l 
Here is another question for discussion 
which involves family affections and 
duties : “ Should a sister live with, her 
brother after he marries? If not, why?” 
Shall we agree as we did in the discus¬ 
sion of the beau question ? 
* 
An apartment house is soon to be built 
in New York City for women only. It is 
to have all the modern improvements 
and luxuries that comfortable life calls 
for, and the rooms may be secured for 
moderate i*ents. The woman worker in 
the city becomes so weary of the 
familiar restriction, “ Gentlemen only,” 
in her search for a place to lay her head, 
that she will no doubt fly to this haven 
which has among other rules this delight¬ 
ful feature : “No man will be allowed 
in the house, or restaurants, or club 
rooms, unless introduced or chaperoned 
by a woman tenant.” For we must 
acknowledge that we do enjoy “ tit for 
tat.” 
* 
The dialogue contest has ended, and 
the successful manuscripts will be pub¬ 
lished soon. A great interest was shown 
by our readers, and the manuscripts re¬ 
ceived were far in excess of what we ex¬ 
pected. A hearty appreciation of our 
suggestions, however, is quite to our 
liking. 
* 
How helpless one is when ill, and how 
intolerant is illness to a person who lives 
an active, working life. If we could bear 
in mind the discomforts of sickness, per¬ 
haps we would awake to the realization 
that the laws of health are God’s laws, 
and we would be more careful and wor¬ 
ship Him through obedience. We cannot 
plead ignorance of our duty, for these 
laws were not written on tables of stone, 
but on tables of flesh, all around us. On 
every hand we can read what are the 
wages of overwoi’k or carelessness, un¬ 
less we are are willfully blind. Take care, 
in these house-cleaning and gardening 
days, that the joy of living which seems 
to till one in the springtime, does not 
spur you on too far. 
TRUE HOSPITALITY. 
THE GOOD OLD-FASHIONED WAYS OF EN¬ 
TERTAINING. 
u r T'lIERE isn’t any such thing as hos- 
-1- pitality nowadays,” says my 
cynical friend. Isn’t there ? Can it be 
that the good, old-fashioned Christian 
virtue that St. Paul enjoined when he 
said, “Use hospitality one to another 
without grudging,” is dead—gone never 
to return ? If so, we ought to feel very 
sad, indeed, for something very precious 
is gone out of our lives. Put no, there 
is something of the essence of real heart 
hospitality — the kind that gives of 
its best, and looks for no return—yet 
left; and I believe that we shall be most 
likely to find it among those who dwell 
“ near to Nature’s heart,” on the farms, 
and in the modest homes of workers. In 
cities and towns, there is much that goes 
by the name of hospitality, and there is 
no limit to the occasions that call people 
together. High teas, receptions and 
dinners abound, and large sums of money 
are spent for the gratification of the 
senses ; whether these redound to the 
good of giver or recipient, is doubtful. 
The temptation to go beyond one’s means 
is great, when the only motive which the 
hosts have is to make as great a display 
as possible, and pay off some social debts, 
feeling thankful when their entertain¬ 
ment is over. 
I presume that in the olden time, when 
quiltings, housewarmings, bees and in¬ 
fairs were the fashion, a certain kind of 
pride was felt in the nicely sanded floor, 
the excellence of the pound cake, and 
the clear syrups of the preserves that 
were offered the guest. Perhaps there 
would be some heartburnings if one 
were more successful or more provident 
than others, but I like to think that there 
was, besides all this, a kindly interest 
and liking for each other’s companion¬ 
ship, an enjoyment of the visit that knit 
together the hearts of host and guest, 
and made them the more ready after¬ 
ward, when times of sorrow came, to give 
the sympathy and help that would be 
precious to the mourner. 
Friendly Interest Is Declining. 
