AUG*© 
§54 
THE RURAL MEW-YORKER. 
driver was acquainted with the occupants and 
hallooed so loud, that a man came running 
outto see what was the matter. "We presume 
our pitiable condition touched bis heart, for 
he very kindly urged us to hurry in out of 
the storm. We required no second Invita¬ 
tion, in fact could have done so without any 
—only opening the door would have in¬ 
duced us to enter. They spread an 
inviting repast which made us forget our 
wet clothing,(as well as the danger just passed 
through), and to which we did ample justice. 
Of course we were compelled to remain all 
night, and so two were appointed to occupy 
the double bed. while one was afforded the 
privilege of rooming alone. After spreading 
out the clothing so that the process of drying 
could still go on, (for it had begun several 
hours before) we made ready the bed, which 
looked so restfully inviting, for us to plunge 
into .In we went, and down,down to the very 
spring*. No! not springs for there were none, 
excepting the one made to get out again—hnt 
to the hard board slats. Well this did seem 
too much to bear patiently; all our hopes of a 
good sleep blasted because of an old-fashioned 
feather bed and bedstead. 
“Of two evils choose the least,” which we did 
by removing the bed to the floor, and patted 
it all out broad and smooth. Then we stepped 
in softly, lying down carefully so as not to 
bury ourselves more deeply than could pos¬ 
sibly be helped, and went to sleep. 
The morning broke clear and beautiful, and 
after partaking of a hearty breakfast, and 
thanking our host for bis hospitality, we 
started on our journey toward the trouting 
regions where our friend was awaiting us. An 
hours ride brought ns to our destination, and 
we sat down for a quiet chat and to re¬ 
late our adventures, which was soon done fur 
we saw from the windows the stream running 
along so clear and heautiful, where was to be 
realized the hopes which had stimulated us all 
along the journey. After dinner, which was 
a real farm-house meal, consisting of chicken 
pot-pie, in which the chicken was not scarce, 
and the yelks of eggs that had been boiled 
hard, were generously scattered around and 
through it; corn, beans, tomatoes, potatoes; 
with custard pie and berry pudding for des¬ 
sert. We never can forget this dinner, be¬ 
cause it was just to our taste; a nice light 
crust in a pot pie. is one of our weaknesses. 
Well, after partaking heartily we sauntered 
out to survey the fishing ground and to have 
a good smoke, rejoicing that we were free; 
no women folk to wait on, and no children to 
make behave and so show their home training. 
We were at liberty to do and go where we 
chose. Our walk extended several miles, and 
being so much interested in the scenery, and 
enjoying the delightfully invigorating air, did 
not raise our eyes to look through the trees 
and up into the sky, for we had not forgotten 
that it rained the night before, and was con¬ 
fident the ground did not require refreshing 
again for several days. So no thought of 
more rain occurred to us until we were made 
conscious of the fact that we had no control 
of the elements, and it would rain in spite of 
our opinion to the contrary; and it did pour 
in torrents, wetting us again through to the 
skin. Then we gave up the prospect of 
seeing a single trout, resolving to go back 
home and make an humble confession to our 
better half, that another time we would not 
be so selfish, for the very elements conspired 
to punish us for it; but in the future would 
patiently look after the bundles, take care of 
the children, in fact do anything that would 
assure us a good catch of trout. c. c. 
KEEP COOL. 
“Oh! such uncomfortably hot weather! 
Ninety in the shade! Hot, hotter, hottest!” 
Well, I declare, I am tired of this everlasting 
grumbling about hot weather! Just as if the 
good Lord did not know what was best for 
us, and did not temper the weather, as is just 
right. He don’t have to watch the thermom¬ 
eter to see how to regulate the heat or the 
cold. Now just let the ice water alone and sit 
down, and we will reason together. No, the 
' • 
more ice water you drink the more you may, 
and it makes you uncomfortable, and keeps 
up a constaut shower of perspiration that is 
unpleasant and disagreeable. There is no use 
in stewing and fretting; it makes matters 
worse and does no sort of good. Keep calm! 
