JAN 29 
THE RURAL NEYV-YOBKER. 
them to tell you of it. They deal only with 
defects. 
A writer says that frank people are interest¬ 
ing in certain aspects. It is true that in some 
moods, and especially if we ourselves are not 
the subject of criticism, aggressive frankness 
is sometimes amusing, hut if directed at one’s 
self, 1 kuow of nothing more depressing. It is 
like the continual dropping of water that 
* weal's away a stone, aud it will in time wear 
out the happiest disposition. 
If this ‘’frauk friend” takes the form of a 
husband, then indeed a woman’s life becomes 
a burden to her. If she talks, she talks too 
much, or too loud, or foolishly. There are 
few of us who do not sometimes in conversa¬ 
tion say t he things they wish they had left un¬ 
said. You go away huggiug to yourself the 
delusion that perhaps your very inapropos re¬ 
mark was unnoticed, unless—your thruthful 
and honest husband happened to be within 
earshot—when you are not allowed to forget 
your idiocy for the next fortnight. If the 
table-lin n is spotless you are never compli¬ 
mented, but let there be a triflingstain, and he 
assures you that it is impossible to ea t at such 
a “filthy” table. If your servant is ill or ab¬ 
sent, or the children fretful, so that you have 
not had time to give the usual attention to 
your dress aud hair, you are “frowzy” and 
look like a slattern. 
Of course honesty is a very desirable attri¬ 
bute, but there is such a thing as making it 
offensively conspicuous. One may not like 
flattery, and still not care to have a s 'hedule 
of one’s imperfections forever dinned into 
one’s eai’s. This frankness is not a love of 
truth—that would command respect even if 
exaggerated aud indulged in at our expense— 
it is a sincere desire to be disagreeable and 
make everyone as uncomfortable as 
possible. If such persons could know how 
thoroughly they succeed in accomplishing 
the first part of their desire, their highest 
aspirations would be satisfied. 
MRS. TIMOTHY HAYSEED. 
WHAT SHALL THE CHILDREN READ ? 
n. 
Have your little ones passed the “just be¬ 
ginning” stage ? There is such a wide field to 
select from, that one scarcely knows what to 
choose. Bui be sure to keep up the magazine. 
If our “Little Men aud Women ' seems to lie too 
juvenile for your children now, substitute the 
“ Pans}' ” at the same price £1 per year. It 
will need no other recommendation than the 
fact thin “ Pansy” (Mrs. G. R, Allen I herself 
is the editor aud always has a serial in it. 
For boys and girls from nine to twelve years 
of age no Christmas gift can be more accepta¬ 
ble tbau a year’s subscription to this useful 
entertaining and instructive periodical. 
Every number will lie eagerly watched for 
and joyfully welcomed. Teach the children 
to be careful in useing the magazine, to pre¬ 
serve the numbers and when neatly bound (at 
home, it maybe) it will prove a valuable ad¬ 
dition to their library. 
Be sure to provide some works upon natural 
history. There is nothing so attractive to an 
active boy or girl as knowledge of the various 
objects about them. There is an admirable 
“Natural History for Young People” by Mrs. 
C. C. Campbell. “ Hunter Cats of Connorloa” 
by Mrs. Helen Hunt Jackson is delightful 
reading for old as w'ell as young. “Marvels 
of Animal Life” by C. F. Holder, will furn¬ 
ish a fund of substantial information to boys 
aud girls of an. “inquiring turn of mind.” 
“Half Hours in Field ami Forest,” by Rev. J, 
(9. Wood will be a favorite with young read¬ 
ers; also Ernest Ingersoll’s “Country Cous¬ 
ins.” 
Do you wish them to become familiar with 
other countries ? What fascinating books of 
travel are offered for their perusal ' The 
“ Zig-zag Journeys” in various countries by 
H. Bulterworth. the “Boclley” series by Hor¬ 
ace Sco lder; Mayaut Sidney’s charming books 
“How they went to Europe” and the “Golden 
West;” The various trips 'of the “Vassar 
Girls” by Mrs. Champney full of interesting 
facts, Col.. Knox’s “Boy Travelers,” who 
travel the length and breadth of many coun¬ 
tries, and “ Family Flights,” by Rev. E. E. 
Hale and Miss Susan Hale. “Safe” aud in¬ 
structive “ friends” are all these books. 
