822 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
DEC 2 
in the room, led her out and said quietly, 
‘' Show me my room. ” 
The old lady led her to the best room, and 
sat down. As ill luck would have it, Jonas had 
carelessly thrown down his brother’s letter up¬ 
on the table, and Patience seeing it, mechan¬ 
ically took it up. A word in it riveted her at¬ 
tention. It was “ Cousin Barley.” 
She read the letter on the instant; paced 
the room back and forth a few times; then 
suddenly called her father: * • Father, come 
here." 
He came. 
“Read that letter! Read it, Isay! Read 
it out that I may know I am not dreaming. 
Read it out loud, I say! ” 
And he read: “ Brother Jonas. The Devil 
is let loose. Cousin Barley’s found. He was 
hurt in the great storm a year ago and was 
picked up by a trapper, with his skull hurt. 
He has been out of his mind ever since. A Bos¬ 
ton doctor has cured him. i bev got notis to 
quit my place which was his, as he’s cornin’ 
back to it. He is cornin’ home; so look out, 
or your cake is dow. I expec I am cornin’ 
home, too, soon. So no more at present. Get 
the wedin’ over soon or there wont be eny, 
leastwise not for you. Dont write eny more. 
“Sam’l Pratt.” 
(To be continued.) 
-»■»■» — 
THE BONDAGE OF HABIT. 
It is good sometimes to see ourselves as 
others see us, and we wish most heartily it 
could be done in all such cases as we are 
about to speak of; for we have been obliged 
often to close our eyes when there has been no 
way possible of taking ourselves out of the 
objectionable presence, In order to be able to 
maintain the usual healthy condition of our 
stomach, while one sitting next to or opposite 
utterly forgetful of their surroundings, with 
no one to jog their memory, was yielding to 
Borne very disgusting habit; 
So many people are under the bondage of 
some petty habit that they cease to be pecu¬ 
liar, although always more or less offensive. 
There are persons who publicly perform 
personal offices of the toilet; who have a trick 
of bringing out a penknife to clean, scrape, 
pare and polish their nails; who are always 
smoothing their hair, and stroking their 
whiskers; who. if they are afflicted with spots, 
cannot leave them alone; -who pick their teeth 
at odd times, settle their ties, arrange their 
cuffs, brush off the dust from their knees— 
who, in short, are for ever and perpetually 
performing, w r ith the happiest unconscious- ' 
tor Xlloniftt, 
CONDUCTED BY SUSS RAY CLARK. 
ANCIENT PORCELAIN. 
TV k know of no more attractive stores f yr 
the levers of the beautiful than thos«* where 
pottery, ancient and modern, beautiful china 
of all grades, statuary etc., are sold. As has 
ever been the fact so is it to day that money 
is all that is needed to beautify our homes; 
and these are just the places to make one wish 
their purse was a larger one. Our cuts in this 
issue represents porcelain ware of ancieut de¬ 
sign, but which, though reproduced in the 
cheaper wares of to-day does not make them 
any the less handsome as to execution. The 
placque is one of an odd shape, which for the 
gifts with this, and when rambling in the 
woods often picked up rustic bits of gnarled 
or twisted wood, that made very neat picture 
frames. An engraving or photograph, so en¬ 
cased—the corners ornamented with a cluster 
of acorns or small cones—can be made very 
attractive and effective. As I write, busy 
fingers are engaged in knitting gay socks and 
scarfs, ever useful and more valued than if 
bought ready made, and the amateur artist is 
busy with little pieces of flower painting 
that will be treasured in other homes where 
the members cannot use brush and palette. 
And what nicer gift can be found than such 
as is done by the giver’s hand with a thought 
to its appropriateness i Come, then, oh 
Christmas, with wintry wind, and Btorm and 
snow, if need be. Let the bells ring and every 
heart rejoice that Christ was born. Ab!me, 
why cannot some grand systematic charity 
Ancient Pottery.—Fig. 453. 
purpose used, enhances its beauty. It is hand 
painted, and then set in a plush frame being 
held there by a gilt molding, or else by a 
handsome clamp made of oxydized silver as 
seen in the cut. They are works of art, con 
sequently an addition to the walls of an 
elegant parlor. 
- ♦ » ♦-- 
HOW TO MAKE A FEW ARTICLES FOR 
CHRISTMAS GIFTS. 
ANNIE L. JACK. 
