If Ids of tljf Mffli 
[Note.— The Rural New-Yorkkk expresses no 
political opinions whatsoever. We merely furnish 
a rrsimui of the week’s political occurrences for 
the benefit, of those who do not read the daily 
papers.— Eds.] 
Monday, Jan. is, 1879. 
POLITICAL. 
i ongress returned rrom its holiday relaxation on 
Tuesday. There seems to he leas disposition than 
usual In that body to talk for the sake or making 
political capital, and therefore more attention is 
being paid to business. It seems doubtful whether 
the bill for reorganizing the army will be passed. 
Much opposition lias been expressed by prominent 
men against some of Its provisions, chiefly on the 
ground that too much power is put Into the hands 
of General Sherman. All hope of the passage of 
Mr. Rdround's electoral bill, or any other measure 
on that subject, might as well be given up. The 
House committee on this question has decided to 
report the Senate bill adversely, which kills It, aud 
directed the Chairman to call up for early action 
the House bill known as the Southard bill. Mr. 
Southard hopes that his bill, Which is now on the 
speaker’s table, will be reached as early as next 
week, but it is not, certain that, It will ever pass the 
lower branch, while If it should, It would probably 
fall In the Senate. 
The Credit MobUlcr suit, under a special act ol 
Congress, authorizing the government to sue the 
celebrated ring to recover damages, has at, length 
come to the end foredoomed, when .Judge Shipman 
at t he first trial at Hartford sustained the demurrer 
of the defence to the suit. The supreme Court of 
the United States has sustained the demurrer, and 
the case falls to the ground. To turn a bad trade 
Into a good by means of a long subsequent, lawsuit 
is a Risk as hopeless for congress as for anybody. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
Thk American railroad construction for 1878 
amounts to 2,t>ss miles, the largest for any year 
since 1873. It has been mostly In the Middle and 
Northwestern States. The notable feature of New- 
Year's at, Ottawa, Canada, was the absence of fuss 
and feathers at the Governor-General's reception. 
Gentlemen wore ordinary morning costume, and 
tiro Marquis of Lome went about, tbe room talking 
and chatting with a degree of familiarity which 
surprised every one. Capt. Tom Lewis, the last- 
survivor of the Lewis and Clark exploring expedi¬ 
tion, which did so much towards opening up the 
West, was frozen to death m Albermarle County, 
Va., this week. The amount of seeds distributed 
generally throughout the Union last year by the 
National Agricultural Department was nearly 
2 , 000,000 papers of vegetable seeds. 300,000 papers 
or flower seeds, 3 ,000 papers 01 tree seeds, aud 
about 5,000 bushels of grains in quart packages. 
For the purchase and distribution of these seeds 
$ 06 , 0(10 were expended. About, 300,000 copies of the 
Report ol the Department for 1877 are said to have 
been published a couple of mouths ago, and of 
these 85,000 are reported to be still on hand. They 
contain a good deal of agricultural information, and 
farmers should send for copies. 
New York State has 1,100 establishments for fac¬ 
tory dairying, with 38,(too dairymen as patrons, 
representing 308,35U cows, producing 3,210,000 
pounds of butter, and 09,032.730 pounds of cheese. 
Of these 23,000 dairymen, not over six have any 
time to waste on politics. A butter and cheese linn 
of this city, after several days' labor, has ascer¬ 
tained the amount of cheese now In store In New 
York to be 396,407 boxes. Some of the western 
roads arc contemplating carrying storm signals on 
trains ror the benellt. of farmers. This will knock 
the family almanac higher than a kite. The mes¬ 
sage of the Governor of Tennessee favors a prompt 
settlement of the State debt, at fifty cents on the 
dollar, as suggested liy the state’s creditors. 
