§2© 
«©v 28 
goods, etc. It is fully illustrated, and will be 
sent free 1 When you apply for it, mention 
the Rural, 
G. W. Bates & Co., Boston, Mass.—Illus¬ 
trated catalogue and price list of musical 
instruments and musical merchandise of every 
description. It is bard to think of a thing 
which a musician wants, which is not con¬ 
tained in this list and sold by this house. The 
firm also sells guns, pistols, and all sorts of 
sportsmen's supplies, all of which are described 
in the catalogue. Send for it mentioning the 
Rural, and it will be sent free. 
The Commonwealth of Georgia.— A fine 
volume of nearly 400 pages, neatly printed 
on fine paper and substantially bound. It 
contains 15 maps of Georgia’s agricultural, 
geological, and climatic conditions, and a full 
account of that State’s natural resources, etc. 
It is divided into three parts—the country, the 
people,and the productions—and was prepared 
under the direction of J. T. Henderson, Com¬ 
missioner of Agriculture, Atlanta, Georgia, 
of whom it can be obtained. Price, in paper, 
75 cents; iu cloth, ?1, post paid. 
Twenty third Annual Report of the 
Michigan State Board of Agriculture, 
for the year ending September 30, 1884.—A 
book of 550 pages, containing the report of 
the proceedings of the Board; also a report 
of the meetings of the Farmers’ Institutes, 
held at various points in the State, during the 
Winter of ’83 and ’84. These are to us of great 
interest. It also contains very good likenesses 
of the out going President of the State Agri¬ 
culture College, Professor Abbot, and the in¬ 
coming President, Professor Willits. 
Fifteenth Annual Report of the En¬ 
tomological Society of Ontario, Canada. 
—We have received from our friend, D. W. 
Beadle, the above report, containing the 
transactions of the above society for the year 
1884, together with many valuable papers by 
the president, Mr. W. Saunders, of London, 
Ontario, and by others on various injurious 
insects. With so many close observers and 
tireless workers engaged in combatting these 
insect pests, we ought to be able to exter¬ 
minate them by and by. The Secretary is E. 
Baynes Reed, Loudon, Ont. 
The 18th Annual Report or the Ohio 
Horticultural Society.— A work of over 
200 pages, having as a frontispiece a colored 
plate of the Empire State Grape, which, we 
fear, will disappoint most people who plant it 
expecting it to equal the illustration. The 
Ohio Society has many wide awake fruit 
growers among its members, and this volume 
contains the report of their annual meeting 
last Winter at Columbus, and is very valu¬ 
able from the fact that it is very full. It also 
contains the essays read, and the discussion 
which they drew out, and, in addition, a report 
on apples, in which several new seedlings are 
outlined and described. We are indebted for 
our specimen copy to Mr, Geo, W. Campbell, 
of Delaware, Ohio, the Secretary', of whom, 
we presume, copies may be obtained. 
fox lUcttutu. 
OONDUCTED BY RISC RAY CLARK. 
“THY WILL BE DONE.” 
BY FBASCES S. OSGOOD. 
“Come hither, George and Marian, 
Conie hither, Isabelle," 
Thus spake a youthful mother, 
And soft her accents fell. 
And George, the Tosy, dark eyed rogue, 
Came bounding at her will— 
And Isabelle, the darling. 
And Marian, meek and still. 
"Now, If you each one prayer to heaven, 
And only one might say, 
For what, my precious children, 
Would you t his moment pray?” 
“Oh! I would pruy that God would semi 
Ills bright heaven down to earth. 
Nor take from us our loved ones!” 
Said George In thoughtless mirth. 
“And I,” said loving Tsnbelle, 
“Would ask, my darling mother! 
That we might die together— 
Thou, Marian, I and brother!” 
Then Marian raised her thoughtful eyes, 
Our lit tie dreaming min, 
“Be this my prayer”—she murmured, 
“Father, Thy will be done!” 
ECONOMIZING STRENGTH. 
