1889 
THE RURAL MEW-VORKER. 
369 
THE R. N.-Y. LAKELET. 
(See First Page.) 
Fig. 133 on the first page is a continuation 
of the photographic views taken last spring at 
the Rural Grounds. 
No part of the premises is more valued than 
this little body of spring water. In truth, as 
we have said before, without it the place 
would be deprived of fully half its charms. 
There are three of these lakelets connecting, 
each one lower than the other, separated by 
grassy banks, the water flowing over dams. 
They might be stocked with black bass or 
trout if the different owners were willing to 
co-operate to that end. As it is, they are alive 
with sun-fish, suckers, pike, eels, turtles and 
the like. The 32 carp put into the R. N.-Y. 
lake several years ago have never since been 
seen. There are so many springs that bath¬ 
ing is not relished, the water, even in mid¬ 
summer, being too cold. 
THE POST-OFFICE AND THE RAIL¬ 
ROADS. 
The farmers' numbers and independence 
give them great influence in legislation ; 
agitation of each novel project must pre¬ 
cede legislation on it; the telegraph, tele¬ 
phone , express and railroad business to be 
conducted like the post-office, by the gen¬ 
eral government ; reasons in favor of such 
a change ; undoubted right of the govern¬ 
ment to force it. paying a fair price for 
the property appropriated-, advantages of 
it ; how best to aid in bringing the change 
about. 
As a class the farmers by whom the Rural 
is mostly read, are so situated that they are 
not only among the first to feel the evils that 
oppress the world and reduce its prosperity 
below the proper level; but they are also bet¬ 
ter able to locate and define these evils and to 
set m motion the remedies than most other 
classes of people. The Rural has often 
shown its good-will to aid in so doing. The 
ballot is considered the instrument of power 
for reform, yet each step of progress must be 
initialed by other means, and the object 
sought must be pushed to an issue before the 
ballot can be brought to bear upon it. 
There is a movement now on foot looking to 
the reduction of letter postage in the United 
States to oue cent. The rate is already so low 
that no further reduction could make any 
perceptible difference in the people’s burdens. 
There is no desire anywhere to make the Post 
Otfice a source of revenue, and it is probably 
best for the people that it should continue to 
be practically self-supporting. It, however, 
a movement could be inaugurated to extend 
the Post-Office system to all telegraph, tele¬ 
phone, express and railroad business, it would 
result in great benefit. If the postal business 
of the United States were left to private 
enterprise, as all other business is, then the 
cost of sending a letter to any point would 
depend on the distance it must be carried, 
and the number of letters usually passing 
over the lino of its journey. Since the object 
for which the business would be conducted 
would be the enrichment of its owners, of 
those who had invested in it and carried it on, 
the rule, as in rail-roading, would be to “ tax 
the traffic all it can bear.” As it is, the 
people conduct the Post Office through their 
agent the government, and the tendency is 
ever, as it should be, to give the most efficient 
service possible at the lowest possible cost. 
If the postal business of the country were 
now, and always had been, in private hands, 
there is no argument that can now be ad¬ 
vanced against putting the railroads of the 
country in charge of the General Government 
to be operated for the people’s benefit at cost, 
which would not apply to the Post-Office with 
all its might; but, if a majority of the people 
demanded it, the change would, nevertheless, 
be quickly made. The people have the un¬ 
questionable right to demand that the Gov¬ 
ernment shall offer a fair price for the rail¬ 
roads, and that if the owners refuse to sell, 
it shall construct competing lines where such 
lines would be most effective, aud operate 
them for the benefit of the people as a depart¬ 
ment of the Civil Service. 
Several benefits might be gained from this. 
First, as in case of the Post-Office, it would 
give the people the service of the railroads at 
cost, aud the tendency would always be to 
diminish the cost and increase the efficiency 
of the service as fast as possible. Second, it 
would put the Civil Service of the country on 
a strictly business and non-political footing at 
once, as the Civil Service reform movement 
demands. Third, it would promote the ad¬ 
justment of the changed methods and condi¬ 
tions of the world’s work, which are now cul¬ 
minating with so much power for good or 
evil, to the people’s welfare, as an ever-benefi- 
cent evolution, instead of as a disastrous 
and explosive revolution to which these condi¬ 
tions might easily give rise if that adjust¬ 
ment were too strongly resisted. 
