306 
DEC. 4 
ole Colonel Jones cornin’ on, what used to own you 
before de war v lie is so ole he must be gettin’ to 
be childish and losln’ his reasonin’ powers." 
“ Don't know nullin’ about him. Haln’t seen hltn 
since befoah last Christmas." " Why, what's de 
matter?" “ Ain’t got no use for such old gem- 
mans. Last time I was dar, I fotched him a big 
red flsh 1 had kotched. 1 tnle lUra ef he would 
gltnme a tableknlfe, I would scrape an’ clean de 
lien. What do s’poso he eed v” “ Asked yer to 
come In and get a dram and chat awhile about 
ole times on de ole plamation.” “No, sah, lie 
tole me, ef T couldn’t borry a table knife from 
some ob de neighbors, dat he would radder clean 
de flsh himself. 1 s’posc be was a-feared I’d be 
keerless In handin' de knife back, when I got 
done wld It.” The other darkey nibbed his chin 
and remarked: 1 see by dat ar dat do ole man's 
still got de use of his reasonin’ powers.” 
$or iSHoim 
CONDUCTED BY MISS RAY CLARK. 
THAT’S MY BOY. 
Bio blue eyes with roguish twinkle; 
Dimples over rnnnmj? riot; 
Bmy tongue that's never quiet; 
Forehead fair, with ne’er a wrinkle; 
CluRterinK hair of sunny hue; 
Nose a little snub 'tis true— 
That’s my boy! 
Never ending, still beg-inning-; 
Pockets full of dirt and crumbs; 
Crazy over bonis and drums. 
Noise in all thinies ever winning; 
Bragging he of *• Jim” is master, 
While I run for white Court plaster 
That’s my boy! 
So it goes—some pain some pleasure, 
Wondering 'twist tear and smile, 
Will it be thus all the while— 
Joy anrl grief in equal m< asure t 
Shall I cry, In bitter sorrow. 
In some dreid far off to morrow. 
That’s my boy ? 
Ah, no, no ! Mother’s eyes look far ahead, 
And mine see with tender pride. 
By a gray-halred woman’s side. 
One whom, now that years have sped, 
Bravo, yet gentlo, is her stay: 
One of whom she’ll proudly say— 
That’s my boy ! 
NOVELTIES IN NEEDLEWORK. 
Nkhpt.ework is classed under two heads Useful 
and Ornamental, or I should rather say was, sub¬ 
stituting tbe past for the present tense, as of late 
we have had another class, which though coming 
under the second heading. Is yet given a title 
peculiarly Us owu, that Is, A rustle Needlework- 
work which more nearly approaches the painter’s 
art than does any other kind; work In which the 
colors arc so beautifully blended, and the Idea 
of the designer is so well carried out that the 
needle becomes the rival of the brush in a certain 
sense. For centuries the needle, has played an 
important part in the domestic history of the 
highest in the land. The most wonderful piece of 
needlework is probably the Hayeux tapestry, said 
to have been worked by Matilda, wife of William 
the Conqueror, which measures two hundred and 
twenty-seven teet In length by about twenty 
inches in breadth. The subject is the Conquest of 
England, and the tapestry Is most valuable as a 
historical document representing as It does so 
many principal events Ot that time unmenlloned 
In history. Queen Elizabeth was clever in the use 
or the needle we are told. Probably she round the 
occupation soothing to her llery temper, for It has 
a wondciful charm, even a long prosy seam being 
somehow most restful to the mind. 
Sewing-machines have done wonders for us; but 
in proportion to the celerity with which we get 
over our “ plain’’ work, we ilnd something new In 
the “ fancy” department for which the needle only 
will answer. Only a few years since we were con¬ 
tent with plain hems and scam3 on our household 
Unen, with simple Initials In the corners, marked 
In red Ingrain cotton—even the cotton being super¬ 
seded In some Instances by marking In Ink; now 
we are getting more luxurious, bed linen must be 
embroidered In colors, and trimmed in the most 
dainty manner with lace and frilling. 
