Women Make the Homes Make the 
H °" Woman And The Home. 
E VEN so popular and sensible a fashion chronicler as 
Lucy H. Hooper, Is guilty of writing from Paris that 
It Is “ in good taste, now” to display at least three rings on 
the ring finger of each hand, and two on each of the little 
fingers, and that the middle finger may also be set off by a 
ring or two I Doubtless a fashion writer must chronicle 
the fashions, but it has remained for Mrs. Hooper to de¬ 
clare such a vulgarity “ In good taste.” We can only be 
th«nkful that “under no circumstances should a ring be 
worn on the forefinger.” The thumb, too, is safe for the 
present In civilized countries, but barbarism seems to be 
gaining on us with rapid strides. The nose next, no 
doubt 1 
THREE TIDBITS OF NEWS. 
HREE personal items that are of almost world-wide 
interest, especially to the world of women, appeared 
almost simultaneously in the dallies of October 4 and 6. 
The first of these was the advent In the Ex-White-House- 
Cleveland family, of a sweet girl baby, said to have her 
mother’s blue eyes. Few happenings of late have so pleased 
the public, and there is a constant chatter about the baby’s 
wardrobe (“the finest ever made up in this country”) the 
baby’s weight, her first tears (caused by a cruel pin with a 
point) her prospective name, and her resemblance to her 
father, this last said to be limited to the top of her head. 
A slight division in the Cleveland family is reported re¬ 
garding the name for the Cleveland baby. Mr. Cleveland 
insists on Frances, which will make every wife like him 
the better; Mamma is bound by a promise to name her 
first girl after her dearest girl friend, Florence, while 
grandma prefers the stately name of Elizabeth, which is 
dignified, yet may be softened into Bessie at will; and is 
old-fashioned, yet withal modern as a name need be. 
Later : The baby has been named Ruth after her maternal 
greatgrandmother. 
Next In general interest, possibly, because of the prom¬ 
inence into which her flying trip around the world had 
brought the bride, is the marriage of the pretty Miss Eliza¬ 
beth Blsland. She is called one of the most beautiful 
women of her time, and is also a brilliant writer. The 
bridegroom is said to have enterprise, good fortune and 
better taste, and Miss Blsland would seem to have chosen 
very.wisely. Charles W. Wetmore is his name, and he is 
further known as the head of the “ whaleback” steamer 
venture. Mrs. Wetmore was a Southern girl, and while 
yet on the family plantation in her girlhood, she secured 
books for self-culture by churning butter and making it 
into dainty prints for the New Orleans market. She has 
been wonderfully successful, passing from New Orleans 
and its Times-Democrat to New York, into the best society 
of that city and Brooklyn, rising to the editorial staff of the 
Cosmopolitan Magazine. Since her trip around the world 
in the interest of that publication, she has been more 
courted than ever, both at home and In England, where she 
passed through a delightful London season. It is expected 
that she will come back to New York to become a brilliant 
social leader. 
Comment and speculation have been rife for a long time 
regarding the marriage of the well known business wo 
man, heretofore called Mrs. Frank Leslie. Although taken 
somewhat by surprise at her final choice, no doubt Gotham 
society, as well as that abroad will draw a long sigh of re¬ 
lief that she is at last, for the third time, safely off the 
matrimonial market. The bridegroom is William K. 
Wilde, a brother of the esthetic Oscar Wilde, so well known 
to Americans. He is said to be not in the least like his 
brother, but he nevertheless is called “one of the most 
dashing fellows connected with the London press.” The 
ceremony was quietly performed at Dr. Deems’s church, 
at the close of the regular eveoing service. A rather odd 
addendum to the comments is this of the Recorder corre¬ 
spondent : “Marrried to just such a womau as Mrs. Frank 
Leslie, his friends can well Imagine him settled and happy 
at last.” Whether the bride will be settled and happy, 
reporters neglect to say. Seldom is so little space given to 
the bride, so much to the other contracting party. 
WOMEN AND THE WORLD’S FAIR. 
lready the American press is bristling with comment, 
suggestion, and recital of the progress thus far 
made in connection with the coming World’s Fair, or 
Columbian Exposition. Naturally, the part which women 
are to have in it occupies more closely the attention of 
women and women’s publications. It is yet quite a long 
look ahead, and there will be much to say about the fair 
in the future months. This department has not thought 
it wise to spare much space to the initial work heretofore, 
but a brief resume of the work alrea iy accomplished may 
now be allowed. A bird’s-eye view often gives a better 
idea than a look directly from the midst of petty details. 
* * * 
If the advancement of women came all at once, we 
should be justified in saying that it was revolutionizing 
both the business and the social world; as it is, it is so 
rapid as to almost deserve the name of a revolution, es¬ 
pecially in industrial lines. The interest in the fair of 
women who are workers must be especially keen, whether 
they are to have any part in the exhibit or not, as the 
Board of Lady Managers aim especially to make this rare 
opportunity a means of advancing the status of the bread¬ 
winning woman; and indeed a large proportion of their 
own number are from these very bread-winners. 
