3 
APB1L 
MOORE’S RURAL WEW-Y©RKER 
gomcstii} feattonut. 
THAT RAG CARPET. h 
[ >,• tin.* Rural New-Yorker, March 15th, 1 v 
read tho “ History of a Rag Carpet.” Now, ° 
how on© whole family could devote “four I 
mortal years” to making forty yards of rag 
carpet, is more t han I caa understand. I am 
not as “poor as poverty, nor as proud as Lu- 
cifer,” neither do ( make any pretensions to I 
being “.--mart;” hut i have made one rag 
carpet—about thirty yards. I colored nearly 
all the rags, (which, by the way, T do not 1 
think 1 would ever do again) cut them all ( 
myself, and with a little assistance in sewing, 
had it all done in two months. My time was 1 
not wholly devoted to the carpet, l'or Iliad J 
other duties to perform ; and I did not solfer I 1 
any great inconvenience from l< blistered I 
hands.” 1 think that young lady must he j 
guilty <»f some other failing beside “ poverty” 
and “pride.” 
Without taking into consideration econo- I 
my and durability, a rag carpet seems more 
appropriate for a farmer’s kitlien, where I 
there is of necessity so much going in and I 
out.— Aunt Helen. 
I know a family who have made thirty I 
yards of rag carpet each year for three years; 
go there when you will, you see no great dis¬ 
play or blisters ; and when It is done you will 
find yourself wondering when it was done. I 
There arc no boys to help them, either—only I 
tint mother and two daughters, and they live 
on a farm at that. 1 would not have Jane 
Brandon think these carpets are not pretty. I 
They arc cut ami sewed nicely and have all I 
the bright colors necessary to make them I 
handsome. We/f now it is not a nice job to I 
make rag carpet, but 1 do know there is a 
lark of calculation when it takes six per- I 
sous four years to make forty yards of rag I 
carpet.—L. M. R., WlndhMn, O. 
-- 
FRENCH BEDSTEAD, ETC. 
WE do not, give the. illustration of a French 
bedstead, with its muslin hangings and quilt¬ 
ed silk counterpane on page 341, because we 
desire or expect, our country readers to rush 
into < ho extravagance of imitating it, except 
so far as they may do so in u modified and 
cheap way; but wo have many wealthy 
readers who can afford, and do have similar 
luxuries, and who will he interested in our 
illustration. The hangings are of white nuts- I 
lin and net-worked in satin and slanting 
stitch and overcast at the edge. The green 
quilted silk counterpane is laid inside aline 
linen case, embroidered around the edge and 
buttoned over tho quilt, as shown. Figures 
l and 2 exhibit portions of the quilt with the 
cover attached. Fig. 1 has a cover trimmed 
with work ; Fig. 2 is cut into square tabs at 
the edges, and tho space tilled up with edg¬ 
ing set in full. The pillow is trimmed with 
lane insertion, and a double muslin frill, .anil 
embroidered at the corners, where it is also 
ornamented witli a bow of colored ribbon. 
At the foot of the bed is a second cover of 
chintz or dimity, also trimmed with lace or 
frills. 
-- 
DOMESTIC BREVITIES. 
biscuits, T fear you will bo unable to please 
him or them In that line.—M rs. H. 8. BROWN. 
To Color Scarlet with Coch ineal. —For one 
pound of goods put into warm water one- 
ludf ounce cream tartar; stir it briskly, 
while tho heat increases a little; add one 
ounce pounded cochineal ; stir well, and im¬ 
mediately odd one ounce muriate of tin ; stir 
well ; when il boils put in the goods ; stir it, 
about briskly two or three times ; afterward 
Stir it more slowly. Let it boil twenty min 
tttea ; take out the goods, and rinse well in 
cold water.—M rs. E. R. 
Pork Coke.— 1 lb. fat salt pork, chopped 
fine ; pour on it one pint boiling water ; 2 
cups brown sugar ; l}4 cups molasses ; 1 tea¬ 
spoon cloves ; 1 teaspoon cinnamon ; 1 of so¬ 
da ; 1 of nutmeg ; 1 lb. of raisins rolled in 
Hour and added last to prevent settling to the 
bottom. Bake slowly in a six-quart tin.— 
Anna R., mils., Mich. 
