SEPT, li 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
<§amesth[ (Bccmnttrr. 
RAG CARPETS. 
There are many ways to make those most 
useful comforts. A correspondent of the Cin¬ 
cinnati Times gives an easy method : 
If you wish to have a m'ce, smooth carpet, 
use six knots of warp per yard, but if you 
care more for durability, less will do, as the 
warp usually wears out first, and the less you 
use the more it will bed down into- the rags, 
causing the wear to come more upon them ; 
but I never use less than four and a half 
knots to the yard. The more warp we use 
the less rags it will take. We all have our 
own peculiar notions and tastes. I never use 
blue nor yellow, only in hit-and-miss, as I 
think it makes u carpet look cheap. The 
most perplexing question (especially to the 
inexperienced) is, how shall I stripe my car¬ 
pet I As I have a very pretty one, which 
has been pronounced by my friends the 
prettiest rag carpet they ever saw, [ thought 
I would tell you how it ia striped. I always 
make center stripes, because we often wish to 
change ends with a breadth when partly 
worn, and you cannot do so with side stripes. 
My carpet is composed of a light and dark 
fancy stripe. I will begin at the center and 
give you a draft of each. The center of the 
light is what I call a candy stripe. I tore 
flue white clcth into line rags, then tore 
bright pink the same width, twisted each, 
then doubled and twisted together ; there are 
four threads of this, then three of salmon, 
and three of cochineal red, and two of red¬ 
wood red, then six of black and green thread¬ 
ed, first a thread of one and then the other. 
Then seven of dark green and nine of light, 
then four threads of calico,which divides the 
light fancy stripe from the dark one—the 
center of this, the dark one, is composed of 
five threads of beautiful hit-or-miss,—then 
three of purple and two of black, than three 
of nankeen color, and nine of light and live 
of dark brown, then four of black, which 
joins the calico. But the wide stripes, like 
the green and brown, must be measured, of 
course, as it would not do to count thread in 
such wide ones. One can loop rags much 
faster than they can sew them, and some 
will do very well looped, but I always sew 
mine and my carpets are so smooth they 
sweep almost as easy as a bare floor. 
♦ ♦♦-- 
HOW TO MAKE LEMONADE. 
One of the most refreshing drinks in very 
hot weather is lemonade, bnt how rare is it 
that we meet with lemonade that is really 
nice ! Of course tastes differ, but I cannot 
understand how some people cun drink the 
ordinary bottled lemonade. It is, as a rule, 
so very sweet that it is absolutely sickly, 
and, at the same time, in such a state of 
effervesence that only peculiarly-constituted 
throats can drink it at a draught. Plain, 
home-made lemonade can be made very 
cheaply, when lemons are not too dear. The 
great seeret is to use boiling water, and pour 
it on the pulp of, say, three lemons, with a 
small piece of peel, but not too much, as it 
will render the lemonade bitter. Add white 
Bugar to taste—of course children like it 
sweeter than others. Let it get cold, and 
then strain it. Care should bo taken that all 
pips are removed from the pulp before the 
boiling water is added. A great improve¬ 
ment to this kind of lemonade is the addition 
of a little dilute sulphuric acid, about thirty 
drops to a quart. Thirty drops of dilute sul¬ 
phuric acid, when freely diluted, can he 
taken at one dose without any fear, though, 
of course, such a quantity must not be taken 
without a doctor’s order, but the additon of 
it to a whole quart of lemonade has theefleet 
of rendering it much more palatable ; and 
were a person to drink the whole quart, 
which is improbable, it would not do Lhem 
the slightest harm. Dilute sulphuric acid is 
a simple but valuable mediciue, particularly 
useful in summer. 
-. 
SELECTED RECIPES. 
Moths in Carpels .—Moths will work in 
carpets in rooms that are kept warm in the 
winter as well as in the summer. A sure 
method of removing the pests is to pour 
strong alum water on the floor to the 
distance of half a yard around the edges be¬ 
fore laying the carpets. Then once or twice 
during the season sprinkle dry salt over the 
Carpet before sweeping. Insects do not like 
salt, and sufficient adheres to the carpet to 
prevent their alighting upon it. 
