Women Make the 
Homes. 
Woman And The 
A SUBSCRIBER asks that “S. D. S.,” who tells, on 
page 710, about using canned beef and pork, give her 
method of preserving the meat thus. “ A. M. R.’s ” recipe 
for molasses cake without eggs or butter Is also asked for. 
* * * 
“I think the ‘ Woman and Home ’ department increases 
In interest every week,” writes an appreciative subscriber. 
Many kind expressions of pleasure in the department come 
to the Chief Cook, but as she ponders them, she feels 
more and more that the above—modest praise as it seems 
at first glance, is the highest praise of all. To keep a de¬ 
partment that is admittedly of high excellence “ increas¬ 
ing in Interest each week,” may readily be seen to be no 
light endeavor. One thing has been an especial aim with 
its leader: to make it at least of uniform excellence, and 
not merely good for special occasions, and indifferent 
in its ordinary character. That this aim has been more 
than attained seems to be proved by the evident interest 
of our readers, and all who have helped in wise and witty 
ways may feel gratified, as does the Chief Cook. 
* * * 
It is evident that our young friend who discourses of the 
dark side, donned her blue spectacles before writing. 
Prudence Primrose, Melinda and herself, all are farmers’ 
daughters. So also are Dorothy Deane and Myra V. Norys. 
We hope to give letters from the last mentioned two on this 
subject next week or soon after, having selected them for 
this because one of them loves the country so heartily, 
while the other has had much experience of the dark side 
of farm life. This subject has been discussed before in 
these columns, but it seems to come up again of its own 
account. Possibly Prudence may have another word also. 
FROM BUTTER TO MARBLE. 
STRANGE heading this, may be the first thought; 
not stranger, perhaps, than the facts connected with 
it; and if these facts do not prove an encouragement to 
every farmer’s wife, especially to all those who are aspir¬ 
ing to improve themselves in any way, we shall be greatly 
disappointed. 
Possibly no one thing which had a place in the great Cen¬ 
tennial Exhibition was more widely known at the time to 
the people of the United States than the “Sleeping 
Iolanthe,” the “Butter Head.” We doubt, however, that 
the history of the farmer’s wife, who with sticks, quills, 
brushes and toothpicks could bring such forms of beauty 
out of the plastic material, was as well known. 
The daughter of an inventor, and married early to a Mis¬ 
souri farmer, Mrs. Caroline S. Brooks may well be 
claimed by the workers as an exponent of the possibilities 
in enthusiastic work, patience and ambition, in the de¬ 
veloping of any talent; and may well shame those who 
weakly lament the hindering power of circumstances. 
After the head molded in butter had been shown at Phil¬ 
adelphia and Chicago, the artist in butter went abroad, 
taking with her the figure to enter it at tne Paris Exposi¬ 
tion. A case for its safe carriage had first to be invented, 
and many explanations were necessary to the various offi¬ 
cials. Ice was a constant necessity, and in Paris a costly 
one. 
Disappointment waited for her in Paris; the commis¬ 
sioners of the art display scorned her work, and it was as¬ 
signed to the department of farm products. An exhibitor 
from New York kindly made room for it among his dis¬ 
play, but in this unfavorable situation it attracted little 
notice. Before attempting the homeward journey, Mrs. 
Brooks made a plaster model from the butter figure in 
order to have it in less perishable form. Vain hope 1 As 
the case was swung out on the ropes to be landed at the 
New York wharf, it slipped and was shivered into innumer¬ 
able fragments. The only consolation was that she could 
make another model, which was done. 
All her efforts were directed toward the completion of 
the model in marble, and she now opened a studio in New 
York city, where she executed busts to order, among them 
beiDg those of General Grant, George Eliot and Sweden¬ 
borg. Ideal figures—for instance, The Doll’s Dressmaker, 
came forth from her hands, and by this and similar 
work she finally earned sufficient to take her to Italy, 
whither she and her companion, the plaster Iolanthe, now 
traveled. 
After days of watching in person at the famous Carrara 
marble quarries and examining the purcnases of other ar¬ 
tists in order to make sure that tue marble then being 
quarried was flawless, she invested in a block, and with 
trembling enthusiasm began the great work. Just as hope 
and enthusiasm ahd pride were at their height, a flaw was 
struck. In bitter despair, for tae first time in all her dis¬ 
couragements, she was prostrated with grief. But after a 
little she again took heart of grace, patched up the flaw, 
and completed the work, which it is expected will be ex¬ 
hibited at the World’s Fair in 1893. 
Such is the brief story of years of earnest endeavor, as 
condensed from one of the great dailies. Who can help 
admiring the pluck and perseverance of this 15 year 
struggle? Who can help hoping that it may have an ade¬ 
quate reward? It is said that Mrs. Brooks is still faithful 
to her first love, as she still uses butter for modeling when¬ 
ever practicable. It suits her better than clay, in that it 
can be so easily melted away when no longer needed. Thus 
the quality which proved so much of a hindrance at first, 
is transformed into a help. 
