there are many who do not yet perceive their duty. 
But Jack's beanstalk furnishes only a tame Illus¬ 
tration of the growth of women m this direction 
In the years slnco the Crusade. Of this swift 
growth I have already furnished abundant proof. 
It Is, In my Judgement, the most solid basis of 
gratitude on this national anniversary. 
During the past years the brave women who 
pioneered the equal suffrage movement, and 
whose perceptions of Justice were keen as a Da¬ 
mascus blade, took for their rallying cry: “ Taxa¬ 
tion without representation Is tyranny.” But the 
average woman, who has nothing to bo taxed, de¬ 
clines to go rorth to battle on that issue. Since 
the Crusade, plain, practical temperance people 
have begun appealing to this same average wo¬ 
man, saying: “ With your vote we can close the 
saloons that tempt yOur boys to ruin” ; and be¬ 
hold i they have transfixed with the arrow of con¬ 
viction that mother's heart, and she Is ready for 
the fray. Not rights, but duties; not hor need 
alone, but that of her children and her country ; 
not the “ woman,” but the “ human” question is 
stirring woman’s heart and breaking down her 
prejudice to-day. she begins to perceive the di¬ 
vine fact, that civilization, In proportion as It be¬ 
comes Christianized, will make Increasing de¬ 
mands upon creation’s gentler half; that the Ten 
commandments and the Sermon ou the Mount are 
voted up or voted down upon election day ; and 
that a military exigency requires the army of 
the Prince of Peace to call out Us reserves. 
The experience which opened the eyes of one 
cultured conservative In Illinois Is here In point. 
Mrs. Blank was my companion at the Capitol, 
where, with other ladles, we spent several weeks 
In the endeavor to secure legislative support for 
our Home Protection measures, oue ot life mem¬ 
bers, when earnestly appealed to, replied, with a 
rueful grimace: “ Ladles, when I tell you the lead¬ 
ing towns la the district I represent, you will see 
that I cannot do as you wish,” and he rattled off 
such names as “Frankfort, Hamburg, and Bre¬ 
men,” wished us “ the success that our earnest¬ 
ness merited,” and bowed himself out. 
“ Why—what—does—he—mean ?” Inquired my 
lovely Conservative, in astonishment. 
A committee clerk stood by, who answered, 
briskly: “Why, ladles, the Hon. Mr. A represents 
a district In which German voters are In the ma¬ 
jority ; therefore, he cannot support your hill.” 
" Why, 1 thought a lawmaker was to represent 
his own Judgment and conscience,” murmured the 
sweet-voiced lady. 
" ills judgment, yes; for that tells him on which 
side the majority of votes In his district is located. 
His conscience, no; for that would often cost him 
his chances for a political future,” answers the 
well-instructed yo uth. 
“O-o-oh!” softly ejaculated Mrs. Blank, In the 
key of E flat, minor scale. 
By this time Hon. Mr. B entered; in response to 
our invitation, of course—he never would have 
come on his own motion. After a brief conversa¬ 
tion, ne pledged himself to vote for out bill and to 
make a speech in our favor. Nevertheless, if you 
should glanee over the list, we are carefully pre¬ 
serving and industriously circulating in Illinois, ot 
men who voted against us, you would Hud hts 
urine. Nevertheless, be Is an honest fellow In his 
way, and we owe it to a motion made by him that 
women were, for the first time In history, allowed 
to speak beroru the legislature of Illinois. He ex¬ 
plained Ills desertion or the temperance cause In 
this way: “ 1 tell you, ladles, I’ve got to go back 
on you. I'm leader of my party In the House, and 
they've cracked the party whip mighty lively 
around my ears. The long and short of It Is, I’ve 
got to represent the men that voted me in.” 
