Large quantities of hickory nuts are sold. On 
the streets, they are cracked in little machines 
and sold in paper bagB. The butternut 
would make a fine market nut if it could be 
more extensively grown. It is easily cracked 
and has a good proportion of meat of a char¬ 
acteristic and agreeable flavor. 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
V. H. Hallock, Son & Thorpe.— Queens, 
N. Y. “Home Adornment” is an illustrated 
catalogue of what is needed to adorn the home 
grounds, and it is well filled with practical 
information. We take great pleasure in com¬ 
mending this enterprising, trustworthy firm 
to ourreaders. Mr. Thorpe is a skilled and 
successful hybridist and hia new chrysanthe¬ 
mums and pelargoniums are among the finest 
in cultivation. The catalogue gives full lists 
of these, together with plain instructions how 
to treat them. Roses of all kinds, begonias, 
fuscbias, clematis, bulbs of all kinds, the new 
cannas aDd gladioli, etc., as well as flower and 
vegetable seeds, hardy shrubs and climbers, 
and, finally, small fruits make up the rest of 
the excellent catalogue. We hope our readers 
will send for it and read it. 
HO FOR CALIFORNIA 1 
Every one of our readers who can afford 
the trip, should not fail to avail himself of 
the opportunity offered to visit California and 
the Pacific Slope by the excursions to be run 
over the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy R. 
R. One leaves Chicago and Peoria on Decem¬ 
ber 14, to Kansas City, over the C. B. & Q. 
R. R., and thence over connecting lines 
through Kansas, Colorado. New Mexico and 
Arizona. Another starts from the same places 
on December 15, to Kansas City, over the C. 
B. & Q., and thence through the Indian Ter¬ 
ritory, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, to 
California. And another leaves December 
17th, from Chicago and Peoria, over the C, B. 
& Q , to Council Bluffs, and thence through 
Nebraska, Utah, etc-., to San Francisco direct. 
The tickets cost only $118.15, from Chicago, 
for the round trip, aud are good for six months. 
We know the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 
will see that passengers are taken good care 
of, and only wish we could go. 
toi iUomnv 
CONDUCTED BY MISC RAY CLARK. 
SEED TIME AND HARVEST. 
JOHN G. WHITTIER. 
As o’er his furrowed fields which lie 
Beneath a coldly-dropping sky, 
Yet chill with winter's melted snow. 
The husband man goes forth to sow; 
Thus, Freedom, on the bitter blast 
The venture’s of tby seed we cast, 
And trust to warmer sun and rain, 
To swell tire germ, and fill the grain. 
Who calls thy glorious service hard? 
Who deems It not ItB own reward? 
W bo, for Its trials, counts It less 
A cause of praise and thankfulness? 
It may not be our lot to wield 
The sickle In the ripened field; 
Nor ours to heal-, on summer eves. 
The reaper's song among the sheaves. 
Yet when our duty’s task Is wrought 
In unison with God's great thought. 
The near and future blend la one. 
And whatsoe’er Is willed Is done! 
And ours the grateful service whence 
Comes, day by day. the recompense; 
The hope, the trust, the purpose stayed, 
The fountain and the noonday shade. 
And were this life the utmost span. 
The only end aud aim of man, 
Better the toll of fields like these 
Than w'aklng dream and slothful ease. 
But life, though falling like our grain, 
Like that, revives aud springs again; 
And. early called, how blest are they 
Who wall In heaven their harvest day! 
A WOMAN’S TRIP TO LONG’S PEAK. 
F. J. WHITTAKER. 
On a lovely morning in early August, a 
merry party of four Colorado school ma’ams 
started with their faces toward the mountains. 
Just four unprotected females with no “escort” 
save a large dog belonging to one of the party ! 
These audacious four had decided upon Estes 
Park, about 00 miles distant, as an objective 
point. A Summer of unusual heat on the 
plains rendered the prospective coolness of the 
mountains the more attractive; and besides 
this, all in the party had read Mrs, Bishop's 
“Life in the Rocky Mountains,” and Ebtes 
Park seemed especially endo wed with romance. 
