462 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
JULY 21 
during his absence, he laughed heartily when 
be told of his visits to the young girls, and ex¬ 
claimed,” you may depend upon it those girls 
knew of my absence, for they would not have 
risked passing themselves otT for sick upon 
such a cross old curmudgeon as I am. This 
was certainly very- flattering to the young 
physician. -‘Now they have their amusement, 
said the unde, I would amuse myself by 
frightening them a little.” “How so V “Why 
by bringing in an immense bill for attend¬ 
ance.” “I don't intend to bring in any bill at 
all. Let the girls have their fun without 
paying for it.” “You can return the money 
again you know, but I would certainly have 
a little sport out of it.” 
Finding his nephew inexorable, he under¬ 
took the business himself stating that Dr. 
Wheeler had only been acting as his agent, 
and sent in a hill of so large an amount that 
the girls were quite dismayed. “ Illness is 
expensive,” remarked Miss C significantly 
as she saw their looks of blank astonldiment. 
“ I shall have ro Jo without ever so many 
things 1 wanted," said Sophie to her friend. 
“ So shall I” said Emma. They did not 
dream that the money was safe in Miss Cur¬ 
tis’s possession to be returned to them at the 
close of the term. Amid their surprise at 
baviugit thus refunded, they said. “Well, 
one good result of the affair Is, that we have 
learned how to practice economy. 1 should 
have spent every cent of this money, if I had 
had it. and be no better off than I am now." 
Sophie aud Emma are women now and too 
high minded to stoop to either flirtations or 
artifice; and while they cauuot recall that 
event of their girlhood without a blush at 
their own folly, they have sportively named 
it their “ first lesson in economy.” 
Minnehaha. 
Fig. 390. 
for lUcmmv 
•JONDOCTEU BY MISS KAY Cl.ARK. 
TYING THE KNOT. 
“• Thjs Is a true lover's knot." lie said, 
As he twisted over a lilt of thread, 
And carefully drawing the ends out straight 
Presented the form of the tlgure eight. 
‘ It is, my darling, a double noose. 
Pretty to look at if left quite loose. 
But two hearts closely we may unite 
By pulling the ends of the cord up tight. 
“This Is a bowline knot,” quoth he. 
To the merry maiden upon hie knee; 
•‘And terrible things on the mighty ship 
Would happen, yon know, if t his knot should slip 
In dropping the anchor, in hoisting the sail. 
In making safe from the fearful gale; 
And the bowline knot, you will understand. 
Should never he made by a careless hand. 
“ Aud this Is a weaver’s knot, my dear: 
An Intricate piratic to you, I fear; 
But you’ll llrnl you’ll often have use for It 
When the children’s stockings you learn to knit. 
O. what confusion and loss beside, 
If a knot iu the warp were left untied ! 
Hither and yon would the stitches run, 
And the weaver's weaving be soon undone. 
“ In tying n knot. If you tie It wrong, 
You cau’t depend ou It very long; 
Bui If made as It ought to be—firm and fast— 
Twill hold, and tighten, and always last. 
Now which of those knots do you like the best ?” 
Said lie—and the maiden whom he addressed 
Like a woman answered, and queried, too— 
“ I like the true-lover’s knot. Don’t you ?” 
-- 
WOMAN’S RECREATIONS. 
“Recreate, Webster: To give fresh life 
to reanimate, to revive, especially to revive 
the exhausted strength or languid spirits, 
to refresh from weariness, to relieve, to cheer, 
to divert, to amuse, to gratify.” 
Could any definition be more delightful ? 
What a variety of scenes it must suggest to 
different readers! Wide green fields and woody 
places, hammocks aud sunshine and birds and 
books; crazy skating with tingling blood, aud 
quiet fishing by shaded stream, with just the 
one friend to make any place perfect. And, 
thanks to our Western civilization, these may 
he woman's recreations. There are supposed 
to be women to whom recreation or rather 
amusement is the main business of life. They 
might have worse objects if they are unsel¬ 
fish, butiu a world of great needs such lives can 
scarcely be justified; however, they are quite 
beyond the circle addressed by this paper, tw 
our readers are patient working women, the 
wives and daughters of fanners, and we fear 
the notion prevails among them that play is 
for little boys and girls, not for men and 
women who have work to do, or as one little 
girl quoted her mother, “Play is for little 
dogs and cate, and not for grown-up girls 
seven years old, who can take care of their 
baby brothers and sisters.” 
A magnetic little woman, being asked to 
name her favorite recreation said, “ Darning 
stockings.” 