When it is said that already more has been done to ad¬ 
vance women’s interests at the exposition than was 
believed possible at its inception, the inference is impera¬ 
tive that the selection of Mrs. Potter Palmer for President 
of the Board of Lady Managers was mo3t wise and fortun¬ 
ate, and that the Chief Bureau has been most generous to 
women. It is a matter of statistics that one-third the 
number of people engaged in industrial occupations, in 
some of the older States, are women, and these women are 
to have a chance to compete on equal terms with men en¬ 
gaged in the same work. 
* * * 
It seems to be a matter of almost universal gratulation 
that the work of women is to be exhibited, not by itself, 
but side by side with that of men, and the willing conces¬ 
sion of the board of Control that every article which was 
in whole or in part the work of men should be judged by 
a committee composed at least In part of women, is, if 
possible, still more satisfactory. All entry blanks ask the 
question whether the article to be exhibited is in any part 
the work of women, and it is reported that a very large 
proportion of the blanks sent in up to date, answer this 
question in the affirmative. The world will gain an idea 
of the magnitude of woman’s work beyond its wildest 
dreams, and all women cannot fail to be the gainers 
thereby. 
# # # 
A phase of the work that is already yielding practical 
returns to the best workers in their several fields, is the 
placing of the work upon the Woman’s Building in the 
hands of women on competitive grounds. The Woman’s 
Exposition Building, (which may have a special exhibit 
of woman’s work, and will be a headquarters for women) 
is to cost $200,000. The competition gave the architect’s 
work to Miss Sophia Hayden; Miss Enid Yandell is at 
work upon the modeling of the female figures to be used 
as columns to support the friezes and cornices, and compe¬ 
tition is open for the sculpturing of eight groups which 
are to ornament the building. 
* * * 
Mrs. Palmer employed her vacation trip abroad to good 
advantage in London, Paris, and other cities in gaining 
the cooperation of efficient women of foreign nations. 
France will give women official recognition, and even the 
secluded women of the Turkish harems are asking what 
they shall send to the great Exposition. The chief work 
of the Board of Managers is already done, and much now 
depends upon the State commissions. National and 
State work have been wisely joined by the naming of one 
or more of the National Commissioners on each State 
Board (with few exceptions.) Illinois has given women 
eight members upon the State commission, and has ap¬ 
propriated $80,000 to their use. We hope that our women 
readers, one and all, will watch all available sources for 
Information regarding the work of the commissions in 
their several States, and that their interest in woman’s 
part in the Exposition may increase daily. 
Our Economy Column. 
I NSTEAD of the regular sweeping, provide yourself with 
a large sponge and a pail of warm water In which a 
little washing-powder has been r issolved. With the sponge 
wipe up the dust that has settled in the corners, under the 
stove, etc., and run the carpet-sweeper over the rest of the 
carpet. Can’t afford a sweeper ? You can’t afford to 
waste your time and strength without one. In my opin¬ 
ion, a farmer might as well do without a plow as a busy 
farmer’s wife without a sweeper. Wipe the dust from the 
carpeted stairs, with the sponge, rinsing it frequently and 
you will be charmed with the ease and thoroughness with 
which the work is done. Much dusting is also saved by 
this method. 
If the dishes cannot be washed immediately after a meal, 
don’t let them stand until the food hardens on them, but 
put them to soak, i. e. pack them in a big dish-pan and 
cover them with cold water. When you are ready, they 
are ready to be washed easily in hot water. 
Some economies in materials : Put whalebone in dress 
waists to insure a good fit and wear home-made corset cov¬ 
ers of drilling, saving the expensive item of corsets—not 
to mention the greater healthfulness of the plan. One who 
works in the kitchen will find it much more comfortable 
to wear gossamer under garments, leaving off entirely the 
uncomfortable cotton chemise and the over-drawers also, 
at least when about the work. Much sewing is thus done 
away with. 
An older daughter’s last winter’s coat was found to have 
the nap worn off. As rough goods are worn, it was turned 
wrong side out and the cape was bound with strips cut 
from partly-worn fur. Bonnets made of velvet or plush for 
the little ones, the partly worn ones being used for common 
purposes, are cheaper than worsted, provided one is her 
own milliner. MRS. F. w. s. 
* * * 
Sbt a simple table. By this I mean, do not put on a 
great variety at any one time; nor that which is very rich, 
highly spiced or flavored. You have not the time or 
strength to prepare it; nor have you or your family the 
physical strength to spare to digest it; many of you have 
not the purse to pay for it; and you ought not to place be¬ 
fore your friends highly seasoned food that may, indeed 
often does, create a taste for alcoholics. 