“So thirsty ?” just take a bit of dry cracker iu 
your mouth; it will quench your thirst in a 
minute and you will feel better. A stream 
of water running down your throat will not 
keep you cool. Better apply the cold water 
to your face and neck. Now, I know just 
how it is. I have seen days that were a great 
deal warmer than this, and lived through 
them. I have cooked dinners for hungry 
men, done a big ironing, baked and washed 
right along, and I never melted yet. I never 
run every 10 minutes to see how hot it was, 
either. I could tell by my own feelings bet¬ 
ter than that thing can tell me. In the first 
place, on such a day as this there is no need 
of putting on more skirts than to be decent; 
you don’t want a ribbon or collar tight 
around your neck, and you had better let ice 
water alone unless you sponge off your face 
with it occasionally. Then sit down and keep 
quiet; this constant fldgetting is disagreeable 
to yourself and everyone about you, and does 
no good. If the heat is too oppressive, so you 
feel faint, it is because the external heat is 
greater than the internal, and a little cayenne 
pepper stirred up in either milk or a cup of 
water is the best thing in the world to make 
one feel cool. Yes! Cayenne pepper! there 
is nothing in the world that I ever found that 
could make one feel so comfortable in a right 
hot day as a little pepper. It is better than 
spirits of any kind. I ought to know, for I 
have used it for years, and experience is a 
good teacher. 
“The air is so hot!” yes, bat that can be set 
right. Just wring out a sheet from cold water 
and hang up over the window. There is noth¬ 
ing in the world like knowing how to keep 
cool; it is au easy matter to be comfortable if 
you only know how. 
If young people would only be willing to 
take the experience of old folks and profit by 
it, they might save themselves a world of pain 
and trouble. There girls, you really look bet¬ 
ter, and I know you feel better. Now squeeze 
out the sponge and wet the top of your heads 
and wipe off your faces, do not look at the 
thermometer again till evening, and you can 
sit and sew for two hours and be cool and 
comfortable. I “ought to be a doctor!” No, 
indeed, I can do good enough in the world 
without having au M.D, hitched on my name. 
I never wished for any higher position than to 
be a good mother and make my children good 
and happy, I know young people think old 
folks have lots of crotchets in their beads, but 
let me tell you, it takes old heads for counsel 
and experience, any time of day. You see, 
I know how to get cool and keep other people 
COOl, tOO. GRANDMOTHER. 
-- 
DISCONTENT. 
Mus. Rice, her afternoon’s work being 
done, seated herself wearily in a low chair on 
the porch to rest and get the baby to sleep. 
“Oh, dear,” she sighed, as a train of passen¬ 
ger coaches rushed across the fiel l iu front of 
her. “Why can’t the good things of this 
world be more evenly distributed. How I 
should enjoy a ride on the cars. Here 1 have 
to plod year in and year out with no rest or 
change—I’m so tired of it, ” and she threw’ a 
dissatisfied glance at the disappearing train. 
If she could have been aboard of the cars 
towards which she looked so longingly she 
might have learned wisdom to help her bear 
her burdens patiently. 
She would have seen a woman dressed in 
the finest of fabrics who would have gladly 
given up her ease and silken robes for such a 
smiling infant as lay in her arms, and who 
would have enjoyed to the utmost the breath 
of the fresh J une roses and clover that wasted 
their sweetness on her wandering mind. She 
might have seen another woman who, with 
true New England grit, was taking her first 
journey alone—a long one, too, to the far 
West, where her husband had gone a few 
months before to prepare a home for his fam¬ 
ily, and who had written her that if she was 
able to make the journey alone it would be 
greatly to his advantage for her to do so. 
With three children, one a child in her arms 
like this other one, she was on her way, bear, 
ing up bravely uuder the fatigues of the trip, 
but longing for a cup of pure, cold water for 
the restless infant in her lap; and as she 
looked from the car window and saw the cosy 
home of our complainer, she hoped that some 
day such a home might be hers, and thought 
how she should enjoy it. So little do we 
know of each other’s lives. If we could know 
more of other’s trials the weak might learn 
strength from the brave, and the envious 
might see how little cause they had for dis¬ 
content. B. c. D. 
-- 
Furnished for comfort. —“My room is 
fitted up entirely with reference to comfort,” 
said a friend as she led the way to her sitting- 
room. It was her private room, but each 
member of the family understood well that if 
he or she wished to be entirely at ease, a place 
was provided where this desire might be real¬ 
ized. The chairs, sofas, cushions and foot, 
stools were all for comfort first and for good 
looks afterwards, though there was a delight¬ 
ful air of home and happiness pervading the 
the room. Appreciating the fact that nothing 
is less ornamental than faded or soiled fancy- 
work, the tidies, pin cushion covers, were all 
of some material which would not show dust 
and wear readily. Drab Turkish towelling, 
brightened with shades of red, was much 
used, A pretty mantel lambrequin was made 
of scarlet all-wool Java canvas, with a scroll 
worked in yellow and black on it. There was 
enough of “woman’s handiwork” to give 
character to it, but it was not of the elegant 
and painstaking kind, which cannot be used 
every day without heing mined. A few books 
and one good picture were in the room, and 
altogether it gave the impression of boundless 
comfort. 
