Dr. Parkhukst has found time to 
write a series of letters to women. His 
line of reasoning is that men and women 
are very different, and, presumably, his 
deductions are that their work and privi¬ 
leges must likewise vary. We grant that 
men and women are different, and be¬ 
cause they are, women are beginning to 
insist on deciding for themselves. They 
best appreciate their own needs and 
abilities, and even Dr. Parkhurst is at a 
disadvantage when attempting to delin¬ 
eate what woman is and ought to be. 
* 
In one of the household papers, we no¬ 
tice directions for knitting kitchen hold¬ 
ers. How many housewives have time 
for such employment ? Is life more sat¬ 
isfactory to the housewife who numbers 
among the kitchen furnishings, striped 
and scalloped ii-on holders ? If so, there 
must be readers who find our home de- ( 
partment unsatisfactory. Put it hardly 
seems necessary to fill the columns of 
the home paper with directions for knit¬ 
ting and crocheting, when for a few 
stamps one can secure numberless de¬ 
signs from firms advertising thread or 
silk. # 
Mayor Strong, New Yoi’k City’s re¬ 
form Mayor, has signified his intention 
of appointing women on several of the 
boards as soon as vacancies occur. He 
says, “ I shall probably begin with the 
Board of Education. Women certainly 
ought to have a voice in the education of 
their children.” Such sentiments are 
certainly essential in a real reformer, 
and we are glad that Mayor Strong is 
alive to the fact. 
A GOOD DAY’S WORK. 
Part II. 
ARLY to bed, early to rise,” is her 
maxim. While the fires are be¬ 
ing kindled, and the kettle filled, she 
attires herself in a soft, warm wrapper, 
broad, low - heeled shoes, smoothly 
brushes her hair, dons a fresh gingham 
apron, shakes up the bedding, throws 
open the window, and then enters her 
field of action. By this time, the tea¬ 
kettle is singing merrily. The hash, 
which was chopped the night before, is 
put to cook in the previously heated 
spider, with surticient fat to fry, salt and 
a dusting of pepper added. She stirs 
often that it may not burn, yet be of a 
rich brown when ready for the table. 
The bread that was toasted the night be¬ 
fore, is now covered with a hot, cream- 
and-milk dressing, and seasoned with 
salt and pepper. She allows a table- 
spoonful -of coffee for each cup, moist¬ 
ened with the white of an egg ; stirs and 
pours over it boiling water, one cup for 
each cup of coffee desired, letting it 
stand where it will keep at the boiling 
point, for a few minutes, but not boil. 
The bread must next receive attention, 
for if left longer, it will be over light. 
Thi$ she thoroughly kneads into shapely 
loaves, and places in well-greased tins, 
to raise again before baking. The little 
ones are now dressed and washed, the 
men folks have finished their chores, 
and all partake of their morning meal. 
When breakfast is over, the silverware is 
carefully placed by itself, plates and 
other dishes scraped with one of her 
kitchen knives, and the scraps from the 
table given to the chickens. Before re¬ 
moving the eatables, the children's lunch 
is put in their little baskets that it may 
be ready for them when school time ar- 
x-ives. The food may be put away, and 
the dishes washed. The silver, glass¬ 
ware, and fine bits of crockery, are car- 
ried to the sink, and carefully washed 
and wiped. The others are packed in 
the large dislipan, and carried out at one 
time. When all are finished, the dining¬ 
room is set in order, the cloth brushed, 
dishes replaced and the door closed. 
The bread again needs attention, for 
it has now nearly doubled its propor¬ 
tions. The fire must be quickened im¬ 
mediately, that the loaves may set and 
not rxm over. When it begins to brown, 
the heat may be lessened, for it will re¬ 
quire nearly an hour to bake. The pies 
must now be made, so that when the 
bread is out they may take its place, and 
also have the advantage of a nicely 
heated oven. For three pies, she allows 
one cup of shortening, lard and butter 
mixed, three cups of flour, and a little 
salt; sifts the flour, adds the salt, and 
rubs in the shortening. Enough cold 
water is used to make all hold together, 
handling as little as possible ; she rolls 
from her. The plates are lined with this 
pastry, apples added ; one cup of sugar 
for each pie, a dusting of allspice and a 
little flour. Her pies seldom run over, 
for around the edge of the undei’-crust, 
she rubs a thick paste made of cold 
water and flour, then firmly presses the 
upper and under-crusts together. 