Poor Mrs. Blank! now appealing was her volco, 
as she replied: “ But I am sure your better nature 
tells you to represent us.” lion. Mr. B brought his 
great flat down on the table with a stalwart thump, 
arid said: “ Course it does, Madam; but, Lord bless 
you women, you can’t stand by a fellow that stands 
by you, for you haln't croi any votes.” Just here a 
young lady ot the group piped up: “Oh! but we 
would persuade our mends to vote for you.” “ Beg 
pardon, Miss; but you couldnt do nothin' of the 
kind,” said he. “ Don’t you s’pose 1 know the lay 
o’ the land In my deestrlct?” The young lady now 
grasped the other horn oi the dilemma, saying, 
desperately: “ But we wilt get the temperance 
men In your district to vote against you If you 
desert us In this manner.” ills rejoinder was a 
deplorable revelation to our simple-minded com¬ 
pany : “ Never a bit on’t. Miss. The temperance 
men are an easy-going lot, and will vote me tem¬ 
perance ticket anyhow, old dog Tray’s ever faith¬ 
ful ! We’ve Ignored them for years; but they 
come up smilin’ and vote the Republican ticket all 
the same. You’ll see!” “ But won’t you staud by 
us for God and home ami native land!” pleaded 
Mrs. Blank, with a sweetness that would have cap¬ 
tured any man not already caught In the Snares of 
a German constituency. The worthy politician 
thumped on the table again, and closed the Inter¬ 
view by saying: “ You women are altogether too 
good to live In this world. If you could only vote, 
you’d have this legislature solid. But I’m bound 
to stand by such a conscience as I’ve got, and It 
tells me to stick to the fellows that voted me In. 
Oood-morulngl” And he got speedily out of the 
range or those clear, sad eyes. 
Hon. Mr, it (an ex-senator) came in. with all 
the vehemence of his Irish nature he anathema¬ 
tized the “ weak-kneed temperance men.” “Sure 
as you’re living, b (old you the truth,” said he. 
“ The temperance men are a hissing and a by¬ 
word. They're the foot-ball of parties. There’s 
none so poor to do ’em reverence. Where are the 
plucky young fellows that were here wbeu we gave 
Illinois her present local option law?” (By the 
way, that law bears the name ot this valiant sen¬ 
ator, who Is, by the same token n Democrat) 
“Where are they? out in the cold, to be sure. 
Did lhe temperance folks remember thole services 
and send ’em back? Not a bit of It. But the 
whisky men didn’t forget the grudge they owed 
cm, and they’re on the shelf to-day—every last j 
THE RURal NEW-YORKER. 
man of ’em.” “ I tell you,” and the wise old gen¬ 
tleman gesticulated wildly In his wrath, “ until 
you women have the power to say who shall make 
the laws and who enforce 'em and to reward 
by re-election them that are faithful to your 
cause and punish by defeat them that go back 
on It, you may hang your respective bonnets on 
a high nail, for you'll not need ’em u> attend the 
funeral of the liquor traffic I” " Why,” exclaimed 
one of the ladles, confusedly, “you don’t mean to 
say that the temperance ballot Is not enough, and 
that we must follow In the footsteps or Susan 
1L-?" The sturdy old gentleman walked to the 
door, and llred this Parthian arrow back at us: 
“ Susan could teach any one of ye your a-b-abs. 
This winter’s defeat’ll be a paying Investment to 
ye all, If you learn that a politician Is now and 
ever will bo the drawn Image, pocket edition, 
safety-valve, and 3poakln’-truuipet of the folks that 
voted Mm tn.” 
l he ladies drew a long breath. “ I begin to see 
men as trees walking,” slowly murmured sweet 
Sister Blank. 
“ But wo must abide the Lord’s time,” warn- 
lngly uttered an old lady, who had just arrived. 
To her the brisk committee clerk ventured this 
answer: “ But Senator 11. says you’ll find the 
Lord’s time will come just about twenty-four 
hours after the women get their eyes open!” 