Placque in Plush Frame.—Fig. 452. 
ness of offence included, little personal offices 
which a refined person would not dream of 
executing in public. Nearly allied to them 
are the people who cannot stand straight; 
they slope to the right, or they hang to the 
left; they hoist one bip, drop one knee, or they 
twist one leg round the other; and it seems 
to be more than they can possibly accomplish 
to sit with their feet on an even plane with¬ 
out crossing one foot over the other leg. An . 
other kind bite their nails; another has a cough 
that is only a trick; and another snuffles at 
every third word. This last offender is wholly 
offensive, by the way, and should be frowned 
down; he is not fit for decent society. Mr. 
Jones frowns constantly; and Mr. Smith 
arches his eyebrows. One man whistles; an¬ 
other hums; a third make* a noise which is 
between both, and yet is neither one nor the 
other. Some twitch their months, and some 
flutter their eyelids; some shut their eyes 
when they sneak, others open theirs to their 
widest extent. Some toss their heads; others 
rub up their hair; some bite their lips, which 
is ugly, and some bite their cheeks, which is | 
hideous; and so on and on, in endlesB variety, ! 
If anyone of ordinary perceptions will take 
the trouble to observe, he will find an endless 
variety of the.*© tricks as transacted by bis 
friends and acquaintances; some harmless, 
some even petty, but for the most part un¬ 
graceful, and many disgusting. 
“Peace on earth, good will to men," and 
once more the bells will peal forth and the 
year 1882 have its holiday of gifts and good 
wishes and hearty good cheer. Already the 
children are counting the days and we sigh 
as we vainly wish we could give them their 
heart’s desire. For they believe old Santa 
Clans has no limit to his pack, and that they 
have only to wish to receive. Oh! blessed 
faith and trust, for if they do not get their 
wants fulfilled this year there is next to come 
and perhaps, may be, it will come then. At 
no season do we go deplore the shortness of 
our purse or the limit to our indulgence. 
This friend was kind to us during a lingering 
illness; that one placed us under many an ob¬ 
ligation; wbat shall we give them? So we set 
our wits to work. We will make a glove box. 
It shall be cream- colored satin, embroidered 
on top with narcissus, lilacs, and ears of bar 
ley. So we get a cardboard frame, four ivory 
knobs for feet, and embroider the white 
flower in silk veining with palest green. The 
centre is orange with a little scarlet for the 
edge of the cup. Pearl bugles are for bar¬ 
ley ears, each one surrounded by white che¬ 
nille, the beard being of morsels of gold 
thread at the point of each pearl. For the 
lilacs we take lilac silk and a small pearl in 
center of each. The leaves are of dark green 
with gold veining. Line the box with flannel 
inside, then satin. Sew white cord along the 
seams; stuff the outside of the lid with fine 
wadding over which place the embroidered 
satin. Put a quilled ribbon around the bor¬ 
der, and cream fringe where needed. 
A simple thing, you say ? So it is; but 
money cannot buy the thoughts and good 
wishes interwoven with the threads. I re¬ 
member once receiving a little pen-wiper from 
a little girl—her first effort in sewing—and 
made of bits of gay flannel she had long treas¬ 
ured, that gave me more pleasure than many 
more expensive gifts have done. If a girl can 
paint, or work in crewels, she can make many 
handy gifts that are yearly described, and if 
she cannot—well, I know just such a girl, but 
she was musical, and last year she sat down 
in spare moments and copied some of her 
favorite music for her poorer neighbors who 
wished for it, tied it together with a ribbon, 
and it made a pretty gift; and then she went 
to the woods and collected moss and partridge 
berry vines, and other treasures—filling with 
them little home-made baskets of fine wire, 
with a potted fern in the center, that had been 
carefully lifted in Oct. It would be an accept¬ 
able gift to any city friend. She was handy 
with the fret-saw, and made pretty things as 
reach every poverty stricken hearth that day ? 
Let us be thankful; few have all they wish 
for or are without the craving for something 
uuattained, yet we will for the once be satis¬ 
fied, or, like the children, look forward with 
the hope that our expectation will be fulfilled 
next year. So may each Christmas be made 
glad with the coming of content and hope. 
ANNOUNCEMENT TO OUR LADY 
READERS. 
Our lady friends have no doubt read in the 
Rural, “Notes from Stockmen,” “Notes from 
Rural Clubs,” etc. Now why cannot 
we have “ notes” also? Notes from farm 
homes, notes from city homes. The 
work of the home is of equally as much im¬ 
portance, and of as great magnitude, as the 
kinds done by husbands and fathers at their 
offices, stores, or on the farms. No one en¬ 
joys having a well arranged house with every 
thing in “ apple-pie order,” better than these 
husbands and fathers who come home at night 
tired and weary with the day’s labor. 
