tasks are done, is it any wonder that they are 
tired and do not. feel Ike going visiting in 
the evening? But their work ends not with 
the setting sun, but the evening must be 
spent iu patching, darning, knitting, sewing, 
etc., and often it is far into the night before 
these weary ones can feel justified in laying 
aside work and going to bed. 
When a man has everything uuder mort¬ 
gage (as is too often the case) and must earn 
and save every ceut in order to retain his 
home; why is it not his wife’s and family’s 
duty to do the same? in order to do this, all 
pleasures must, be set aside, excepting that 
which is derived from doing one’s duty. 
Much extra labor must be performed, much 
self-denial practiced, and many heart cravings 
quelled, which none can fully comprehend but 
those who have experienced similar trials. 
Notwithstanding, scieuce, and the advance¬ 
ment of meehauical arts, have done so much 
to lesseu household labor, we poor people must 
of necessity, trudge along in the old grooves, 
not because it will be cheaper in thi*end, but 
it costs less hard cash now. You may say 
what you will, of such labor impairing strength 
ruining health, being unwise, unjust to one’s 
self, and make a host of other objections; do 
you think the money-loaner or mortgagee 
cares anything about our health etc? Ah I 
not he, when our mortgage is due, it is too apt 
to be with him as with the highwayman; viz: 
“Your money or your life.” For haven’t we 
nearly worn ourselves out to earn mouey to 
pay him, and if we have failed, we must see 
everything taken from us; aud we must start 
again with nothing. If we women were not 
careful, and anxious about, many things, we 
could not live; much depends upon the farm¬ 
ers wife, in saving, aud in managing, so as to 
make the most of everything, as well as in 
training, and in instructing her children. 
Though we may crave time for intellectual 
improvement, we have no means to buy books 
or subscribe for papers, unless we deny our 
selves, not a luxury, but a really necessary 
article. I know of a man who needed a wheel¬ 
barrow, be was a poor farmer, it would save 
him time, and much heavy lugging, but he 
could not spare the money to got one; one day 
his son received a present of money from a 
friend; his first thought was, “Father shall 
now have a wheelbarrow." So he gave him 
the price of one, with the request that he 
should use it for that, purpose: his father took 
the money, but after some thought he proposed 
to his hoy to send the money for a year’s sub¬ 
scription to the Rural New-Yorker. and get 
along awhile yet without the barrow; this was 
four years ago, aud they still take the Rural 
but have no wheelbarrow. 
A lady friend of mine, daughter of a farm¬ 
er, conducted a Sabbath school held in a log 
sehoolbouse, when the only time she bad iu 
which to prepare her lesson, was while she 
was performing her domestic duties; she 
tacked her lesson book above her work-table, 
and thus studied. Both her parents were 
quite advanced in years, and her mother was 
a paralytic invalid: the daughter had the sole 
care of them; all the housework to do, the 
sewiug, aud in summer she did garden work, 
and took care of from five to ten cows; and 
on the Sabbath walked two miles to conduct 
the school. 
Fearing I have already occupied too much 
space in this valuable paper, I will only add 
(though 1 feel like writing a whole volume, to 
make our situation bettor understood) that we 
wives of poor fanners think we know the pos¬ 
sibilities of our cireumstanoes, and needs of 
our position, full as well, as those who earn 
their bread by the pen, or any other intellec¬ 
tual way, and are entirely unacquainted with 
our trials, aud perplexities. 
“THEMIS.” 
- ♦ - 
SOME WAYS AND THINGS AT THE 
RURAL GROUNDS. 
ALICE BROWN. 
A happy day is not certain to come to 
every one because set down in the calendar 
for festivities aud joyful merry-making. The 
red figures marking the dates of holidays 
do not always bring red letter days, if they 
did. many would want to make the whole 
year a holiday and all the figures red, and 
thus skip the hard lessons of toil, adversity 
and soirow in the big Primer of Life. 
But the Christmas just passed at the Rural 
Grounds was all that a holiday should be. 
Christinas Eve closed in dark and stormy, the 
rain at intervals dashing against the windows 
with the force of a spring thunder shower. 
Bat the storm did not affect the preparations 
going on in the parlor. After all the bundles, 
53 in number, were put into the mysterious 
room, Cerise and Travers came up stairs to 
listen to the “Legend of St. Nicholas” and a 
part of “The Boyhood of Christ” read to 
them from the December number of Harper’s 
Monthly, Bedtime came before the latter 
was finished, as there was much to explain to 
Travers about the beautifully written stories, 
and frequent pauses to make, while he ran 
into the ball at every unusual noise to listen 
for Santa Claus. 
