THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
4-07 
and white Japan quinces, and two varieties of 
pear have been more successful, as the fruit is 
forming, and the next uncertainty with these 
will be whether seeds, that will grow, have 
formed in the fruit. 
One feature of this Day has been the start¬ 
ing of a wild-flower garden, in a shaded spot 
by the lake. Roots of wild-flowers and ferns 
have been brought from neighboring woods 
and are doing well in their new location. 
The evergreens are very attractive just now, 
the Firs, Junipers, Fines, Arbor Vitae and 
Hemlocks are just expanding their now foli¬ 
age and the pines are blossoming. The new 
growth on the hemlocks edges every branch 
with a fringe of golden green. The firs arts 
ornamented in a heavier trimming. Abies 
pungens with its new silvery growth isstrik- 
iugly handsome. Some varieties put out 
their new leaves in the color of the old ones 
so modestly that only their tender newness re¬ 
veals them to be the young growth. 
The lilossomiug shrubs have flowered and 
shed their petals so rapidly this spring that it 
is a continual source of regret. One day sur¬ 
prise is expressed over the blossoming of some 
favorite, ami almost the next there is fresh 
surprise over its faded flowers. Spirals, 
Magnolias and Li lacs have gone by in this hasty 
way. Something uew opens day after day, 
and unless a constant watch were kept some 
would go by unseen. 
GOLDEN GRAINS. 
The glories of our earthly state 
Are shadows, not substantial things. 
It is always good to know, if only in pass¬ 
ing, a charming human being; it refreshes 
one like flowers and woods and clear brooks.. 
Secret and reflued sius are as dangerous as 
open ami gross ones. A man may preach fer¬ 
vent sermons, but if be does so from emulation 
or love of popularity, he is as much in the 
flesh as the sinners who tremble in the pews 
beneath him. 
To believe is to look beyond this world to 
God, and to obey is to look beyond this world 
to God; to believe is of the heart, and to obey 
is of the heart; to believe is not a solitary act, 
but a consistent habit of trust; and to obey is 
not a solitary act, but a consistent habit of do¬ 
ing ourduty in all things. Faith and obedience 
are but one thing viewed differently. 
Insist on yourself; never imitate. Your 
own gift you can present every moment with 
the cumulative force of a whole life’s cultiva¬ 
tion: but of the adopted talent of another, 
you have only an extemporaneous half-posses¬ 
sion. That which each can do best, none but 
his Maker can teach him... 
“There is a great deal of religion in na¬ 
ture,” solemnly remarked a young clergyman 
while calling upon a lady of his congregation 
the other evening. “There is,” was the quiet 
reply. “We should never forget that there is 
u sermon in every blade of grass.” “Quite 
true. Wo should also remember that grass is 
cut very short at this season of the year.”. 
Domestic Ccorroimj 
CONDUCTED BY MRS. AGNES E. M. CARMAN. 
A USEFUL ACCOMPLISHMENT. 
In fact one of the most useful accomplish¬ 
ments is the ability to carve well, which means 
to do it with grace and ease. It may be just 
as well to say ut OuCO that people whose car¬ 
ving is done by' a butler can have uo interest 
in this article, but any one who as guest in a 
house where butlers are unknown, has watch¬ 
ed the struggles of a hospitable, polite, but 
awkward, host as he wrestled with the festive 
goose or turkey, will appreciate the necessity 
for every one, young and old, to learn to 
carve if he is ever to play the part of host. 
1 was once the guest of a very jolly gentle¬ 
man who possessed every genial quality, but 
always left the carving to his wife. On this 
occasion, however, the lady had lamed her 
wrist, and a fine turkey was placed before her 
husband, who proceeded to attack it in any¬ 
thing but a scientific manner, and finally, by 
a peculiarly undexterous twist, succeeded in 
luudiug it iu front of a guest, to whom he 
transferred the dish and carving implements, 
saying: “This is the first time 1 ever saw a 
bird fly after it wus cooked; it evidently pre¬ 
fers being dissected by you." Such aceeidents 
are, however, generally attended with more 
awkwardness both to guest anil host. It is 
necessary, too, to learn which are the choicest 
morsels, so that a guest may uot be slighted 
unintentionally. 