And now we propose to give our friends 
who love, and read the Rural, a chance to 
talk through its columns. To give us home 
experience; or perhaps allow us to take peeps 
into their cosy sitting rooms; clean, tidy, kit 
chens; and airy, well arranged bed-rooms. 
We think that it will add greater weight, 
if we show our appreciation of the articles 
which may be contributed in a substantial 
manner, and have concluded to offer the fol¬ 
lowing as a partial remuneration. 
First let us state the subjects selected which 
seem to us to have the most interest for the 
general housekeeper and home lover. They 
are as follows: 
1. The city and country kitchen. 
2. A modern Christmas dinner. 
3. Dining in the old time and the new. 
4. Rural homes within and without—or 
home decorations, and outside surroundings. 
5. The time to arise, retire, and how to sys- 
temize the work for the day. 
6. How to spend the evenings. 
7. Personal adornment or the necessity of 
looking well at home, vs. untidiness. 
8. Our American Girls. 
9. Woman’s Recreations. 
10. Amateur art work, or hints for home 
decoration. 
The premiums will be awarded to the writer 
of the best article on each subject and in 
choosing them we have selected those of equal 
value as to cost, though some will be more 
attractive or useful perhaps than others. But 
we desire to suit our friends in this matter, 
and if they will mention their choice, it shall 
be our pleasure to grant it if possible. 
There is only one of each kind, so if it hap¬ 
pens that, some one has already selected that 
which has been chosen by another we shall 
use our very best judgment, and send the one 
we consider next best. 
“The Ladies ofthe White House, or in 
the home of the Presidents.” By Laura C. 
Holloway. This is a book of 600 pages giving 
a complete history of all the women who have 
graced the White House from Martha Wash- 
i ington down to Lucretia R. Garfield, with a 
steel portrait of each. A work which would 
adorn and honor the drawing room table of 
any lady. 
“History or Woman’s Suffrage” in two 
volumes, 950 pages each. An exhaustive work 
on this subject, and contains twenty-four 
fine steel portraits of the noble women who 
are to be honored for their labors in this di¬ 
rection. 
Pickle castor. 
One dozen teaspoons. 
Six tablespoons. 
Six forks. 
Child’s drinking cup. 
Carver, fork and steel. 
One child’s knife, fork, and spoon. 
Six rubber handle dessert knives. 
The books we offer are of the highest 
order, as their titles indicate and the price 
of each is $5 so that there is no difference in 
value, but a matter of choice only; and the 
same can be said of the rest of the premiums. 
We hope that this offer will meet with a 
hearty response, from all who are interested in 
this department of the Rural, which we are 
desirous of making one of the greatest inter¬ 
est and value. It will be a good time for some 
one who think they cannot write an article 
to try and thereby surprise themselves with 
the result of such an effort. We shall gladly 
welcome a talk on these subjects from any of 
our friends. 
- » »♦ — 
The Rural New-Yorker is the only 
weekly national journal of agriculture and 
horticulture published in America. It is 
the only journal that conducts an experi¬ 
ment farm and horticultural grounds purely 
in -the interests of its readers, It, is the 
only journal that has systematically dis¬ 
tributed new and valuable seeds and plants 
free among its subscribers, thus introducing 
some of the most popular farm and garden 
plants known. Its corps of writers are by 
all conceded to be the best ever col¬ 
lected together to write for a single rural, 
journal. Its editors strive to tell the exact 
truth regarding the new seeds, plants, farm 
implements, etc , which are purchased or 
sent to the Rural Grounds to be tried. 
While appreciating its advertising patron¬ 
age, it p'rrres the interests of its readers 
foremost and condemns or praises accord¬ 
ing to deserts 
Path bv the Brooksidr— Iiacs. Art Notes. Fig, 451. 
Domestic Comomij 
CONDUCTED BV EMILY MAPLE. 
PEEPS ACROSS THE WAY. 
NO. 1. 
MAY MAPLE. 
By others’ faults we may learn to correct 
our own. In “ Peeps Across the Way.” I 
hope not only to bold up the mirror of mis¬ 
management in domestic affairs in such a light 
that at least some weary ones who are almost 
disgusted with life as they have found it, may 
see wherein their failure consists, but also to 
show them how they may break the fetters 
that keep them constantly warring with 
pinching poverty. 
“I declare, I was surprised!” said Mrs. 
Rachel Thrifty, as she sat down to dinner, 
“ when I saw nearly a pailful of bread, cake 
and pie, ready to go into the pigs’ trough at 
Mrs. Slocum’s this morning. You know she 
has only been married a very few years, and 
her husband works in the mill Winters, and 
on the farm during the Summer time. When 
ebe wfw in$rw4 she didn’t know anythin# 