The Mormons have long Insisted that as the law¬ 
fulness 01 polygamy was a pari ol their religious 
belief, Congressional laws against a plurality of 
wives In their case were unconstitutional, inasmuch 
as the constitution forbids interference with relig¬ 
ious beliefs. The constitutionality 01 the laws of 
Congress against polygamy la the Territories has, 
however, been at last definitely affirmed by the 
Supreme Court of the United States, and the pet 
Institution of the Mormon religion will feel the re¬ 
straints of law draw closer and closer around It. 
The fact that, marriage goes outside the sanction of 
law, when more than two persons unite In It. and 
becomes a mere lawless concubinage, conveying no 
rights and depriving offsprings of legitimacy, will, 
In the long run, prove too heavy a load for the Mor¬ 
mon church to bear. Woman will revolt from It. 
Now let the United states courts apply the steady 
educational pressure of legal restraint. 
A considerable increase In Immigration to Amcr- 
ca is shown by the figures giving arrivals at New 
York during ls7s. The total lor the year, 121,695, 
is yet far short of those/or a few years ago, hut 
2 r>,iiuu greater than that ol' 1877. The dawn of bet- 
ter times here aud growing depression across the 
Atlantic, together with the political persecutions 
in Germany, will doubtless largely increase the 
Immigration this year. • 
The cold spell seems to have relaxed In most 
parts of the country, and now floods and ihelr dis¬ 
astrous results are succeeding the miseries of a 
heavy snow-fall. The Ohio Ls already unusually 
high aud rising and unless a sharp frost locks up 
the melting snow, much loss must occur. Reports 
from the southern stales show that the cold there 
was unusually severe. We are told the mercury 
stood at 20 ■o above zero In New Orleans Sunday 
night, which ls the lowest since is57; at Vicks¬ 
burg, Miss., It was at, 120 above; at Jacksonville, 
Fla., there was sleet, and ice, and skating for the 
first time in twenty years at, Atlanta, Ga. 
Reports from the fruit sections of Florida show, 
however, that the orange crop and trees were not 
changed by the recent cold snap. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
The public debt statement ls as follows: 
Six percent. bomb. .$657,846,200 
Five per cent bonds. 793,266,660 
Four aud half nor cent, bonds... 250,000,000 
Four per cent, bonds. 198,700,000 
Total coin bonds.$1,809,812,850 
This sum bears Interest, but the following Items 
do not: 
Lawful money debt.$ 14,000,000 
Matured debt,,. 22,■146.460 
Lo*ral-tendcrs. 346,743,051 
ortiUrates of deposit. 34,515,000 
Fractional currency. 16,106,154 
Coin and silver certificates. 24.o7o.S1o 
Total Without interest.$ 421,443,035 
Total del it. ...$2,267,702,545 
Total interest . 34,811,79.1 
Cask m treasury • 
Coin.$224,865,477 
Currency. 4,515^50 
Currency held for redemption 
or fractional currency. 10 , 000,000 
Special iicpoHitu held for re¬ 
demption of certificates of 
deposit. 34,515,000 
Total in Treasury.$ 273,896,027 
Debt less cash in the Treasury.$2,028,648,111 
Increase duriuy December. 1,233,785 
Decrease since -J uue 30, 1878. 7,138,720 
Prices of produce and provisions at Chicago on 
the 1st ol October of each year from i 860 to 1878, 
inclusive: 
Men* Fork. 
Lard. 
Wheat. 
Corn. 
Price per 
Price i mr 
Price per Price. 
bbi. 
lb., eta. 
bush. 
l>er bus. 
i860. 
.$18 50 
12>, 
$1 00 
43 
1861. 
. 18 50 
7.-4 
85 
21 
1862. 
. 9 IK) 
7>j 
96 
53.1 
186.1. 
. 13 60 
10 
1 Ud 
Tit 
1864. 
. 42 IK) 
18 
1 41 
$1 24 
1865. 
. 38 (Kl 
a* 
1 32 
67 
1860. 
. 32 (HI 
17 ‘/i 
1 90 
64 
1867. 
. 23 60 
Li.q 
1 86 
1 i.(2 
1818. 
18:1 
1869. 
