336 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
MAY 25 
Sontfsttr (Branomij. 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE 
THE WASHING OF MUSLINS, CAMBEICS, 
WOOLENS. ETC. 
DOMESTIC RECIPES. 
In washing delicate, colored muslins and lin¬ 
ens, several essential points must be observed if 
we intend preserving their original freshness and 
beauty. First, they should never be soaped or 
soaked. If not too soiled, wash in almost cold 
water; make a lather of good bar noap—white 
is best—and in it dissolve a small piece of alum; 
Use this dissolved soap in the water, and rub the 
goods with the hands, as far as possible. Put 
through two waters, and rinse in two more. A 
handful of salt or a spoonful of vineger in the 
rinsing-water, helps to brighten and hold the 
colors. Wash only one artiole at a time, and 
that very quickly. I have found that the blue 
figures of priuts and oalicoes were rendered per¬ 
manent by soaking them for a short time in 
Btrong salt and water—a pint of salt to two 
quarts of water. A piece of spermaceti an inch 
square, and a teaspoonful of salt, added to 
starch for muslins and linens, give to thorn a 
fine, smooth, glossy appearance, and prevent the 
iron from sticking. 
As soon as starched, hang in a shaded place— 
never in the sun—and iron immediately they are 
dry enough. A moderately hot iron only must be 
used, as many delicate pinks, buffs and greens, 
will change color as Boon as a hat iron is placed 
over them. Brown linen may be kept looking 
like new, though repeatedly washed, if always 
washed in starch-water and bay-tea. For one 
dress, put a milk-pan of timothy hay on the 
stove, pour over hot water, oover, and boil until 
of a deep green. Make two or three quarts of 
flour-starch the usual way, and into it strain the 
hay-tea. Take about one-half of this mix¬ 
ture and add water, only enough to wet the dress 
in every part. Let soak ten minutes; add a lit¬ 
tle more warm water, and rub through without 
soap. Rinse through more water than used in 
rubbing, with the starch and tea strained in; 
squeeze, snap, and hang in the shade to dry as 
quickly as possible. Small flannel garments 
for children may be whitened by first dipping 
into suds, wringing out, and hanging upon cords 
across the top of a barrel, with two or three 
tableBpoonfuls of flour-of-suiphur burning under¬ 
neath. It may be neoeseary to repeat the process 
if very yellow. Care must be taken that the 
Bulphur does not blaze and burn the articles. 
Hang in the air for a day or two ; then wash aud 
rinse m bluing-water. SoarJet flannel may be 
washed in warm suds, to which is added a quart 
of moderately thick flour-starch, and then rinse 
in warm water. A good method for washing 
woolen shawls is, to dissolve a pound of white 
soap in a little water, and boil down until like 
jelly. When oool, add three tablespoonfuls of 
turpentine, and one tablespoonful of strong 
spirits of ammonia. Wash thoroughly with this 
lather in enough water to wet it, and rinse until 
all the soap is out. Then put through salt and 
water, and hang up where it will dry at onoe. 
Steuben Co. Mary B. 
CLEANSING BEDS. 
We have been renovating our hair mattresses 
this spring and finished the last one yesterday. 
They look as good as new and I am pleased to 
say cost us nothing except our time and labor. 
The mattresses were ripped on three edges, the 
hair taken out, put on the grass, well pulled 
apart and beaten with long whips. The ticks 
were washed and ironed aud the hair put back 
evenly. Then, with a long upholsterer's needle 
and strong twine the mattresses were taoked 
down tightly in diamonds the same as before, 
with a rosette of blue or red worsted tied in 
with each tacking. I found it rather difficult in 
the first one to spread the hair evenly. The 
mattress, when tacked, was high in the center 
and with scarcely any hair in the corners so that 
I was obliged to undo part of the work. Profit¬ 
ing by this experience, I had no difficulty with 
the Becond. Mas. E. B. 
Cayuga Co. 
» ♦ »- 
THE CARE OF KEROSENE LAMPS. 
Few illuminating substances produce a light 
as steady and brilliant as kerosene oil, but ow¬ 
ing to inattention to certain requisite points its 
full brilliancy is rarely attained. The wick, oil 
and all the appurtenances of the lamp must be 
kept scrupulously clean; the burner polished; 
the chimney not only clean but bright and clear ; 
the wick cut square across with sharp scissors. 
