That some women are getting outside 
of their sphere, is quite true. As Charles 
Reade has said, “ In every age there are 
a few men who hold the opinions of an¬ 
other age, past or future.” Those who 
are behind the times, are outside of 
woman’s sphere just as much as those 
who are ahead of the times. It is a ques¬ 
tion for each of us to decide, as to which 
we owe the most, to the conservatives, or 
to the radicals. We may choose for our¬ 
selves whether we shall be frontier work¬ 
ers and go ahead to hew out the paths in 
the wilderness, or whether we shall be 
stay-at-homes waiting until the promised 
land is all under cultivation, and the 
wild beasts slain. Which shall be con¬ 
demned most, the woman who wants to 
vote before she may, or she who will not 
when the privilege is granted? 
* 
“ The New' Woman,” is a phrase we 
meet on every hand ; and if there is a 
creature who merits all the descriptions 
we read, she is, indeed, new'. While we 
do not feel called upon to commend all 
of the new departures which w'omen are 
making, it is certainly gratifying to see 
that they are awakening from the sloth 
of conservatism, and are denying and de¬ 
fying the superstitions of ages. As a rule, 
women care very much what the world 
says of them ; so much, that, when they 
have lost the good opinion of the public, 
they become reckless as though all were 
lost. How many cases we find in which 
unjust public opinion has driven one to 
desperation. It is evident that woman 
has yet to acquire the courage to dare 
to do right whatever public opinion may 
say of her. So the “new woman” is 
coming to the front ready to do what the 
occasion demands ; and if she make mis¬ 
takes at first, it may be because she has 
not a clear insight of the situation. By 
and by, the vision will be clearer, and 
the mistakes will be fewer. Let us be 
thankful that courage is developing; and 
let us look forward to the good which 
will be done by this spirit of independ¬ 
ence. Let us not be numbered with the 
carping crowd of critics who can raise a 
hue and cry at the inoffensive sight of a 
woman on a bicycle. 
AN EDUCATED TURKEY. 
WAS visiting in the country recently, 
and one morning, while standing on 
the back porch, “Gobble, gobble, gobble; 
gobble, gobble, gobble,” came to my 
ears so constantly, and apparently from 
the same direction all the while, that I 
was finally led to investigate the cause 
of this uninterrupted and distracting 
speech. Guided by the persistent calls, 
I found my way to the chicken house, 
and there, mounted upon the highest 
perch, walking back and forth like one 
distracted, was Mr. Turkey. He was 
repeating his “Gobble, gobble, gobble,” 
with what one, perhaps, should under¬ 
stand as beseeching tones. The perch 
was about 10 feet (possibly more) from 
the ground. The chicken house door 
stood open, and the prospect beyond was 
certainly most enticing to the turkey 
nature. There were chickens all about ; 
roosters crowing, other turkeys in sight 
feeding leisurely, strutting about, and 
enjoying themselves generally, as they 
fed, and gossiped after the manner of 
their kind. Yet, although a spectator of 
all this pleasure, Mr. Turkey remained 
at him, and he’ll soon leave his perch,” 
was the reply, followed by a hearty 
laugh. Then the history of this peculiar 
turkey was related. How it had been 
early left an orphan; a poor little lone 
turkey, which had been adopted by the 
farmer’s wife, who had given it most 
watchful, kindly care. When it had 
grown large enough to roost with the 
chickens, she had helped it upon the 
perch, and mornings she had helped it 
down as it was too timid to trust itself 
to take, what seemed to it, the awful 
leap into space, necessary to land it in 
the yard below. This constant care 
educated it to a sort of dependence. 
After it grew too large to be lifted from 
the roost, motive power was supplied in 
the shape of a sudden push with the 
broom. Hence, it now remained upon 
the perch until some one “took the broom 
to it.” Its education, however, had pro¬ 
gressed so far, that it was now only 
necessary to bring the broom in sight, 
or at most, make some slight motion 
with it, to cause Mr. Turkey to summon 
sufficient courage to enable him to fly 
from his perch. If this extraneous 
motive power were withheld, he would 
remain upon his perch all day long, 
walking back and forth, giving vent to 
his feelings by his constant iteration of 
“ Gobble, gobble, gobble.” He had not 
the courage to fly this short distance, 
though peace, happiness and plenty 
would be his instant reward ; just a trifle 
outside motive power seemed necessary 
to his existence. 