The um lor part of fish is the best, for which 
reason it should be dished with that part up¬ 
permost. The flavor of the parts next the 
boue is never so goo 1 as that of the upper 
parts. In Uelpiag a tish with roes, put a part 
of the roe on each plate. Of all large tish, the 
choicest parts are next the head; the thin 
parts are esteemed next. 
The position that the carver should take is a 
point whereon authorities agree to differ. A 
well-known writer says a person must uot 
stand up. This is very well if the chair is 
high and the carver tall, iu which case it is 
undoubtedly more easy and unostentatious to 
remain seated. It is unnecessary also to stand 
if the meat to be carved be small, such as a 
steak or loin, which if properly jointed by the 
butcher is very readily carved. But in case 
of a large roast of beef, or a large turkey, or 
a baked or boiled ham, it is to my eye more 
graceful to carve stauding. The dish should 
always be of good size—much larger than the 
meat it is intended to hold—in order to give 
room for the joints and slices, which must be 
laid aside until enough is carved to begin 
helping. Fowls should be placed on the dish 
breast up. Put the fork into the breast, and 
hold it with the left hand while you take off 
the wings and legs. Then cut off the white 
meat in thin slices; take out the breast bone, 
leaving the well-browned skin over it, and, 
after cuttiug off the side bones, divide the car¬ 
cass iu two from the neck downward. The 
second joint is then more easily removed from 
the leg and wing, and the former should be 
cut into two or three portious (if the bird be 
large), so as to give a piece of dark meat to 
each person. A short, narrow, sharp-pointed, 
and very sharp knife is best for poultry' and 
game. 
In carving a rib roast, cut thin slices from 
both of the outer sides iu order to give your 
guests a choice of rare, well-done, or medium. 
A sirloin of beef should be dished with the 
tenderloin underneath, and after a number of 
thin-cut slices have been taken from the side 
next the carver, the roast should be turned 
over and the tenderloin carved. A portion of 
both should be helped. Always cut across the 
grain of the meat. A large experieuce with 
hotels, boarding-houses and restaurants, has 
convinced me that good carving is the excep¬ 
tion, not the rule. 
For large joints, a turkey or ham, a long, 
thin, aud well-sharpened blade is essential to 
good work. A leg of mutton should be first 
carved across the middle of the bone, slicing 
towards both ends. When it has been eco¬ 
nomically carved in this way the first day, 
the part cut away is sometimes filled with 
nicely mashed potatoes, smoothed over to take 
the former shape of the leg, aud heated in a 
quick oven for the next day’s dinner. The 
delicacy of a tongue depends very much upou 
its being carved in very tbiu slices. The cen¬ 
ter slices are considered the best. There are 
three ways of carving a ham. The first and 
most economical is to begin at the knuckle 
and slice upward. It is also cut in long, deli¬ 
cate slices through the thick fat down to the 
bone. The third requires considerable dex¬ 
terity, aud a knife peculiarly adapted to it. 
The point of the knife is run in a circle in the 
middle, and thiu circular slices are cue. This 
keeps the ham moist. It is a gold plan to let 
the young people iu a family take turns in 
carving, that they may acquire dexterity by 
practice. COOK. 
HOUSE-CLEANING SUGGESTIONS. 