. 32 50 
18 
1870. 
. 26 (Kl 
15.1 
1 06 
1871. 
. 13 00 
91 
1 23 
47 
1872. 
. 14 26 
81 
1 18 
& 
1873. 
. 14 25 
7;1 
1 (Kl 
36 
1874. 
. 20 87 
14;<, 
94 
82 
1M76. 
13.1 
1 11 
56 
lhiij. 
. 1H 50 
lo 1 
1 06 
44 
1877. 
. 14 26 
81 
i 10 
43 
1878. 
. 7 87 
87 
34 
The prices of these products, throughout the 
country, have borne the same proportion with 
those at Chicago in all these years, as at present. 
The following average of retail prices in several 
towns East here, will show the difference In the 
figures at which the chief necessities of life can 
be bought at the dates mentioned: 
Flour. 
1860. 
. ...$8 00 
1865. 
$20 00 
1878. 
$8 00 
23 
Butter. 
. . . 23 
tio 
Pork. 
Tea. 
12 
30 
12 
50 
1 50 
50 
Sugar. 
Fish. 
11 
16 
10 
4 
12 
6 
Beans.. 
6 
12 
8 
Cotton cloth. 
14 
33 
8 
$9 20 
$23 13 
$9 17 
FOKKlflN, 
Across the Atlantic distress and starvation are 
on The Increase in England, owing to the huge 
number of people idle, the threatened strikes, on 
reduction 01 wages, have generally been postponed. 
In Germany the political troubles still continue] 
there is all alarming stagnation in business; and 
Bismarck is still mglng a strong protective tariff 
as a remedy lor this evil. He has also lately 
Darned a law to do away with, the freedom of 
Speech in the Reichstag, or legislature ol the Em¬ 
pire, the only spot in its broad extent where lib¬ 
erty of speech is now tolerated. He wishes the en¬ 
actment of severe penalties against all those who 
may say anything t here displeasing to the Gov¬ 
ernment. France Is more prosperous appar¬ 
ently than any country in Europe. The win¬ 
ter In the British isles and all over the Continent 
continues unusually severe, snow storms are fre¬ 
quent and heavy and the eoast has lately been 
visited by several disastrous bumcances. This 
morning’s cablegrams intimate Unit that Manitoba 
cold wave ot ours has Just finished its journey 
across the AtlanUe and Js now giving a strong 
taste ot ante weather t.o uur cousins beyond the 
water 
Shore AU is on his way to St. Petersburg where 
lie wifi beg the Czur to intervene In his behalf with 
Great Britain, Ills request, however, will nut be 
granted In that, quarter, but it ls said that lie may 
be more suecessiul with the Emperor of Austria, 
as the latter country is looked upon as the friend 
of England, and can therefore intercede for the 
Ameer with a belter face and chance of success. 
The English in Afghanistan have captured can- 
dahar, and have imormed YaicoOb Khan of the 
terms on which peace may be concluded. 
Tlie oft-repeated story that the French Pro¬ 
visional Government, of isio under Gambotta 
stole or lost a sum of $49, 200,0110 bus been dually 
set at rest by au official investigation and state¬ 
ment. one of the worst taunts of the Imperial¬ 
ists and Monarchists against the One-eyed Jewish 
statesman is thus silenced for ever—if calumny 
can ever be silenced. Germany had two hundred 
and sixty sugar lactones iu full work during Sep¬ 
tember. The yield of beets I 11 both Germany aud 
France last year was Inferior to that of 1ST. The 
selling of beets according to the relative density 
uf the juice is making its way in Fraiiee, and 
promises to become popular, as it w ill prelect both 
the farmer and the manufacturer. Don Baldo- 
mero Kspurlcro, duke of Vlttorla, who tor two or 
three generations took a prominent part in .Span¬ 
ish atfatrs both as a soldier and statesman died 
at Madrid <m Wednesday. He was burn Feb 27, 
1792, at urunatula, near Ciudad Real, In La 
Mancha. 