Now, how can the readers of the Rural 
help to bring this change about ? This article 
will probably meet the eye of many, each of 
whom will say “That is all right; I will vote 
for it the first chance I get.” Butif nine-tenths 
of the voters of the United States were of 
that mind, and that was all, the chance to 
vote for it would never come. There is no 
lack of political machinery for making the peo¬ 
ple’s will effective in any direction in which 
they may choose to act; but it is necessary 
that they should act if anything is to be ac¬ 
complished. 
This is what the writer would suggest:— 
Let every person who would like to see the 
Government of the United States assume con¬ 
trol of the railroads and operate them for the 
people’s benefit talk the matter up with others 
in his own school district, not neglecting to 
carry the agitation into other sections as op¬ 
portunity may arise. Then let as many as 
can be interested in the movement in each 
school district appoint one of their number to 
write a letter to the representative in Con¬ 
gress in whose district they live, asking for 
his aid and influence to bring the desired 
change about, telling him that they have as¬ 
sociated themselves to promote that change 
by every means in their power^until it is ac¬ 
complished, and let all sign the letter. By 
the time a majority of the members of Con¬ 
gress find their mails full of such letters the 
movement will be felt with some power. Let 
the readers of the Rural brace themselves 
for a long, strong pull, and pull all together 
and they will see this thing start, and slide 
into place with a promptness that will make 
the capitalists’ heads swim. The change is 
surely coming. C. w. w. 
Huron County, Ohio. 
CORRESPONDENTS’ VIEWS. 
Very pretty trimmings for the wrist are 
full little undersleeves of muslin, tulle, or net 
—they make a very good trimming when the 
sleeve Is a little short. They are in the form 
of a puff about three inches deep, closely 
shirred at top and bottom. The bottom shir¬ 
ring is about one inch from the edge, so as to 
form a frill. They are very pretty when the 
bottom shirring is drawn in with pretty baby 
ribbon, tied in a little bow at the back. 
Some charming Directoire cravats are like 
those worn by French lawyers a century ago. 
They consist of a close-fitting band for the 
neck, with two square ends in front. These 
are closely plaited, and fall straight. These 
cravats are usually made of sheer muslin or 
silk mull; they are veryjdemure-looking, and 
yet jaunty. 
* * * 
Just at present the'redingote is at the bight 
of its glory. Everybody wears one, and they 
range all the way from beauty and becoming¬ 
ness to positive hideousnes3. We saw a stout 
woman recently wearing a very straight, very 
tight, cloth redingote, in color a lively pea- 
green. It]had revers and trirpming of a flam¬ 
boyant brocade, pea-green and Indian red, 
and the misguided woman who worelit had 
an air of serene satisfaction, which showed 
tbat'she thought her attire all it should be. 
* * * 
Those Persian embroideries still hold a 
favorite place as trimmings—as a rule they 
are charming, and lighten up a gown wonder¬ 
fully. A plain frock of black alpaca, simply 
made, was rendered charming by a little Per¬ 
sian trimming of silver and dull blue. Among 
the handsomest passementeries for trimming 
black silk are those which show a mixture of 
colored metal and beads with plain jet. giv¬ 
ing an Oriental effect. Appliqu^ embroider¬ 
ies form another handsome trimming, but 
they are, as a rule, very expensive. 
Need ok More Eye-Opening.— At a re¬ 
cent meeting of the Connecticut State Board 
of Agriculture at Danbury, Dr. Bowen rais¬ 
ed the query: “How are the great body of 
farmers to get the much needed information 
with regard to the many frauds which the 
better informed among them understand per¬ 
fectly are being worked on them ?” It won’t do 
for the Board of Agriculture to ventilate these 
things, and the public press, catering for city 
interests and city schemes, will not do’it; the 
papers themselves being practically in' the 
ring. 