In the business-like affairs of to-day, 
w r e may meet the same people time after 
time, note, perhaps, whether they were 
stylish in appearance or not, may remem¬ 
ber some remark, witty or otherw ise ; 
but we do not know them, or they us, in 
the least, and as for expecting sympathy, 
help, or even remembrance in most 
cases, that would be a vain hope. It is 
quite the fashion to sneer at the old- 
fashioned tea-drinkings and visits, and 
hint at gossip and mischief making. Per¬ 
haps there may be some truth in this 
charge, but I believe that, after all, it 
was good-natured interest that caused 
the gossip for the most part ; for the 
faithful, lifelong friendships that were 
made then, bear witness that there was 
not much venom if there were gossiping. 
One may be entertaining, and need never 
touch on personalities ; for there are so 
many subjects that may be talked of, 
that are interesting to all, whether they 
be wise or simple. What is more enjoy¬ 
able than achat with a friend who comes 
A DISAPPEARING 
A DISAPPEARING WOODBOX. 
HERE the kitchen adjoins a porch, 
or woodshed, it is possible to do 
away with the dirt and inconvenience of 
a woodbox in the kitchen. The illus¬ 
trations (Fig. 99) show one fitted to 
slide in an opening in the kitchen wall 
near the stove. When shoved back flush 
with the wall, the woodbox is wholly in 
the shed or porch, and may be filled in 
that position. When wood is desired, it 
is pulled into the kitchen, the needed 
wood removed, and the box pressed back 
into place again. In many houses al¬ 
ready constructed, this device may readily 
be constructed, while it may well be 
borne in mind by those who are build¬ 
ing new houses, where wood is the fuel 
that will be used in the kitchen stove. 
A. H. D. 
CULTIVATING WILD FLOWERS. 
S I listen to the wind roaring in the 
tree tops, and look out at the bare 
yard, I think of the bright-faced flowers 
which will soon be in bloom out there— 
tulips, daffodils, crocuses, etc., on one 
side, and various wild flowers on the 
other. Which will give the more pleas¬ 
ure, the “boughten ” ones, or the free¬ 
will offerings of mother Nature ? A 
crocus is bright to look at, but, for me, 
there is not the satisfaction in watching 
it grow that there is in studying the 
downy little hepatica, or waxy spring- 
beauty. And they are so easy to get, and 
easy to grow, too ! “ People seldom care 
WOODBOX. Fig. 99. 
clad. I have never seen any other colum¬ 
bine that can surpass our native ones in 
brilliancy. It can be readily grown from 
seed, or a small plant, carried home from 
a springtime walk, will be a constant 
pleasure. The earlier flowers I have 
mentioned, are best transplanted soon 
after blossoming time. The Erythro- 
niums die down so quickly after bloom¬ 
ing, and what a hunt we have to find the 
bulb! Downward we follow the slender 
white stalk, and as we are about giving 
up, we find it snugly wrapped up in its 
brown apron. There is a constant pleas¬ 
ure in the cultivation of wild flowers. 
Try it and see ! linda wilton mcneil. 
HIS FIRST EXAMINATION. 
UR venerable doctor always has 
some interesting reminiscence to 
relate. Recently, we happened to be 
discussing the question whether certifi¬ 
cates should be accepted, at colleges, in 
lieu of examinations. “ When I think of 
the first examination I passed,” said he, 
“I am quite in favor of examinations. 
I was five years old when my father 
took me to a boarding school. The prin¬ 
cipal, or gentleman in charge, said to my 
father, ‘ Why, your little man is too 
young; too small ; he certainly cannot 
do anything here.’ Then, turning to me, 
he said, ‘ What can you do my little 
man ? Can you read ?’ ‘Yes, sir.’ ‘Can 
you write ?’ ‘Yes, sir.’ ‘What can you 
write ? Tell me what you can write.’ 
With great gusto I began repeating : 
Make two parts of a cross, and a circle complete, 
Let two semicircles on a perpendicular meet, 
Then add a triangle which stands on two feet, 
Two semicircles, and a circle complete. 
The teacher stood and looked at me with 
an incredulous, puzzled expression on 
his face ; then handing me a pencil and 
piece of paper, told me to write it 
down, that he scarcely understood me. 