it, is uncertain when the widow of Minister Bay¬ 
ard Taylor will return to America, her landlord re¬ 
fusing 10 allow her lo surrender her house until the 
expiration of the lease. For a long time the raising 
of tobacco has been prohibited iu Great Britain iu 
order to enable the Government to realize the great¬ 
est, amount of revenue from taxes on its importa¬ 
tion. Il is now proposed to allow il to be cultiva¬ 
ted in order to give employment to the people who 
are out or work, and also because fanners there, too, 
are on the outlook for something to cultivate, which 
will yield a little more prow, than many of their 
present products. During the recent war 594,owl 
Russian soldiers poured down through Rpumanla 
into Turkey. Of these, 58,800 were sent baek by 
rail wounded and 62,150 ILL, 31,000 sick went baek 
home to Odessa by sea, 29,000 are still iu hospital, 
31,000 laid their hones in Roumanla, and 99,000 
perished in Bulgaria.. 
Many American w ritera seem to believe that the 
vast indemnity exacted by Germany rrom France 
at the close of the wa r of 1870 , is no longer a bur¬ 
then upon the latter country—that the debt has- 
been entirely wiped out. In this, however, they 
are egregriously mistaken. France, it ls true, 
promptly paid tire amount to Germany, but to do 
so she had to borrow it, from others—chiefly from 
her own citizens, though a great deal of the money 
was loaned by English capitalists, some by Ger¬ 
mans and not a hi,tie by other Europeans who 
wa nted a good Investment,. I hiring t fie six mouths 
ot active hostilities between France and Germany 
the Indebtedness Incurred on account of the war 
amounted to live hundred and seventy-three mil¬ 
lion dollars, when the payment to Germany of an 
Indemnity of one billion dollai-s was agreed upon. 
To meet tills, the French Government during ISTi 
and 1872, borrowed one billion six hundred and 
forty million dollars, agreeing to pay five per cent, 
interest. This amount, by reason of discounts and 
other expenses, was reduced to one billion one 
hundred and forty-five million dollars, llils was 
the way In which the German indemnity was 
raised. Not one dollar ol 1 Ins money has been paid 
to the creditors, and interest ls st ill being paid on 
the entire amount. France, in addition, lnus a 
large funded debi, always increasing by reason of 
deficiencies in the revenue. Her public debt has 
Increased nbic hundred and forty-six million dol¬ 
lars In the last, three years, Her Interest, account 
ls largely In excess ol ours, and, did limy borrow at 
the same rate as we, II would be further Increased. 
The French Government cau borrow- at three per 
cent, while ours pays tour. The impression that 
France Inis paid off her debt, by Issuing paper, is 
utterly groundless. She still owes the money raised 
for the German indemnity, and much more beside. 
Jlomrsiir (ttoiunniL 
V—' . <0 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE. 
NOTES. 
— Pie Is an enemy In ambush. 
— juti'irst is the spice or housekeeping. 
— Oil of cinnamon will cure warts. 
— Do not put in ussy butter dishes upon your 
table. 
— Newspapers are excellent for polislilng glass¬ 
ware and windows. 
— A salve made ot equal parts of lard and gun¬ 
powder is recommended for frost lilies. 
— Old boot-tops cut into suitable size anil lined, 
make very good Ironing hoidei-s. 
— Dip candle molds Into hot water tor an Instant 
before drawing. 
— Marlon II aria 1 id says: “Between butchers and 
cooks, there Ls enough wasted tn American kitch¬ 
ens to supply a national soup-houso that might 
feed all the poor In the land.” 
— Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher says: “II parents 
w-ould learn in time that over-indulgence In child¬ 
hood brings to their children I 11 later fife only an 
Inheritance of regret, and disappointment, how 
many lives would be made buppy and cheerful that 
now, through over-indulgence, are utterly wrecked 
and useless.” 
-♦♦♦-- 
MOP-HANDLE PAFERS.-No. 11. 
