1426 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
December 2. 1022 
From Day to Day 
A Thanksgiving 
Lord, I am glad for the great gift of 
living. 
triad for the days of sun aiul rain; 
Grateful for joy. with an endless Thanks¬ 
giving, 
Grateful for laughter—and grateful 
for pain. 
Lord. I am glad for the young April's 
wonder. 
Glad for the fullness of long Summer 
days; 
And now, when the Spring and my heart 
are asnuder, 
Lord, 1 give thanks for the o.irk 
Autumn ways. 
Sun. bloom and blossom, O Lord. I re¬ 
member. 
The dream of the Spring and its .toy 
l recall ; 
But now. in the silence and pain of 
November. . 
Lord. I give thanks to Thee, giver of 
a ll. — CREDIT LOST. 
* 
We are asked to repeat the following 
recipe for mincemeat, first sent us by a 
Western reader 15 years ago. and re¬ 
printed in 1914. Its peculiarity is that 
it has no spice: Chop fine separately *1 
lbs. of boiled lean beef. 2 lbs. of uncooked 
suet and one peck of tart apples. Add 
2 lbs. raisins. M lb. candied orange peel, 
% lb. sliced candied citron peel, one 
quart of canned cherries, pitted, one pint 
of apple butter, two cups of cider. 2 lbs. 
of currants, one glass of orange marma¬ 
lade. one quart of grape juice ami two 
tablespoons of salt. Scald, and store in 
fruit jars like canned fruit. 
5k 
How are down quilts made? Some 
time ago a number of readers told tis just 
how to make feather mattresses. Now 
we want the simplest and most efficient 
way to make a down comfortable or 
quilt. Down blows about so easily that 
there must be a special knack iu doing 
this work. 
5k 
A COMFORTABLE little footstool, just 
the right height, is wonderfully restful 
to a tired woman who must be much on 
her feet. It may be nothing more than 
a small padded box. neatly covered, or it 
may he polished or enameled wood with 
a cushioned top. but it is surprising how 
much the little stool will rest one. This 
would be a very helpful Christinas 
present. 
Candied Apples (Les Pommes Glacees) 
Make a syrup of two cups granulated 
sugar, one cap water, brought to a b* II. 
Have ready one good-sized apple, pared, 
cored, each quarter cut into three s' oes. 
Drop the 12 pieces into the now boiling 
syrup, and allow to cook or boil therein 
until they are all transparent and tender, 
easily pierced with straw. As the under 
side softens first, turn over each piece. 
Remove from kettle each slice when ready 
and place on waxed paper in cool place 
to dry. Allow to remain 24 hours; then 
roll the slices in granulated sugar. Roll 
twice again at intervals of 24 hours. It 
moisture accumulates on waxed paper, 
renew it. After the third rolling allow to 
remain on platter until dry, keeping in 
cool place, exposed to air. and turning 
from time to time. 
The amount of syrup stated will make 
five dozen candied slices, live good-sized 
apples being used. Add boiling water Jo 
syrup as it thickens, to maintain original 
consistency. When all dry and crystal¬ 
line in appearance, pack in candy-box. 
It is beautiful to mix with other home¬ 
made candies, also. For Christmas you 
may garnish with red or green, made by 
putting vegetable coloring in syrup, and 
cut in small pieces to pack. T know of 
nothing which has given greater pleasure 
for Christmas boxes, and which is more 
wholesome. kathebixe patill. 
Memorable Christinas Gifts 
Seventy years ago my grandfather 
reached his home, which was In a rural 
region of Western New York, at about 
noon on the day before Christmas. For 
several weeks he had been working in 
the lumber woods, and since early morn¬ 
ing lie had walked a long distance over 
rough roads. Not being especially ro¬ 
bust. he was loo tired to eujo.v Ihe 
thought of another long walk that day, 
vet his first inquiry, after greeting his 
familv, was as to whether it would be 
need fill for him to obtain supplies for 
them from the nearest village, which lay 
six miles beyond. 
