aio THE RURAL WEW-YORKER. DEC 
ing'of heroes and lieroines, or are fighting 
o’er again their battles at school; and fathers 
and mothers look lovingly at their faces— 
some troubled and others calm and peaceful— 
and as they look, wonder about that future so 
nicely hidden from their knowledge; and then 
with piayers and earnest wishes, wo softly 
whisper “Good-night” and “God bless you,” 
and soon lose ourselves in that mysterious 
region we call dreamland. 
DAISY RHODES CAMPBELL. 
CONCERNING WOMEN. 
MARY WAGER-FISHER. 
Margaret Fuller used to say that every¬ 
body loved gossip in one form or another— 
some quantitative others qualitative. Gossip 
of the latter kind ranks as very delightful 
conversation, and when thrown into the 
backgrounds the past, becomes history. A 
clergyman said toTne not long ago, “You 
have a small idea of the vast amount of 
inane gossip that proceeds from the mouths of 
women—go-sip of their ailments and those of 
the family, of their bonnets and gowns, of 
idle aud vapid wonderment concerning their 
neighbors’ business—in fact, gossip that never 
rises above hairpins and buttons,” Now, 
every woman cannot be wise, or elegant or 
charming maybe, but she can tie natural and 
unaffected, and not talk “shop”—by that I 
mean she can avoid makiug her every-day oc¬ 
cupations the. eternal themes of her gossip. 
To drive the mind out of its ruts into fresh 
pastures, is an absolute necessity for mental 
health and growth. When a friend comes in. 
try aud direct the conversation so that he will 
be the bearer of talk that isuew and fresh and 
“different” from your own, aud in order to do 
this, a good ileal lies in the trend your own 
thoughts take anil their expression. If what 
you say betokens a taste for gossip of low 
grade, you will not be likely to be fed on 
pearls. In the long run people generally get 
what they most earnestly desire—at least in 
some degree, provided they work for it. 
Very few people are accurate, aud women 
are often accused of being characteristically 
inaccurate—unable to repeat what they see 
and hear with actual truth as to facts. This 
comes in part from habit, from not receiving 
impressions correctly in the first place. The 
little girl, who when a child went uncorrected 
in her delicious singing about the house, 
“Columbus Hailed over the sea so blue 
In nineteen hundred and forty two," 
was never afterward able to remember the 
true late of that important event. I don’t 
think that beyond a few dates, which serve as 
stepping stones in the line of history, it 
is worth while to stuff the mind with them, 
and it is also worth while to appreciate the 
fact that human comprehension has its limit, 
and that in storing the memory it is the part 
of wisdom to select what you most wish to 
kuow and have in your mind for consolation, 
and to possess it thoroughly, distinctly and 
intelligently. The few people in the world 
who know by heart every line of Shakespeare 
arc to be envied more than the possessors of 
mere money, aud they can truly say: “My 
mind to me a kingdom is.” So in reading, 
let your books be few, but possess their con¬ 
tents. A man who was noted for bis acquire¬ 
ments, confessed that his fame rested upon his 
knowledge of a few facts, which he knew with 
unerring accuracy. 
Thomas Wentworth Higginson, the sol¬ 
dierly, scholarly man, aud friend to wo¬ 
men, tells an amusing story of his post-gradu¬ 
ation days, when he was puffed with pride 
over liis classic attainments. Looking at a 
Greek frieze, ornamented with horses aud 
chariots, he remarked to a young woman: 
“isn’t it absurd to have fashioned horses with 
such stumpy legs ani thick necks”’ His audi¬ 
tor quietly remarked; "But didn’t Assyrian 
horses have just such legs aud necks?” to the 
dismay of the young collegian, who with all 
his acquirements kuew uotbing of Assyrian 
horses. The girl remembered what she hud 
read, aud it proved to be of more use to her 
thau any amount of uncertainty, while the 
young man may have received his first ink¬ 
ling of the possible value of the female mind. 
Small individual butter knives arc among 
the somewhat recent uoveltieB at luncheons 
and teas. The reason for their use is claimed 
on the ground that being only used for butter 
they are kept eleau and cool. In tune they 
will probably become as much of a necessity 
as “individual” butter plates on salt boxes. 
In such wise do the complexities of civiliza¬ 
tion grow upon us. 
