THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Hftos of llif Mtrcli 
Monday, Jan. 20, 1S79. 
POLITICAL. 
Tlic work of the House has been Interrupted by 
extraordinary mortality among Its members, not 
less than four having passed away in the course of 
as many weeks, under circumstances which cause 
grave suspicion ol the unheal! Illness of the Capitol 
or ot the city of Washington. Three of these were 
from the South, and all happened to be democrats, 
The ablest ot them by far was Gustav Schleicher, 
of Texas, a native of Germany, who had resided 
here since fi-HT. The House by a vote of 127 to 
77 rejected a bill to reimburse William and Mary 
College, Va„ for losses Incurred In the war. only 
four republicans voted in the affirmative and many 
democrats In the negative. 
Mr. Edmunds lias Introduced a Joint resolution 
prohibiting any bill passed by either House from 
being sent to the other after 12 l\ M. ot March 1, 
and any bill or resolution passed, by both Houses 
from being sent to the President after 12 P. M. on 
March 2. This measure is designed to prevent the 
rushing through, or bills Just at, the close of Con¬ 
gress, hitherto a rmiiiul source of Jobbery, trick¬ 
ery and error. 
Though Senator Sharon of Nevada lias held Ills 
office for nearly four yearn and drawn almost 
$30,000 for pay arid mileage, lie has not been a 
month In his seat altogether hitherto, some of his 
colleagues had never seen him until his recent ar¬ 
rival at Washington, and very few of them had 
made his acquaintance. He is r.s years old and ts 
described as short and thin, ltglit-complexloned, 
unprepossessing In figure, and weighing hardly 
more than 100 pounds. 
since the democrats organized the Indiana Sen¬ 
ate they are more confident of pushing through the 
Legislature a partisan gerrymandering scheme. 
A bill lias already been introduced, which throws 
most of the republican congressional majorities 
into a single district and gives the democrats a 
chance to elect nine members out of the thirteen, 
—In other words, gives the republicans a dose ol 
their own medicine, 
miscellaneous. 
The Cincinnati Commercial's summary of mur¬ 
ders and houioeidcs iu the I idled states In 1878, 
aggregates 1,326. t he killings are put under thirty- 
three class, es, some of which are these: ••Killings 
on account of dogs, 4; killings on account of wives, 
64; wives killed, ns; parricides, 8; wives killed hus¬ 
bands, u ; negroes killed, m; negroes kill, 102 ; 
bagnio fatal quarrels, 10 ; men killed in common 
quarrels, 258; bar-room and drunken quarrels, 74 ; 
fratricides, 14; wronged women kill seducers, 6: 
fathers kill sons, 18; killed In political quarrels, u ; 
deaths from abortion, 12 ; poison, 25; killed by 
thieves, f, 7 ; mothers kill children, 37; accidental 
killings, 09; mobs, 29; cards and gambling. 15 ; 
officers killed 53 , and so officers were killed The 
Illinois Department ol Agriculture, at sprlnglield, 
has received crop reports from a majority of the 
southern counties of the state, which indicate that 
the winter wheat was never in so good condition 
as at present, 'l he heavy snows have protected 
the grain, and the ground is reported In excellent 
condition. Live stock is also reported in good con¬ 
dition. 
col. W. H. Clark resigns the presidency of the agri¬ 
cultural college at Amherst, Mass. 1 he explanation 
seems to be Unit the trustees have discovered that 
President Clark is rather an expensive luxury. 
The college will retrench tor the present by getting 
along without any head, it la probable tiiai Prof, 
stock bridge will be made acting president and no 
president chosen for the present. There was an¬ 
other severe snow storm over a large part of the 
country last week. Here ’twas the heaviest ol the 
year. Many blockades on the railroads. Fifteen 
miles of cars are said to have been snowed In on 
the N. Y. central, while it Is staled that the loss 
from all causes during llic snow embargo was 
$65,01111 to the New York central, nearly $50,000 to 
the Erie, and $ 45,000 to the Lake shore road. These 
are only sample eases of what has generally been 
the results throughout the North and West. 
