74 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
January 31 
From Day to Day. 
A BASIN CUT. 
There wasn’t any barber at the cross¬ 
roads years ago, 
For it only liad ten houses. In a funny, 
straggling row; 
While on a dusty corner stood the queer 
old-fashioned store, 
Whose bell went ting-a-lingle a full minute 
o’er the door; 
And the little man who kept it made no 
great pretensions, but 
He’d give one for a sixpence what he called 
a basin cut. 
When a grinning urchin shuttled In, he’d 
seat liim on a box. 
And tie an apron round his neck to catch 
tlie falling locks; 
Then he’d tit a small tin basin on the tow- 
head for a guide. 
And snip off with precision all the hair 
that was outside; 
And, if the boy was restless, he would 
clicck him with “Tut! tut! 
You shouldiv’t squirm and wriggle when 
you get a basin cut!’’ 
If by mistake he nipped an ear, he hastily 
would stop 
To shove into the puckered mouth a mon¬ 
strous lollipop; 
And while, ’twixt grief and joy, the little 
boy would suck away, 
He’d tell him that he hoped to see him 
President some day; 
"Why, Abr’am Uincoln,” he would add, 
*‘was born in a log hut. 
And, like as not, when he was young he 
had a basin cut!” 
They have now a modern barber, for the 
place since tlien has grown. 
And the boys who once had basin cuts 
have youngsters of their own; 
While the old man is so feeble that his 
working days are done, 
And he likes to sit a-dozlng, in a warm 
spot in the «un; 
The little store, the queer old store, has 
been a long time shut. 
And he couldn’t trust his trembling hand 
to give a basin cut! 
— Malcolm Douglass, in Catholic Standard 
and Times. 
* 
A HOUSEWIFE who lias tried it says 
that a delicious combination jelly is 
made by cooking a half peck each of 
apples and quinces and a quart of cran¬ 
berries together until soft, after barely 
covering with water. Strain, and to 
every pint of juice allow a scant pint of 
sugar, then proceed as with other jel¬ 
lies. It is delicately flavored, and a 
beautiful pink in color. 
* 
It is the custom at some social gath¬ 
erings to mix various objects, such as 
coins, rings, thimbles, etc., in a cake, to 
furnish amusement to the guests. There 
are two objections to this custom, as 
ordinarily carried out; some of the 
metal articles may not be perfectly 
clean, and there is the risk that the 
smallest among them may be swallowed. 
The best plan is to twist each article in 
a bit of oiled paper, which will prevent 
risks from either cause. 
Keep a bottle of glycerine and rose 
water, mixed, near the sink, and, when¬ 
ever the hands have been wet, rub a few 
drops of this over them before drying 
on the towel. It is wonderful how 
much this does to prevent chapping, 
which, during frosty weather, is a mis¬ 
ery to most women doing general house¬ 
work. Of course the same emollient 
should be used at night, just before go¬ 
ing to bed, but this alone will not heal 
the roughened skin when the daily work 
includes frequent dishwashing and care 
of stoves. 
The following directions are given for 
a home-made substitute for linoleum on 
the kitchen floor: Take any old carpet 
that is whole, but too shabby for use, 
clean thoroughly, and tack it down 
smoothly on the kitchen floor. Then 
make a good, thick boiled starch of flour 
and watei’. Rub a coat of this starch in 
the carpet with a whitewash-brush, and 
in about 24 hours, or when the starch is 
thoroughly dry, give it a coat of paint— 
any color desired. Dark red is a desir¬ 
able color for a kitchen. When the 
paint is dry, give a second coat, and you 
will have a cheap and durable floor-cov¬ 
ering, equal to linoleum, at about one- 
fourth the cost. By giving it a coat of 
paint once a year it will last for years. 
This seems worth trying. 
• 
Lyonnatse potatoes afford a pleasant 
variation from the ordinary way of 
warming over this vegetable. Put IV^ 
table.spoonful of butter in a frying pan; 
when melted add a scant tablespoonful 
of chopped onion; let it slightly color, 
then add two cupfuls of cold boiled pota¬ 
toes cut into dice. Stir until the potato 
has absorbed all the butter and become 
slightly browned; then sprinkle with 
salt, pepper and a tablespoonful of 
(dropped parsley. Mix well and serve 
very hot. 
Theke are cases where it is unwise to 
be too scientific. One of our contem¬ 
poraries tells how the principal trustee 
of School District No. 16 was entertain¬ 
ing a ‘young man, fresh from college, 
who had driven out to his house to ap¬ 
ply for the position of teacher of the 
school in that district. As they sat on 
the porch after dinner the trustee casu¬ 
ally called attention to a familiar little 
orange-colored uug, with black spots on 
its back, that was crawling on the floor. 
“I s’pose you know what that is?” he 
said. 
