682 
t 
the Home Department. Prizes are offered for 
best bread, eake, preserves and pies. A 
choice Hybrid Perpetual rose bush is offered 
as a prize for the best cherry pie. Success to 
such a fair, say we. 
The conduct of the Tri-State Fair, at Tole¬ 
do, Ohio, was an insult to honest farmers. 
Liquor was sold openly and the most aban¬ 
doned characters flaunted themselves before 
the public. While the display of implements 
and stock was fine, the moral tone of the ex¬ 
hibition was too low for a beer garden. Boy¬ 
cott this fair, farmers, until the managers 
come to their senses. 
More papers than ever are condemning the 
horse racing features at the fail's this year. 
Too much of this talk never rises above a 
grumble. The reasoning of the managers is 
that for some unknown reason a fasthorse and 
the opportunity to bet upon its speed will draw 
the crowd as nothiug else will. As the racing 
brings in the most money and helps most 
to pay the bills, it is no more than 
right that most of the premium money 
should be paid them. This sort of reas¬ 
oning does well enough for those who think 
the sole object of a fair association is to make 
money. Some people have a little higher ideal 
than that however. We say that if a fair can¬ 
not be run without horse racing, fat women 
and immoral show's it had better not be ruu 
at all. 
It was noted at the Elmira Farmers’ Club 
that almost every farmer had cattle -to sell. 
The short fodder crops make cattle food scarce. 
Even the farmers who depend mostly on grain 
are not particularly anxious to buy cattle. 
Here are some specimen swindles: William 
Waite Warner was arrested by United 
States officers at Jackson Mich., the 
other day, on complaint of Post Office In¬ 
spector Purcell on a charge of using the 
mails for fraudulent purposes. Warner 
claimed to publish a daily and weekly paoer 
and to circulate from 35,000 to 60,1)00 copies. 
He would write to business men requesting 
goods in exchange for advertising, receive 
the goods, print advertisements in a few 
papers, and send a copy to the advertiser. 
He had a little priuting office, and is said to 
have been carrying on the business for 10 
or 15 years, and to have secured a large 
amount of goods of all kiuds, including quite 
an extensive library. The existence of such 
a paper with such a circulation was unknown 
to the people of Jackson. Every subscription 
season, however, he managed to secure a 
number of subscribers, who were, of course, 
ahvays swindled out of their money. 
Here is a variation on a trick several other 
forms of which have been more than once 
exposed here. We find it in the Farmers’ Re¬ 
view: 
“I want to sell you a county right for a 
self-acting wagon brake.” The farmer said, 
“No, I am not in the canvassing business and 
don’t want to be.” “Well, replied the agent, 
“I have sold every county in the State but 
this, none for less than $500, but as I am 
ready to begin operations In Michigan, I will 
take $100 for this county.” The farmer still 
declined, and the agent did not urge him, but 
remarked, “I am sure if you kucw the valuo 
of what I offer you that you would take it, 
and I believe now that when you think the 
matter over you wifi change your mind. At 
any rate, here is my address, and if at any 
time within a few weeks you want the county 
right send me your note for $100, due in 
ninety days, aud I will forward it.” 
Off he drove, aud of course, a few days later 
a stranger called and said, “ 1 understand you 
own the right for this county for the patent 
wagon brake, and I would like to buy it.” 
“Whatwill you give?” said the farmer, as 
the thought came iutohis mind that there was 
a chance for a speculation. “ Three hundred 
dollars,” said the stranger. “ I ean’t sell it for 
that, the price is $500.” answered the fanner. 
“ I will split the difference,” said t he man. 
“ No, I don’t care about selling It unless I get 
the $500.” “Well, 1 will iake it, and here is 
$5 to bind the bargain,” aud he culled the at¬ 
tention of the farmer’s hired man to the trans¬ 
action as a witness to the bargain, auil asked 
for the papers aud thB model. The farmer 
said he never kept valuable papers about the 
bonse; but he would have them in a day or 
so, and the stranger agreed to call for them 
on the second day thereafter, saying, “ You 
must not disappoint me though, for I have 
three good canvassers engaged uud we can 
work the county in a short time ami I expect 
to make $1,000 clear money out of it.” The 
stranger left. Thu farmer posted a letter with 
his note for $100 by the first mail. He never 
saw either man again hut he got his note back 
by paying 100 cents on the dollar for it and 
he feels that he paid a high tuition fee for a 
|ittle knowledge. 
Wmnan’slPork. 
CONDUCTED BY EMILY L. TAPLIN. 
A SPLENDID WOMAN. 