A temperance member of the House Is the last 
caller whom I will report. He spake In this wise: 
“ Ladles, l pretend to no superior saintshlp. I am 
like other men, only I come rrom a, district that 
would behead me if I did not stand by you. I have 
a pocket full of letters, received to-day from party 
leaders at home, assuring mu 1 ran no risk." At 
the close Ot three weeks of such a school as this, 
one of our radicals asked Mrs. Blank, chief of con¬ 
servatives, this pointed question: “Are you 
still for the Homo Protection vote alone, or 
for the ballot on all questions ?” She replied, in 
thrilling tones and most explicit words: “Any 
woman who could have shared our bitter exper¬ 
ience here without desiring to vote on every 
officer, from constable to President, would be 
either a knave or a fool.” 
MAKE SELF-INTEREST OCR ALLY. 
This lady reasoned that, since we are solemnly 
bound to bo wise as serpents, we must harness 
seir-lnterest to our on-moving charity. The great 
majority of men who are in office desire to be re¬ 
elected. By fair means. If they can; but to be re¬ 
elected anyhow. Only In one way can they bring 
this to pass: by securing on their side old King 
Majority, ir wo furnish them with a constituency 
committed to the proposition, “Thesalooumustgo,” 
then go It will, and on the double quick. Let the 
city council know that women have the ballot, 
and will not vote for them If they license saloons 
and they will soon come out for prohibition. Let 
the sheriff, marshall, and constable know that 
their tenure of office depends on their success In 
executing the law thus secured, and their falth- 
tutness will leave nothing to be desired. Lot the 
shuffling Justice and the truckling judge know 
that a severe Interpretation ol the law will bright¬ 
en tUelr chances of promotion, and you will be¬ 
hold rigors of penalty which Neal Dow himself 
would wince to see.—To be continued. 
-♦ ♦ ♦- 
INEXPENSIVE HOUSEHOLD DECORA¬ 
TIONS. 
When furnishing a home, the first thought 
should be In regard to the appearance of t he walls. 
Sleeping-apartments and kitchens are effective 
when painted, but If this be too expensive an 
undertaking, a little coloring material, such as 
Prussian blue, ultramarlue bluo, chrome-yellow 
or lake, according to the tint required, may be 
mixed with the katsomlno, the effect of the latter 
when properly applied being just as satisfactory as 
paint. Sitting-rooms, parlors and dining-rooms 
are very pretty when either painted or papered, 
paper being the least expensive, unless It be of a 
superior quality. 
Tidies for chairs and sofas, covers for tables, and 
mats for the various vases and miscellaneous orna¬ 
ments to staud upon, add much to the charm of a 
room, and their cost Is but a trifle when made at 
home. Pretty and inexpensive articles of this sort 
are made of Java canvas, embroidered In fancy de¬ 
signs with wools of uniform or snadod tints. This 
canvas can be purchased In several different 
shades of red, yellow, drab and brown, and also In 
black aud white. The color of tho worsted may 
either contrast or harmonize with the canvas, one, 
two or three contrasting shades being the most 
effective when tastefully commingled In the pat¬ 
tern, " Daisy ” tidies are dainty In effect and easy 
to make, and the material required for them costs 
but a mere trifle. They are made of bleached 
muslin, white lawn or Swiss muslin, cut In circles 
about two or three laches la diameter and gath¬ 
ered closely about the edges, which axe by this 
means drawn to the center of the circles on the 
upper side, where they are concealed under a ro¬ 
sette of bright-yellow worsted. These little “dai¬ 
sies," which bear a striking resemblance to those 
gathered from the fields of Nature, are Joined 
together In star, diamond or other fanciful shapes, 
and are very pretty when fastened to the back of 
the chair, lounge or sofa, sometimes red, blue, 
pink or violet worsteds are used, but the effect is 
not so natural and consequently not so much ad¬ 
mired. A toilet-sot always consists of a bureau or 
dressing-case cover, a pln-cushlon and - two 9 mall 
mats, all of which may be embroidered Java 
canvas. 
