THE RURal NEW-YORKER. 
our broad-roofed and generous barns. And even 
from our road sides, where once they boldly lay 
and watched |he meek-eyed, sleepy oxen draw 
t.helr loads on nuge-wheeled ponderous carts, even 
from thence they hove been scared by the flashing 
wheels of carriages whirled through the dust by 
their “two- thirty” spans,beneath the lashes of our 
modern Jehus! 
The orchard was their safe home of old, but now 
In autumn, from the city comes the dealer, or the 
wholesale man, buys up the crop entire, and with 
a small army or pickers, anti loads of barrels, 
baskets and ladders, and clatter of ha mmers and 
creaking of Screws and clicking of packing clamps, 
In two days whirls off the crop to town. How 
could the fairies stay in such uproar as t his ? They 
fled to the maple grove, next, with Its broad, arch¬ 
ing limbs and silent shades—their only refuge now. 
Here they still wander, shy and scared bcshle the 
pebbly brook, scarce ever seen even by the chil¬ 
dren's watchful, all-bellevlng eyes, except In thick¬ 
ening twilight or at the earllest dawn. Here only 
they now dwell and bless the farmer’s family 
and home. Long may it be ere they are driven 
hence! 
cold Feet.—C old feet predispose to colds In the 
head, throat, ears and lungs. Many people are 
troubled with sweaty feet; their feet consequently 
become cold. This Is often caused by wearing 
woolen stockings. Cotton stockings should be 
worn under T.he woolen pair. A good remedy for 
cold feet is to bathe them at bedtime, commencing 
with water at blood heat, ana gradually raising 
the temperature till the water Is as warm as can 
be borne. They should he dried with a coarse towel, 
nibbed well with au inunction, and then Incased 
In a well-warmed pair of stockings vaseline Is 
recommended as an inunction. Hoots that are 
thin, or tight and low shoes, should be avoided la 
cold or damp weather Heavy, loose-fitting boots, 
with double uppers and wide soles, are proper, in¬ 
dia-rubber overshoes should be worn In damp 
weather only, and should be removed as soon as 
the wearer enters the house, slippers should not 
be worn by either sex during cold or even cool 
weather. One of the way's la which a cold Is con¬ 
tracted Is to exchange warm boots for low slip¬ 
pers. Those who do this forget that their feet 
and ankles have been protected all day, and 
that they have not only uncovered them, but 
placed them In the coldest stratum of air In the 
room. If they take the precaution to draw on over 
the stockings which they usually wear a pair of 
heavy woolen socks, the chances ol taking cold 
from wearing the slippers are greatly decreased. 
Hr. Kumbold says that most women use elastic 
garters, which compress the veins and hinder the 
return of blood from the feet, and legs. Almost 
every patient claims that her garters are not tight, 
yet most of them wUl acknowledge that when they 
are removed at night, deep creases are found under 
the knees. 1 n order to keep up the stockings with¬ 
out garters at all, they should be pulled on over the 
stocking-knit drawers and fastened with tapes. 
Four of these tapes, about six inches long, should 
be sewed on the drawers at about the middle of 
each thigh, one on the outer tide and one on the 
Inner side; also four tapes of the same length 
should be sewed one on the outer and one on the in¬ 
ner side of each stocking. The tying of the foul- 
pall's or tapes secures the hose lu their place, and 
as they are long enough to come above the knees 
more of the limbs is then covered than when they 
are held up by the straugulitlug elastic or non- 
elastic garters.—Hr. ltuiu'nld in Virginia Medical 
Monthly, 
The Pkick of Cohn.— The following from the 
BurHitytoii uawhvi/e, conveys a sound moral in a 
merry way, and after being laughed at may well 
be soberly pondered by tanners nud others who 
are slow to see that the laws ol trade work both 
ways:” 
-• No,” the honest farmer remarked, in tones of 
the deepest dejection, “ the big crops don't do us a 
bit of good. What’s the use? t orn only thirty 
cents. Everybody and everything's dead set agin 
the farmer. Only thirty cents for corn. Why, 
it won't pay our taxes, let alone buy us clothes. 
