A BARR EL 
A  MINUTE 
Letters  from  the  City  Sister 
The  Country  Woman’s  Appearance 
^  Hand  Pump?  Not  on  your  Life . 
Not  when  I  can  pump  €00  gallons 
per  hour  for  less  than  5  cents. 
I  did  have  a  hand  pump  for  a  while.  But  it  took  too  much  time 
and  muscle-power ,  needed  for  more  profitable  work.  Another  thing, 
when  I  wanted  a  quantity  of  water  for  a  bath  or  something,  that 
tank  was  sure  to  be  low.  So  I  traded  in  my  hand  pump  and  got  a 
My  dear  Sister :  Well,  that  long- 
looked-for  and  much  anticipated  visit  is 
at  an  end,  and  how  we  did  enjoy  it,  didn't 
we?  Eight  years  is  a  long  time  for  two 
sisters  to  be  separated,  and  even  though 
letters  pass  frequently,  there  are  the  little 
intimacies  of  everyday  living,  and  the 
change  in  the  mental  and  spiritual  na¬ 
tures  that  cannot  be  expressed  on  paper. 
For  one  reason,  these  changes  are  per¬ 
ceptible  only  to  those  who  come  in  con¬ 
tact  with  us,  and  are  not  observed  by 
ourselves.  And  then,  for  you  to  bring 
all  four  of  the  children  and  Tom — that 
was  such  a  delightful  surprise,  and  en¬ 
abled  me  to  see  you  as  a  whole.  You  are 
certainly  blessed  in  your  husband — he  is 
so  proud  of  you  all,  aud  as  thoughtful  as 
can  be. 
Old  Friendships. — It  was  a  great 
treat  to  me  to  live  over  the  old  days 
when  we  were  girls  together  on  the  farm, 
and  to  hear  directly  from  all  the  old 
neighbors.  It  is  one  of  the  trials  of  my 
life  that  I  cannot  get  away  from  my 
duties  here  in  the  city  of  toner  and  keep 
more  in  touch  with  the  friends  and  scenes 
of  my  girlhood.  I  am  just  old  enough, 
and  have  been  away  from  the  farm  just 
long  euough  to  appreciate  its  many  ad¬ 
vantages,  and  to  uuderstand  that  the 
woman  who  chooses  to  spend  her  days 
there  is  fortunate  after  all.  T  often  think 
that  if  some  of  the  girls  we  knew  us 
schoolmates,  and  who  have  married  and 
settled  right  around  there,  and  who  look 
with  longing,  possibly  envious  eyes,  upon 
those  of  us  who  sought  our  fortunes  in 
the  city,  could  just  see  things  as  we  do, 
they  would  be  far  more  content.  You 
will  say  that  we  have  numerous  oppor¬ 
tunities  for  knowledge,  amusement,  and 
self-improvement  that  you  do  not  have. 
We  will  grant  you  are  right,  but  what  if. 
in  the  continual  struggle  to  keep  your 
stomach  filled  and  your  back  covered,  you 
are  so  entirely  worn  out  that  all  the.se  op¬ 
portunities  seem  as  naught?  I  suppose  it 
would  be  well  nigh  impossible  for  these 
women  to  believe  that  I  have  not  been  to 
the  theater  but  once  during  the  past  year ; 
that  it  has  been  seven  or  eight  years  since 
I  went  to  the  opera,  and  never  to  mu¬ 
seums  and  places  of  general  interest  un¬ 
less  I  take  a  visitor  from  out  of  town, 
as  I  did  you  and  Tom.  You  have  been 
here  and  know  that  my  life  is  made  up  of 
just  the  little  things — washing,  ironing, 
baking,  cleaning.  And  then,  for  many 
years,  iu  addition  to  all  that,  teaching. 
But  I  am  glad  that  I  am  well  and  able  to 
keep  my  home  as  I  like  it.  kept,  and  do 
other  work,  too.  I  am  not  complaining 
one  hit. 
