382 
a 
JUNE 48 
remember when but few agricultural papers 
were published in this country, and but very 
few farmers a vailed themselves of the benefit 
of them. The change has wrought very 
much good and none appreciate this change 
for the better, more than the farmers family 
and none truly can. The time has passed 
when John would ask Lucy if his company 
would be agreeable, could he see her as far 
as the “(•hips?” For in the dim past the wood 
pile was situated iu no other place tliau at the 
front entrance to the door yard. Happy 
thought, this is an arrangement of the past 
andiu the place of the wood pile the eye rests 
oti the beautiful lawn, line walks and sweet 
flowers. “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” 
It. is but a very short, time since the lawn 
mower found a place iu the farmer’s toolhouso, 
but now they are found iu very many, and 
the country lad is not only delighted with the 
attractive lawn but is quite encouraged to use 
one. Iu the arrangement of a yard one 
must have space enough for some trees, but 
we think that shrubbery is very much out of 
place in the “front door yard.” Shrubs re¬ 
quire much care and if ornamental one must 
not neglect the use of the pruning knife, if so, 
the object sought is not obtained; shrubbery 
neglected soon becomes very unsatisfactory, 
in fact, nothing more or less than bushy 
A few evergreens at the side and at the rear 
of farm buildings are useful as well as very 
pleasing; in Winter they serve as a wind-break 
and in Summer as a shade. 
Experience has led us to plant on r Geran¬ 
iums iu the shade, they bloom more abundant 
and the foliage grows more luxuriantly. A 
well kept Arl >or-vita? hedge is also useful as a 
screen and beautiful in Winter. But one may 
say this would require the care of a man: not 
so, an hour in the early morn, and one at 
dewy eve can accomplish much. The yard 
in the country should contain not less than one 
acre. Some wise one may say a useless 
waste. W hy devote so much land to an ob¬ 
ject that will prove unprofitable? Remember 
t hat this is to be a plantation of great value, 
your loved ones are to lie “planted” here and if 
the outer surroundings of home are to leave 
a healthy imprint on the minds of those giveu 
to our care; if the beauties of Nature lift them 
up to Nature’s God, why count the moneyed 
value? The yard in the rear of the house 
s hould not be neglected. Never alio w this part 
of home surrounding to become the depository 
of broken china and other cast-off aecum ula- 
tions of the household: better have a ]tit dug 
somewhere on the farm and bury these.forever 
out of sight. A wild garden bed of flowers 
planted near the kitchen door will give good 
satisfaction. Riant promiscuously of the differ- 
eut kinds of bedding plants that are left in the 
seed-bed. The good housewife will find a few 
spare moments to devote to the cultivation of 
the same. Often perchance the good man of the 
house is late to dinner; then dou the sun hat 
and the few moments employed iu caring for 
the flowers will tend to quiet the turbulent 
mind. Please, try this balm, sisters. A few 
►Sugar Maples some Norway Spruces and 
fruit trees add very much to this rural home. 
Fruit trees should never find a place in front 
of the dwelling; they will not add to the good 
appearance in years to coniti, but plant tnem 
iu the back ground. 
Mention here should be made of the vege¬ 
table and small fruit gardeu, 'Truly, it. is the 
one thing needful, or at least quite convenient 
to have, if one expects to spread an inviting 
board. Have you not heard it remarked that 
Mr- A, or B. were good livers.' and have you 
not also observed that Mr. A- provided his 
family with a good garden? There may be 
some exceptions to this, but with this condi¬ 
tion, u good cook wittiin, and with an 
abundance of garden supplies, small fruit, 
etc., the fanner may have a table spread that 
he would never have au occasion to be 
ashamed of or ever question, “ would it lie 
agreeable if 1 should invite my.friend to dim 
ner” without first consulting his wife. The 
ice-house has, in these days of improvement, 
become a matter of fact—an improvement, 
that every country home should have. As we 
have none, 1 cannot say how it is myself, but 
know from observation that one would be a 
source of convenience, if not a luxury. If the 
outside surroundings arc, as they should bo, 
orderly and in good taste, we shall expect 
much within the home, first, Jet the useful 
part, of the house command our attention. 