Young people always like history when told 
in the form of a story. “Children’s stories in 
American History” is a most tempting book, 
by Henrietta C. Wright. Sketches of the 
Mound Builders, of Columbus, De Soto, Poca¬ 
hontas, Cortez and Pizarro, facts previous to 
the Bunker Hill time, are clearly and grace¬ 
fully told. “A Thousand Years Ago,” is u 
Roman story for boys; teeming with instruc¬ 
tion, “Indian History for Young People” 
will find favor with those interested in the 
red men. Miss Youge’s fascinating and ul- 
ways instructive histories are well known. 
“Historic Boys,” by E. S. Brooks, is a cleverly 
Written account of the doings of poled men, 
Have you a bright, restless boy, w'ho needs 
something to keep him out of mischief on 
winter evenings aud rainy Saturdays? You 
can find no better companion than Beard’s 
“American Boy’s Handy Book,” telling him 
what to do aud how to do scores of things, 
which will develop both body and brain. 
“Sports and Pastimes of American Boys,” by 
Henry Chadwick, is a first, rate guide aud text¬ 
book of games of the playground and parlor. 
And of fiction, what shall we say? Let 
them have some, of course, for many of the 
most lasting impressions they receive will be 
obtained from their “story bocks.” The char¬ 
acters portrayed will be to them real, the les¬ 
sons taught will never lie forgotten. But how 
shall we eboose? Among numbers so prodigal, 
bindings so luxurious aud contents so fascin¬ 
ating. it is difficult to select. Those of us who 
took delight iu the “Rollo Books,” the “Jones 
Books” aud the “Lacy Books” in our child¬ 
hood, may be glad to know that a uew edi¬ 
tion has recently been published, aud may 
live again iu these stories by procuring them 
for our children. 
Miss Aleott’s books never fail to please. 
Her “Spinning-wheel Stories” and “ Lulu’s 
Library” are charming stories for t hose not 
yet in their teens. Susau Coohdge is another 
favorite; “What Katy Did” and others of 
that series are enthusiastically praised by 
young people. Margaret Sidney, too, has a 
host of youthful admirers. Her “Five Little 
Peppers,” “Who Told it to Me” aud “What 
the Seven Did” are admirable works. The 
“Charming Pansy” in her inimitable way, 
teaches lessons of truth aud goodness in 
“Christie’s Christmas,” “A Hedge Fence,” 
“Side by Side,” “The Man of the House” and 
“Sidney Martin’s Christmas.” 
The mothers who remember Miss Warner’s 
delightful Christinas hook which formed a 
part of their little library, “Karl Krinketi and 
his Christmas Stocking,” will fiud most valu¬ 
able books for their children by the same auth¬ 
or. “The Say and Do Series,” illustrating the 
Lord’s Prayer,“A Story of Small Beginnings,” 
and “Stories of Vinegar Hill.” A deeply re¬ 
ligious tone pervades all Miss Warner’s stories 
and the influence cannot be other than elevat¬ 
ing. A popular Euglish writer, L. T. Meade, 
has written some remarkably interesting ju¬ 
veniles, “Scamp and I,” “A Band of Three,” 
“The Augel of Love" aud “A World of Girls.” 
Helen Hunt. Jackson’s “Cat Stories” and 
“Nelly’s Silver Mine” are bright and profitable 
books. Chief among the story tellers is the 
late Mrs. J. H. Ewing. Her characters are 
most natural: her works are full of the most 
delightful fuu. "She does not preach but her 
stories are better than Sermons.” Children 
are always delighted with her stories but pa¬ 
rents read thorn quite as eagerly. Her “Story 
of a Short Life” is a most exquisite, dainty 
aud pathetic narrati ve aud one who could read 
it without tears must be hard-hearted indeed. 
This with “Jackanapes”, “Daddy Darius’ Dove¬ 
cot,” is published in one volume for $1, or they 
are published separately at 35 cents each. 
“Melchior’s Dream Lob,” Lie by the Fire,” 
“Jan of the Windmill,” “From Six to Sixteen” 
“Mi's. Overt he-way’s Remembrance,” “A 
Great Emergency,” “We and the World,” are 
all from her pen. The latest “Mary’s Meadow,” 
has been published siuee her death and is a 
deeply interesting little story No child—nor 
elder person either—can read ouo of these 
books without obtaining good from it: their 
influence is refining and ennobling. Iu look¬ 
ing over a catalogue of the “Seaside Library” 
I fiud some of her stories have been printed in 
that form, and those who cannot afford 
other editions should, by all means, avuil 
themselves of The cheaper form. 
“Heidi,” “a story for children and those 
who love children,” from the German, by 
Louise Brooks, is another wonderfully fascin¬ 
ating book; no one can read it without being 
charmed with the uuselfishness of Heidi aud 
delighted with the view of foreign life pr<~ 
sented. 
