374 
graciously forgiven by her as one of tbe stratagems 
lawful both In love and war. 
“Well, wbat do you want here?” remarked 
Mr. Smith, as be eat up In bed and addressed a 
professional burglar who stood In front of tbe bu¬ 
reau : “I want money and bonds," hissed the 
burglar, through bis clenched teeth, “ and quick 
about It too." “ My friend,” retorted Mr. Smith, 
“ I've been looking for those things for the last 20 
years without success but go on with your burg¬ 
lary, I'm sleepy.” 
Bub’s composition on the rhinoceros: The rhl- 
nczerus lives In Azher and you kant stick a pin In 
’lm cause biz wersklt la blit ov old stoves. Wen a 
rlnozeTus 12 gonter be ktld yu mus alwaze go up to 
him from before so sz he’ll kno somethin or It an’ 
try to’ nuk a place for a bulltt to git In. His nose 
Is got h upper teeth turn’s got no buslnez ware It 
Iz and It a boy anooa set down on It he better sta 
plugd up with the tooth rels he’ll be all won pore. 
I’d ranter be a polllwog it T wuz a rlnozerus, tho’I 
spose If I wuz I woodent —YonkerB Gazette. 
$or Momnt, 
CONDUCTED BY MISS BAY CLARK. 
ONE AND THEN ANOTHER. 
One step and then another. 
And tbe longest walk Is ended ; 
One stitch and then another. 
And the longest rent is mended 
One brict upon another, 
And the highest wall is made; 
One flake upon another, 
And the deepest snow Is laid. 
So the little coral workers. 
By their slow and constant motion, 
Have built those pretty islands 
In the distant dark blue ocean; 
And the Doblest undertakings 
Man’s wisdom hath conceived. 
By oft-repeated effort 
Has been patiently achieved. 
Then do not look disheartened 
On the work you have to do. 
And say that such a mighty task. 
You never can get through; 
But Just endeavor, day by day, 
Another point to gain. 
And soon the mountain which you feared 
Will prove to be a plain, 
“ Romp was not builded in a day, 
The ancient proverb teaches. 
And nature, by tier trees and flowers, 
The same sweet sermon preaches. 
Think not ol far-off duties, 
But of dutieu which are near, 
And having once begun to work, 
Resolve to persevere. 
-♦♦♦ - 
GRADUATING DRESSES. 
A request for hints on graduating dresses ap¬ 
peared In the Rural recently and having had con¬ 
siderable experience with graduating students, I 
will make that knowledge the basis of a few kindly 
remarks and suggestions. 
Perhaps the drat requisite In selecting any cos¬ 
tume la suitability, for this covers occasion, becom- 
logae&s comfort, and the station and purse of the 
wearer. We smile to see women who have passed 
their first youth, tricked out in juvenile finery ; 
common sense suggests plain attire for traveling 
and even for church, having the showy and elab¬ 
orate for entertainments, balls, parlies etc. 
We dislike to ace the freckled, red-hatred woman 
who is fond of pink and orange, and the sallow 
brunette who admires pale blue above every 
other color—we dislike to see them Ignorantly 
gratify their uneducated tastes. 
Many a tall woman, who could eschew stripes 
llkts stripes and, hence, wears them; while a 
short, roly-poly figure goes waddling In huge 
pH in-leaves or plaid. And no one admires the 
daughter of poor parents In feathers too fine for 
her circumstances, for we cannot but olten won¬ 
der whether ihey are paid tor or not, or what had 
to bo stinted In order do so. 
In the present instance we have girls and young 
women who have been spending a number of years 
following a certain course of study, at the end of 
which they are to take up new work and enter 
upou new duties. They have not finished as too 
many superficial thinkers suppose, commence¬ 
ment means tj commence with the help ol the 
culture and discipline ihese years of study have 
given them; to commence to do better work and 
lead nobler and more useful lives. 
Tne wiser ones of the world shake their heads 
at many of the aibttraiy frivolities of fashion. 
Study is expected to make men and women more 
sensible, to give ballast, to their minds, and hence, 
really well-educated, scholarly women will avoid 
extremes and showy, conspicuous fashions. 
One of the first essentials then for the graduat¬ 
ing di ess, 1 . occurs to me. Is simplicity. By this I 
do not mean annually recurring rows of white 
muslin dresses, though for classes of young girls 
white is always preity. But colors are also per¬ 
fectly admissible tven for girls In their teens, and 
for college classes of those more advanced in 
years, decidedly preferable. 