►Sec tliat the kiteheu, store-room and pantry 
are kept well paiuted and kalsomined. Paper 
is not desirable for a kitchen wall, fiavo 
your window's and doors supplied with good 
screens, and your kalsouiined wall will not 
need a fresh coat for two years or more. But 
let us look well to the foundation ol a well- 
ordered homo—the cellar. Wc hear and read 
much of the unhealthy condition of homes 
where the cellar Is used as a store-room for 
fruit and. vegetables, but it is a matter of 
necessity with the farmer. This being the 
fact, see that your house is not rendered 
unhealthy from tout air from this; cleanliness 
and good ventilation will do much to over¬ 
come this difficulty. The floor should be of 
brick or stone. Cement has some grave 
objections; food stored in a cellar that, is 
cemented soon acquires a disagreeable taste. 
There should lie two or more apartments—one 
for milk and butter; the other for stores of 
various kinds. When it is possible, the ar¬ 
rangement of the stairs should lead directly 
to the kitchen or pantry. The wood-house 
should be well filled with good wood, for the 
day of rail burning is with the things that 
were. And now w T e are about to make a 
suggestion that may not, at first mention 
please the dear sisterhood, but after a fair 
trial they may go and do likewise; and that is, 
never have the range or stove moved from 
the kitchen to the wood-house; but if you 
chance to have room for the stove in the latter 
place, move the work-table instead. You 
will in doing this save the man of the house 
many a hard lift, and this arrangement will 
go very far in divesting the Spring cleaning 
of much unpleasantness. In the furnishing of 
our home we should first consult our purse. 
“Pay as yon go" is a good motto, and would 
it not bo well ever to heed it? The advice 
given a young housekeeper by one who was 
much older would bear repeating:—“Iu pur¬ 
chasing furniture for your home do not forget 
the most important, portion — the kitchen 
furnishiug. Articles of the greatest useful¬ 
ness should be among the first bought.” 
The dining room should communicate with 
the kitchen. The properly-arranged iliuing- 
room should have more length than breadth. 
It is here the family are expected to meet 
around the frugal table; the outlook should 
be pleasant, as your family doctor will tell 
you that cheerfulness of mind and pleasant 
surroundings aid very much u healthy diges¬ 
tion: mindful of this truth let us exert no 
small amount of energy iu beautifying this 
part of our dwelling; if onr means will allow 
purchase two or three good paintings—fniit 
pieces are in good taste—a few blooming 
plants or a small window garden will not be out 
of place. A good extension table is con¬ 
sidered a necessity, which is truly a great im¬ 
provement. over the old lumbering dining 
table. Then chairs to correspond with table 
and side-board; the covering of the floor, 
what shall it lie ? oil-cloth is desirable, as it is 
kept clean with little care; a rag carpet will 
do until one’s means will permit of one of 
greater expense, but do not forget the motto, 
“ Go Slow,” and in some future day we may 
have our Lome more to our liking. 
The sitting-room should be the very pleas¬ 
antest, in the house: here in nearly every 
country home is found a musical instrument 
of some kind, either a piano or organ, and the 
farmer’s daughter has ample opportunity to 
acquire a musical education. With a good 
selection of newspapers aud books one could 
not but lie content. The school of design has 
done much to embellish the homes of the 
wealthy ones of our cities, though we of the 
country must, not expect to have these ex¬ 
pensive adornments, yet with skilful hands 
and happy hearts we can accomplish great 
things. Let us then endeavor to make home 
attractive so that our sons aud daughters may 
not wish to exchange them home iu the coun¬ 
try for one hi village or city. 
A CHILD’S BIRTHDAY PARTY. 
MARY WAGER-FISHER. 
I gave my little boy a party on the occasion 
of his last birthday, which was such a happy 
success that, some account of it may furnish 
suggestions to others who may wish to observe 
their children’s birthday iu a similar inunner. 
The invitation cards were sent out ten days in 
advance, and the text was printed on cards of 
four varieties in point of decoration—an 
amusing design in color being at the upper 
left-hand comer. The invitation ran thus: 
“Wager Fisher will be plpased to sec you hI. 
his birthday party, Monday, May 14, 1883, at 
three o'clock. 
SIX YEARS OLD. 
Papas and mammas invited. 
Tree-planting at six o’clock. 
No birthday presents, please,” 
The children invited ranged in ago from 
four to ten, aud some of the notes of accepta¬ 
tion sent, were very pretty—being written on 
tiny sheets of pajter with bright decoration, 
and envelopes to match. The young man in 
whose honor the party was given was quietly 
elated over the affair, hut spent all of Monday 
morning at his pond in the woods a few rods 
from the house, and returned with his nose 
decorated with numerous scratches; but he 
was in immensely high glee the entire day, 
and after ho had gone to bed an hour or two 
later than is his wont, and had nearly hugged 
my neck in two, l asked him If he had had a 
good day. 