While on the subject of bedrooms, I may suggest 
one or two novelties for their decoration. A light 
quilt to throw over the bod In the daytime made 
at a tuning expense. Almost every housekeeper 
possesses two or three old linen sheets which have 
become too thin for actual wear; these make cap¬ 
ital foundations for quilts. Choose one much lar¬ 
ger than the bed, so that it, may hang over the 
sides; stitch a false hem an round with colored 
cotton or silk, Get some Turkey red twill, cut into 
strips about Ivvo inches broad; stitch these length¬ 
wise down the abcot at intervals, then add a band 
of the same all round, about an Ineb in from the 
hem, and finish oil with an edge of furniture lace. 
A pattern In wools can be worked on the plain 
spaces between the rod, If liked; and, If the white 
ground of the sheet Is disliked, It can be stained 
the fashionable color by dipping it In clear strong 
coffee, taking care that every part 1? well satura- 
ed; the lace edging should then be coffee colored 
as well. 
Crochet is looked upon as very old-fashioned 
fancy work now so many new Ideas have taken Its 
place; yet those who are clever at crochet, and who 
do not take readily to new-fangled notions, need 
not despair, as some of the prettiest antimacassars 
of to-day may in part be made from squares ot tills 
work, of a pattern as line and lace-like as possible. 
As the artistic loste or the time has decreed that 
wulie Is too cold and hard for decoralivo pur¬ 
poses, these squares must be “dipped,” to give 
them the tinge of old lace. To the crochet Join 
alternate squares of satin, satteen, silk, or velvet, 
work over the Joins with old gold silk, with a star 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
of the same in the center of each square; border 
with an edge of crochet, and you have a handsome 
antimacassar. The silk or satin squares should, 
of course, be of one color—say, deep red, or rich 
purple; and, instead of stars, they might have a 
bunch of ttny flowers embroidered In the center, 
Buch as heather, or violets. 
Another kind of fancy work, which has some¬ 
what fallen Into disrepute. Is patchwork. It Is 
undoubtedly lldgety work, as It one side of a dia¬ 
mond, or hexagon, bo hut the twentieth part of an 
inch longer than the other. It spoils the whole pat¬ 
tern, and must be picked out at once. Carefully 
cut shapes In tin arc the best guides for cutting 
the papers, and last a lifetime. 
Patchwork ought to rank as art-needlework, for 
where the worker lias an eye for color, knows how 
to blend her shades well, and to choose pleasing 
contrasts, the result is beautiful. It can never be 
merely mechanical work, as a certain amount of 
invention Is necessary as the worker goes on. In 
Germany it Is known as “silk mosaic,” a most 
appropriate name, as It strongly resembles mosaic 
work. Besides the ornamental qualities of patch¬ 
work, It la economically useful, as scarcely a scrap 
need be thrown away as too small, the tiniest bits 
of chintzes, cretonne, silk, ribbon, or velvet prov¬ 
ing themselves worthy of a place.—Correspondent. 
MANNEKS. 
When, In general conversation, certain opinions 
are pronounced or propositions advanced at vari¬ 
ance with, or In opposition to, your own Ideas, do 
not rush into an argument. A disputatious per¬ 
son Is never a favorite, if you do not agree with 
what Is said, It Is host to remain silent.. Of course, 
If you arc asked for your owu opinion, give It clear¬ 
ly and hrmiy, and yet in a manner that cannot be 
construed as offensive by those bolding different 
views; and If the matter is one with which you are 
only partially or not at all acquainted, own the 
fact l at he)' than slavishly follow what anoi nor has 
said. No one can know everything, and the can¬ 
did expression that you are not competent to judge 
In one case will cause your opinion on other points 
to have all the more weight. 
Some people bristle with objections like a porcu¬ 
pine with quills. No matter wbat Is mentioned or 
proposed, there comes an objection in a moment. 
Such a .mbit, may be almost unconsciously ac¬ 
quired and Indulged in, but It is n very vexatious 
one. 
Should you meet with a person of this tempera¬ 
ment do not attempt to defend your own views. 
He would continue unconvinced; so drop the sub¬ 
ject and turn the conversation Into another chan¬ 
nel. 
if a person appropriates to himself the best seat 
In the room, or stands with his back to the tire, or 
yawns while he Is spoken to, or, In fact, does any¬ 
thing which shows selfishness, ludlfferenoe, or dis¬ 
respect, It la needless to say he creates an unfavor¬ 
able impression, aud displays want of proper train¬ 
ing. 
