had to pay $2 50, $3 and ft for only a fairly good 
quality of silk, $1 25 will buy a rich looking, closely 
woven silk, 21 Inches wide, with a pretty lust re. 
For $1 50 u richly corded silk, 23 inches wide. Is 
procurable, and an investment or f 1 7f> secures for 
one an elegant quality of silk. The more expen¬ 
sive grades, 12, fa, ft and f5, are superior to any¬ 
thing ever before ottered. That at i'< equalling In 
weight and finish wind has heretofore cost $7 and 
#3. A word of caution. The competition Is so 
sharp and the. facilities for weighting silks with 
poisonous dyes are so perfect., that many unscru¬ 
pulous manufacturers do not hesitate to avail 
themselves of any and all means t.o produce cheap 
silks, leaving out every other consideration, and 
the result Is. there are many lines of these goods 
In the market which are not worth making up. It 
Is well to be familiar with the names of some Of 
the reputable manufacturers. Goods from the 
looms of any of the following makels can be relied 
on to give, complete satisfaction: Bnn.net, I’onsan, 
Tapfssier, Gninnel, Oimuit d- on. 
Three lines of silks that seem to me to be espe¬ 
cially adapted to those who want rich looking and 
durable dresses, are the Pride of Franco, manu¬ 
factured by Gui tenet, tbe American Cashmere 
Indestructible, and Girawl <(- Co.’s L. <f- T. Family 
Silk. The prices range from ft 5u to $5 per yard, 
being graded according to quality and finish. No 
mere description of a fabric, however realistic and 
elaborate, can convey a correct Impression or it; 
to say of a silk that It is rich, or elegant, or heavy, 
gives one ac best but an Indefinite idea of it, and 
those who contemplate purchasing should not 
omit to supply themselves with samples of stand¬ 
ard grades. 
In plain colored slllcs the leading tints are named 
after the precious stones. Sapphire, garnet, pearl, 
emerald, amethyst, mosaic, turquoise, and cameo. 
The Idea Is a pretty one and the high tinlsh or the 
silks with their lustre, and sheen reminding one 
of the lights and shades of the jewels makes 
the slmlile not unapt. Peacock blue, peacock 
green, and some eight similes of cameo—ranging 
from the most delicate w heat, color to almost a 
hrown—are the most pronounced novelties. The 
prices range from $l.as to *3.00. For combination 
with plain silks there come great variety of 
fancy damaises, Pekin stripes, satins ire. Striped 
fabrics are extensively worn to give tone and 
style to plain goods. Vestings, cull's, to Offers and 
broad folds of these showy materials appear on all 
fashionable costumes. Some of the combinations 
In satin are navy blue and gold, wine and gold, 
green and gold, gray and gold, black and gold, 
brown and gold and black and white. There 
are satin and watered stripes, satin and moire 
and satin and raised stripes. These come in navy 
blue and cream, cream and wine, /»?mi and green 
poem and blue and in all other possible combina¬ 
tions. T he satin and Katdzmlrc stripe Is a most 
beautiful fabric. No more elegant costume could 
be devised than one of cameo silk and satin and 
RatdzmJre stripe either the same color, or of gar¬ 
net or some other contrasting shade. 
The clamosses and corduroy stripe, at from $1.75, 
the raised am.l narrow satin and gros-graln Pekin 
stripe, at from $1.75 to $3.50 are also very elegant 
goods. 
In dawassrs, combination of old gold and gar¬ 
net, gray and blue, gold and olive, and peacock 
blue on a plum ground are shown, nothin variety 
of design and of combination, the tin masses 
offered this season are superior to any goods ever 
before put on 1 he market. The samples of black 
shown me were marvellously beautiful. 'The de¬ 
signs were as artistic and exquisite as any intended 
to be developed in water colors or oil. 
