JULY § 
Jfor (SRomra. 
OONDUOTED BY MISS FAITH RIPLEY. 
YEARS AGO. 
Shk waa seated close beside mo, 
On a May day, years uko ; 
Heart of mine, you must not chide me, 
I was but a boy, you know. 
’Tie no secret. I'll reveal it, 
Heart of mine, 'twas long’ ago; 
This lock of hair, if I did steal it, 
I was but a boy, you know. 
Was she pretty ? Did I love her ? 
Heart of mine, ’twas years ago ; 
And that Jiang of bliss is over, 
I was but a boy, you know. 
“ Was she rich now that is funny,” 
Heart of mine, 'twas long ago; 
What cared I for lands or money ? 
I was but a boy, you know. 
“ And you parted-how you missed her”— 
Heart of mine, ’twas years ago; 
And you pressed her band and kissed her,” 
I was but a boy, you kuow. 
Do I love her yet ?—O olden, 
Precious past, thou heart of mme: 
bee, this lock of hair is golden, 
And the head that wore it—thine. 
[Pica i/une. 
--■ 
THE WOMAN’S CLUB. 
METHODS OF STUDY. 
I have read with special Interest the articles In 
the Women’s Department of the Rural, encourag¬ 
ing and urging women, particularly farmers’wives 
and daughter's, to give more attention to the culti¬ 
vation of their minds arid manners. 1 believe this 
is the one great thing needed to meet the restless 
longing which so many women feel for a higher 
purpose In life—to overcome the dissatisfaction 
felt with an endless routine of physical labor. 
Is It not just this aim that will raise one above 
the mere drudge, and, as some one has said, “make 
one happy in oneself and In spite of oneself?” 
It is a facts I fear, that most country ladles give 
very little attention even to the general Intelli¬ 
gence of the day, and In many farming districts It 
Is a matter of remark and wonder to rind a really 
cultivated and intelligent lady. One reason for 
this, no doubt, is tho amount of labor Incumbent, 
upon them; but another reason, quite as promi¬ 
nent, Is a lack of Interest In the matter. Any 
woman who feels an Interest In knowing how a 
certain question Is debated in congress will take 
time to Had out, even lr It Ire by the omission of 
some extra fussing and scrubbing. A woman who 
becomes thoroughly Interested in history will mid 
time for Its study, even It It be at tne expense of an 
extra plaiting on her best dross. 
Our excellent writer. Miss Harvey, tells us that a 
great deal is accomplished when a desire for 
broader culture is awakened. This Is true; desire 
is, no doubt, the Hrst moving cause, but unless a 
real Interest speedily follows, we shall lind It 
dreary work. Desire will be shortlived In most 
persons unless Interest comes to its aid. There¬ 
fore It Is Important, In taking up a study, that one 
should begin so as to become thoroughly interested 
at the start-. 
Perhaps, as 1 confess that I am judging others 
somewhat by myself, I shall make my meanlDg 
clearer by giving an item of my own experience. 
Early m life I had the laudablo ambition and 
strong desire to become well versed in history, 1 
supposed, to accomplish this, l must be perfectly 
methodical In my work—start out at the begin¬ 
ning, and come down through the ages, surely, 
even If slowly. 
I can now say that slowly was the only modifier 
needed, for I surely never reached farther than an 
uncertain distance in the 1 st voi. of Hollln’s Andean 
Hlstory. I am sura that I tried faithfully, but 
oilier duties looked more Important, and the vol¬ 
ume disappeared for long Intervals and was drawn 
ironr Its resting place always with a sigh. You 
can Imagine the progress made under such circum¬ 
stances. Probably 1 should at present- still have 
been plodding In Ural lust volume of Kollln’s, or 
else have given up in despair, hud 1 not been res¬ 
cued by a friend who oft en laughed at my persist¬ 
ency and slow progress. This friend advised me 
to leave Hotlln, and gave me instead ** Yonge’s 
Life of Marie Antoinette," a book as fascinating 
and exciting as a novel. 1 1 was strange how much 
more time 1 found for reading! This was the real 
beginning of my study of history, notwithstanding 
the years I had st ruggled with that rirst volume or 
liollln’s, and 1 believe It, to be as good a beginning 
as any one can make, one cannot read ot the in¬ 
tensely interesting events of the French lmvolu¬ 
tion without being fairly drawn into a love of 
history. What, preceding influences could have 
brought about such a state of affairs? How was 
the terrible work of La Guillotine finally stopped? 
