302 
Jot Mo mm. 
CONDUCTED BY MISS BAY CLARK. 
FASHIONS. 
Among the most popular goods for spring and 
early summer we still note Indian cashmere, ever 
a favorite with many ladles, because It Is softer 
lighter, and more durable than any other, and 
can he had In every possible shade of color. Be¬ 
sides the well-l< no wn tints still In favor, the most 
fashionable colors of the season are heliotrope; 
the favorite tint for toilets of ceremony, weddings 
and receptions, dark myrtle-green, nvirlnn'ne— a 
reddish-brown-slate; all shades or willow-green, 
steel-blue, and burr for mantles. All prune shades, 
whether inclining to wine-color or to bluish pur¬ 
ple, are In great request. 
All these shades also exist In tolle-de-lalne, a 
material lighter than cashmere, of the same 
width and less expensive, and also In muslin-de¬ 
laine, a situ thinner fabric, very suitable for sura 
mer toilets, either employed by itself or combined 
with silk. There is yet a lighter, almost transpar¬ 
ent fabric, called batlste-de-la!ne, which makes 
up very prettily for evening toilets, and Ls t rimmed 
with unbleached thread lace and bows of satin 
ribbon. 
In fancy goods we have, woolen moire, to which 
combined with platn cashmere or tolle-de-lalne, 
makes up very stylish walking-costumes: woolen 
damasse and woolen brocade also for the same 
purpose. Indian cashmeres In snawl patterns are 
still very fashionable for the trimmings and ac¬ 
cessories of both walking and todoor costumes. 
Bands of Indian cashmere, In small Oriental pat¬ 
terns, are to be had ready prepared for trimming 
dresses, and either Hinged or not, at pleasure. 
They are used more especially for trimming dresses 
of such shades as seal-brown, beige, navy blue, 
clcl-blue, sapphire-blue, Ate. 
Brocaded and armure silks are also much used 
for trlmmlDgs, and are more fashionable this year 
than PekjDB. 
We are told the mantelet Is to be worn In the 
summer again; but at present the favorite mantle 
seems to be the paletot, or rather a new modiflea- 
sion of the paletot, neither very loug nor very 
short, with rather wide sleeves, and ot a tissue 
d liferent frotn that of tlic dress; very often In 
fancy fabrics, such as figured Indian cashmere 
brocaded silk, and damasse wool and silk stuffs 
They are trimmed with crimped fringe, feather 
borders, or embroidered galloons. Their style ls 
novel In that they differ from the dress, and as 
two self-colors would form too crude a contrast, 
they are made In preference of some figured ma¬ 
terial In well-harmonized shades of color. If, how¬ 
ever, a plain fabric ls select ed for the paletot, It ls 
trimmed with wide bands of Turkish cashmere In 
palm-patterns, edged with fringe. A bull paletot 
—buff is quite the fashionable color for paletots 
—is often trimmed with Turkish cashmere, the 
pattern of which ls set off by a seal-brown ground 
the mixture or pl8ln with figured materials still 
prevails tn all toilets. When there ls a jacket or 
coat-bodice of figured material. It has a plastron 
or vest of the plain tissue; and the skirt, ot the 
plain material, ls trimmed with scarfs, tabs, or 
panels of figured stuff. 
These comblna'ions are made as well with inex¬ 
pensive woolen fancy materials as with rich silks 
and brocades; thus, tone or muslln-de-lalne, com¬ 
bined with woolen, moire, damasse, or brocade, or 
any other woolen goods, make up very pretty for 
dresses. And a very neat and elegant style ls to 
have the paletot ot the same material as the trim¬ 
mings of the dress. 
The pretty Pompadour and Watteau patterns 
shlonable In silk fabrics are also copied In woolen 
b atlste, and will be still more so In summer In 
washing materials, such as cambric, percale, or¬ 
gandy and printed muslin, 
Most of the new walking-costumes are made 
with the long-waisted, tight-fitting Jacket-bodice, 
the basque of which ls round, pointed, or square, 
according to taste, frequently also It terminates In 
coat-lappets behind. 
it ls easy this season to modernize last year's 
dresses so as to make them look fashionable again. 