The highly tiulshod satin surface displays to ex¬ 
cellent advantage the raised designs, the effect In 
some lights belug that of embroidered patterns on 
velvet loumlaiiou; In others, velvet embossiugon 
satin. Instead ol the small, closely figured de¬ 
signs heretofore so much In vogue, in these newer 
(la/inasses long, graceful ferns, and exquisite, rare, 
hot house favorites, are used. Flower, leaf. stem, 
vine, whatever Is attempted Is portrayed with 
amazing fidelity. 
Foulard, that favorite of other day's, has again 
come to the front. It will be used mainly' for the 
seaside, house dresses, and for vestings. Very few 
street costumes are made of foulard throughout. 
They come lu navy blue, garnet, pltun, dark-green, 
satin face with polka dots, at f I .no per yard. The 
foulard stripes for trimming, (a novelty) a re In blue 
and white, cream and gold, blue and gold, and In 
other combinations; price $i .50 per yard, in sum¬ 
mer slllcs, are the Jospe, ehlutz, vheun and Jnspe, 
and quadrille eilects. There is a great assortment 
of fabi*s of this class, and those who recall the 
dreary, characterless summer silk of other sea¬ 
sons, cannot hut be thankful foe what the artist 
and manufacturer have done In the way of improv¬ 
ing these goods. The most diverse and seemingly 
utterly IrroCOfiCiblO colors are so blended and 
shaded, and so skillfully introduced, that the be¬ 
holder is conscious only of most delight fid effects. 
Lying before me is a sample of what I consider the 
most charming summer silk 1 ever saw. The 
colors are plum, sapphire, white, cardinal, and 
gold; the pat,lorn is quadrille,—but what idea of 
the beauty of the fabric Is communicated by such 
a bald statement ? 
This display of novel and beautiful products is 
pleasing not only as a spectacle, but it is also grat¬ 
ifying as an evidence of improved taste on the part 
of purchasers. Now, that Fashion has eal ed lu 
the aid ol Art , there is no need to fear a repetition 
of the glaring Inconsistencies lu color which have 
offended the eye of last© in past seasons. Every 
year witnesses an advance In good taste and re¬ 
finement lu dress, and It. Is not too much to hope 
that in a little while flic purchaser will idly sup¬ 
plement the work of designer and manufacturer, 
by evincing us keen a perception of the truly 
artistic In modelling and embellishing the dress, 
as Is shown in the preparation of the material. 
For a view of the very many j useful and beautiful 
fabrics ancl articles mentioned In this review, 1 am 
Indebted to Messrs. Lord & Taylor, of Broadway 
and Twentieth St., New Yotk, 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
EDITORAL ANNOUNCEMENT. 
The “Correspondents Corner.’’ is crowded out 
this week. 
In response to three or four requests for a model 
of a garment suitable for an elderly lady I will 
publish in our next Issue cuts of three dresses, 
two of which can be adapted to ladles of almost 
any age a rid the third Is essentially an old ladles’ 
gown. 1 give the three because It ls’nt. quite 
clear to me bow old an *• elderly lady” Is. A young 
lady has potloned me to show her a styffsh model 
for a costume to be worn at. a full-dress wedding 
reception and her reasonable request will be grati¬ 
fied next week. 
If the lady who wrote asking for cuts or patterns 
suitable for washable materials, win send me her 
name and address, l will forward some Illustra¬ 
tions. 1 cannot offer to furnish them lu Rural, 
as we have had so rnuen fashionable Intelligence 
lately. If the correspondent can wait until about 
the 1st of June, I can promise the Illustrations 
about that date. 
- » ♦ ♦ - 
THE OFFERING TO THE NILE. 
Ocn engraving on page 285, llllustrates the sacrl- 
tlcial rite practiced annually to propitiate the God 
of the Nile. In earlier ages a young and attractive 
girl was selected garlanded with flowers, and at a 
given signal consigned to the cruel waters, but 
latterly an effigy Is made to do service instead of 
a girl. Whether or not Ills Spiritual Excellency 
of the Nile Is cognizant of the deception practised 
on him, is not recorded. The inundations how¬ 
ever continue much the same as when humans 
were the victims. 