On some wall spaces pictures have a better 
effect if hung in stair-step fashion. Wire is 
u-ied entirely for hanging pictures as it is al¬ 
most invisible on the wall and is not subject 
to the depredations of moths, Pictures 
pre made to be looked pud s|ip|il(J be 
hung on a level with the eye when the adult 
is standing. They should not as a rule tip 
forward from the top. but lie fiat against the 
wall. It is better that pictures be bung too 
low than too high, for then one can sit down 
and look at them. If too high, near the ceil¬ 
ing, a step-ladder is necessary and that isn't 
always handy. There is as much art in hang¬ 
ing pictures for good effect, as in dressing. 
I like a brass-headed small spike a couple of 
inchi's long, I'm' a picture uail. aud drive it in 
the lower edge of the wall border. And I 
Dever draw out these nails. If one isn’t in 
the right place I put in another, for I like to 
change pictures about. A moulding running 
all about a room for depending pictures from 
is convoiuent, but old-fashioned houses are 
not often furnished with them, 
A delightful needle for many kinds of sew¬ 
ing is the milliner’s needle—a long, slender, 
sharp-pointed instrument, that perfectly re¬ 
sponds to deft, quick fiugers. The drawbacks 
to it are a very small eye and a tendency to 
break in stiff fabrics. Its cost is just about 
the same as the ordinary needle. 
On many of the nice new gowns the braid 
at the bottom of the skirt does not serve for 
binding, but is sewed straight along the under 
side, the lower edge falling only enough below 
the skirt to protect it. from wear. Gray 
gowns and even the full costume in gray—ex¬ 
cept the hat. winch is black—are the high 
favorites of the year for young women. 
Blouse,plaited and sacque waists for women, 
go by the name of shirts. They are very com¬ 
fortable for morning wear when made of 
heavy wool, and pretty for the evening when 
made of silk or other tine goods. Cloth-cov¬ 
ered bonnets go with cloth costumes and are 
trimmed with pinked out rosettes of the same 
material. Smart bows of ribbon and ros¬ 
ettes of pinked silk are quite superseding 
feathers as trimming. Jet trimming is wan¬ 
ing and it is high time. A lady recently 
weighed her handsomely jett d gown, and it 
turned the scales at thirty ppuuds. All met¬ 
allic trimming is glittering and barbaric and 
its weight alone should condemn it. The at¬ 
tire of a good many women indicates that 
they regard the prune use of their bodies as 
being vehicles upon which to hang aud display 
dry goods. 
A SOUND MIND IN A SOUND BODY. 
A. G. 
Plato said that he who is educated only 
mentally aud morally, but not bodily, is a 
cripple. Measured by this standard, we are 
to-day raising a race of cripples, although 
mentally they may be giants. We are being 
taxed—are taxing ourselves—to raise school 
funds, for the building of schools, and for the 
salaries of teachers who are to train the minds 
of our children, but their poor little bodies, 
are left to their own care, when the truth is 
they are no more fitted to take care of these 
than they are of their minds. Ju*t at the 
years when the system needs building up, 
when our first care should be to make a 
healthy little animal, we are confining them, 
in more or less ill-venlilated school rooms, tor 
six hours a day and tasking their immature 
brains* to the utmost. 
The Jate Dr. Willard Parker said that six 
hours of meutal work were enough for any 
mau, and that one should rarely allow himself 
to go over eight, for any reason. Mr. William 
Blaikie, author of the little school manual, 
“Sound Bodies for Our Boys and Girls,” says 
that if this is true of vigorous, matured men, 
how can our immature and growing children 
stand such long hours of coufiuemeut with¬ 
out serious risk? The fact that Thomas A. 
Edison, our most eminent inventor, is an old, 
and very deaf man at forty, is a severe criti. 
eism on our American system of training 
while Jobu Ericsson, a Swede, who was 
trained on the German Turner system, im¬ 
ported long ago into Sweden, is young at 
Ki. It is necessary to have a vigorous body to 
feed a vigorous brain, and daily active exer¬ 
cise is necessary to get such a body. 
