THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
present character and improvement of our 
race. History is of some importance; but the 
past world is dead—we have nothing to do 
with it. Our thoughts aud our concerns 
should be for the present world, to know what 
it is, and improve the condition of it. Let 
her have an intelligent opinion, aud be able 
to sustain intelligent conversation concerning 
the mental, moral aud religious improvements 
of our time. Let the gilded annuals and 
poems on the csnter table be kept part of the 
time covered with weekly and daily journals. 
Let the whole family—men, women and 
children—read newspapers. 1 ’—"The wife 
makes the home, and the borne makes the 
man.”—"F. itb is the best elbow for a heavy 
soul to lean upon.”—“Wait for others to ad¬ 
vance your interests, and you will wait until 
they are not worth advancing.” c. s 
Domestic (Cxonomi^ 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE 
STOCKING MENDING, ETC. 
I have been mending and jobbing fora few 
days past, and while footing some stockings 
after a method of my own, I happened to 
think that some of the readers of Domestic 
Economy might like to know how I do it, for 
1 can assure them the stockings so made, look 
and tit better than those made in any other 
way I have ever tried, and it is easy too. 
CL 
I cut the stockings off straight around the 
ankle, then from some old legs, cut pieces 
shaped like the above figure (412). The part a is 
laid on a lengthwise fold ot the leg, and then 
cut out. The whole length of it must be as 
long as the stocking foot to be made, and oue- 
half iuch over; the width through the instep 
should be the same as the ankle: the line b 
should be one-halt the width of the ankle: 
while c is about a seam longer; the part d d is 
cut away to make the toe of the foot narrower. 
Sew up the seam uuder the foot and back of 
the heel e e e, not drawing your thread very 
tightly: then flatten it together, letting the 
middle fold at the toe meet the seam on the 
bottom; now sow it around, aud it is ready to 
put on the leg, which is done by sewing the 
leg and foot together at b o, putting the seams 
together. 
Some persons write long chapters on the fan¬ 
cy darning of stockings; but 1 consider this of 
little worth to tired mothers and housekeepers. 
I darn neatly in the vveave-in-aud-ouc stitch, 
and find when the hole is rather large it helps 
much to cut the edges of it smooth aud over¬ 
cast them, drawing the thread rather tightly, 
before commencing to darn it. Rut when the 
heel is very much worn, 1 cut out the place 
entirely and put a piece over the hole, a 
wide seam larger every way; hem it neatly 
over the hole (edge flat) on the wrong side; 
then turn the stocking aud hem the edges of 
the hole to the patch iu the same way. To do 
this nicely 1 keep a paste-board to put iu the 
heel and baste it to it after 1 have cut the hole 
out; it is thiee-and-one-half inches wide by 
four and-one-balf long, and one corner is 
rounded to correspond with the round of the 
heel. 
Summer is gone! Oh, how I regret it! It 
seems to me 1 never saw so short u one, and I 
have not been able to enjoy much of any out- 
of doors pleasures. One day's outiug, ubout 
the first of June, is all 1 have had, but that I 
shall never forget. 
1, with my oldest daughter, visited Mr. and 
Mrs. Carman iu their lovely home at River 
Edge. Being also the Rural Experiment 
Grounds, I thought 1 would And it laid out 
with mathematical precision, and looking like 
a hot-house garden. Glad was 1 to be disap 
pointed, and find instead that nature in art, 
had been followed, aud all seemed a natural 
paradise of beauty. Then the genial best and 
hostess, with their two lovely children, made 
us feel we were with long-loved friends. Oh! 
may they long be spared to enjoy their Eden, 
and may no serpent enter its bounds to des¬ 
troy its beauty and their happiness! 
1 have often wished to see the "Nest Egg 
Gourd”growing; so last Spring I purchased a 
puper of the seeds, as 1 had just the light sort 
of a trellis in the back yard for the vine to 
cover, and l thought I might use the fruit. I 
manured the ground and planted the seed aud 
hasn’t it grown! Seems to me there are no 
bounds to the vine with its great leaves larger 
than pumpkin leaves, aud its fruit! Well, had 
I an ostrich farm I might possibly use them for 
nest eggs, though they are rather large even 
for that purpose. Those nearest ripe are now, 
by actual measurement, nine inches long, 20 
inches in circumference lengthwise, and 12V£ 
inches around; but 1 shall try to use them in 
some way, and will report success. One of the 
vines bears a round, pure white fruit, which is 
now aliout the size of a medium-sized orange, 
and if it does not grow any larger, it will make 
a splendid darning gourd. 
Next year I shall try to raise the dish-cloth 
gourd. If I can obtain good seed. I have one 
of the dish-cloths prepared from one; but keep 
it as a curiosity, in memory of the one who 
sent it to me. aunt em. 
WESTERN NOTES. 
