RURAL NEW-YORK 
derstand them, and as I never forgot anything I 
heard, after many years I came to realize their 
meaning. On a certain afternoon I beard the fol¬ 
lowing, which left an Indelible Impression on my 
mind: 
«no man shall curse me after T am dead and In 
my grave.” Tills was said by Mrs. H., the mother 
of a family of One. bright girls. “ No man shall 
curse me in my grave, for 1 Intend to make good 
housekeepers of my girls and teach them how to 
work, and then their husbands cannot blame me 
if they are not coinpetout.” 
“ You speak as though you were sure they would 
marry,” said Mrs. T. 
•‘uli, no, I am not sure of anything of the kind, 
but it is natural they should; and If they do, I 
hope they will be a comfort to their husbands. 
And should they not marry, their knowledge will 
do them no harm.” 
Now I am coming to my subject. What right 
has a man to curse the mother of his wife because 
the wife does not know as much when lie marries 
her as his mother does after twenty or thirty years 
of experience ? Men do It, and as soon as they arc 
married the mothor-ln-law becomes ft bugbear. 
It Is always the wife's mother who has so many 
faults; uo one would dare to say a word against 
his mother, yet the wife must submit to have her 
mother finely rated ami not dare resent It, for If 
she was to take her moiher’s part it would only 
call down on her devoted head more or her hus¬ 
band’s slurs. No doubt his mother has Just as 
many faults, but the wife has good sense enough 
to keep her opl uion to herself. There has been too 
much said against motlicrs-ln-law, and I never 
read of but one man that was manly enough and 
had courage enough to come out and say anything 
In their lavor, (may peace and happiness always 
hll his home). These chivalrous fellows think it a 
line thing to ridicule some one's mother or sister. 
They apparently forget their own mother Is or 
may be ouc ot these unrorlunates. No right feel¬ 
ing man will encourage It ; it is uugrateful and 
mean. Of course, they do It tor a little fun, and 
It’s such a good Joke, so smart aud manly to make 
fun of and hurt the feelings of women old enough 
to be iholr mothers or grandmothers ; women who 
already have hail so much to bear and contend 
with; whose hearts are heavy with sorrows and 
trials that no one knows of but God. Some one 
of these kindly gentlemen cornea and takes her 
child from her just as she Is becoming a comfort 
to her and useiul in many ways; sometimes it is 
an only daughter or au only child. The girl loves 
her husband and goes with lum a happy bride to 
make his home bright, and with every Intention 
to do her doty cheerfully. Very soon she dnds 
that her dear mother is of no account. The falth- 
ful one that eared lor her in her helpless infancy, 
watched over her in sickness, “ wakeful when 
others slept;” tvho made every sacrhlce for 
her cheerfully, overlooking her faults; loving her 
better than any one ever did or could; knowing 
this and loving her mother, the wife must not say, 
“ my mother does this or that well.” Oh, no! her 
mother cannot make Oread or cook as well as his 
mother, who does every thing belter llntu he over 
knew any ot her folks to; yet ho could eat their 
pies and cake, and other idee things before he 
married his wife. Her mother was all right then, 
because he intended to take from, her one of the 
treasures she loved so well. 
Do you think he would allow one reflection on 
his mother : No, not he. There would he such a 
breeze in that home that his wile would never 
dare to open her mouth to utter one word again on 
that subject. If lie has so much love for his own 
mother, and Is such a model son, why is It he 
cannot love his mother-in-law a Little, or at least, 
speak of her in some other way than the “ Old 
Woman,” and treat her with respect, if only lor 
the love he bears his own mother. 
I know of a man who next to his own mother 
counts his mother-in-law, the greatest blessing ho 
had. She was always welcome In Uls house, lie 
said she more than paid her way, by looking alter 
his Interest, and lie always felt free from caro 
when he left fils little ones with her. she would 
moud for him, repair clothes that he thought were 
beyond nope; she was interested la all mat con¬ 
cerned him; would talk with him about his busi¬ 
ness, and, in short, made herself so necessary to 
his comfort, that he was sorry when her visit came 
to an end. Why should she not feel interested In 
all concerning bun; he stands to her as her own 
son, If he loves her daughter. Is he not near to her'.’ 
are not Ills children her children? docs not her 
blood run througU their veins : Is it strange that 
she Inquires Into all their aflalrs, and Interests 
herself about them, If her child has gone from her 
home, she has not gone from her heart. She is 
just as much Interested to-day as she was before 
her daughter married, her only motive Is to aid 
them, and help them carry their burden, and If she 
could she would take It all on herself, so that they 
could be relieved of what worries them, because 
she Is just what she is and loves them so well, she 
cannot see them unhappy without wanting to be 
In their ooulideuco and sharing all their trouble 
with them. She Is called a “ prying old woman;” 
his mother, however, can do and say anything, or 
she can neglect them, It Is all the same, “ mother 
means well," 
I expect, you are losing all patience with me; do, 
dear .Miss Ripley, bear with me a little longer, I 
will soon have had my say. Do you not think the 
newspapers have had agreat deal to do with this? 