I will give a few hints on this subject, which may 
prove useful to some of rav fair readers:— 
Suppose you haveoneof the long princess-shaped 
polonaises so fashionable at the commencement 
of last summer. It can be made to look quite new 
and stylish by being open at the back Instead of 
front, and fastened with satin bows to match. A 
princess-dress can be freshened up nicely by hav¬ 
ing plastron and Labiler of figured material added 
to them. 
If the bodice or any dress Is worn out or no longer 
fashionable, nothing Is easier than to have a 
jacket or ooat-bodlce made of some other material. 
If your dress be a plain silk, have some brocaded 
ditto and have bias hands ot the same for trim¬ 
ming the slirt If It be ot figured silk, take platn 
satin of the same shade, or or the color of the 
grounding, tf It be multi colored, for the bodice 
and trimmings. Unless the dress Is very elegant, 
and as good as new, satlneDe will be quite suffi¬ 
cient for making it up. For a dress ot cashmere, 
or any other plain woolen tissue, wool and silk 
brocade, or Turkish cashmere in subdued shades 
of color will look well for the trimmings, and fig¬ 
ured cashmere maybe combined with plain silk 
or cashmere. 
Spring jackets for young ladles are made ot 
fancy cloth In different shades of beige, gray, 
brown and cream color. They are made tailor- 
fashion, with no trimming beyond stltchlngs and 
fancy buttons. 
The shapes of hats are more fanciful than ever 
this spring, some being turned up at the side, 
some In front, and some at the back. Leghorn or 
rice-straw appear to be the favorites, and are lined 
with satin In rich, dark shades of blue, violet and 
crimson, with large birds and feathers on the out¬ 
side. 
The new straw bonnets are large In shape, with 
THE 
MEW-Y0B5CEU 
wide brim protruding In front, but with little or no 
curtain. 
The boundary line between the hat and bonnet 
ls very difficult to find out, as some bonnets look 
quite as flaunting ns hats, and turned up quite as 
Jauntily, many having no strings even to distin¬ 
guish them from the former. 
Many ladles however sill! prefer to such fanci¬ 
ful shapes the white, trimmed capote, the strings 
ot which are now made of very wide ribbon, fre¬ 
quently brocaded or Uorlated, and tied in a large 
bow on one side. 
-«•♦-*- 
THE GUEST CHAMBER. 
Every house should have Its guest chamber. 
One of our most beautiful and delightful social ob¬ 
ligations Is the duty of exercising hospitality 
gladly and freely. 
Mrs. Whitney, m one of her most charming 
books, speaks or the great difference that exists 
between people In their ways of receiving visitors. 
With some there ls a perpetual showing off and 
trying on, as It were, becoming manners and con¬ 
versation The atmosphere ls not like the air of 
every-day life and everything ls pitched In too high 
a lcey. 
Others feel as If an entertainment of friends 
were a social convulsion, so to speak, In which 
nothing should go on or be done until the intruder 
has departed. - 
The true hostess takes you Into her own home- 
life and atr, brightened, if you are loved, by your 
presence there, varying only from the beautiful 
dally order and warmth by numberless pretty lit¬ 
tle attentions which every one has leisure to pay 
on the busiest day. and yet which make one feel 
so welcome. The kind questioning about the wel¬ 
fare or the guest's own household, t he readv Inter¬ 
est In her domestic stories -cf the sayings and do¬ 
ings of 'he little ones, or of her own plans and 
work; the easiest, chair hrought forward to the 
warm and cosy place by the fire, or If It Is summer 
the gathered flowers at the plate; these, and a 
thousand other trifling courtesies give your visitor 
the good of her change of air and place, her social 
Intercourse, from which she may return home re¬ 
freshed and strengthened, and glad to give to an¬ 
other the same kind of pleasure and welcome she 
has received. 
