846 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
DEC. 24 
^oratstu (foitomj. 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE. 
PEN THOUGHTS FROM EVERY-DAY HOUSE. 
BY ANNIE L. JACK. 
DAY AND EVENING WORK IN THE FAU. 
The head gardener is tired. He sayH there is 
no end to the work in the fall, if the ground 
keeps open. So he has been busy plowing the 
pear oarohard, cutting down dead trees, whioh 
are handed over to the wood choppers to be pre¬ 
pared for firewood, as they usually contaiu a 
great number of borers. He has also been busy 
the past few days, with grape-vines, making 
countless cuttings which are tied in bunches, 
labeled and then buried a few inches below the 
ground. After frOHt comes, a little coarse straw 
and a board are considered safer protection than 
too muoh earth. Then there is the bed of 
spring-iiowering bulbs. I hope none of my 
readers who love flowers—and who does not ?— 
allows the spring to return without having, in 
autumn, made preparation for the first flowers 
that bloom. The Richly perfumed Hyaointh 
succeeds the pale Snowdrops and the Yellow 
Crocus, while the jaunty Tulip flames upon the 
world in sudden beauty wheu we seem most in 
need of flowers. So we plant the beauties in 
in the autumn with faith in the fntnre, and if 
they are given a slight protection, to prevent 
their being frost-thrown during a thaw, they will 
amply repay the trouble. In a garden there is 
always work to be done, and one is kept busy in 
spring preparation. So in life, were it not for 
hope in the future, the world would be dreary 
indeed. 
In the household the work goes on as usual. 
Breakfast, however, is later as the mornings 
grow darker, and the evening chores are done 
and the lamps lighted before five o’clock, so that 
the greater part of our leisure is in the long even¬ 
ing. And in this, how muoh can be done for im¬ 
provement ! I do not believe in spending all the 
pleasant hours in a steady round of sewing and 
fancy-work to ruin bright eyes permanently, 
though part of the time may be employed in this 
way, bat I would advise the young people of 
every household to take up some study and pur¬ 
sue it thoroughly. If there are several mem¬ 
bers with different tastes, let each take up his 
special pursuit in turn. If art is first, read 
Gilbert Hammerton’s books, and enjoy them, 
if geology, let the student of that science read 
The Old Bed Sand-stone of Hugh Miller or 
some of the recent publications, among which 
stand first in my mind those of our eminent 
Canadian geologist. Hr. Dawson. His works, 
“ Nature and the Bible,” “ The Story of the 
Earth and Man,” and “ The Dawn of Life," all 
read like a oontinuouB geological poem, though 
strictly practical in their honest convictions. Of 
works” on botany. Professor Gray’B stand first, 
and after one has mastered “ How Plants 
Grow—there is a pretty little book called “ How 
Plants Behave’’—that is very charming. If 
while sitting by the evening lamp, our young 
people wish to learn a little of the history of 
many nations, let them read Collier’s “ Great 
Events of History," each reading a turn while 
the reBt take notes, or ask questions at the close. 
In this and many other ways, the winter even¬ 
ings will pass pleasantly and be eagerly looked 
forward to through the short stormy days. For 
“is not the life more than meat and the body 
than raiment ?" and even in the domestic depart¬ 
ment of every-day life one loves to read, discuss 
and remember the sayings of the good and the 
great who have spent their lives in efforts to 
enlighten and improve mankind. 
- — 
DOMESTIC RECIPES. 
Broiled Chicken. 
Split down the back, put into a steamer and 
steam one-half hour ; wipe off the moisture, rub 
well with butter, dip into breadcrumbs and broil 
over a clean fire until of a delicate brown on 
both sides. Season with pepper and salt. 
Mary B. 
Chicken Pudding. 
Cut up a pair of young chickens, put them 
into a stewing-pau with enough water to cover, 
adding two tablespoonfuls of butter; pepper aud 
salt to suit the taste; let stew gently until about 
half-cooked; then take out the chickens and let 
oool, pouring the gravy into a separate dish. 