I took the pencil and paper and wrote— 
TOBACCO. That was my first examina¬ 
tion, and the teacher said to my father, 
‘ 1 think your little man will do.’ ” 
MRS. w. A. K. 
to partake of “ pot luck ” and exchange 
views of matters and things ? 
As for the food we give, of course, it is 
pleasant to give good things, and give 
without grudging ; but we may be hos¬ 
pitable without great store of “ loaves 
and fishes.” It is easy to give the best 
of ourselves to the guest we love or to 
the one who needs our best. 
With Simplicity and Sincerity. 
A minister’s wife, a woman of culture, 
who had traveled much and mingled 
always with good society, told me that 
a supper of which she once partook when 
she and her husband were making paro¬ 
chial visits among the hills of New York, 
was the most enjoyable, helpful and best 
remembered of any in her life. They had 
noticed in the congregation an old lady, 
a transient attendant only, and one day 
they found her home, a little shanty on 
the hillside. She welcomed them, and 
said, “ I am just taking my supper. Do 
come in ; it will be such a treat for me 
to have company.” She was evidently 
so sincere that they complied. The sup¬ 
per consisted of boiled sweet apples and 
bread and milk, nothing more. But she 
made no apologies, and seemed so glad 
to have them there, and so thankful that 
she had the apples ; for they, it seemed, 
were an unusual treat. My friend said, 
“I never ate anything that tasted so 
good as they did.” “It was not the 
apples,” said the minister ; “it was the 
hospitality.” mary mann. 
Frances E. Willard : “I hold that 
the more interests women and men can 
have in common, in thought, word and 
deed, the happier will it be for the home.” 
for what is directly under their noses,” 
my grandmother used to say ; and that, 
perhaps, is the reason our own pretty na¬ 
tive plants are ignored, while we spend 
time and money on foreign ones which 
are very likely to disappoint us. Per¬ 
haps, if it were generally known with 
what ease the choicest beauties of our 
woods may be grown at our doors, more 
of them would be seen. 
Out under the maples along the drive, 
my hepaticas and Erythroniums — or 
Adder’s tongues—are quite at home; 
while at the root of yonder evergreen, 
will soon appear a wealth of pink and 
white spring-beauties. Off in that far 
corner under the tangle of the sweet- 
brier bush, are the plicate gray-green 
leaves of the lowly putty-root, which 
along in June, will send up its spike of 
queer little brownish flowers. It is the 
most accommodating of orchids, and is 
quite as well content there as in the 
shade of the woods. 
Out in that clear space where the after¬ 
noon sun can reach it, is a big bunch of 
wild columbine, which is dear to my 
heart. How its scarlet and yellow do 
glow in the sunshine ! Once started, it 
will care for itself, and is perfectly iron¬ 
UNWISE SELF-SACRIFICE. 
ANY thanks are due The R. N.-Y. 
for the opportunity it gives its 
women folks to express themselves on 
subjects of interest to each other. Earn¬ 
est words are being written for better 
conditions in the home; and we are bene¬ 
fited by the suggestions, and the plain 
speaking of those who have a helpful 
word to say. Life on a farm is often a 
narrow one to many a farmer’s wife. 
With a small income, her energies are 
directed to make that little go a long 
way. And it generally does, for she is 
likely to be a better economist than her 
husband—who may be one that looks at 
money in such a large way that it slips 
through his Ungers. She gets in the 
habit of doing without, that the children 
may make a nice appearance, and forgets 
that the mother should be as well dressed 
as they, that she may keep their respect 
and her own. She practices the small 
economies in the most unselfish way, till 
it is second nature. After a while, all 
these little sacrifices are expected of her, 
and taken thanklessly. Has she willing 
hands and feet ? Let her use them ! 
There are willing shirkers as well as will¬ 
ing workers. But the blame is hers. She 
Highest of all in Leavening Power.— Latest U. S. Gov’t Report 
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