Reports from nineteen Western railroads of ( Heir 
December business, Show gross earnings amounting 
to $6,009,190, an Increase over those of the same 
month in 1877, of $ 115 , 717 . The figures for the year 
are: Gross earnings, $83,588,701; Increase over 
1877, $4,577,925. On last Tuesday, week, there were 
In the Chicago elevators 5,556,662 bushels of wheat, 
l,945,9.ss bushels of corn, 427,933 bushels of oats, 
226,684 bushels of rye, and 1,166,702 bushels ol bar¬ 
ley, a total ol 9,324,029 bushels, against 9,060,977 
the previous week, and 2,800,698 at the same time 
in 1877. New York and Brooklyn w arehouses con¬ 
tained 3 , 812,000 bushels of wheat, 2 , 950,000 bushels 
of corn, 1,069,000 bushels of oats, r.04 bushels of rye, 
and 918.000 bushels of barley. Grain in sight on 
the 21 st of December: Wheat, 10,017,000 bushels; 
corn, 9,059,000 bushels; oats, 2,909,000 bushels; rye. 
1,565.000 bushels; barley, ,%Cflii,ooo bushels. Ex¬ 
ports from seaboard ports week before last in¬ 
cluded 97,4 ns barrets of Hour, j, 104.420 bushels or 
wheat, 639,289 bushels of ooru, 19,94 1 bushels of 
rye, 6,908 barrels of pork, 6,420,174 pounds of lai d, 
and 15,797.917 pounds Of bacon. Hamilton Pish 
was elected president of the L'nlon League Club at 
New \ ork 1 he past week. Gov. Hampton 01 south 
Carolina is steadily mending. The export trade in 
live stock Is assuming magnificent proportions in 
Canada. An English firm Is reported as negotiat¬ 
ing with Toronto exporters for twenty thousand 
head of grade Short-horn cattle and fifty thousand 
sheep of the Cotswold and Leicester breeds, 'i bis 
Immense number Is composed 01 the choicest ani¬ 
mals, and the entire lot is to be delivered at Liver¬ 
pool before the close of June next. 
Hun A- Co's, the commercial agents, report of the 
failures for 1878 cover 10,478, the highest .ever 
reached, the total liabilities being $ 234 , 383 , 000 , also 
the next highest being $228,499,000 in is7B. The 
decline In the value of staples and the haste to 
take advantage of the national bankrupt law are 
the most probable causes of the Increase. At the 
final meeting of the Centennial Commission In 
Philadelphia, Wednesday, thirty-nine States and 
Territories were represented. General Joseph H. 
Hawley presided and delivered an address. The 
closing report or the Executive Committee was 
read and accepted. The report of t he committee 
appointed to audit on finances were presented 
and adopted. The gross receipts or the exhibition 
were $ 11 , 161 , 611 , 55 ; expenses to date, $10,997,980,59 
—leaving a cash balance of $173,630,96. 
All matters connected with the transportation 
of his products to market are ot Importance to the 
farmer, as they tnfiucnce the price of [his goods, 
hence it ts gratifying to learn that the canals of 
this state have been exceptionally successful 
this year. A new system of management which 
keeps them apart from politics, went into opera¬ 
tions last February and in the four remaining 
months of the fiscal year the expenses of the whole 
year were reduced $310,580, as compared wtth the 
year before; while at the close of isrs they had 
been reduced from fsr, 1,7211 In 1877 to $t4ii,si7— 
nearly one-half. This has also been accomplished 
without Impairing the condition of the canals in 
the least, while their tonnage has increased 214 ,- 
859 tons and the net revenue $245,871. 
'I'he conference between the representatives of 
• the trunk line railroads and agents of ocean steam¬ 
ship lines running from New York was held at 29 
Broadway Wednesday. The object was i^makc 
some arrangement for sustaining uniform rates on 
freight, shipped for export from the West. The 
railroad men presented a plan adopted last week 
to prevent the cutting of rates. The steamship 
agents expressed their willingness to cooperate, 
If the railroads would agree to ship all their ex¬ 
port freight by vessels ox lines composing the 
Northern Atlantic lines. A conference committee 
was finally appointed to consider the matter. The 
proposition ol the steamship companies would 
rule out the alleged Vauderbili Unicorn line of 
steamships just established, it Is said the railroad 
companies want to loice upon the fast passenger 
and mall steamers the same rates of freight that 
the New York Central will secure hv the tulcorn j 
line. 