The good cooks, so numerous in the West, 
seem too busy to tell to the Rural ot their 
skill in the cuisine. I do not think that any 
of our Eastern sisters would refuse the light, 
delicate “pies” which grace the table of many 
humble cabins upon the prairie. 
One little mother I know makes either com 
meal, oat meal or Graham mush, in the morn¬ 
ing; then pours it into cups dipped iu boiling 
water. When cold these molds of mush 
sliced into round shapes are tried a light 
brown, and make a very nice breakfast or tea 
dish. Her vinegar pies are delicious. Her 
recipe is one egg well beaten, a scant cup of 
sugar, six tablespoonfuls of vinegar, one of 
butter, one of flour. Bake and then frost. 
This little woman sees to it that the water 
pail is kept full of clean water; the tea kettle 
is also kept tilled and warm and the dish 
water is seldom forgotten iu her house. At 
night the pail aud kettle are tilled in case of 
lire or sudden illness, and in the morning 
emptied aud refilled with fresh water. No 
stale water is used in boiling coffee, and the 
coffee is made of the very best of Mocha and 
Java mixed, evenly roasted and carefully pre¬ 
pared. The "gude man works the better to 
be given good food,” so says the careful home 
maker aud hausfrau. 
Father used to laugh at mother's mania for 
planting choice seeds in out-of-the way cor¬ 
ners of our two "roomy” lots. But the years 
soon slipped by and then ’twas mother’s time 
to “laugh” and right glad were we to enjoy 
the "fruits” of her thoughtfulness. An old- 
fashioned blood-red peach was one of her 
trees; it grew against the south side of 
our wood-house and never failed to bear. 
Such splendid peaches for sweet pick let-! 
Pare, then make a shup of two-tbirds cider 
vinegar aud one third sugar, spice with stick 
cinnamon and whole cloves. 1 never boil but 
once, put in the peaches, lettiug them get hot, 
but not cooked; pack them iu jars and seal or 
tie tightly. 
Then a favorite way of preparing pears is 
to make a clear sirup of sugar, remove the 
blossom end of the pear, and heat through in 
the sirup, then seal. These pears look as fresh 
as when taken from the trees, only slightly 
shriveled. 
One peach tree I remember, poked its fiuit- 
laden branches into my room through a 
Southern window. I let them ripen and they 
grew to twice the size of the others, and « ere of 
a more delicate flavor. Fully one dozen great 
white peaches lay upon the floor, reminding 
me of truant children, who were iu mischiet. 
ELLA GUERNSEY. 
SATISFYING CHILDREN. 
Often and often come to mind some of the 
words of a very pleasant friend. His little 
boys came into the sitting room eating grapes 
by the bunch. He remarked. "I think peo¬ 
ple, aud especially children, like to feel that 
they can have all they wantof aoy thing good, 
so 1 sent for some boxes of grapes and hung 
the contents of one box up hy the stems where 
the children could reach them, aud told them 
they might help themselves." What a con¬ 
trast to the method used by many parents who 
say "Here you, sir, you let those peuehes 
alone—well you may have just one.” Ami so 
they dole out just out* at a lime till the child is 
almost satisfied, but not quite, aud he feels a 
constant longing and souse of ill-usage aud 
keeps teasing. It takes very little, ! f auy, 
more fruit to let him have all ho wants, and 
the satisfaction of enjoying it, and of feeling 
that he is treated like ageutleruau, more thau 
compensates for any loss Of coarse, tons is 
supposing that it is not necessary to deny him 
for sanitary reasons, iu which case let him 
not be tempted more than must be: coustant 
temptation aud coustuut denial so often lea l 
to the beginning of sin. His eating hours, 
which should be regular, need not be lost 
sight of, but remember that children love 
cheerful givers, and that enough is as good as 
a feast. 
ZKNA CLAYBOURNE. 
HOW TO PRESERVE TEETH. 
The Rural of August 29cta contaius au 
article entitled, "Our Teeth—Why they De¬ 
cay,” to which I must make exception, because | 
it teaches a fallacy. The advice about clean- j 
liness is excellent; but to say that cleanliness 
alone will preserve the teeth, is not consistent 
with facts. It is often the case that persons 
who have taken the greatest care in this 
respect, have verv poor teeth. Hot food and 
drinks, and food that requires little or no 
mastication occasion more decay of the teeth 
than all other causes combined. It is a well 
kDown fact that bathing in water of 100° or 
more, if followed up day after day, will pro¬ 
duce debility, and if persevered in, will cause 
disease. In the same manner, an abnormal 
degree of heat applied to the teeth, as is the 
case with those who use tea, coffee and food 
as hot as can be borne, destroys (heirvitality, 
and they can no louger resist the corrosive 
action of substances taken in the mouth. 