They started with a two seated, covered, 
spring-wagon well packed with provisions and 
bedding, the design being to “camp out” dur¬ 
ing the trip up and the return. 
The first night out only one of the party 
slept well, though all agreed that it was the 
strangeness of sleepiug upon the ground under 
“the silent stars” and not any nervous timidity 
which caused their wakefulness. Jlow could 
THf RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
there be anything to fear when there was a 
good watch dog, and one of the gallant dam¬ 
sels had a revolver at her side! All slept very 
well, however, the other two uights passed 
on Nature’s couch. 
Estes Park was reached on the afternoon of 
the second day from home, and after camping 
in the Park that night, they went on the next 
day to Willow Park, a small annex to Estes 
Park. Here they engaged board at one of 
the pleasant and commodious “ranches," of 
which there are several in the Park. 
Estes Park lies at the foot of Long’s Peak, 
and this majestic mountain rears its regal 
head far above those surrounding it. Every 
morning when they gazed on it, it seemed to 
draw them toward it, urging them to ascend. 
The altitude of the Park seemed almost insig¬ 
nificant while such a hight still towered 
above. The top of the Peak must be nearer 
Heaven than the level of the Park. They 
could not rest while stirred by these reflections, 
and one afternoon at about four o’clock, two 
of the party, joined by four others with a 
guide, started on horseback up the “trail” 
leading to Long’s Peak, They carried all the 
bedding and provisions for the trip in huge 
packs on the horses’ backs, strapped firmly to 
the saddles, and their appearance as they 
galloped along the beginning of the trial was 
picturesque in the extreme. They rode in 
single file, aud after progressing a couple of 
miles, the trail became steeper, so much so, 
that twice where the ascent wa3 very difficult 
they alighted and led the horses for a short 
distance. The path wouud arouud the sides 
of the mountains which were so thickly 
wooded that it seemed to be deep twilight be¬ 
fore yet the sun had set. 
At last, just before dark, they came to a 
great gorge filled with snow. This was ou 
the verge of “timber line,” 11,000 feet above 
the level of the sea. Here they stopped, and 
the guide hastened to light a fire and put 
up a small tent, which he intended to leave 
for future tourists. After this was accom¬ 
plished, they ate their supper and gathered 
around the brightly burning logs. 
There was something impressive iu the 
thought of the great altitude, and the sight of 
the gigantic trees which towered above, and 
through which the wind swept with a sad, 
musical sound. Clouds had been gathering, 
and overhead in the gaps between the foliage 
of the trees could be seen at intervals a soli¬ 
tary star. There was something almost weird 
in the spectacle they presented as they sat iu 
the midst of this majestic solitude with their 
figures illuminated by the blaze of the camp¬ 
fire, which, outside of the charmed circle, 
seemed only “to make the darkness visible ’’ 
At length it began to raiD, and, mindful of, 
the morning’s early start, they “turnedin” for 
the night. The three ladies occupied the 
small tent, while the gentlemen protected 
themselves outside with a large sheet of can¬ 
vas made of the ladies’rubber circulars which 
were loaned them for the purpose. In this 
way all kept dry and slept soundly. 
In the morning the inmatesof the tent were 
awakened by singing from masculine voices, 
and hastily adjusting their toilets they sallied 
out. The rain had ceased, but it was still 
cloudy witn some fog. The sun had not risen, 
and the camp fire waB the only light given. 
Every one went through the form of eating 
breakfast, but it was too early and the sur¬ 
roundings were too cheerless to make this pro¬ 
ceeding much more than a farce. After the 
meal had been finished, the guide put up a 
certaiu amount of provisions in a stout linen 
bag for the prospective lunch at noon upon 
the Peak. This was put into as small a com¬ 
pass as possible, as oftentimes in climbing it 
would have to be thrown upwards from one 
person to another. 
At length the horses were ready, and in a 
moment the party emerged from the forest 
and were in open space, though that space 
seemed tilted at an uncomfortable angle for 
climbing. The saddles were put well forward, 
and the cinches tightened, and all proceeded. 
Glad was the chronicler of this narrative that 
she was somewhat experienced in horseback 
riding, for the perversity of a novice’s saddle 
in slipping and turning is something astound¬ 
ing. 
