heartily endorse the statements of “A. C. H,” 
and I hope that her husband entertains the 
same views as herself, and that she is as pro¬ 
ficient with the kitchen utensils and the needle 
as she is with the pen. j. h. a. 
THE AGRICULTURAL, FAIR. 
Ichabod and I have worked very hard all 
Summer. Have been lookin’ ahead to the 
time when we could have a breathin’ spell; 
and to lose no time while restin’, we went to 
the Fair. Ichabod entered a span of mules 
and the aWfulest big pumpkin you ever did 
see. 
I did not intend to be left off the premium 
list in the report, and took my "Risin’ Sun” 
bedquilt pieced iu orange, red and yellow 
calico and bleached cotton and quilted all over 
in diamonds. I made pillar shams to match 
the quilt, with a row of orange half-squares 
for a border, and Jerusha Spriggings ero- 
chetted (they pronouuce it crow shade) trim- 
min’ for the edge; and uow they do look 
exotic. 
You orter see the crazy quilts, there tryin’ 
to take the shine all off from t’other things. 
I know my "Risin’ Sun” was the prettiest, 
for Squire Puffem said it was gorgeous, and if 
I did not take the premium I’d ort to have had 
it just the same. The doughnuts I took, the 
committee ate half a peck and awarded the 
first premium to $Irs. Ichabod Snooks. Well, 
I have practiced on doughnuts all Summer. 
The pillar-shams was left cut with the '‘Kisiu' 
Sun.” 
Ichabod driv the mules around the track 
six times. It is a mile track and level as our 
barn floor. All the horsemen said they were 
a splendid matched span, and Ichabod aud I 
knew it before we went to the Fair, and that 
is why we took ’em. 
A mule race was on the program for next 
da) r , and Ichabod engaged the Widder Green’s 
boy Jobunv to ride the fastest mule. The 
money was put up and the race begun. I 
wish you could have seen that noble mule 
with the brave, little rider on his back. Icha¬ 
bod and I sat in our carriage to see that the 
race was fuir. But the fust thing we lmowed, 
that mule run right cff the track and smashed 
into a carriage where a lady and gentleman 
were sitting watching the race. The mule 
stopped so sudden Widder Green’s boy went 
frog-fashion underneath the carriage, close 
to the horse’s heels. He was picked up for 
dead, but the doctor put a patch on his head 
and said he would live. Then Ichabod mount¬ 
ed that mule with the determination of win- 
nin’that ruce. If he bad only been dressed 
iu armour he would have looked like the pic¬ 
ture of a Roman Cavalier. He came dashin’ 
over that course splendid, when the mule 
stopped goin’ with his lore leet. but Ichabod 
kept light on until bis stalwart form was laid 
full length upcu the dusty track. He got up 
kinder surprised like and started for the geu- 
tlemau who was looking at his broken-down 
carriuge in a perplexed sort of way, as the 
Deacon did at his "One boss slmy.” Then 
Ichabod told him he must pay for the damage 
to Widder Green's boy’s head; that carriages 
were dangerous thiugs to be on a fuir ground. 
I told the feller I would not pay for the car¬ 
riage—for I always help Ichabod to save a 
penny w hen 1 can. W hat is the use of hav 
ing a fair if a person cannot exhibit tlieir 
stock? Is there anything more entortuiuiu’ 
and instructin’ than mule racin’? Aud people 
either ought to stay at homo at such limes, or 
sit ou the fair ground fence, if all the seats 
are full. 