When the class la small, as it so often is In our 
high schools and smaller seminaries, there is often 
a desire to rival one another In dress. The plat¬ 
form Is an ovewhelmlng temptation to length of 
train, which Is always very dear to the youthful 
feminine heart, and veiy of .en there is a sad dis¬ 
crepancy between tbe poverty of ideas In the read¬ 
er’s essay and the goigeousness ot her array. 
A year ago l attended the closing exercises of a 
small class, each member of which appeared on 
the stage. One young lady ot seventeen advanced 
in ner turn; she wore a trailing blue silk with 
over-dress of Dae embroidered muslin; elbow 
sleeves with very long white kid gloves. Real 
lace finished her dr> ss at neck and elbows and a 
r leb white satin sash banded the waist. The dress 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
JUNE 4 
was looped In a very stylish manner, and the girl 
looked very pretty but very mueli out of place. She 
began to read and the whole article was barren ot 
thought. It had not a single admirable, enjoyable 
literary quality. 1 felt the color stealing Into my 
face and was really ashamed for her. II she had 
not been dressed bo finely the aparseness of Ideas 
inner essay would not have been half so ap¬ 
parent. 
I knew another young lady who graduated from 
one of our best colleges. She was a fine student 
and a good writer, and she charmed her audience 
on commencement day though her dress was only 
an Inexpensive cream colored burning. 
Muslin In white or figures, the blue or fawn col¬ 
ors with Silesia linings to match make up very 
prettily and are useful for other occasions. I have 
known two classes who chose calico and cambric 
dresses. For matured college classes silk is al¬ 
ways good, ir not made up too fancirully, even 
dark or black silk relieved with white lace ties and 
ruches Is appropriate. Excess ol ornament should 
alwa s be avoided. 
Short dreaaes are now In universal favor. If 
muslin is chosen for the material. It would look 
well made w 1th a group of ruffles at bottom of 
skirt, a prettily draped overskirt, and for a slim 
figure a surplice waist, the folds crossing the bust 
edged with narrow lace very slightly fulled. For 
thicker materials a kilted skirt, drapery caught 
with shirring bows of ribbon or corda and tassels, 
a shirred yoke and pointed bodice laced with cord 
to match the dress or ribbon. 
Girls, nobody blames you for wishing t j look as 
well aB you can, but do not over dress on com¬ 
mencement day. There is much harm done to 
the cause of education by the example of those 
who have been lavored with heavy purses, for a 
poor student has not always the moral courage to 
stand up In a cheap dress beside her class mate 
arrayed In elegant silk, and many parents, antici¬ 
pating the mortification of such a comparison, 
give up the attempt to send their child to college. 
The occasion, too. Is very different from a recep 
tlon or parly, the participants should shine ac¬ 
cording to Intellectual attainments, not by display 
In dress. k. b. 
-A-*-*- 
WRITING FOR THE PRESS. 
[Tub following from the Boston Transcript, so 
well expresses the feelings and need of newspaper 
dlsclple3 that It bears an insertion here.— r. c ] 
Write upon one side ot the sheet only. Why? 
Because it is often necessary to cut the pages into 
“ takes” for the compositors, and this cannot, be 
done when both sides are written upon. 
Write clearly and distinctly, being particularly 
careful in tbe matter of proper names and words 
from foreign languages. Why ? Because you 
have no right to ask either editor or compositor to 
waste his time puzzling out the results of your 
selfishness. 
Don’t write In a microscopic band. Why ? Be¬ 
cause the compositor has to read It across his case, 
at a distance of nearly two feet; also, because tbe 
editor often wants to make additions and other 
changes. 
Don’t begin at the very top or the first page. 
Why? Because If you have written a head lor 
your article, the editor will probably want to 
change it; and If you have not, which Is the bet¬ 
ter way, he must write one. Besides, he wants 
room in which to write his Instructions to the 
printer as to what kind ot type to be used, where 
and when tbe proof Is to be sent. 
Never roll your manuscript. Why? Because It 
maddens and exasperates every one who touches 
It—editor, compositor and proof reader. 
Be brief. Why ? Because people don’t read 
long stories. The number of readers which any 
two articles have is Inversely proportioned to the 
square of their respective lengths. That Is, a half 
column article is read by four times as many peo¬ 
ple as one double that length. 