Thomas Lord, the millionaire whose marriage 
with Mrs. Jlieks about a year ago created such a 
sensation, Is at the point of death. He has taken no 
solid food tor two weeks, and 1 : 1 s stomach will not 
retain Uulds. He Is about 85 years old. The Teller 
Committee Is reported to have taken evidence la 
New Orleans, which demonstrates the existence of 
gross Intimidation of voters at the last Presiden¬ 
tial elections. The Potter committee is about to 
investigate those cipher telegrams. 
The hostile Cheyennes, Imprisoned at Fort, Rob¬ 
inson, Neb., since last October, having been in¬ 
formed a few days ago that, they were (o be taken 
back 10 their agency In the Indian Territory, be¬ 
came very sullen, and repeatedly expressed a 
determination to die before consenting to such a 
movement. They were shut up in « frame build* 
lug, and In order to force them to consent logo 
South they w ere deprived of food and fire for live 
or six days, and or water for 24 hours, and the win¬ 
dows were removed from their prison through this 
Intensely cold weather to freeze them to subjection. 
Driven to desperation they at last took advantage 01 
the carelessness or the military guard, and at lu 
o’clock at night, when nearly every one was it) bod, 
they jumped ihrough uic windows and made lor 
the prairie, which was thickly coated with trozen 
snow, firing on the guard from revolvers they had 
concealed since their capture, dangerously wound¬ 
ing lour, two 01 whom have died. The main guard 
rushed out of the guard-house, and, following them 
up, killed over 4u, Including eight squaws and two 
children. Over 100 ol the cavalry, mounted and 
dismounted, followed, but. were forced to return tor 
provisions. Since then the pursuit has been vigo¬ 
rously carried on, and all the fugitives either killed 
or recaptured, except, 19. A l latest accounts, these 
were holding n detachment of t roops at bay. Much 
excitement, among- the Sioux. 
A Military court Is In session at Chicago inquir¬ 
ing into the conduct of Major Reno at tlic bat tle of 
the Little Big Horn, where Custer and Ills com¬ 
mand were massacred. Charges hare been re¬ 
peatedly made that were It not that Reno's eow- 
ardiee on that occasion prevented him from going 
to the assistance, of Ids gallant, eomtaander, the Is¬ 
sue 01 Ihe st ruggle might have been dilferont. lie 
demanded an official Investigation into the matter, 
and hitherto some strong testimony lor and against 
hun has been taken. 
The distress among the working class in Great 
Britain is still Increasing. The workhouses are 
being filled to their utmost capacity. Private char¬ 
ity, though liberal, Is insufficient to more than 
mitigate the buffering. There Is a llerce struggle 
between labor and capital. Manufacturers hud 
that to prevent their trade from passing into Amer¬ 
ican and continental hands a reduction lu the price 
or their wares Is absolutely necessary. This they 
insl t must be brought about by lowering the wages 
of their workmen. The latter say the vasl profits 
of the capitalists should be dlmlsUed instead, and 
refuse to consent to the curtailment of their pay. 
During the past week several large strikes have 
been In augurated, elfielly among the miners In 
Wales and Cornw all. In the manufacturing cities 
of \\ arvvtek and Lancashire the men have been 
locked out of a number of the most extensive facto¬ 
ries and work suspended until the proposed reduc¬ 
tion Is agreed to. There Isa strong probability 
that, both labor and capital will emigrate largely, 
both to this country and Australia. Already the 
North Wales Mining Association is offering $ 33.88 
to every member of the l’nlon who desires to emi¬ 
grate to America and $67.76 to those preferring to 
go to Australia. By this means the number of 
operatives, It is hoped, will be so reduced that the 
remainder will be able to get higher wages—ac¬ 
cording 1o the old doctrine of supply and demand. 