-♦ ♦ ♦ - 
THE WOMAN'S CLUB. 
THE TRUE SERVING OF GOD DOES NOT 
CONSIST IN BUILDING COSTLY CHURCHES. 
Heliotrope calls on me to bear In mind the 
“ Widow’s Mite” and the jewels the daughters of 
Jerusalem contributed to the building of Solomon’s 
Temple, l do not find 11 recorded that the “ treas¬ 
ury” into which the ilrst named cast her all was 
disbursing funds for the erection of a synagogue, 
and before my statement about Christ’s ha ving 
set us an example in being content with “ upper 
rooms “ can be disproved. Heliotrope must be pre¬ 
pared to state postlvely that money was being 
collected for some such purpose. If she cannot, 
the reference to the Widow’s Mite proves nothing 
at all In this controversy. If the ladles ol Jerusa¬ 
lem chose to give their jewels, for the beautifica¬ 
tion or the Temple, they were giving what was 
necessary neither to their happiness nor their 
well-being and no one could object to their so do¬ 
ing. My argument In the communication to which 
Heliotrope took exception, was directed against 
encouraging and commanding people to deprive 
themselves of necessities to help defray the cost 
of expensive churches. The system of religion 
which enjoins the “ornament of a meek and quiet 
spirit” as preferable to costly apparel cam hardly 
be made to counteuanee the building of churches 
out of the sufferings and privations of the poor 
and (as not Infrequent ly happens) by fraudulent 
representations. It a woman should spend all 
her substance on “ Sunday clothes,” and claim 
that she was serving and honoring God by appear¬ 
ing In His house handsomely attired, would we be 
at all blinded by her statement? Would we not 
know that vanity or a love of beautiful clothes aud 
not a desire to honor uc«l was the main spring of 
her course of action? And to apply the same 
test to churches are we serving God or simply 
gratifying our own pride or delight in sumptuous 
surroundings when we call to our aid all that art 
can devise and money command to embellish the 
sanctuary V 
t m at a loss In what spirit to take Heliotrope’s 
statement that “ the good Father will not let her 
(the sewing girl) want because she denied herself to 
help along tl Is cause," That she means It seriously 
Is evident, but that any one who has had the 
least experience in the life that surges around us, 
cu n make a statement so utterly opposed to fact Is 
certainly amazing. If there Is one lesson which 
Is being constantly Impressed on our at tention, it 
is, that there arc no providences in matters of 
worldly advancement. It Is not the godly man, 
the one who gives his all to the Master, but the 
man of talent, enterprise aud Industry who se¬ 
cures wealth and achieves distinction. He may 
also be a holy man, but that clement contributes 
not at all to Ids success, The woman who Inherits, 
marries or makes a competency is •• provided lor’’ 
whether she is religious or not, while her poor 
sister who through kick of energy or opportunity 
has never succeeded In saving money, ends her 
lite as a public burden though she has served God 
from her youth. 
Our hospitals and poor houses are Piled with 
those who have lived near to God. and who have 
sacrificed much tor the Master. Not infrequently 
godly people have absolutely starved to death. How 
would Heliotrope like to be thus “ provided for?" 
There Is no tiuer saying than that “The Lord helps 
those who help themselves.’’ If one is willing to 
sacrifice health, strength and money for the cause 
of Christ, his reward will consist In the consclen- 
uess of w ell-doing, and not In the possession of 
comforts or money acquired through Hi vine Inter¬ 
position. Tho Lord will most certainly riot work 
miracles lu finance for thu benefit of good people. 
“ What ye sow that also shall ye reap.” The seeds 
which produce material comforts and worldly 
prosperity arc, as 1 said before, talent, Industry 
and energy; they (nay be accompanied by the 
highest spiritual excellence, but qulteasoften they 
are not. 