Those lamps which are made with immovable 
cupolas require especial care in cleaning aud 
trimming, The upper part of a lamp frequently 
gets oily after standing for a time. This may, 
in a measure, be prevented by cutting a hole in a 
piece of felt so as to fit exactly around the 
Bocket into which the burner is screwed. Trim 
the felt so that it will be about one-half iucii in 
width and place the ring on the socket. House¬ 
keepers disregarding the above have, as a result, 
a flame dull, yellow, smoky, and half-lighted 
apartments at the same coBt as those well 
lighted. 
Delicious Fie. 
Beat to a cream three-fourths of a cup of but¬ 
ter and one cup of sugar; add the well-beaten 
yelks of five eggs; flavor with vanilla. Line 
two tins with puff paste; pour in the mixture 
and bake at once. Beat the five whites to a 
stiff froth ; sweeten with powdered sugar; flavor 
with vanilla and spread over the pies when done. 
Brown delicately and cut the pies while hot to 
prevent the eggs from falling. 
One, Two, Three, Four Cake. 
One cup of butter; two cups of sugar ; not 
quite three cups of prepared flour and four eggs. 
If not wanted quite so rich, substitute cream for 
the butter. 
Jumbles. 
One pound of sugar; one pound of butter; 
two pounds of flour; three beaten eggs; one 
nutmeg ; one teaspoouful of saleratUB dissolved 
in a few drops of vinegar. 
Pound Oake. 
One pouud of butter; one pound of sugar ; 
one pound of flour and ten beaten eggs. Take 
half prepared and half unprepared flour. 
River Edge, N. J. Miss Lizzie Vorhees. 
Cream Cakes. 
One-iialf pint of boiling water ,- three-fourths 
of a cup of butter ; one and one-half cup of 
sifted flour. Put in a saucepan over the fire ; 
beat until very smooth and thoroughly scalded ; 
set aside and when sufficiently cool add five 
well-beaten eggs. Drop this mixture, the size 
of a Bilver dollar, on bnttered pans leaving a 
space of three inches each way. Bake thirty 
minutes in a hot oven, keeping the oven door 
closed as much aB possible. When nearly cold, 
cut a slit three fourths around the top of the 
puffs aud fill with cream made as follows : Boil 
one pint of milk; add one cup of sugar ; one- 
half cup of tiour and two beaten eggs worked 
smooth in a little milk ; boil ten minntes, stirring 
constantly. Flavor when done. 
Sally Lium. 
Seven cups of sifted flour ; one-half teacup of 
butter warmed in one pint of milk ; three t ggs 
a little salt aud two tablespoonfuls of brewer's 
yeast — if baker's or home-made, use twice as 
much. Let rise six or seven hours. 
New York City. Miss Sue McChain. 
Correction. —Miss Chunk’s recipe for pre¬ 
served strawberries in the Rural of May 11th, 
should have read three-quarterB of a pound of 
sugar to a pound of fruit, aud a pint of w^ter 
to seven pounds of sugar instead of “ three- 
quarters of a pound of fruit and a pint of water 
to seven pounds of sugar.” 
-- 
QUERIES ANSWERED. 
What will remove the disagreeable taste from 
wooden bowls and pails ? 
Young Housewife. 
Ans.—T ry first, scalding thoroughly with 
boiling water ; then wash with a solution of 
pearlash aud lime and scald again. 
Will you please give a recipe for “planked 
shad?” Mbs. Kate Beady. 
Ans.— Split the shad through the back, dress, 
wash, wipe dry. salt aud tack skin down to a 
clean oak board with small nails. The board 
should be about two inches thick aud heated 
very hot before tacking on the fish. Place near 
an open fire with the head down ; as the juices 
run down, turn head up. It is important to turn 
frequently bo as to retain the juices. When 
done, butter and serve on the board. 
Ims of % (EMt. 
NEWS OF THE WEEK. 
On Monday the isth lnst: tfle long-threatened 
attack on the President’s title was begun by the 
democratic party In the lower House of Congress. 
Mr. Potter of New York, Introduced a resolution 
based on Montgomery Blair’s Maryland memorial, 
McLln’s Florida confession and the charge or 
fraud In counting the electoral vote lu certain 
parishes In Louisiana, and providing for a select 
committee of eleven to Investigate the Alleged 
frauds In both these Stales with authority to send 
for persona and papers and report at any time. 