Aetr Way of Making Sandwiches .—Boil a 
few pounds of ham, and chop it very line 
while it is yet warm—fat and lean together 
J 
", 
—rub dry mustard in proportions to suit your 
taste through the mass ; add as much sweet 
butter as would go to the spreading your 
sandwiches, and w hen it is thoroughly mixed, 
split light biscuits in halves and spread the 
ham between. These can be eaten without 
trouble, and will be found excellent. 
Crackers .—Take one large cupful of bread 
dough, very light, roll it out on your mold 
ing-board ; then spread on it a piece of butter 
and lard together, as large as a goose egg ; 
dredge a little flour over St, fold R up, and 
pound it with something heavy a long time ; 
take a small piece at a lime, roll out very 
thin, stamp with a clock key, and bake 
quickly. 
Stuffed Cabbage .—Take a large, fresh cab¬ 
bage and cut out the heart. Fill the place 
with stuffings made of cooked chickens or 
veal, chopped very fine and highly seasoned, 
rolled into balls with yolk of egg. Then 
tie the cabbage firmly together and boil in a 
covered kettle for two hours. It makes a 
very delicious dish, and is often useful for 
using pieces of cold meut. 
Bird's-nest Padding .—Pare and core six 
rich, tart apples. Set them in a pudding 
dish, filling the cavity of each with blanched 
raisins, two blanched almonds, and a tea- 
spoonful of sugar. Then pour over it tapioca, 
prepared by soaking for three hours, one 
cup in two cups of boiling water, and two 
cups stewed apples, sweetened. Bake until 
the apples are tender. 
Delicious Holts .—Half a toacup of butter, 
mixed well with one pound of flour, half tea¬ 
cup of yeast, a little salt, and enough milk 
to make a good dough. Let it set in a warm 
place for about two hours to rise. Then make 
into rolls and bake in an oven. 
To Tiemove Mihleu ).—Soak the part of the 
cloth that is mildewed in two parts of 
chloride of lime to four parts of water for 
four hours, or until the mildew has entirely 
disappeared, then thoroughly rime it in clean 
water. 
Brighton Biscuit .—One cup of butter, two 
of sugar, two eggs, half cup of milk, one tea¬ 
spoon of soda, and sufficient flour to roll out 
thick. Sift granulated sugar over the top 
before baking, to give them a sparkle. 
Jttfijrmitthm. 
PURE AIR AND PURE WATER. 
Mr. W. J. Beau, Professor of Botany, at 
the Michigan Agricultural College, gives the 
following excellent directions for securing to 
dwellers in the couutry pure air and pure 
water, during the whole year. This subject 
is of especial importance during the sultry 
weather which ofteu prevails at this season 
of the year : 
There are several closets, says the Profes¬ 
sor, at the Agricultural College, which are 
built on ground slightly sloping, with the 
back 3ide toward the foot of the slope. No 
pits or holes are dug. Along the back side 
are doors turned down horizont illy and 
hung on hinges on the upper edge. The 
doors usually hong down to the ground, but 
may be easily raised to remove night soil 
when necessary. A small room in the same 
building is tilled in dry time, with dry muck, 
loam or dust from the road. Clay is better 
than sand. Every day or every other day, 
or twice a day, a small quantity is shoveled 
into each closet. Copperas water, lime, plas¬ 
ter, or other deodorize's, are also used in 
addition to dry earth. Every few weeks, or 
even once or twice a year for u small family, 
the night soil is carted away to the compost 
heap. 
If cared for as above there is almost no 
unpleasant odor ; nor is it more disagreeable 
to cart away than so much manure from a 
barn-yard. The advantages of some such 
mode are :—The closets may be cheaply 
made and kept nearly free from unpleasant 
odor ; they may consequently be placed 
much nearer the house, or even connected 
with it; there is no pestilential fllth, filtering 
into adjacent wells, or otherwise causing 
“ mysterious epidemics” in the family ; the 
compost heap is increased in value. Some¬ 
thing like this, or better than this, must some 
day become the universal custom in all the 
best private houses, schools, railway depots 
and hotels. 
Slops from the kitchen can be run upon a 
heap of dirt which may be occasionally 
shoveled over and changed after it lias 
absorbed a good deal of filth. It is then 
well worth removing to use as a fertilizer. 