Personally. 1 admire beautiful church edifices, 
and think them In keeping with our advance In 
civilization and refinement. The exquisite appoint¬ 
ments and charming artistic effects, minister to 
our love of the beautiful and cannot fall to refine 
us; but. I do object most strenuously to Its being 
Insisted on that It Is a matter of duty to adorn the 
church, and that, we are serving Christ by sub¬ 
scribing money toward buying a carpet for the 
altar steps. Ladles will neglect their ramify duties 
for weeks, and work themselves sick preparing for 
a fair, t he proceeds of which are to be devoted to 
paying for a new organ, all the while deluding 
themselves wi th the Idea that they are working In 
the service of the Lord. 
Probably Archbishop Purcell was possessed by 
the same Idea, w’hen he furthered (?) the cause of 
Christ by building churches and theological schools 
out of the tuuds entrusted to him, thereby reducing 
thousands of worthy people to pinching want. 
Be honest I n the matter. We want, a fine church, 
not because we. can worship better In It. nor be¬ 
cause we have reasoD to believe we are doing God’s 
will by building It, but It, will gratify our pride or 
our taste for elegance and beauty to worship In a 
handsome edifice. Jacquelina. 
-*♦«- 
TEMPERANCE; CHURCH BUILDING; 
CHURCH ATTENDANCE. ROUGE 
FOR THE LADIES. 
“ A glass of sherry wine added Just before serv¬ 
ing is a great improvement,” “Is part of a recipe 
clipped from a leading paper. It may be an im¬ 
provement, but I venture to affirm. It ks a dangerous 
one. I am glad the Rural does not publish such 
recipes, and I wonder how mother's can prepare 
food from them and serve It to their sons, with no 
fear of the consequences. How can they make 
wine and beer, and giving It to their sons and 
daughters and claim that “It Is perfectly harm¬ 
less ” contending, perhaps, the while for Prohibi¬ 
tion ? Our young men and (I may safely add) young 
women are not safe; though, every saloon should 
he closed, throughout the length and breadth of 
our land, until wine and liquors are swept from 
every table and side-board. It Is woman’s work 
to do this, and when we have accomplished it, 
“the axe” will strike the root of the evil, “and 
we may cry Prohibition,” with bright hopes of 
success. 
I wish somebody could give us the history of the 
“ church edifice ” that the sewing girl contributed 
“quite liberally" for. All churches are not 
“ artistically frescoed,” nor do they all have “ cost¬ 
ly altar-pieces.” I remember the self-denying 
efforts, made a few years ago, In a Western town, 
to build a plain church structure; and more than 
one •• Widow’s Mltc ” was cast into the - treasury ” 
before the work was completed, with nothing In¬ 
dispensable. A young lady was censured for con¬ 
tributing more than her friends thought expedient, 
but she Is far above want to-day, and l would say 
to those who hesitate to give, through pecuniary 
fears, “ Wherefore, it God so clothe the grass 
of the field which to-day Is, and to morrow Is 
east Into the oven, shall He not much more 
clothe you, O ye of little faith?” l tldnk with 
Sarah — many are “ hindered from attending ’> 
church, yet I think the tine cliurches and rich 
dresses would hardly keep them away It they 
were made to feel, they w’ere welcomed. Have we 
no responsibility In the matter ? I once heard the 
remark, •• I never go to that church, they’re too 
stuck-up to suit me.” I remembered 1 had heard 
similar remarks troin others in reference to the 
same church. Soon after a new church w'as orga¬ 
nized, when a good number entered the poorer 
fold, that might have been gathered Into t he richer 
one. A kindly word, a pleasant smile, would cost 
us nothing, yet would be of value to our poorer 
sisters, and they would forget their plain dresses 
and he made to feel at home though their sur¬ 
roundings were beautiful and costly. Now. my 
dear Washtenaw, as far as l have had experience. 
“ happy families ” are much inure desirable than 
“fighting” ones; consequently 1 think as Dr. 