This is a true story, but it will serve to 
illustrate certain phases of human char¬ 
acter just as well as if it had been manu¬ 
factured for the purpose. Every day of 
our lives we come in contact with results 
of faulty education. If it is not in our 
power to correct faults, we can do the 
next best thing, perhaps, by supplying a 
little motive power. Even if we can do 
but a trifle for the members of our fam¬ 
ilies, our neighbors, our friends, our 
minister, that trifle may be of more 
value than we may ever dream. A 
neighborly kindness, a friendly assur¬ 
ance, a sympathetic interest, are worth 
much if proffered at the critical moment. 
A witholding of these same virtues may 
result in much unhappiness. Hence, let 
us supply to others freely, what little 
motive power it may be in our power to 
give. MRS. W. A. KELLEBMAN. 
AN IMPROVED COAL BIN. 
IIE ordinary coal bin with its little 
sliding door at the bottom, is a 
source of no little annoyance and dirt. 
It is almost impossible to keep more coal 
from coming out than is desired, the 
ovei’flow usually spreading itself out 
upon the floor. Then when the coal gets 
low, one must take a hoe and try to draw 
out through the small outlet, the coal 
that is piled up in the corners of the bin, 
a back-aching and annoying job. A bin 
is reached, one can enter the bin through 
the opening thus made, and shovel up 
the coal as needed, with no spreading of 
the coal over the floor. A trial will con¬ 
vince any one of its great cleanliness and 
convenience. A. h. d. 
TO TIE UP HER BONNY BROWN HAIR. 
HE wearing of ribbons on the hair, 
a custom so long tabooed by Fash¬ 
ion, is once more receiving the sanction 
of that fickle dame. Of course, the ar¬ 
rangement must be just right ; at least, 
it must be unlike any fancy of a former 
day. A twist of narrow ribbon about a 
high coil of hair, with a perky bow at one 
side, is the present caprice. Simple as 
it looks, one would scarcely achieve it, 
except at a loss of time and patience, 
without knowledge of just how it is done. 
A yard of inch-wide ribbon will be 
needed, and some milliner’s wire. A wire 
from the brim of a discarded hat will 
serve the purpose. Cut a piece of the wire 
half a yard long, and bend it into a loop 
17 inches in circumference, sewing where 
it laps. Cover this with the ribbon, not 
winding tightly, but twisting, partly 
folded, as a milliner would dispose a coil 
of velvet about a hat crown. It should 
be about as large around as the tip of the 
little finger when done. A few stitches 
may be needed here and there to keep the 
wire completely hidden. Next take an¬ 
other wire six inches long, and cover 
closely with the ribbon, either winding 
tightly or overhanding a narrow strip 
around it. Tack this invisibly to the 
back of a piece of the ribbon, 6% inches 
long. Double the wired ribbon a trifle 
on one side of the middle of its length, 
and you will have two stiff little ends for 
the bow. Tack these to stand straight 
up where the hoop is joined, and add two 
or three more ends and two loops sepa¬ 
rated by a tight little crosspiece, having 
neither loops nor ends much more than 
an inch long. You may cut all the ribbon 
ends in a slant, and if the two tallest 
ones curl up like little rabbit’s ears, so 
much the better. To don the pretty 
conceit, slip the loop about the hair, not 
pressing it too closely to the head, and 
having the bow a trifle to one side of the 
front. 
The one described was made of a soft 
shade of pink satin ribbon, and becom¬ 
ingly emphasized the pretty color in the 
cheeks of the young matron who wore it. 
As her brown hair was rather heavy and 
not so tighly coiled as the Psyche knots 
often are, the 17-inch hoop was just the 
right size. One should, of course, try the 
hoop before covering, and make larger 
or smaller as needed. Few of the winter 
hats leave room on top of the head for the 
Psyche or—as it is sometimes vulgarly, 
but graphically termed — the pitcher- 
handle knot, but as the garniture in 
question should be reserved for home or 
evening wear, that does not much matter. 
