, irregular puffs on top 
of it. You can hold them in place with a 
fine tack or two, or, what is much better, 
weight them with odds and ends of bric-a- 
brac. You may loop it in the center with 
a handsome ribbon bow. Let the last end 
hang more than half a yard deep. The ar¬ 
rangement is one of those things much 
easier done than said; in fact, if there is 
the least knack In your finger tips the stuff 
will fall in beautiful folds almost before 
3 ou know it. 
When writing to advertisers, please 
mention The Rural New-Yorker. 
CONSUMPTION 
in its 
early stages 
can be cured 
by the prompt 
use of 
flyers Cherry Pectoral 
St soothes 
the inflamed tissues, 
aids expectoration, 
and hastens 
recovery. * 
Dr« J. G. Ayer & Co. 
Lowell, Mass, 
Tutt’s Hair Dye 
Gray hair or whiskers changed to a glossy 
black by a single application of this Dye. 
It imparts a natural color, acts instantane¬ 
ously and contains nothing injurious to the 
hair. Sold by all druggists, or sent by ex¬ 
press on receipt of price, Sil .00. Oliice, 3D 
& 41 Park Place, New York. 
VICTORY AT LAST! 
Self-threading Sewing Needles 
The Blind can use them. Invaluable for 
failing sight. Finest needle made. Mill- 
ward’s Gold Eyes- do not cut the thread. 
Sample paper, 10c.; 3 for 25c.; 12 for 70c. 
New England Novelty Nlfg. t!o. 
24 Portland Street, Boston, Mass. 
UAUF 6TII rtV’ Thorough and practical 
Hll«nr O I 4/ W ■ instruction given by 
I ■ WHI ■■ Mail In Book-keeping, Business Forms 
Arithmetic, Penmanship, Shorthand, 
etc. Low rates. Distance no objection. Circulars free 
Bryant & Stratton, 415 Main Street. Buffalo, N. Y. 
New York Trade Schools 
First Ave., 67th and 68th Sts., New York. 
Day Classes commence .lanuary 1, 1802, 
Three months’courses of Instruction In Plumbing 
Carpentry and Stone Cutting, $35 each; In Bricklaying 
and In House, Sign and Fresco Painting, $40 each 
Attendance last season 584, the young men coming 
from 21 different States and from Canada. 
Circular, Illustrated with photo-engravings, mailed 
free on application. 
All the central- 
draft lamps 
gi ve excellent 
light; and all 
but one are 
troublesome fil¬ 
thy and smelly. 
That one is the 
“ Pittsburgh. ” 
you like to read a 
Would 
primer about it? 
Pittsburgh, Pa. Pittsburgh Brass Co. 
! ANCHOR POST 
CHEAPEST, STRONGEST, 
HANDIEST and MOST DURA¬ 
BLE FENCE POST, both for or¬ 
namental and farm work. 
Hi) ALL MATERIAL 
Supplied for a Complete Fence 
For Circulars and Estimates address, 
THR ANCHOR POST CO. 
59 WEST 42D ST., N. Y. 
Agents Wanted. 
Wire hays she cannot rkk now 
WBrC YOU DO IT FOK TIIK 810NKY. 
<jj | Bays a $05.00 Improved Oxford linger 
yl4 Sewing Machine ; perfect working reli¬ 
able, finely finished, adapted to light andheavy 
work,with a complete set of t he 1 atest improved 
attachments free* Each machine guaranteed for ft 
years. Buy direct from our fac torj^a nd save dealer! 
and agents profit. Send for 
a* u. coiurAOTi detTbs 
CATALOGUE* 
CHICAGO, ILU 
Produce Commission House, 
KfeTAHLIbllED 1865. 
S. M. & E. M. FROST, 
lOO Park Place. IVew York. 
Shippers desiring to favor us will be furnished 
stencils, shipping cards, etc., on application. Prompt- 
n ss guaranteed. References: Kuhal New Yorker, 
Irving National Bank, etc. Poultry a specialty. 
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 
with a view to obtaining different terms will prove 
futile. 
Ordinary Advertisements, per agate line (this 
sized type, 14 lines to the inch).30 cents 
One thousand lines or more.wlthin one year 
from date of first Insertion, per agate line, 25 “ 
Yearly orders occupying 10 or more lines 
agate space. 25 “ 
Preferred positions.25 per cent, extra 
Reading Notices, ending with “Adv.,” per 
line, minion leaded. 75 cents 
Wo Advertisement received for less than 81.00 
for each insertion. 
Terms of Subscription. 
The subscription price of the Rural New-Yorker Is 
Single copy, per year.$2.00 
‘ “ Six months. 1.10 
Great Britain, Ireland, Australia and 
Germany, per year, post-paid.$3.04 (12s. 6 d.) 
France. 3.04 ( 16*6 fr.) 
French Colonies. 4.08(29^ fr.) 
Agents will be supplied with canvassing outfit on 
pplication. 
Entered at the Post-ofllce at New York City. N Y, 
as second-class mall matter. 