Neglect  op  Appearance. — I  am  not 
going  to  talk  any  more  ahout  myself  or 
the  city  for  a  while.  I  don't  want  to  pay 
double  postage  on  this  letter,  and  I  have 
a  lot  to  say  to  you  personally.  In  the 
first  place,  I  feel  like  giving  you  a  good 
ohl-fashioued  shaking  for  looking  the  way 
you  do.  You,  who  used  to  have  such  an 
exquisite  skin,  such  soft  wavy  hair,  and 
such  well-shaped  hands!  It  is  a  shame 
for  you  to  neglect  yourself  that  way,  aud 
you  must  stop  it  this  very  day.  You  are 
a  young  woman — only  30  years  old — and 
there  is  not  a  thing  in  the  world  to  hin¬ 
der  your  taking  hold  of  yourself  right 
away,  and  when  you  come  to  visit  me 
again  show  me  a  transformed  woman.  ^ 
You  owe  it  to  Tom  and  the  children  too.  <)m- 
There  is  nothing  more  beautiful  thau  to  Jtli  ici 
see  a  woman  with  grown  children  who  .tmj  re 
are  proud  of  her — and  by  that  I  mean  -^rp 
proud  of  her  personal  appearance  and  -which 
gracious  manner.  You  can’t  realize  that  jn  q- , , ; 
as  I  do,  for  I  have  lived  about  15  years  j1Jg  ^h 
longer  than  you  have,  and  my  work  with  possibl 
young  women  has  made  it  obligatory  upon  Puck  t 
me  to  give  much  time  and  thought  to  the  care  b, 
study  of  health  and  good  looks.  I  have  as  pos 
been  training  young  girls  to  earn  a  living,  water, 
and  this  work  which  took  me  away  from  filhal  \ 
the  farm,  has  led  me  into  observing  aud  and  le 
learning  many  things  not  found  in  books.  We 
I  had  the  idea  drilled  into  me  in  my  which 
preparation  for  schoolroom  work,  that  also  af 
the  teacher  should  be  an  example  aud  a  They  £ 
model  to  her  pupils,  and  consequently,  I  matoes, 
had  to  present  a  good  appearance  myself,  New 
as  well  as  to  teach  them  the  same  thing. 
In  order  to  compete  with  others  now¬ 
adays,  the  working  girl,  or  the  business 
girl,  as  she  prefers  to  be  called,  must  look 
carefully  to  her  personal  habits  and  ap¬ 
pearance — it  counts  75  per  cent,  iu  the 
sum  total  of  her  success. 
Improving  The  Figure. — To  begin 
with,  back  yourself  up  against  the  wall 
and  see  how  far  out  of  the  correct  pos¬ 
ture  you  arc  right  now.  See  that  heels, 
elbows,  and  back  of  head  touch  (lie  wall. 
Walk  away  still  retaining  this  posture. 
Feels  awkward  and  stiff,  doesn’t  it? 
Well,  it  doesn’t  look  that  way  at  all,  and 
if  you  will  go  to  the  full  length  mirror 
you  have  there  iu  the  front  hall,  and  ob¬ 
serve  yourself,  you  will  be  mightily  sur¬ 
prised  at  the  change  in  your  appearance. 
I  well  remember  when  a  child  on  the 
farm  of  being  so  round-shouldered  and 
fiat-chested.  Father  was  greatly  disturb¬ 
ed  over  my  “shape,”  as  he  called  it.  and  a 
hundred  times  a  day,  it  seemed  to  me,  he 
would  say,  “Lou,  straighten  up.”  I 
would  immediately  throw  myself  hack 
from  the  hips — I  didn’t  know  how  to 
stand  correctly,  neither  did  he,  so  we 
made  matters  worse  instead  of  better.  It 
was  not  until  I  was  far  along  in  the 
twenties,  very  near  your  age,  that  I 
finally  learned  through  a  friend,  how  to 
assume  the  proper  posture,  viz.,  raise  the 
chest,  draw  in  the  chin  aud  abdomen,  and 
stiffen  my  knees.  It  seemed  so  very 
strange  at  first,  but  T  persisted,  and  now 
any  other  attitude  is  tiring  to  me.  In  sit¬ 
ting  the  same  carriage  should  be  main¬ 
tained.  Never  sit  on  the  small  of  your 
hack,  or  cross  your  knees.  It  throws  the 
body  out  of  its  proper  lines,  and  is  the 
cause  of  more  backache  than  any  other 
one.  thing.  You  will  find  benefit  in  three 
ways  at.  least  from  correct  sitting  and 
standing.  The  lungs  will  have  a  chance 
to  get  fresh  air;  the  stomach  will  he  aide 
to  digest  food,  and  the  muscles  of  the 
back  will  be  strengthened.  Now,  please 
try  taking  this  correct  posture.  Tt  will 
tire  you  the  first  week  or  so.  but  keep  it 
up,  and  I  know  you  will  be  glad.  Let  me 
hear  from  you,  and  he  sure  to  ask  ques¬ 
tions.  No  doubt,  I  have  not  made  my¬ 
self  clear.  My  love  to  all,  and  a  little 
extra  for  yourself.  lou. 
■ 
Power  Pumper 
(Electric  and  Gasoline) 
No  more  band  pumping-  or  skimp¬ 
ing  on  water  forme.  That  is  one 
thing  that  hasn’t  advanced.  My 
water  system  practically  runs 
itself.  The  engine  is  easy  to  start 
and  runs  without  attention.  I’ve 
had  my  power  outfit  for  five  years 
without  a  cent’s  worth  of  repairs. 