In France the Republicans, having gained heav¬ 
ily at the late elections, arc insisting that to the 
victors belong the spoils. They maintain that all 
3 governmental officials who are not openly of their 
j party should be dismissed and red hot republicans 
1 appointed in their places. To this the Government 
refuses to consent,, and a Ministerial crisis is Immi¬ 
nent. There Is a good deal of Ui.1k about the jiossi- 
5 ble resignation of MaoMahou rather than Ids sub¬ 
mission to the dictates of the triumphant party, 
I It is said that Gambetta supports these demands, 
1 wit h a view to his election to ihe Presidency after 
> the termination of Mae Mahon's term, in issn. Now, 
as usual, agitation in France Is having a disquiet¬ 
ing effect throughout the rest of Europe. In Ger¬ 
many the agitation about protective duties In lav or 
ot home products ts still the chief topic of public 
Interest, over-topping that taken In Bismarck’s 
proposed legislation to punish the abuse of free 
speech In the Legislature. Tills measure seems to 
excite greater Indignation abroad, especially In En¬ 
gland, than in the Fatherland, 'there Is just now 
a report, also, that, the great Chancellor Intends to 
lnt rodi ice a law authorizing the government, officials 
to open suspected letters coming from other coun¬ 
tries, in order to prevent ( he dlsseml nation of objec¬ 
tionable political doctrines through means of the 
mail. Mattel's out In Afghanistan ure nearly at a 
standstill, owing to the severity of ihe weather. 
Yakoob Khan Is said to have followed Ids father in 
Ills flight. 
tlomrsftt (fro 110mi). 
' <-s 
< OND0CTED BY EMILY MAPLE. 
MOP-HANDLE PAPERS.-No. 12. 
MAY MAPLE. 
A Sewing-Circle’s Household Wisdom. 
“ Well I declare, If Mrs. Hester Douglas Isn’t 
more nice than wise, then my name Isn’t Rachel 
Ray;” and the wli.tr lady drew up to the table that 
was covered with work and surrounded by ladies 
of various ages, both married and single; for this 
was society day. 
“You see,” continued Rachel Ray, as she ad¬ 
justed her thimble and took up a 11 apron to finish, 
‘•I called to see if Hester would not come to the 
sewing circle with me. But, dear me! didn’t I 
know it was Saturday and that It was every house¬ 
wife’s cleaning day ? anyway, tr It. wasn’t, It ought 
to txi. For her part, she had work enough to do at 
home; and If the ladies who attended tlic society 
every week would look around t heir houses, they’d 
find enough to keep them busy, .sue always 
cleaned her house every Saturday from garret to 
cellar. She must finish scouring the cellar stair 
and the wood-house steps, she s’posed most 01 
folks would think they would do with washing 
occasionally, or sweeping once or twice a week; 
but she always scoured hers with plenty of soap, 
sand and elbow grease. A ml then the swill barrel, 
pall and dipper always came in for their share of 
the weekly scouring, too. A nrl she’d warrant there 
wasn’t a society woman who ever even washed 
those articles. But she had her opinion ot such 
neat people. And she <1 no doubt but the heathen 
tha t they were so anxious to provide fur, might 
give them many a lesson In Hie art ol housekeep¬ 
ing. “ And the way she scoured and washed each 
step was certainly an example or hard work.” con¬ 
tinued Rachel, dropping her sarcastic tone. 
“ Yes, and very useless work, too, r should say;” 
said Mrs. Wright, the merchant’s wile, •• 1 quite 
agree with you m thinking M re. Douglas more nice 
than wise,” 
“ Well, 1 never thought of the cellar stab's or the 
swill barrel being a test, of neatness. To be sure, 
one might Judge of one's economy by taking a peep 
Into the swill barrel. But to me t he Idea of scour¬ 
ing It is quite tiew,” said .Mrs. Plain well. 