Grandmother assured him that their 
two half-grown sons, who had been at 
home during a part of his absence, had 
kept her provided with tea and sugar, 
and that her stock of staples—flour, 
potatoes, dried fruit and home-cured 
meat—was not exhausted. There was 
even a chicken already killed for the next 
day's dinner; hut she admitted w : th re¬ 
gret that she had not ou hand anything 
in the way of gifts for their daughter 
Agnes (afterward my mother), then 
about years old. Grandmother pro¬ 
tested. however, that the joy which they 
all felt at having grandfather with 1 hem 
again was all that was necessary to make 
a happy holiday, except the presence of 
the boys, who would soon arrive. 
Grandfather appeared satisfied, but he 
was a Scotchman, and did not always 
speak all (hat was in his mind. After 
dinner, when lie had rested for a time, he 
arose and put on his heavy coat. 
“Where are you goingV asked grand¬ 
mother, , , , 
"To find Santa Claus." he replied; and 
despite her. earnest objection that the 
snowstorm which was then just begin¬ 
ning threatened to be a heavy one, lie 
set out in face of it. 
It had boon dark for some time when 
ho returned. The latter part oi liis !-■ 
mile walk had been made wearisome by 
several inches of newly-fallen snow. 
Grandful her was certainly very tired, 
but lie was satisfied. His trip had been 
successful almost beyond his hopes, for 
in addition to several pounds of Stick 
candy and a bag of oranges, the little 
iown, which never had on sale toys or 
picture books, had by some happy chance 
been able to furnish him with the Christ¬ 
mas edition of a weekly newspaper, 
large for its time, and generously illus¬ 
trated. . , , 
Next morning the little Agues, who 
was an eager render of the fevy books 
she possessed, found in her stocking the 
new treasure, and prized it far more than 
the candy and fruit. The pictures, which 
must have been old-fashioned wood-cuts 
(would that I lie copy had been pre¬ 
served It, fascinated her: and. oh .my. 
there was a children's page! Before 
night she knew it almost by heath 
Grandfather or grandmother read aloud 
other portions of the paper, and the day 
was a memorable one. 
Grandfather died before 1 was born, 
but recalling the episode I realize that 
somewhat of his influence remains with 
me, handed down by my mother She 
lived to tell the Christmas story to her 
own children by the light of a ‘ Star ot 
Bethlehem" improvised from evergreens, 
a candle and a pasteboard box; to read 
Dickens' Christmas stories aloud, year 
after year, and to contrive, by much in¬ 
genuity and effort, VO make oil holidajs. 
especially Christmas, delightful to her 
family, and so far as she was able to all 
about her She seemed, to us who knew 
her best, a veritable embodiment of the 
spirit of Christmas 
GRACE AGNES TIMMERMAN. 
At the Close of the Year 
Armistice Day is past, and again ive 
give thanks, It has been a typical In¬ 
dian Summer day. a halcyon day. and 
we have all been enjoying it to our fullest 
extent, knowing there will be many days 
not as pleasant before the Spring Crocus 
conies. 
This is the open season for deer n 
Vermont, and unlike manv in other places 
we look forward to it with delight. The 
sportsmen who come for the hunting sea¬ 
son and our own sportsmen are usually 
careful, and we look forward t" having 
our old friends come for a few days, or 
perhaps some sportsman may have trailed 
a doer too far and ask for shelter for the 
night, and till swap stories of th«ir ad¬ 
ventures. Two old neighbors came for a 
little hunting this year. Glen is an old 
friend and schoolmate of our older liny's, 
so he and Ted found the deers' feeding 
ground 'way hack among (he hills, woods 
and rocks. They watched and waited till 
5 p. m.. (he time the deer hunter's day 
ends in Vermont, and then started for 
home. It was a dull, showery day. and 
clouds liutig black; they reached an over¬ 
grown footpath when it was light enough 
to see where they were, hut darkness 
dropped quickly, so that by the time the 
boys had traced and retraced their fool 
steps, Oilclfil' 1 ’ their way by the general 
lay of the land, they were ready for sup¬ 
per when they reached it. Bobcats and 
bears were known to roam in those 
woods, and the boys agreed it would take 
$25 to hire them to go back to that place 
again that night. 
