239 
THE RURAL HEW-YOBKEB. 
Pumtstir (gnntamg. 
COWDPOTED BY EMILY MAPLE. 
PEN-THOUGHTS FROM EVERY-DAY 
HOUSE. 
MR3. ANNIE L. JACK. 
The season advances and soon we expect to 
be busy. Already summer garments are out 
for repair, and I am confronted with the semi¬ 
annual question of—what to wear. In a large 
family it is one of vital importance, and I 
often envy those mothers who seem to hare a 
natural talent for fixing over to greater ad¬ 
vantage thau I find my own skill equal to. I 
am sure there are many readers who will sym¬ 
pathize with me, and I often think it would be 
a fine subject for an artist—to depict the 
chagrin with which we all look at the out¬ 
grown dresses and sigh “Too short”! wondering 
it they can be let down, or kilt-plaited in any 
way that will insure them another season's 
service. And while proud to see the children 
grow, does not a little pang steal to our hearts, 
that is so charmingly expressed in Louise C. 
Moulton’s poem, “ If I Could Keep Her 80 ”? 
“ P.lue eyes learning wonders of the world about 
Here you come to tell them—what an eager shout! 
Winsome little damsel all the neighbors know; 
Thus I long to keep you, lor I love you so.” 
But grow they will, and soon the little boy or 
girl is beginning to assert his or her own opin¬ 
ion, to form views of men and things and to 
require more from you in the matter of ap¬ 
pearance than in the early days when a yard 
of cloth was enough for a shirt. But with 
increasing cares, the children will be increas¬ 
ing help. The boys, if taught early, can sew 
ou their own buttons, and darn their Btockings 
much to the relief of mother and Bister, who 
will be wise to give them thread and needle- 
book at some opportune time, with their 
ini tills worked upou the cover. This appeals 
to a boy’s pride aud will be useful to him iu 
alter life, when, perhaps, he may be out in the 
world —where •‘mother’’ cannot be. How 
one's thoughts wander ! and all this time I am 
confronted with a pile of little frocks and 
jackets too short in the sleeve or skirt, and 
must .apply to the piece-bag for help—and for 
awhile lay aside the pen and let the needle 
have full sway. • 
-»- 
many years more, and we had better save onr 
strength and means for something better. 
The inside is lined with building paper, in¬ 
stead of being plastered, and then covered 
with wall paper of a very light drab, and looks 
as pretty as tinted plaster, and the wall is 
about as warm as a plastered wall. The win¬ 
dows are large and low, and this particular 
feature makes the room look especially invit¬ 
ing and cheerful. Now wc are somewhat pre¬ 
pared for sick days, that are liable to come to 
ns all sooner or later. Of course, we hope 
they may still be afar off. 
We are resting now and laying plans for the 
coming season, which wo mean to make as 
prosperous as the last, providential circum¬ 
stances permitting. 
--. 
OIL-CLOTH AND CARPETS. 
I HAVE tried painting old pieces of rag-car¬ 
pet, and must say they are not worth the oil 
and paint put on them. They absorb a great 
deal of oil and are hard to clean, they are not 
as good as the carpet without the paint, and 
will not last as long. Without the paint they 
may be easily cleaned so as to look nice, by 
pounding them through good suds and rinse 
water. If desired to be stiff, they may be 
starched with flour starch and ironed. 
Good, thick cotton drilling or thick, firm 
cloth may be made into oil-cloth by stretching 
on a frame and painting. The cloth should be 
new aud strong, or it will not be worth the 
trouble. 
I have tried knitted carpets, as highly re¬ 
commended a few years since, and must say 
they arc net the carpets needed, and will wear 
but a very short time. When one wants rag- 
carpets, it is best to purchase warp and take 
the rags to a weaver who knows how to weave 
good rags and warp into substantial carpets; 
and one will be paid for the labor and expense 
put on them. Very coarse-threaded rags or 
tender ones may be cut in strips from one 
to two inches wide, braided and Bewed together 
for mats or rugs to place where needed. 
H. e. s. 
*-*-*-♦-- 
JELLY FROM CIDER. 