- 4 « » - 
Good taste at home. —It is wonderful 
what a tasteful woman can do in the way of 
making home attractive.She can makea garret 
beautiful at little cost, for the beauty of home 
depends more upon an education and refined 
taste tbau upon mere wealth. If there is no 
artist in the house it matters little that there 
is a large balance at the bank. There is usu¬ 
ally no better excuse for a barren home than 
ignorance or carelessness. A little mechani¬ 
cal skill can make brackets and shelves for the 
walls. A trifle saved from daily expenses can 
now and then put a new book upon the table 
or shelf. A thoughtful walk in the woods can 
gather leaves and ferns for adorning the un¬ 
pictured rooms. The expenditure of a few 
shillings can convert the plain window into a 
laboratory. In these and many other ways 
can a plain, barren room be changed into a 
scene of beauty. 
- •» » » 
A good wife is to a bad man wisdom 
strength and courage; a bad one is confusion, 
weakness and despair. No condition is hope¬ 
less to a man where the wife possesses firm¬ 
ness, decision and economy. There is no out" 
ward propriety which can counteract indo¬ 
lence, extravagance, and folly at home. No 
spirit can long endure bad influence. Man is 
strong, but his heart is not adamant. He 
needs a tranquil home, and especially if he is 
an intelligent man, with a whole head, he 
needs its moral force in the conflict of life. To 
recover his composure, home must be a place 
of peace and comfort. There his soul renews 
its strength and goes forth with renewed 
vigor to encounter the labor and troubles of 
life. But if at home he finds no rest, and 
there is met with bad temper, jealousy and 
gloom, or assailed with complaints and cen¬ 
sure, hope vanishes, and he sinks into despair. 
FASHIONS. 
One of the prettiest of summer washing 
materials for dresses is glazed satinette, in 
patterns of large flowers in natural colors 
upon a dark ground, indigo, prune, myrtle- 
green, garnet, or black ; red carnations are a 
favorite pattern, next come sprays of roses, 
heartsease, or blue cornflowers. Light 
grounds, in such shades as corn, maize, ficelle, 
bluish gray, are also very pretty. Among 
the prettiest fancy patterns we must note the 
Japanese and Chinese designs; borders for 
trimming the costume are printed in similar 
patterns more closely grouped together, and 
look extremely well upon a dark blue or red 
ground. The sunshade is made to match the 
dress, which has a good effect with toilets of 
this style. 
Light, soft silks, such as brocaded gauze, 
printed or checked foulard, and summer satin, 
compose entire dresses, or are combined with 
veiling, or musliu-de lame. Ecru and beige 
tissues are always useful, always becoming, 
for simple and economical costumes. 
Although washing fabrics are very charm¬ 
ing to wear at this season, it is quite indispens¬ 
able to have one or more costumes of fine 
woolen material to wear upon cooler days. 
For visiting these are made of some very 
light, soft woolen tissue combined with silk. 
The skirt short, and quite plain, is made of 
some brocaded material iu a simple pattern, 
such as purple clover-leaves or a pistachio- 
green ground; bodice and paniers of some plain 
purple fabric. Tnis bodice Bhould be entirely 
void of ornament, but should mould the w ist 
in perfection; the bottom of the skirt is simp¬ 
ly trimmed with narrow purple Outings and 
pompons, and the drapery of the paniers is 
artistically looped up at the back. 
Very pretty costumes of satinette in large 
flower patterns upon a light ground are made 
with the short scant skirt, covered over the 
front and sides with slightly-gathered flounces 
edged with renaissance lace. Paniers, trim¬ 
med with similar lace, are slanted off over the 
hips and finished at the back into a slightly 
puffed drapery, also edged with lace, falling 
over a pleated gore of the material in the 
middle of the back. The plain bodice is trim- 
med with lace round the neck and down the 
front. The sleeves are semi-short and also 
trimmed with lace. 
The large Oowery patterns of the new 
chintzes and satiuettes appear a little odd to 
our unaccustomed eyes; but they are pretty 
and more becoming than the nondescript de¬ 
signs and inperceptible checks which have 
been in vogue for some time. The light tint¬ 
ed patterns especially are very lovely. We 
particularly admire a pattern of pale blue 
convolvuli over a cream-colored ground, and 
another of pale pink roses and lilies of- 
tbe valley over a very white water-green 
ground. Both were trimmed, as above de¬ 
scribed, with renaissance lace. 