It is better than running under ground into 
a pit where the odors generally find some 
way of escape, often into the kitchen on 
account of some defect or stoppage of the 
pipes. 
The use of dry earth is vastly better than 
to wash the filth into a sewer, thence into a 
river to contaminate the air and water. A. 
little mouse, a dead frog or squirrel, or a 
few dead worms, will spoil the water of a 
well so every one will smell it and refuse to 
driuk it. The same subjects are complete’y 
deodorized by a small shovelful of dry earth. 
HINTS ABOUT SLEEPLESSNESS. 
Sleeplessness is so dreary—as brain- 
wearing, so brain-inflaming—that I would 
cheerfully give my experience, if it would be 
the means of soothing one poor sufferer to 
the land of dreams, for a few hours. Feeble 
persons are generally the ones to sutfer most 
for that pleasant and life-renewing cost, 
which comes by sleep. I am well satisfied, 
there are no rules for inducing sleep, which 
may not sometimes fail in extreme cases, 
but I will name a few practices which, if 
well attended to, generally make one forget 
what is about them. 
In my own case, I have practiced success¬ 
fully eating sparingly of enrly and light 
suppers, oftoner none at all—avoiding all 
arguments or contested subjects near night 
;is well as any train of thoughts rehearsing 
injuries, even if real, as all of these are 
likely to have u bad effect upon a person 
who is apt to be sleepless at night. Olfer a 
heart-felt prayer for a forgiving and quiet 
spin's before retiring, and continue it after 
your head presses your pillow, in your heart 
if not audibly, and In some cases this will 
have a charming effect. Special prayers 
bring sometimes great and remarkable 
blessing. Some persons are kept awake at 
night by eating a late dinner of meat, and 
still feel no pain or especial distress ; but the 
nerves of the stomach are complaining in 
their peculiar wav nearly all night. 
Many persons become so excited wLh the 
meeting of friends that sleep departs for a 
time. There is probably nothing better, 
after cultivating a tranquil mind, than 
exercise lu the open air (especially in Minne¬ 
sota) to induce sleep. Anything which will 
enlist the powers of the mind and make one 
forget themselves entirely works a good 
effect. Attending to the wants of some 
greater sufferer than themselves, will often 
accomplish good for the actor. a. f. 
■——---- 
FEVER DIET. 
Dr. Luton of Rheims states that for the 
last four years he has treated typhoid by an 
absolute water diet. Nothing but good fresh 
filtered water, occasionally Iced, is permitted 
to bo taken. At first, he says, it is taken 
with avidity, thou iti moderation, and at 
last with signs of satiety ; it is sometimes 
vomited at first, but is soon tolerated ; at 
the beginning of the treatment the bowels 
may be a little relaxed, but they soon become 
moderate and less offensive, and after a 
time constipation may ensue. The duration 
of this treatment depends upon the progress 
of the disease ; that is, between four aud 
five days of water exclusively may be re¬ 
quired, if the fever be treated as a whole, 
but three or four days suffice if only the in¬ 
testinal element of the disease be considered. 
A light alimentation may then be allowed— 
milk, unboiled, may be mixed with the 
water and given by spoonfuls, and if well 
supported for a time, to be followed by 
broth and soup. Under this treatment the 
mortality is very low, no evil results ensue, 
and serious complications, including visceral 
congestions and bed-sores, at once disappear. 
-•~ 4 ~*-. 
HYGIENIC NOTES. 
Scarlet Fever .—The Chicago Inter-Ocean 
says" Hundreds of children have fallen 
vi.tims to scarlet fever In this city during 
the past three months. Concerning the 
treatment of this disease, an eminent phy¬ 
sician says that he does not fail iu effecting 
a cure more than once in a hundred cases, 
by giving the patient warm lemonade with 
gum arabic dissolved in it. A cloth wrung 
out in hot water and laid upon the stomach 
should be renewed as rapidly as it becomes 
cool. To this simple treatment the most 
obstinate cases seldom fail to succumb.” 
A Oood Dentifrice .—Dissolve two ounces 
of borax iii three pints of boiling water ; 
before quite cold add one tablespoonful of 
tincture of myrrh and one table spoonful of 
spirits of camphor. Bottle the mixture for 
use. Add one wineglassful of the solution 
to half a pint of tepid water, and use it 
daily. It preserves and beautifies the teeth 
and arrests decay. 