LOG - CABIN SKETCHED; OR JESSIE 
SEABRIGHT’S DIARY, NO, 11. 
MAT MAPLE. 
Jan. 10, 18.— It is strange how much one can 
accomplish when one has a will to do so, aDd 
still more strange how little money cau suffice 
to make a family comfortable, and happy. 
And yet sc many go complaining all their lives 
because they have none of the comforts of this 
world, und must always live in dark, dingy 
houses, with bare floors, bare walls, bare win¬ 
dows, and a general appearance of dilapida¬ 
tion and destitution. I can't help thinking 
that one must be particularly unfortunate, who 
is under the actual necessity of living in such 
niter poverty. Our own cabin home is not 
furnished with such luxuries as wealth might 
bestow; but our neighbors count us among 
the well-to-do farmers, although our farm 
numbers less acres than many others. We 
seem »o have things in the house more com¬ 
fortable than the average farmers ; and yet 
there is nothing the rest might not have, 
if they would take hold of the matter with en¬ 
ergy. But it is easier to say, “ I wish I could 
afford to have so many conveuionces about our 
house; but I don’t have time for such fixin’s,” 
than it is to go about the work. 
My last achievement I am particularly proud 
of; for I am writlug in my new kitchen, which 
is a good-sized room, and adjoining is a cozy 
bed-room and a small pantry. And there is a 
good sleeping-room above. I earned the ma¬ 
terials, and John pnt them together. I made 
rugs, counterpanes, comforts, did some tailor¬ 
ing, made some toys for the children’s holi¬ 
days, crocheted some fancy edgings, and em¬ 
broidered some handsome tidies on Java can¬ 
vas. Not many moments were spent in idle¬ 
ness after I made the resolution to enlarge our 
borders. When I needed rest I took it. For 
what luxury would be even a comfort, if I 
worked myself sick. Neither did I let my 
mind go starviug for its usual rations of in¬ 
tellectual food. I kept my health good and 
systematized my tasks; and for once Fortune 
or Providence favored the brave. My friend, 
Mrs. White, often assisted me to sell my wares, 
by finding purchasers among her more wealthy 
acquaintances. 
The villagers down by the mill were often 
glad to get work done, and were willing to 
pay fair pricesand thus I added a little here 
and a little there to my purse, the contents of 
which were hoarded up aud counted over and 
over very much as a miser hoards and counts 
his gold. At last I had #40, which John tboaght 
would be about the expense of lumber and ma¬ 
terials, and he would do the work. He 6 aid it 
wou'd not be worth while to go to much ex¬ 
pense, for tke tld log house would not 6 tand 
In the Rural of March 13th, E. R. Shank- 
land askB for the experience of others in mak¬ 
ing jelly from cider. Having made it for 
many years successfully, I submit the follow¬ 
ing Bring ihe cider from the mill as soon as 
pressed; place the barrel in position for draw¬ 
ing. and let It stand over night. Take a clean 
brass kettle that will hold from ihvee to six 
pailsfnl; adjust it for boiling; fill, and it is 
ready for the fire. Skim thoroughly when it 
commences to boil. Don't udd any more cider 
to this kettleful if you want clear, nice jelly. 
Boil steadily and continuously. When nearly 
reduced, dip out a few spoonsful into a basin 
and pluce H in cold water to try it. Boil it 
until as thick as common jelly when cold. It 
may be kept boiling so that it is nearly to the 
top of the kettle until the last hour, when the 
coat, swith a few chips added occasionally, will 
be sufficient. As soon as thick enough, re¬ 
move from the fire and dip immediately into 
stone crocks or jars. If it bo allowed to cool 
in the kettle, It will injure the flavor. It is 
not liable to burn if yon keep it over a steady 
heat until done. Harvey Moroan, 
In answer to inquiry about apple jelly 
would say that a copper evaporator is the 
only thing that it can be successfully made 
with, and the '* Cook Pan" we think the best. 
Any kind of clean, nnfermented cider will 
make jelly, except that which is very sweet; 
that is, that made from very sweet apples 
which will only make molasses. Two-thirds 
of sweet and one-third of slightly tart apples 
make the best quality of jelly and while Ram- 
bo or Belmont apples make very good jelly it is 
much better to add one half of some good qnali - 
ty of sweet apples. The better the quality of 
the fruit from which the cider is made the bet¬ 
ter the jelly. D. M. Sfontz. 