Such hospitality as this comes so near the home 
life that It may bo long sustained and frequent. 
The guest chamber should not long be empty, in 
winter, warm and cosy and bright; In summer 
fresh and cool; ministering to the bodily needs' 
yes, and to something higher. 
The great empty rooms of a pretentious house 
are often swept and garnished for the abode of 
such evil spirits as pride and covetousness, cold¬ 
ness and self-absorption. 
Fill th^rn with cheerful human presences, and 
lot, them be glad with human voices, and how soon 
your own especial grievance or disappointment 
will have completely vanished away, lost among 
more unselfish and blighter thoughts. 
We need one another for help and for pleasure 
and for mutual instruction, for It ls in tho world, 
not. out of It. that character Is ronned and disci¬ 
plined and the great battle of life is fought. 
There Is no working class more active, economi¬ 
cal. self-denying and prudent, than the French. 
They display their marked ability for practical 
business lu the payment of their immense war 
debt, In the prosperity—notwithstanding tho revo 
lullon after revolution and continued political dls- 
turbances—of tlielr artisans and small farmers. 
Nowhere does one see the abject squalor of the 
London poor, but tho peasant children are warmly 
clothed and shod andsultably fed. Yet their work¬ 
ing hours last long beyond ours, and every expense 
Is carefully regulated and all superfluity avoided. 
But no one In France Is too pool' for recreation 
after work ls done. In the evening klnspeople, 
friends and neighbors meet together In a homely 
manner lor a little music, perhaps a little reading 
or recitation, at any rate for a lively and friendly 
talk together. 
No matter howmauy drop In, no expensive pre¬ 
parations are made; at the most, cake and tea, or 
something of t he same light nature may be handed, 
but generally the guests come alter supper. 
The result of this 13 tba die hardest and most 
untiring workers are never overworked. They rest 
each other, and bring together new ideas and 
smiling faces until the whole atmosphere ls one of 
hopefulness and kindliness. Would it not be well 
for us to Imitate their courtesy and cheertulness, 
their unfailing hospitality V 11 Is hard to measure 
the good that may bo. so given and received. 
A RAINY-DAY SKETCH. 
I have become so much interested in the 
“ Women's Department” that I’ve concluded to 
oiler this random sketch hoping, that as If, has been 
a pleasure to the writer, It may prove of some 
slight, interest to the rnauy lady readers of the 
Rural. 
A sensational newspaper reporter would retire 
In lofty disgust from the unfruitful tranquility of 
'• our town,” Indeed, the social animation ot the 
place partakes so much of the tread-mill character 
that the fact of a quiet citizen having been 
knocked down hy a big man in a slouch hat, and 
carrying a dark lantern has furnished sufficient 
material for two months talk, sufficient material, 
In fact, to make a first-class tale of horror for our 
grandchildren, 
I must retrain from this style, or, some one 
may think It poor taste to write so lightly of my 
home, but too much amiability must not be ex¬ 
pected of one who has been listening to the rain 
pouring down every night and drizzling down 
every day for three weeks, with a day or two 
thrown In for »• good measure.” 
Some of my sisters may say that “some days 
must be dark and dreary!” but think of three 
weeks ot dark days! My husband, who is a far¬ 
mer in the embryo state, shakes his head gloomily 
and says he ls afraid the wheat, crop will be ruined, 
and my baby boy presses his wee face to the win¬ 
dow and says “ rain turn down, mamma.” 
While writing this, a letter has been handed to 
me from my bachelor brother In Florida, and he 
wishes he bad a home so I could visit him. Tie 
thinks I would meet a different style ot humanity 
from any I’ve ever encount ered, and he also writes 
that In his neighborhood, they do not ask If a man 
ls smart, but “ ls he progressive?” 
Tho weather i.here Is certainly progressive for 
when he wrote the thermometer stood 90 degrees 
In the shade. 