As to the choice of color, there are blue 
eyes that seem to double their depth of 
hue when the right shade of blue is worn 
near them. Black or dead brown hair, 
and sallow skin gain much from a touch 
of vivid red to bring out their richness, 
while nothiug can be prettier than black 
satin or velvet against auburn or blond 
hair unless, indeed, the costume be 
brown, when a brown ribbon to match 
would be effective. Of course auburn 
hair should never have any bright color 
contrasted with it, for that but heightens 
the “red” effect. 
To any who have not yet mastered the 
intricacies of the Psyche knot, let me 
suggest that they do not tie the hair, 
but that, twisting in the opposite direc¬ 
tion from what they would in putting up 
a French twist, they hold the ends of 
the hair, not up over the top of the head, 
but straight out from it ; twist closely 
for five or six inches, then turn and pin 
securely to form the “ pitcher handle,” 
afterward coiling the remaining length 
more loosely around. 
PRUDENCE PRIMROSE. 
COMMON SENSE LUNCHES. 
N the matter of school lunches, that 
which is best for health, is, of course, 
best for the pupil. A faithful student is 
usually a hungry one, too, and it re¬ 
quires thought and painstaking to do 
justice to such a one. Bread and butter, 
both of the best quality, make a good 
foundation for the cold dinner. Slices 
of cold meat, beef, lean pork or chicken, 
help to fill the aching void which the 
hungry schoolboy feels. Mellow apples, 
doughnuts skillfully made, so as not to 
be greasy; and for variety, now and then, 
a piece of apple pie, or plain jelly cake, 
make a dainty, and not unwholesome 
lunch. If this be neatly put up. with a 
napkin for each, it helps the children in 
their table manners. The bill of fare 
should be varied from day to day, but 
very rich food of any kind, ought not to 
be allowed. 
Children’s tastes are simple if they 
have not been perverted by indulgence 
in an unwholesome diet, and the mind 
is clearer, and will take to study much 
more readily, if wisdom has dictated the 
kind, and quality of the lunches. I have 
been tilled with wonder at the food 1 
have seen hungry boys attack ; such as 
highly seasoned mince pie, with leathery 
crust, and the like ; wonder at the ignor¬ 
ance of the mothers, and wonder that 
the boys survived the fare. Nothing 
pays better than common sense applied 
to the every-day lives of our school 
children. aunt racket,. 
A CHINAMAN FOR HOUSEWORK. 
S maid-of-all-work, the Chinaman 
has won a fair reputation ; but he 
is undoubtedly wrong on the woman 
question. Mrs. Ida llackes Springer, in 
Frank Leslie's Monthly, tells of her 
Chinese servant: 
Knowing nothing of Chinamen, and 
seeing them only by occasional glances 
I had cast at them while passing their 
laundry windows in the East, I was more 
frightened than amused at the thought 
of having a real Chinaman as general 
housemaid and cook. One morning at 10 
o’clock, a timid knock at the door greeted 
my ear, and in response to my “Come 
in,” a Chinese boy was ushered in—a 
tiny, neat, little fellow who immediately 
rattled off the following tirade : “ How 
do, lady ? Me Sue Kung, your new boy. 
Me good boy. Me cookee, washee, take 
care kitchen, fix him beds, tend garden, 
laise him eggs and chickens” (meaning, 
raise chickens, for he never could pro¬ 
nounce his r’s), “and do evelything tine 
and neber smoke in the house.” 
upon his perch, within sight of the 
tempting grass : within one jump of hap¬ 
piness, he was apparently quite unable 
to take part in it ; he was lonely and 
miserable, and not a fowl gave him a 
word of sympathy. 
1 returned to the farm house and in¬ 
quired the cause of this seemingly self- 
imposed punishment; this martyrdom, 
this stolid withstanding of temptation. 
“Just take a broomstick, and shake it 
with a floor sloping to the outlet is con¬ 
venient, but takes time and considerable 
labor to build. 
A cleanly, convenient and easily-made 
coal bin is shown at Fig. 18. It is rec¬ 
tangular and has no small door. Instead, 
the boarding between two studs is ar¬ 
ranged to open as a series of small doors. 
The upper one is opened first, and the 
coal shoveled off into the hod. Then the 
next door, and so on. When the bottom 
Highest of all in Leavening Power.—Latest U. S. Gov’t Report 
