pearauce of the Count. Perhaps much of this 
importance was owing to his superior jurisdic¬ 
tion. He not only enforced the game and forest 
laws, which were the ones most frequently vio¬ 
lated, but in serious, complicated cases of mis¬ 
demeanor, he was always called by the village 
council to act as juror and judge. But besides 
all this, his awn personality, his ancestral 
prestige and his history had much to do with 
inspiring the people with feelings of curiosity 
and awe which they had for no other person. 
With his personality we are somewhat ac¬ 
quainted. His ancestral prestige consisted of 
the fact that his grandfather’s castle was once 
the head-quarters of the great General 
Blucher, and of the current superstition that 
the ghost of thus illustrious grandfather still 
rode around the village at night to see. as he 
did during liis life-time, that all the soldiers of 
Blucher were well quartered with the peasan¬ 
try. Of the present Count’s history nothing 
is certain except that he was once in high 
favor with the King, and lived at court with 
his gay wife and beautiful daughter until he 
suddenly got transferred to his ancestral 
country seat with the small dignity and in¬ 
come of a forester. It has ever since been 
surmised and whispered that the Count must 
have incurred the King’s displeasure by some 
over-bold opinions and expressions. That 
alone could account for his silence, the gloom 
of his residence, and the religious tendency of 
the young countess, who happily, they 
thought, was thus early turned from the van¬ 
ity and uustnbility of the world. At all 
events, the charm of mystery and a pathetic 
interpretation of it surrounded the Count and 
his family. And though the peasants did not 
take kindly to him and his stringent rule, he 
was still a rare, fascinating personage, his 
daughter was worshipped by the children and 
his residence was the great center to which all 
interest, curiosity and gossip gravitated. 
This residence was far from being a castle, 
however. It was situated at the foot of the 
mountain on which stood the ruin of his an¬ 
cestor’s castle, and was a simple, three-story, 
double mansion, fronted by a row of tall 
poplars. On one side was the stable, on the 
other the garden, and from the rear of the 
house one could look to the mountain’s top 
and see all that remained of the family’s 
ancient power and grandeur. And, indeed, 
even the mins frowned fiercely ami were’pic- 
turesque in their desolation. 
To the peasantry, this modest and modern 
mansion of the Count’s was nevertheless a 
grand edifice. Nobody else’s house had such 
au environment of gardens and well-kept 
lawns, and nowhere was there such an air of 
cold, aristocratic reserve. For this reason, 
everything looked greater and grander. Now, 
whether it was curiosity or the need of scrap¬ 
ing in money wherever possible, or both, every 
delicacy that the peasants raised in the way of 
fmit, such as apricots or fine clusters of certain 
grapes, in*fact, anything that they considered 
too good for themselves w as quickly ta ken to 
the Count's residence, and considered amply 
paid for with a few' pennies and the privilege 
of taking a hurried look at the iuterior of the 
house while they were waiting for the house¬ 
keeper’s appearance. Sometimes the old 
Countess herself would appear, ami drive a 
sharp bargain with her gracious smiles and 
her easy w ay of offering next to nothing for 
something the peasant had made up his mind 
to demand his own price. 
One day a peasant girl was reprimanded by 
her parents for bringing home an exceedingly 
small sum of money for a pair of young 
roosters that she was told to take to the Count’s 
house, when she burst out triumphantly, 
“Well, didn't I sec the whole house inside!— 
the Countess’ bed-chamber, the kitchen, the 
Cellar, and the pantry, everything all over!” 
As that was a privilege never yet accorded 
to any of the peasants, the family crowded 
arouud to hear how she managed it. 