Have they not been the greatest enemy mothers-ln- 
law have had! are t hey not very much to blame 
for the feeling against this class of women ? 1 am 
surprised that any mother's sou would encourage 
or take any pari In stteli disrespect tul allusions, 
and as long as men encourage this coarse sort of 
Joking, iuolhcrs-ln-law will be obliged to hear 
their best motives traduced, l once thought a 
step-mothers po-ltlon a thankless ouc, now 1 
think a mother-In-law's la fast becoming a most 
trying one. if you tlllpk this fit for publication 
and it will do any good, I will feel that I have 
freed my mind and I hat I can bear a little more, 
with a better grace, for l am a Mother-in-law, 
LETTERS FROM A COUNTRY GIRL-No. 17. 
MARGARET B. HARVEY. 
Painters and Painting. 
Perhaps some of you. my friends, have come to 
wonder whether I knew anything else than art, as I 
have talked so much on this subject. Well, patience, 
sister, 1 shall soon he. done. Hut I dislike to dis¬ 
miss it altogether without saying something about 
Its history,—for, I know, if you have become Inter¬ 
ested in it at all, you will want to learn more of its 
past. So. preparatory to my taking up literature, 
and as a fitting Introduction thereto. I will give you 
a list of some of the old painters, such Informa¬ 
tion, I am sure, is, at present, a dead language to 
many'. Happy shall I he It I can interpret It to 
one! 
You observe that the names arc arranged In 
chronological order, so that they signify not only 
the flight of time, but the growth of art Itself. In 
a few cases, authorities differ by several years as 
to dates. If I were you, l Should cut, out the list 
and preserve it for future reference. I forget to 
say that I have placed, after the name of each 
painter one of his best known works, as auoldto 
memory. 
ITAI.IAN PAINTERS. 
Clmabue (died 1240.) 
Madonna e angioli. 
GlOttO (1276-1330.) 
Portrait of Dante. 
Memnxi (Simone), (1280-1344.) 
Petrarch's Laura. 
Taddl Gadi, (1300-1366.) 
Annunciation, 
Fra Angelico, (1387-1455.) 
Angels. 
Masaccio, (1402-1429.) 
St. Aim, Madonna and Child. 
Gozzoli, (1424-1484.) 
Angels. 
Bellini, (1426-1516.) 
Madonna aud Child. 
Leonardo da Vinci, (1446-1499.) 
Last Supper. 
Perugino, (1466-1499.) 
Portrait. 
Garbo, (1466-1524.) 
Descent from the Cross. 
Fra Ihirtolome, (1469-1517.) 
Annunciation. 
Albertinclli, (1470-1520.) 
Descent from the cross. 
Michael Angelo, (1475-1564.) 
Last Judgment. 
Giorgione, (1477-1511.) 
Jacob and Rachel. 
Francia, (died 1557.) 
Madonna enthroned. 
Titian, (1477-1576.) 
Adoration or the Holy Family. 
Raphael, (1483-1520.) 
Transfiguration. 
Andrea del Sarto, (1487-1530.) 
Madonna enthroned. 
Buon Consigflo, (flourished Lino.) 
Mater bon Consllii. 
Correggio, (1493-1534.) 
The Handkerchief of St. Veronica. 
Borduue. (1500-1570.) 
Madonna. 
Voltara, (1509-1566.) 
Descent from the Cross. 
Vasari. (1512-1574.) 
Portrait. 
TintOri'eto, (1512-1594 ) 
Crucifixion. 
Palma Veeclilo, (151S-1574.) 
ills daughters. 
Paul Veronese, (152S-1583.) 
Marriage al Cana. 
Baroccio, (1526-1612.) 
11 agar and lalnnael. 
The Connect. 
Ludovico, (1555-1619.) 
Agostlno, (1559-1601.) 