Let us look at the nature of pleasure and its 
effects. It used to be a puzzle as to why the 
Lord created such a w orld as he know this 
would become, a groaning mass of ignorance 
aud sin. but St. John tells us that the four and 
tw enty elders that fall down before the throne, 
and worship Him that liveth forever and over, 
casting their orowus before Him say, “Thou 
art worthy O, Lord, to receive glory and 
honor and power, for Thou hast created all 
things, aud far Thy pleasure they are and 
were created.” Doubters will say this only 
doubles the puzzle, hut it is because He liveth 
forever and ever and seetb the end, and 
knowoth the happiness He givoth to His own 
tlusting children that Ho could make this 
world for His ov % pleasure. Then have we 
not Bible proof that pleasure is iu itself a good 
tiling, something to be desired and sought 
after for it’s own sake ’( And do we not know 
that the effects of innocent healthful pleasure* 
the only kind considered here, are highly 
beneficial, giving fresh life, reviving exhausted 
strength aud languid spirits, and, therefore, 
being indispensable to the best work and 
highest development of all our faculties. A 
recreation must he tested by its effects; unless 
it is followed by increased ability to work, or 
more cheerful spirits, it is not good, but whole¬ 
some diversion Is the natural complement of 
work as light is of darkness, negative of 
positive, aud Summer of Winter. Why do 
people speak of Heaven as being so desirable i 
Is it not for its enjoyment, or as a good friend 
expressed it, the enbertaiuineuts of the 
Heavenly kingdom ? Do we ever hear Para¬ 
dise spoken of as a grand business center, 
a good place to make money, or as being 
a country in which to become famous, 
or to mingle in fashionable society ? 
Nay, simply for its happiness do hungry 
hearts yearn for Heaven. And can what 
is so good hoseafter be altogether evil here ? 
Granted that happiness is only found in the 
line of duty. What is a woman’s first duty < 
To keep herself ? No; she cauuot keep herself, 
but to trust the Lord to keep her from defile¬ 
ment, discouragement and drudgery, so that 
her husband and children shall love and re¬ 
spect her. Many women are good, but lack 
the higher goodness and intelligence which 
looks to the very best ends of living. Not 
many women, I trust, would scold if they 
were not over tired and discouraged, aud few 
better bequests can be made to a child thnn 
the memory of a mother who never scolded. 
People of one family must criticise each other, 
but it may always be done iu love. And, as to 
drudgery, an intelligent woman will elevate 
any kind of honest labor, but she must still be 
au intelligent woman, knowing more than her 
work, and commanding it. rather than being 
a slave to it. So, considering the multitudi¬ 
nous and never-ceasing demands upon a farm¬ 
er’s wife, is it any wonder that she feels the 
need, O, so often', of a lecreation to refresh 
from weariness, to relieve and divert the 
mind—ay, even a re-creation, a forming anew, 
which she feels it would take mouths or even 
years to accomplish ! What shall she do ? 
Trust the Lord absolutely , aud then determine 
not to fall into a negative condition—that is a 
weak, wavering, passive, pettish state. Will 
to preserve your own individuality; to culti¬ 
vate, as far as possible, your special gifts; to 
be lovable, reasonable, resl fid anti forbearing. 
Dare to do aud decide for yourself, and, if you 
act wisely, people of different opinions will re¬ 
spect you. All this is very difficult to a woman 
whose physical system is “run down” past 
repairing by a night’s rest, but let her do 
something at once toward improving the state 
of both body and mind. It Is doubtful if any 
woman ought to try to take care of a daity 
aud a 1;-only with children without help. Of 
course you want to “ get along in the world," 
and live as well as your ueighbors, but look 
out you dou’t economize iu the wrong quar¬ 
ters. Worn-out women don’t make happy 
homes, aud doctors’ bills and peevish children 
don’t pay. But some woman may say, “ I 
would have help if I could, but my husband 
thinks he cannot afford it.” Just a word to 
your inr-baud. Is your wife your equal part¬ 
ner, or is she your bonded chattel ? Did you 
promise to endow her with ull your world¬ 
ly goods or not / Should you like her to 
carry the purse aud dole out the dollars to 
you as she thought best, uud decide whether 
you could have a man to help iu haying f Did 
she not earn a living with less work, aud have 
more money before she married you { Wasn't 
it a pity she changed i Should you not think 
it would be a temptation to her to know that, 
in case of your death, she would be entitled 
to the use of one-third of your property ? A 
woman ought at least, to have an allowance 
which she feels as free to use as she did the 
money she earned before marriage. 