The last day they had the boys’ bare-back 
race. They rode horses, aud were riding like 
little heroes when one of thy horses stumbled, 
aud the boy fell; in such a way, though, he 
was not killed, but his mouth was tilled with 
dust from the (rack, aud one hard-hearted 
woman said "that must be the agricultural 
part of the race.” It was real mean to make 
fun of such serious business, for we must have 
racin’ to make a fair a success, aud she orter 
know it. It was a good thing for Ichabod 
that he had his whiskey bottle in the stall 
where the mules were kept, for h6 needed 
somethiug to quiet his nerves after his exhil¬ 
aratin’ exercise which ended so sudden. Our 
Fair this year did not allow liquor sold on the 
grounds, which is right, so he went prepared 
for accidents. The committee were so busy 
with the races they had not fixed up the 
books, and I do not know whether we took 
the premium on the pumpkin or not. Rut if 
Ichabod rides the mule next year he will have 
a suit made expressly for it, wadded, iron- 
bound and trimmed with blue satin. I hope 
this will interest you as much as the fair 
did MRS. ICHABOD SNOOKS. 
forth to meet the Maker of the universe, and 
has found peace! Even to stand in the door 
at this season, and look at the orchard—the 
"good apple trees” heavy with beautiful 
fruit, feasts the eye3 and the heart. "Com¬ 
fort me with apples” is a most natural expres¬ 
sion. Then at night, when the day's disap¬ 
pointments and shortcomings and labors and 
sufferings have left the heart heavy and sore, 
a little walk to the knoll shows the lights in 
the houses of neighbors all around, and the 
lights in the heaven above, aud the darkness 
is so cool and still, and gives one a sense of 
quietness and companionship with men and 
angels both. zena claybourne. 
the top, add a very small quantity of water, 
cover and cook in a well-heated oven from 
one-half to three quarters of an hour. Then 
uncover aud brown slightly on top. This 
makes a delicious dessert when eaten with 
sweetened cream. A few pieces of quince 
mixed with the apples give an acceptable 
change. 
SERVING CORN-STARCH. 
Turn while hot into small teacups (which 
should be first dipped into cold water). When 
cold and ready to serve, turn on to a flat 
glass dish or platter, with a teaspoon remove 
a little of the corn-starch from the top of each 
form and fill in with jelly or jam. 
MRS. e. c. 
Domestic Ccottom^ 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE. 
BRAIDED BIB. 
The child’s bib shown at Fig. 478 is of 
white fleece-lined pique, the edge simply 
bound with cambric and braided with narrow 
white or red soutache. 
NOTES. 
Sheep’s wool which has been thoroughly 
cleansed is good for filling a pin-cushion. 
Children’s clothing should always be made 
loose so as to allow of the free movement and 
growth of muscles and limbs. 
Woolen dresses and suits are worn on the 
street and at church to the exclusion of silks 
and velvets. 
Frosting that is made by stirring sugar into 
an egg that is only slightly beaten, will re¬ 
main soft much longer than if the white had 
been beaten to a stiff froth. 
Dry pumpkin as follows: Steam, or stew 
with as little water as possible until soft, 
press through a colander, spread thinly upon 
plates aud dry in an open oveu. Keep in a 
dry place Soak in milk over-night when 
wanted for pies. 
It is a mistake for mothers to make unneces¬ 
sary martyrs of themselves for their chil¬ 
dren. 
Don’t select meal time foi* scolding and 
fault-finding. 
Teach the members of your family to throw 
the bed clothes over a chair and to open the 
windows before leaving their rooms in the 
morning. 
The mother should be queen, not servant, to 
husband and children. 
ANOTHER OUTLOOK. 
God bless the husband who drew his wor¬ 
ried wife to the door to get the fresh, spark- 
liug outlook of the morning! Would we 
could do this for each other ofteuer! For iu 
this respect certainly, husbands have the ad¬ 
vantage: (hey go right out from the impure 
air of the bed-room, which, witb the greatest 
care mid best ventilation, always seems close 
on coming in from out doors, out into the 
great broad world, the sweet, balmy morning, 
where every blade trembles with dew, aud 
the air is full of bird PODgs, or where the 
crisp, sparkling snow creaks to the tread, or 
even where rain drops fall cool on the head— 
under the beautiful sky full of sunrise, aud 
into the life giving air, out among the kindly 
hungry cattle—to and fro here aud there— 
sweetness of clover, fragrance of flower, 
breadth and beauty everywhere, but we cau 
make the best of the kitchen ami its opportun¬ 
ities We can throw wide the doors and 
windows if ouly for a few minutes, and bnug 
the out doors iu. Perhaps our sleeping-room 
is up-stairs, aud when we open the window 
before leaving it, we get from the simple 
landscape an uplift of soul, which lasts us 
through breakfast time. The view from my 
window is always an inspiration; never twice 
the same. When the mist fills the valley, it 
looks like an inverted cloud-mouutaiu. 