Jutsurance department. 
INSURANCE NOTES AND NEWS. 
Extravagant Commissions to Agents. —The 
Tribune thinks that the life companies habit¬ 
ually pay too high commissions to agents, 
and that this, combined with a careless se¬ 
lection of risks, was what brought so many 
companies to grief. The Express contends 
that the commissions are not relatively too 
high when compared with those paid by 
tire companies ; that the business cannot be 
carried on without adequately rewarding 
first-rate ability; that agents do not make 
fortunes by their business, nor continue long 
in it. Both are probably right. We happen 
to kuow that one company, that afterwards 
failed, paid an agent the whole of the first 
premium, and that some companies now 
allow them to keep half, and also that many 
agents enjoy a handsome income from the 
renewals of a few years active business. If 
every one who needed insurance knew that 
he would be required to pay for no more 
thau he got, high commissions and broker¬ 
ages would not be necessary. 
Even So. —The following interesting and 
pertinent opinions are from tile recently pub¬ 
lished Report of the Commissioners of In¬ 
surance for Massachusetts “It is becoming 
more apparent every day that a radical 
change in the plans of fife insurance is de¬ 
manded. What the public require and will 
have, is a form of insurance adapted to their 
necessities. The great object of life in¬ 
surance to the insured is to cover the ac¬ 
tive and personally productive period of 
life between twenty-live and sixty. In 
view of tiio correctness of this theory, it is 
[ surprising that the companies have made so 
few efforts to enlighten the people upon the 
merits of Term insurance. . . . The de¬ 
mand for co-operative insurance arises chiefly 
if not entirely from the excessive cost of in¬ 
surance offered by legitimate companies.” 
Our readers will remember that these are 
the views we have been publishing any time 
these two years. 
Must Give Due Notice. —The Supreme 
Court of Illinois has decided that, a mutual 
life insurance company must give to the 
holders of participating policies due notice 
that such an amount of premium is due and 
payable, and in default of this notice cannot 
lapse the pulley, because the company knows, 
and the policy-holder does not and cannot 
know, how much the stipulated amount of 
premium may liave been reduced by divi¬ 
dends. This decision is a very important one 
as defining the rights of policy-holders, but 
unless the companies elect to abide by it and 
make it a rule, it will not help thu policy¬ 
holders unless they appeal to other courts, 
which may, after all, reverse this very equit¬ 
able ruling. 
Moral Hazard. —Quite a number of the 
papers devoted wholly or partially to in¬ 
surance interests are just now busily dis¬ 
cussing the availability of ways and meaus 
of deterring people from burning their prop¬ 
erty iu order to obtain the insurance money. 
One suggests that only a portion of the value 
insured be paid, another that nothing be paid 
when the lire originates iu the premises, and 
another that the eagerness of companies and 
agents to insure property for more thau the 
market value furnishes the strongest incen¬ 
tive to incendiarism. They have already 
muddled the matter beyond the possibility 
of immediate solution, and will doubtless 
leave it much as they found it. 
St at isllcs of Sa icide .—November is reputed 
to be a month favorable to suicide, but, so 
the St. Louis Republican states, there were 
no fewer than 110 suicides published as hav¬ 
ing occurred iu the United States during 
July and August. Probably a large uumber 
were not reported, since of the whole num¬ 
ber but twelve occurred south of the Potomac 
and Ohio Rivers. If this sort of thing con¬ 
tinues the companies will scarcely be justified 
in abating the stringency of policy conditions 
inhibiting this method of maturing life in¬ 
surance claims. 
Well Done. —The Plienix Fire Insurance 
Company of Brooklyn, by careful selection 
of risks and prudent management during 
1874 and 1875. accumulated a handsome sur¬ 
plus, which, we learu, is not to be distributed 
iu dividends to its stockholders, but set aside 
for the better protection aud security of its 
policy-holders. Such companies succeed, be¬ 
cause they deserve and make success. 
Not Insured. —It is now definitely ascer¬ 
tained that Ex-President Andrew Johnson 
had not a dollar of insurance upon his life at 
the time of his death. But he could, unlike 
most people, afford to dispense with it. 
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