How to Take the Taste of Wild Onions or 
Garlic Out of Milk , is what a Maryland cor¬ 
respondent wants to know. It is far easier 
to give to good milk a bad fiavor than a 
good flavor t© tainted milk. Wo cannot an¬ 
swer t he question. 
Cookies. —One. cup sour cream, one-half cup 
buttermilk, one half cup sugar, one teaspoon 
soda, a little nutmeg if you like ; do not roll 
too bliin or bake too hard, and you will have 
nice moist cookies.—L. M. R. 
den anil 
Ipamtev'i. 
P0L0NAI8ES. 
That Lone) Chur nine). —Tell E. M. T. of 
Erie Co., N. Y., (page 1(53, Rural March ft) 
that she is milking some of her cows too near 
the time of calving, or has a farrow cow that 
has been in milk too long. Hhe can tell by 
separating the milk anil churning it by itself; 
she will find that one part, 8he may keep 
her churn and pans ever so well scalded, and 
cream of the right temperature and have seen 
• the last new moon over her right shoulder, 
and she may churn from July to the end of 
tiuie without getting a particle of butter- 
only just froth and foam,— C. TREADWELL. 
A Cheap Picture Frame .—“ Lily Aster” 
tells how she made a rustic picture frame, iu 
Rural New-Yorker, March 15. 1 will tell 
you about my picture frame. My husband 
made the frame of heavy molding that was 
left in making tho pillars of the, fence. 1 
then stained it with burned umber, and with 
mucilage put a strip of gilt paper around t he 
inside of the frame ; then varnished ft several 
times. I have a very pretty autunni wreath 
in the frame, which I may some time toll you 
how 1 made.— Aunt Helen. 
Sally Lunn. —Tako a stone pot, pour in one 
pint of sweet milk, half a teacup of baker’s 
or other yeast, one-quarter of a pound of 
melted butter, a little salt, anil three beaten 
eggs ; mix iu about three pints of sifted flour ; 
let it stand to raise ; when light, put into tin 
pans, in which Sally should again rise up be¬ 
fore being put iu the oven ; and if your hus¬ 
band and friends do nob pronounce these good 
- 
New materials for polonaises appear every 
day in tho stores. The fancy for this gar- 
rnont is in no wise diminishing, while styles v 
seem to be narrowing down to the redingote n 
with loose front or tho redingote with darts, <j 
In both eases belts are used, though iu the tl 
first - mentioned the belt only confines the p 
back. There is a certain simplicity about p 
both these styles; there is no trimming be- j, 
yond a fiat band about the bottom, except, i 
where embroidery or yak lace are used. Tlie j> 
ornaments are the large, square, velvet or 
silk collars, cuffs and pockets, and steel and 
embroidered buttons. These are the neoessi- H 
ties of the redingote polonaise; otherwise, t 
they may be partly opened in front, caught y 
upon tho sides, though not too high, or in { 
the middle of the back. The arrangement , 
of the sash, which the fancy of the wearer 
may dictate, also gives variety. Nothing 
could he more comfortable for the summer 
months, or for promenade wear, than these 
rodiugotes made in suitable materials. 
A new grenadine for the seaside comes in 
white stripes alternated with stripes, two ( 
inches wide, of black, lavender, blue, pink 
and peacock; this stripe is thicker, with a 
satin finish. A lace-like pattern covers both 
the thick and thin stripe. The material is 
exceedingly handsome, but costs $5 a yard. 
If one has all old lavender, blue, or colored 
silk dress, past its first freshness, polonaises 
of this material will make an elegant anil 
not expensive costume. Other stripes, which 
are uucll narrower, and without the lace 
figure, are very pretty, and sold for *3. 
Caprice can scarcely be carried any further 
than in the varieties of batiste and Algerine 
goods for polonaises. All are in alternate 
stripes, thick and thin,; t he most sheer ba¬ 
tiste is united to stripes like Turkish towel¬ 
ing ; such novelties cost *5 and $4 a yard. A 
white variety has lines of blue and silver or 
threads of gilt running through it. Such 
cannot be commended, except, to very stylish 
persons, who can afford to renew their ward¬ 
robes often. 
One turns from these extravagant, patterns 
with pleasure to the white goods—'the striped 
Victoria lawns and the embroidered piques. 