“Well.” she began, her eyes sparkling with 
mischief and shrewdness, “when I found that 
the Countess wouldn’t give me any more than 
three shillings for my roosters I just thought 
to myself I’ll make them roosters show me 
those grand rooms, anyhow. So, while I took 
the money in one hand I let the roosters, 
kind o’, as if I couldn’t help it, fly out o’ my 
other hand. Well, you ought to have heard 
the racket they made, fluttering and cackling 
from one room to another and 1 scrambling 
after ’em and taking in everything with my 
eyes but the roosters, I thought it was time 
to take them in when I had seen everything 
else. The Countess was most frantic for fear 
the chickens might break something, and 
skipped from one side to another with her 
skirts pulled together as if she was afraid of 
them picking her to pieces. The young 
Countess laughed and tried to look angry at. 
me at the same time. But I just thought I 
was in for it once, and w r as bound to get the 
worth of those roosters in sight-seeing. So I 
chased them from one room to another till I 
had seen every one, Then I caught them in 
no time and handed them to the Countess, 
who praised me for being so deft as to catch 
the vicious things before they broke any of 
her valuable china. Oh, I’m smart enough 
when I want to be!” w'as her final exclama¬ 
tion, and we thought so too when we heard 
it. 
In my next I will give an account of the 
young Countess and the Sunday-school which 
she started in that village. 
DOMESTIC HAPPINESS vs. DOMESTIC 
UNHAPPINESS. 
“Mother,” “Home” and “Heaven,” are to 
us the sweetest, the most beautiful words in 
the world. The first two are associated with 
and inseparable from domestic life. The faet 
must be conceded, and cannot be too often or 
too strongly emphasized that the higher forms 
of domestic happiness are the nearest approach 
to heaven attainable in this world. This be¬ 
ing true, the subject ought not to be taken up 
hastily or dismissed without careful and ma¬ 
ture deliberation. Our Saviour continually 
recognized this, aud the bride and bridegroom 
were terms used by him to express the em¬ 
bodiments of the highest forms of perfection 
and happiness. 
If domestic, happiness is the perfection of 
earthly joy, then its attainment is surely 
worthy of our serious Consideration aud most 
earnest endeavor. It is often urged that 
heaven would uot be a place of enjoyment to 
a person whose whole life bad been antago¬ 
nistic to heavenly things. So it is with do¬ 
mestic life. A young lady whose entire life 
has been devoted to the acquirement of the so- 
called aesthetic accomplishments—accomplish¬ 
ments which are essentially public in their 
character, cannot be suited to the duties of 
domestic life, duties which ore and ought to 
be essentially private in their character. I 
do not mean that, isolation conduces to domes¬ 
tic happiness, but that success in domestic life 
requires an undivided interest in aud conse¬ 
cration to home and home duties. In recent 
articles 1 have given some of the reasons why 
married life is no longer looked upon as a de¬ 
sideratum by young people of either sex. 
An (to me) unknown writer has given as 
another reason this: “The lack of business- 
training in woman.” I know- that a woman 
will spend a day in what is called “shopping” 
aud finally buy what she does not want, and 
will spend an hour or more getting ready to 
catch a train, only to miss it after all. Hav¬ 
ing had the morning hours lie fore church 
time, to prepare for the service, she will be 
five or twenty minutes late. The word of the 
butcher or baker are accepted by them, when 
they themselves should be the judge. Sales¬ 
men in any dry goods house, especially at the 
“bargain counter,” can testify to the truth of 
this statement. The author above quoted 
from, also says: 
“It should be the aim of all to give the 
girls just as broad a business education as the 
boys. It. makes them capable of taking care 
of the family, if such responsibilities are 
placed upon them: it broadens their ideas aud 
makes t hem nobler and better. Girls, as a rale, 
are fully as clear-headed as boys when young, 
but if, as is the common practice, the girls are 
brought up to do nothing, to think but little 
except of dress and amusements, they fall far 
behind the young man, at the age of 20, in 
mental ability. 
“What is needed is, that at home and at 
school, they be taught that to shine in social 
circles or to roll in w'ealth is not the highest 
aim of womanhood. But let them be taught 
to make a home joyful and happy, and yet. 
be prepared, if necessary, for life’s bitterest 
straggles. The young woman who is best 
equipped for life’s battles is the one who has 
been brought up to see and know something 
of the shadows as well as the sunshine of 
everyday life: who knows what poverty is, 
what work is aud what true happiness is. 