Have the fear of the waste basket constantly 
and steadily before your eyes. Why ? Beoause 
It will save you a vast amount of useless labor, 
to say nothing of paper and postage. 
Always write your full name and address plain¬ 
ly at the end ol your letter. W T hy ? Because It 
will often happen that the editor will want to 
communicate wltn you, and because he needs to 
know the writer’s name as a guardntee ol good 
faith. If you use a pseudonym or Initials, write 
your own name and address below it; It will never 
be divulged. 
“ These precepts In thy memory keep,” and for 
fear you might forget them cut them out and put 
them where you can readily run through them 
when tempted to spill innocent Ink. Causer’s 
word lor it, those who heed tneie rules will be be¬ 
loved and favored In every editorial sanctum. 
DRESS REFORM, 
Bless Mary Wager- Fisher for the Interest she 
takes In one subject upon which I have expended 
nuch thought, viz.- dress reform. For ten years 
my back has troubled me, and now for the first 
time In my life I am obliged to do the family wash¬ 
ing, so that the pain In my hack has become 
chronic; 1 therefore teel the need of relieving it ot 
all unnecessary weight. Two years ago I devised 
almost exactly the union under flannel garment 
described, and it. nts me like a basque. I did It by 
laying a Butterrlck basque pattern and Qpen knit 
drawers on a paper, and al owed plenty of room 
between at back; then by paper pattern 1 cut my 
red fl rnnel suit bias, which I think wears much 
better than straight, using narrow cotton tape to 
sew in with the seams; I think flannel gives bet¬ 
ter satisfaction made by baud Instead of machine. 
OutBlde of this I have used the old-time chemise 
and drawers, not thinking just how to better It, 
yet feeling the drag of the baad of the latter gar¬ 
ment on my weak back conauinUy. 
Now, 1 am going to make me a muslin suit after 
the same pattern, to be worn alone in summer and 
over the flannel In Winter, the difference being 
fuller at the bottom and banded and trimmed to 
button just "above tbe cair. Then I shall use a 
“chemise-basque” cut after the loose basque 
pattern lengthened, so as to ruffle the bottom In 
lien ot an underskirt, cutting it low neck and 
short sleeves same as chemise, but will obviate all 
gathers and bands, by Blmply having It faced and 
trimmed. Mrs. J. M. Matthews. 
-- 
DO THEY ? 
I was sitting In a crowded depot; two ladles 
were sitting near me, when a lady frleDd of theirs 
passed with her husband; her countenance and 
speech both betokening a strong will and an 111- 
regulated Bplrit. “What a pity,” paid one of the 
ladles to the other, “ that tuat woman never had 
any children; It would have enlarged her heart so 
much and given her a more sympathizing spirit 
with every one around her. 1 often think what a 
misfortune It Is that she has no little ones to edu¬ 
cate her, In spite of herself, to the milder virt ues 
which she now lack3.” “Do you believe It ?’’ re¬ 
plied the other. “ Such has not been the result of 
my observation. Children only make a selfish 
person more intensely selfish, Just as It makes a 
generous one more open-hearted. A parent who 
is self-willed and devoid of self-esteem will encour¬ 
age her children in little trespasses on the rights 
and feelings of others, which a just one would con¬ 
demn and correct promptly. 
“ I do not think that children develop every 
lovely quality In their parents unless they have 
self-knowledge and rule their own spirits as they 
ought to.” As they rose and passed out of sight I 
wondered wnich was right. b. c. d. 
STOVE HOLDERS. 
To-day I read the article on Stove Holders which 
was written by “ Grandmother,” In the Rural of 
March I6ih. 1 had never given the matter a seo- 
ond’s thought until my mother read It night before 
last. 
If “Grandmother” had known my case, and also 
my sister’s, she could not have hit our particular 
falling better. And It was only two nlghtB ago I 
was guilty of one of the acts mentioned In that 
article, but 1 won’t give you the satisfaction of 
knowing which bad habit it was, as mother has 
Just finished Borne new holders, and I have com¬ 
menced to reform and win try to continue. I hope 
to hear some more good hints from “ Grandmoth¬ 
er ” through the Rural. 