With the average American woman it is 
not altogether the amount of physical labor 
and suffering she is compelled to endure, that 
wears her system away, but added to these are 
the uumerous daily cares she must contend 
with which women of other countries do not 
know anything of. We, Americans, com. 
mence at early girlhood, or as Boon as we leave 
school, to feel the responsibility that is at¬ 
tached to our lives, and this does not often 
grow any lighter, but becomes heavier as long 
as life lasts. Often we hear the exclamation; 
“That woman looks so broken down; only a 
short time ago she was beautiful and healthy. 
She is working too hard and needs recreation.” 
By looking into the lives of almost every one, 
we find there is far too tnnch that is wearing 
and exhaustive, which, if carried beyond a 
certain limit, end3 in sickness or death—hence 
the great necessity of enti re rest. In all ages 
of the world there has been some way by which 
woman could throw aside her cares for a while 
and seek the rest required by her exhausted 
body, even though the opportunities for so 
doing have been much more limited than they 
are to-day,—for woman steadily is improving 
every facility, making amusements and em¬ 
ployments more satisfying to refined natures. 
There is often not so vast a lack of recreation 
in and around oar own homes as there is a 
lack of appreciation and applicat ion of home 
pleasures, or these within our reach. 
First of all, we should if possible, employ 
reliable help for our home labors, then we can 
economize what energy and streugth we have. 
As a business man does a small amount of 
money, using it judiciously as capital, thus 
building up a large business. So many feeble¬ 
minded, and feeble-bodied women of to day 
might renew their vigor by a proper care of 
themselves. 
We were once watching by the bed-side of 
a patient who was iu a very dangerous condi¬ 
tion, yet who persisted in being restless and 
impatient, against the wishes of his kind phy¬ 
sician who advised him as follows.; “A man’s 
best doctor is himself. If he does not control 
himself all the combined efforts of his friends 
and physicians will avail but little; you must 
be patient, calm, aud hopeful, leaving to us, 
who are iu good health, the liberty to dictate 
for you, as we see best, for without this there 
is but little chance for your life.” How wise 
were his words! We all need Io have perfect 
control of ourselves under all circumstances, 
and should be patient, calm, and hopeful. 
One cause for the limited means of travel¬ 
ing referred to, was the lack of railroads. 
The old stage-coach was so uncomfortable, 
and often dangerous, that it was ouly neces¬ 
sity that compelled women to journey far 
from home. On horseback was the common 
method of traveling, with the clothing bundled 
up, and tied on to the back of tbe saddle. How 
does this compare with riding in a palace car 
of to day, reclining on an upholstered chair, 
and owning a huge Saratoga trank well filled? 
Woman can now visit from nation to na¬ 
tion. She is out on the billowy ocean, willing¬ 
ly risking its dangers. She may be seen also 
in a miner’s suit, descending the shafts of our 
Western gold mines, aud hundreds of feet 
from the light of the day, she eagerly watches 
the workman ply his pick and spade, as he 
loosens tbe precious metal from its long rest¬ 
ing-place. 
Out on the limitless prairie, woman has 
sought for health and recreation, amidst 
many dangers. At night she has slept in an 
emigrant wagon, with wild beasts kept at bay 
by the lurid blaze of a camp-fire. Sometimes 
during tbe day she has passed through herds 
of wild buffalo, when it looked as though it 
was a vast sea of moving cattle. Onward she 
has gone to the Rocky Mountains; and from 
foot to summit she has climbed, leaving the 
imprint of her feet on its eternal snows. 
Back in the dense forest white tents are 
stretched. The silent woods are startled by 
the rippling laugh and sweet song of woman. 
At night she slumbers soundly on a conch of 
evergreens; at midday she reclines on beds of 
grasses and mosses—every hour receiving 
vigor and health. 
Whithersoever the brave foot of man dare 
to tread, or his strong arm to lead, woman is 
willing to accompany him. And how quietly, 
yet modestly, she is eleviting her sexto a high 
and noble destiny! Wtio does not look upon 
the dignified, well-bred woman of America, 
with honest pride? 
ANGIE PEARSON. 
-« > -- 
ICHABOD SNOOKS LEAVES THE 
FARM. 