No person, whether man or woman, can be 
truly happy with nothing hut idleness on 
hand, aud girls should be educated that 
work of some kind is necessary to health 
and happiness. Give girls life’s practical 
lessons—lessons that once learned are never 
forgotten. Let them understand thoroughly 
the details of everyday life, the value of all 
kinds of commodities used daily, how to make 
a check, draft, note and receipt. Let them lie 
told the truth about themselves and about the 
world. They should know .something about 
the snares and pitfalls that beset them. Let 
them be thoroughly impressed with the fact 
that on themselves, in a large degree, dejiends 
the success of the men they marry. Let them 
know how to cook, giving them a thorough 
course in the kitchen. Let them begin where 
their mothers left off, aud we shall have a 
generation of girls strong, hopeful, ambitious 
and self-reliant, that will elevate the men, 
aud make a hardier aud more aggressive 
people, and thousands of firesides happier and 
better,” J, H, 
SWEEPINGS. 
Said a young mother to me not long since, 
after seeing her little girl safe into dreamland, 
“I often have a lonely hour when resting at 
night, wondering whether I have dealt fairly 
by my child through the day, whether I have 
been patient and forbearing enough, whether 
1 have chided too much, or let her own way 
lead her too far, for our future happiness to¬ 
gether.” 
How the words touched me, and they 
could not fail to reach any mother’s heart. 
The day Is so busy, so full of thought and 
care, that we sometimes put off the little re 
quests, the demands on our time aud patience, 
and it is only after we have time to think, that 
the pleading eyes seem so eloquent, the soft, 
red lips so tremulous ever some little dis¬ 
appointment (great to them), that a pang of 
remorse strikes us as a blow, and gazing into 
the dear little sleeping face, with tear-blinded 
eyes, do we make new resolutions, and ask 
fervently for strength and wisdom to guide 
the plastic minds aright, realizing how solemn 
and weighty a responsibility is resting upon 
us. A mother who had suffered from misdo¬ 
ings of a child, once said to me: “You tin not 
think now that your innocent baby can ever 
cause your heart other than throbs of pride 
and joy. I trust she never will, but after all, 
my prayers and teachings, which I bestowed 
tearfully and to the best of my knowledge, 
that I might see good results, have been for 
naught, I am often of the mind that we know 
not what we have given us, a blank or a prize.” 
ETTA. 
Pouifstic Cccmomi) 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY MAPLE. 
HOME DRESSMAKING. 
E. L. TAPLIN. 
It is a noticeable fact that the average 
fashion column, bright and entertaining 
though it may be. is of no earthly use to most 
farmers’ wives and daughters, who wish to 
attire themselves becomingly and in accord¬ 
ance with the mode, without other help than 
their own deft fingers. However, the present 
styles lend themselves readily to small purses, 
since extreme simplicity of design is effected 
in most woolen gowns; the beauty of the gar¬ 
ment depends entirely on its perfect fit and 
grace of draping. The most popular models 
this Winter are made of two kinds of woolen 
goods, one Smooth-faced—homespun or ladies’ 
cloth; the other with a rough surface—astra- 
chan or boucld cloth. They should both lx* 
precisely alike, in color. The material re¬ 
quired will be two yards of the rough doth 
and six of the smooth, unless a jacket is re¬ 
quired ; the latter would take two yards of the 
rough cloth. 
Having cut the cambric lining for the 
skirt, face up the right side six inches deep 
with the plain goods, aud the wrong side 
with canvas or glazed diagonal 12 inches deep; 
then over the canvas put black alpaca four 
inches deep, and bind with dress braid. The 
alpaca prevents dust from clinging to the 
skirt. Next, make a pleating for the front nud 
side breadths: the back is left, plain. This 
will require four breadths of plain goods, 
three six inches deep and one 20 inches. Cut 
the deep piece into halves, t in join first a six- 
inch piece, then the deepo alternately; hem 
the bottom and make into side pleating, t he 
pleats turning towards the front. The deep 
pleating should come over the seams in the 
skirt.. Then cut three front breadths of the 
rough goods about four in< dies shorter than the 
foundation, line with crinoline, face about an 
inch deep around the bottom and front of the 
side breadths, first sloping them at the bottom 
for about 15 inches, so that they will show the 
deei>er pleating at the seams. Lay these 
breadths on the foundation, flirt the front, 
taking care that it is accurately fitted, then 
the sides, bringing them well over the front. 