“ My way of testing a housewife is by t he doors; 
if they are kept clean about the latches, I’m not 
afraid but tne rest of the bouse will lie found com¬ 
fortably tidy, in most cases;” said motherly Mrs. 
Burton, who never fretted or criticised If things 
did not look precise and altogether In style. 
•• / never have any doubts as to a housekeeper’s 
capabilities If 1 can take a peep at the floor of her 
sleeping room. Now there is Louise 1 pton who 
always keeps her floor so olefin that, one can rub it 
with a cambric handkerchief and not soil it, and 
every thing about, her house is off the same stamp;» 
Said Mrs. Ttlden. •• For my own part, 1 never 
sought for fame in that direction, and do not ex¬ 
pect my neatness will ever bring laurels to iny 
brovv.” We all knew that the speaker was lu no 
wise slack in her household. 
••Aunt Ruth, what do you think of all tlfis striv¬ 
ing afier excessive neatness'.'” said Rachel Ray. 
" Why,” said the serene-faced, quiet lady ad¬ 
dressed, “ the Good Book tells us that cleanliness 
is next to godliness, one can be clean without 
going into such extremes as have been spoken of 
this a Iter noon, our Saviour rebuked Martha for 
being so troubled about matters pertaining to the 
household that she could not. find time to entertain 
her guests without fretting about her work. He 
also commended Mary for having chosen the better 
part. She had no doubt cultivated her mind, and 
made herself more agreeable to the friends who 
gathered in to pay their respects to the family. To I 
Mary life meant something better than scrubbing 
and cleaning. While Martha could see no use in \ 
pouring over parchments and higli-soundl ng lltera- * 
lure. It, is the same now. We luive our cultured ; 
Marys and our house-cleaning Marthas, and the 
work of feeding the soul and earing for the body 
still goes on, one extreme balancing anot her. Rut ] 
I believe those who can reach a happy medium ( 
and make themselves equally sharers of mental 
and physical labor, carrying neit her to excess, are [ 
really the most userul and therefore the most eon- , 
tented." J 
1 
- 1 
HOW TO CARE FOR CHILDREN. t 
- 1 
1 would like to bring a smile upon some poor, t 
tired woman’s countenance by telling where my 1 
boy spent most of his time when small. Our house 1 
was cold, and 1 did my work, alone, so we took a 
dry-goods box two feet, square—a smaller one 
would do nicely—put some carpet and an old quilt, 
iu the bottom, borrowed some casters from a bed¬ 
stead, so it could be easily moved, and, lastly, put 
In some playthings and baby. For washing days 
alone, it would pay for Itself, and besides one can 
feel safe If np-stairs or down-cellar. The top was 
just high enough for him to see out, and was also 
rasped off smooth, so he learned to walk by going 
from side to side, nevei getting bumps like Children 
who walk by chairs. Never mind if he does cry, at 
first; as our good old doctor said. It hurts the 
mother worse to hear him, than it does the child to 
cry. But many children would be quite contented 
Tor a reasonable length of time. Our box would 
not go through the door, but I’ll warrant the little 
ones would enjoy having it out of doors on a warm 
summer day. 
Keep 1 hr high chair tied to the table leg at top 
and bottom, and when washing your dishes, put 
the baby in that, tying him In, of course, and give 
him some new plaything. I do not mean that one 
■should always keep buying, but. don’t give a child 
everything at once. Old tin-ware and rag dolls, a 
chair for a horse, or a pail of rags to wash (without 
any water), with a string across the chairs to hang 
them on, is as good as all Broadway can afford. 
Don’t begin by put ting out of a child's reach arti¬ 
cles that he cannot have, unless it be the shears 
and butcher's knife: but say, no, to him'firmly, and 
perhaps at first it ts well to take the child away 
from the object. If be persists, slap bis hands, 
and. finally, ll that Is not enough, put him in the 
box, nr tie him up. As he grows older, do not give 
him a lifelong horror of neatness, by nbnays re¬ 
fusing Him anything because It makes a Utter or 
soils flie clothes. If Mrs. Grundy should chance to 
call, she will only find out that you think more or 
your child's happiness than you do of her opinion. 