(To be continued.) 
FOR THE SPARE MINUTES. 
“run all around,” as the children said. For 
a little fancy article to present to a friend, or 
to prepare for a fair, it is easily made and 
very attractive. 
After a little rest from the labors of holiday 
time, no doubt our girls will pick up their 
fancy work again with new vigor. As an 
accomplishment and recreation this kind of 
work is very pleasant and desirable, but 
where it is made the business of life, it is apt 
to leave the mind vacant and to cause the 
more serious work of life to be neglected, 
A good, practical, easy work for odd min¬ 
utes with me has been knitting of various 
sorts. As I learned to knit at five years old, 
and practiced it more or less for 45 years, it 
is certainly a light task aud one which I have 
found very restful. It is easier to think with 
knitting work in hand, and I have read rnaDy 
volumes through while busy with the needles, 
Whately says that "the mind acts with 
greater lacility when one is employed with 
something whieh calls for a little, and but a 
little, attention.” 1 think we have all found 
this true, that some specific forms of work 
are associated with our most pleasant and 
profitable thoughts. 
A minister told me that he could always do 
his best sermon-making when busy iu his gar¬ 
den in the dewy morning. House plants, 
though requiring so much care, are a solace 
aud delight to many a weary woman. Let 
each one consult her own taste as far as in 
her lies, and choose the recreation that suits 
her best without reference to the prevailing 
craze. If it is as unfashionable as knitting 
woolen mittens for cold, little fingers, no 
matter, if she likes it. It will be easy enough 
to find some one who will also like the results 
of her labors. olive. 
BEAUTIFUL OLD AGE. 
We often bear people speak of “a kind old 
lady," a “sweet old lady,” but when one says, 
“what a dear good woman she is!" we know 
they have reached the climax of their descrip¬ 
tive powers in reference to one who is living a 
beautiful old age. 
I have in my mind just such a character— 
not an imaginary one, but a real personage. 
.She has a kiss and a smile for the child, sym¬ 
pathy for the sad, and cheery words for the 
weary. But when I review her life, aud 
think of the real trouble she has passed 
through, I almost wonder that she is not a 
cynic. But the crucible of experience, which 
wool4 have had such an effect on some 
natures, has been the means of subduiug her 
to a very lovely disposition. A few days ago, 
she went to visit friends in New England, and 
I have just read a letter from her in which 
she describes the journey, aud tells of a delay 
of five hours in the New York Central depot. 
Her train was only five minutes late, and I 
can almost hear her pleasant voice as she said 
to the agent of the New England road, over 
which sbe was to pass; “Why, what a pity 
you could not have held that train five 
minutes longer, for I have come all the way 
from Onio just to make it!” And she adds, 
“Theagent, 1 suppose out of sympathy for my 
gray hairs, seemed very sorry indeed, and did 
everything he could for my comfort.” But we 
c&nimagmehow different would have been the 
treatment if he had been assailed by some 
peevish and exacting old person on account of 
unnecessary delay. Our dear friend writes 
back a pleasing picture of her waiting, and 
tells how she pities people who have plenty of 
time and money on their hauds. Then she 
gets in a sarcastic paragraph about how 
thankful she is that she is not a man, for 
five hours’ waiting in a New York depot 
would certainly bring the temptation to go out 
aud get a drink. Then she dashes off an elo¬ 
quent paragraph on the Hudson River scen¬ 
ery—how glad she is that sbe is permitted to 
travel and see a portion of the beauties of 
America. It was an eight page letter, and 
her lingers must have trembled aud her eyes 
grown weary ere she finished it, aud yet she 
did this for the sake of cbeeriug a lonely friend 
whom she had left behind. This reveals the 
the beauty of her character, as it would that 
of any one who lives a beautiful life. It is 
thoughtfulness for others that one mu3t have 
while growing old if she would be one of 
those “dear, good old women,” 
EMMA C, STOUT. 