The business Is all deranged with the Col¬ 
onel's wife, the Colonel and Mr. Fleeeeum of 
the Brewery Company, and what astonishes 
me is, Ichabod will not give np farmin'. He 
wants to just keep right along ploddin’ here 
from mornin’ till night, year in and year out, 
and it will take an awful sight of convincin’ 
to get him to go. He has driv them mules so 
long farmin’ seems degradin’ to me. I have 
alius been piniD’ for a higherspear. Jerusha 
Spriggins says she loves to listen to the tinkle 
of the cow-bell iu the distant woodland pas¬ 
ture. Then, she is a pastural kind of a body 
and is tryin’ her best to make our pastor feel 
tbe need of her resistance iu his church 
duties. 
I knowed Ichabod alius voted on the whis¬ 
key side town-meetin’ time and did not know 
he had any conscious scruples iu regard to 
“travlin’ ” for Ketchum, Fleeeeum & Co. I 
know liquor dealers make money, and money 
and what it will buy is what makes me happy. 
Ichabod can get all the liquor he can drink 
free when he is “travlin’ ” I shall have time 
to call on all my acquaintances, and pat more 
money and more style on my poor, frail body, 
which is worn out farmin’. Folks out here 
in Bush Hill will hardly know me wheu I 
happen out, looking so fine. I have not 
boarded Boating folks all this Summer with¬ 
out teamin’ a little style. I am goin’ to put 
it into practice when I get to Westwood 
(f.e.) if Ichabod and the mules wiil go. 
Magnolia balm and lily-white do wonders 
things now a-days. When Ichabod came to 
supper I was as “white as a ghost.” He 
looked consarned and queer and feiuder all 
upset, but he did manage to eat with a good 
appetite. After he had finished his last 
mouthful he said: “Delila, what is the mat¬ 
er!” With a quivverin lip I told him that 
“the work on this farm is billin’ me I am 
pinin’ for society and rest.” He snapped out 
“you can’t mix em—soc iety knows no rest”— 
and took his hat and went out to pet the 
males. I have kept applyin’ the balm and 
Ichabod has finally decided to rent the farm 
“on account of the fa'in’ health of his wife.” 
All my friends have been in with offers of 
consolation—patent medicine and herbs. They 
advice me not to leave the farm. But I am 
firm on the liquor question and mean to shine 
in Westwood society. Ketchum and Fleeeeum 
said Ichabod and the mules should have a 
route. So good bye farmin’. I hope Ichabod 
and the mules can get into the “firm” sure. 
MRS. ICHABOD SNOOKS. 
Domestic Ccottomi^ 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE. 
TOILET MAT. 
Fig 507 (page 820) shows a pretty design for 
mat for a toilet-table. Tbe foundation is of 
coarse white canvas linen, 18 inches long by 13 
wide. An insertion of drawn work, Fig. 508, 
extends through the middle. This consists of 
three open spaces from which the lengthwise 
thread, are drawn out, the middle space twice 
as wide as the outer. The close 
spaces and the loose threads between, 
are worked with white linen threads. 
Two more threads are then pulled out at 
either edge of the drawn stripes. The spaces 
on either side are filled in with the embroidered 
design shown at Figure 509. The outlining is 
done in stem-sticb, and filled in with open 
featber-stich. An insertion and edging of 
Smyrna lace finish the mat. The embroi¬ 
dery may be done In colors, or liue the mat 
with colored silk, outlining the embroidery 
with the same color, and filling in with any 
harmonizing shade. 
PITHS. 
Girls, have no concealments from mother. 
It is too much to expect politeness from 
your children when you fail t!) set them the 
example. 
When a wash-boiler begins to rust and is 
still too good to cast aside, make a good-sized 
bag of strong muslin or old bed-ticking, put 
the clothes to be boiled into it, aud so save 
them from rust. 
If you have a oed of parsley, take up some 
and put into a box or largo pot and stand in a 
sunny, kitchen window. 
It is a shame for a mother to allow her 
child to become bow-limbed—keep the heavy 
toddler off from his feet until the limbs can 
bear the weight of the body. 
Is your cellar clean and in ordei i Don’t let 
your husband store cabbage in it. 