An airy set may bo made of paper-muslin or 
Silesia, overlaid with plain or dotted white Swiss, 
bordered with deep lace or lace-edged ruffles of the 
material. The paper-muslin should he of some 
delicate shade ol' blue, pink, gold or green, or else 
of cardlnal-red, and should be cut to fit the bureau 
or dresslug-ease smoothly. The cover Is bordered 
with ruffles of the same neatly pinked out at the 
edges, and after being fastened smoothly to the 
bureau, Is overlaid with the Swiss cover, through 
whose delicate, transparent texture the color of 
the under-oover Js prettily displayed. The cushion 
and mats should he made to harmonize with the 
cover. Paper muslin Is preferable to Silesia, as It 
holds the lace out better, and when the UDglazed 
side la turned out, the difference is not perceptible 
unless closely examined. 
Pretty corner-brackets may be made of pieces of 
common wood, cut to at snugly In the corners, and 
covered with embroidered canvas, or with cash- 
mere, £1 urnel, merino or silk, either painted, em¬ 
broidered, or decorated with decalcomnnie pictures. 
Those little articles very effectively decorate 
vacant nooks, aud may be made to hold a tiny 
statuette, pretty shells, a vase of (lowers or other 
tasteful ornament. 
To keep a house orderly, and to prevent news¬ 
papers, Journals, etc., occupying every table, chair 
and stand In the room and even the floor, as the 
thrifty housewife too often finds them so disposed 
of by her forgetful better-halt, there should he 
wall-pockets or paper-receptacles of some kind. 
These articles may be made of pasteboard, covered 
with colored or fancy paper of some kind, or with 
cashmere, silk, embroidered canvas or any other 
desirable fabric. Decalcomnnie pictures, silk or 
ribbon ruchlngs, gilt-paper bordering, hand-em¬ 
broidery or painting will decorate them charm¬ 
ingly. 
Beautiful little receptacles for flowers and mis¬ 
cellaneous articles can be made of splints, spirals 
or straws, and bright-colored worsted or narrow 
ribbon or chenille. Frames for small pictures, 
dainty baskets, easels, sowing-baskets, halr- 
recelvers and many other useful anil pretty arti¬ 
cles are made of splints, and their cost Is the 
merest trifle. 
For large pictures, aud small ones too. for which 
frames cannot be conveniently purchased, very 
effective frames may be made of paper-muslin. 
No doubt paper-muslin picture-frames will sound 
queer to many, and some will smile at the idea of 
such a thing, hut they are really pretty when 
tastefully constructed, and the suggestion will be 
readily seized upon by the home-loving woman, 
who likes to adorn her house, but Is sometimes 
very much puzzled to know how to do so with a 
very small sum of money. Tho paper-muslin may 
be either black, or a very dark brown or cardinal 
shade, as these resemble most closely the colors of 
the dark wood usually employed In the manu¬ 
facture of such articles; or It may be ot any of the 
gold shades, to resemble gilt. It Is cut In strips of 
a width to suit the size of the picture—a large pict¬ 
ure needing a vrame at least three Inches wide— 
aad Joined together. Ouc style of frame has the 
edges pinked out, with the strips laid in double-box 
plaits made very close together and tacked through 
the middle or the frame under soft tofts of bright- 
colored worsted. Another kind has the strips 
shirred through the center and at each edge over 
thin wire. Both kinds are pretty and may be used 
in the same room to give variety. After the mus- 
llolsshirred or plaited, the picture Is fastened at 
the edges to a thin board or a piece of thick paste¬ 
board. which should extend sufficiently beyond 
the margin of the picture to support the frame. 
The plaited or shirred muslin is then fastened by 
tiny tacks to the board, and a large bow of ribbon 
is placed tn each corner. The wired frame should 
bulge outward at the center, and the plaited frame 
may be left perfectly flat, or the opposite ends of 
the plaits may be caught together with a charm¬ 
ing effect. 