SOME AMERICAN WAYS AS MARIE VIEWS THEM. 
O housewife, familiar with the daily doings of men 
aDd children, can fall to appreciate the expression of 
the opinion of a neat German m&dchen as given by Helen 
Campbell in the Union Signal. It may, however, be an 
entirely new thought to some long suffering ones, that cer¬ 
tain delinquencies are rather “ American” than essentially 
inherent in the nature of the beloved sinners in the direc¬ 
tion of untidiness. Marie is good-natured, but firm, and 
who can gainsay her arguments ? 
“Dot is true, yes, all true, you children. America is 
ever dirty, be ause all will throw down and none will pick 
up. Why is dot so ? I know not, but ever I find that, big 
and little, all alike, will ever throw down, and so if none 
will pick up, why not dirt ?” 
Marie nodded emphatically, her round, German face red 
with earnestness, and her eyes fixed on two small and 
guilty faces turned now toward the floor on which lay the 
results of a day with no "picking up” in it. 
‘ See, now,” continued Marie, with a sweep of her strong 
arms. “ A German child play, and when her is done comes 
the mother, or it may be the nurse, and her must see that 
all is in place. All small things in drawer or shelves, may 
be. All great things where the mother wills, but order, 
order forever. Ach Himmel! But America is not so ! The 
American play and throw while he play, till all is on the 
floor, and then say, ‘ Come, Marie, you pick up,’ or he go 
and say naught, but. Marie must know where all is, and 
must pick without saying. That is so in house. Out of 
house under the sky, how is dot ? Same as other time 
Always throw down. So in city is dirt, and in country is 
dirt, and then say, Why we so dirty ? City must pay men 
to sweep. If I were ruler of city, I say, each man, each 
child pick always. Each man sweep his own share, and 
when that is done, comes der wagon and all is taken.” 
“ But that is Socialism,” said a voice behind, and the son 
of the house, a college boy, appeared, delighted that Marie 
was declaiming, and prepared to give any further occasion 
that might be necessary. 
“Socialism I know not,” and Marie tossed her 
head with disdain. “ Dirt I know, and all strange 
American way, but not doc. What I say is true, Herr 
Robert. I find my own land clean. There every chick in 
wood or field, same as house, he must not throw on the 
earth. If he see things lie there, he know some is break 
the law, and he run sometime for fear he is caught and 
told he is done dot. But in our wood, deep always and 
green, and so still, so clean, one see never tin can and paper. 
Himmel, what shame to see immer dot tin can 1 It make 
me shame for American that do so that way. I go to pic¬ 
nic and always tin can an’ paper; Ach, how much paper 
I see 1 And if I pick up, all laugh and say, ‘ Oh, you a 
German. Americans not mind. Let it alone. Who care ? ’ 
I say that bad, too bad. Why not care ? It is your own 
country. Do you want dot country always with paper 
and tin can ? Why then not pick up ? ” 
“ I pick up all the time except just to-day,” said Bert. 
“ I never picked up so much in my life as since you have 
been the nurse, Marie. I think you might, once in a while, 
just for a ehauge. I picked all the paper out of the gutter 
this morning, and when Julian, next door, saw me, he 
picked up too. So now. We can when we choose.” 
“So say I always,” returned Marie with a groan. “ Why 
not choose ever ? Why one day pick and all other days 
throw ? ” Must one so do to be true American ? ” 
“ Always,” said the collegian, gravely. “No American 
who respects himself would think of using his hand for 
such a purpose, more than experimentally now and then.” 
“ Then goes all the people some day to smash, and the 
aDgels of heaven they must pick up what they can.” 
Our Economy Column. 
T HERE is a compensating charm about “ making 
something out of nothing,” that is, producing by 
sheer hard work of brain and body materials with which 
to keep the home comfortable. Such stores are not often 
wasted by their producers. 
Cook all foods, especially the standbys, bread, meat and 
potatoes, with the utmost nicety and serve as if “ for com¬ 
pany.” Observe strict table etiquette always. ’Tis the 
only way to “ avoid friction ” when strangers are at your 
board. 
Remove only the soiled dishes and food from the table 
after meals ; have a sink or dish-washing table on castors 
to roll up close, wash the dishes and replace them instead 
of carrying them to the kitchen to wash, to the closet to 
store, and then bring them out again, for every meal. 