Long lief ore daylight, Travers wakened and 
called out, “Merry Christmas!” but getting 
no reply, he fell asleep again. When at last 
morning came, it brought a day as cloudless 
aud beautiful as any that grizzled old winter 
has to give, and the day was greeted with 
shouts of Merry Christmas, upstairs and down, 
from young and old. 
As we finished breakfast, the neighbors who 
were to share our surprises came in, the young 
ladies who prepare the RrHAL’S seed distribu¬ 
tion every year, their mother, and their sis¬ 
ter-in-law, with her bright little girl of six, 
and one of the editors of the Ru aa l’k staff, 
who boards with them. 
They brought with them some pretty gifts 
of little lulk, and presented them as they 
came iu, sending one large bundle secretly to 
the parlor. 
Sauta Clans has a fashion of veiliug his se¬ 
crets so lightly sometimes, that Christmas 
morning only proves the truth of happy 
guesses, but the old Saint kept a profound 
sileuce this year over several of his bundles to 
come here, and they reached the parlor with¬ 
out even a glimpse of their outlines being seen 
by those for whom they were intended. 
The two editors took charge of the parlors 
and the rest waited expectantly in the dining 
room. The order was given that all should 
be blind-folded, and this done, each one was 
escorted to the parlor door, which opened 
hastily from within and closed as quickly 
after each one. Inside Unseen hands grasped 
the newcomers aud gave them places at one 
end of the parlor. When the handkerchiefs 
were removed from our eyes we saw-only 
a pile of bundles little and big, grotesque 
and symetrieal, at the opposite end of the 
parlor. Mr. Carman held a numbered list 
in his hand, with names attached, and as he 
called out the numbers Mrs. Carman took the 
corresponding bundle from the pile. 
Santa Claus had bestirred himself to find out 
exactly what each one most wanted, and then 
he fulfilled the wishes as nearly as he could. 
Travvie’s bundles contained a knife with two 
big blades, a box of water-color paints aud a 
“Game of Rambles” consisting of a large map 
of the U.8., with pictures iu each state show- 
its peculiarities, and with it a bookfull 
of pictures of noted places. Santa Claus 
must have kuowu that ho was once 
president of a Geographical Club, for 
he gave him too, a “geography ball” 
as Travvie calls a globe. A few other pres¬ 
ents, then last aud most wished for, a splendid 
box of tools, and with his presents all around 
him he sat on the floor among the discarded 
wrappings, speechlessly happy. Cerise smil¬ 
ing and satisfied could only express her 
pleasure by exclaiming, “Oh, I’m just as happy 
as I cun be,” and “ Why I didn't expect these 
tilings at all; you have all been too good to 
. me,” while she caressed a soft little heaver 
fur muff, looked with delight at a pair of gold 
bracelets, and a chain and charm for a little 
old-fashioned Watch given her last spring by 
her grandfather; at a pretty fancy basket 
holding two little scent bottles imbedded in 
swan’s down, aud best treasure of all, in her 
eyes, a beautiful big banjo. Mrs. Carman, iu 
lifting one of her packages, awoke a merry 
jingling and unrolled a string of sleigh-bells. 
Several largo bundles had appeared mysteri¬ 
ously between the hour when Mrs. Carman 
left the pallor Christinas eve aud the morning 
when she entered it again. Out of one of 
these fell a patch-work quilt, the work and 
gift of t bo lady aud her daughter from over the 
way. They knew Mrs, Carman hud no patch- 
work quilts and rightly guessed that she would 
value one, A little well-wrapped bundle from 
the Assistant Editor to Mrs. Cartuun was the 
center of our expectant gaze aud of great 
merriment when it was found to conceal a 
chestnut, bell. There w'ere several other pack¬ 
ages uuil a big chair for her, and then one not 
unlike Travers’s tool box m shape. Mrs. Car 
man’s life-long wish has been “a foolish one*' 
she often has said, with a pleasant little laugh, 
“ but a very sincere wish ” for a music-box, 
aud when her last gift proved to he the long 
coveted music-box, vve all shared her pleasure 
and complete surprise. 
Mr. Carumn received from the ladies in the 
Rural office a handsome and convenient 
writing tablet of alligator skin: from bis nsso 
date in editorial labors, he received a large 
box, containing a smaller box, with a package 
in it, holding a smaller package, with another 
package inside that, and iuside the latter 
package another, and a little package in that, 
and in the little package— a chestnut la-11, 
which w as needed at once for the repetition of 
itself as a gift? The children gave their father 
several little presents, and Travers gave to both 
his father aud mother a Christinas card, writ¬ 
ing for almost the first time with pen aud ink, 
his name on one side of each card, aud Merry 
Christmas. 188(5, on the other side. 