Ik one believes cleanliness to be “next to 
godliness,” house-cleaning seems a necessary 
evil, but there are methods and methods of ac¬ 
complishing the work. Now, ours is a farm¬ 
ing community aud house-cleaners of either 
sex are literally unattainable ,and its the women 
folks of our family are not strong enough to do 
this work unaided, the following is our meth¬ 
od. We get a “handy man” (he eau not be se¬ 
cured later than February or March as his 
regular season's work on a farm begins in 
April) to take up carpets aud clean them on 
the snow (a good way), to wash walls, blacken 
stoves, etc., thus getting the heavier work 
clone, though of course we cannot finish every¬ 
thing til! warmer weather. This plan works 
well with us, as nearly all of our rooms are 
warmed by wood tires, and wo do uot take 
out our stoves at all duriug the year, having 
fouud by experience that we can better endure 
the “black monsters” iu our rooms through a 
a few hot days, thau do without necessary 
warmth duriug cool mornings and evenings, 
and rainy days. The stoves are lifted and the 
carpets are pulled from under them and fires 
built directly afterwards so one does not catch 
cold cleaning cold rooms, A careful band 
even blackens a stove wit hout takiug it out-of- 
doors. 
If one has uot plenty of closets, a home-made 
“dress-box” that can be put iu almost any 
room, is a convenience. Make it five feet 
long, a foot and a half wide, and high enough 
and strong enough for a comfortable seat; 
fasten a hinged cover on it, pad and cover the 
latter with chintz, and ta -k a slightly gathered 
chintz frill around the sides of the box, reach¬ 
ing to the floor, paste inside a paper liningand 
you’ve a safe place to keep your "best dress” 
free from dust and wrinkles, and a tolerable 
“lounge” as well, especially if a chintz-covered 
cushion or two be added. 
I want to urge everybody to bottle fruit 
juices this year, they’re so good. Take any 
fruits preferred, steam, and press out the juice 
as for jelly, sweeten to taste, boil oue minute, 
aud put iu bottles, around the corks of which 
pour melted wax. Juices so put up will keep 
indefinitely, without fermentation, if keptain 
a cool dark place. These fruit sirups, used 
freely are better spring tonics than “doctors’ 
stuff’’ and a deal more palatable. 
AUNT BETTY. 
• »<« 
TO SAVE STEPS. 
I think some house builders must have an 
especial aptitude for making “work for the 
women folks,” judging from the inside plans of 
most or at least many houses. In our present 
abode the tiny bit of pantry is located in the 
southeast coruer of the house, where it cau 
have the benefit of a scorching sun all the 
long summer day, which is anything but 
pleasant. Between the pantry and dining¬ 
room Is a roomy kitchen. So all the dishes, 
victuals, etc., must be carried across the 
kitchen to the dining-room and back 
again three times a day. This alone, 
iu the course of a week, makes miles 
of travel that should have been dispensed 
with in designing the building. For one not 
“over-strong” all this extra traveling is almost 
beyond endurance as I found when we came 
here last fall: finding my strength growing less 
James proposed that we eat iu the kitchen 
(for girls to do housework are not numerous 
here) and so the dining-mom was deserted for 
the winter. But when the warm spring days 
came the hot air from the stove was not agree¬ 
able, and, of course, we must return to the din¬ 
ing room. 
Meanwhile I had regained my health and 
also learned from my next door ueighbor' 
something that I now put in practice. I had 
noticed all winter when her diuing table was 
put back as it chanced, near the window, that 
there were certain articles neatly covered with 
a white cloth. Later I found that beneath 
the snowy covering were salt sets, castor, cut¬ 
lery, spoons, napkins and rings, toothpicks; in 
fact,all the articles that were needed at every 
meal, were left there for a week or until a 
change of table lineu was necessary. A crumb 
pan aud brush were hanging in appropriate 
cases close at hand to be used after each meal. 
Now I follow the pattern and add the remain¬ 
der of the dishes I am certain to need, as they 
are washed and put into the drainer instead of 
taking them to the pantry, to be brought out 
in two or three hours. This saves me “a 
world” of weary steps. I have written this 
hoping some of the Rural working women 
will profit by the experience of others. 