The breadths should lie apparently fastened 
together on each scam by three large Hasps, 
the lowest one placed at the head of the slash, 
showing the pleats. For the buck breadth, 
take a breadth and a half of the goods, and 
make it iuto two triple box-pleats, which must 
come to within 12 inches of the top of the skirt; 
above this make, a pull, which requires one 
breadth 27 inches deep. Pleat this across the 
top of the box-pleats anil iuto the side seams. 
Draw up the surplus doth in the middle, and 
tack to one side of the placket. Pleat it into 
the belt at the top, excepting about IS inches 
in the middle, which should be hemmed across 
the top, pleated vertically in the center, mid 
a hook put under the pleats, catching into an 
eye on the end of the belt. The grace of the 
puffy draping depends on the taste of the 
maker. Tapes will be required to hold the 
skirt in place, 
The basque must be short; a pretty shape is 
square in front, sloped high over the hips, 
with short-tailed back. Cuffs, collar and vest 
of the rough goods may be used, and the 
metal buttons should match the clasps on the 
skirt. A little bonnet shape, with high horse¬ 
shoe crown, may ho covered with the rough 
goods, edged with a single row of beads of 
corresponding color, and trimmed only with 
an erect, many-looped bow of bright ribbon, 
canary or orange being the favorite tints. 
The popular ribbon this Winter is what our 
grandmothers called “purl-edged,” having 
little loops along it like feather-edge braid. 
A swalloiv-tailed bow or cluster of loops of 
this ribbon is much worn, pinned to the left 
side of the high collar. 
If a jacket is required, to match the gown 
described above, get a pattern with loose front 
and tight-fitting back; trim it with very large 
metal buttons, and, if additional decoration is 
required, the military cords, which loop under 
the arm and across the chest, are very jaunty 
and handsome. A little muff may be made of 
the rough goods, trimmed with a bow to 
match the bonnet. The leading color for 
cloth gowns this Winter is brown in varying 
shades; dark greens and blues rank next. 
Garnet is little worn, except, in children’s 
frocks. _ _ 
A WEEK’S WORK AT MRS. HOME¬ 
SPUN’S. 
AUNT RACHEL. 
TUESDAY. 
§■ 
While her breakfast was cooking^Tuesday 
morning, Mrs, II. proceeded to put her bread 
into the pans, that it. might lie ready for the 
oven w hen breakfast, was over. 
“It saves so much time,” she remarked, “to 
mix the sponge up ready to be made into 
loaves, and let it. rise over-night ” 
Breakfast over, she produced the tin pail in 
which the children carried their lunch to 
school, and placed in it slices of bread and 
butter, with cold meat, and some wholesome- 
looking brown doughnuts and apples, and soon 
three merry, rosy-cheeked children had started 
for school. 
Then, having put her bread iuto the oven, 
Mrs. H. made a 
STOVE-PIPE PUDDING, 
which was to be put in the steamer at nine 
o’clock to steam until dinner-time. The direc¬ 
tions for the pudding were as follows: One 
cup of molasses, one of sour milk, a small 
piece of butter, melted, a quarter of a tea¬ 
spoonful of cinnamon, cloves and allspice, 
PUtfttUanfoujs ^dvrrti$inQ, 
c:c:o'.o:c:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:c;o:o:c:u:o:ci:mj:o:c:c , .o:c:oicj.o;oic:cic:c. 
Free of charge. A full size cake of Ivory Soap 
will be sent to any one who eau not get it of their 
grocer, if six two-cent stamps, to pay postage, are 
sent to Procter A Gamble, Cincinnati, Please 
mention this paper. 