“ Is that pretty hot, dear?” I asked my husband 
and be answers, "Yes, regular collar-melting 
weather.” 
Beroro closing I will mention a kind of reading 
club which we have organized. We have mar¬ 
shalled our forces, and I trust the fortunate mem¬ 
bers of reading clubs will wish us bon voyage. 
Bradley Co. M. r. 
- *■*■* - 
Miss Lillie Carpenter, daughter of the sen¬ 
ator, keeps In her parlor a splnnlng-whccl that be¬ 
longed to her great-grandmother. She ls distin¬ 
guished In Washington as a vocalist, and when 
she sings her favorite song, she spins flax as an 
accompaniment. 
-♦♦-*- 
Never tell people of several faults at once. 
You will profit them noth lug, but. discourage them 
greatly. Rather set their faults gradually before 
them, as you see that they have courage to bear 
the Bight with advantage. 
ipomrstir C^ronomu. 
CONDU TED BY EMILY MAFLE. 
MOUSE-PROOF MILK-SHELVES. 
MART BEAL M’LOUTH 
It's not any trouble to have mouse-proof 
milk-shelves where the ceiling of the cellar is 
plastered. When we began house keeping in 
an old house, and fouud it impossible to keep 
a dUh of sauce, butter or pie in the cellar 
without covering, not only on aecouut of the 
mice, hut the dirt sifting through the floor 
above, I devised a remedy for both difficulties, 
and hope my success will be of some benefit to 
others. The illustration will show how the 
shelves are first made. Two pieces of two-by- 
four are fastened across two joists, as far apart 
as the shelves arc long, and a nail driven on 
MOUSE PROOF MILK-SHELVES—FIG. 150. 
the inside edge of one and the outside edge of 
the other, and the shelves hung up. Then 
they can be taken out in the sun to he cleaned 
and dried- Our cellar is so damp that I eaunot 
use much water in it, or the boards will mold. 
Get some old pieces of sheet-iron, and nail 
them at the ends of the shelves ever the four 
joists. Do not. bend in too square corners, so 
that the mice can find afoot-hold, and if you 
leave any cracks under, drive in some splin¬ 
ters, and fill them up. Keep barrels aud boxes 
at least four feet from tho shelves, so that 
mice cannot jump on. 
PEN-THOUGHTS FROM EVERY-DAY 
HOUSE. 
MRS. ANNIE L. JACK. 
There have been, for the last two weeks, 6igns 
of spring, that are becoming every day veri¬ 
fied. April in this cold, northern country is a 
very treacherous month, not as in tho British 
Isles distinguished by sunshine and shower, 
but by sunshiue and frost—chilling winds aud 
flurries of enow succeed gcuial days and sunny 
hours, all alike trying to vegetation. The 
Snowdrops have bloomed and faded; Hya¬ 
cinths push their crowns of promise into the 
day-light, and the trees bud and take on a 
green tinge. Bat any sharp morning we may 
find them stiff, aud be reminded that we live 
in ungenial Canada. Yet our climate has its 
advantage, and is bracing and invigorating to 
the strong, while as Whittier says : 
“ There’s iron in our Northern winds 
Our PiiitM are trees of lieuling.” 
House plants seem to feel the effects of air 
and sunshine; our little greenhouse, of which 
I have several times written to Rural readers, 
is a marvel of brightness and beauty, the Gera¬ 
niums especially vying with each other in color 
and variety, nearly twenty different sorts 
being in blossom, besides many duplicates of 
the popular kinds—some of the choicest were 
Rural gifts, and as such arc proudly pointed 
out to admiring friends. I suggested the other 
day to “otlr special artist.” that it would be 
quite an improvement in plant growing if we 
had handsomer llowcr-pots. Why not deco¬ 
rate them as wo do our china? that is. those 
used iu a sitting-room ; then, when in flower, 
they would be ornamental for table or side¬ 
board, robbing wintry days of half their dull¬ 
ness. 
