THE LEADING ESSAYISTS. 
A. 1.IHHIB C. Cox, Caledonia, N. Y. 
It. Ki.i.kn McCarthy, Albion, N. Y., (winner of the $5 prize) 
O. Hugh M. Sbekwood, Mansfield, Pa. 
L>. Mary H. Hewitt, Randolph. Vt. 
K. ANNJE L. GROSCUP, Laurel, Md. 
The Voting On “Why I Love the Farm.” 
Again, as in the case of “ The Eldest Daughter,” 
the verdict has been most decisive. “B” receives as 
many votes as all the others combined. In point of 
merit, Miss McCarthy’s article was distinctly above all 
the others contributed, hence the Chief Cook is glad 
to publicly congratulate her upon the verdict. 
Tjje Voters’ Reasons. —A business man who took 
the trouble to send us a card for each topic, says con 
cisely : 
“ B” has my vote on the ground of comprehensiveness and com¬ 
pleteness. No other essay In the Beries covers so much ground so well. 
Another : 
The paper which 1 think the best on “ Why I Love the Farm ” is let¬ 
tered “R.” My reasons are that more points are given, no untenable 
assertions are made, and the style of writing is most pleasing. 
To show how some good point made may affect the 
decision, we give the following two : 
I vote for “A,” for the writer brings out the most potent fact, “there 
is lots of work, and we are never out of work.’’ Herein is life’s real, 
true blessing, and that Is the real foundation of love. 
No wonder the editor Is proud of her young folks’ essays; If they 
are truly not old folks’ work. Many of th§ latter 1 am >-ure could not 
do so well. And In the last set It Is ready hard to name the best. We 
tlnd B, C and 1) such very extra claimants that 1 did think not to 
vote at all, but have decided In favor of" D” as the comparisons of 
city and country are so truthfully and thouglhfully given. 1 wish 
every discontented boy and girl the States over could read ”D’s’’ 
essay. The ninth paragraph gained my declson. 
An Indiana friend writes : 
Register my vote In favor of “ B.’ “ C” is a close second, but style, 
power of expression and evidence of unusual thoughtfulness for a 
girl of Hi, force me to name “ B.’’ 
The Chief Cook is glad C” was mentioned in this 
way by one who was constrained to vote for “ B.” In 
itself, “ C’s ” paper was a valuable one, from a boy’s 
point of view ; and as showing especially how that 
which is put into the farm life affects our love for it. 
Interest begets both interest and enthusiasm. 
Possibly, however, the last comment to be given 
contains the most pertinent suggestion for thought: 
1 vote for “ D.” because the arguments are so finely and concisely 
presented. May 1 suggest that a competition on “ Why 1 Do Not Love 
the Farm,’’ would be beneficial to country people In many ways ? 
Our friend writes from distant Colorado to voice the 
above suggestion. Perhaps “B” having given the 
positive side of the question so much practical study 
can give us points on the negative as well. 
A CHINESE SOLUTION OF OUR DOMESTIC 
PROBLEMS. I. 
W HO made the first attempts to open communica¬ 
tions with China, and why were those at¬ 
tempts made ? Did the Americans invade China first, 
or did the Chinese invade our country ? Are the 
Chinese useful to Americans, cr are the Americans 
necessary to the Chinese ? Are we makiDg the most 
of our opportunities with the Chinese at home as well 
as abroad? Why would it not do as well to allow the 
Chinese to come to our country to be educated and 
christianized where they are surrounded by Christian 
influences, as to send our missionaries to China for 
the purpose of converting them, to say nothing of the 
expense which would be saved by so doing ? Are the 
Chinese people more troublesome than other immi¬ 
grants, such as Italians, Poles, Irish, Jews, etc.? 
Have you ever seen a Chinese tramp ? 
These are a few of the questions that every intelli¬ 
gent citizen should ask himself, and when he has 
answered them truthfully and understandingly, the 
Chinese question will be settled in his mind, and it 
may help him to solve some other problems over 
which he has been puzzling his brain for a long time. 