It won’t buy us enough salt, to put up a barrel 
of pork. Corn only thirty cents! By jocks, 
It’s a livin', cold-blooded swindle on the fanner, 
that’s what it is. It ain’t worth raisin’ corn lot- 
such a price as that. it’s a mean, low robbery.” 
Within the next ten days that man had sold so 
much more of bis com than he had intended, that 
he found he had to buy corn to feed through the 
winter with. The price nearly knocked him down. 
“ What!” he yelled, “ thirty cents for cornLand 
alive—thirty cents; Whal are you glvln' us? 
Why, I don’t, want to buy your farm, I only want 
some corn: Thirty cents for corn! Why. I believe 
there’s nobody left tn this world but a set ot grasp¬ 
in’, blood-suckin’ old misers. Why. good land, you 
don’t want to be able to buy a national bank with 
one corn crop! Thirty cents for corn! Well, i’ll 
let my carriage-horses run on coru stalks all win¬ 
ter before I’ll pay such an tuiheard-of, outrageous 
price for coru as that. Why, the country's flooded 
with corn, and thirty cents a bushel Is a blamed 
robbery ; and 1 don’t see how any man, looking at 
the crop we’ve had, can have the face to ask such 
a price.” 
- - »»♦ — — 
SAND STORM IN THE ARABIAN DESERT. 
Tun engraving on page ISO shows one or these 
destructive storms In progress. The travelers are 
fleeing before tL, hoplug to reach the edge of the 
cyclone before their dread pursuer overtakes them, 
’■ailing this they will dismount, make a wall of de¬ 
fence of the camels, and wait tor the storm to pass 
over them, 
-♦-*--*- 
Girls are advised by a Chicago physician to al¬ 
ways sleep on their backs If they wish to keep crow’s 
feet from the cornets of their eyes. •• These 
blemishes,” he says, •' arc the result of sleeping on 
nielr sides. The pressure upon the temple and 
clucks leaves wrinkles at the cornels and under¬ 
neath the eyes which disappear in a few houis, 
but Anally become so tlxed that neither hours nor 
ablutions will abate them.” 
i;or Motttnt, 
CONDUCTED BY MISS FAITH RIPLEY. 
A CHINESE SONG. 
Over gTeen fields and meadows a tiny rill ran, 
(The little precious coquette 0 
She was pretty she knew, and thus early began 
(layly flirting with all that. Bhe met. 
Her favors on both sides she’d gracefully shower. 
Regardless of whom they might bo; 
One moment she’d kiss the. sweet lips of a flower. 
The next—lave the root of tree. 
She would leap from one rock to another in play, 
Tumble down on her pebbly bed; 
Like a naiad let the dazzling sun-snritten spray 
Fall in prismatic gems round her head. 
Sometimes she would laah herself into rage. 
And rush roaring and seething along; 
Till a bit of smooth ground would her anger assuage. 
When she’d liquidly murmur a song. 
[Macmillan'8 Maaazine. 
* • * 
HINTS ON HOUSEHOLD ADORNMENT. 
Touches of Color. 
by s. J. 
The majority of household* in our country are 
those of the great middle-class, and while the for¬ 
tunate tew whose palatial mansions are filled with 
costly gems of art, serve aa models, as well as ob¬ 
jects of which as loyal Americans we are Justly 
proud; “the million ” are obliged to employ a vast 
amount of consideration, as to the “ways and 
means.” whereby each apartment of the unpre¬ 
tentious domicile may be made Into a “ thiug of 
beauty.” 
At this time there Is a loud outcry against all 
classes of house-furntshlng which do not strictly 
accord with the “ rules of high-art; while all - imi¬ 
tations ” are pronounced “ flimsy-shams ” Now. 
while ! admire all classes of l rue art-work, and 
feel an utter contempt, for coarse, gaudy, or flimsy 
6363 
imitations of every kind, I hold that there Is an 
Intermediate line, whereon rests much that Is 
beautiml and valuable, and that, inasmuch as a 
large majority of our people, must, either forego 
the pleasure of all beauty, or secure It by means of 
-imitations,” It is better to copy good models, and 
form pretty and artistic objects, even though 
branded by the name of “home-made” than to 
allow the dwelling to remain bare and uninviting. 