“Oh, an excellent day, mamma!” 
Early on Monday morning the weather 
prospect indicated rain, which changed all 
plans for a garden party. The house was dec¬ 
orated throughout with flowers and greens— 
great quantities of white lilacs, apple blossoms 
and wild blue violets boing used. The gate 
posts at the entrance of the drive were dressed 
in evergreens to look like trees;over the front 
door was the word “Salve,” made on a long 
card-board, the letters made of daudeliou 
blossoms, and the placard bordered with apple 
blossoms—Pyms Japonica, then in bloom, 
would have been better: the interstices were 
filled with clippings of Arbor-vittp. Plate, or 
button-hole bouquets were made for the chil¬ 
dren, and there was one fine large bouquet 
with a gorgeous cactus blossom in the center, 
which was called the “Prize Bouquet,” and 
which was placed in the center of the floral 
arrangement, for the middle of the long table. 
A stack of damask towels with a paper of pins 
were laid in a convenient place, to serve the 
children for eating aprons. Hammocks were 
put up under cover of house and piazza; a 
mysterious large box that lmd been brought 
from the railway station stood on a back piaz¬ 
za; at the barn was a pet sheep of the laddie's 
that had been saved from the sheaving to lie 
clipped on this occasion—an operation that 
yielded great amusement and interest, as very 
few of the children or their papas and mam¬ 
mas had seen a sheep sheared. The sheep was 
brought on another piazza—the house has 
three large ones—and at four o’clock the 
shearing began. Prior to this, the mysterious 
box had been opened, with a deep fringe of 
children around it, and the contents proved 
to be a fine priutiug-press, a present from the 
boy’s grandfather. At five o’clock came the 
call to supper, the children being seated at ta¬ 
ble—“1 of them. The menu was served in the 
following order: 
Chicken Sandwiches. 
North Carolina Strawberries, 
with Sweet Bans. 
Richmond Maids of Honor. 
Oranges and Bananas. 
Dominoes. 
Shrewsbury Cakes frosted, with the name of 
each little guest written in large yellow 
letters (the distribution of these 
cakes created much fun). 
Birthday Cake 
(with six small wax caudles in colors standing 
on its top). 
Vanilla Ice Cream. 
The chicken for the sandwiches had been 
chopped fine. The Riehmoud Maids of Honor 
are most delicious little things, made of puff 
paste to line very small patty pans, and filled 
with a mixture of prepared curd from sweet 
and sour milk, with sugar, eggs and lemon 
(juice and grated rind) beaten together and 
then carefully baked. Dominoes—there were 
scores of them—were cut from very thin lay¬ 
ers of cake, frosted, and then with a small 
brush dipped in melted chocolate, the mark¬ 
ings were made. These gave much pleasure. 
The marking on the Shrewsbury cakes was 
done with yelk of egg aud a small brush. The 
birthday cake was a fine, large, white cake, 
very like “angel cake,” baked in a square tin 
lined with paper and frosted. A large Lima 
bean had been put in it, aud the children were 
informed that, the one who got the bean should 
have tin* prize bouquet. Before the cake was 
cut the young host lighted the six candles, 
which, after they had burned lor a minute or 
two, were by him blown out. the children cry¬ 
ing out, “One year gone!” “Two years gone!” 
and so on until the six caudles were extin¬ 
guished. They were then removed from the 
cake, when it was cut. 
When supper was over, the towels were re¬ 
moved from the children, the plate bouquets 
pinned ill place, their fingers rinsed in finger- 
bowls and wiped, so that the pretty costumes 
of the boys ami girls should not be soiled. On 
account of the showery state of the weather 
the tree planting was postponed until the fol¬ 
lowing evening, when a number of the chil¬ 
dren gathered to throw a spadeful of soil over 
the roots of the Birthday Tree—un American 
Linden. After the children’s supper, the pa¬ 
pas and mammas were served with a specially 
prepared menu . At seven o'clock the chil¬ 
dren were assembled in the library to receive 
their “favors”—which, owing to their con¬ 
struction, had been reserved for the close of 
the party. The “favors” consisted of cylinders 
of paper about six inches long, gay with tinsel 
[taper; in one end, compactly folded, was a 
tissue cap in fancy design- no two alike and 
at the other end a china horn; the caps pull 
out by a little strap which goes off with a 
crack, and by the time the caps were on the 
children’s heads and the horns in their mouths, 
t’was a pandemonium of guyety, with every¬ 
body moved with laughter. The children, ns 
if infected with the spirit of irrepressible mer¬ 
riment, caught up a pile of small United 
States flags that lay in the hall and that had 
not been used iu the decorations, and form 
ing into line marched round and round the 
circular drive iu front ot the house, blow¬ 
ing their horns with all their might. The 
showers were over, and with a bright moon 
shining, there was no obstacle in the way 
of their fun, which, however, was soon 
brought te) an end by the arrival of car¬ 
riages to take them home. There had beeu no 
mishap of any sort and the general verdict 
seemed to be that t he rain had added to the 
pleasure of the occasion. 