Watts does, about *• children of one family,’’ yet l 
think you are decidedly wrong when you say 
“ women are Justified In using powder or rouge." I 
cannot see how it win “add to their attractive, 
ness." Lady Maude said she had done nothing but 
her dul y (tn “ Weaker than a Woman ") w hen asked 
what she had “dune to win such a royal-dowry of 
blessing from young and old, rich and poor v" “ It 
Is the little deed or love, the little act of windneess ” 
unselfishly bestowed, that makes up a beautiful 
life, and the lady Is most attractive who has the 
greatest charm? of tnlnd and heart. 
I am encroaching, yet If criticising the gentle¬ 
men, Is In order, 1 would like to express my liigh 
appreciation of l*rotessor W. .1. Beal's letters on 
“Country'School-houses,” Education, &c. I have 
been much Interested In them, as every country 
woman, (and man, too.) should be—they certainly 
ought to be heeded, aud l hope will do much good. 
Bitter Sweet. 
-» ♦ »- 
A TALK ABOUT DISH-WASHING. 
Til riie seems to lie a low murmur of dissatisfac¬ 
tion, like the rumbling of distant thunder, heard 
from the numerous wives and daughters of farm¬ 
ers, because there are so many dishes to wash, 
and only one way to perform the, to them, disa¬ 
greeable task, in large establishments like peni¬ 
tentiaries. and reform schools, the dishes are 
washed by Steam, hut such an appartus cannot be 
kept In every house, occasionally wo read of a 
machine being Invented which does the work 
well, but Tor some unknown reason, It does not 
exhibit Itself In hardware stores, aud agents fall 
to bring It lo our doois. So we conclude the 
Invention is a failure. We might apply to Edison, 
his genius wmuld doubtless soon supply l he kitchen 
with the desirable article, but most likely it would 
be like some of the patent] churns in that it would 
require as much time and labor to cleanse the 
machinery, as to wash the dishes in the old way. 
But why need we complain so bitterly ol’ wash¬ 
ing dishes three times u day? IHnv much better 
off would each housewiie be, provided the dish¬ 
washing could be dispensed with- In nine cases 
out ol ten, there would be no higher culture, no 
greater advancement In morality no more physical 
strength acquired, Instead, there would be a 
great deal more gossip retailed, and scandal would 
be rife throughout the length and breadth of our 
land, to such an extent, that true friendship would 
be unknown. Families would be still more fre¬ 
quently broken up by harsh words, and petty 
quarrels caused by Jealousies: and the courts of 
Justice would find longer lists of divorce cases 
to be tried. 
As it is the custom of all civilized people to use 
dishes, at meal times. It behooves us as house- 
keejxers to lie thankful If we have an abundance 
of pretty china-ware. To complain because we 
must with our own hands, make It clean after 
using, seems a sin. Mothers often teach their 
little daughters to do fancy work, such as em¬ 
broidery, ch awing or music, that they may please 
papa and their friends, with some of their artistic 
wmrk. The child is eager to learn because site 
likes to do what she sees her mother do, with 
seeming pleasure. Now if she never heard mamma 
complain of those dreadful dishes and was al¬ 
lowed to work with her at the kitchen table, and 
taught to do the work In the neatest and best 
manner Deeause this wmrk was just as much of an 
accomplishment, and added even more to the com¬ 
fort and happiness of the family, than a pair of 
handsome slippers, a beautiful drawing, or a 
brilliant rug with Impossible cats and dogs, that 
have occupied months of time, there would be 
less complaining, by the lulure housekeeper, at 
least. 
Occasionally one repines because she has no 
time for intellectual pursuits. Just to think of 
all the best part of one’s life belug spent in wash¬ 
ing dishes for a half a dozen persons—more ox- 
less. “It Is too great a sacrifice;” says one. 
It la a great pity that those w ho have a gift for 
higher work, provided there ts any—“higher 
work ’’—could not find It out before they take 
upon themselves wifely duties and family cores. 