Debate with regard to Its admission was pre¬ 
vented by Speaker Randall .who, by a precon¬ 
certed agreement with its managers, ruled that 
it was a question of “privilege" on the ground 
that It related to the Presidential election. Mr, 
Hale of Maine, on behalf of the republicans, en¬ 
deavored to amend the resolution so as to include 
all cases or fraud In any of the Slates. Neither 
amendment nor debate, however, waK allowed 
by the democratic majority, nor would Mr. Pot¬ 
ter even allow the proposed amendment to be 
read. Thereupon the republicans, denouncing 
the movement as Intended tor partisan cam¬ 
paign purposes, refused to vote, thus leaving 
the House without a quorum. A quorum of the 
House consists or 147 members who declare their 
presence by voting. When the vote was counted 
on this occasion there were only lie yeas, aud 1 
nay. a subsequent count of the House showed 
228 members present, but as the policy of the 
republicans forbade them to vote and so form 
a quorum hostile to themselves, the proceedings 
for the day abruptly terminated. The struggle 
continued for five days, the democrats dally 
gaining accessions to their numbers by the ar¬ 
rival of absent members who bad been tele¬ 
graphed for, and the republicans steadily adher¬ 
ing to their silent tactics whenever It came to a 
vote on the obnoxious resolution. At. length, 
on Saturday the istfi, the democrats got their 
quorum and the Potter resolution was adopted 
by 145 yeas and 2 nayB. Contrary to expecta¬ 
tion the republicans made no attempt to filibus¬ 
ter and declined to ask for an Investigating com¬ 
mittee of their own on the ground that the 
scheme would tend still more to parallze business 
prevent the restoration of confidence and recon- 
cllatlon and Mexicanlze this republic by throw¬ 
ing doubt on the title of Its Executive. If the ob¬ 
ject of the movement Is to oust Mr. nayes, It la 
likely to be disastrous to the country; ir to pro¬ 
vide a basis for legislation to prevent future 
frauds, the Inquiry should be niaqe more genoral 
and much lesB partisan; If to make party capi¬ 
tal for use in the fall canvass,.ltwlll bn weakened 
by its one-sided character, limited scope and 
the cumbersome form in which its results must 
be presented to the public. In any case, It Is 
bardly likely to bring about the punishment of 
the wretches who confessed to have directly per¬ 
petrated tho frauds, and who, according to their 
own shameless avowal, reveal their rascality 
now merely because the administration refused 
to be frightened Into giving them the petty offi¬ 
ces they demanded as rewards for tiielr turpi¬ 
tude. The *• smelling” commltee will consist of 
seven democrats and four repullcans and It is 
expected the report will be made In about sixty 
days’time. 
The President says his title oan only be ques¬ 
tioned before the Supnnee Court of the United 
States, that that Court would probably deny a 
writ of quo warnmto, as the matter Is In Its dis¬ 
cretion, and anyhow that he Is resolved to main- 
lain law and order at all hazards. Ex-Governor 
Packard of Louisiana has been nominated Consul 
at Liverpool, England, a fat berth where he may 
find consolation for his New Orleans failures 
while learning the duties which the present in¬ 
cumbent or the office has for years been faith¬ 
fully discharging with universal satisfaction— 
another specimen of our vaunted Civil Service 
Reform. The President has sent to the Senate a 
message concerning the late award of * 5 , 000,000 
made to the Canadian Government by the Fishery 
Commission. He advises the payment of the sum, 
while a review of the controversy by Secretary 
Evarts, which accompanies the message, shows 
that the award does not accord with the ques¬ 
tions submitted for arbitration. More than half 
the sum is to be paid to prevent the possibility 
of a slur being cast on our national character for 
fair dealing. 
In the Pennsylvania coal regions eleven Molly 
i Maguire murderers nave already been hanged 
within the last year; ,two more are about to suf¬ 
fer the same well-merited penalty, asd others are 
beingsternly hunted down ; yet the Society Beems 
still to have a good .deal of dangorous and re¬ 
vengeful life In it. A new organization called 
the “ Sights of Labor" has been formed la Penn- 
syslvanla. and Is said to number 200,000 men In 
the entire State, most of them foreigners, and 
like nearly all secret societies, It Is producing 
considerable uneasiness among the people gen¬ 
erally. The laboring classes In England and 
Germany and here are getting very restless, con¬ 
scious that matters are not altogether right, yet 
without any definite idea as to the proper way to 
improve them. In this condition they are apt to 
fall easily under the leadership of blatant agita¬ 
tors who can suggest no way or bettering the 
condition of the poor exoept the destruction or 
partition of all wealth. Leveling down, not uplift¬ 
ing is the essence of their inflammatory har¬ 
angues. 