A goblet, from which the shank has been broken, 
may be utilized in the following pretty way: It 
must be first concealed in a croehetted or knitted 
cover of some bright-colored worsted, aud sus¬ 
pended by picture-wire from the center of the 
celling or window. It Is then ftUed with water, In 
which may be placed myrtle, wandering Jew, 
sweet potato, or any two or three vines that will 
grow In water. If climbing and trailing vines are 
both used, the climber may be trained up along 
the suspension wire, white the other will droop 
prettily over tho sides. The water must be re¬ 
newed at least weekly, if the room be any way 
warm. 
The crownlug ornament of all Is the flre-place 
fernery. It is very simply and cheaply made, and 
yet Is one of the handsomest decorations for a par¬ 
lor, aitttng-room or dlnlng-roora. A box, about 
three or four Inches deep and fitted perfectly to 
the flre-pluce, so as to present the appearance of 
being a portion of the mantel. Is made of common 
wood, lined with tin or zinc so as not to leak, and 
then painted In any color that will best accord 
with the color of the mantel. If the mantel Is 
white marble, the box Is more effective when 
black. A very simple aud Inexpensive method of 
Imitating ebony Is to blacken the box with burnt 
wood and then coat It with, black varnish, which 
must be well applied so as to produce a good pol¬ 
ish. Ail communication with the chimney should 
he well shut off, and the back of the fire-place 
covered with panel-paper, which may portray a 
“deep and gloomy wood,"a gleaner, a stork, cupld 
in a bower of roses, or any scenery preferred, t he 
box Is then furnished with rich soil, and well ailed, 
but not crowded, with ferns surrounded by moss; 
and If the fire-place Is very large, moss-covered 
rocks may be used with a charming effect for fill¬ 
ing In. in this event, the ferns should be planted 
between the rocks; and the more natural the ar¬ 
rangement, tho handsomer the result. Every par¬ 
ticle of earth should be covered with moss, and an 
Ivy placed in each eml of the box should be care¬ 
fully trained along the margin of t he lire-place to 
simulate a bower. The roots aud foliage ot the 
plants should be well watered every day, as ferns 
require a great deal of moisture. 
Tills arrangement makes an exceedingly hand¬ 
some fire-place ornament, and so long as careful 
attention is bestowed upon It. the fernery will keep 
nice and green aud will continually be improving 
lti appearance. A fancy mat of some kind placed 
In front of the fernery will higliten the pretty 
effect of the room so decorated. —DMneato,- for 
August. 
TALKING. 
Talkino is an art too much neglected among a 
large class of people. The Importance of Its cul¬ 
tivation can nor. be too highly valued tor the pleas¬ 
ure which a brilliant talker - gives to a company 
cannot be equalled by any other art. 
I do not mean to say that Its charm Is greater 
than that of music; for nothing la more elevating 
and refining tn Its Influence, nothing can so quickly 
soften and subdue the feelings as the sad and 
mournful passages, cr so quickly enliven as the 
Joyful strains of music, but after listening to 
music for a certain time its pleasure begins to 
pall. We want to be engaged In something more 
active than merely listening. One very seldom 
becomes tired of talking with people who are 
gifted with conversational powers. 
But how often do we meet people, who have 
spent years aud years In study, people whose 
knowledge Is really encyclopedias but who are ut¬ 
terly unable to entertain others with tlielr conver¬ 
sation. Manv who are greatly their Inferiors in 
education, shine brighter In society. Thosa latter 
possess the faculty of imparting what they know, 
while the others do not receive credit for know¬ 
ing as much as they do, simply because they have 
not cultivated their social natures. They find that 
their society is not so much sought after as that 
of the other class, and It is not strange that It Is 
so, we would all rather read a cheery interesting 
book, than one which contains only dry facts. 
It Is not what ve know, but what we are capa¬ 
ble ot telling that makes our company desirable. 
Sometimes It Is a lack of words and sometimes a 
lack of ideas that causes us to fall tn our attempt 
to converse. Then awake and shake off the In¬ 
dolence that prevents your mental faculties 
from performing their office. Form opinions on 
everything and compare them with the opinions of 
others; arrange your thoughts before uttering 
them, and cloth them, in choice language. 