The bread is now nicely browned and 
sends forth a hollow sound as she taps 
on the bottom and sides of the loaves. 
She places them on the mixing-board, 
and with a little swab in the melted but¬ 
ter cup, rubs each loaf over the top, and 
covers with the bread cloth. 
The pies are now placed in the oven, 
the fire quickened—for they must bake 
quickly about 10 minutes, that the crust 
may be light and flaky. While they are 
baking the potatoes are pared and other 
vegetables made ready, placed in cold 
water, and left until needed for dinner. 
The beds ai*e now nicely aired and 
are quickly made. The water in the tea¬ 
kettle, which was filled some time before, 
is now boiling and ready to pour over 
the vegetables. She tries the apples in 
the pies with a splint, finds them done, 
and the crust nicely browned. One she 
places to cool by the open panti-y win¬ 
dow, for dinner. The various articles of 
food are placed on the dinner table, the 
vegetables seasoned, the nice ham and 
fresh eggs fried and gravy made. All 
ai*e now cooked, and the laborers are re¬ 
turning from the field. While the tea is 
steeping, she smooths back her hair and 
draws a pitcher of fresh water. 
When the dinner is over, all rest for a 
little while before resuming their duties. 
While the dishes are being washed, you 
may again see her seated on the long- 
legged stool resting her somewhat weary 
feet, for the forenoon was indeed a busy 
one. The dining-room is again set in 
readiness, her kitchen swept and dusted, 
stove cleaned and irons placed to heat. 
Now -only the small ironing remains to 
be done. 
Her dear friend and neighbor drops 
in for a few minutes’ call, but as her 
time is fully occupied, she explains the 
situation, and asks her friend to sit by 
the ironing table so that no time may be 
xost. The time passes swiftly and pleas¬ 
antly away. She quite forgets her weari¬ 
ness as she woi’ks and chats, ironing’ 
the fine things first and placing them on 
the bars to air. The kitchen towels are 
folded lengthwise, then folded again, 
ii’oning only the two faces. The evei’y- 
day sheets ai*e folded in quarters, then 
folded again and carefully pi’essed. The 
other common things are slighted in just 
the l-ight place—and all is finished. 
The little ones are home from school, 
the milking and other chores will soon 
be done, for, “ Many hands make light 
work.” While the kettle boils, she warms 
the potatoes left from dinner, slices the 
cold meat, cuts the fresh bread, brings 
from the cellar a can of fruit, pickles, 
jelly, and a plate of cookies, making for 
all a good hearty supper. The dishes 
must again be washed, and her table set 
for breakfast. Her task is now finished, 
her work completed ; though not a little 
weary at the close of a busy day, she 
rests, enjoying the assurance that, 
through her untiring perseverance and 
careful supervision, a good day’s work 
has been accomplished. 
MRS. A. IX. PHILLIPS. 
THE BEAU QUESTION. 
PROS AND CONS UPON THE SUBJECT. 
HAT, so soon ! Our little Bettie 
Cloverblossom, not yet 16 and 
already a young man puts in a claim for 
her exclusive favor ! I had hoped that 
such specializing of interests might be 
put off till the child’s 20th yeai’—but 
when did young people ever do as their 
elders would have planned for them ? 
Do I think it “sensible, proper, or in 
any way commendable” for her to re¬ 
ceive the constant company of Bud 
Fields ? No. It can scarcely be sensible 
because a girl of 16 and a young man of 
19 have little sound sense to bring to 
bear upon any subject. Surely the jrroper 
place for Bettie’s interests to center just 
now, is in her home and her studies. 
Neither is it commendable for a girl still 
young enough to be helped by parental 
admonition and prescience, to adopt the 
thoughts and outlook that belong to her 
years of maturity. Yet, were I her 
mother, I am not sure but, considering 
that human nature is what it is, and that 
the young man is Bud Fields, I might 
conclude, whatever my own preferences, 
that after imposing one or two restric¬ 
tions, 1 would refrain fi-om interference. 
But what is to be the outcome ? 
Merely fun, I suppose they say—moon¬ 
light drives, parties, picnics and good 
times. But why need Bud always be 
the one to escort Bettie ? Like a maid I 
once met somewhere in print, they x-eck- 
lessly sing : 
I would forego 
My peace of mind to win a beau. 