My next-door neighbor is “quite a hand” to 
test, iu a careful maimer, some of the many 
recipes we find in various papers. I will scud 
some to the Rural sisters. She has recently 
tried aud found worthy of a place in her 
cookery scrap-book 
fruit pudding no. 1. 
One cup of molasses, or sugar, one cup of 
sour milk, a teaspoonful of saleratus, three 
cups of flour, one cup each of currants and 
raisins, oue half cup of butter; cloves, cinna¬ 
mon aud nutmeg to taste. Steam three horn's. 
This will keep for several days in a cool place, 
and re-steamed is as good as new. 
FRUIT PUDDING NO. 2. 
Three teaeupfuls of good butter-milk, one 
egg, a pinch of salt, u teaspoon ful of soda dis¬ 
solved in a little cold water, thicken with one- 
third corn meal and two thirds flour, to a stiff 
batter, add one cup of "fat” raisins that have 
been rolled iu flour, pour into a buttered 
basin or cake ]>an with a tube in it, and steam 
one hour. Do uot allow it to stop boiliug or 
lift the cover to see how it is behaving. Trust 
it. To be served hot, with sweetened cream. 
If any remains, it con be kept in a cool place 
for several days and then re-steamed. It is a 
good dish to be depended upon in au emer¬ 
gency. Mrs. H. has a small family, aud one 
pudding answered for dessert three different 
days. She thinks such puddings are less work 
aud better than making a pie every day. 
MRS. H.’S LEMON PIE. 
One grated lemon, takiug care to remove 
every seed, one egg well beaten and a piece of 
butter the size of au egg, oue cup of sugar, 
one tablespoonful of corn-starch moistened 
with a little cold water, then add a teacupful 
of boiliug water aud let it cook till it is clear, 
then stir in with the other iugredieuts; line 
the pie-dish with a rich paste, put in the filling 
aud cover—same as apple pie. Bake in a mo¬ 
derately hot oven. may - maple. 
MARY O.’S GINGERBREAD. 
Three cups of flour, beat together one eup 
of butter,’.one cup of sugar, add one cup of 
molasses aud one cup of sour cream with a 
little of the flour. Take four eggs, and beat 
the whites and yelks separately; put in the 
yelks, adding more flour, then one saltspoon 
of Cayenne pepper, one tablespoon of cinna¬ 
mon, and one of ginger, one teaspoon of 
cloves, and one of soda. Lastly the whites of 
the eggs and the remainder of the flour. 
MRS. B.’S COCOANUT CAKE. 
Three cups of sugar, one of butter, one- 
half cup of sweet milk, whites of ten eggs, 
one-hali teaspoon of soil a arid one of cream- 
of-tartar sifted iu the flour. Flavor to the 
taste. Use four cups of flour. Icing between 
the layers: whites of four eggs, one-half 
paper of cocoanut, and sugar to make it hard. 
Spread this between the layers, and ice the 
top. 
MRS. T.’S COCOANUT CAKE. 
One pound of sugar, one-half pound of but¬ 
ter, six eggs, three-fourths pound of flour, one 
large or two small cocoauuts grated Stir to 
a cream the butter and sugar, add the yelks 
well beaten, then the whites, then the fl our 
aud mix well. When ready for the oven stir 
in the cocoanut. Bake in two loaves. 
AUNT MINA’S WRITE CAKE. 
Two-thirds cup of butter, two of sugar, one- 
half of sweet milk, whites of five eggs stirred 
in, one at a time: flavor with vanilla. Then 
beat in three cups of flour. 
LEMON PIE. 
For two pies, take three lemons, one-half 
cup of sugar, two-thirds cup of water, three 
eggs, two large tablespoonfuls of flour or corn 
starch. aunt rachel. 
A GOOD SUBSTITUTE. 