Mr. Blaikie suggests that every schoolroom 
should be thrown open m the middle of the 
session, and that the teacher should then lead 
the children through a series of lively and ju¬ 
dicious performances, aimed at exercising 
every part of the body and limbs. To do this 
some study or studies, of course, would have 
to go, but the rested brain of teacher and schol¬ 
ar would respond far more willingly to the 
demands made upon it. After school the pa¬ 
rents should see to it that every child is out of 
doors whenever the weather will permit, en¬ 
gaged in Bonus kind of lively play that will 
bring it in hungry for supper, and rested 
mentally, although fatigued bodily. After 
this iuterval of rest and recreation, and the 
consequent heartier supper, Mr. Blaikie says 
that a single hour of study will uot lie harm¬ 
ful, aud that,ui its renewed pud iDfj-esiicd Kt<ite | 
more will be accomplished in one hour thau 
in two with a fagged brain and body. 
This is primarily a matter for School 
Boards to grapple with, and for this reason, 
although 1 am not in favor of women holding 
political offices or being bank presidents, or 
stump orators, 1 am in favor of their election 
as school officers. Mothers see, ns perhaps fa¬ 
thers do not, the tired little ones trying inef¬ 
fectually to get the morrow’s lessons into their 
overworked and sleepy brains. If we are physi¬ 
cally deteriorat ing as a race, wo must evcuui- 
ally decline mentally and intellectually. The 
present school system, if carried out, will pro¬ 
duce a generation ot hollow-chested and nar¬ 
row’-shouldered young men and women who, 
when their school life is over, will he unfitted 
for the actual battle of life, which then isonly 
just begimung. 
I said that this was primarily a subject for 
School Boards, hut primarily it lies with the 
parents, since in most cases Boards of Educa¬ 
tion arc composed of parents, aud in any case, 
it must lie with parents to stir up these often 
wrong-bi aded and loo orthodox officials. 
GOLDEN GRAINS. 
Human nature in the daysot Confucius was 
evidently very much as it is to-day. It is true 
uow r as then that three friendships are advan¬ 
tageous—friendship with the upright, friend¬ 
ship with the sincere and friendship with the 
mau of observation. Three are injurious— 
friendship with the man of specious aits, 
friendship with the iusiimatingly soft, and 
friendship with the glib tongued. 
Lord Brougham said lie hoped to see the 
day when every man in the United Kingdom 
could read Bacon. Upon which hope the 
utilitarian Cobbett thus commented: “It 
would bo much more to the purpose if his 
lordship could use bis influence to see that 
(■very man in the kingdom could eat bacon.”. 
How rosy ’tls, when destiny proves kind, 
with full spread sails to run before the wind! 
But those that 'gainst stiff gales careering go. 
Must be at once resolved and skillful, too. 
—T>ryden. 
After Dr. Alexander had preached one of 
his cubic crystal sermons—giving the result of 
years of thought and study—in his inimitable 
style— and one of the rustic hearers said: “I 
liked that old mau. He is not learned like 
those seminary fellows who generally preach 
here, but 1 could understand every word that 
he said.”.... 
A lady iu Scotland sends the following 
version of “Now I lay me down to sleep.” to 
the Brooklyn Magazine; 
This night, when I lie down to sleep, 
I gIV my soul to Christ to keep, 
I wake a' lion, I wake a' never 
I gIV my ho ul to Christ forever. 
TalmaGE says: “Religion accelerates busi¬ 
ness, sharpens men's wits, sweetens acerbity 
of disposition, fillips the blood of phlegmatics, 
and throws more velocity into the wheels of 
hard work. To the judgment it gives more 
skillful balancing—to the will more strength 
—to indu-try more muscle—to enthusiasm a 
more concentrated fire. .... 
“I pray God that, through the turmoil and 
sweat and exasperation of your everyday life 
you may Lear the voice of Christ saying to 
you: ‘If patience possess your soul, let pa- 
tionce have a perfect work.’” . 
Pom c $ ti c (!r c o n o in ij 
CONDUCTED BY MRS. AGNES K. M. CARMAN. 
BOX FOR BOOTJACK, SLIPPERS, ETC. 
PICKET. 
There should be on the back porch of every 
house a light box containing separate com¬ 
partments for the boot-jack, brush, blacking 
and slippers, if it is neatly made, strong uud 
easily moved or carried about, aud roomy, it 
will surely become the recognized receptacle 
of the articles enumerated, and the members 
of the household will go to it for them as nat¬ 
urally as to the well for water. If it. is a 
heavy, clumsily contrived, cranky affair, it 
will not tie used, ami tbe boot jack, blacking, 
etc., will continue to be scattered about and 
lost asu-ual. 