Through wLml succession of events did the French 
nation become what-it now Is? one cannot stop 
reading until they dial out. 
Meanwhile through the connection of France 
with other nations the Held of Interest widens 
until there Is really no stopping place, ltutto re¬ 
turn to Yonge I soon found that this historian 
wrote with tire pen or a royalist and judged actions 
irom a royalist’s standpoint. His characterizing ot 
I,a Fayette, whose name all Americans are taught, 
to reverence, as awkward, ill-favored and treach¬ 
erous set me to searching Abbott a nd other his¬ 
torians lor their views concerning him. These, 
while they did not differ from Yonge In point of 
fact, attributed different motives in the same ac¬ 
tions, and thus $el my heart at. rest with the con¬ 
clusion that La Fayette was still worthy of our 
honor and that no thorough royalist could appre¬ 
ciate the feelings and motives of a thorough re¬ 
publican. However, It was not my intention to 
THE RURal NEW-YORKER 
criticise Yonge, but simply to show how my inter¬ 
est grew and how I progressed when once rightly 
started. As a history of the events leading lip to 
the Revolution I found Miss Pardeau’s Louts XIV. 
most entertaining and instructive Dickens's “Tale 
of Two Cities” completed the topics for- that time, 
nor would it have been complete without this 
last. I could never have appreciated so fully the 
oppression and Injustice which preceded the Rev¬ 
olution had I never read Dr. Manette’s story, nor 
could I have realized the horrors which followed 
had 1 not gone Into the midst of them with sweet 
Lucie Evremonds. Ho from my own experience I 
conclude that it Is far better to read history by 
tuple than by course, that It- is well to read, if 
possible two authors upon the same topic, who 
look at matters from different standpoints—that 
poetry, biography, or a good novel, read In con¬ 
nection with the topic will give a vivid and famil¬ 
iar’ idea ot people and circumstances. Also, that 
In taking up a study by oneself it Is better to 
start out In the most. Interesting par t. Much 
more will be accomplished In this way even If 
obliged to study backwards. 
Dry facts and dates make a slow beginning, 
but All In very easily and pleasantly when one 
has become really interested In the subject con¬ 
nected with them. May August. 
--- 
IGNORANT MOTHERS. 
1 want to congratulate the Club on the. subjects 
selected for discussion. I’ve heard tt a Pinned by 
members of the hostile sex that “ women didn't 
have an Idea above cook stoves aud soothing 
syrups, and that were they once allowed an oppor¬ 
tunity to express their opinions through the me¬ 
dium ot a newspaper, they would take up the 
entire space allotted them In exchanging views on 
the subjects of pic-crust, panlers, and teething.” 
Our Club is a standing refutation of this mascu¬ 
line libel on our sex. 
There seems to be a tendency on our part to be¬ 
come “most, awfully” literary, ciublte after 
elubitc rushes to the front with * ‘methods of study,” 
and if every woman reader of the Rural Isn’t duly 
Impressed with the Idea that knowledge Lsnot,only 
to be coveted, but to be striven for, It isn’t the rault 
or t hese enthusiastic writers. 
Margaret B, Harvey and M, A. H. have said some 
timely and just words for the sons and daughters 
of Illiterate parents. From time Immemorial the 
child who Is ashamed of his Ignorant, Ill-bred 
parent, has been held up to the scorn and con¬ 
tempt ot the world. The parent’s self-denial, tire 
privations she lias undergone to give the child edu¬ 
cational advantages, have been expatiated on at 
length, and we are called on to despise the unnat¬ 
ural monster of a child who dares to wince at. 
parental blunder's In grammar and etiquette. I 
never remember to ha ve read the child’s side of the 
case, until the two writers, mentioned above, drew 
attention to the fact that there was sometlilng to 
be said In behalf or the child. 
When we remember that the whole tendency oi 
life at school Is to develop a love for learning and a 
contempt for ignorance, istt Co be wondered at that 
the scholar should despise want ot knowledge 
even In his mother? A bright girl or boy soon 
learns to regard the ill-bred, ignorant, Ill-dressed 
mother as a nurse, a cook, a Seamstress, a house¬ 
keeper, and—nothing more. Such parents are 
loved quite likely, but, respected they cannot be. 
Children may crucify their self-respect and Intro¬ 
duce such a mother to their educated companions, 
and appear with her at social gatherings, but wlr.u 
should be a pleasure is a source of keen mortifica¬ 
tion to them. 