Again, the teeth were formed for vigorous 
exercise in masticating solid food. If a person 
were to allow his arm to bang uselessly by his 
side, never allowing the muscles to act, it 
would wither and become liable to disease. 
Soft, tender, sloppy food will not make sound 
teeth. If from childhood we were to take, as 
a rule, nothing into the mouth above the nor¬ 
mal temperature of the body—were to use, for 
the most pare, plain, solid food which contains 
the elements from which the teeth are formed, 
avoid strong acids and drugs, and pay a fair 
degree of attention to cleanliness, there would 
be no more occasion for decay in the teeth 
than in other bones of the body. vv. s. c. 
DOMESTIC RECIPES. 
CANNING FRUIT. 
To every quart glass can of fruit, take one- 
half pound of sugar, dissolve in sufficient 
water to fill the cans completely; i. e. after 
the fruit has been packed as closely as possible. 
Soak the rubber rings a few* minutes in hot 
water before putting them on; then do not 
screw the top of the cau down very tight, place 
in the wire cage, and set the cage in a large tin 
boiler containing warm water enough to 
nearly cover the cans. Boil steadily until the 
fruit is tender, remove and screw down the 
covers tight while hot. 
For the benefit of those who may not have the 
cages to hold the cans, 1 w ill mention a substi¬ 
tute which might auswer very well Take a thiu 
board the shape of I he bottom of the boiler,aud 
with thiu pieces of wood partition off as many 
compartments as the boiler will contain cans; 
place the cans in these so they will not touch 
the bottom of the boiler, and there is no 
danger of breakage. Of course, the length 
of time for cooking, as also the amount of 
sugar used, will vary according to the differ¬ 
ent kinds of fruit. This year I have done up 
raspberries, cherries, strawberries, etc., and 
they are as good to look at as they are to eat, 
the berries ‘ ‘are so whole and perfect” and of 
such a beautiful color. This method also 
preserves the flavor of the fruit, and I have 
no doubt they would keep any length of time. 
After a day or so the cans should be exam¬ 
ined, and if the glas3 on top of the screw 
moves at all, they should be tightened again. 
MRS. S. B. EATON. 
TO PRESERVE GREEN CORN. 
Boil tender corn on the cob 15 minutes. 
Wben cool enough to handle, cut carefully 
from the cob, and pack in stone jars as fol¬ 
lows: A layer of salt at the bottom half an 
inch deep, then one of corn two inches in 
depth, and so on, alternating until the jar is 
almost filled. Let the top layer be salt an inch 
in thickness, and pour over all melted (not 
hot) lard. Tie several thicknesses of paper 
over the top, and keep in a cool place Soak 
over-night. I have sometimes found the top 
layer of corn musty—this did not, however, 
injure the corn beneath it. 
PICKLED PEACHES. 
Seven pounds of peeled fruit, four pounds 
of white sugar, a pint of stroDg cider vinegar, 
mace, cinnamon and cloves to taste. Put the 
fruit into the preserving kettle, with alternate 
layers of sugar. Heat very slowly until 
scalding hot, add the vinegar and spice and 
boil five minutes. Take oat the fruit with a 
skimmer, pack in glass jars, cover with the 
hot sirup, and make air-tight. 
MRS. E. s. K. 
OYSTER OMELET. 
Twelve large oysters, or 35 if small, six eggs, 
a small cup of milk, a spoonful of melted 
butter, pepper, salt, and miuced parsley if 
liked. Chop the oysters very tine, beat the 
yelks and whites of the eggs separately—the 
whites should be as stiff as for frosting. Add 
the milk to the yelks, season wi h salt and 
pepper, next put in the chopped oysters, beat 
vigorously, add the melted batter, and finally 
the stiff whites, whipping them in with as few 
strokes as possible. Have two spoonfuls of 
butter hot in a frying pan, and turn in the 
mixture without delay. Do not stir, butshaka 
gently, and when the mixture begins to stiffen, 
slip a broad-blailed kuife around the sides and 
un ier the omelet. The fire must not be too 
fierce, or the omelet will burn on the bottom 
before it is cooked through. When firm, place 
a heated platter,bottom upward, over tbe fry¬ 
ing-pan, and with a dexterous movement, 
turn the omelet on to the platter, browned 
side up. MRS. ECONOMY. 
pU.scxUancous ^dverti.sittg* 
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DYSPEPSIA Its Nature, Causes. Prevention, and 
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years 'fax Collector. Soul free to any address. 
“ One of your knives lias kept company with 
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So writes J, V. Brown, of Arizona, to Maher & 
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Dr. W. G. McMillan, Viola, Del., to M aukrA Grosh: 
“The kutte is the one l have been looking 
for the last 30 years. They ought to sell like 
hot cakes.” 
Price SI j:» for8*2.50. post paid. is.page prlee list 
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