Both are serenely indifferent to the 
chance that some day Bud may be¬ 
come uttei’ly wretched because Bettie 
likes some other youth just as well as 
she does him. Or maybe a new girl will 
join their social cii-cle, and Bud will see 
no x-eason why he should not transfer 
his allegiance to a girl more charming 
than our Bettie. Boor little mouse ! 
Will she laugh and sing as gayly as be¬ 
fore, and be content to accept a place 
beside the next young man who invites 
her to share his pleasuring ? “Ah, well!” 
you say, “who ever succeeded in saving 
herself or her child from life’s buffetings 
by any system of keeping carefully in 
cotton wool ?” 
But the coui’se of true love has been 
known to run smoothly. No talk of love? 
Of course not, and small chance, one 
would say, of either of the young, unde¬ 
veloped, inexperienced creatures feeling 
the touch of holy, self-abrogating affec¬ 
tion. Yet if the two are sufficiently con¬ 
genial to make so much of each other’s 
society mutually pleasing, Love, the tor- 
menter, will be pretty sure to have one, 
possibly two, of his arrows securely 
lodged before his opportunity is a year 
old. One means keen suffering to some¬ 
body, for the young can suffer, poor 
things ! They have not leai’ned to bear 
pain patiently, and to the generous 
heai’t, remorse is quite as bad as disap¬ 
pointment. Is Love’s quiver the lighter 
of two arrows ? Well, here we are in 
the horns of a trying dilemma, forced to 
choose the least of two undesirables, a 
long engagement, or a marriage too 
early in life. 
But love resembles measles in that the 
“young take it light,” and recover so 
quickly and safely, that there is less to 
fear where an unfortunate chance makes 
everything go wrong ; but baffled love, 
even “chicken love,” is scarcely as harm¬ 
less as the measles, for it has frequently 
left lifelong injuries upon weak natures. 
Never do men and w omen form acquaint¬ 
ances more readily, learn to know one 
another better, or mingle more easily in 
society, than between the ages of 15 and 
20. If our Bettie refuses every invitation 
until she is of a suitable age to marry, 
there is danger that by that time, she 
will have lost her zest for the sorts of 
social recreation that her country life 
can offer, and that society will have con¬ 
cluded that she, for some reason, is not 
to be counted in. 
The ideal conditions for our Bettie 
would be the possession of a pleasant 
circle of young friends of both sexes, and 
an always available corner in the family 
carriage on prayer meeting and Grange 
nights, and to whatever lectures and 
musicales the town hall occasionally 
offers. She would thus have a healthful 
round of simple pleasures, enough to de¬ 
velop social ease, and to keep her from 
morbid longings, yet nothing sufficiently 
engrossing to distract her attention from 
the school work to which she is now at 
the very age to do justice. Life has so 
many simple pleasures to offer the young 
and heart free, that it seems a pity that 
each should not have her girlhood’s en¬ 
joyments in their proper season. 
It is a pity that so few farmers can 
afford—or will afford—to own that wide 
family carriage that the wife and daugh¬ 
ters do so much to help earn, and that 
would add so greatly to their comfort 
and pleasure. Since our Bettie must 
either have no share in social life out¬ 
side the three or four nearest farm¬ 
houses, or else accept such facilities as 
chance puts in her way, the least objec¬ 
tionable plan seems to be to trust to her 
native refinement and sense of decorum, 
and allow her to profit by the kindness 
of young men of whose characters noth¬ 
ing derogatory can be said. Of course 
pleasure ought never to be purchased 
at the risk of contracting undesirable 
fi-iendships. 
As to the propriety of young men and 
maidens going about together as brothel’s 
and sisters do, I thank Heaven that our 
rural communities still preserve the 
goodness and freedom from ostentation 
that make it a perfectly safe and proper 
custom. Fortunate are the daughters if 
the mother knows how to help the too 
shy and reserved into friendly relations 
with the world, and also how to restrain 
the too flighty and impulsive. 
Although so admirable a youth, there is 
little doubt that Bud Fields is ready to 
stand by the traditions of his ancestors, 
and protract his evening calls into those 
absurd, night-squandering vigils whicn 
country custom accepts as the proper 
thing where two young people are “keep¬ 
ing company.” It is not likely that he 
will ever once stop to ask himself what 
he can possibly have to say that he will 
Highest of all in Leavening Power.—Latest U. S. Gov’t Report 
Powder 
^ m. 
ABSOLUTELY PURE 