These last were never ro handsome; they 
have small sprays, leaves and dots, embroid¬ 
ered by hand. The goods are wide and | 
l. thick, and cost $1.25 and $1.50. It must bo 
s said there are objections to the piques, on 
L account of their thickness, which renders 
1 them unsuitable for very warm weather; 
! there iR also the difficulty of having them 
1 properly done up. A pique polonaise, though, 
1 is very serviceable. They are made some* 
1 thing like the old gubriclles, with very little 
fullness or looping, and trimmed with a 
e ruffle of Victoria lawn or an embroidered 
s ruffle such as comes for this purpose, 
f For ordinary costumes at seaside, or for 
a sea voyages, is the old-fashioned goods known 
; as de beye ; it Is mixed brown, soft, and costs 
n but 50 cents a yard. The skirt is made with 
s- a small rutile on the bottom and a flat plait- 
>- ing above. The polonaise is such as we have 
d described, with sailor collar. 
Dark blue costumes for those purposes are oi 
still in favor. Dark blue waterproof, or P 
imitation of camels’ hair cloth, are the hand- ° 
Bomest materials ; serge is very serviceable; *’ 
the English make, being the best. The cos¬ 
tumes are made as the de bet/c, and often v 
with the addition of a white cord, us in cliil- il 
ilren’s dresses. Black gros grain is used for j 
sashes. 
NOVELTIES. i 
Among recent novelties are gray grenadine 
veils in squares, dotted and trimmed with a 
fringe; they are especially becoming. Other t 
colors, as blue, green and white, can be had ; , 
price, $2 and $2.50. Black net veils trimmed i 
with Spanish lace are still worn. Veils are J 
worn with one point in front and the other > 
three gathered down tight beneath the hat \ 
on the back of the head and pinned with a 
fancy veil-pin. 
Square capes of white net, embroidered in 
black, with black and white fringe, arc worn 
about the necks of young ladies ; also, netted 
silk cravats of blue, pink and scarlet. 
Fancy vests, to he worn outside of the 
dresses, are still worn. Tho foundations arc 
of blue and pink China crepe, in folds, fin¬ 
ished on each, side with inserting, and edge of 
Italian lace. In front and back China silk 
folds, in points, connect the two shoulder 
pieces, which end in tabs below the waist. 
High rutiles of Valenciennes are the most 
becoming finish for the Reck of «, dress, and 
have almost taken tho place of linen collars. 
The lighter and fluffier these rutiles are, tho 
more becoming. Made of tulle or wash 
blonde, they are still prettier. For mourn¬ 
ing, tarletan or muslin, edged with footing, 
are worn. Black crepe collars are not used 
in mourning. 
The standing ruffle of Valenciennes, with a 
lace jabot in front, is very much worn. A 
variety of the jabot is a piece of Swiss muslin 
about twenty four inches wide and eight in 
depth. From the two ends it slopes up to 
the center, which leaves it straight for two 
inches, about, three inches deep. Trim this 
piece all about with loco inserting and edg¬ 
ing, then plait tho straight ends, leaving a 
box-plait in the center, Fasten this to the 
ruffle, with the open ends underneath, and 
1 conceal the seam by embroidery applied. 
In trimming light spring silks, use graceful 
‘ sheer patterns of French lace. It is inex- 
1 expensive, can be bought by the bolt and 
' used lavishly. There is no prettier trimming 
1 for rutiles, and it, requires no skillful handi 
^ work. Rut, remember, do not choose a thick 
r pattern, as its beauty is in its lightness. 
Breakfast-caps of muslin are used by both 
elderly and young ladies. The Fanclion is a 
piece of muslin gathered over the top of the 
head and finished with a standing ruffle, 
I which edges the muslin, flowing loosely back 
:i over the chignon ; a knot of ribbon is placed 
£ on top. The Charlotte Corday is a larger 
!L cap, gathered around and finished with a 
II ruffle, completely confining the hair. Caps 
H for elderly ladies have strings of muslin and 
'• a high front of ruffles and blonde. 
capable of producing tones which the most 
practiced oar cannot distinguish from those 
of pipe*, and with those contrasts in quality 
and in force by which musical expression Is at¬ 
tained. 
Induatipat 
BOSTON INDUSTRY. 
How Americana “Added Length to Solemn 
Sounds, with Nature’s Mother-Wit and 
Arts Unkown Before." 