I will add that In frying eggs they are liable to 
break when turning them. To prevent this, wnen 
they first begin to fry put into the skillet about a 
tablespoonful ot teaming water; then, when the 
eggs become covered nicely on top, remove Into 
tbe dish. m. a. c. a. 
CORRESPONDENT’S CORNER. 
Miss Rat Clark : -You told a “ Rural sister ” In 
last week’B Issue that rosemary tea would promote 
growth ot the hair. I wish to know if It will dark¬ 
en the hair; also what Is rosemary and how to 
prepare the tea. 
Is there anything that will make the hair two 
or three shades darker. I do not want these pat¬ 
ent hair dyes-that is not some of them. Don’t 
you or some of the readers of the Rural know of 
Bomeihlng ? Are there brushes that come to dark¬ 
en the hair, and where may they be obtained ? 
By answering these questions you will oblige. 
M. E. H. 
Ans.— Rosemary la an herb. It la defined, “ A 
plant growing In South-eastern Europe, also Asia 
Minor and China. It baa a fragrant smell and a 
warm, pungent, bitterish taste.” It Is not a dye 
and will not darken the hair. We do not know ol 
any brushes but there are leaden combs that will 
make the hair of darker shade. Any dealer In 
hair and fancy articles will no doubt be able to 
Bupply them. 
Note.—W e have received other requests for In¬ 
formation which we hoped to reply to In the our- 
ront Issue, but a delay la necessary to Insure 
accuracy. 
it la with pleasure that we receive notes for this 
corner, for by this means we are better able to do 
our “mite "of assistance, than It obliged to antic¬ 
ipate the need of friends.— r. c. 
-♦-*-*- 
We know there Is nothing on earth equal to Hop 
Bitters as a family medicine.—Ado. 
Domestic (grottom;g. 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE. 
CONCERNING JELLIES AND PRESERVES. 
MARY WAGfiB-FISHBR. 
1 hear so much fault-finding among housekeep¬ 
ers anent the glasses with metal covers for jellies 
and “ small ” preserves, that I think it worth while 
to mention It, for the benefit of such as may have 
ltin mind to purchase them on account of their 
convenience. The complaint lfl that In putting on 
and In taking off the cover Email pieces are fre¬ 
quently broken from the rim of the glass, which 
fly into the preserves, which spoils them for any¬ 
body who does not wish to swallow so dangerous a 
thing as a piece of glaes. An entirely satisfactory 
way of putting up Jellies and preserves which are 
to be used m email quantities, is to put them In 
plain glasses, which coBt about 33 cents a dozen— 
the cheapest sort of tumbler. As soon as the Jelly 
1 b cold, a piece of white paper, cut round to fit the 
glass, Is dipped In brandy and laid smoothly and 
closely on ihe top of the jelly, while over Ihe. top of 
the glue# a piece of muslin la pasted, flour paste 
being used. Half a pint ol brandy will suffice for 
the preserving of an entire season, unless the 
quantity pnt up be large, as a tablespoonful ot 
brandy will saturate several pieces or paper. It is 
a great economy to make use of tbe brandled 
paper, as all the mold which collects on the top 
forms on this paper, and Is readily removed with¬ 
out loss of the preserves. Tbe cost of tbe brandy 
Is trifling, and It pays for Itself many times over 
when used In this way; so, before beginning to 
preserve, first secure the brandy. 
One year, antB Infested my preserve closet and 
made havoc with some glasses of strawberry and 
pine-apple, that lied only paper pasted over the 
top. by eating tlielr way through It. I have had 
no such trouble when muslin has been used. Apro¬ 
pos of brandy.- If any one can recommend a sub¬ 
s’1 ute for It, that Is equally good for topping off 
preserves, please let us know of it. 
Now that rhubarb (ple-plant) is In season, It may 
not be amiss to remind Rural readers that It 
makes a very nice jelly, to be served with meats 
or spread on layers or cake for “ J“lly cake.” The 
color of It Is flae and the laste excellent, the flavor 
of the rhubarb being so slight as not to be at all 
objectionable to persons who do not like it, while 
being agreeable to persons who do. it is more 
easily made than any other Jelly, which Is no 
small recommendation. After cutting off the 
leaves, wipe the stalks clean (without peeling); 
cut Into inch-long pieces; put Into a porcelaln- 
llDed kettle with a very little water—just enough 
to prevent burning until tbe Juice comes from the 
rhubarb; cook slowly until the stalks are thor¬ 
oughly tender; strain, and to a pint of Juice allow 
a pint (which Is a pound) of granulated sugar; boll 
until tho mass “Jellies,” which should be In about 
flf’een or twenty minutes. Label the glasses you 
put It In. 