Prepare a batter of a quart of milk, six well 
beaten eggs, a tablespoonful of baking powder, 
a little salt and sifted flour to mix to the proper 
thickness. Put a layer of chicken at the bot¬ 
tom of the pudding dish and pour over some of 
the batter, then another layer of ohioken and 
more batter, and so on, having batter on top. 
Bake for one-half hoar, or even longer, in a hot 
oven. Beat an ogg into the gravy reserved, let 
it boil up and send to the table to be served with 
the pudding. 
Chicken Outlets. 
Take the meat of oold roast ohiokens chopped 
very fine, a cup of gravy, four beaten eggs, two- 
thirds of a cup of bread-crumbs, pepper and 
salt to the taste. Put the gravy into a pan to 
heat and when hot add the meat and bread 
crumbs, then the eggs and seasoning; let thicken 
for two or three minutes, stirring constantly, 
pour out into a flat dish to oool. When stiff cut 
into little cakes and fry in lard to a delioate 
brown. e. m. l. 
Grilled Fowls. 
Out the lemains of oold fowls into nioepieoes; 
season with pepper and salt; squeeze over them 
the juice of a small lemon; let stand half au 
hour; dip the pieces into melted butter, and 
then into bread-crumbs. Put them on a grid¬ 
iron and broil over a clear fire. 
To Use up Cold Fowl. 
Take the remains of a cold fowl chopped fine; 
oover the bottom of a pudding-dish with fine 
bread-crumbs; put in the chicken, seasoned 
with pepper and salt, pour over a half-teacupful 
of gravy, oover quite thickly with bread-crumbB, 
and then strew over bits of butter ; cover and 
place in the oven for ten or fifteen minutes; 
take off the lid and break in enough eggs to 
oover the top; Bprinkle pepper and salt over 
and bake until the eggs are well cooked. 
Aunt Katy. 
Omelet. 
Allow two tablespoonfuls of milk to each egg ; 
beat the yelks and whites separately ; add a little 
salt; pour into a hot skillet, in which a piece of 
butter, the size of a walnut, has been melted. 
The skillet should be as hot as it can be without 
scorching the butter. As the omelet bubbles 
and rises, run a thin broad-bladed knife under 
every now and then that it may not born; cook 
two or three minutes, or until the eggs set; fold 
over, shake the skillet, tarn on to a hot platter, 
and serve at once. 
Custard.' 
Beat six yelks aud four whites until very light; 
add a quart and a scant pint of rich milk ; flavor 
aud sweeten to taste; bake for one hour. Beat 
the reserved whites to a froth; add two table¬ 
spoonfuls of sugar, flavor, spread over the top 
of the custard and return to the oven to brown. 
Pickled Eggs. 
Boil the eggs until very hard; take off the 
shells ; have prepared some nice spiced vinegar 
and pour hot over the eggs. The spioe should 
be tied in a little muslin bag. Mbs. M. H. 
Cayuga Co. 
POULTRY NOTES. 
Steaming is preferable to boiling for tough 
fowls. 
Remove the threads before sending roast fowls 
to the table. 
In winter kill poultry three days to a week 
before cooking. 
Poultry and game are less nutritious, but 
more digestible than other meats. 
Singe with alcohol instead of paper—a tea¬ 
spoonful is sufficient for either a turkey or 
chicken. 
Remember, muoh of the skill of roasting poul¬ 
try in the beBt manner depends upon basting 
faithfully. 
To give roast birdH a frothy appearance, dredge, 
just before they are done, with Hour and baste 
liberally with melted butter. 
When onions are added to staffing, ohop them 
so fine thkt in eating the mixture one does not 
detect their presence by biting into a piece. 
Ladies doing their own marketing will do 
well to remember that young poultry may be 
told by the tip of the breast-bone being Boft, and 
easily bent between the fingers, and when fresh 
by its bright full eye, pliant feet and soft moist 
Bkin. 
To boil eggs properly, plaoe them in a dish 
having a close oover; pour over boiling water; 
cover and set away from the fire for ten to fif¬ 
teen minutes. Eggs cooked in this way are more 
delicate and digestible thau when allowed to boil 
in the old way. The heat of the water cooks 
them slowly to a jelly-like consistency leaving 
the yelk harder than the white. 