Of the delightful works of fiction we can 
only say “their name is legion”—aud while 
we assure you that those selected are safe 
ones, we feel at the same time that no mother 
need hesitate to let her boys and girls read, 
re-read and discuss them, until they have be¬ 
come familiar as household words.” They 
will become a good introduction to the more 
mature publications of their later years. 
IlHODA LANDER. 
CHARACTER BUILDING. 
SELMA CLARE. 
This is an everyday process iu which wo all 
must take a part. While we are building our 
own characters, it is a serious thought that we 
are also helping to mold the character* of 
those who look op to us for guidance. Parents 
are in a great measure responsible for the 
characters of their children; masters and mis¬ 
tresses for those of their servants. If your 
child shows a disposition to prevaricate or lie, 
examine your own conduct rigidly and see 
whether you have not at some time—by one 
of the “white lies” which so many people tell 
who esteem themselves, aud whom the world 
tion of the table. The legs are shown at full 
length, to show the position, but the cheese 
box-lid is hidden by the cover. There is also 
a sketch of the lid up-side down, showing the 
esteems good—given him the excuse of your 
example. 
At the same time we would caution the 
young not. to let the wrong-doing of their 
elders influence or serve as au excuse for their 
own departure from the paths of rectitude. 
Each man is really to a great extent the archi¬ 
tect and builder of his character, as well as of 
his fortune. Circumstances do not of neces¬ 
sity make the man. The greatest men have 
become so in spite of circumstances. It is 
both false aud cowardly to shift what you do 
or do not do upon that scape-goat called cir¬ 
cumstance. Shakespeare says: “Assume a 
virtue if you have it not,” but this you cannot 
do successfully for any leugth of time. Your 
conduct is the signboard of your character. 
As you think, speak, and act, so you are, and 
so you will be judged. 
Characters can also be torn down and dam¬ 
aged as well as built up and repaired. Look 
to it closely that no slighting or insinuating 
word of yours shall do aught to hurt the cha¬ 
racter of another. If you cannot speak well 
of a person, do not speak of him at all. The 
ability that some people possess to “damn with 
faint praise” is not an enviable one. 
— ■ ♦ • ♦ 
GOLDEN GRAINS. 
There is not and never can be any conflict 
between labor aud capital. The real conflict 
is between labor and monopoly. 
Let friendship creep gently to a hight; if 
it rushes t j it, it may soon run itself out of 
breath. 
Live iu the present, that you may be ready 
for the future. 
Learn these two things—never to be dis¬ 
couraged because good things get on slowly 
here, and never to fail daily to do that which 
lies next to your hand. Do not be in a burry, 
but be diligent. Enter into that sublime pa¬ 
tience of the Lord.... 
Be charitable in view of it. God can afford 
to wait, why can not we, since we have him 
to fall back upon. Let patience have her i«?r- 
feet work, aud briug forth her celestial fruits. 
Trust to God to weave your thread into the 
great web, though the pattern shows it not yet. 
Every man has a paradise arouud him till 
he sins, and the angel of an accusing conscience 
drives him from his Eden . 
The mau who has in him the elements of a 
worker for Christ will find a field or make one. 
Paid, when a prisoner made convert* iu Caesar’s 
household... 
Domestic 0cottoimj 
CONDUCTED BY MRS. A ONES E. M, CARMAN 
A GYPSY TABLE, 
“What a pretty, little table!” my visitors 
often say, and as I take a magnanimous pleas¬ 
ure iu sharing a good idea, and feel some pride 
iu my ingenuity as well, I always hasten to 
tell them what it is mude of. Some of the 
Rural readers may be glad to hear of it., as 
nearly every one who sees my table expresses 
an intention of making a similar one. The 
materials required are three broomsticks and 
a cheese-box lid. I saved the broomsticks, 
begged the lid of my grocer, who was glad to 
get rid of it; and as l had something to cover 
jt aud some ribbon, it cost absolutely nothing. 
To make it, saw the brooms off so the sticks 
will lie exactly the same length, tie them to¬ 
gether, a little nearer one end thau the other, 
winding the cord around each one and inter¬ 
lacing them so they are bound together, but 
can be moved independently of each other. 