If the childreu clamor, the break fast crowds, 
aud the nerves and temper give way, nothing 
is so good a restorative as breaking quite 
away for a minute, aud going out where we 
cau look away off, "where the mists have 
rolled away,” or are rolling away, volume 
above volume, with interlines of green or 
colored tree-tops. How petty the vexations 
seem when we come back, aud how easily 
they right themselves, for the soul has gone 
WESTERN WAYS. 
Some one asks for different ways of using 
wild grapes. One way in which I often use 
them is as follows: Boil aud squeeze through 
a coarse, strong towel as for jelly, weaken 
half, and place over a hot fire till bc-iling: then 
drop in dumplings of a nice short bi euit 
dough: cover closely and keep boiling until 
the dumplings are done through; serve with 
sugar and cream. Another way is to pick 
the grapes from the stem and p’ace in a jar, 
witb alternate layers of sugar, leaving room 
for them to ferment, when they settle down 
and make a delicious sauce with cake or other¬ 
wise. Some use molasses instead of sugar, 
and think this an improvement. Last year I 
made a delicious jelly of them by squeezing 
the juice of a lemon in it. They will jell very 
nicely alone if not all ripe. 
APPLE DUMPLING. 
Make a nice short crust with sour milk. 
Boll and cut into squares large enough to 
cover your prepared apples, place a little 
sngar inside of the apples, fill a bread pan 
and sprinkle over them a large handful of 
flour, sugar to sweeten to taste, and on each 
dump ing put a lump of butter and over the 
whole sprinkle ground cinnamon. Fill the pan 
with hot water and bake "don 2 " in a slow oven. 
These are most delicious without any other 
sauce. 
SOFT GINGER-BREAD. 
Two-thirds cup of molasses, fill with sugar, 
one half cup of butter, till up with hot water, 
two cups of flour, two teaspoonfuls of ginger, 
one of soda and one egg. Bake in a quick 
oven. 
TO KNIT A TUFTED RUG. 
With common kuittiog needles and wrapping 
twine, knit a strip any width you choose, as 
follows: Have your scraps cut as for carpet 
rags, only each bit should be of the same 
length, say two iuehes, with each two stitches 
bind one of these scraps, f. e., with one stitch 
bind the scrap about half au inch from the end, 
aud with the uext stitch bind the other end, 
keeping the ends next to you Knit plain 
across the back aud wbeu done saw together. 
JUSTICE. 
-- 
DOMESTIC RECIPES. 
BAKED APPLE SAUCE 
Apples cooked in one way or another are 
found upon our table at least once a day two- 
thirds of the year, so wo try to present them 
in as many different ways as possible. Just 
now we are "running” upon baked apple 
sauce. I find tart, juicy apples best for the 
sauce. Pare, core, cut iuto quarters or 
eights, put into a deep pudding dish in lay¬ 
ers, with a sprinkle of sugar and two or 
three bits of butter over each, till almost to 
CHOW CHOW FOR IMMEDIATE USE. 
An excellent housekeeper always keeps on 
baud in Winter the following appetizer which 
economically and palatably uses up pieces 
of celery, cabbage and onion that .vould often 
be thrown away. The proportions of celery, 
cabbage and onion can be varied to suit the 
taste or the quantity you haveou hand. Chop 
very fine, mix W6ll together with salt, red and 
black pepper, press into a jar and cover with 
vinegar, spiced or not as you please. Keep 
in a cool place. Additions cf the chopped in¬ 
gredients can be added from time to time, al¬ 
ways careful to keep the chow chow just 
covered with vinegar. mrs. economy. 