But if, per force, you cannot have help, still 
do something by way of a change. Don't give 
up, whatever happens; decide upon some 
course which you think the best under the cir¬ 
cumstances. Ten chances to one, it is uo^ 
medicine you need, but nourishing food, sun¬ 
shine, rest and diversion. Get plainer meals, 
make plainer clothes, do some of the daily 
housework once in two days, and some of the 
weekly once in ten days or two weeks. Iron 
only half your washing, and wash as little as 
possible. No matter who grumbles or talks 
about it: l*e a law unto yourself, aud keep 
your temper, or try to. Eat beef, and cheese, 
and oatmeal aud graham and milk and butter 
and fruit aud vegetables, and ordinarily, 
whatever you crave, if it agrees with you.and 
don't think because a man who lives out of 
doors, and doesn’t believe in nerves can sur¬ 
vive on pork and white bread and pies and 
doughnuts that such food is wholesome for 
you or your children. Perhaps you cannot have 
all of the articles mentioned as being good; 
the diet might be too strong if you could, but 
you can certainly have eggs and milk and 
some new article of food Remember you are 
trying to re-create your nerves and muscles, 
to bring the color back to your cheek, aud the 
sparkle to your eye. Have a hammock aud 
take some time every day, wheu possible, to 
lie out doors in it. Never slay in the house to 
re6t wheu the weather will admit of being out. 
We should not sit down in the house to do any 
work which can as well be done on the porch 
or in the yard. Leave your work aud take a 
little ride about the farm or on the road. 
Get oid doors and stay out doors. If you 
keep a girl and she helps to milk, change work 
with her and get away from the worry of the 
children and the smell of the cooking a little 
while. You will be surprised to find yourself 
so much refreshed Sleep all you can, nothing 
patches up shattered nerves like sleep. You 
think you cannot sleep in the daytime, hut get 
into a hammock where you have fresh air aud 
quiet, aud keep still an hour day after day, 
and it will be strauge if the siren sleep does 
not charm you into slumberland. At uny rate 
you will be rested—anti keep trying: a habit is 
not formed in a day. A good little doze every 
day, when circumstances permit, for our de¬ 
generate race of women would work marvels 
in reducing the friction in our family machin¬ 
ery, and the work done thereafter would have 
a richer flavor and be scarcely less in quan¬ 
tity. We all know how easily a piece of work 
is done in half the time when we are fresh, 
yet women generally think they must keep at 
work every minute to save time. Was it uot 
Bui wer who said he accomplished such a vast 
amount of literary labor by doing so little at 
a time? three hours a day were all he allowed 
himself to work. Try hard not to work when 
you are very tired. A little labor then will 
undo the painstaking of weeks. But for a 
tired woman, whose mind is weakened by her 
weariness to give up a piece of work or leave 
it half done wheu she has been working at 
high pressure, and her blood is warm and am¬ 
bition high, costs a struggle w hich can only 
be realized when it is felt. Just there, there is 
danger. For those fortunate women who 
have some strength aud time to spare the ad¬ 
vice is ordinarily, “Do what you want to do.” 
Manage some way to get off into the woods 
for a day's ramble, but beware of large pic¬ 
nics, or studv how you cau get the book you 
are longing for, or take the journey you are 
so anxious to take. If you have a daughter 
of 15 she ought to be able to be left in charge 
for a week or two. There is no virtue iu self- 
denial, unless you are sure some greater good 
will accrue to yourself or others, and most 
likely the refreshment you will find, the in¬ 
spiration you will catch, and the higher 
plane yon will reach will he the best thing 
for all concerned. To lie yourself a sweet, 
gracious, noble woman is worth more 
to your children than any amount of 
indulgence or accomplishment, or prop¬ 
erty. A change of lalior is often recrea¬ 
tion; the school girl takes delight in house¬ 
work during vacation, while her sister who 
lives home longs for the opportunity to study. 
Encourage both by giving them as much 
variety as possible. Let each child in the 
fumily pursue some study which will be to 
them both instruction aud recreation, as some 
branch of natural history making an herba¬ 
rium with Botany, or a collection of insects 
with Entomology; and if you would have 
your children interested in any reading or 
study or game, interest yourself with them : 
the diversion will do you good, aud them ten¬ 
fold more. 