Auuibdle, (1360-1609.) 
Antonio, (1583-1618.) 
Guido, (1575-1642.) 
Ecee Uomo and Mater Dolorosa. 
Domenlchino, (1581-1641.) 
Last Communion of St. Jerome. 
Strozzl, (1561-1044.) 
Esther and Ahasuerus. 
Daniel crespl, (1590-1630.) 
Portrait. 
Guerelno, (1590-1666.) 
Sibyl. 
Claude Lorraine, (1600-16S2.) 
The Flight into Egypt. 
Sassolerrato, (1605-1685.) 
Madonna. 
Lorenzo Lippi, (1606-1666.) 
Portrait. 
Salvator Rosa, (1615-1673.) 
Battagllo. 
Carlo Dolce, (1616-16S6.) 
The Infant Jesus. 
Next I should advise you to read carefully Mrs. 
Jameson's little work on the early Italian Pain- 
tens. You will find among them a host ot lesser 
lights, which you perhaps had better pass. Look 
up all those given In the list and pause long enough 
to gain a pretty correct Idea of the characteristics 
ot each—only, don’t go off Into ecstasies as the 
author does, or you will bo woefully shocked when 
you come to read Uustlu. Next, by rights, I think, 
you ought t o lay aside a sum sufllelent to pur¬ 
chase small photographs of some of these great 
paintings to which your book alludes, a portfolio 
ill led with such treasures would form an elegant 
addition to your parlor. Large liellotype engrav¬ 
ings of many of the most famous pictures, cost 
only $1 apiece. You can order either, of any great 
pub lshlng house. When you have finished the 
work tu hand you will probably he fillod with en¬ 
thusiasm, and “adoration of the old.” This is 
well—we must love the child if we would revere 
the man. But you have yet to learn, that the 
world, and art with it, have advanced. Be on 
your guard, however, for the second time lest on 
the other hand, you be drawn to overrate the 
new. 
You might have read Ruskln's Modem Painters 
first, as! did, but r think it a better plan to take 
Itup after Italian Painters. The work Is a large 
one,—of five ponderous volumes. You had better 
take this from a library as It would be very ex¬ 
pensive to buy, and It Is t he least bit out of date. 
Whether or no, at first you understand the drift 
of the author, you can scarce fall, to he capti¬ 
vated by the wonderful beauty of his language. 
The first object of the book Is a defence of 
Tumor, after that of all modern artiste. That Is, 
an assertion of their right to be criticised, favora¬ 
bly or unfavorably, upon their own merits with¬ 
out any comparison between them and ancient 
models. So. as you read on. you will sec that of 
all Mrs. Jameson s idols, only a few absolutely es¬ 
cape censure. Fra Angelico, Massacclo, Titian, 
Raphael, Tintoretto and Paul Veronese faring 
about the best. 
I would say to you now, look up every name to 
which au allusion Is made, and It possible, pro¬ 
cure at least one picture of each. I can give you 
now some of the older painters belonging to other 
countries than Italy. 
FLEMISH PAINTERS. 
Van Eyck (1366-1426) (Hubert), and Van Eyck (1390- 
1440) (Jan.,) 
Altar Piece of 81, Bavons. 
Quentin Malays (1-166-1529.) 
Descent Horn the Cross. 
Ilemltlig (1470-1495.) 
Marriage of kt. Catherine. 
Rubens (1577-1640.) 
• Descent from the Cross. 
Van Dyke (1599-1641.) 
Hundred Portraits. 
Rembrandt (1606-1669.) 
Lesson In Anatomy. 
SrANlSU PAINTERS. 
Velasquez (1599-1660.) 
Murillo (181S-1082.) 
Immaculate Conception. 
GERMAN PAINTERS. 
Albert Durer (14U-152S.) 
Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew. 
. Holbein (1495-1543.) 
Dance of Death. 
These, I think, are the most Important of the old 
wasters. Your modern galleries—comprising such 
painters as sir Joshua Reynolds, Benjamin West, 
Angelica Kauffman, Wilkie, Ha.vdon, Caleott, Con¬ 
stable, Ary Scheffer, Turner, and so forth—you 
may easily form for yourselves, it will be a little 
more difficult to arrange, as a fixed fact, a collec¬ 
tion of painters of to-day—such as Fortuny. Mes- 
sonior, Rosa Bonheur and Millais—as they 'nave 
scarce as yet reached the Encyclopedia and Bio¬ 
graphical Dictionary. Yet, remember, photographs 
are cheap. 