A box holding a half bushel or more of dry, 
white sand will furnish almost endless amuse¬ 
ment for the little ones during stormy or cold 
days. Give them a corner of the kitchen 
with pleuty of spoons and pails. 
Blankets for baby cribs made of eider down 
clotb, are both light and warm. 
A FARMER’S DAUGHTER’S DOMESTIC 
REVERIES. 
OHAIllTY SWEETHEART. 
I have been so busy all Summer I haven’t 
had time to write iu my journal or to use my 
pen or pencil, except now and then to write 
down a new recipe, aud as father had rheu¬ 
matic fever all harvest time, I went out 
sometimes to fork up for the boys. Some of 
the girls jeered about It, aud this Fall, when 
I went to pick potatoes, so that father 
shouldn’t stoop his lame back, I heard that 
one of my so-oalled friends told some of tbe 
young men that I was “getting very coarse- 
looking working out in the fields.” But 
father bought me an extra new dress, for 
helping him, he said, and gave me some 
money, too, that I spent in books; and the 
very first time £ wore my new dress to church 
the minister took for his text, “Whatsoever 
thy hand findetb to do, do it with thy might,” 
and I thought it was all the same whether it 
was preaching a sermon or picking potatoes, 
and somehow it comforted me. I have been 
very busy since house cleaning began trying 
to paper some of the bed-rooms. They had 
always been white-washed all over, but it was 
such hard work, and made my hands so sore 
with the lime that I thought I would try to 
make the paper stick; so I took a little vine¬ 
gar aud water and saleratus aud washed the 
walls, aud put saleratus in the paste. It 
seemed to stick all right, and I wns very glad 
that I noticed tbe recipe that I saw in a 
paper a friend sent me from Iowa. 
Wheu father’s cold was very bad he found 
a great deal of comfort iu a drink I made for 
him, by baking four or five tart apples and 
putting them into a pitcher, after sticking a 
few cloves in them and putting in a little 
sugar. Tbeu I poured nearly a quart of boil¬ 
ing water over them and covered closely. Be¬ 
fore using it was strained and seemed pleasant 
to the parched mouth. The doctor praised my 
oatmeal gruel so much that I think I will 
give t he recipe, as he says so few people know 
how to make it properly. Mix two table¬ 
spoonfuls of fresh oatmeal with a pinch of 
salt, and as much water as will moke a smooth 
paste. 8orae people like milk for mixing, 
but it does not agree with every one. When 
quite fine, add a pint or more of hot water 
and pour off all but the coarse grains into a 
saucepan. Boil well for 20 minutes, stirring 
all the time. Sugar aDd spices can be added, 
if preferred, or it is very good plain, with 
justa trifle of butter added to it. Gelatine, 
dissolved and boiled in milk, with some favor¬ 
ite flavoring added, is very good for a cold, 
and father got to like it. People never value 
their dear ones till sickness comes; tbeD bow 
much we would give to have them well, even 
if they are a little cross sometimes. 
HOME MADE PRESENTS. 
The merry Christmas-tide will soon be here, 
and a few hints as to useful, yet pretty and 
inexpensive presents may not come amiss. 
An apron, to wear when doing any fancy 
work, I consider a necessity, as you can keep 
all your materials in it, and the work, too, if 
not too large; and if you wish to lay it aside, 
you have but to take it off, fold it up, and all 
is together, ready to take np when another 
spare moment conies. 
Mine are all made of pretty' calicoes, bound 
PisircUawcau,© 
“Practice makes 
perfect.” The manu¬ 
facturers of the Ivory- 
Soap have been mak¬ 
ing soap continuously 
since 1837, and the 
result of their long 
practical experience 
and intelligent exper¬ 
iments is the remark¬ 
able Ivory Soap, 
which chemists of na¬ 
tional reputation pro¬ 
nounce to be without 
a superior. 
/Yee of charge. A full size cake of Ivory Soap 
will be sent to any one who can not get it of their 
grocer, (f six two-ceut stamps, 10 pay postage, are 
sent to Procter & Gamble, Ckr'tnati. Please 
mention hi* paper, 