Dainty and carefully executed adornments, are 
peculiarly subtle and seductive in their influence 
and the gracefully draped portiere, the cozy “ tour 
o'clock tea-table,” with its dainty and airy furni¬ 
ture, the blight, open fire-place, bordered with 
tiles, walls embellished with dado and frieze, floors 
furnished with rugs, and carefully stained or 
painted, grotesque wainscoting, painted panels, 
and various other artistic objects Impress us as 
possessing natural, indefinable grace, while they 
become entitled to a three-fold welcome by reason 
ot their inexpeuslveness and utility. Let, the 
adornment or embellishment be what It may, If 
carefully nud artistically tint-died It Is worthy ot a 
place In the home or taste and the commendation 
of even the must critical Judge. 
Take as a beginning the entrance-hall to your 
little home; ut the very threshold you may begin 
with your perfect Imitations, by bringing a bit, ot 
vivid color to brighten this. Hie Introductory apart¬ 
ment. Stained glass Is beyond the ability of the 
limited puree, but who cannot afford to Invest a 
few dollars 111 a set of those, elegant vttromauta 
plates, which, when properly applied, rival the 
most brilliant stained glass, and me used tn Eng¬ 
land In many public buildings? Here, Wo, the 
floor may be stained lu # imitatlon or various beau¬ 
tiful woods, and it time permit, be laid off into 
blocks, quaint tiles or a center-piece, and borders. 
A Chinese, or other ornamental lantern, Is easily 
made and Imparts a glow and brilliancy that, adds 
greatly to the cosy comfort. For these, t have 
used a base ot wood, sawing it Into a hexagonal of 
about fourteen Inches in diameter, and tlnlshitig 
with a moulding around the edge, and six griffins, 
one fastened against each section of the hexagon 
and united at a point at the bottom (a few Inches 
below). A pair of “drop-ornaments” placed to¬ 
gether (back to back) finishes the arrangement; 
and when varnished and dusted with gold-bronze- 
powder. a substantial and most unique foundation 
Is formed for the lantern. When securely fastened. 
6317 
and carefully bronzed, varnished, oiled or enamelled 
these ornaments appear as beautiful aa richly- 
carved bronzes, from which they cannot be dis- 
Mngushed, unless closely examined. For the pan¬ 
els,six plecps of glass are cut, each a foot high and 
as wide as the Inner side of the single sections of 
the stand, with pointed tops. Glue narrow strips 
of black muslin over the edges, then fasten to¬ 
gether with stitches forming hinges at the top and 
bottom, leaving one panel open tor purpose of In¬ 
troducing a lamp. Whether mediaeval or modern 
designs be used for these 'panels the effect will be 
equally satisfactory, and when vttromanla or Dla- 
phenle Is considered too expensive, various other 
modes of Illuminating glass panels are worthy of a 
trial, of which 1 would mention the application of 
deealcomanla transfers. After varnishing the 
entire glass with demmar, cover with bobbinet or 
Swiss muslin. The texts or mottoes of many kinds 
are most significant hall-ornaments, and the gen¬ 
ial “Welcome,” or cheery old “x’uhvy’ greeting 
the stranger at the open door, Is equal to a friend¬ 
ly hand-shake, and at once bespeaks a hospitable 
people. Where possible these should bo illumin¬ 
ated by hand, but If time and skill are not to be se¬ 
cured obtain tinted Brtstol-board, and after sketch¬ 
ing ornamental letters, of aw kind preferred, ap¬ 
ply floral deealcomanla designs, and touch up with 
lines of gold, sliver or bronze. When tastefully ar¬ 
ranged this cLoss of work Is most satisfactory. 
The umbrella-stand—though made only of a sec¬ 
tion ot tile drain-pipe-placed within a shallow tin 
pan of proper size, may be made quite elega nt, by- 
giving the surface several coats of buff, grey, nr 
other colored paint, then applying Japanese 
pictures, either transfers or the embossed sheets 
or better still the copper-colored classical designs, 
upon a black ground, which give a fine lmita- 
G377 
tlon of ancient-pottery. A tall vase in each corner, 
with a pla’ e-cover, serving for a card-receiver 
on one. and a pot with Ivy in the other, though 
transformed from common kitchen-jars to Anti¬ 
que Japanese-ware prove quite imposing, and are 
really of great utility. 