There is a building In Boston, situated on 
on©of the wide up-town fttrflcttk among hand¬ 
some dwelling-houses, tinder Hie shadow of 
a beautiful church-spire, which might be taken 
for a hotel were it not for the sign over the 
front door ami the wavy plume <>r steam above 
the high roof, which show at once that It is u 
manufactory. At morning, noon ami night 
there is heard a dear, prolonged musica l chord, 
readily distinguished as that of A major. 
Though not loud or obtrusive, its perfect har¬ 
mony is frequently hoard on still days three 
mile* away. For fonndcrle* and clanking forges 
the st eam-whistle shrieks a summons to labor, 
but, this cheery sound 1* the appropriate call f<>r 
the artisans of a musical workshop. This 
building, with its six practicable stories and 
another large and I boronghly-appointed shop 
for wood-work, about half a mile distant, are 
the factories of the Smith American Organ 
Company. 
Nothing more surprising in tho history of 
musical art, nothing more praiseworthy than 
the development nf this great and profitable 
business, has occurred in our time, for t he orig¬ 
inal germ, or musical fact, was small and con¬ 
temptible. The twittering of a thin slip of 
brass, acted upon by aeurrent of air! That was 
all. It was such a sound as noisy boys rejoiced 
in, and refined arid nervous people heard with 
ashuddor. Yet on that Idea of vibratory sound 
has been built up a business of over half a mil¬ 
lion a year, giving employment to nearly 300 
thriving mechanics. In place Of the torturing 
“harmonica," there is now a veritable organ, 
Dr. Johnson open sudd that any hook that over I I 
was printed would lie a remarkable production 
if It were the sole and unaided work or it* au¬ 
thor. It. is as true in iiicclumlcs as In li tters, 
that great geniuses are the most indebted men 
that they work upon a hint, and do but. ar¬ 
range ami combine the ancient elements of 
things. Look into the wonderful complexity 
of tho new compound engine In a sea-going 
steamship, (tonId Watt or Fulton undertake to 
pick out. of it what was purely his own, there 
would still lie left enough levers and cams and 
cog-wheels In Of up several englnoB for Watt 
and a few steamboats for Fulton. In like man¬ 
ner the reed-organ has grown In character, has 
gained power, and acquired resources from tho 
combined Ingenuity mid patience of a great 
mnuy separate workers. The one great feature 
of the modern reed-organ is tin* change in the 
mode of producing vibration. Probably tho 
perplexed inventor had heard some nasal ac- 
cordoon in the street- — George L. French of 
Lowell. Mass,, seems to have been the man and 
had noticed that drawing In the air made one 
quality of tone, and forcing out made quite 
another quality. The thing is clear. Hence¬ 
forth the supremacy of Messrs. Alexandre, al¬ 
ways chiefs In this business before, i* gone. 
Paris Is headquarters for reed instruments no 
longer. Wo will not expel Hie air by a force 
bellows any more; wo will draw it in, and the 
reeds shall breathe softly, or vibrate strongly, 
as we please, but shall nPways give full, round, 
sonorous tones. Tills was a revolution, or, 
I ither, a new creation. A poor and despised 
miTc of muslcul tone hud been transformed, 
yd stood 
Grand in Its full diapasons, simple for household 
employment, 
forthy the artist's touch, tit, for the song of a man." 
(begging Mr.Story's pardon for the alteration). 
The sewing-machine became possible only 
’hen Ellas Howe thought of having t he eye of 
lie needle near its point. In like manner tho 
auction bellows” is the one groat fact, tn tho 
nproved reed-organ. Everything else in tho 
ray of emitrivnneft Is trivQi.1 in comparison, 
ills experiment was successfully made by 
'reneli iu 1831), but It was not carried to praOti- 
nl result*by Hie inventor. It was reserved for 
crcmlah Carliurt of New York to introduce 
Im Invention to the musical public in a com- 
detcr form. Audit is certainly true that few 
adlcal changes Imvc been made by anysubso- 
picnt makers: though the” resonant air c hom¬ 
ier,” devised by the Smiths, inis been highly 
isteemed: and though, by slow degrees, nearly 
svery portion of t he mechanlHtn as employed 
iy t hem has been renewed and perfected. Bc- 
dnnlng with 1800 rlioro was a busy season of 
•xperiment. In every part of tho country, 
veen-witted men ransacked the Ihdds of acous- 
le* and pneumatics. They tried various metals . 