The lesson which the average wire and mother 
has to learn is. that her llrst and chief duty is to 
herself, for neither husband nor children has she 
a right, to sacrifice herself. This isn’t at all ortho¬ 
dox i know, but It’s a true gospel for all that. The 
slavery of the wife in many and many a home 
throughout this free (?) country is more pitiful, 
more hopeless and more degrading than ever was 
endured by t iro negro In the days gone by. 
Listers, will you not make an effort, to be the 
queens of your household—queens by right of a 
grand, fully-rounded womanhood—or will you be 
content to bo simply the hewers ot wood and the 
drawers of water” in the kingdom of home? 
Jo Marsh. 
- » ♦» 
CHILD-HELP IN THE HOME. 
so mkuow, l feci In the mood for wilting to the 
Club this morning and giving my experience with 
children. I have six, so you will excuse me if I 
(to think I kuow just a little about them. Mine 
are all learning to work, to sew and to care tor 
Uowers or vegetables. They help me In my wash¬ 
ing, Ironing, mending, making, and In the general 
housework, and some in the baking. 
1 have three girls, one almost u and the other 
two arc 12; the three Dike turns In the work, one 
helps about breakfast, sets the table, washes the 
diihes, etc., and a second one gets the dinner and 
lakes her turn at dish-waslung; then when tea- 
time comes, the third lias her part of the work to 
perform. Sabbath day wo have but two meals 
and that breaks up tho order of work just enough 
so that one does not have to get the meat next 
week at the same time or day. That Is, the one 
who gets breakfast sabbath morning will have 
the dinner to get, on all the Other days of the week. 
1 ttnd It saves quarreling and equalizes the work. 
Of bourse, I have to superintend and suggest here 
and there, while l try to do something In some 
other way to help the work along. In the morning 
two smaller ones claim my attention, at noon l 
have t he dinner to prepare when the children are 
at school. 1 arranged matters In this way at Hist, 
because w e could nor keep a girl on account or the 
extra expense, and I wanted time to rest and time 
tor study, and beside, l was anxious that my chil¬ 
dren should know how to take care of themselves. 
They were willing pupils, it requires much pa¬ 
tience aud perseverance, but it pays well in the 
end, I believe that t he children are happier, and 
they are certainly less trouble. In washing they 
began by washing some particular thing of their 
own that they felt anxious should look well, now 
they do more than their own washing and more 
than their own Ironing. They can iron tucks, 
rulMes, pulls, and embroidery nicely aud they are 
very careful about soiling their garments since 
they do their own washing. They have plenty ot 
time to play, study, cut and make many small 
things of their own, and what belongs to their 
dolls, an by hand too! When they have learned 
to do all kinds of hand sewing, then there will be 
time enough to learn to do machine work. Teach¬ 
ing them to keep their hose in order has been l he 
hardest trial to me of any, but now they take pride 
in mending their stockings nicely, so I have my 
reward. I taught them to sew before they were 
three years old. Children learn more readily when 
young and the habit once rormed is never forgot¬ 
ten ; they Und so much amusement too, ln’sewlng 
for their dolls. Try it, some ot you overworked 
mothers with your small children, and report. 
LEAF FROM AN INVALID’S DIARY. 
Junk 23, is7t>. — one of those rarely brilliant 
mornings which I notice only two or three times 
in a year. Our homely front yard Is enchanted 
ground. The young grass has a peculiar soft lus¬ 
ter, which is lrlghtened by tho deep shadows pic¬ 
turesquely playing over lt-cver folding, reaching, 
receding, like waves on a sea. Over all this the 
Invariant leafage gives the effect or spaciousness, 
as If 1 were In some castle garden extending far 
aud wide, and the edlttco behind me were an Ivy- 
grown stone building Instead of a common country 
farm-house. The lnelosure at one side, surrounded 
by rail-fence and» over-shadowed by maples, be¬ 
comes a beautmil park, in which tho fawn-tike 
little Jerseys are really young deer. 
1 linger under tho fascinating spell. 1 seem to 
be enveloped by the witching beauty of the sott- 
shlnlng, shadowy greenness, and dissolved In It. 