Do not think that “poor folks” as many 
fanners having a home of their own aud some 
income will persist in calling themselves, 
cannot afford to give their children a few ex¬ 
tra lessons in Drawing or Music or French or 
Elocution; that is if they want them enough 
to follow up a good beginning by their own 
efforts. Many a girl looks at the creations of 
her friends in fancy work with longing eye, 
and considers the mysteries of the Kensington 
stitch and the effects with Arrasone silk as 
utterly incomprehensible, while two or three 
dollars would initiate her into many secrets 
and give her a happy sense of equality with 
her friends, beside adorning the home. 
To recapitulate—women require regular 
recreation. 
They should provide for themselves such re¬ 
creation as suits their especial case. 
Then they should take it, considering it as 
much a necessity to right living as their food 
or their dress, and enjoy it to the full. Doth 
not our Father give us “ richly all things to 
enjoy ? ” Zena Claybourne. 
THE WAY MRS. WILKINS WENT TO 
THE STAJE FAIR. 
It was a great day in the life of Mrs. Wilk¬ 
ins when she started in company with her hus¬ 
band to visit the State Fair held a hundred 
miles away. A farmer’s wife for a score of 
years, the opportunities for pleasure seeking 
of any kind had uot been very numeious, 
but now as her children were old and 
trusty enough to be left for a short time they 
were going to see a little of the world. She 
had scandalized her growing up gil ls by wear¬ 
ing simply a nice black alpaca instead of her 
new silk dress, “ I am going to see and uot bo 
seen” she declared to them “and I am not go¬ 
ing to risk spoiling my very best clothes push¬ 
ing through a crowd. 1 only care to look re¬ 
spectable enough not to attract attention.” 
Neither wero the girls ashamed of her as they 
remarked her tidy appearance and animated 
looks, as she drove away to the depot some 
miles distant. Reaching the city and being 
refreshed by a good dinner she aud her hus¬ 
band repaired to the Fair Grounds. On en¬ 
tering farmer Wilkins took one gallant tramp 
around the ground with his wife, and glanced 
at the cattle, sheep, swine and poultry, passed 
hastily through the agricultural and floral 
halls, when Mrs. Wilkins came to a stand, 
“ See here Henry” said she “ this won’t do for 
either of us. We both want to see and enjoy 
all of this show that we can and you would 
enjoy best seeing things that I don’t care for, 
so let us appoint a place to meet at five or six 
o’clock aud till then we can both look up what 
we most Misti to see.” The arrangement was 
made with business like promptness and Mr. 
Wilkins startl'd off to inspect the machinery, 
aud find some male acquaintance with which 
to discuss the 11 ne exhibition of stock two things 
in which he was especially interested. Mrs. 
Wilkins contrary to what perhaps might 
have been expected of her, started for Fine 
Arts Hall. “ 1 cau sec rag carpets and canned 
fruit put up iu brine and such things enough at 
our County Fairs, and big pumpkins and 
squashes too: but such au array of pictures I 
may neverhave a chance to see again iu my life, 
and I’ll pay my respects to them first.” She was 
glad as she slowly pushed her way through 
the crowd that she had uot a party of three 
or four friends to keep hold of, aud to distract 
her attention from sight seeing, in her fear of 
losing her hold of them. She gave herself up 
entirely to the enjoyment of the pictures which 
had been brought by public spirited inhabi¬ 
tants of the eity from t heir splendid homes, to 
add to the attractions of the exhibition. Rare 
and costly many of them wore, some of them 
a hundred or two years old. 
Then she went to the Horticultural Hall 
where plants aud flowers filled every inch of 
space, and went slowly through noting every¬ 
thing around her. She had never seen half the 
varieties before ami, perhaps, had never even 
heard tho names of some of them, but none 
the less di<l her heart warm at the sight of 
Nuturc’s loveliness. 
At the appointed hour she inet her husband 
ami they wisely decided to take things coolly 
and get rested for the morrow. Early morning 
saw them again on the ground taking a leis¬ 
urely trip around tin- grounds getting a gen¬ 
eral idea of the whole, then they separated 
to follow their different inclinations. Mrs. 
Wilkins took her way once more through the 
Fine Arte Hall, and again and again ihr nigh 
the day she returned to view the pictui ee o er 
auew, ami found that each time she noticed 
something new about them. If her chances 
for observation had been few, she had a cul¬ 
tivated taste that quickly learned how to ap- 
preeiate anything new, that had merit about 
it. Bv way of variety when she became tired 
she would seat herself where she had a view 
of the motley crowd and amuse mul rest her¬ 
self by noting the different countenances, and 
styles of dress; the handsome, tl e homely, the 
grave, thu gaudily dressed, all came in for a 
share of her attention. 
She made one mental comment on the ladies 
iu the crowd and that was that those who were 
plainly dressed looked better after a half 