How then shall the farmers get at,theitruth of 
these things which so closely affect their inter¬ 
est, and which are far more vital to them than 
any fancy, scientific methods by which pro¬ 
duce is continually made more plentiful and 
consequently cheaper and at the same time of 
better quality for city epicures? The doctor 
proposed as one means to this end that every 
farmer should withdraw his support from all 
papers made up mostly of plausibilities, clip¬ 
pings, etc., aud give it to the paper which 
lends its columns most liberally to a truthful, 
out-spoken exposure of such matters. Some 
time ago I came to this conclusion for my¬ 
self and I believe that a farm paper run on this 
plan more extensively than any has ever yet 
been run, would be well aud heartily sustaiued 
by farmers. They are ready for it. a. w. 
Litchfield, Connecticut. 
Woman's Work. 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY LOUISE TAPLIN. 
CHAT BY THE WAY. 
THE FAMILY ACCOUNT-BOOK. 
OLIVE E. DANA. 
why should not the little ones come by such 
degrees to the knowledge and the sharing of 
these oft-times heavy burdens? 
There is a good deal of satisfaction to be 
gotten out of the family account book. It io 
a multiplication of the pleasure the wage- 
earner finds in the constant and careful 
squaring of his or her small accounts—a 
pleasure every woman-worker ought to know. 
But in this family book-keeping which be¬ 
comes also something like a diary, with its 
associations of related facts and dates, the 
greater satisfaction accompanies the greater 
utility. 
Father may like to know just how much he 
paid for last year’s fencing-wire; and then, 
if he knows the date, he perhaps can decide 
some other little mattter when his memory 
did not quite serve him truly, and is glad to 
know just what potatoes, or butter, or apples, 
or berries were bringing last season And 
mother bethinks herself that this is an off- 
year for clothes, and finding that the little 
record-book justifies her in the expenditure, 
delights herself and the family by a new and 
needed carpet. 
And then what comfort in knowing just 
what any given crop realized! The receipts 
from the berries, when the vines have given 
all their fruit, the gains from the dairy or 
orchard,or potato-field—it is double assurance 
of the success of the year’s work, to see these 
profits, small though they be, set down in 
honest, solid figures. The lessons of the little 
book give wisdom, courage and hope for the 
next glad sowing and reaping. So, by all 
means, have a household account book, and 
keep it. 
W OMEN with short, plump necks will be 
glad to learn that the newer siyles in 
neckwear are specially adapted to their ap¬ 
pearance. There is a tendency to make the 
collars lower, or to replace them with falling 
frills or fichus. What are known as Empire 
ruches consist of a fine mull or lace plaiting 
about two Inches deep, which turns over, and 
is brought down to a point in front. This is 
very pretty aud becomiug. The favorite 
fichus, either large or small, are bordered 
with frills, after the style affected by Marie 
Antoinette. Some are brought to a point in 
front aud knotted on the breast; others are 
looped at the waist line. Very pretty,quaiut- 
looking ones are seen in sprigged and dotted 
muslin; others in China silk and Canton 
crape. But their grace and effectiveness de¬ 
pend largely on the taste of the wearer. 
OUTINGS IN NEW ENGLAND. 
VII. 
MARY WAGER-FISHER. 
I T is a small thing I bring to aid in solving 
the vexed and vexing problem of house¬ 
hold finance, yet, rightly used, it may be a 
helpful one. One who has not tried the plan 
may not guess how money matters may often 
be simplified and'straightened by the careful 
keeping of household accounts. Let the 
mother do it if the children are small and the 
good man of the house is disinclined to 
“bother;” by-and-by the little daughter can 
be taught'to do it, and take pride in it. 
This family book-keeping should include 
an accurate record of all moneys received and 
of all expenditures. It need not be conducted 
in any strict and scholarly fashion; nor is it 
necessary to go to the opposite extreme— 
nails and seeds hob-nobbing with sugar and 
molasses, followed on the next line by an 
entry of thread and cotton cloth. 
This, indeed, is to mv mind, better than no 
account keeping. But I think it much bet¬ 
ter for the kitchen expenses to be by them¬ 
selves, and for the expenditures for out-door 
needs to be in their own place, while outlays 
for dress, postage'and the like occupy yet an¬ 
other portion’of the family account-book. Of 
course, when there is a fixed income, the 
trouble is much less than where both sides 
must be followed, as in tbe'ease of the farm¬ 
er. And if only one side can be kept I would 
count the outlays; for we are apt, the most 
of us, to count on if not to count up our gains 
even in anticipation, while the corresponding 
expenditures are not always so carefully re¬ 
garded. 