The fern season ended n xveek before 
deyr season began. The fern packer in 
our town said lie bad paid out over $5,000 
for ferns the day before the season closed. 
That is quite a help to niacy of us. Our 
folks never picked as many as this year. 
They regard it as a sort of half-holiday, 
going away to camp for a few days, for 
a change of work is often a rest. 
We have had a busy, busy year, and 
now at the season's close we find we 
never, as a whole, had as good a harvest, 
while a year ago we never hod as poor a 
harvest. Last year was exceptionally dry 
and this; Summer exceptionally wet. but 
this Autumn has been very dry. and for 
days our atmosphere was heavy with 
smoke, and at night wo could plainly smell 
the burning leaves from the faraway for¬ 
est fires. This week wo have had a little 
raic but according to the old saving. 
"We won't have Winter till the rains fill 
the springs and wells.’’ We are not look¬ 
ing for Winter yet. 
Potatoes were not a full crop, and in 
sonic* towns rotted badly. More interest 
was taken in spraying than usual, but 
the excessive rain caused excessive growth 
of vine, and. as on man said, b • would 
defv anyone to keep Ins vines covered with 
spray without trampling the vines, In 
large quantities potatoes sell for 75 to SOc 
per bit., or $1 for a single bushel, 
Good Winter apples are rather scarce, 
and are sold at $•"> per bid. Kggs here are 
72c a dozen, and butter 45c. and it is 
almost impossible for the stores to get 
enough fresh eggs. 
Everyone knows what the New Eng¬ 
land housewife has to do in Summer, 
first picking, oiekling and preserving to 
feed the family; then, like the princes- 
iu the fairy tale, cutting, clipping and 
contriving that the family may be clothed. 
Plums were an especially abundant 
fruit: ottr trees bore quite a lot and 1 
bought a large pailful for 50c. from 
which I canned 10 qts. Preserving pears 
sold for $1 per bu. 
For all of our “busyness” we have man¬ 
aged to sandwich in a day of pleasure 
occasionally, We attended a “Flying Cir¬ 
cus," and the flying seemed so safe and 
delightful it was a jo\ to watch the 
planes. We were all amazed when we 
reached home to learn that a tragedy oc¬ 
curred 10 minutes after we left, and we 
Mere all thankful we were not there. 
Our town celebrated an Old Home Day. 
and the proceeds from a sale, a dinner 
and supper, is being used for more cement 
walks. 
In the various discussions about city 
and country it seems to tne one thing is 
forgotten, and that is that happiness is 
not a matter of dollars and cents, and I 
know that no city dweller has such water, 
air or beautiful scenerv as 1 enjoy every 
day. Then, ton, many of us find joy in 
our bird neighbors and in our own inti¬ 
mate acquaintance and even friendship 
of animals, I have in mind an elderly 
man. who lives alone ou a lonely moun¬ 
tainside with a horse. Kate, and his hens 
for comrades. Last Whiter he was quite 
sick with influenza, so he loaded his 
shotgun and stand it bv the door, and he 
said he decided if he grew so sick that he 
thought he could not live, lie Mould shoot 
Kate, so no one could ever abuse her; 
but 1 am glad that Kate and her master 
are hale and hearty. 
Another treat husband and son had was 
a trip t•» the little village that elaitns to 
be the highest in the State, although the 
ascent is so Minding and gradual they 
could hardly believe it. and while there 
listened (o their first radio concert. They 
decided at once they must have one. hut 
1 imagine they ivill wait a while before 
they get it. 
Then we attended another Old Home 
Day on the mountainside not far from 
whore Daniel Webster spoke in ls40. and 
\yr were entertained by tales of the olden 
times, when wolves were common in Ver¬ 
mont. On** speaker said he could remem¬ 
ber when ho was a small hoy that his 
father had 15 or 20 sheep killed by the 
wolves between their house and barn. I 
was surprised to learn they had been so 
common iu our part *d' the State. 