It Is always well to comply with, and deter to, 
the w ishes of others as far as possible. Should 
a person of greater age or higher rank than your¬ 
self desire you to precede him, either in passing 
through a door or entering a carriage, the proper 
thing to do Is to obey Immediately. 
Precedence la always given to ladles—so, in as¬ 
cending or descending a staircase the lady should 
go ttrst. 'The contraiy la stated In some books on 
enqueue, but this is not in accordance with the 
usuges or the best society. 
At church the gentleman holds open the door, 
and the lady precedes him up the aisle, stopping 
at the pew-door for the gentleman to open It. 
Many ladles, however, do not wait,, but open the 
door themselves and enter at once. 
The only occasions when the order of precedence 
la revorsed are on entering a theater or coDcert- 
room, or walking along any crowded thoroughfare. 
The gentleman In these cases goes first to clear 
the way. 
With regard to other cases ol precedence, be 
more solicitous about giving others their position 
than about taking' your own. 
A lady should not he permitted to defray the 
cost of her enl ranee- lee to any theatre or exhlbl- 
bltion, or to pay for refreshments, Ac. If she In¬ 
sists upon relmourslng the amount the gentleman 
must comply with her wishes. 
Except In large households, where servants are 
constantly In attendance In the hall, It Is custom¬ 
ary, before allowing'' anyone to leave the room ; to 
ring for the servant to open the front door. Every¬ 
one Is entitled to the civility, and Its omission may 
cause resentment. Except, of course, when you 
accompany your visitor to the door yourself, as 
you would do If you wished to show especial re¬ 
aped or regard, or when you are on such terms of 
Intimacy with your visitor that all formality Is 
dispensed with. 
When a lady is about to leave a room the gentle¬ 
man should always rise and hold the door open for 
her to pass out. 
If you wish to say pleasant, things and avoid dis¬ 
agreeable ones, be attentive to the faces, manners 
Habits and appearance of those in whose company 
you find yourself. A homely but pithy old proverb 
tells us, “ It la not well to speak of the gallows to 
a man whose father was hanged,” Beware, then, 
how you plunge Into personalities or make crit¬ 
ical remarks upon the mental shortcomings or 
personal delects ol others. 11 you are tuoughtless 
and Inattentive, remarks which you Intend as 
generalities may be taken to bo personal, and great 
offense given. A person addicted to the habit of 
passing adverse cmiclsms upon almost everything 
is only tolerated, 11 not shunned—never liked. 1 >o 
not, therefore, sol up lor a critic lest your friends 
should say, •• Do not invite — ; she la sure to say 
something unpleasant, to somebody. We must 
only Invite her when we are quite alone.” 
Many well-meaning and otherwise likeable per¬ 
sons are guilty ol this lault, and that only through 
sheer carelessness or thoughtlessness. The remedy 
Is to take care always to think twice before speak¬ 
ing once. 
INTENTIONS. 
In response to a request from our friend and 
contributor. Mrs. A. L. J., and also the outgrowth 
of a preconceived thought of our own,we will. In the 
succeeding l8sue, give cuts of articles suitable lor 
Christmas presents, most It not all of which may 
be manufactured at home. More or less expense 
may be incurred lu making, according to the taste 
and pecuniary ability or the makers. It has been 
our good fortune to visit the establishment of Lord 
& Taylor, a leading New York house, and although 
our compositor politely informs its that “no more 
copy will be received for the current, number,” we 
promise a report of this also lor next week. 
We here take occasion to discourage onr Mends 
from sending us poetry, as we have a large stock 
In store, much or which by necessity, will have to 
be consigned to tlie waste basket. Thanking the 
Beuders for their good Intentions, we suggest that 
we will be pleased to receive anything else.— r. c. 
-♦ ♦ ♦ 
ABOUT WOMEN. 
Miss Grnkvikvk Ward, the actress, speaks very 
many languages, Including Russian. 
A Pittsburg paper says that Mary Anderson Is 
billed to play m New York lor five weeks In De¬ 
cember. It takes the handsome Mary to spin out 
time. 