'ur vibrators, they tempered I hem, they twisted 
hem, they lengthened them, shortened them, 
■ roiulen, (I them, weighted them, [lightened 
them. They made close cells lor reeds, larger 
•ells, round cell*, and resonant air chambers 
over the cell.*. They made bellows <o move 
horizontally, to move vertically. They tried 
leather and then rubber for the folds. They 
made " swells " in every conceivable form. They 
made tremulant effects by various devices, in 
various degrees of badness. 
Out. of all this t urmoil has come a good, prac¬ 
tical Instrument, with admirable qualities of 
tone and power of musical expression ; and no 
inventor, no maiLiifactuii r. as we suppose, lias 
any monopoly of what, is essentia). Peculiari¬ 
ties of detail and of external design are of 
course const.ml ly produced, giving to tho works 
of each maker their characteristics. The Smith 
A mcrit'an Organ Company commenord business 
In Boston in February, 1852, long before any 
competitors in Now England, it was a day of I 
small tilings, to lie sure, but the foundations 
were solidly laid. Muchanicul skill, good finan¬ 
cial management, ami high Integrity were com¬ 
bined Irotn the si art. They kept equal with Hie 
foremost in Improvement*. The organ grew 
under their management, and their business 
grew correspondingly. They have made nearly 
f.0,00U Instruments, and (heir manufactories now 
produco U!f> a week, all of a size and character 
to be permanently useful ami agreeable. A 
great many of their instruments, especially tho 
largo pedal organs, have been sold in England. 
The best English makers adverlhe their own 
work as ** A merlcan organs," so highly arc these 
Boston Instruments esteemed for their musical 
qualities. 
'I lie piano-forte Is necessarily an expensive 
instrument, and one that, require a great deal 
of manual skill and practice; and as Hie reed- 
organ in its present improved slate is musically 
agreeable, and especially useful for singers, anil 
is sold at a very moderate price, It is likely to 
become the favorite household instrument of 
Aim lira. With the universal cultivation of 
vocal music in our schools, the demand for a 
** satisfactory accompaniment for voices yearly 
Of increases, and It I* probable that the resources 
■n of many such establish men ts as the one wo have 
been considering will lie fully taxed for years to 
' come, in a very few years these Yankee organs 
vo have gone round Hie world. Thupsalm-slnglng 
i a in the country ineeting-bouso*, and the anthem* 
pi, in village singing schools everywhere, are large* 
ly assisted by t.heir substantial and sympathetic 
harmonies. But New England, like the north- 
ir. el'll hive of Europe, ho.-, been a mother of many 
ir _ ne w States; and wherever a Yankee colony goes 
It first builds a meeting-house and a school- 
0 house, and then sends bade for an organ to lead 
!C« in the service of song. Tho traveler over the 
•if, prairie* w est of the lakes and the Mississippi, 
even as far as the Rocky Mountain*, generally 
finds in the village chapel, or the solitary meet- 
l *h log-house at. the cross-road* an “American" 
nd organ from Boston. And every missionary ship 
op that crosses the ocean carries, along with its 
load of blbles and tracts, sin organ for l he future 
1 chapel. 11- i* idee-ant to read the letters of the 
lin missionaries, a* I hcy describe the eager delight. 
of the natives In listening to tho organ and 
,,f Voice in divine worship- still more touching to 
read of tiielr own sweet and sad recollections 
liltl as they sing in a strange land the hymns of 
bli.i i heir distant New England. Such idlers com© 
•jo. that have been written under bamboo verandas 
’ In India and China, under Koordish touts, near 
m “ ruined Persian temples, and amid Die sacred 
of mountains of Palestine; and the man is not to 
va* be onvlod who nan regard such heroism and 
such tender, loyal fooling, unmoved. As music 
Ison© of the prinio elements in civilization and 
•Di refinement, and is the source of one of tho 
imi purest pleasures which men can enjoy, all en- 
a ll_ ievprises should be commended that tend to 
>tf¥1 carry its in lluences Into every home; and among 
t horn a high place must he given to the efforts 
ing of this honorable and long-established com- 
;an, [ pany. w. h. k. 