The housekeeping department is in its tran¬ 
sition state. We took a fancy for muffins tho 
other day, and the amateur cook tried several 
recipes; but, although each was pronounced 
good, they were not considered j net "the thing.” 
At last, by a happy thougnt. we experimented 
with Graham flour in thiswise: one quart of 
Graham flour, ‘one tablespoonful of sugar, a 
little salt, three, teaspoonsful of halting pow¬ 
der, one c>rg and a print of milk. The flour, 
salt and sugar were sifted together; the egg 
and milk beaten up as foi custard and made 
into a good stiff batter. They were put into 
muffin pans, baked twenty minutes in a hot 
oven, and pronounced a success. Another 
form of muffin, excellent for tea, was made by 
taking two cupsful of cold, boiled rico, a pint 
of flour, a little salt, a teaspoonful of sugar, 
three eggs and a pint of milk with two tea- 
spoonsful of balriug powder. The rice is 
beaten fret* of lumps and the eggs and milk 
well mixed and stirred with the other ingre¬ 
dients- Make the batter rather stiff and bake 
as in theother recipe. Tbesolittle varieties of 
bread at this season of the year are very agreea¬ 
ble. and more healthful than a steady diet of 
fine wheaten bread. And. while writing on 
these things, let me say to housekeepers that 
no article of kitchen utensils repays the buy¬ 
ing better than a soapstone griddle for all 
kinds of pancakes. I have only had mine 
three years, but often wonder how we did so 
long without it. 
- 4 » ♦- 
DOMESTIC RECIPES. 
Rhubarb Marraalndf*. 
Wipe your rhubarb with a damp cloth, and 
cut in pieces as for a pie. When cut, to every 
quart of fruit allow three-quarters of a pound 
of 6ugar. Lay the sugar over the rhubarb in a 
vessel large enough to contain the juice and 
melted sugar, and let it stand over-niglit. In 
the morning, put it in a preserving kettle, and 
let it boil gently. Take one lemon for every 
two quarts of fruit, aud, while the fruit is boil¬ 
ing, mince tho riuil very tine. Ten minutes 
before the marmalade is done, put iu the rind 
and juice of the lemon iu the proportion named. 
This is a very old recipe, and a great favorite 
with all. 
Spiced Beef. 
Take a piece of beef—flat ribs or brisket— 
and remove the bones with a sharp knife- Mix 
together with a little water one teaspoonful of 
mustard, one of salt, one of powdered celery 
seed, and a Fiuall quantity of mace and all¬ 
spice. Spread the mixture over the beef where 
the bones have been removed, roll up tight, 
sew in a cloth, and place in boiling water. Boil 
with the meat four onions, two of them with a 
clove stuck in each, one carrot, and a small 
bunch of 6weet herbs. A piece of meat from 
Fix to eight pounds’ weight, will require boiling 
from three to four hours, according to thick¬ 
ness. It is better to leave the cloth on until 
the meat is quite old, It is intended to be 
eaten cold 
Peach Batter Pudding. 
Draiu the- sirup from a quart can of poaches 
and lay the pieces in a buttered baking-dish. 
Make a soft batter of one quart of milk, four 
beaten eggs, a tablespoonful of melted butter, 
a little salt, two and a half cups of flour with 
two teaspoon sful of baking powder. Pour 
this mixture over the peaches and bake in a 
quick oveu. Add sugar, butter, and flavoring 
to the peach sirup, boil up and serve with the 
pudding. Mrs. A. B. 
- 4 - 4-4 - 
QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 
Cream Cakes. 
Mrs L. E M. asks for directions for mak¬ 
ing cream cakes. 
Ans. —Into a pint of warm water stir a half 
pouud of butter; place over the fire until it 
boils, then put in three-quarters of a pouud of 
flour, 6tir and boil one minute longer. Turn 
into a dish to cool. Beat the yelks and whites 
of six eggs separately, and beat the yelks, then 