I conjured up a new dish the other day. I 
wanted some maccaroni for breakfast, but 
bad none in the house, so washed a cup of i ice, 
put into a dish of boiling salted water, and let 
it boil till nearly done; then drain off the 
water, put the rice in a pudding dish; stir 
in a little butter; sprinkle over it a heaping 
tablespoonful of grated cheese, then just cover 
it with hot milk, and bake it about twenty 
minutes. It was good aud we liked it about as 
well as maccaroni. aunt em. 
4tli.occllancou.sJ jgulmti.sintv 
The Great Popularity 
Of Ayer’s Pills is undoubtedly due to 
the fact that people have fouud them 
the very best remedy that could he 
procured for Biliousness, Coustipation, 
Headache, aud various other complaints 
of the 
Stomach and Bowels. 
“ For Sick Headache, caused by a dis¬ 
ordered condition of the stomach, Ayer’s 
Fills are tho most reliable remedy.” — 
S. C. Bradburn, Worthington, Mass. 
“ Half a box of Ayer’s Pills restored 
my appetite.”— C. 6. Clark, Danbury, 
Conn. 
“ Four boxes of Ayer’s Pills cured me 
of Liver Complaint.”—E. L. Fulton, 
Hanover, N. H. 
Ayer’s Pills, 
Prepared by Dr. J. C. Ayer & Co., Lowell, Mass. 
Sold by all Druggists and Dealers in Medicine. 
WANTED.— AGENTS io sell a flrst-elass and rap¬ 
idly selling Invention. We ean guarantee big profits 
to the right kind of men. 
HILL M’F’G CO , Buffalo, N. Y. 
EPPS’S 
CRATEFUL-COMFORTINC 
COCOA 
PARKER’S GINGER TONIC 
The Rost Cure for Coughs Weak Lungs, Astluna, Indi¬ 
gestion. Inward tains-Exhaustion. Combining thomost 
valuable lueOii-Ine-' wilhJimaitw Ginger, ;1 ■ xei isaCTiriv- 
Weak I.ungs. Rheumatism, Female Weakness, and t-m 
distressing ills of the Stomach, Liwr, kidneys anil 
Bowels are drugging thousands to the gra\ e w ho would 
recover (In n health by the timely use of I'AUim’S 
CiiM.KH Toxic. It is new lire and si ien_ili to tin ug. il. 
60c. at Druggists. ItlscoX A Co., M3 WtLuuuStreet, N.Y. 
C to its a day. Sample's worth #l.5Q.*FREE. 
IDO Lines uor under t.ue horse’s feet. Write 
Brewster Safety tteiu Holder <’o., HoUy,Mieh, 
lOOO 
F.LF.GAN1’ LAltGld 
T LI It Iv I y* 11 HUGH 
Given to the LADIES of purchasers of Sample 
Harness with a view of au iigeney In territory where 
we have uo agent. Send lor full pari leu tars. 
SUKtt WOOD HARNESS CO., Syracuse. N. Y. 
■» Type Writing 
CoUvtfV paxupti* 
lets v» ilti Ail! 
Hit srH 'u.wli- 
iq£ UxsoriM in either art, 1 0 t#U. . both art#. *20 <?U. 
No statu)** a«<**pt«d. Solid irtlYcr or postal note. 
Those lo&soa* aro cotttrdeto. and th« samv from 
which stiuiifita ar* taught llavou'5 Colley*** ami which 
enable us c*» ht t r Ste.ri limn! ami Typo Writing 
office positimt-j in Thri't* Mouth** nun* rin* l» are 
<.>lolv the work of Mr. Curi-n* Haven* cau bo Warned ut home 
hy a child aud cannot be obtained nxnepl Oha of Haven*! 
Colleges. The Christian Ohsrrocr. Haitwnore, Mil., say8 
“They are a great advance beyond other systems, making 
the aA*<|ui*ition of Short-Hand comparatively easy.” Address 
either of Haven's College* * Non York N. Y : Philadelphia, 
Va. Chicago, 111.; Cincinnati, O.; San kranciaco, Cah 