Another trip lately showed mo numer¬ 
ous veranda and window boxes full of 
dead frostbitten ulants. but it also show'ed 
me one set of veranda boxes with small 
branches of pine set in. Vou have no 
idea how pleasing it was to the eyes of 
passersby. A few branches of berries 
would have brightened them. >n I will 
go them one better some day. 
During the Mar we all got our knitting 
needles; why not get them "tit again this 
Winter? Did you ever think wool can 
be bought from the farmer, send it au'ay 
yourself and have it come back yarn? 
Mother i- doing this, and is busily knit¬ 
ting while I have knitted two small boys 
some good long leggins, and even if one 
doesn’t find time for knitting stockings, 
new heels can he easily knit in and the 
life nf a stocking doubled, and new knees 
can lie knit in for the small boy. 
But the nhonograph plays "Eights Out" 
and the wind goes whoo-o-o. The sky is 
overcast with a big black cloud, and I 
am listening for Thor. MOTHER BEE. 
Children's Books 
A child's love fo r good reading must s e 
cultivated from babyhood. Begin by sing¬ 
ing Mother Goose songs to your babies, 
for while we are denied nowadays the joy 
of singing our babies to sleep. 1 do not 
know that there is any scientific objection 
to singing to them awake. If you do 
this. the\ will be repenting "Little Boy 
Blue," “Hickory Dickon- Dock" and ail 
the others before they can talk plain 
enough for anyone hut a mol her to under¬ 
stand. Then read good poetry to them : 
they will listen to almost any poetry if 
you read it well, and thev will greatly 
enjoy R. E. Stevenson's “Child’s Garden 
of Verses." .Tames Whitcomb Riley’s 
"Child's Poems" and manv of Eugene 
Fields’. 
Begin early to read the Bible to them. 
It is surprising to observe how very young 
children enjoy hearing the Bible read 
aloud: it must be the beauty and rhythm 
of (he words rather (ban tin* text, for they 
surely cannot understand il all. The 
story of the creation, the Psalms and the 
sayings of .Testis are usually the favorites. 
11o m' fine il would be if the children of 
today were taught to memorize passages 
from the Bible as they were in the days 
of our grandmothers! 
At about Ihe age of three they will like 
the stories in Sara Bryant’s "Stories to 
Tell to Children" and "Wee Ann." a 
story of a Iitie girl who wrnt to visit her 
grandmother, also the "Peter and Polly" 
books. These are a series of four hooks 
telling of the good times of Polly and h *r 
little brother. Peter, on their father's 
farm. 
Children of all ages like Thornton W. 
Burgess' books: the “Bird Book" is the 
best, but they love them all. They are 
interesting and the nature facts are trut, 
so much better than so many of the ani¬ 
mal books put out lately. Another good 
author is Lucy Fitch Perkins, who has 
written the "dapanesc Twins.' the “Bel¬ 
gian Twins." the "Puritan Twins" and 
several other twill stories. 
Our little girls love “Birds' Christmas 
Carol" and “liebeeea of Sunnybrook 
Farm,” by Kate Douglas Wiggin. Other 
girl stories are: "Betty Leicester." by 
S. < >. Jewett; "The Secret Garden" and 
"Sara Crewe.” by Frances Hodgson Bur¬ 
nett. A little later they will like Louisa 
M. Alcott’s hooks and the "Little Colonel*’ 
stories, while I suppose hoys of the same 
age will read “Robinson Crusoe,” "Swiss 
Family Robinson," "Merry Adventures 
of Robin Hood” and “Treasure Island." 
Of course, every normal child reads for 
the story first of all. but they will learn 
to like the hooks of travel, nature study 
and history if an older person gets them 
started by reading some of them akud 
and creating an interest hv discussing the 
books with the children. 