Those Tomatoes Again, 
I have something more to say concerning “ can¬ 
ned tomatoes.” Last Fall 1 canned my tomatoes 
lnthe**hlght of the season,” using whltall and 
Mason glass Jars, and glass bottles, known as the 
Rochester beer bottles, that have tUe patent rub¬ 
ber stopples* About three-quarters of all the to¬ 
matoes put up, regardless of what “can ” they 
were put In, have been found to be sour. In every 
instance the sealing was perfect Some of the cans 
were kept In tbe cellar, some In the attic. The 
“ cause why ” some remained good and others did 
not I have been unable to determine. A lady, who 
prides herself upon her success as a tomato “ean- 
ner.” assures me that nearly all housewives cook 
their tomatoes too much ; that the fruit, after 
being scalded and peeled, should be slightly cooked 
—only thoroughly heated ; that her own plan Is to 
put tbe tomatoes lu tho Jars, set the Jars In water, 
and when all come to a noil, scald at once. Her 
tomatoes Wve a delightfully fresh taste. I shall 
try her plan the next time, for after two years of 
defeat and disaster 1 am prepared to hang my 
hopes upon any new idea belonging to tbe tomato- 
canning business, that 1 bear of; and there may be 
others who will be glad of this suggestion, too. 
Lard vs. Butter. 
Anaximander lately had occasion to litre a num¬ 
ber of workmen, and arnoog them were two Ger¬ 
man-Poles, thiee days “landed." They boarded 
themselves, and “A.," In talking with the Ger¬ 
man-speaking one about their food, learned that 
they used lard with their bread instead of butter, 
and spoke of It as being a great deal better than 
butter! They much preferred it. It Illustrates 
the saw, “ There’s no accounting for tastes;" but 
on this Instance, as in many others. It was but the 
result of habit. The men were gxod looking and 
well-mannered, evidently from the belter of 
peasants. 
- ■■ -♦♦♦ - 
OUR GRANDMA. 
HELEN BARRISTER. 
On running Into a friend’s house some weeks 
ago. I noticed her busy cutting out “ blocks” for 
piecing a bed quilt. 
“ Are you preparing to piece a quilt ?" 1 queried. 
“No,”8he said *• I am cutting these blocks 
for work for my husband a mother. We use pieces 
left from our dresses for this work, she always 
does her own cut)lag. but her eyes are weak now. 
and these colors are trylDg to them. .She is over 
at Cousin Mark’s taklDg a vacation for a few days 
not intending to sew a stitch while there, to let 
her eyes rest. We are getting this ready for her, 
as she wants the quilt for a present to a fresh as¬ 
pirant for the honors of housekeeping,” and a 
merry laugh ran around the circle lu the sli ting- 
room. At the table sat the youngest, girls thread¬ 
ing needles with busy fingers guided by bright 
eyes. 
“There, that will do now, glrla," said the 
mother. 
“ Yes,” said one, “we’ve threaded enough to 
last Grandma two days, 1 believe;” and away they 
scampered for a play In the yard. 
“ Threading needles for her, too ! Why, I never 
heard of such a thing Do you always thread her 
needles for her?" 
“ Not always, but often when we have calls the 
girls take their Grandma's needle book from her 
stand drawer, and thread a parcel of nerdies with 
colons of thread to match the work on which she 
Is engaged. She says its handy to have them 
ready for her. 11 Is often a pleasant surprise for 
her, as she rarely ever sees them doing it. and 
says ‘ Y'ou dear, thoughtful glilsl When did you 
have time to do this for me ?’ or some such grate¬ 
ful reminder Of her thanafulness for the loving 
act.” 
“But where do you find time to prepare work 
for your mother-in-law ? I believe I should get 
yam and start her on a knitting crusade for the 
resit of her life, If 1 were lu your p ace.” 
“ I do not find time," she said. “ I use it dally 
for all my hands find to do, and have enough lelt 
to fix work for a mother that helped to train up 
such a geed ton&s my hlnband,” and tears glis¬ 
ten ed in her ey es as she Bpoke. “ She has knitting 1 