MAV MAPLE. 
Grandma's Lamentation. 
“ stkanok as It may seem, It is no less true, that 
there is always a hlack sheep In every well-to-do 
flock,” said Grandma Dalton, as she took up her 
knitting w ork and scaled herself In the warm, cozy 
corner of the sitting-room, always reserved for her 
when she made us her annual visit. “ Now any¬ 
body that ever scon meat home knows,” she con¬ 
tinued, "that 1 never could endure slipshod, slov¬ 
enly halilts; and 1 never could allow my girls to do 
their work iu a careless, shiftless maimer, while 
they lived at home. Now Patty and Lucy and 
Marla are as neat about their persona and tidy 
about their homes as any mother could desire, and 
1 am proud to think t hey are my daughters. But 
there’s liellen, that we always dubbed “ Beauty,’ 
On account of her fair face aud symmetrical form, 
has been a disgrace to her bringing up ever slucc 
she was married. 
•* Why, the other day when i was there, 1 count¬ 
ed jiff einpt’lng dishea settin’ round the yard, half 
or two-tlilrds lull of dish-water, • left to soakand 
then there were three or four dough pans standing 
aiiuui w ii.ii flour and dried dough enough in each 
one to make a good-sized biscuit. Now r , liellen was 
never allowed to leave her bakin' dishes iu that 
shape when she was at home; but she always 
hated to wash dishes aud do housework the worst 
of anything in the world, and now that, she can do 
with her own as she likes, she forgets her home 
training'. I have, about made np m.v mind ihai old 
King Nolomon did not know much about human 
nature., leastways ot girl nature, when he said, 
* Train up a child in the way he should go, aud 
When he Ls old he will not depart from it,’ 
“It is no more work to clean an mappings’ Jar, 
than it Js a breakfast plate, ii it Is put into a pan ot 
water, bottom, si do up, as soon as the bat ter is all 
rinsed out that Is needed for the bread; aud then 
when the dough Js molded lain loaves, the jar can 
be washed with hut very little trouble. There Is 
no sense in leaving a thick scale ot dough about 
the bread or cake pan. Almost every particle of 
flour cau be kneaded or stirred In with the mass. 
1 don't wonder so many people suffer for the com¬ 
mon necessities of life, so much is left to go to 
waste through pure carelessness; ami unless llel- 
len turns over a new lent, she will yet, eat, the bread 
of poverty. Blie has already lost many friends by 
her slovenly habits. 1 can’t see why, when one 
has come to years of maturity and knows how to 
do work well, she will not do It right even though 
It may be distasteful. She might do right for the 
sake of pleasing those she loves, if for no better 
motive.” 
“ But a sloven is invariably selfish.” And Grand¬ 
ma Dalton sighed over the weakness of her once 
beautiful daughter, liellen. And well l knew site 
had reason to be sad, ns have many mothers who 
see their life w ork marred by unsightly blemishes. 
NEURALGIC TOOTHACHE 
Soon after my restoration to health rrom a severe 
illness last fall, 1 w hs t roubled wit h a pain In the 
face, that seemed to procceil from ilie teeth, but 
which affected the whole Instead of one particu¬ 
lar tooth. At Intervals all ache disappeared, aud 
I Hoped forever; then, uguln, it, returned with 
stinging sharpness, up to the temple and along the 
upper and lower jaw. Several friends, martyrs to 
neuralgia, told me. I was finding out how bad it 
was, lor Uie first time, and for the benefit of many 
who may suffer in like maimer, l write down 
my cure. One evening while the pain was very 
severe, I happened to read In a newspaper that 
an eminent physician had successfully tried pow¬ 
dered quinine. He dipped his finger in clean water, 
then into the quinine, and what adhered he rubbed 
along the gums, keeping it, iu i.he mouth as long 
as the hitler taste could be endured. Repeat, If 
necessary. I tiled It faithfully—It was oh : so 
but the pain went, away, and l hope others who 
may be similarly alllleted will find relief in the 
same way. Annie L. Jack. 