Bake more than enough for one day’s use. An old pie is 
nearly as good as new if carefully baked over. A stale 
loaf of bread dampened and set in a moderately hot oven 
for 20 minutes is every bit as good as new. 
Wash with one of the many kinds of good hard soap to 
be found in any grocery, using it exactly according to di¬ 
rections unless you add a tablespoonful of borax to a good 
sized tub of clothes. Borax bleaches, but will not injure 
the finest fabric. If you think you cannot afford the soap 
or borax go without some table luxury yourself once in a 
while a week and procure it that way. 
Lower your ironing board and sit down to work when 
you begin to feel tired, this is a good preventive of back¬ 
ache. Your family will welcome the plan, for mamma and 
wife will have more time to devote to them and will not be 
as irritable as usual. 
No matter how much you have to do, take the time to 
lie down every day at least 20 minutes, though a longer 
period would be far better. Teach children and help that 
you miL8t not be disturbed while taking your rest. When 
you lie down use your will power and do not think of your 
work or cares. Be resolute in taking your rest and you 
will do more work in a week and live longer. G. H. H. 
* * * 
My table is set all the time; a spread keeps the dust 
from dishes, and a large oil cloth under it keeps the car¬ 
pet clean. I have one under each stove, at the back of the 
work table and the wash stand and also on the latter. The 
one under the cooking stove is of my own make. My work 
table stands a few feet from the stove (we use wood in win¬ 
ter, gasoline in summer); also a cupboard and table in 
which I keep all materials and dishes for cooking. 
We eschew pork, and eat a great amount of beef. The 
steak is cut, pounded and firmly packed in small jars with 
salt to taste. The suet is trying at the time of packing, 
and while hot It Is turned on top ; this makes it air-tight. 
It will keep four months in cold weather, and is better than 
any we buy of the meatman at our door during the summer. 
The remainder is kept in a brine, made from four ounces 
of saltpeter, six pounds of sugar, eight pounds of salt to 100 
pounds of beef; it will keep till July. Twice a week I boll 
a kettleful, saving the skimmings for shortening for 
cookies and to fry cakes ; we have it cold for supper, and 
made into hash for dinner ; thus one boiling will last three 
days, and it is all prepared at once. 
Good coffee is cheapest; buy it browned, get it ground, 
keep it in air-tight cans, and save one-third by using rye 
browned and thoroughly steeped; 10 minutes before the 
meal Is ready add the coffee. I have crackers, cookies, 
canned fruit, pickles, bread, butter, meat and eggs, and in 
case of unexpected company it is little trouble to prepare 
a meal. I have a substitute for pie which we like: slice 
apples in a tin, cover with a stiff batter, bake and serve 
hot with butter and sugar. MRS. o. G. 
* # * 
With nearly all the work of a family of seven to do, and 
the care of milk from three to five cows, I can do nearly 
all the housework in the forenoon, and have the afternoon 
for sewing. 
When my daughters are home from school, we do extra 
work, such as making over dresses, making bedding, car¬ 
pets, canning fruit, etc. The little boys are called upon to 
bring in wood, water and eggs, to go on errands, and. If 
necessary, to wipe dishes. 
To economize in steps, “ wear a thinking cap ” all the 
time. When our work is not done in season, and confusion 
reigns, the body and mind both being tired for want of 
forethought and needed rest, then friction is almost un¬ 
avoidable, and we do and say things that we are sure to 
be sorry for. mrs j. s. d. 
CORSETS VS. DRESS REFORM. 
EADING for the third time, the article on dress re¬ 
form, in The R. N. Y., this sentence particularly 
attracted my attention : “ This was to be the first of a ser¬ 
ies of proclamations emancipating women from skirts, 
garters, corsets, high heels, high collars, etc.” I thought, 
“ the Lord be praised if such an era of emancipation ever 
comes topass 1” and it seems as though it might easily be 
accomplished, all except freedom from the corsets. “ Ay 
there’s the rubthe corset or not the corset, that is the 
question. 
With the broad, full light of the nineteenth century 
shining on every, question of vital importance, woman 
ought to be wise and sensible in matters pertaining to 
her health ; but the human being is a beauty-loving ani¬ 
mal, and there are two classes of women to whom the 
corset will be indispensable as a beautifler until something 
better is offered: one is the thin, slab sided, flat-chested 
woman with no bust to speak of; the other is the fat wo¬ 
man, she whose superabundant flesh reveals itself in rolls 
without the support of the all-embracing corset. To the 
former class the shape of the corset with the padding of 
the dressmaker aids in making a shape where Nature 
has failed in doing so. 
Health does not always mean beauty; we all have seen 
remarkably healthy people who were far from being beau¬ 
tiful Ever since the time when Venus put the girdle 
around her waist, and in so doing made herself 10 times 
more beautiful, the shape of woman’s waist has been^of 
great importance to the feminine portion of humanity. 