Then set tnem up in hour-glass shape, the 
shortest length for the top, to make the table 
more firm, and put the lid on. It needs no 
nailing; the rim of the lid holds the logs 
braced at the top; for this reason it is better 
than a barrel head or any round board with¬ 
out a rim. The decorative part of the work 
varies with the taste of the maker. Mine has 
the legs paiuted dark-red, with an old-gold 
bow where they are tied. The top is covered 
with olive lclt with a crocheted fringe of 
olive aud light maerumc cord; but, ns 1 said, 
mine is made of what. 1 had and does not 
elaim to be elegant. I am going to make an¬ 
other aud gild the sticks and ornament the 
cover more. 
The three-legged gypsy tables, “ready for 
decorating,” sell in the stores for about a dol¬ 
lar each. The legs are finished, but the top is 
a bare board to be covered. They arc uo 
better than the broomstick tables, hardly as 
solid, I think, so it is worth while to save the 
broomsticks, and use something else to main¬ 
tain the family discipline. 
The drawings, Fig. 79, show the construe- 
rira, which is such a desirable feature iu mak¬ 
ing the table, and the manner in which the 
sticks are fastened inside the lid, the dotted 
lines indicate the ends of the sticks. 
RAG-SILK PORTIERES. 
I saw the other day at a friend’s house a 
pair of silk portieres, that were very hand¬ 
some indeed, aud was surprised to learn that 
they were the handiwork of my friend’s two 
little daughters aged 1- aud 1-1 years. Scraps 
of silk, old and new, soiled and fresh,were the 
only materials used. Old cravats, sashes, rib¬ 
bons, waists of dresses, linings of gentlemen’s 
coat sleeves, old umbrella uud parasol covers, 
even the silk hat linings from the crowns of 
gentlemen’s hats had been pressed into service. 
Pieces an inch Jong may be used, provided 
the maker has patience enough to sew them 
together. It is necessary to cut the pieces into 
strips about half au inch wide; sew these to¬ 
gether strongly and roll into halls. Do not 
sew with a seam, but lap the strips to make 
the work Hat. Keep each color and shade by 
itself wherever you have any amount of a 
kind, aud jumble all the little bits together iu 
a ball by themselves. If you have a quantity 
of old whice or light silk and ribbon much 
soiled, they can he dyed with diamond dye at 
home. Cut aud sew aud wind into a bank or 
skein; wash in soapsuds, rinse well and follow 
the directions that accompany each package. 
It will require a pound aud a half of silk for 
every yard of knitted or crocheted stuff. Use 
a large bone crochet hook aud set up a chain 
the width of the desired portiere, and crochet 
back aud forth in a plain crochet stitch with¬ 
out throwing the strip over the needle. The 
coloring of a Roman scarf is an excellent 
guide in the weaving of silk rags, and with 
large spaces of black uud light, blue, and nar¬ 
row ones of old gold, the effect is very rich. 
They should be hung on rings from a pole aud 
do not require any fullness. This silk “rag- 
carpet” also makes a very durable furniture 
covering, and a shabby sofa or chair can be 
recovered elegantly if you huvo skillful lingers. 
A handsome chair covering or rug can be 
made from old silk, and silk and lyle hose. 
These accumulate faster than one would sup¬ 
pose in a large family, aud can be cut into such 
long strips so that the work is very much more 
quickly done. economist. 
ON TRUE POLITENESS. 
The letters of Charity Sweetheart are a real 
treat. Nothiug in the Rural's literary de¬ 
partment is more interesting to me than the 
simple, home-like accounts of her pleasures, 
daily tasks and trials. Of the latter she seems 
to have a * complement. I wonder if her 
brother Burt reads her Rural productions. 
He should, aud accept the many valuable 
hints on true gentility aud cure himself of 
that selfishness with which so luutiy boys and 
men are afflicted, Wherejthe male members 
of a family equal in numbers, age mid health, 
etc., the female, it should never fall to the lot 
of the latter to milk, feed calves and hogs, or 
any other out-of-door work unless they do it 
from a love of it. The flowers, of course, are 
the natural charge of women. But even here 
men may be very helpful without any great 
exertion of muscle or patience. The men or 
boys should keep the wood and water in the 
house in abundance for all domestic uses. 
How are they to show their love and appreci¬ 
ation of good mothers and sisters, if not by 
these little helps and attentions which will be 
lovingly remembered by the recipients? But, 
alas, “Familiarity breeds contempt” or some¬ 
thing akin to it in many, and sisters are also 
remiss in the little acts of civility aud kind¬ 
ness they owe to the members of their family. 
But let us hope that the class of city people 
Charity has giveu us a glimpse of do 
not comprise a very large per cent, of 
our city cousins. 1 cannot imagine how she 
could tolerate anyone so selfish or ignorant 