The Communist movement seems to be gaining 
headway here and there In the large cities. lu 
St. Louts 5,000 men paraded the streets on Sun¬ 
day, the 19th. Contrary to expectation, the de¬ 
monstration passed off peaceably, in expectation 
of disorder, the police had taken all needed pre¬ 
cautions, and most of the militia were under arms 
at their armories, m Cleveland, Ohio, members 
of the order are buying arms aud ammunition. In 
San Francisco it has attained a dangerous extent, 
chiefly under a turbulent demagogue called Kear¬ 
ney. A split, however, has taken place In the 
faction there, the less disorderly party being tor 
the time triumphant. Real estate has very con¬ 
siderably depreciated In the city on account of 
the fierce aud blood-thirsty threats of the agita¬ 
tors ; upwards or * 20 , 000,000 that would have been 
Invested there within the last tew months, In 
quiet times, has been sent, out of the state; and 
there is serious talk of organizing a Vigilance 
Committee composed of the men of property and 
respectability, to take the ring-leaders of the 
factions In hand, in this city, tho movement 
gains but few adherents, and these almost entire¬ 
ly low French and Italians. Everywhere the 
talk of the socialists is Intensely rabid, and their 
avowed object to accomplish their revolutionary 
ends by lawless violence. 
The Fenian agitation against Canada seems to 
be more a matter or talk than action ; neverthe¬ 
less the Canadians have been vigorously prepar¬ 
ing to give any hot-headea filibusters a warm 
reception. Forts along the border have been 
armed, gunboats on the lakes and the St. Law- 
rence equipped, the militia abundantly furnished 
with nuns, ball cartridges and other military sup¬ 
plies, and it is far more than probable that any 
Fenian bands that may venture across tUe fron¬ 
tier will be treated oven more roughly than those 
under O'Neil a few years ago. in San Francisco 
harbor a party of Irish excurtlonlsts hoisted the 
Jrlsh flagon fhelr boat while pas^ng a Russian 
war vessel; the latter dipped her colors In salute, 
fired a salvo of 21 guns, and many a Hibernian 
throat waB taken home that night sore with 
oheering. 
In addition to the 600 Russian officers and 
sailors on board the Clmbra, still on the Maine 
coast two other transports are on the!r‘ way 
hither with a large number of men to rorm crews 
for steamers purchased In this country, in tho 
event of war with England. Most, if not all of 
them will see service in the Pacific, and arrange¬ 
ments have been Rlready made with the rail¬ 
roads for transportation across the. Continent. 
It Is said a fast new steamer ha6 been already 
purchased In Philadelphia, another In 8an Fran¬ 
cisco, and several in this city. However the 
sympathies of the people of this country may In¬ 
cline, the government Is certain to follow the 
honorable example of all former administrations, 
and in case of war between nations with which we 
are at peace, cause a strict neutrality to be ob¬ 
served even by the most ardent adherent, of the 
cause, and the most greedy speculator In the 
needs, of either belligerent. Professor Henry, 
Secretary of the Smithsonian institution, Wash¬ 
ington, and co-laborer with Maury, Agassiz and, 
other eminent scientists, died on the 15th. Lydia 
Sherman, the American Borgia, left the Con¬ 
necticut State Prison, on the 15tU to Join the 
three husbands and four children whom she had 
poisoned—gone but not forgotten. Gen. Dakin, 
the celebrated rifleman, Is dead—his skill with 
the rifle would probably have sent him to Con¬ 
gress had he lived longer, Just as the same quali¬ 
fication has placed another of the successful 
team on the Judge’s bench in one of the courts 
of this city. Sitting Bull's forces are still en¬ 
camped near Cypress Hills, Manitoba and are 
so well supplied with spoils from the plunder of 
Black Hills trains by some of his marauding 
bands, that lately a trader who visited the wily 
Chler, could buy goods advantageously of him to 
he afterwards sold in Manitoba. 