Here is another difficulty to overcome, your 
thoughts have for so long been allowed to 
wander at will, that it will require all your energy 
aud determination to coniine them to any par¬ 
ticular subject. But do not become discouraged, 
make every possible effort to overcome the defi¬ 
ciency, and 1 have no doubt but that you will be 
successful. i. v. 
Mfilersvllle, Saundusky Co., Ohio. 
-- 
REPLY TO FAITH IN RURAL OF JULY 12. 
I have a word to say In reply to Faith on the 
question whether religion and worldly prosperity 
go together. Does not the sober, second thought 
tell us that, although they may go In company, 
they do not necessarily do so ? Will not observa¬ 
tion show us that In the majority ot cases, very 
rich men become so by notoriously violating every 
divine law? Does it not seem like making a con¬ 
tract with the Lord If we say, or. In effect say to 
Him, “ Prosper us in worldly matters, and we will 
give largely to Thy cause ?” It looks like working 
well from too low a motive. God says, “He 
maketh His sun to shine ou the evil and on the 
good, aud seudeth rain on the just and upon the 
unjust,” and are not evil doers prospered If they 
conduct tlielr affairs on business principles? 
The mistake seems to be in supposing that the 
good things promised In the Bible mean riches 
and worldly honors, and that happiness Is Insepa¬ 
rable from them. But If cod “ withholds no good 
thing from those who walk uprightly,” then will 
lie not give us riches If we are upright, If lie sees 
that they are good for us to ha ve ? We can all caU 
to mind persons who are rich In a worldly point of 
view, hut who, on account of undisciplined tempers 
or evil tastes, are anything but objects or envy; 
and do we not also know taiose who are obliged to 
toil for a livelihood and are destitute of the luxu¬ 
ries which wealth brings, and who are yet truly 
happy because they possess that serenity of mind 
which peace with God bringsWe cannot all be 
rich In wor ldly goods, whatever we do, in this un¬ 
certain world, but by loyally to the principles of 
right laid down tn tho scriptures, we may have 
what riches cannot buy. b. c. d. 
-- 
CORRESPONDENTS' CORNER. 
I have been very much interested in the Wom¬ 
an’s Club, but I think dish washing and silk dress¬ 
es have been discussed enough. We all have dishes 
to wash more or less, and we that are mothers 
have more disagreeable tasks than even dish 
washing, but we can’t get the consent of our 
minds to use the very primitive dishes that our 
good Mother Eve used, eo I think submission with¬ 
out so much complaining, would become us Just as 
well. I like the tushlon plates that appear irom 
time to time In the Rural. Has any Rural reader 
tried the Horsford bread preparation and with 
what success? please state through the Rural 
and oblige a constant reader. Mrs. S. J. W. 
Salem, Marion Co , Oregon. 
I read with much Interest that “argument for 
the woman’s temperance ballot,” and I can say, 
for one of “the lords of creation,” that I would be 
perfectly willing to put tho excise ticket in the 
hands of the worneD as the excise law now stands 
in this State. Although I cannot place confidence 
enough In them on political questions, yet I deem 
the temperance question perfectly sate In their 
hands. Yours truly, \V m. C. L. 
Berkshire, N, Y. 
Tub rubber rollers of wringers soon crack with 
use and need to be replaced. They may be mended 
by winding a piece of new factory or cotton flannel 
smoothly around the damaged place and sewing it 
across evenly. I think it might be well to sew a 
piece of cloth the whole length of the roller when 
the wringers are new; it would preserve them 
much longer_ Aunt Racukl. 
Please ask some one to give a design for piecing 
a remembrance quilt, one that will require only 
one block of each kind of print, and not so large 
that where you have but little of some friend’s 
dress you will be obliged to leave It out. 
Constant Reader. 
Jt 