Red skirts, dark military sacques, red tur¬ 
bans, Sultan sun shades of Turkey red, and 
fans half a yard wide: are the most conspicu¬ 
ous features of the toilette in which Baltimore 
^adies appear at Cape May. 
ABOUT WOMEN. 
Mrs. Kate Chase Sprague, who is spend¬ 
ing a portion of the Summer at her old home, 
Edgewood, near Washington, with her 
daughters, counts among her treasures her 
father’s family Bible. It contains the entry 
of her birth, August 16, 1S40, with the re¬ 
marks, in Mr. Chase's handwriting:—“The 
babe is pronounced pretty. I think it quite 
otherwise. It is. however, well formed, and 
I am thankful. May God give the child a 
good understanding, that she may keep his 
Commandm ent s. ” 
Valuable Jewelry.— Collectors of coin 
will rejoice to hear that an opportunity of 
displaying their treasures to public gaze is 
afforded by fashion’s latest craze of making 
necklets, bracelets, and brooches entirely of 
such items. It is doubtful, however, if the 
rage will obtain a hold, since the generality 
of us find work sufficient in getting coins at 
all, letting alone hoarding them up for curi¬ 
osities. 
Engagement Rings. —Sapphires are at 
present most in favor as settings for engage¬ 
ment rings, and that reminds me that an au¬ 
thority on such matters says girls are in error 
who w ar the bethrothed circlet on the third 
finger < the left hand, the proper position be¬ 
ing the ( lird finger of the right hand. 
A ha: isome lady entered a dry goods 
Btore ana inquired for a “bow." The polite 
clerk threw’ himself back and remarked that 
he was at her service. , “Yes, but I w’ant a 
buff, not a green one,” was the reply. The 
young man went on measuring goods imme¬ 
diately. 
A lady put her watch under her pillow the 
other night, but couldn’t keep it there because 
it disturbed her sleep. And there, all the 
time, was her bed-ticking right under her, and 
she never thought of that at all. 
Nilsson was a 14-year-old girl, singing at, 
a country fair in Norway, when her musical 
capabilities first attracted notice. 
Hurtful Insects and Sharp-eyed 
Children. 
So far this has been a season of wonderful 
insect life, for the pests have done their level 
best to devour our fruit, and destroy in many 
ways the results of our labors. The “measur¬ 
ing worm" invaded the black currant field 
and there was no remedy. We tried the lime 
cure, and it failed; hellebore was of no account 
and the children in spite of payment in bright 
silver pieces, grew tired of hand-picking, so 
the worms ate and partly destroyed the crop. 
But in hoeing around the bushes, the boys 
found hundreds of little brown rolls of shining 
substance. These were the chrysalids and 
being destroyed we were saved from the rapid 
multiplication of our enemies. For the de¬ 
struction of injurious inseets there is nothing 
better than sharp eyed children after they are 
once interested, as all children should be, in 
the study of Natural History. They see 
and study what older eyes would fail to 
observe. Annie L. Jack. 
Domestic Cjcoboiihj 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE. 
RUGS AT AUNT SYLVIA’S. 
MAY MAPLE. 
“ Now, I’ll just fold up the carpets that be- 
loug to the dining-room, and the two breadth- 
strip 1 have had down in the kitchen, and put 
them away’ for the Summer;” said Aunt Syl¬ 
via one day a few weeks ago, as she threw 
down the Rural New-Yorker, “for one of 
the Rural writers says rugs are more health¬ 
ful than dusty carpets. I have material 
enough to make all that are necessary, and if 
they are to be the ragin’ style, we may as well 
be among tbe leaders of the fashion as any 
one. I guess though I’ll bring the rugs from 
the chambers and make some handsomer ones 
to replace’em” 
Accordingly Hetty, the daughter, com¬ 
panion and maid of all work, was called from 
the kitchen table, to hear the conclusion of the 
whole matter; for that day she was to finish 
the Spring cleaning. Of course, Hetty was 
pleased with the idea, for there would be no 
trouble with muling down obstinate carpets, 
and she would be through with the cleaning 
very soon. Thanks to the good old Rural 
for the nice suggestion. By noon the rooms 
were fresh and as clean as a new tin pan, and 
Hetty thought they did look particularly in¬ 
viting, dotted here and there with oddly- 
shaped, gay-colored rugs. Aunt Sylvia said 
they reminded her of the pictures she used to 