Poultry requires skillful oarviug. The re¬ 
quisites are grace of manner, ease in the per¬ 
formance, a sharp knife of medium size, a per¬ 
fect knowledge of the position of joints aud the 
moat complete mode of dissecting. Etiquette 
teaches ub that the carver retains his seat while 
carving, managing his hands and elbows artisti¬ 
cally etc, etc. Common sense teaches that the 
carver has far better control over the platter 
while standing, -is more at ease, the knife is less 
liable to slip, and with the majority of carvers 
the table-cloth is likely to escape with few er 
soiled spots. 
To bone a turkey or fowl: Cut through the 
skin down the oenter of the back ; raise the flesh 
carefully on either Hide until the sockets of the 
wings and thighB are reached , next disjoint and 
bone, after whioh the whole of the body may 
be easily separated from the flesh and taken 
out entire, only the neck bones aud merry¬ 
thought remaining. The fowl may be restored 
to.its original form with a dressing of bread or 
forcemeat, or the legs and wings may be drawn 
inside of the body aud the fowl, first flattened 
on a table, oovered with forcemeat, rolled tight 
and bound with a tape. If neoessary steam be¬ 
fore roasting. To be served oold. 
ftrlns of % <SM. 
Monday, Dec. 16 th, 1878. 
POLITICAL. 
In Congress the event of the week has been 
Blaine’s speech In support of an Investigation In¬ 
to alleged Southern outrages against negro suf¬ 
frage. it was well advertised In advance as de¬ 
signed to strike the key note of the Republican 
presidential champaign for 1880, and as a bold 
bid on the part of the orator tor the position of 
their standard-bearer then. It was temperate, 
forcible and short. It referred to negro wrongs 
only Indirectly, but dwelt mainly on tbe lnjuswce 
done to the white voter of the North by the white 
voter of the South hy depriving the colored man 
of bis vote and thus doubling the value of his 
own. While 31 additional members of congress 
had been assigned to the 11 ex-Confederate States 
on account of their 4,500,000 colored population 
enfranchised by the 14th and 15th amendments, 
he insisted that owing tofr&uds, these four and a 
half millions had as little to do with determln - 
lng the elections as their remote kindred on the 
Gold Coast. Accordingly he advocated that so 
long as the South deprived some of Its citizens 
of suffrage, the number of representatives from 
that quarter should be proportionately reduced; 
for otherwise In determining every national ques¬ 
tion the vote of the ex-Confederate soldier South, 
who fought to destroy the Union, would be twice 
as Influential as the vote of the Union soldier 
North who fought to protect It. He entered 
largely Into statistics, arranging the figures so as 
to convey forcibly the points he wished to make, 
and said well In 20 minutes what a less dexterous 
speaker would have said ill In six hours. Sena¬ 
tor Thurman offered an amendment extending 
the lnquli y to oulldoz lng In the North also, as 
well as the use of money In elections. This was 
agreed to and, after remarks by several other 
senators, the debate closed to be continued at In¬ 
tervals throughout the session. 
Among the host of measures hitherto Introduced 
into Congress, the most Important or lntestlng 
are: resolutions passed by both Houses looking 
to the appointment of a joint Congressional Com¬ 
mittee to consider the beat means for preventing 
the spread of yellow fever. A hill to correct that 
probably fraudulent omission from an Appropri¬ 
ation Bill, Just at the close of last session, of a 
clause providing for the Hot Springs reservation- 
several measures to make silver dollars bankable, 
and redeemable at the Treasury In greenback:^ 
and also to redeem and suppress the trade dollar’ 
The bill for the latter purpose secured a majority 
of 154 to 91; but as a majority of two-thirds would 
be required to pass It, It failed. A bill threaten¬ 
ing to withdraw Its circulation from any bank 
that should refuse to receive the legal-tender 
silver dollar on a par with gold and paper, re¬ 
ceived a majority of 150 agalnat. *® -. but this also 
fell through owing to a lack of tbe requisite two- 
third majority. A bill was Introduced by Mr. 
