302 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
MAY 4 
A QUAINT ORNAMENT. 
OLIVE E. DANA. 
O NE of our household has lately complet¬ 
ed an ornament of which some of the 
Rural readers may like to hear. The foun¬ 
dation is an earthen jug of quart size. It 
was first painted over, and allowed to dry. It 
then received a layer of putty, and immedi¬ 
ately were pressed firmly into the putty all 
sorts of trinkets—tiny souvenirs, relics, keep¬ 
sakes which had been gathered from out-of- 
the-way places in our house and given by 
friends for the purpose. Playthings saved 
from childhood, too tiny for any other use 
and maybe broken; also odd coins, a wee 
borse-shoe, fantastic buttons gleaned from 
the family button-box. a bit of chain, a wam¬ 
pum bracelet, old stencil plates,unused keys, 
shells, wee bottles, a queer pencil, tiny cones 
and discarded jewelry—all these and many 
other similar trifles helped to cover this jug, 
which bears all its contents on the outside. 
The literary member of the household gave a 
handful of worn out pens. One or two long- 
used thimbles gave added significance to the 
memorial of old days. The old clock which 
had long since refused to tick, gave its key, 
and souvenirs from the West gave a flavor of 
travel to this Maine medley. When it was 
well covered (and grains of corn helped fill 
the interstices) it was given some days in 
which to dry, undisturbed, and then received 
a coat of gilding. Its satisfied owner has be¬ 
stowed the decoration of a bow of peacock 
blue, and, on a tiny stand in a conspicuous 
corner of the parlor.it receives a goodly share 
of attention ana admiration. 
INDEPENDENCE VS. SELFISHNESS. 
J. H. G. 
I S a woman who earns her own living inde¬ 
pendent? In some way it has come to be 
accepted that all a woman needs to do to be¬ 
come independent, is to acquire the ability to 
earn her own living. This is a mistake. She 
is under obligations to her parents and society, 
which are not satisfied by simply earning 
enough money to keep body and soul together. 
Independence means freedom from obligation, 
a condition which is, in the present condition 
of society, unattainable. I think one of the 
most radical defects in our modern system of 
education, is this striving to make men and 
women “independent.” The whole drift of 
modern education is toward selfish egoism. 
It would elevate the individual at some one’s 
else expense, without inculcating any deep 
sense of personal obligation to_parents or so¬ 
ciety. It is a fact that no one can acquire 
sufficient education to be of any great practi¬ 
cal value to the world without incurring obli¬ 
gations to parents and society, which a life¬ 
time of usefulness would scarcely cancel. 
What we need is a deeper sense of individual 
responsibility. We need more of the spirit of 
Christ, the desire to go about doiri^ good, 
helping and saving others. There are no con¬ 
ditions in life which require so much of this 
spirit as that of wife and mother. Max 
O'Rell talks of the want of gratitude and 
sense of obligation on the part ot American 
women, but let us hope that he did not see the 
best side of American life, the country home 
life, the lr ind of life which is familiar to most 
of the Rural’s readers; the kind of life 
which is made up of sacrifices and labor on 
the part of mothers, sisters and daughters. 
He speaks of the condition of women as he 
saw them in our cities, when he says: 
“ If an outsider be competent to form an 
opinion, I venture to say that the American 
woman does not render to man a tithe of the 
devotion she receives from him. The French 
wife repays a husbands's devotion by protect¬ 
ing his interests; an American one too often 
repays it by breaking into his capital. But 
Jonathan complains not. To him it is only 
seemly that ‘ beauty should go beautifully. ’ 
If one fortune goe3, he sets to work to make 
another, and the sweat of his brow is soon 
crystallizing once more upon the neck and 
arms of his beloved womankind in the form 
of diamonds. ” 
Commenting upon this criticism of Ameri¬ 
can women, the Christian Union says that this 
question has been discussed before, and it is 
time for American women to seriously con¬ 
sider it. It says that hardly a defalcation 
is discovered that is not traceable to social am¬ 
bitions on the part of the women of the fami¬ 
ly. Almost every breach of trust is connect¬ 
ed with family social ambitions. And the 
very ones who tempt, actively or passively, 
drift or sail on till destruction comes, with¬ 
out question. 