Miss Paki.oa has begun her fourth season's work 
atLaaell Seminary, Auburndaie, by an Introduc¬ 
tory free talk on “ Woman's Work.” 
Tub daughters of the Duke or Richmond are 
persistent and successful llsherwomen, and as 
catchers ot salmon are said to be rivaling their 
countrymen. 
-♦-*-•>- 
Ague, biliousness, drowsiness, Jaundice and 
rheumatism, Hop Bitters removes easily. 
glamfstir (6ronomjj. 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE. 
ONE WEEK FBOM MRS. CLAY’S JOURNAL. 
ANNIE L. JACK. 
Sabbath.— 1 1 ive the children permission to 
study their hymns from any part they may 
choose, aud sometimes they make a wide 
range, ambitious Lonsdale giving me a page 
from Milton, while the girls generally choose 
Whittier, knowing he is my favorite. To day 
CJelia came to me to recite one of his most 
beautiful poems, aud I told her the old Quaker 
was almost a saint already. One verse in par¬ 
ticular is full of trust and Sabbath rest:— 
“All as God wills, who wisely heeds, 
To (five, or to withhold. 
And linowotb more of alt my needs 
Thru all my prayers havn told !” 
Karen, who has a faucy for looking into odd 
corners to find something beautiful I have not 
seen, came to me with a sweet poem called 
“ Sufficient Unto the Day,” and it ended in 
this wise :— 
“ And whatever He sends from day to day, 
I am sure that Ills name is Love, 
Aud He never will let mo lose my way, 
To my real In His homo above.” 
All about this day of rest, f suppose it has 
often occurred to the reader as well as to my¬ 
self, that the world would soon become de¬ 
moralized if the Sabbath was ignored, or if 
God had gone on improving the world and neg¬ 
lected to rest on the seventh day aud hallow it. 
But in this grand work of creation nothing 
was forgotten. 
We have a habit, when the day is done, of 
sitting around the open fire and telling in the 
twilight what we have thought of the day’s 
discourse, or of our readings if we had been 
housekeeper in our turn. To-night I was 
greatly amused by Jauet’s rather original ideas 
on the subject of the morning service in the 
Scotch Presbyterian church to which she be¬ 
longs. 
“It’s no use talking,” said Janet, giving the 
fender a little push with her foot; “for my 
part I’m about tired of hearing one woman 
abused from the pulpit, and that’s Lot’s wife. 
She is held up as an example for all ancient 
and modern times, and yet there was a great 
deal of good feeling in her that has never been 
appreciated by clergy or history. I wonder 
who could blame the poor woman for looking 
back ? for this human act was enough to place 
her above Reltlsb Lot, who was only intent on 
self-preservation. It is not recorded that Ive 
stopped by the way or went hand in hand with 
her to help her make good speed. But this 
tender-hearted woman could not lightly leave 
her home, where sho had sojourned so many 
years, her kiusraun, no doubt, and neighbors, 
who were to suffer death all together. The 
fields and flowers and many a pleasaut mem¬ 
ory of those she loved must have filled her 
heart, not too intent on self to think of these 
things, aud so she “ looked back,” as all of us 
do, to the brightness of the past, and so she 
became a pillar of salt, a statue of aridity and 
thirst, to Le for ever derided, the butt and 
warning of ail ages. Over her poor, dcud face 
no loving friend over wept, no requiem was 
ever sung, no grass could grow, only the wide 
waste of land where lava encrusted every¬ 
thing, and Lot went on his way and soon for¬ 
got her.” 
We were all used to Janet’s talks, and this 
one was very interesting, as she gave it with a 
little indignation in her tone, and now and 
then a breaking out of broad Scotch in her ac¬ 
cent. Aud then Bhe Joiued the children in the 
Scotch version of the 23d Psalm, and united 
sang in low, sweet tones, 
“ The Lord's my Shepherd, I’ll not want. He makes 
mo down to lie, 
In pastures grreen he leadetb me. The quiet waters by,” 
-♦♦♦-— 
DOMESTIC RECIPES. 