I have absolutely no patience with the 
mothers or fathers, either, who say they 
have uo time to read to their little chil¬ 
dren. If they cannot find time, they are 
either lazy or are uot efficient managers. 
If all parents realized how good reading 
strengthens and broadens their children's 
minds and what a world of happiness it 
opens up for them, independent of their 
surroundings and environment, 1 am sure 
they would all start the habit of reading 
or telling at least one story at uaptirue 
and bedtime. 
The years that (he children will care 
to be read to are all too short. I find, for 
our little girl, who has not been to school 
yet. already prefers to read “Sunbonnet 
Babies." “Overall Boys." “Peter and 
Polly" and many others to her own self, 
and the older little girl, aged nine, finds 
it fascinating to read quite grown-up 
books aloud to mother. 
In the country, especially where the 
district schools arc small, we cannot al¬ 
ways select the associates we would like 
for opr Children, but we can select th**ir 
companions and heroes in books, and do 
much to mold their ideals and characters 
in this way. 
November 12-22 was “Children's Books 
Week." I wish that every child in the 
land might be given a really good hook 
during that week to start his very own 
library. A farm woman. 
Hints for Holidays 
Every year the newspapers and family 
magazines contain interesting matter for 
high days aud holidays, .'u the shape of 
poems, pictures, games, suggestions for 
table decorations, ami the like. A few 
biff envelopes. Libelled ‘'Hallowe'en." 
"Christmas." ere., in which clippings are 
accumulated. >oon becomes a treasury of 
helpful material iu planning recitations, 
fancy costumes and other features of 
church and home entertainments. 
R. F. D. 
Christmas Cakes 
Will you give recipe for Christmas 
cakes made with hartshorn? MRS. F. R. 
Perhaps the recipe desired is spring- 
erle. Mix four whole eggs with 1 lb. of 
(preferably) powdered sugar. If granu¬ 
lated sugar is used, sift five times. Stir 
15 minutes or more. (Old-time German 
cooks think an hour is not too much). 
Add 1 lb. of flour and one saltspoou «>f 
carbonate of ammonia. You may use iu 
place of the ammonia one teaspoon of 
baking powder, or one teaspoon of soda 
dissolved in a little sour milk. Roll out 
about oue-fourth inch thick, and cut with 
the wooden snringerte molds, which have 
a pattern like butter molds. Let the 
cakes stand to dry over night. Grease 
the baking tin. then sprinkle aniseed over 
it, so that it will stick to the bottom of 
the cakes. Bake iu a moderate oven. 
Baked Beans; Togus Bread 
Several years ago you published a long 
list of recipes front a New England 
woman, among them being one f>>r Togus 
brown hi-end and one for baked beans. 
Before Christinas I asked husband what 
he would like for Christmas diutter, and 
lie said he'd rather have baked beans and 
Togus brown bread than anything else. 
MRS. U. E. R. 
Baked Beans (Boston Cooking School 
Cook Book).- Pick over one quart of pea 
beans, cover with cold water and soak 
overt) ichf. In the morning drain, cover 
with fresh water, and cook until (lie skills 
will burst. Drain beans. Scald rind of 
three-fourths pound of salt pork, scrape, 
remove slice one-fourth inoli thick, and 
put in bottom of bean pot. Cut through 
rind of remaining pork every half-inch, 
making cuts an Inch deep. Put beaus in 
pot and bury pork in beans, leaving only 
the rind exposed. Mix one tablespoon 
salt, one tablespoon molasses, and three 
tablespoon- sugar, add otip cup boilin'** 
water, and pour all over beans; then odd 
enough fboiling water to cover beans. 
Cover bean pot, put in oven, and bake 
slowly six or eight hours; uncover pot 
during the last hour to brown the pork. 
Add more boiling water during baking 
as needed. 
Togus Bread - -The following is Miss 
Pari on's recipe: Three cup of sweet milk 
and one of sour. three cups of Indian 
meal and one of flour, half a cup of mo- 
lass s. oue teaspoon of saloratus, one of 
salt. Steam three hours. 