MENDING RAG CARPETS. 
When my mother was sitting at her w ork the 
other day, I wondered if any other house-mother 
had mended her rag carpet as she was doing. 
When there comes a break In It. If the warp Ls 
broken, site lies Uie same kind of warp to one end 
of one thread at a time, and then across the break 
to liie other end of the broken warp. Alw ays tie 
sure to tie wnat the mou call a flat knot, so it will 
not, slip. Bridge across thus each separate thread 
of warp. Then with the tape needle weave In 
carpet rags, going over one thread and under the 
next, across then buck and so on until the break 
ls all filled in. By so mending your neighbors will 
never know your carpet is patched, il your arc 
careful you can weave in the ends of the warp 
with the ragsso there will lie no ends to give It a 
ragged look. A cs, I will say rug carpets do pay 
and If the rags are cut even and fine, and nicely 
colored, and woven In fine strips, they are pretty 
too. A Wisconsin Woman. 
SKINS FROM PEACHES. 
If Mrs. J. W. L. will place her peaches in a large 
wire basket and plunge them first into a kettle of 
Iniiliwj lyc, strong enough to hear up an egg, and 
then into a tub ot cold water, she will find little 
trouble in removing the skins. Experience will en¬ 
able her to determine how long they should remain 
iu the lye to eat off the outside skin. Plenty of 
water should be used In rinsing. Rub off the skins 
in tlie flist water and throw the peaches into a pall 
of clean water. Mary B. 
CARPET SWEEPERS. 
We have used a carpel sweeper in our family for 
four years, and uow would not b? willLng lo keep 
house without one. There is no doubt in my mind, 
M. W. F., as to *• t heir superiority over the ordinary 
broom” for wry-day trtciiityintj. It is true that 
they will not sweep in the corners, but even when 
using the common broom, a whisk Is preferable for 
that purpose. 1 u their use little, or no dust, rises to 
settle upon the walls, furniture, etc,, and the ex¬ 
penditure of strength tn their working ls as nothing 
compared to that In broom sweeping. A friend 
who ls too feeble to sweep her room the usual 
way, tells me that since the purchase ot a sweeper 
a year ago, she has been able to cure for her own 
room with hut little tailgue. A sweeper will pick 
up hairs, t hreads, plus and needles, which a broom 
will pass over, and In the sweeping of heavy car¬ 
pets, it supplied a warn In our family long felt. 1 
have not been able to detect that it wears out tlie 
carpets, neither am 1 prepared to stole, as many' 
do, that Its use Is attended with far less wear 
and tear than when the sweeping is done with a 
broom. I am asked It sweepers can lie used to 
the entire exclusion of brooms, and 1 reply', no: 
that tlie Friday’s sweeping of those rooms in con¬ 
stant use, will be more satisfactory If the broom ls 
first used and then tlie sweeper rolled over to 
gather up the settled dust, broom-splints, thread, 
etc., which the broom may have letl. k. m. 
DOMESTIC RECIPES. 
Orange Snow, 
The juice of four large oranges and one lemon; 
the grated rind of an orange and halt a lemon. 
Soak a package of gelatine In a coffee cup of cold 
water; When dissolved add the juice and grated 
rind and a coffee cup of white sugar. Cover and 
let stand an hour; then pour on two and a halt 
coffee cups or boiling water; strain through tlan- 
nel; when cold whip in the beaten w hites of three 
eggs; turn Into a mold and set on lee. 
Orange Jelly. 
add a pint or boiling water; a pint of orange Juice 
and a pound of white sugar; let come to a boll; 
strain through a jelly bag and pour into molds. 
Mrs. L. D. II. 
Cayuga, N. Y. 
Fried Tripe. 
Dissolve a box of gelatine iu a pint of cold water; 
Dip into beaten egg and then in cracker crumbs; 
fry uatll of a dark brown on both sides; take up 