As to an American school, we hardly have one as 
yet—nor will we have, while our young artists 
waste their powers and disown their country by 
painting European peasant girls and German cas¬ 
tles. But so long as we have Bierstadt to give us 
ourown majestic mountains, and Moran to Interpret 
for us our own sweet woods aud meadows, we need 
not fear. This great country, with the grandest 
of history, ot national characteristics, aud of scen¬ 
ery, will yet be the home and Inspiration of a truer 
and better art than the world has ever known. 
Photographs of statuary are as easily procurable 
as those of paintings. Now you ought to read 
Table's “ Philosophy of Ait In Greece.” Perhaps 
you v> ill believe, while perusing Its pages, us most 
people do. that ancient sculpture cannot be sur¬ 
passed. 1 will not discuss the subject, for 1 have 
not sufficient knowledge upon it, but when you 
have before you the Venus de Medici, the Torso, 
Venus de iliio, Apollo and Diana, place beside 
them BailJy's Aurora, and ask yourself seriously, 
is It not lovelier than any oi them 7 
Accept authority gratefully — those who have 
studied anything very likely know more about It 
than those who have not, or why need any of us 
search for knowledge— still, as the little fellow 
said, “What’s the use of having a linker If I 
mustn't fink ?” The more we know, the more In¬ 
clined we are to learn of others, but, at the same 
time, the more disposed we are to trust to our own 
judgments. It Is not nearly so hard to form a 
pretty correct artistic taste for ourselves as many 
seem to think. 
-♦- 
SOME MOTHERLY HINTS. 
The Rural came yesterday, and as usual I 
turned to the tinman’* Club as quickly as possible. 
In answer to •• Vida" I think a few plain rules for 
taking care of children never come amiss. “ We 
know not what a day, or hour, or second, may 
bring forth.” Dr. Nelaton said to Ills class of medical 
students, “If by accident you should sever the 
certoid artery, the patient would bleed to death in 
four minutes, therefore, there is no time to be In a 
hurry." 
There are diseases that every mother knows chil¬ 
dren are subject to, and perhaps “they may 
have no lime to be in a hurry." The plans ought 
to be laid for certain emergencies in cooler moments. 
For croup, scarlet fever, cholera-tnfaut.um. poison¬ 
ing, etc. 1 have found out what to do. Gertie 
has just come through the scarlet lever. The 
moment l suspected the cause of her sickness 
which was not more than haLt an hour. ] went to 
work. In a lew hours when tlie doctor came, he 
gave no medicine and said "she was very sick, but 
her mother was doing all he could have done.” But 
I will pass on and show how quick a mothers wits 
need to act by giving a little of my experience. 
First, l must confess that l am not a farmer’s 
wife, l do it wall fear and trembling: Must l be 
cast out of this delightful circle on that account. 
Walt a moment l There is one thing 1 thiuk may 
redeem me. 1 am the daughter of a whole-souled 
farmer, so I proceed by your leave. 
We five oyer my husband's store, In one part of 
It Is a wareroom, and In that were paper bags of 
Paris-green prepared In pound quantities to be 
ready for customers, but the packages were not 
tied. 
T had a new girl. My faithful one who shares 
every care, was away on a vacation. In the rnldst 
of work one morning, those “jewels of mine” van¬ 
ished, in what seemed an instant. I started In 
pursuit, passing through the store. No one was 
there, n - om thence t.o the ware-room. What was 
iny horror to sec Gertie and Fred marching trom 
one end of the room to the other, pouring the 
Paris-green from the bags as they marched. 1 he 
room was full of the dust, their shoes and clothes 
were thoroughly powdered with it, neither my hus¬ 
band nor his clerk were to be seen, and customers 
were coinlug in besides. I led the children to a 
retired corner and took off every hit of their cloth¬ 
ing but an under chemise, sent the girl to the 
Height house to call my husband and to the next 
house for ids mother. Another old lady came in 
her place, and I felt as if she would know Just what 
to do, but she did not—*• could notttdnlv of a single 
thing” she said. “Well, Fred must have an emetic,” 
I said, for the powder was on ld3 tongue, so I 
hastily mixed a teaspoonful ot mustard, and the 
same of salt In a tea-cup of water to give him. 