A wise physician recently said: “ I tell you 
I have to see it. There are men whose only 
relation to wife and children is that of 
banker, When they die they are mourned as 
the bankers, the ones who made the incomes 
secure; their death means a percentage of. 
danger to income.” Women shrink from such 
arraignment, resent it indignantly, and many 
justly resent it. Yet too many Ameri¬ 
can women do deserve it. Life is organized 
on too complicated a plan for the average in¬ 
come. The display at home and abroad 
shows the margin between income and outgo 
is too narrow. This is so evident that the 
social economist finds the family life of 
America threatened, and gathers statistics to 
prove that the higher the social grade the 
more the number of marriages decrease, and 
attributes this to the fact that the cost of sup¬ 
porting a family grows greater every year, 
and this increase is in the form of luxuries 
chiefly for women. Surely it is a serious sub¬ 
ject and one worth the thought of all. 
The woman of limited income has her share m 
this reform. Every effort to excel in display, 
whether at a cost of one dollar or one thous¬ 
and, is one more burden for some one to 
carry, and usually that some one is the man, 
who makes a double effort to meet the new 
demand and leave a margin of capital. Nor 
does the burden rest there. New standards 
of luxury are created for the children, who in 
turn refuse to establish homes on narrow in¬ 
comes, because display, not happiness of the 
highest order, has become the object in too 
many families.” 
ONE WOMAN’S MEMORY. 
OLIVE E. DANA. 
T HEY have just celebrated the 70th birth¬ 
day of James Russell Lowell. Good 
work he has done as author, reformer, critic, 
and statesman,and very many who care notn- 
ing for his essays or his diplomacy or hisorato- 
ry,enshrine his verse. But noble as are both his 
prose and poetry it seems to me there is in it 
all no other passage quite so beautiful as the 
one which is his portrait of the wife of his 
youth—“My Love.” Others—friends of the 
poet—have told of her nobility of character 
and the sweetness of her disposition. The 
memory still lingers like a perfume around fhe 
old college-town where some of her brief years 
were spent. But this is the fairest and clear¬ 
est picture this lover-husband painted and it 
stands for all to see. Was ever true womanli¬ 
ness better delineated ? 
"She doeth little kindnesses, 
Which most leave undone or despise: 
For naught that sets one heart at ease. 
And glveth happiness or peace 
Is low esteemed In her eyes. 
■'She hath no scorn of common things 
And though she seems of other olrth. 
Round us her heart entwines and clings. 
And patiently she folds her stings 
To tread the bumble paths of earth. 
“Blessing she is: God made her so 
And deeds of week-day holiness 
Fall from her noiseless as the snow 
Nor hath she ever chanced to know 
That aught were easier than to bless.” 
CONFESSIONS OF A COUNTRY GIRL. 
NO. VIII. 
PATTY GARTON. 
I IKE all girls, I think sometimes of such 
J things as sweet-hearts and lovers—we 
all do, don’t we? Do you know, I think that 
we country girls would often be the better 
for a little of the city etiquette we are apt to 
sneer at, especially as regards our association 
with young meD. I do believe in trank friend¬ 
ship with young men, but it often degenerates 
into a hoydenish freedom which certainly 
rubs off the first bloom. Oh yes!—I know 
what you are thinking—you don’t want people 
to say you put on airs, and hold yourself 
above other people. And perhaps—this is very 
confidential—you may think that a girl who 
holds herself up, and permits no freedom, 
will not receive those many little attentions 
we all desire. But I hold a different view—a 
girl who respects herself will be respected by 
others, and honestly, a man who is good for 
anything may laugh and talk and joke with 
an undignified hoyden; but when he chooses 
a wife she is pretty sure to be the opposite. 