To make flour go farthest, use milk and potatoes in 
“raised” bread always; they greatly improve the quality 
if used aright. Raised, fine flour bread is merely a polite 
fraud ; there is no such life-sustaining quality in it as the 
bread of Bible lands contains. The problem for us as cooks 
is to supply the deficiency as best we may. I have no pa¬ 
tience with the humbug when I stop to take a logical 
view of it. I will just take my new coffee mill, pour into 
it a cup of clean, white winter wheat, grind it fine and bake 
(mixing it with thin cream) a sheet of “unleavened” 
bread that is worthy of its name. How children relish it! 
How invalids, especially dyspeptics and “ nervous,” ex 
hausted ones, crave it and appreciate it! 
Provide amusements and join in them. Keep “golden 
silence ” when others scold. Wear a work-suit, short in 
skirts, loose in waist and sleeves, while at work. 
Homes Make the 
Home. """ 
Economize in materials and money by buying whole¬ 
sale and of good quality. Use linings; brown sheeting 
is best for many things. Use carpets rug fashion ; they 
last 10 times as long. A deft toss with the foot rolls them 
up ready for shaking outside. 
Every one of the family is concerned in my small econo¬ 
mies because they are obviously “ for the good of all,” and 
there is no disposition to grumble at present denial for 
future good where family councils are held and motives 
made known. MRS E s. L. 
* * * 
Spices and condiments, whether powdered or whole, I 
keep in fruit cans that are unfit for liquids, but answer a 
good purpose for dry materials, as the cracks are too slight 
to interfere with their preservation. I label everything in 
large letters. Thus if I have to send a stranger to my cup¬ 
board or pantry for a certain article she cannot err if pos¬ 
sessed of common school education. Flavoring extracts 
in bottles I suspend with strings about their necks. These 
articles have their appointed places and are kept separate 
from the dishes in every-day use. 
When the strength is spent everything frets the worker. 
It is this constant friction of the nerve power that wears 
on us more than labor. I say don’t; I am not guilty of it 
myself. “Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.” I per¬ 
form only such work as I can manage comfortably and let 
the rest go for another time. I do not work beyond my 
strength. 
I make everything go as far as I can and endeavor to 
make the almighty dollar spread over as large a surface as 
possible. It pays me to handle the cooking myself. If I 
have to hire labor I prefer it by the day to wash, iron, 
sweep and scrub. I find it the better economy and it results 
in less friction and waste. c. B. 
* * * 
First I have a convenient kitchen, and second suitable 
tools to work with. My range stands near the water cis¬ 
tern, so I can fill the reservoir without taking a step. The 
sink is on the other si e of the cistern, and between the 
sink and dining room is a cupboard in the partition which 
opens from both sides. The lower part is arranged for 
draining dishes, so 1 have only the knives, forks and 
spoods to wipe; these are only silver-plated, but have been 
used constantly for about 15 years, and have saved an im¬ 
mense amount of scouring. 
Several times, when I had more sewlDg than I could get 
done in time, I have bought ready made shirts; sometimes 
I got them for less money than the cloth would have cost; 
but they were almost always poor substitutes for the home¬ 
made articles. 
I knit all our woolen stockings, and make them more 
durable by knitting coarse cotton thread with the yarn, 
into the heels. 
I have made a great many thread collars for the children 
and find linen the best to wash and wear. I cut their hair 
and have saved many a dollar thus. I have crocheted or knit 
shirts, shawls, a child’s dress, jackets, a negro doll, caps, 
hoods, mittens etc. Finally I do, and do and do, and what¬ 
ever I do, I try to do well, but do not overdo. l. a k. 
CARE OF PLANTS, AND OTHER NOTES. 
HEN farming was more remunerative than of late 
we built a small conservatory and took great en¬ 
joyment in the growth and bloom of our plants, some rare 
and some beautiful, while some were old-fashioned favor¬ 
ites. These were all for the past two winters carried into 
our dwelling-house, and now the windows of our sitting 
room are adorned with trailing tradescantia, stately agaves 
and climbing ivies; an English ivy is 10 feet high with 
many branches ; A parlor ivy looks more graceful than the 
other, as it borders the crimson curtains, on a north win¬ 
dow. This is our sitting room ; in the room just above is 
a much greater variety which flourish in the sunshine 
from an east window and heat from an open grate; here 
are lemon verbena, heliotrope, agapanthus, primrose and 
sweet scented geraniums. As we must keep up these fi:es, 
It is an old-fashioned notion that medi¬ 
cine has to taste bad to do any good. 
Scott’s Emulsion is cod-liver oil with 
its fish-fat taste lost—nothing is lost but 
the taste. 
This is more than a matter of comfort. 
Agreeable taste is always a help to di¬ 
gestion. A sickening taste is always a 
hindrance. There is only harm in taking 
cod-liver oil unless you digest it. Avoid 
the taste. 
Scott & Bowse, Chemists, 132 South 5th Avenue. New York. 
Your druggist keeps Scott’s Emulsion of cod-liver oil—all druggists 
everywhere do. 81, 