Page, of California, to reduce the Congressional 
representatives of South Carolina to two mem¬ 
bers, on account of “ a large number of male citi¬ 
zens belonging to one party” having been by 
lraud and terrorism deprived of the rights se¬ 
cured to them under the Constitution. Of course, 
It was not expected that this would pass, but it 
gives an opportunity for ventilating the subject 
In the House, as Blaine’s resolution does In the 
Senate. A much needed bill has also been Intro¬ 
duced forbidding railroads from making unjust 
and arbitrary discriminations against •' way ” and 
In favor of “ through " freight. 
When Kellogg was admitted to the Senate, 
Eaton, of Connecticut, gave notice that on the 4th 
of March, 1879, he would move to declare Kel¬ 
logg’s seat vacant. “A prominent democratic 
senator ” Is now quoted as saying that “ Kellogg 
will not remain a minute longer, after March 4, 
than it will take to turn him out," Senator Conk- 
11 ng, It Is said, will insist upon an adverse report 
rrom his committee on the New York nominations 
and ask the Senate to reject them on precisely 
the same grounds as he urged last session. These 
friends also represent the senator as confident 
that he will be able to secure prompt action in 
accordance with his wishes. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
storms of extreme severity during the week 
have done an Incalculable amount of damage 
In the Eastern and Middle states, and unfortu¬ 
nately farmers have been the greatest BUffercrs. 
Wade Hampton of 8. C., who was Injured by a fall 
from hlB mule some weeks since has been In a 
very precarious condition during the last rew 
days. His leg was amputated, last week, about 
the time he was elected U. S. Senator almost 
unanimously, and since then his life has been In 
danger. This morning’s telegram, however, says 
that though still extereinely feeble, all Indica¬ 
tions are of a favorable nature. 
During the past week there has been no little 
excitement among the grain operators or Chicago 
due to the arrival among them or Jim Keene, the 
redoubtable stock manipulator of California and 
New York. Ills avowed object Is to put wheat up 
from 85c. to ?i a bushel andjhe has started to do 
so by buying In one or two million dollars' worth 
for c isb, and he has at least three million more 
dollars to lrn est in the same way. He says that 
wheat Is worth fully a dollar a bushel in the 
Western metropolis, that he has a lot of spare 
change, Is backed up heavily by New York rrlenda 
and that he ib resolved to put all his disposable 
cash into wheat, being fully confident that the 
price must go up In spring. Some say he intends 
to attempt a corner In wheat. othBra say he Is 
acting In the Interest of the Erie railroad, over 
which he will ship all bis purchases at a low rate, 
after navigation opens In spring. There seems to 
be too much grain In the market for one man to 
handle; but Inasmuch as his speculations tend 
to raise the price of wheat, farmers will not be 
sorry. 
FOREIGN. 
In England business of all kind Is extremely 
dull. Wheat and Hour are both low and sinking 
In price; and although this Is a disadvantage to 
the farmer there and here, still It gives cheap 
bread to the working classes generally, who, 
with a hard winter, scanty employment and poor 
pay, find their lot at best a hard one. In the 
agricultural districts, the f armere are attempting 
to cut down the wages of the laborers to about 
the same starvation prices paid a few years ago, 
before the agitation begun by Arch and others 
led to an advance. Strikes are therefore 
threatened In many counties, and It Is believed 
that not a few of the men will seek & better 
chance In other lands. The number of agrlcul- 
cural laborers Is now hardly enough, and Is fast 
diminishing by emigration mainly to Australia 
and New Zealand, hut also to Canada, this coun¬ 
try and South Africa—the Cape or Good Hope, 
Natal, fet . The general distress has been in¬ 
creased by another great bank rallure—that of 
the West of England and South Wales Bank, 
together with Its forty-two branches. The debts 
of the Institution are over Sll.sou.ooo; its assets 
are reported to be amply able to cover its liabili¬ 
ties, but as they could not he promply collected, 
the bank had to suspend. Great banish ip and 
consternation have thus been caused throughout 
South Wales, and not a little distrust, and dread 
everywhere. The shareholders number 2,000 and 
their peraonal liability to pay the debts of the in¬ 
stitution Is unlimited. 