D amrsiic Cam ami) 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE. 
AUNT MABBY’S HOUSEHOLD TALKS. 
ANNIE L. JACK. 
No. 1. 
Not far from “Every-day House” there is 
a little cottage half hidden by lilac bushes 
and honeysuckles, with two tall Lombardy 
Poplars standing sentinel at the gate. The 
grassy walks are always fresh and green; no 
children trample the borders, or press their 
feet on the turf, and at this season when the 
grounds are in the neatest of order, the grass 
quite yellow with daudelious and the lilacs 
dropping a profusion of fragrance and beauty, 
it Is, indeed, a harmony iu purple aud gold, 
quaint and picturesque. Here, since her par¬ 
ents died lives Aunt Mabel Dysarfc, or, as she 
is familiarly called by young and old, “Aunt 
Mabby.” A large Newfoundland dog and a 
vixenish tabby guard the premises, and near 
enough for company to the house lives her 
farmer, who works the little homestead on 
shares, having taken it in with his own work 
when her father left her to battle with it 
alone. He is a kind man, farmer Brownrigg, 
anil gives her the large half of the profits, 
which with the poultry and corn, her fniit 
from the well-kept, thrifty garden, and the 
interest of a small investment, keeps her in 
comfort. Then she is such a wise and tmsty 
soul, so well versed in herb lore and musing, 
that far aud near the neighbors come to her 
for assistance, returning in payment many a 
little gift that helps out her larder or her 
wardrobe. Her only sister is married and 
settled, living in the city not far off, and now 
and then a niece or nephew comes out to visit 
her. “ But one at a time, Laura,” she always 
insists when inviting them, for too many, 
even of grown-up girls and boys would un¬ 
settle the routine of her household arrange¬ 
ments. It w as a bright Spring morning when 
1 walked over to “ Aunt. Mabby’s,” lately, 
taking with me, for the garden, .some roots of 
plants that she had expressed a wish to pos¬ 
sess. She welcomed me with n cordial hand¬ 
shake, and seated me iu a comfortable chair, 
taking care that I selected oue not too nar¬ 
row or too low for my ample figure. After 
we had quite exhausted the weather and the 
invalids of the parish, had discussed the latest 
baby and pitied its overworked mother, I 
ventured to state my particular errand. 
“ Now,” I said, “ Aunt Mabby you have 
always admired my new crewel sofa pillow, 
worked in lilacs on a golden ground, and I 
do not wonder at it, for your own front yard 
looks prettier than my pillow this moment. 
I’ll tell you what I’ll do. If you will tell me 
some of those nice recipes you have, aud your 
good old-fashioned housekeeping ways when 
1 run over now and then, you shall have a 
nicer pillow than mine, designed from one of 
your own lilac sprays, and I'll lend you my 
Rural every week, and that’s something I 
don’t make u prut'lier of doing for any oue.” 
A smile, a little bit quizzical, rame over 
her face, ns she said: 
“ Well, I haven't anv strong objections to 
telling you anything I know, but I’m afraid 
you’ll think I have the lies! of the bargain.” 
“I’m satisfied,” said I, “and, to begin, I 
wuut to learn how you made that, nice, moist 
giugor-breud you gave tho children the other 
day.” 
“Oh !” said Aunt Mabby, “that is a recipe 
that mother had—she gut. the premium at (he 
county fair the year before she died with 
just that very same, it is: one cup of sugar 
one cup of molasses, one cup of sour milk, one 
small teaspoonful of soda, one cup of sweet 
milk, half a cup of melted butter, a large 
tablespoonful of ginger, aud flour enough to 
make it a little thicker tliau griddle cakes. 
Oh ! I forgot the butter—there nmst be half 