The first question is one which will cause some 
Americans who have a love for justice to feel a trifle 
indignant, and—dare I say it?—just a trifle ashamed of 
the course which has lately been taken against Chinese 
immigrants in this land of boasted equality and liberty. 
The answer, as every one knows, is: “The United 
States first asked for commercial intercouse with 
China. It was President Tyler, not H. M. Tan-kwong 
who made the advance ; and it was not simply, as some 
people would give us to understand, for the purpose 
of introducing Christianity to the Chinese, and to in¬ 
sure the safety of the missionaries we might send 
them, but for the privilege of increasing the commerce 
of the United States, and because, as Colonel Sellers 
said, “ There were millions in it.” We free-born 
Americans don’t want the world perhaps, but we want 
all there is in it. As long as we could trade and make 
money out of them we were more than satisfied, but 
now, alas! that a few of their citizens have come to 
our country and have made and saved a little money 
by doing our dirty work for us, “ Uncle Sam ” begins 
to kick, and the majority of his children kick too, 
though, like spoiled children, many of them don’t un¬ 
derstand quite what they are kicking about, or why 
they do it, unless it is because it is the fashion down 
in Washington; and that is a sufficient reason for a 
great many without any further explanations. 
The second question is as easily answered as the 
first, and the answer is substantially the same. The 
Americans invaded China before any negotiations were 
entered into, and attempted to force the Chinese to 
adopt their religion, manners of living and coarse of 
education, etc.; whereas the Chinese who came to 
this country, after being encouraged to make the at¬ 
tempt by influential Americans, are treated as aliens, 
not being allowed the privileges enjoyed by the scum 
of Europe which yearly drifts to our shores. They do 
not insist on cur adopting their manner of living or 
religion, though many of them flatter us by adopting 
ours; and in a free country they should be allowed 
to eat, drink and wear what they please, with no 
question about the quality or quantity. 
The third question is quickly answered. The 
Chinese have been very useful to the Americans, and 
would be more so were there no race prejudice or 
question of politics. To be sure there has been some 
trouble on account of their working cheap, but surely 
that should have little weight among intelligent peo¬ 
ple, as no one should find fault in these days because 
a man proves “ worthy of his hire,” and when the de¬ 
mand for farm laborers, house servants and launderers 
is greater than the supply, it seems very poor policy 
indeed, for us to drive from the country those immi¬ 
grants who are really capable of filling such positions. 
These are the problems that may be solved, if we 
consider the Chinese question fairly and honestly. 
We shou d welcome such servants gladly, even if 
their modest manner of living, making it possible for 
them to accept moderate wages, should be the means 
of keepiDg the lazy Italians and Poles from coining to 
our country ; and if it should drive some of them back 
to the country from which they came, it would be a 
matter for congratulation. Alice e. pinney. 
CONCERNING SEVERAL THINGS. 
S there a more pleasant thing than to be lulled to 
sleep by the music of rain upon the roof ? It gives 
one a feeling of thankfulness for every-day mercies, 
for the blessing of a good, tight roof over head, and a 
cozy sense of security against the elements And we 
think dreamily that the morrow will be a rainy day ; 
we shall be shut in all day and there will be a good 
chance to do so many little things. Perhaps there is 
a new dress that needs just a few finishing touches, a 
bit of fancy-work we are anxious to push along, a 
picture we are painting, some letters to write to dear 
friends, and an absorbing ■ 
take her to see her mother, whom she had not visited 
for many years. When about half way there he 
said, “ We will now return, wife. Thou hast been 
happy long enough.” 
Now that all the world is talking about Columbus, 
it is a good plan to read his life. Washington Irving 
has written it in a fascinating way. What a sad story 
it is. His contemporaries, except a vei'y few, thought 
him visionary and half mad. They were level-headed 
(?). And when to their intense surprise success 
crowned his efforts, how envious and jealous they 
were, and how badly they treated him. Poor Colum¬ 
bus! Four hundred years after is a long while to wait 
to do a man honor. grace Hamilton. 