The little girl from over the wav took home 
a doll’s carriage, while her mother and grand¬ 
mother each carried a Grand Rapids sweeper, 
and her aunties some silver knives and forks. 
“ You see, I’m trying to get you ready for 
housekeeping,” Mrs. Carman said, as she 
gave the young ladies the silverware. The 
editor-guest gravely fastened a plush-framed 
mirror and whisk-broom case combined about 
bis ueek and held a painted coffee-cup iu one 
band and a saucer in the other, expressing in 
pantomime his great fear of losing them, 
much to the merriment of all. 
My own gifts were a beautiful calendar for 
1887 with quotations for the mornings and 
evenings of every day of the coming year; a 
book on water-color painting, a handkerchief 
and a bottle of perfume and an envelop© from 
Mrs. Carman—its content to give me a term 
of long-coveted drawing lessons. 
Maggie, the girl, too, shared in the rejoic¬ 
ing, fora pair of gold bracelets, a calico frock 
and a pair of mittens made her Christmas 
wishes come t rue. 
As these notes have to do with the Rural 
Grounds, I need scarcely refer to the several 
presents sent to the poorer families of t 
neighborhood. 
The housekeepers from the neighboring 
home said they had left the “men folk ” to 
keep house and watch the Christmas baking, 
and the housewives seemed a little doubtful of 
their success, so hurried home to relieve them, 
aud left us with only the associate editor for 
Christmas company. Travers was already 
using his new tools in the dining-room, and 
soon bad sawdust aud shavings all over the 
floor. In the parlor the confusion of papers 
on the floor was gathered up to the tinkliug 
of the music box, uu occasional stormy crash 
of sound from the sleigh bells, the clear notes 
of the new banjo and much talking aud laugh¬ 
ing. Though not a bit of candy or cake was 
given the children, they were thoroughly 
happy. 
For the dinner, two partridges and two 
prairie hens well roasted took the place of 
turkey; ice cream the place of pie, and cataw- 
ba grapes from cold storage cellars, the place 
of pudding, aud no one was tempted bo dull 
his brain and lay up a store of illtemper for 
the day after Christmas by over-eating. 
The music box was placed on a stand iu the 
dining-room and wound up wheu dinner be¬ 
gan. “It has been the dream of my life to 
bear that soft tinkle in my house,” Mrs. Car¬ 
man said with a happy smile of satisfaction 
as the music chauged from oue tune to an¬ 
other, , 
Travers began his work of re-carpeting the 
dining-room after dinner, and iu the parlor 
au attempt to sing was given up to listen to 
the reading of a beautiful Christmas story, 
made doubly interesting because read by the 
author, the junior editor. After one hour 
of such quiet occupation, the children begged 
that all would come out on the ice with them. 
The lake is well frozen over and enough snow 
still lingers after the rain for coasting. A 
track from the back door to the lake is steep 
enough to give an impetus that carries a sled 
clear across the lake to the opposite bank. 
Down this little hill went Mr. aud Mrs, Car¬ 
man, as well as all the rest, on the sleds, aud 
then all skated. Last Winter’s Christinas 
brought Cerise and Travers each a pair of 
club skates and both are enthusiastic skaters. 
Gliding ovor the ice hand in hand or separ¬ 
ately they are a pretty picture of healthful 
pleasure. One of the sleds breaking on its 
way down the hill gave Travers the delight of 
using his new tools iu repairing it. 
Coasting and skating until supper time 
gave us all good appetite for that meal. 
The girl having gone ho.ne for the afternoon 
of the holiday, suppi r wus a simple meal of 
cold meat, bread and butter, fruit and mupli 
sirup. 
Most unfortunately, Mr. Carman's relentless 
foe, facial neuralgia, attacked him early iu 
the evening, and a very severe attack made 
the only unhappiness of a very happy Christ¬ 
mas Day. 
After supper four friends from River Edge 
came in and spent the evening, the new banjo 
under Cerise’s fingers joined in a trio, with 
two others played by Mr. and Mrs. Carman, 
but the tail piece of the new banjo breaking, 
all three were banished for the evening, and 
the piano opened. 
A series of recitations, funny and serious, 
were giveu by the elocutionist of the party 
and to a piano accompaniment played by Mrs. 