I am in l’aradlse, and the vision is too strong for 
my weak, mortal eyes; but as f turn away, the 
vision changes, it does uot fade, but grows 
In splendor. As the. sun mounts higher, the 
shadows steal away into themselves, the stretched- 
out limits shrink to less thuu their accustomed 
size, but the great world beyond grows broad and 
bright and beautiful. Not. a cloud Hecks the blue 
above. Air and sun and sky conspire to make a 
ptrrfect day-one of those rarest, most brilliant 
days when a sheen overspreads everything. Fairy 
Land Is dull In comparison. Even the men and 
the horses seem to walk on air, and the birds are 
hushed by the wonderful beauty. Every breath is 
an incense, and the language ot the earth seems to 
be that of the canticle: 
"o. all ye fowls ot the air, bless ye the Lord ; 
praise Him and magnify forever. 
“(), all ye boasts and cattle, bless yc the Lord ; 
praise Him and maguity forever. 
“O, all ye children ot men, praise ye the Lord 
praise Him and magnify forever.” 
I feel grateful that 1 am an invalid, and so am 
privileged to stay out In this magical world, and I 
have a real commiseration for the sweet sisters 
who must work in-doors, though I know i hey pity 
me with bettor reason. 
Then I become conscious of my own Immediate 
surroundings; they do not match the magnificence 
of the day, and tne Incongruity gives a sense of 
degradation. 1 go In, feeling like the little girl 
who said: "Mamma, let mo put on my white 
dress, It Is such a shiny day.” But my room Is a 
dungeon. I can see nothing clearly. My eyes are 
blinded, and 1 soon escape back to the brightness, 
determined that this day. at least, shall be -a joy 
forever.” Zkna Clayboukne. 
- ♦♦ > - 
WOMAN’S SUNDAY WORK. 
How true a picture of the lives of a ma jority of 
women, Bertha A. Winkler, portrayed in the last 
Rural when wilting of "Sunday Rest for Women.” 
I have frequently heard mothers say that Sunday 
was the most tiresome day In the whole week to 
them, in the main the fault, lies with themselves; 
they have taken upon themselves tills unneces¬ 
sary burden and their husbands simply allow It 
andtn fact never think much about tt. 1 have 
very little sympathy tor a woman with health 
and strength enough to attend church and Sab¬ 
bath-school, who will remain at home ru cook an 
extra dinner for company that may possibly come 
home with the husband, sons or daughters. - Why 
will women suffer themselves to become such 
slaves to their families, aud—to pride? 
our thoughtful young housekeepers at the Rural 
band may take a lesson to themselves, and by 
lessening their labors on Sunday be able to spend 
that day (as our Heavenly Father intended they 
should) as a day of sacred rest, l would not de¬ 
prive myself of the holy sabbath privileges, even 
though I had lo set a plain cold dinner before my 
family and friends, when I wish to display my 
domestic skill I fake some other day lu the week, 
when l can do so with a clear conscience. 
Late rlsiug on Sunday mornings Is a frequent 
cause Of a mother’s extra labors on that, day ; ior 
the children must make haste to Sunday-school, 
and the morning work is left for mother’s tired 
hands. At my father s house we were taught to 
rise as early on Sunday mornings as on any day 
In the week, and as preparations were always 
made on Saturday the labor of getting the Sun¬ 
day meals wins but slight. When old age comes the 
mother who has domed herself that rest, which Is 
necessary to her health and well being, will not be 
anymore respected or beloved by her family, than 
the one who attends church with her husband 
and children or otherwise takes her natural vest, 
free from uuy extra care. Mrs. Lou J. Abbott. 
- ♦♦♦ - 
Faith Ripley— Some time ago I sent a request 
to the lady readers of the Rural for a recipe for 
washing flannels, without shrinking. Not receiving 
the desired information us yet, i will send you 
the recipe that I have since received Horn a relia¬ 
ble source: 
It Is very essenllal to avoid hard water and resi¬ 
nous soaps. Wring without twisting (with a 
wringer) or not at all. Use water of the same 
temperature all through, or increase the heat, 
during the changes. Do not rub the soap upon the 
flannel, but mix it with the water. Flannel is of 
so porous a texture that It, Is easily cleaned In 
good suds without much rubbing. Hard rubbing 
tends to “ full” the cloth, and to rinse In cold 
water flannel that has been washed in warm 
water Is a sure way to shrink and harden It, From 
cold to warm, but never from warm to cold. One 
or two suds may be used, according to, the degree 
to which tlie flannels have been soiled. When 
they have been rinsed, two persons should take 
blankets, one at each end, shake, and snap them 
well, to make them more soft and fuzzy. A good 
way to wash flannels Is to soak Ikem awhile In 
ammonia and soft warm water, before washing. 