Favorite Pudding, 
One-half cap of butter, one cup of sweet 
milk, three eggs, whites and yelks beaten sep¬ 
arately, two teaspoonfuls of cream-of-tai tar, 
flour to make a stiff batter; steam until done. 
Serve immediately, with sauce made as fol¬ 
lows:—One pint of boiling water, one cup of 
sugar, butter the size of an egg, and one wine 
glass of wine. Thicken with corn-starch. A 
puddiDg made like the above, and baked with 
fruits, canned peaches, jam, marmalade, or 
whatever is preferred, spread over it, is very 
nice indeed. 
Vanity Cakes, 
Yelks of eight eggs and one eup of sugar. 
Knead with flour, and fry in hot fat. Roll 
them and cut in fancy shapes before frying. 
Cracker Pie. 
To a common-sized tin, allow one cup of 
cracker crumbs, one-balf pint of water, one 
teaspoonful ol tartaric acid, one cup of sugar 
and spice to suit the taste. Bake with two 
crusts. 
Frosted Apple Pie 
Line a pie tin with puff paste. Slice in 
apples, sugar them and add a little butter, no 
water, and a little lemon essence or juice. 
Bake and when done spread a thick frosting of 
beaten egg and sugar over It. return to the 
oven till the frosting is warmed through. 
Mus. L. E. K. Turner. 
Apple Short Cuke. 
Slice enough tart apples to fill two round 
pie-tins. Make a crust out of one teacupful 
of sour cream, a leaspoonful of s >da, a little 
salt aud Hour to roll out. Roll out upper 
crusts, fit over the apples and bake. The fruit 
should be juiey and no water added. When 
done, turn bottom upwards, sprinkle over 
Bugar and a few bits of butter, turn back 
again, pile one on the other and serve warm 
with cream or as you please. j. c. 
To Dry ttweet Polaloea. 
A good way to preserve sweet potatoes for 
future use when they show signs of decay, is to 
dry them in the same mauner as you would any 
fruit. Boil, peel aud slice quite thin and dry 
on plates around the fire. When wanted for 
the table, put the quantity desired into a closely 
covered tin or porcelain stew-pan—iron darkens 
them—with but little water, not enough to 
cover them, and let simmer two or three hours. 
When done the water should have evaporated, 
or what little there is left should bo of the con¬ 
sistency of sirup. Mash and serve as yoa 
would Irish potatoes, omitting the milk. 
_ Mart B. 
Boiling Milk. 
The source of the scarlet fever epidemic 
near London was traced by Dr. Stevenson, a 
medical officer of health, to the milk 6ent there 
from two farms in Oxfordshire. Scarlet fever 
had previously prevailed In Oxfordshire, and 
the milk sent out from there waB found to con¬ 
tain the infectious germs. The doctor advises 
all who have the care of invalids or infants to 
boil their milk before using it. We are not in 
favor of sounding useless alarms, bat in the 
case of infants or delicate persons we think it 
as well to boil the milk before giving it, espe¬ 
cially when it may come from several cows. 
A Mold of Cold Meat. 
A pound or a little more r.f cold meat—beef, 
mutton, anything except pork—two ounces 
of maccaroni, one tcaeupful of fine bread 
crumbB, a tablespoonful of butter, one egg, 
popper and salt. Cut the meat very fine. 
Wash th« maccaroni in cold water then boil 
for half an hour drain aud cut into inch- 
lengths. Mix with the meat crumbs, butter 
pepper aud salt, mix thoroughly, bind together 
with the beaten egg and pack into a well- 
greased basin or bowl aud steam for an hour. 
This is very nice for breakfast or tea, sliced 
and eaten cold. j. a. l. 
Htewed Kidney a. 
Three kidneys, cut each into three or four 
lengthwise pieces, a eup ot stock, liquid meat 
has been boiled in, a teaspoonful of minced 
onion, pepper aud salt to taste and two lable- 
spoonfuls of melted bntter. Simmer 15 min¬ 
utes add juice of half a lemon, 6kim out the 
slices of kidney and arrange on thin slices of 
toast. Thicken the gravy with a spoonful of 
browned flour and pour over all. 
Fakmru'8 Wife. 
Boils, Pimples, Freckles, Rough Skin, erupttona, 
Impure blood, Hop Bitters cure- 