-——-- 
DOMESTIC RECIPES. 
Rhubarb .felly. 
Prepare as for sauce, cutting up into small 
pieces. Put into a preserving kettle with a 
very little water. Boil until very soft. Drain 
through a sieve; then press through a jelly 
bag. To every pint of juice allow one and 
one-half pound of sugar. Boil the sugar by 
itself until nearly ready to form candy and 
then mix with ihe juice. Boil together mod¬ 
erately, keeping well skimmed until the jelly 
falls from the skimmer in sheets. Put away 
same as any other jelly. M L 
Old-Fashioned Indian Pudding. 
Ono quart of buttermilk ; two eggs; a few 
dried berries and a teaspoonful of saleratus. 
Stir in Indian meal to a stiff batter. Boil two 
hours in a pudding bag, with a piece of salt 
pork in the water. 
Good Doughnuts. 
Take a quart of uew milk and one cup of 
hop emptyings, and prepare the same as for 
biead. When light, add half a pound of sugar, 
half a pound of butter, three eggs, a little 6 alt 
and a pinch of soda. Cut square, and fry in 
hot lard. Season with nutmeg. A. L. o. 
QUE8TI0NS ANSWERED. 
These old people whose blood has become thtn 
and steps feeble are praising Hop Bitters for the 
good they have done them. 
gjew gulilt cations. 
Novello’s Music Primers. 
1. Rudiments of Music, Cummings 50c. 
2. Art of Pinnoforte Playing. Panel’, igil.00 
3. The Organ. Stainer. 1.00 
4. Singing. Pandegger, 2.00 
5. Musical Forms. Patter. 1.00 
6. Harmony. Stainer. 1.00 
7. Instrumentation. Prout. 1.00 
8. Violin. Tours. 1.00 
Very popular books in England, and rapidly becom- 
ing so in this eouutry. They are not properly Primers, 
but Instruction Books, with practical treatises on the 
instrrutBM>ts. »Ti<l abundant picture and musical Illus¬ 
trations, a history of the organ, etc. Valuable books 
for any one interested in inuric. 
WHITE ROBES . Sunday School Sous Book. 
TEMPERANCE JEWELS. „ D ". 
1 emponuicQ sous Book. 
AMERICAN ($1.25, or $12 per doz.) Contains 
EESURW3S»S ANTHEM 8?#» 
“• B 00 K 
An 3 * book mailed, poet-free, for the retail price. 
RECORD gives nearly 
«u pages of good Music per month. $2 per year. 
OLIVER DITSON Sc CO., Boston. 
**• PI Han A <)•., J. K, IMtHon A- Co,, 
843 Broadway. New York. 1228 Chestnut St.. I htla. 
E 
NCYCLOP/EDIA OF 
WIT AND WI8D0 
Over One Thousand Royal. Octavo Pages, nearly Ten 
Thousand A necdote* and Illustration# of Life, 
Uuiravter, Humor and Pathos in One Han- 
Classifications, 
Amonir which are fouud tUofto of Clcivyiuen.Physi* 
ir V - 8 ’ ^o. Ainnsiokr, Instruc- 
^ iv kud -KeliinoiiH. Tbe cheapest, largest and best 
6ver P uW j«kt?d. Agents wanted. Kxcla- 
si\e territory vrven For tortus. eiruuJars and terri¬ 
tory^ address tlio Publishers, 
BRAOLEY & COMPANY, 
. if earth Fourth. Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 
■ Copies mailed ou receipt of retail price, $3 .(hi. 
WORLDS HIGHWAY TO 
A Household Libra- F|)|i||:\' l/AeliubleAdenergetic 
ry of itself. Active *■ J M b li u, wanted to whom 
best terms aud exclusive ter- ii i ijpi vpoo forpartio- 
ritory will be given. Send rlNESa nlars at 
SJy e Q to w EvANS £ p«.. Publishers, 1 V n n.... Y u « 
No. 9 Murray street, Now York, Ai\ 1J lILAIcd, 
Pto'cfUiMfous;. 