Was it not Garfield who attributed his suc¬ 
cess largely to the fact that, at some time in 
his'college course, he was led by the example 
of a fellow-student to make good use of the 
“margins” of time? And we do not need to re¬ 
mind ourselves that it is usually the “margins” 
allowed or disallowed or wholly forgotten, 
that are the secret of the problem. The mis¬ 
tress of the home will soon see if too much or 
too little relatively is spent on the table 
And with the entries before her. she may 
often bethink herself how less of this com¬ 
modity and more of that, or vice versa, would 
have conserved the health and comfort of the 
family. And if too much is being spent in 
any other department, if the dry-goods bill 
overshadows the outlay for groceries, or, on 
the other hand, is shrunken to unseemly size 
beside it, or if both groceries and dry-goods 
could have been made to yield a “margin” 
for repairs or furniture, for books or papers, 
for the payment of a debt or to be given in 
charity, or to be set down as a desirable de¬ 
posit in the family bank-book; if such there 
be, why these facts are apt to be much more 
evident if the figures tell them. 
That English fashion of which we read is a 
good one—having the girls of a household be¬ 
gin very early to set down their personal ex¬ 
penses, Bather unchildlike it may seem, but 
O NE morning Anaximander came in with 
the announcement that a whaling 
steamer was in the harbor and was imme¬ 
diately to leave for Provincetown, to return 
in the afternoon, and if I could get ready in a 
“jiffy ” we would take passage, so I was ready 
in a “ jiffy ” and we boarded the steamer with 
the usual result that attends precipitancy, to 
find that we might have bad a quarter of an 
hour more time at our disposal.^ Province- 
town is at the extreme end of Cape Cod and 
the boat was four hours in making the run. 
It was a new whaler, and during the seven 
months it had been at sea 13 whales had been 
captured. The whales were shot—the gun 
for this purpose being short and heavy and 
mounted on a projection from the bow of the 
boat. A long lance shell is shot from this gun 
and enters the whale and explodes inside him 
-a horribly cruel procedure, as the animal 
does not immediately die, but is sickened by 
it, and coming to the surface is easily har¬ 
pooned and hauled in. It was a rough tire¬ 
some voyage, and we were glad when the 
“tip end of Down East” was reached, al¬ 
though Provincetown is anything but a 
charming spot to rest in. One would suppose 
that a place so decidedly out at sea would be 
cool and refreshing. But it was hot and 
sandy "nd “ fishy.” It is built on a coast of 
sand and stretches out to the length of two or 
three miles. The sand promontory is some 
two miles wide, and very good water, with 
no brackish taste, is obtained from wells. We 
had for our dinner some fresh cod which was 
very good. Along the wharf, cod were being 
unloaded, the fish being removed from the 
hold of the boats with a large pitch-fork as if 
so much hay, and put into dories partly filled 
with fresh water, then rinsed off in this; and 
repacked in casks. The manipulation was 
cleanly and the sight of it in no wise modified 
my liking for “ pickled cod.” One of the fish¬ 
ermen asked me to look at some cod-liver oil 
which he pronounced very fine. He said 
that they threw the livers iu a cask and the 
oil exuded without further operation—the oil 
settling clear to the bottom and tne refuse 
rising to th' top. I don’t know how true his 
story was, but when he lifted the cover from 
the cask, the odor that came from it was 
sickening, but thoroughly cod-liverish. As I 
had in years gone by swallowed several 
quarts of oil, I declined his invitation to take 
a swallow from that fearful cask. 
As Provincetown was the spot where the 
Pilgrims first landed, and where they fell on 
their knees and thanked God for having 
safely crossed the ocean, we felt in duty 
bound to walk about and see if anything but 
sand and sea were to be seen. It was also in 
Provincetown harbor that the Pilgrims in 
the cabin of the Mayflower signed the com¬ 
pact for government by which they were to 
be guided in the New World. It was a 
co-operative company, and for some time 
eyorytbmgljwas in common, and even Jwhen 