To wash clouds—stretch t hem upon a board, fasten 
at the corners, then wash them with a brush with 
warm, soapy water ; ilnse with warm water. 
Y'OUi’4 Respectfully, Marias'. 
-- 
CORRESPONDENTS’ CORNER. 
This poem is sent In response to a request which 
appeared In •• correspondents’ Corner,” June Tth. 
“OD ALL. TUB BONNY Bl'l'H THAT BLOW.” 
Of .ill tho boutiy buds tbit blow 
lu bright and cloudy weather. 
Of nil the flowers that como and go 
Tho whole twelve months Uwether. 
This little purple pansy brings 
Thoughts of tho sweetest, saddest things. 
I had a little lover once. 
Who used to bring me posies; 
His eyes were blue ay hyacinths. 
His lips were red as rosea; 
And everybody loved to praise 
His winning looks aud winsome ways. 
The girls who went to school with me 
Made little jealous speeches 
Because he brought me, loyally. 
His biggest plums and poaches. 
And ever at the door would wait 
To carry home my books and elate. 
They '* couldn’t see,” with pout and fling, 
" The mighty fascination 
About that little, snubnosed thing 
To win such admiration: 
As if there weren't a dozen girls 
With brighter eyes and longer curie.” 
And tills I knew na well as they, 
Aud never could see clearly 
Why more than Mariou or May, 
I should be loved so dearly: 
And so I asked him how was this; 
He only' answered with a kiss. 
But still I teazed him, ” Tell mo why 
I waul to kuow tho reason.” 
When from a garden bed close by 
(The pansies were in season) 
He plucked a ml gave a Cower to me 
With sweet aud simple gravity. 
“ The garden is in bloom,” he said, 
“ With lilies pale aud slender. 
■With roses and verbenas red. 
And fuchsia’s purple splendor . 
But over aud above the rest. 
This little heartsease suits mo best.” 
“ Am I your little heartsease, then 
I asked with glowing pleasure; 
He answered “ Yes,” aud "Yes,” again, 
“ Heartsease and dearest treasure;” 
That the round world and all the sea. 
Held nothing half so sweet as me. 
I listened with a strange delight. 
Too rare for words to capture; 
Nor e\t r dreamed what sudden blight 
Would come to chill my rapture: 
Could t forsee the tender bloom 
Of | lausies round a little tomb ? 
Life holds some stern experience. 
As most of us discover; 
And I’ve had other losses since 
I lost my little lover, 
Yet still [his purple pansy brings 
Thoughts of the sweetest, saddest things. 
I Thaitiati Fulton, Sew York Citi/. 
To the same correspondent 1 would say that 
“ IVhen Greek join* Greek then comes the tug of 
war,” Is the proper rendering of the quotation. 
._ T. P. 
Adverb vs. Adjective. 
I am lu favor of preserving the English language 
In Its purity. though from early association with 
those who habitually murdered lt s I am unable 
always to use the right word tn tho right place. 
I have as Intense a horror of the hypercritical as 
anybody, aud dislike to appear in t he character of 
critic; yet I see occasions when I feel justified in 
doing so. The use or the adverb in the place of the 
adjective lu such expressions as ’Oats look hadlj, ’ 
“Corn Is looking well,’’ “Wheat has looked splen¬ 
didly,” etc., etc., are all violations ot good usage 
and grammar, which it behooves those who write 
for the public eye to discourage and denounce, i 
am aware that the habit, ot saying • looking well” 
when we mean “looking good" has become almost 
universal, but that does not make ft correct. It is 
probably too well established, however, to be up¬ 
rooted, but that is no good reason why we should 
go on to establish other errors, however aualugous 
they may be to that one. One wrong docs not jus¬ 
tify another. It may be an argument in favor of 
tho use of “well” as an adjective that the people 
have compelled the diet lunary-imikora to recognize 
It as such, i recollect hearing a prating peda¬ 
gogue, in my youth, criticising’ an expression or 
Irving’:: ■ •• Everything looked smiling about us as 
we embarked." He said •• smiling" should be 
“smilingly.” ft is evident that schoolmasters of 
that type have been abroad quite too much of lute. 
The masses of the people are always ready to de¬ 
fend errors and false doctrines which have become 
habit uni wit h them. A thousand will array them¬ 
selves on the side of habitual error where one will 
stand up for the abstract truth in language or 
science, o. s. u, 