For Sale For Want of Use 
A NEW 
150-Light Gas Machine 
.fs'st ” was& sssffijr 
__Hamilton Forty, Brooklyn. L. 1 . ’ 
APPARATUS AND SUPPLIES 
FOR 
CHEESE & BUTTER 
?!l£l O wl1?L 0 r ^ e E ie8 . a , ud , Dairies. Complete outfits 
a specialty . The best boiler and engine in market 
Send for circulars and net prices, JOHN S, OAK IEK 
Successor to Q. B. WEEKS. SyracW, n7y. * 
about purchasing fertilizers 
.and wishing to eave from 100 
'to 2,000 per cent., can do so by 
GEOKGE CASPER, M. I)., 
Manatee, S. Fla. 
$£♦ 
Mending Rubber Boots. ’ 
B G. J., Decatur , III. Please see directions 
for mending rubber boots in Rural of March 
13, page 175. 
To Banish Fleas. 
Do you know of anything that will drive 
away fleas from a house ? We have taken up 
carpets ; used salt, lime and other remedies 
without effect. U. Duncan. 
Ans. —Try oil of pennyroyal. 
To Sweeten Lard—A Frowy Slone Fot. 
Will you please tell me what will pweeten 
lard that has been kept over, also what will 
remove the odor of frowy butter from a stone 
P ot - Mrs. M. N. Wait. 
■^ N 8 , —1- Make a weak lye of wood-ashes, 
settle well, draw off and put It with the lard 
into a kettle over the fire. When it boils take 
from the fire, let cool, remove the lard and 
boil over a moderate fire, skimming off all im¬ 
purities until no more arise, when it is done. 
In many cases two or three good-sized potatoes 
sliced and cooked in the lard until brown will 
remove all uupleasant flavor. 2. Fill your 
stone crock with 6 our or sweet milk, renewing 
once or twice, after which wash well and eun. 
Abner J. P., Wichita , Kansas, asks how 
cucumbers are pickled by the barrel in the 
factories with whisky vinegar. He has a bar¬ 
rel of choice pickles in brine, but to buy vine¬ 
gar there at 35c. a gallon and sell pickles and 
vinegar at 30c. a gallon won’t pay. 
E. & J. C. WILLIAMS, 
Montelair, TNT. J. ' 
Have a large prime stock of all tho leading Straw- 
berries, Raspberries, Gritpen, aud other Fruits 
at reasonable prices. Customers always Rati filled. Cata¬ 
logue f ree. 
SHARPLESS STRAWBERRy7~ 
rienuiue No. 1 plants direct from the •• Home of tho 
HharpliHs in central Pcimsyl vania," by express pr, 100 , 
4 " cta - r ' r - 100 ilddiiUai: 
L L< IHIihOX, Blooitisburg, Pa. 
r pnE ALBANY SEED STORE. 
1 Established 1831. 
49th YEAH. 
PRICE & KMCKERUOChJER, Successors to 
General Catalogue of Reliable 
Flower, Vegetable and Field 
Seed, Vegetable and 
Flowering Plants and Small 
Fruits, 
MAILED FREE. SO Pages—'150 Illustrations 
SO STATE STREET. Albany, IV. V. 
THE DINQEr&CONARTcO’S 
BEAT7TI WITT. X’.\ r Icl? s? i v,. 
r. I HE „ fESJ IN THE WORLD. 
Our Great Specialty is growing and distributing 
these Beautiful Roses* We deliver Strong: Pot 
i lants, smtnbli! for immediate bloom, solely by mail 
at all p.>4t-offices. 5 Splendid Varieties, uour 
choree, fill labeled. for $ 1 , 13 fnr #3; 19 for 83 ; 
tor 5*4 ; 3-. fiir #5 1 73 fnr SlOs 100 for $13. 
send lur our New Guide to Bose Culture_ 
cu pages elegantly illustrated—and choose from ordr 
Five Hundred Finest Sorts. Address 
THK DINOEE <fc COISARD CO., 
At ose Growers, West Grove.Chester Co., Pr 
, Rift ! 00 best sorts plants. Currants, Grapes, 
Acres uiu Ac. See our prices before buying of 
D C D D| C O others. Illustrated Catalogue free. 