Few men care to marry a woman who 
allows the same freedom to every man she 
meets. Now, one thiDg I don’t believe in is 
very much the fashion in country districts— 
that is, for girls to receive masculine visitors 
alone in the evening, often young men com¬ 
pletely unknown to their parents. In many 
cases the parents Dever think of going into 
the parlor at all—“Jennie has company,” and 
she must not be disturbed. It is not right— 
the mother should know just who comes to 
the house and associates with her daughters, 
nor should she leave the young people entirely 
{done. Just the same, girjs should be al¬ 
lowed constantly to go to all sorts'oCamuse¬ 
ments escorted by a young man, without 
proper guidance. Take care of your daugh¬ 
ters, mothers—it is no light thing to lose their 
girlish freshness of mind, and their innocence 
in their mothers’ charge. 
GOLDEN GRAINS. 
H OLMES says that he has often observed 
that vulgar persons, and public au¬ 
diences of inferior collective intelligence, 
have this in common: the least thing draws 
off their minds, when you are speaking to 
them... .... 
Sorrow is not an accident, occurring now 
and theD, says Robertson. It is the woof 
which is woven into the warp of life, and he 
who has not discerned the divine sacreduess 
of sorrow’, and the profound meaning which 
is concealed in pain, has yet to learn what 
life is. The cross, manifested as the'necessity 
of the highest life, alone interprets it. 
Hamerton says that a life without suffer¬ 
ing would be like a picture without shade. 
The pets of Nature, who do not know what 
suffering is, cannot realize it, have always a 
certain rawness, like foolish landsmen who 
laugh at the terrors of the ocean because they 
have neither experience enough to know what 
those terrors are, nor brain enough to imagine 
them. 
It is true that at no time in the history of 
this country did true Christian manhood 
weigh more, and a namely nominal church 
membership less, than now in the estimate of 
the business world.. 
Did you ever see a child who would not 
return a smile? There may be a few such 
efiildren, but they are the exception not the 
rule. The child face is a mirror in which is 
reflected the face of him who looks into it, as 
its mind gives back the image of the one who 
is training it. * Those in charge of children 
should not forget this... 
Beecher had the happy faculty of saving 
much in a little, for example, he says in re¬ 
gard to work, that there is no calling that is 
not made better by brains. No matter what 
a man’s work is, he is a better mail for hav¬ 
ing a thorough mind-drilling. 
It is not work that kills men, it is worry. 
Work is healthful, worry is rust upon the 
blade. Fear secretes acids, but love and 
trust are sweet juices. 
Character like porcelain-ware, must be 
painted before it is glazed. There can be no 
change of color after it is burned in. 
Emerson reminds us how cunningly Nature 
hides every wrinkle of her inconceivable an¬ 
tiquity under roses and violets and morning 
dew!—. 
The church is your house, as hosts in 
God’s behalf: and you are glad to have visitors 
attend its services. Then show them the 
pleasure you really feel at their presence. As 
best, introduce yourself; and make the visi¬ 
tors acquainted with others, so that they may 
feel that they are welcome. Invite them to 
come again. Do not give them occasion, from 
your manner, to think that your congregation 
is made up of a cold or exclusive set. A church 
is not a club, where all but those who belong to 
certain circles must expect to be snubbed, if 
they presume to intrude.. 
CONDUCTED BY MRS. AGNES E. M. CARMAN. 
SOME HINTS ABOUT HOME DRESS¬ 
MAKING. 
( "'1 IRLS, I want to talk to you a little about 
K home dressmaking. I mean country 
girls, but, of course, anybody else is at liber¬ 
ty to read it. Some of you Jive far away 
from the town, and perbaps the village where 
you go to meeting can boast of only one or two 
dressmakers. (And they may not be much to 
brag about.) These as a matter of course, 
are monopolized by the most wealthy fami¬ 
lies, so the farmers’ girls are left to struggle 
with their own gowns. 
Now, you maybe first-class needle women, 
may know how to do plain sewing beautifully 
yet be unable to make your dresses so that 
they will give you any satisfaction at all. 
(I have experienced this state of affairs my¬ 
self, so I know.) With a little teaching you 
might be able to do a great deal better, so I 
shall try to give you a few points. 
The most important thiug of all is the waist. 