LIQUID GLUE. 
One of the "hand) ’ things at our bouse is a 
bottle of Liquid glue. Break a good quality of 
glue into bits, put into a bottle and cover with 
whisky Let stand three or four days, when 
it will be ready for use without the trouble of 
heating. The bottle must be kept tightly 
corked to prevent evaporation. mother. 
RAISIN AND SPICE COOKIES. 
Two cups of sugar, one cup of butter, two 
beaten eggs, four tablespoonfuls of sour milk, 
two cups of chopped raisins, one teaspoonful 
each of ground cloves and cinnamon, one of 
nutmeg and one of soda, dissolved and beaten 
in the sour milk. Flour to roll out same as 
other cookies. £. a. b. 
PROTECTING MATTRESSES. 
A good hair mattress is an expensive luxury 
and when once possessed it pays to keep it free 
from soil aud dust, by incasing it in a cover 
of cheap ticking or coarse muslin. "Box” the 
cover without binding, the seams to be on the 
inside. mrs. e. hall. 
A DAINTY DISH FOR AN INVALID. 
Make a pint of strong beef tea, set aside until 
cold, remove every particle of grease, strain, 
bring to the scalding point, and add two spoon¬ 
fuls of gelatine that have been soaked for an 
hour or longer in a very little cold water, stir 
until dissolved, add salt aud pepper if liked, 
and turn into a mold to set. When firm serve 
with wafer crackers. NURSE. 
"CHARITY:” BREAD PUDDING. 
Sister Mabel eauie over this morning for 
thatreeeipe for spiced fruit in last year’s 
Rural, which somebody gave for Charity 
Sweetheart. Upon looking it up we found 
several other things which were just what we 
wanted. By the way is Chanty too busy with 
pickles to write? We should like to hear from 
her. Auntie wants a recipe for apple pud¬ 
ding made with apples aud bread crumbs. 
ZEN A CLAYBOURNE. 
gHiSiCfUaneous 31 dvertising. 
The Fight 
against that fooling of indolence aud de¬ 
bility, common to every one in the 
spring and summer months, is of no avail 
without the aid of Ayer’s Sarsaparilla. 
By its use, impurities are expelled from 
the blood, and new life is infused into the 
It stimulates and strengthens all 
the ditres-AC and assimilative organs. 
C. A. WliecLi Hotel CliuOrd, Boston, 
Mass., sal's: “A few bottles of Ayer’s 
Sarsaparilla, taken in the spring, make me 
feel well and strong the whole year.” 
C. J. feodemer, I4;i Columbia st., Cam- 
bridgeport. Mass., says: "I have gone 
through terrible suffering from dyspepsia; 
but I have cured myself, and saved a 
great deal of money in doctors’ bills, by 
the use of 
Ayer’s Sar 
•aparilla.” It will help you. 
Renewed 
strength aud vigor follow the use of 
Ayer’s Sarsaparilla. Mrs. Ann II. Farns¬ 
worth, a lady 70 years old. So. Woodstock, 
Vt., writes: "After suffering for weeks 
with prostration, I procured a bottle of 
Ayer's Sarsaparilla, and before l had 
taken half of it my usual health returned.” 
Thus. M. McCarthy, ot> Winter st.. Lowell, 
Mass., writes: ♦* I havebeeu troubled, for 
years, with nervousness, and pains about 
niv heart, especially in the morning* I 
also suffered greatly from debility. 1 have 
been cured by Ayer's Sarsaparilla, and 
am now able to do very hard work.” 
Henri' II. Davis, Nashua, N. H., writes: 
“ I have found relief from that feeling of 
languidness, prevalent during the spring, 
by taking Ayer’s Sar- 
saparilla. 
I have taken it for years.” 
Prepared by Dr. J. C. Ayer & Co. ; Lowell, Mass., U. S. A. 
For sale by all druggist" Price $l; six bottles for $5. 