Space forbids full directions for various other 
apartments, but 1 cannot forbear, suggesting the 
use of hangings Instead of doors, between apart¬ 
ments, for book-cases, certain classes of cabinets, 
and other positions where doors are neces¬ 
sary; the application of dado and frieze di¬ 
visions on the walls, instead of the uniform paper 
hangings so long used; the discarding of large, 
and the substitution of a number of small tables, 
of different sizes, some so small and light as to 
appear like mere Llllputlan affairs (here a 
wide field Is opened for the artistic. In the use 
of Imitations of Inlaid Ivory, papier macfie, In¬ 
dia Ink and Septa painting on white wood &c). 
I would commend also, the use of nigs; cozy, 
and seductively comfortable chairs, and lounges; 
soft bangings, antique cabinets, tasteful brackets, 
wall-pockets a nd card-cases; above all luxuriant, 
growing-plants, which always proclaim the pres¬ 
ence, of refined, pure and cultivated taste. 
And here an unlimited amount of adorning is 
offered to the lover of the beautiful; for with 
some good soil, a few packages of seeds, or a selec¬ 
tion of plants now offered so reasonably by our 
florists, and what may we not accomplish In the 
way of charming creations? Windows richly 
draped with the graceful luxuriance of green and 
color which no upholsterer may dare to compete ; 
lovely swaying baskets from which the delicate 
sprays, and mosses. Of vivid green come bubbling 
forth In fulness or lire and beauty; stands and 
shelves; brackets and vases, “ferneries” and 
“ Wardian cases,” each and all offering a ready 
means for beautifying the. home, where perhaps 
the limited ability to purchase materials for¬ 
bids the use, of even home-made ornaments, 
for nature is a kindly and generous helper, and 
from her store-house, we may draw without let or 
hindrance. So where no other adornment is 
available I would urge the use of growing plants, 
as a ready and satisfactory means of rendering 
home beaurlful, and Introducing those “ touches 
of color,” which render the series of household 
pictures, as effective and striking as the varied 
landscapes of the painter. 
Beautiful receptacles for these natural adorn¬ 
ments may be obtained from Innumerable refuse 
articles, variously utilized; and by means ot a few 
colors, bronze-powders, and varnishes, many arti¬ 
cles cast away as “rubbish” may be brought to 
bear upon the Important point, of household-beau¬ 
ty. Upon many of these, separate and useful arti¬ 
cles might be written, and even then “not the 
half could be told,” but having extended my hints 
too far already, In conclusion t would say, what¬ 
ever the work attempted, let it. be accomplished lu 
such a manner, that, it will bear the closest Inspec¬ 
tion, and not only this, but prove to be perfect In 
all Its parts. A flue piece of work, even though It 
bean “imitation,” is a praise-worthy object; but 
a loose, rough, careie&sly-flnIshed piece ot work at 
once condemns the operator, and Is unworthy a 
place In any chaste home; (or where a refined 
taste and exalted honesty of purpose dwells, no 
weak shams will be allowed. Loose and shaky 
ornaments must not sully an otherwise handsome 
cabinet; rough and sticky varnish shall not mar 
the perfect transferred picture beneath It. 
We have all-sufficient of the false and unreal, 
the crude and weak, the unrefined and uncultiva¬ 
ted, without the direct assistance ot those who 
know the true, and good and beautiful.” a thing 
may be true yet not be original, and while I desire 
most earnestly to encourage all true art-work, I 
again say, where you cannot secure It, make a 
strenuous effort to imitate fine models, in every 
class ot household-furnlslilug. 
DESCRIPTION OF CUTS. 
At No. 6377 and No. 6363 are given polonaise de¬ 
signs. They are pretty and graceful and will do 
excellently well as models for making over some 
old gown, which is to be worn about the house. I 
give them in response to many Inquiries from ladle 
tor a dressy polonaise pattern. Cost of patterns, 
cents each. 