No Greek, no French, and but one verb of Latin; 
Of higher mathematics none to boast: 
With fur more love for simple lawn than satin. 
For unadorned she seems to shluc the most. 
A novice 111 high art, Its lore disdaining, 
And never guilty of a Sapphic verse; 
Of Terpsichore slight knowledge still retaining, 
Sad losses these, and yet It might be worse. 
Modest, and brave where moral strength is needed; 
Easy and graceful, gentle and refined; 
In culinary art high rank conceded, 
In hospitality to trouble blind. 
Unostentatious In her mild demeanor, 
Courteous ami animated, full of life; 
Perchance you may or may not yet have seen her; 
Perhaps you envy him who calls her wife. 
The goddess Fashion she may reverence slightly. 
Yet, like her sex, have due regard for dress— 
A thing no woman can pass over lightly 
Without vexation aud some mild distress, 
And yet no slave to habits so alarming, 
Coutent with what Dame Fortune may bestow; 
Her smile is bright, her conversation charming. 
Sprightly, but artless, arc the words that flow. 
Her "set” Is not so utterly exclusive 
That worth, though humble, may not mingle there, 
Nor lowly sorrow deemed by her intrusive, 
Nor suffering want denied Its pleading prayer. 
If Fate is kind, with grateful smile she greets him. 
And shares her pleasure aud her fortune, too: 
If Fate is cruel, si 111 half way she meets him 
Nor points with envy at the favored few. 
Her path, when smooth aud strewn with fragrant 
beauty, 
Draws out her love for It and Nature’s God; 
When furrowed with the rugged Hues of duty 
She bends, but never faints beneath the rod. 
To ceramics uo Idle hours are given. 
Nor days allotted to ennui and sloth; 
Flirtation aud frivolity have striven 
With her In vain, for she has conquered both. 
The fair and (die dreamers dally pass us 
With languid aLr, reahrrahe as to dress, 
They drink in talus, or linger near Parnassus 
With finest frenzy and a keen distress; 
Our heroine finds ample scope for science 
In bridging o'er life’s griefs as t hey occur, 
Domestic arts, with each approved appliance. 
Are more than dreams, and never Greek to her. 
One verb of Latin, and the tense Is present— 
A tyro’s knowledge, but a woman s bliss — 
Amo and amor, sweet, euphonious, pleasant, 
Attain thi-lr acme with the added kiss. 
In every tongue this mood Is only human. 
Which Indicates the highest joy we reach; 
Who cau conceive, then, of a splendid woman 
Who has not learned what Heaven and Nature teach? 
—E. A. Bouden, in New York Star. 
OF INTEREST TO WOMEN. 
The Indian girls being educated at the Lin¬ 
coln Institute, at Wayne, Pa., recently enter- 
taiued guests at a “ wolivicayapi,” which, lit¬ 
erally translated from the original Sioux, 
means a feast. Refreshments wore served in 
gaily painted wigwams, aud the red-skinned 
maidens made their guests happy in a way 
that would have been creditable in any expe¬ 
rienced hostess. 
The annual report of the Christian Women’s 
Exchange in New Orleans gives as the total 
amount of money paid to women (luring the 
year the sum of $11,974.25. 
Applique oalloon is a new and haudsome 
trimming. It comes in all colors, combina¬ 
tions and designs, aud looks more like hand 
embroidery than machine work. 
Among new autumn fabrics is Khayyam 
broadcloth, a sort of camel’s hail’. It is ex¬ 
pected that smooth-surfaced goods will lead 
next Winter. 
The Philadelphia Home Journal asks if it 
would not bo well to change the moral of 
many of the tales of the present day. lnfer- 
entially the moral drawn is; “young woman 
practice the cardinal virtues or perhaps you 
will not catch a young man” In these days of 
“ two - for - a - qliarber-and-a-pi'ize-th row’ll-in,” 
and “ a-chromo-with-every-pound-of-tea,” we 
suppose it is necessary to offer some induce¬ 
ment for the practice of those virtues which 
are supposed to make a woman lovable aud 
sought after us a companion either in the home 
or for life, but could not some other premium 
be offered? A pleasanter home, for instance, 
an easy conscience, a parent's approval, or 
some little thing like that? 
HEADS AND HEARTS. 
“Now, when I was a boy, 
Woman, without, alloy, 
Was modest, mild aud shrinking, 
Aud never thought of thinking. 
But had it all done for her. 
By her supreme adorer,” 
sings the bard of a popular comic opera. His 
somewhat halting verse contains amid its 
chaff a few grains of substantial truth. 