Quo like that shown at Fig. 475 will answer 
every requirement, aud will be used. The 
hack legs extend through the box, and above 
the top about four iuches, and on top of 
them a piece of broomstick is fastened form¬ 
ing a handle to lift it about by. It should 
uot be over Hi inches in higlitandit will make 
a good foot-rest to black shoes on or a coiiveu 
lent seat for oue changing boots for slippers. 
A small iron ring attached to the lid by u 
leather loop forms a convenient lifter. 
SUGGESTIONS FOR CHRISTMAS. 
ALICE BROWN. 
Christmah gjfts, as a rule, ought to be 
eitlipr very pjTl’I J my) pttvactiye or else fil| 
some cherished wish of the one who is to re¬ 
ceive them. A plain, homely gift may give 
more pleasure because long wished for, than 
some beautiful piece of fancy-work or paiut 
ing; but usually some little luxury, something 
outside the expenditure of tbe year-round will 
be most appreciated. If necessaries go into 
the Christmas stocking they ought to he 
nicer thau the same things bought at other 
times. A potato tnasber was once found by 
the mother in her stocking and around it was 
tied a blue ribbon in honor of the day. 
Materials for making gifts are offered in 
endless variety iu New York this fall, aud 
fancy articles already made are studied and 
reproduced by many who buy the materials. 
Plush is very popular and is offered in every 
prevailing shade from the most delicate to the 
darkest, and figured plushes also tempt one 
to go just a little deeper into the pocket-book, 
for they come higher than the plain colors; 
the latter are offered as low as $1 a yard. 
Plushes figured in dog-wood blossoms aud in 
pine branches with clusters of cones attached, 
seem the most popular. Pine pillows, photo 
graph holders, brush broom cases, glove and 
handkerchief holders are some of the articles 
made in plush, and where liuiugs are needed 
these are of satm in some harmonizing tint. 
The satins can be bought for 50 cents a yard 
aud better qualities for higher prices. 
A pretty photograph holder is made the 
shape of a cabinet photograph and is simply a 
plush bag, satiu-liued aud open atone end and 
a little down oue side, to allow a corner to I e 
turned back and caught with a how, 
A pretty ornament for a parlor chair is 
made by filling each end of a long satin bag, 
opening in the center, with fragrant pine 
needles, the bag being 19 inches long aud five 
inches wide, and ornamented across each (ml 
with a bit of gathered lace, silk fringe, or a 
half dozen of the bnngles that aVe now made 
in' com, crescent aud star shapes, and in a 
variety of ineteillie colors. These bangles 
vary from five cents a dozen, to five cents 
apiece, and range in sizes from half an inch in 
diameter to several inches. The satin bag 
when finished is tied iu the center with a rib¬ 
bon aud hung on a corner of the chair. 
Bangles aud irndescent tinsel cord are used 
in finishing aud ornamenting many fancy 
things. 
The cord is of gilt or silver tinsel, woven 
with some colored silks; some are very bright, 
some very delicate colors. The smaller coid, 
about the size of common yarn, comes in tive- 
eent balls, each containing about seven yards 
of cord. 
Felt can be used to make pretty gifts; it is 
two yards wide aud $1.00 a yard or a single 
width will be cut off at 50 cents a yard. A 
beautiful felt table-scarf can be made without 
embroidering it, by borderiug each end of it 
with crescents aud discs of plush bound in 
tinsel cord, and connected by a set figure out¬ 
lined in the cord: a .spider’s web is very effective 
for the outline work. 
Gilding and staining will transform many 
common things into attractive Christmas 
gilts. A single pine board, with strong pic¬ 
ture cords put through it, stained and var- 
uished. is convenient for a few books. The 
gilding and staining materials are sold in 
bottles for 90 to 95 cents apiece and iu the 
giiidceUanm;} 
When Baby was »lck, we nave bercaatoria 
When she won a Child, she cried for t'ustorla, 
When she became Mina, she clung to Caatoria, 
' v h«: «|]P had ('Uiidren. Sh9 save them Cuaturl* 