But let us see about this sacrifice of time, lor 
whom do we wash the dishes ? For husbands, 
fathers, mothers, brothers and slsteis, and they 
in return are working tor us. In most cases doing 
all in their power, to make our lives compara¬ 
tively happy. Would w r e consider it a sacrifice of 
time and talents to wait upon any one of them dur¬ 
ing a long and severe illness, even until our physical 
strength was completely exhausted ? or would we 
consider It a sacrifice 11 we were required to give 
up file, itself to save tbe family' from destruction. 
Now ivhen we w ash dishes, we are addlug to the 
comfort of our loved ones just as much as though 
we were nursing them through a long and tedious 
Illness. And we have besides their society, and 
know that they are able to converse, with us, 
advise us when we need counsel, and cheer us 
when we’are Inclined to despondency. 
Washing dishes Is undoubtedly worna n s work, 
and I have no doubt Mother Eve clapped her hands 
for Joy when she found she could occupy a part 
of her time in washing the dishes, which 1 Imagine 
she found tu quaint patterns just outside of the 
Garden of Kden. 
Even in these days of Inventions and progress, 
Eve’s daughters must follow the old, old occupa¬ 
tion, though It doen talcs the ume we would like 
to spend In Intellectual culture. But It we are 
exceedingly anxious to cultivate our minds or to 
develop certain God-given talents we can dis¬ 
pense with something less than the prescribed 
number ol changes In a fashionable wardrobe and 
with several yards less of trimming to each suit, 
and thusgain quite an Item of time tor home cul¬ 
ture. May Maple. 
LIGHT ON THE SUFFRAGE QUESTION. 
A SAiiRNT local edit or of an adjoining town has 
brought the closing argument gainst woman suf¬ 
frage, ui reviewing, and with a certain cautious 
reserve, praising a lecture of Susan B. Anthony’s 
on tho subject, of the ballot, he says, *• but in 
spite of her arguments there yet remains, besides 
the bearing ol arms, the ntrndiwj <>/ the hlghicoi/s, 
rather an unteininlqe accomplishment, but always 
associated In the public mind’s eye with the quali¬ 
fications of an elector.” Mlsa Anthony might 
better, after this, stay at home and coll her mis¬ 
sion a failure, It the majority of her audiences are 
to be men of such calibre. 
However, lu the villjge where this same editor 
resides, not one ol the lawyers, doctors, merchants, 
bankers or editors, were ever fcnowu to injure their 
spines, or take the starch out of their collars, by 
working on the roads; and It would be us surpris¬ 
ing a sight to see one ol that class holding a soraper, 
or taking the stones out of the highway wit lx a hoe, 
as it would bn to see the milliners and dressmakers 
of the same place engaged lu the business; although 
every woman owning property there is promptly' 
called on to pay her tax (or the repair ol those same 
highw ays. The work Is let out by contract to In¬ 
dividuals. who hire such assistance as they need, 
and the work Is done much more efficiently than 
any Illy-handed clerk or dignified editor could do 
it if he were Inclined. And when men, who on 
other subjects are counted candid and intelligent, 
are capable of using such arguments against 
women, there is something warped about their 
judgments and sense of fair play, it Is what, we 
Call the “Old Adam" cropping out with stately 
hypocrisy, trying to make our. a ease where there 
Is none. It Is t he same sentiment, manifested In a 
less straightforward way, that. I heard a man ex¬ 
press a tew years ago, a man who had a wife and 
grown-up daughters, who said “ lie hoped he never 
should have to go to the polls with a woman or a 
nigger." 
Fortunately for human progress people are not 
all alike, and there are many fair-minded men who 
do not feel as If they lost, any masculine dignity by 
owning that taxation without representat ion Is just 
as wrong lu principle where women are the suffer¬ 
ers, as if they themselves were concerned. There 
are many, too, who freely admit, that, women ought 
to vote on the temperance question, because It so 
closely affects their welfare; and It looks as If the 
time were not far distant when men who have sur¬ 
vived the Indignity of going to the polls with the 
despised colored man, will have to endure the pres, 
price or a woman there also, b. c. p, 