Evory day for the last couple of months and 
more, the chief city papers have a couple of col- 
umns.of telegraphic news from Europe relating 
to the Anglo-Kusslan-Austrio-Uungarlan-Tui'klsh 
complications. In these not only are the Items of 
yesterday's news contradicted to-day, but the 
intelligence flashed as certain from St. Peters- 
burgh, Is often In the same column and Issue, 
modified In Vienna, doubted In Berlin, scouted In 
London and directly the reverse stated from Con¬ 
stantinople, while other European capitals have 
each a different version of tne matter. Some¬ 
times a smart writer Inserts an article In a cer¬ 
tain paper ror the express purpose of contradict¬ 
ing It In another, and showing how Idiotically 
absurd It Is In a third, and without much sketch 
of fancy, one might easily imagine such an erratic 
genius manipulating the news at the otherend of 
the Atlantic cable. But, after all, the newspa- 
pers must say something to keep alive the public 
Interest, and t ho telegraph companies must send 
so many words to earn so much money—behold 
the real causo of so many unreliable rumors. 
So far as the issue of war or plane can be infer¬ 
red from these multitudinous reports, the matter 
Is still In great doubt, but within the last, few days, 
the prospects for peace are somewhat brighter. 
Count Schouvaiotr, the Russian Ambassador to 
England, has been summoned to St. Petersburgh 
to hold a conference with the Czar and Prince 
Gartachakoff. Several Interviews have taken 
place, the nature of which Is still a Becret, 
though, of course, a few omniscient newspaper 
correspondents have put their own conjectures 
with regard to the matter Into the shape of posi¬ 
tive Information received, by special favor, from 
the highest authority. If their guess turns out 
true, they crow; If false, it’s only another contra¬ 
diction added to former hundreds. The Count is 
known, however, to be in favor of Russia making 
concessions with regard to the treaty of San 
Stetano; he Is a strong advocate of peaoe, and 
thoroughly posted as to the temper of the English 
people. He started last Saturday on his way back 
to London, and the result of his mission will soon 
be apparent. It is said he bore to the Czar In¬ 
formation of the changes in the terms of the 
treaty of San Stefano, on which England would 
Insist at the cost of a war; and It Is not unlikely 
that he bears back with him Russia's answer. 
Meanwhile Gen. Todelben has moved his forces 
nearer Constantinople, aud sent a peremptory 
message to the Porto insisting on the immediate 
evacuation of Shumla, Varna and Batoum, and 
the surrender to him of Buykudere, a port north 
of Constantinople, on tho straight connecting 
the Sea af Marmora with the Black 8ea. Ills also 
rumored that he demands to be allowed to occupy 
both sides of the Bosphorus, In the treaty no 
time was named when Turkey was to surrender 
the fortresses, and accordingly she refuses to 
evacuate them until the Russian armies have 
withdrawn rrom the neighborhood or Constanti¬ 
nople. Osman Pasha has strengthened the defen¬ 
sive lines about the Turkish capital, and as he 
has 80,000 men under his command, It is not at all 
Impossible that lu the event of a Muscovite at¬ 
tack, they might find there another Plevna. To¬ 
delben Is about to receive heavy reinforcements; 
the Sepoy troops ordered by Great Britain from 
India, have arrived In the Mediterranean. More 
are about to follow, and should the Government 
venture on the Btop, 1,000,000 soldiers could be 
readily raised from that source atone—but after 
fighting white men In Europe, would there not 
he danger of trouble and perhaps successful re¬ 
bellion on their return triumphant to the East 7 
Austria Is greatly troubled by turbulent refugees 
from Bonla and will probably soon oocupy that 
State; Roumanla Is still discontented, and her 
forces are so placed that rather than yield to 
Russia, they win retreat Into Austria. The Otto¬ 
man rebellion In Bulgaria Is spreading, and nearly 
all the mountain region Is In the hands of the In¬ 
surgents—a dangerous element on the Musco¬ 
vite Hues or communication. All parties while 
talking about peace, are vigorously preparing 
for war. Already the war has cost Russia $ 500 ,- 
000,000, and she Is nearly bankrupt, whereas Eng¬ 
land can well afford to spin out this expensive 
armed condition almost Indefinitely. 
On Monday last an attempt to assassinate the 