My  advice  to  you  la  "Get  the  Power 
Pumper  System,  Jirsl 
ManyBigAdvantages 
Leader  Power  Pumpers  are  made 
so  good  tliat  there  is  no  trouble  or 
annoyance  from  break-downs  and 
are  almost  noiseless.  They  hist 
four  times  as  long  as  ordinary 
pumps  and  are  very  economical  of 
gasoline.  Theyane  only  expensive 
enough  to  give  lasting  qualify. 
Write  today  for 
our  new  booklet 
“Water  in  Abundance 
Without  Pumping  Drudgery 
... .  y  ■ 
■ 
:  .'fei.-.-’L -  |  The  booklet  gives  full  information 
about  the  water  supply  system 
you  II  never  care  to  change.  If  you  have  a  hand  pump  system,  describe  it  and  we  will 
tell  you  how  economically  you  can  change  over  to  a  Leader  Power  Pumper.  Write  today. 
Branch  Offices;  ( Mention  Ihis  paper  ‘when  you  ■write')  Dent  902 
A  Time  Saver  in 
Household  Work 
That'*  20  Male  Team  Borax ! 
In  the  Laundry . 
Borax  makes  quick  washings 
and  cleanings.  It  dissolves  the 
soap  —  loosens  dirt  —  does  away 
with  hard  rubbing,  softens  the 
water,  kills  germs  and  odors, 
whitens  the  clothing,  brightens 
colors  and  prevents  woolens  from 
shrinking.  Saves  sewing  and 
mending,  too.  Your  clothes  stay 
whole  after  being  washed  with 
— 
20  MuleTeam  Borax 
Thorn’s  nothing  that  makes  r arm  life  mor., 
worth  while  than  an  abundance  of  pure 
water  for  kitchen,  bath,  lawn,  ganltm, 
.  barns,  dairy,  troughs,  (ire  protection,  I 
l  etc.  Goulds  Pumps  are  rmr.onohte  in  I 
ft  price,  and  cost  little  to  maintain,  mi 
[{ft  Our  service  Dept,  advice  fr>:-  on  Ml 
Sift  selecting  from  tbq  &J0  6tyles  of  Kjfi 
poULDSPUMPO  jrn 
Wfflk  k>ros  ivrnv  icwvictkj  Ijjjt. 
k\s\  —hand,  windmill,  Gasoline,  MWA 
motor.  Rigidly  tested. Guar-  §/ g9 
Inll  ant . ?.  Racked  by  f5  years’  I  lima 
B*V\A  experience.  Send  to-day  for  lljjBSn 
our  i  iL-w/VrebociV  "Water  l/jlm I 
-  JM,\  Supply  for  the  Country 
Home.'  ^  Address  Pc- 
The  Goulds  Mf  ff.  Co.  ME',; 
Main  Ottke&  Works;  //uCSHI 
Palls, N.Y.  /|jER 
.  In  the  Kitchen 
Borax  is  valuable  in  washing 
dishes.  It  cuts  grease  from  pots, 
pans  and  china,  makes  glassware 
and  silverware  sparkle.  It  also 
saves  the  hands  from  injury  that 
would  be  caused  by  caustic  wash¬ 
ing  powders. 
For  tale  by  all  dealers 
Fig.  1631  "Pyramid” 
Urn,  WITH  A  HANNEGAN  STEADY 
STREAM  PUMP.  3-In-One. 
More  Water,  Less  Power,  Less  Noise. 
Send  for  Catalog  G 
WESTERN  PUMP  &  MACHINERY  CO..  Inc. 
ST.  PAUL,  -  MINN. 
Rherojoit  <t«nt  U.  For  30  or  Country  Itom*— >  farm,  gar¬ 
den,  Jnwh.  "Viter  pumped  from  nearby  t»tr*am,  pond 
cr  &p»iti£  without  oxp#n*«  of  |x>w«r-  Low  In  Qftflt .  hi?h 
4  4  _i  in  efficient^.  ThotiflftQ-Ji  of  thw« 
Sides  are  heavy  Book  Board,  Imita¬ 
tion  Leather  Back  and  Corners, 
Cloth  Sides,  Two  Tongues  Inside, 
Inside  of  Cover  Neat  Lining  Paper, 
Stamped  in  Gold— "Rural  New- 
Yorker”— on  outside. 
FOblER  liijfU  I»utjr  Hatu  Pump® 
now  In  u*e.  Wrtto  today  for  all  ixot®. 
power  8i*uoui/rir  eo.,  iii 
BIJg,«Kcw  York 
win  Hold  i>z  issues,  or  more. 
Sent  prepaid  upon  receipt  of 
price,  50c. 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
333  West  30th  St.  New  York  C 
IRON  CEMENT  NO.  7 
Write  for  Catalogue 
SMOOTH. ON'  MFG.CO. 
Jersey  City,  .J. 