THREE NQVhL RICE RECIPES. 
ICE SAUCE for fowls is a splendid substitute for 
the English bread sauce, and much more deli¬ 
cate. Slowly cook a half cupful of rice in two-thirds 
of a quart of milk, adding a small onion, salt, pepper, 
green ginger, etc. When the rice is tender, rub it 
through a sieve into a clean stew-pan, and after add¬ 
ing a cupful of milk, heat all again before serving. 
My mouth “ waters” every time I think of dhal-bat 
—curry and rice and pilau. The dhal cannot be pro¬ 
cured here, but a very good substitute is to be found 
in the dried pea. Dried split peas should be cooked at 
a moderate heat for several hours, then strained 
through a wire sieve ; this should be well seasoned 
and added to cream gravy in the proportion of half 
and half, and eaten over rice, as our browned gravy is 
served with potatoes. 
Among the Mohammedans of India, “the dish of 
dishes” is pilau, or pilaff. To make pilau, parboil a 
cupful of rice in three quarts of water, cooking gently. 
Strain it from the water and put it in a large sauce¬ 
pan. While the rice is cooking, the meat must be pre¬ 
pared. Any kind of meat will do ; in fact, a mixture 
of several varieties makes a very satisfactory pilau. 
Finely shred vegetables of whatever name or denom¬ 
ination can also be used to advantage. The meat 
should be stewed down and the gravy used to flavor 
the rice which forms the principal part of the pilau. 
Mix the parboiled rice and half-done meat, placing 
the meat in the middle of the saucepan and rice around 
it. The gravy, which should be plentiful, and savory 
with onions, spices, etc., is added to the rice and the 
whole set to simmer gently until all is tender. 
These recipes are given by Ella Bartlett Simmons, 
in the Ladies’ Home Companion. It may be doubted 
if there is a farm-house in this country where they are 
known. Yet they are all easily prepared, nutritious 
and cheap. Differing as they do, they must needs be 
valuable as giving the desired variety. Shall we not, 
as a nation, learn to make more use of split peas and 
of rice as a vegetable, thus adding two cheap and 
nutritious items to our bills of fare, especially for the 
farm-house table ? 
book that we find it almost 
impossible to close. We 
have enough pleasant plans 
laid when we fall asleep 
to keep us busy a week of 
i ainy days. Only with the 
morrow comes the recollec¬ 
tion of mending and darn¬ 
ing to do for ourselves and 
those we love, and of nu¬ 
merous homely duties that 
were forgotten in the misty 
going to sleep. And we 
find that a rainy day is not 
the best time for catching 
the lights and shadows of 
a painting. Or perhaps the 
morrow dawns radiantly 
bright and clear, and our 
day is changed. It may 
bring us more pleasure than 
our day of rain would have 
done, or it may even prove 
to be wash-day. But no 
matter, we have had the 
pleasure of anticipation and 
our drowsy, dreamy rain 
upon the roof. By the by, 
this pleasure of anticipa¬ 
tion plays an important 
part in our lives. So 
thought the old Quaker in 
the well-worn story, when 
he told his wife he would 
i IT 
\ Nothing can be substituted for pr 
j the Royai Baking Powder | 
ij and give as good results. 
l No other leavening agent wiM make such t 
l light, sweet, delicious, wholesome food. 
'i If some grocers urge another baking pow- 
| der upon you, it is because of the greater jf 
| profit upon it. This of itself is evidence of the ^ 
[J superiority of the “Royal.” lo give greater 
1 profit the other must be a lower cost powder, pT 
and to cost less it must be made with cheaper 
and inferior materials, and thus, though selling ^ 
1 for the same, give less value to the consumer. j|T 
| To insure the finest cake, the most whole- 8" 
some food, be sure that no substitute for ^ 
*j Royal Baking Powder is accepted by you. T 
V ^ v y f vyv ^ y ¥ f v y ¥ f v f v f y v y ♦ 