DCntfi LO HALE BROS.. So. Glastonbury. Ct. 
AMBER CANE MANUAL 
Sent free on application to 
GEO. I,. SQU1ERS A.- BRO., Buffalo. N. Y. 
r The moet complete assort- 
, meat in the West. A par- 
r ticnlariy flue lot of Standard 
Pear Trees. Full stock of Apple, 
f Pltrm.Pectr.Peach.tTterry.Quinee, 
. eto. A select lot Of Grapes, Goose, 
berriei. Raspberries. Currant », Strain. 
eic..eUx 
. 'berries,elc..etc. An Immense stock of 
, EVERGREENS 
r both common and NEW AND RARE, 
at bottom prices. (Ornamental Peciduouti 
Trees, Shmhs, vines. jVaeej,etc.. etc. Large lot of 
— Greenhouse plants. Trade-List and Greenhouse 
.^Catalogues free. Descriptive Catalogue, 10 cta. 
27 1 li Year 400 Acres. 13 Greenhouses. 
STORRS,H ARRISON & CO. 
“ i > 
i unrv.T.nMnrtioun at n 
FA1NESVL1G.E, I. UvE CO., OHIO. 
NEW HARDY PLANTS. 
Jn.pnucse Maples, Rhododendrons, Hardy 
Aznleus, Magnolias, Roses. Purple Beech, 
Choice Con tiers carefully pruned, in large quanti¬ 
ties. 
All kinds of Fruit and Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, 
and Vines. Price Lists free. Descriptive Catalogues 
10 cents, including list of ‘‘New and Rare Plants.” 
PARSONS A SONS CO. (Limited,) 
_ Kissena Nurseries, Flushing, L. I. 
C OLLINS, .1 s., MGOKESTOWN, N. J., 
offers more than Too varieties best selected Fruit 
Plants, Trees, etc. Nine sorts of Strawberries at $1 80 
per 1,000, pure, packed free. See Catalogue. * ' 
11 ml (6s'(dtc. 
LANDSMHOMES 
IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI. 
1,000,000 acres well-watered Timber 
and Prairie Lauda along tlie line of the 
St. Louis and San Francisco B. K. for sale 
at from $ 2.50 to $ 8.00 P* r acre on 
seven years’ time. Excellent for Stock, 
Fruit, and Farming. The Vest Tobacco 
Region in the West. Short winters, con¬ 
venient markets, superior schools, low- 
taxes, healthful climate, good society. 
Free transportation from Sf.Louis to pur¬ 
chasers of land. Said Jar maps and circulars. 
•V. II. COFFIN, Land Commissioner, 
Temple Building, St. Louis, Mo. 
NEBRASKA LANDS. 
1,000,000 ACRES 
FOR SALE BY THE 
B.&M.R.R.CO.inNEB. 
Prices $2 to Sto per acre on Long Credit; 
Circulars, Maps and full information 
Free on application to 
Land Commissioner 13. &M. R. R. Co., 
Lincoln, Nebraska. 
auG SfaMUtg. 
FARMERS 
sending stain)) to 
SMALL FRUITS!! 
PLANTS for tho million, at .pride* to suit the million. A 
superbly mutinied hook, “SUCCESS WITU SMALL 
E.P.R0E 
miocrbhr IHu.lruint hook, *‘SU' 
FRUIT*,” with a wry llbon.1 
offer. 03* Catalogue .eut froa. 
Cornwall-on-Hudson, 
New York. 
H !OH CLASS POULTRY, Grape ViueB, Small 
Fruits, finer than ever. 
Send for circular. Geo. 8. Jossei.yn, Fredonia, N. Y. 
Canadian Bred Draoflt Stallion 
FOR BALE. 
WltiL BS SOL 1 CHEAP. 
Oiuphn^of ** 30unt ' B • ^ or Podl.; ee and particulars, 
TIIOIVliLS IjB wrs, 
Clarence Centre, Lrie Co., N. Y. 