Carman Mr. Carman, in spite of his neural 
gia, gave his very funny performance with 
the “bones.” Simple refreshments were served 
m the dining-room including ice cream, cake, 
and grapes, and after a little more music and 
friendly chat the friends all said good night 
and the day was done. 
Every day that passes leaves its imprint on 
our lives, some only a faint, shadowy impress, 
others intense lines, but a bappy holiday seems 
a shining mark that sends a glow over the 
days and weeks that follow, aud in after years 
is a pleasant remembrance. 
While no one can be sure of a happy holi¬ 
day iu a world of uncertainties and disap¬ 
pointments, an effort to make them interest¬ 
ing and enjoyable will make many of them 
delightful. Let the mothers and fathers play 
with the children when the holidays come; it 
is a blessed thing to keep through life the 
power to enjoy the simple plays of childhood, 
and joining the children in their games will 
do more to make a loving bond between pa¬ 
rents and children than hours of toil in the 
kitchen making the pies, cakes aud jollies they 
love to ea t, or working early and late holidays 
and all to save a few more dollars for their in¬ 
heritance. Children like the dainties their 
mothers make, and appreciate the dollars the 
father saves, but a share of their time and 
company would be prized when given, and re¬ 
membered through life as among the best 
things given them by their parents, 
GOLDEN GRAINS. 
In that He Himself hath suffered, being 
tempted, He is able to succor them that are 
tempted... 
WnAT is the good of preaching and 
teaching unless you use a language that can 
b p understood and unless you catch the ear of 
the peojile. 
Let us lie true; this is the highest maxim of 
art and life, the secret of eloquence and of vir¬ 
tue, aud of all moral authority. 
A new chance, a new leaf, a new life—this 
is the golden, unspeakable gift which each 
new day offers you. . 
There is no more serious business in life 
than speaking. From the half-hearted speaker 
may we be delivered. Earnestness—let us 
have earnestness or nothing.. 
Nothing small! 
No lily-muffed mum of a summer bee, 
But finds some coupling with the shining stares 
No pebble at your feet but proves a sphere; 
No chaffinch, but implies the cherubim, 
Earth’s crammed with heaven. 
And every common bush nflro with Hod . 
Culture, art and science cannot solve the 
mysteries of spiritual life: but to him who has 
seen the Lord, all is plain. He sees Him in 
song and sacrament, in labor and sacrifice, in 
pain and pleasure; indeed you must extract 
bis very consciousness from him before you 
eau rob him of this experience... . 
Let the law cease to appeal to us by taxing 
us for the support of pauperism aud crime 
caused by the selling of intoxicating drinks, 
and we will cease to appeal to the law. 
Domestic (Sfottoimj 
CONDUCTED BY MRS. AGNES E. M. CARMAN. 
KITCHEN TALKS. 
ANNIE L. JACK. 
A friend who had been absent some years 
came into my kitchen the other day soon after 
her return. 
“ Well,”she said, cheerily, “have you got 
the model kitchen iu perfection yet ?” 
“No, not quite," l answered meditatively. 
“There always seems something to add. 
When l was first mistress of this kitchen, we 
could not use it iu the coldest weather—now 
it is clap-boarded inside aud out, there is a 
range with back water-boiler* a pump aud 
sink, a pautry addition, and many other con¬ 
veniences. Last, but not least, our little 
plant-house has an open door into the kitchen, 
aud we can enjoy the vines aud dowel's every 
winter day. It is very pleasaut when the 
snow is whirling about, to have this to refresh 
one's eyes. 1 have a meat-cutter, a raisiu- 
stoner, an apple-peeler aud eorcr, an egg- 
beater and can-opener to save labor, besides 
many other lesser appliances, but 1 am not 
quite satisfied.” 
“ Aud, pray, whut is your ambition now i ” 
asked my questioner. 
“ Well,” 1 answered, “ it is a good thing 
wheu people are not loo contented because it 
makes them very careless as well, not only of 
themselves but of others. If 1 hn 1 no ambi¬ 
tion to have my kitchen comfortable and 
labor-saving it is the Amateur Cook who 
would suffer more than I, who could take my 
easy chair into the sitting-room, aud I do 
think tbut to have a homey kitchen is the 
best part of a home. Let it be a place where 
the boys and girls will love to congregate 
sometimes, with full appreciation of its sav¬ 
ory smells, and cheery fires. But I will tell 
you what I feel lacking iu my kiteheu. First 
of all, I need a clock so that the cook will not 
have to walk through the passage and into the 
next room to see the time for her dainties to 
cook. A clock is very cheerful m this part of 
a house. Then I want the very best*dish-pan 
and drainer that can be had, Mine leaks 