No matter how nicely the skirt may hang, 
your drefs will not look nice if the basque 
does not fit. If this is the first ope you nre.to 
make for yourself, buy a pattern. Where 
can you get it? Anywhere. All you have to 
do is to mail 25 cents and inclose a stamp for 
reply, to New York, Philadelphia, or any 
large city where the great pattern-makers 
have offices. They will reply if you live in 
Arizona just as promptly as it you live in 
a neighboring town. To be sure, it will take 
you longer to get the pattern, but it will 
be mailed to you promptly. In ordering, give 
bust measure and tell just what you want in 
as few words as possible. (You can address 
The Butterick Publishing Co., N. Y., or Mad¬ 
ame Demorest, 17 East 14th St., N. Y. City. 
Butterick’s patterns allow for seams. Dem- 
orest’s do not 
The half of each pattern is given, so it is 
necessary to have your dress goods double. 
Be careful always to have the two right sides 
of the goods face each other; if you are not 
careful you may cut two pieces alike for one 
side of the basque, or make both sleeves for 
the same arm. 
The first thing to be done is to lay the 
pattern on the lining, so that the grain runs 
lengthwise of the pattern. Never cut the 
pattern cross-wise, as the lining will then pull 
out of shape. Be careful to cut each notch 
exactly as you find it on the edges of the 
pattern. If you do this with care, you will 
know exactly how to join the seams together 
by fastening one notch to the one on the cor¬ 
responding seam. After you have your lin¬ 
ing cut out, baste it together carefully and fit 
it on, seams out. You will find thatyou may 
have to take it in a little at one place, or let 
it out a little at another; but if you have 
given the correct bust measure, you won’t 
have very much trouble. Let some one help 
you by pinning the places where altering is 
necessary. Then take it off and put it on 
with seams in. If it fits, mark carefully 
with a colored pencil or chalk the places 
where you basted it when it fitted you cor¬ 
rectly. 
Next rip out the basting threads. Lay 
your dress material on a smooth table; lay 
the lining on it, seeing that you have the 
grain lengt/iwise. When you have laid the 
parts of the lining on so as to cut with as 
little waste as possible, baste or pin the pieces 
down, and cut carefully. Baste each piece 
of the dress material to the corresponding 
piece of the lining, then baste the basque all 
together. If care be taken, the result will 
be quite satisfactory. Alter you have 
stitched all the seams up neatly, open them 
out and press with a warm iron. Then over¬ 
hand the raw edges. You can buy bones 
already covered. These are very easily sewed 
in. Put a bone on each dart, and on the 
seams under the arms—never put any on the 
curved back seams. If yon like, you may 
put one down the middle of the back. 
In making a skirt, cut your lining first. 
You can buy cambric for this purpose for five 
cents per yard. Measure off the desired 
length for the front. Make the sides the 
same, but the back must be somewhat longer. 
If reeds are to be worn, you must allow sev¬ 
eral inches in length behind; if simply a bus¬ 
tle, you may allow an inch-and-a half, or two 
inches. Double your front breadth and cut it 
bias, sloping very gradually from the bottom 
to the waist line. Next lay down the two 
pieces meant for the side gores. They should 
be cut bias on one side only, in the same man¬ 
ner as the front breadth. If the skirt is for a 
slight person, or if the lining material is 
wide, one breadth doubled over and torn 
down the center will do for both 
side gores. The back breadth is per¬ 
fectly straight. Slope the top a little from 
the middle of the front breadth over the stom¬ 
ach to the back breadth. You may arrange 
your dress material over this foundation to 
*uit the fancy. For an ordinary-sized person 
the bottom of the skirt should be two yards 
wide. If for a tall person, from 2# to 
yards wide is best. (I’m speaking of grown 
people’s skirts—not girls’). Sew the straight 
side of the side breadths to the bias of the front 
breadth. (Never sew two bias seams to¬ 
gether—if you do you will have a point on 
each side of the skirt.) Ot course, the back 
breadth is straight, so fasten these straight 
seams to the bias of the side pieces. 
Skirt braids do w come in side or box plaits. 
They wear much longer than the plain, 
straight braid and look very r much better. 
While dressmaking, always have a hot iron 
convenient, for it is, you know, “ the botch- 
pimUaufgulvcrtitfittfl. 
When Baby was sick, we gave her Caston*. 
When she was a Child, she cried for Castoria 
When she became Miss, she clung to Castoria 
When she had Children, she cave them CttstqH* 