Just then my husband questioned. " Do you really 
know what you are doing? ” “ Yes,” I answered, 
I know this will empty the stomach of poison or 
pennies either,'' ami l opened Dr. Chase for refer¬ 
ence. In my haste I cuuld not find the place, al¬ 
though my Husband said afterward “ that I passed 
It over and over,” which proves how much better 
It is to have knowledge In your head than In books. 
“ I know It any way,” I affirmed, and so we gave 
him a doso quicker than it takes me to cell ot it, and 
alter he vomited we pave him the white of an egg 
to swallow. 
It was a hard ordeal for the little fellow, and I'll 
not forget his appealing look for me to help 
him, or his hopeless expression when he found 
that mamma too had turned against him. Perhaps 
it was not strictly necessary, as there might not 
have been any poison in ills stomach, but 1 wanted 
to be on the safe side. What 1 Inhaled gave me an 
unpleasant feeling in my throat. If one was sure 
of poison I would advise the same treatment, at the 
earliest moment, besides sending for a physician. 
Lakeshore, Sept. tl. Marguerite. 
-»-» ♦- 
“ HILLSIDE” GLEANINGS. 
It Is autumn again, and In this chilly climate 
everything begins to show that the “ harvest Ls 
past, the summer ended.” only the gleanings re¬ 
main. Once more we ask ourselves the question 
••What has the summer done for us?” Are we 
wiser and better for communing with mountain 
and shore—? aie our spirits refreshed by the voice 
of the waves? did the trees of thelorest have any 
message for us during iht: summer holiday? Or 
were we so taken up with bank failures, and the 
rise and fall of stock, the changes ot fashion, the 
busy treadmill of the sewing machine that we say 
now It Is over. “ I had no time.” Alas! I fear for 
loo many of us, this Is the truth. This tendency to 
see only the gloom}' side of life reminds me of a 
lad}' who visited me when roses were at their 
bonniest this summer. There was the queenly 
damask—the pale pure white—the moss and hy¬ 
brid perpetuate, with a host of tea and noisette 
roses of every rich or creamy shade, I was myself 
enchanted with tneir beauty and fragrance, but 
she looked from one to llie other, and remarked at 
length—" W hat a pity the rose chafer has spoiled 
the leaves.” 
Yes, here and there la spite of our efforts the 
rose chater had worked mischief, hut, though It 
detracted rrom the beauty of the foliage. It could 
not spoil the glory of a perfect rose, and there 
were thousands in bloom around hev. But the 
habit of looking at the faults In everything, pick¬ 
ing out flaws and Imperfection was such that it 
prevaded everything and spoiled the enjoyment of 
the bonnie June roses. I thought at the time It 
was a lesson we all mights profit by. While we can, 
let us enjoy the beauty around us. 
Annie L. Jack. 
CORRESPONDENTS’ CORNER. 
_ 
Will some one of the readers of the Rural fur¬ 
nish for publication, a poem which was published 
during the war, two fines of which are : 
” Now I'm all that's Kit. you. Mother, 
They are numbered with the slain.” 
One verse begins with— 
On the bights of Lookout Mountain." 
I saw the poem when I was a little girl, and have 
often wished to see It again. Cora N. Watson. 
Will you please tell me through the columns of 
the Rural what will take the stiffness out of my 
hands after washing, so as to enable me to prac¬ 
tice on the piano. Do you approve of the use of 
Sulphur soap tor the skin, or the use of any other 
soap ? h. w. 
Ans.— The first question we submit to the Ru¬ 
ral ladles. Perhaps some of them may be able 
to give the desired Information. Pure white Cas¬ 
tile Is best and safest for use on the skin. If the 
skin of the face and hands is tender, Gluten soap, 
manufactured by Health Food Co., lsto be pre¬ 
ferred. It is composed largely of gluten, and has 
little alkali in it. 
The following was sent us in response to the in¬ 
quiry In Rural of Sept. 23 : 
HOME, SWEET HOME. 
’Mid pleasures uml palaces, tho’ we may roam, 
Be St ever so humble, there’s uo place like home; 
A charm from the skies seem to hallow us there. 
Which seek thro’ the world is ue’er met with else, 
where; 
Horn ;, home, sweet, sweet home, 
Be it over so humble, there’s uo pluce like home. 
Au exile from home, splendor dazzles iu vain, 
Oh ! give me my lowly thatched cut tape again; 
The birds singiuj.' pally, that come at my call : 
Give me them, sweet peace of mind, dearer than all; 
Home, home, sweet, sweet home, 
Be it ever so humble, there’s uo place like home, 