Meanwhile party bitterness 1 b constantly being 
aggravated. Gladstone and his followers are In¬ 
veighing so violently against the Administration 
that many of the Liberals decline to Indorse 
them. Most of the accounts of public sentiment 
sent to this country by correspondents are'natur- 
ally tinged by republican proclivities, and 
therefore unduly favorable to the Liberals, but 
the temporary unpopularity of most of these in 
the country Is shown hy the fact that the Times 
and many more of their own organs have “ gone 
back" on them, while the motion of censure 
against the Ministry they Introduced Into Par¬ 
liament last week, has been defeated by a vote of 
S2S against 227. So strong does Beaconsfleld feel 
himself in public favor that it Is considered prob¬ 
able he will dissolve the present House of Com¬ 
mons so as to cause a fresh election of members. 
In the expectation of thus securing a still larger 
number of adherents. The course of events of 
late seems to he decidedly in favor of his policy. 
Some months ago it was thought highly probable 
that the treaty of Berlin would be a failure, and 
that war would be resumed In the spring. Now, 
however, all Indications point to Its observance 
by all parties. A new Ministry favorable to a 
strict compliance with Its terms, has just been 
Inaugurated at Constantinople. A definite treaty, 
supplementary to those of San Stefano and Ber¬ 
lin, Is said to be In a fair way of satisfactory com¬ 
pletion between the Czar and the Sultan, Aus¬ 
tria has occupied and quieted Bosnia and Herze¬ 
govina, and the movement has Just been Indorsed 
by the formerly discontented Hungarian Parlia¬ 
ment which has just voted 20,000 roubles towards 
paying the cost of the expedition. The other dis¬ 
turbances which lately threatened a renewal of 
the conflict In the war-harrasaed country, are 
gradually abating, either on the approach of win¬ 
ter to be renewed In spring, or because they were 
merely the result of the turmoil that always re¬ 
mains for some time after a storm. A peace here 
would be greatly to the credit or Beatonsfleld’s 
policy. Out In Afghanistan, too, success after 
Bucceas lias hitherto attended the British arms. 
The three divisions of the army have each 
been hitherto successful in advancing through 
the gorges in the mountain range dividing India 
from Afghanistan, and on the approach of spring, 
If not sooner, will take possession of the country. 
The Ameer Is already reported to have fled to 
Turklstan, many of his turbulent tribes have 
already joined the British, others are reported to 
be In rebellion, and a protracted war is deemed 
Impossible. England’s real difficulties there, so 
say the wiseacres, will begin when she attempts 
to dispose of the country when the war is over. 
There Is a probably groundless report that she 
will divide It with Russia. Emperor William of 
Germany has returned to Berlin and resumed 
the reins of government, temporarily confided to 
the Crown Prince. Much .popular rejoicing and 
probably some royal apprehension. Bevere mea¬ 
sures against socialists aud all that class, are 
being vigorously enforced throughout Germany. 
Great numbers of known adherents of such 
political creed3 are banished, and not a few 
imprisoned. A mysterious conspiracy of Euro¬ 
pean extent is said to have beou discovered, the 
members of which are styled King-killers—a 
name Indicative of the object they have 111 view 
as the first step towards the mlllenlum. Alexan¬ 
der of Russia, either as a first step towards Inaug¬ 
urating a coustltutlonal government In his vast 
dominions, or to lessen his own responsibilities, 
la said to be about to appoint a Ministry whose 
members shall be collectively responsible for the 
administration of the government. Italy is 
agitated by the necessity for another change of 
Cabinet, a very frequent necessity In that unsta¬ 
ble country. The Princess AUce, third child of 
Queen Victoria, and grand duchess of Hesse- 
dramsdt, died of diptherla at 7 o’clock on Satur¬ 
day morning at Dramadt In Germany. 
The flret shipment orAmortean horses for the use 
of the French army arrived at Havre upwards of 
a week ago, and gave great satisfaction to the 
military Inspectors. Very heavy importations of 
American wheat are also being made into France 
this year—an unusual circumstance, as France 
generally is an exporter of that cereal. Corn, 
too, Is finding a good market there, and the ex¬ 
ports of 11 U> other European countries, also, are 
much larger this season than heretofore.! 
Herman. 