I should like to thank the lady who, some 
time since, gave the description uf the pin- 
cushiOD made iu the shape of bags of “Malt 
which lay in the house that Jack built.” My 
daughter made one for a children’s fair here, 
and it attracted a great deal of attention and 
admiration from the moment it was set on 
the table. A little boy bought it for bis 
mother's CbristmaB present. 
Instead of “gluing” the bags on to the 
placque, she drilled little holes in the latter 
and made one strong stitch in the bottom of 
each bag fast to the plate, which kept them 
much firmer. Thu toy mouse was allowed to 
Domestic Ceonom^ 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE. 
WORK FOR WINTER EVENINGS. 
PALMETTO. 
The season is approaching when we all 
like to give generously; but our generous 
impulses are often hampered by our slender 
purses. Those who find themselves so situated 
may derive consolation from the thought that 
homemade gifts wrought, as they are, with 
DE6 40 
love and patience, are the most appreciated 
by true friends. 
For an invalid, a pillow of pine needles, 
whose soothing fragrance is so welcome to a 
weary and aching head, will be an appropriate 
gift. The covering should be of “pongee,” 
with the legend, “Give me of tby balm, O fir 
tree!" embroidered on it in silk of a contrast¬ 
ing color. 
A stand or small table-cover is always ap¬ 
propriate. Buy a piece of momie cloth (which 
is inexpensive), of the desired size. To avoid 
the expense of stamping, trace on it Kate 
Greeua way designs or antique figures or vases. 
Work these with silks in the etching stitch. 
For the benefit of the uuinitiated, let me say 
that this stitch is merely an over lapping 
back-stitch. 
A really beautiful set of pillow shams can 
be made from the tiniest bits of silks or rib¬ 
bons and squares of antique lace. These can 
often be purchased for three or four cents 
apiece, especially if you take odd patterns, 
which do not spoil the effect. Take some 
pieces of old muslin, starch them stiffly (this 
will save buying a yard or more of crinoline), 
and cut as many squares of the same size as 
the lace, as will be necessary to make a pair 
of shams. On the muslin squares baste bits of 
bright aiik. of any size and shape, aud fasten 
them with fancy stitches, using different color¬ 
ed embroidery silk. There is great scope here for 
the taste of the maker. Join the lace and silk 
squares, line with pale blue or pink silesia 
and finish with a lace edge. Waste can be had 
at ribbon mills for 10 cents a pound, and 
will consist of bits of ribbon two or three 
inches in length, of beautiful shades and 
quality. A pound will be more than suffi¬ 
cient. With proper care they will last for 
years without washing; but If the squares 
are joined by band, they can be easily ripped 
and the lace washed. 
Where one has an artist’s skill, it is easy to 
devise Christmas gifts for any number of 
friends. These suggestions are intended for 
such as lack that graceful gift as well as 
money. You can make a pretty portfolio as 
follows:—Take a piece of pastebourd—the 
cover of an old box will do—15x10)4 inches. 
Line it with pale blue silesia. Cover a piece 
of paste board, 6x10)4 inches, with silesia, 
and fasten it in for a pocket on the inner side; 
make a smaller one, 8x10)4 inches, for the 
opposite side. This should be fastened to the 
cover down the middle to form compartments 
for envelopes. The outside may be a piece of 
black satin, embroidered in some pretty de¬ 
sign, or plain gray canvas or moiuie cloth. 
The latter may also he very effectually em¬ 
broidered. Get a narrow strip of red or <§cru 
leather at aDy “finding” store, and stitch it on 
$ttjsccUancou$( Igidvfrtteing, 
The effect of hot 
water upon clothing 
is, the heat not only 
melts or dissolves the 
oiliness arising from 
contact with the skin, 
but it expands the 
fibers, and thus loos¬ 
ens and expels the 
dirt. Then all that 
is necessary is to use 
a well-made and ef¬ 
fective soap like the 
“Ivory,” and the 
most satisfactory re¬ 
sults will follow. 
Free of charge. A full size cake of Ivory Soap 
will be sent to any one who can not get it of their 
grocer, If six two-cent stamps, lo pay postage, are 
sent to Procter A Gamble, Cqs'^ iuati. l’loase 
uaoutlo* "bit paper. 