Make children’s clothes plain and of dark ma¬ 
terial, so they can be washed easily, and let them 
Piny In the sand, if it be dry. It. might not answer 
In the city, but it you live in the country where 
people are accustomed Pi ip begin taking your chil¬ 
dren to church when young. I.e^iiem know, at. 
llret., that they cannot, under any consideration, 
get down Horn your lap, and 1 don’t believe It will 
take very long Tor them to learn how to behave In 
church. 
Having had some experience In croup, I will say 
that one of the best remedies I have yet found Is a 
piece of flannel saturated with Ice-cold water, bound 
lightly around the throat and changed often. 
Aunt Mary. 
HYGIENIC PIES. 
I have just lluished reading a communication 
from “ Sarah Gamp,” and permit me to give my 
Ideas of hygienic pies. 
True, If pies “arc well made aud eaten in modera¬ 
tion they do no harm.” but the great point to be 
gained ts to have them “ well made,” and we all 
know how lew housekeepers have reached per¬ 
fection in the art. In the first place, It Is not, at all 
hygienic to use fine white Hour to make your pie- 
dough, no hygienist uses it for any purpose. In 
the second place, It Is not hygienic to use lard or 
butter. Let me give you a recipe for a strictly 
hygienic pie, copied rrom the cook-book of the 
well-known hygienist, l)r. R. T. 'frail. 
Graham 1 ie-crust. 
“ Pour boiling water Into Graham Hour a nd stir 
to a a soft, dough; roll out as thin us possible; 
sprinkle a little ot the Hour over the pie-plate, and 
spread this us the bottom crust. Make the top 
crust by mixing Graham flour with ice-cold water; 
add grated cocoanut If desired, knead as quickly 
as possibly to a stiff, hard dough; roll very thin; 
cover and bake Immediately.” 
That 1 h pie crust, and for the contents, I will 
quote his recipe for apple pie, 
“Spread the bottom crust on tlie plate; on tlfis 
spread a few dales, stoned and cut, Into small 
pieces; sift a little Graham Hour over tlfis, and 
lay on the apples in slices or stewed; If the fruit 
is very juicy sift on more. Hour; cover with the top 
crust; have the fruit extend close to the edge of 
the crusts, which should be wet so Uiat the top and 
bottom crust will adhere at their edges; with a 
knife, roll the edges under so that they will be 
smooth; bake immediately, being careful not to 
have the top crust much browned. As soon as 
done, cover tight with a dish about two inches 
deep, and let It, steam till cold, when the crust will 
be very tender.” 
Now that Is slrk'lhj hygienic, and If the Rural 
readers object to It, let, them continue to make 
tlielr pies in the old way, but 1 entreat them to 
substitute Graham hour In place of the fine white 
flour, and use as lit tle “ grease” as possible. 
Mrs. W, V. Asiunwall. 
-♦♦♦- 
KEEPING ACCOUNTS. 
I wonder how many of the Rural families keep 
an account of household expenditures ? It Is a 
very satisfactory practice as it enables us to sho\v 
whether we are Uvlng within our means or not. 
Parents need not keep the family expense account, 
If there are children who are old enough to do so! 
The halilt will give them Ideas of business early, 
and teach them the value of money. Provide a 
suitable book and see that every expenditure Is 
promptly and correctly entered. It the work Is 
well done, give the child a word of commenda¬ 
tion now anil then by way of encouragement. I 
knew a family who would not keep accounts be¬ 
lieving tliat it made people penurious, (they lived 
on the generosity ot a wealthy relative) but It 
seems to me there can be no excuse for such a re¬ 
sult" Oh the contrary, among the most benevo¬ 
lent persons 1 ever knew, were those who kept 
cash-books in which the smallest expense was 
noted, with date of the same. IC Is fair to say that 
the pages of tlielr account books were never 
marred with the record of money expended for 
tobacco, cigars or sphltous drinks. Is not so ad¬ 
mirable an example to young men worth think¬ 
ing about? M . a K 
Lyons Iowa. 