Aforetime it was the prevailing impression— 
it is still with some—that any effort of inde¬ 
pendent intellect on the part, of a woman 
interfered with her purely feminine char¬ 
acteristics. We were told that a woman 
might be a good housekeeper, but she had no 
business faculty; a fallacy on the face of it, 
for to be really a good housekeeper entails 
the possession of great executive aud adminis¬ 
trative ability. It is both sense aud sensibili¬ 
ty , warm sympathies with a solid bed-rock of 
common sense, that make the house mother a 
perfect success. We have heard more than 
one man say he would never deliberately 
choose a woman of brains for his wife, because 
her very intellect, would make her undesirable. 
But these conservatives were confounding, 
mere negative intellectuality with positive in¬ 
tellect. It is but uatural that a woman with 
ability, well trained, should excel an undis¬ 
ciplined housekeeper. Only unfortunately 
every one does not take this view. House¬ 
keeping with brains means much; it means 
order, “Heaven’s first law;” it means cleanli¬ 
ness, refinement in everyday matters, cheer¬ 
fulness, and serenity. But we often speak of 
a woman as possessing culture and a thor¬ 
ough education, when she is merely trained in 
one direction, and that not the right one. 
Since the homes of a nation are to be our own 
undivided charge they must hold first place 
iu our minds, whatever intellectual bights we 
may scale. Nor is it a light charge. Let the 
men pride themselves if they will, on their 
triumphs over nature—on the wildernesses 
they subdue, or the oceans they fathom. But 
the woman’s task is a greater one if she but 
devote to the highest good every taleut she 
possesses. It is her Work to mould the intellect 
of coming ages; she must cultivate the germ 
of the future men, subduing and suppressing 
the evil—drawing out the good. 
Docs it not seem laughable, were it not sad, 
denying that any man should for a moment 
imagine intellect unnecessary in a wife or 
mother? The old-fashioned woman was sup¬ 
posed to be all heave, the modern bids fair to 
be all head. The first w r as rather apt to pro¬ 
duce sensibility sans sense—the second would 
be an intellectual Medusa if her woman’s na¬ 
ture did not crop out at unexpected angles. 
The ideal woman, the heir of the ages, must 
be a combination of both, with a warm heart 
aud large sympathies, controlled by a clear 
head aud trained intellect—and to her we 
must look for our social millenium. 
ORGANIZED EFFORT. 
Perhaps it may interest the readers of these 
columns to learn about a society now existing 
in a country neighborhood. It is called ‘‘Five 
Corners Band of Cheerful Workers.” Our 
motto is “Work is Worship." This society 
was formed a few years ago, and is composed 
mostly of young people, the membership 
now exceeds 100. It meets semi monthly, with 
different members of the Baud. During each 
session a literary programme is given, also 
music. Until of late debates were a part of 
the evening’s programme, w hich proved to be 
both instructive and beneficial. At first the 
proceeds were devoted to charitable purposes, 
amounting to a considerable sum. But lately 
we resolved to use some of the money for our 
own special benefit. 
A library was soon started, and now we 
have quite an assortment from among differ¬ 
ent writers; occasionally a book or two is add¬ 
ed, giving the reader a larger collection to 
select from. But yet, when there is need of 
our “mite” we give it gladly. For instance, 
recently w r e learned that a poor man in our 
neighborhood had become blind, and we 
sought to help him. It was decided to give a 
basket sociable, charging for each basket, and 
having also for sale peanuts aud water-melons. 
The woods w’as the place selected for this so¬ 
ciable. which passed off very pleasantly to all, 
resulting iu a nice little sum for the desired 
purpose. Among our group luuchiug together 
was a minister, aud during our conversation 
our library was alluded to, also the kind of 
book to read. I asked about the rending of 
novels. He remarked that morally he would 
not advise them to be read. Although most 
novels speak out of human nature, yet if we 
had a bird’s-eye view of the whole world, so 
we could sec it at ouce, wo would see greater 
things than we learn in reading novels. “And 
yet,” he continued, “I think that one-tenth 
(or perhaps a less per centage than that) of 
the novels written would be of benefit to us.” 
A love of reading often commences at home. 
One might say as quickly as a child learns to 
read, it begins to l»e interested in books. Usu¬ 
ally the school book is its first companion in 
the line of reading matter; and thou comes uu 
occasional “present” of some book. 
I have noticed that parents’ tastes vary 
greatly in the selection of books, anti if they 
would have their children profit by the read¬ 
ing of good books, they should exercise the 
host judgment in securing for them literature 
of the most merit, and that when road will 
leave their minds full of the true and noble. 
I would say, in conclusion, that if more such 
societies as the above should be formed in the 
different localities it would be a great benefit 
to the community at large. 
MARY D, THOMAS, 
PITHY PARAGRAPHS. 
Change is rest. Come from your homes, 
your shops and your stores where you are 
breaking down with care and toil. Get out of 
the ruts you are wearing so deep, and in new 
work for the Master, gain strength for your 
daily labor. 
There will be some blessed surprises in the 
great day. This is hinted in Matthew, 25. 
The sweet thoughts of pure souls that just 
budded iu time will exhale aroma like roses. 
High aims will shine out like good deeds. 
Little words of love dropped here aud there 
aud long forgotten will be repeated iu music 
sweet as the song of angels. Kind deeds for 
Jesus’ sake will be found embalmed in the dear 
Lord’s heart. 
A tear of sympathy may be more precious 
than words. It cannot deceive. There is no 
shame in the tear that shows a man has a 
heart. zea mays. 
LOST TIME. 
The early fading of married women is al¬ 
ways a subject for comment among their dear¬ 
est friends. And each particular friend has 
some very good cause bo assign for it. But it 
is a question whether, in many cases, it Is not 
greatly the woman’s own fault. 
Think, mothers, do you not do much un¬ 
necessary work ? Ism not going into au elab¬ 
orate discussion of the sewing question. 
Everybody knows that you all, or at least 
nine-tenths of you, sew much more than there 
is any necessity for. I am going to speak only 
of the sitting question. Now think carefully. 
Do you not stand to do many things about 
which you could as well sit if you were only 
accustomed to it. “ O, but it looks so lazy I” 
A fig for the way “ it looks!” Why should a 
woman stand up to pare potatoes ? I’ve seen 
women stand half the morning preparing 
vegetables. Ask them about it and what is 
their answer. “ O 1 don’t know. I always 
stand. I’m used to it. I can work better so.” 
They have no business to be used to it. With 
all that a mother or housekeeper m ust clo, she 
has no moral right to strain her physical or 
nervous system by doing one thing that she is 
not obliged to do. Accustom yourself to sit¬ 
ting as much as possible while at work. Have 
a high chair with a rest for the feet made to 
fit your table aud sink. It will not cost much, 
but it will save you many a back-ache, many 
a doctor’s bill, many a season of regret over a 
cross word you have spoken under the strain 
of having “ beeu on your feet all day.” Plenty 
of women work in such a back-handed way 
that one wonders they cau live. 
“ I never lie down in the daytime,” says 
some one decidedly and so self-righteously 
that the poor little meek woman who has ven¬ 
tured the remark feels quite criminal in ever 
having indulged in such a disposition. 
It is not only right, says the Ladies’ Home 
Journal, but a woman's bounden duty to 
take all the rest she can get. If a mother 
can possibly find time to throw herself 
down on the sofa for a few moments she 
should do so. It is a uecessity and one that 
cannot with impunity be put aside. If baby 
is awake and you are afraid to leave him 
alone, put him and his playthings m a dry 
goods box, give him a quart of Indian meal 
and some little tiu plates, or some other novel 
amusement, reserved for just such emergencies, 
then seize five minutes, or even fifteen min¬ 
utes’ rest, and you will go at your work agaiu 
with a renewed vigor that will enable you to 
much more than make up for lost (?) time. 
GOLDEN GRAINS. 
TnERE are some people who never have a 
cheering word for the straggler. They make 
life just as hard as possible for all who are 
striving to do right. 
He who will not look before him will have 
to look behind him, and probably with some 
regret,.. 
Too many believe that “the world owes 
every man a living,” aud that it requires no 
personal effort to make the collection. 
Marion Harland says: “Domestic life has 
peculiar trials, but so has every other condi¬ 
tion of tliis our mortal probation. They who 
wear thin shoes aud stop gingerly, feel the 
pebbles in the path. The firm tread of the 
stout boot presses them into the earth”. 
Fielding says: “Without adversity u man 
hardly knows whether he is honest or not.”... 
Mrs. Beecher says: “Home is the true 
kingdom of woman, where her rights can never 
be dethroned. Here ail pure love, all right 
thoughts, all religions, all governments if we 
would huvu them live and flourish, must have 
their roots beneath the altar. This conviction 
impels me to say to every woman who hus a 
home, ‘Lot home stand first before all other 
things’ ”. 
Ykt to the faithful there Is uo such thing 
As dlsftpjwlntinent; failures only bring 