‘Yes,” replied the applicant, eager to 
show his technical knowledge. ‘‘That 
is a Coccinella septempunctata.” 
‘‘Young man,” was the rejoinder, ‘‘a 
feller that don’t know a ladybug when 
he sees it can’t get my vote fur teacher 
in this district.” 
* 
New Spring shirt waists appear in the 
shop windows just as soon as the Christ¬ 
mas goods are gone. The first display 
this year showed a great variety of white 
and ecru waists, many of them elabor¬ 
ately embroidered. The figured white 
madras, giving damask effects, seems 
likely to be as much used as last Sum¬ 
mer. Unbleached crash toweling em- 
liroidered heavily in white makes some 
very stylish waists. One novelty in 
trimming is the use of the rings ordi¬ 
narily used in Battenberg lace. One 
waist of pink chambray had these white 
linen rings in triangular groups of three 
down the front, and the rings were also 
used on the stock. The novel stock ac¬ 
companying these new waists has one 
square tab about three inches each way 
in the middle of the front, the stock and 
tab being cut all in one piece. The 
sleeves show very little change so far 
from the prevailing bishop shape. The 
large buttons that have been used all 
Winter appear on these wash waists; 
also removable buttons that pin on like 
a brooch. Some of these come in sets 
of four; three of even size to fasten the 
front, and one larger for the belt. These 
sets in plain pearl are pretty, and give 
a finish to any waist. 
The Rural Patterns. 
The so-called shirt-waist dresses of 
last year proved so useful and becoming 
whether made of cotton, silk or wool, 
that they are to be equally popular the 
coming season. The skirt and waist fig¬ 
ured would combine to form a desirable 
model, both being trimmed with straps, 
which could be arranged either of the 
same material as the suit, or of contrast¬ 
ing goods. The waist is made over a 
fitted lining that closes at the center 
front and serves as a foundation for the 
outside. The blouse consists of a plain 
back and of fronts that are tucked at 
their edges and again at the shoulders, 
where they are so laid as to give the ef¬ 
fect of a broad box pleat. Between these 
tucks, at the center, and over the shoul¬ 
der seams are applied the pointed straps 
that are held by small black buttons. 
The sleeves are moderately full and are 
finished with oddly shaped cuffs that 
match the trimming straps. The stock 
is in regulation style with the addition 
of curved straps. The quantity of ma¬ 
terial required for the medium size ‘is 
4% yards 21 inches wide, 3% yards 27 
inches wide or 214 yards 44 inches wide. 
The pattern No. 4301 is cut in sizes for 
a 32, 34, 36, 38 and 40-inch bust mea¬ 
sure; price 10 cents from this office. 
The skirt is shaped with seven gores 
with pleats at the edges which meet and 
are stitched to form slot seams to flounce 
depth, from which point they fall free 
and provide ample flare. The back fits 
snugly, without fullness at the top, in 
habit style, flaring at the lower edge. 
The straps are stitched to position over 
the seam in back and at the center of the 
other gcTres, but can be omitted when a 
plain effect is preferred. The quantity 
of material required for the medium size 
is 10 yards 21 inches wide, 9% yards 27 
inches wide, 614 yards 44 inches wide or 
5% yards 52 inches wide, when material 
has figure or nap; 514 yards 44 inches 
wide, 4% yards 52 inches wide when ma¬ 
terial has neither figure nor nap, with 
1% yard of silk for straps. The pattern 
No. 4307 is cut in sizes for a 22, 24, 26, 
28 and 30-inch waist measure; price 10 
cents from this office. 
In comparing Grain-0 and coffee 
remember that while the taste is 
the same Grain-O gives health and 
strength while coffee shatters the 
nervous system and breeds disease 
of the digestive organs. Thinking 
people prefer Grain-O and its ben¬ 
efits. 
TRY IT TO-DAY. 
Atgrocers eceiywhere ; 1~>c, and 25c. per package. 
DEPOSITS EARN 5% 
I>ai(l In 
Capital 
S 1,000,000 
Assets 
# 1 , 000,000 
Surplus 
#1 sn.ooo 
Depo.sits may be made or withdrawn 
at any time, and bear earnings for 
every day invested. I’aid (quarterly 
by chock. Read following extracts 
from letters of depositors: 
“/ knmv of no belter coiiducted or 
safer Institution to deal with.” 
“/ have found the Company very 
promptin payment of interest.” 
“/ believe no investment Is safer.” 
tJNDKK STATE BANKING DEPAUT- 
MENT 8UPHKVISI0N. 
Our business is nonrspeeutative. 
Write us for full particulars. 
Industrial Savings and Loan Co., 
11.34 Itroarlway, New York. 
No Smoke Honse. Smoke meat with 
KRAUSERSr LIQUID EXTRACT OF SMOKE. 
Made from hickory wood. Gives delicion. flavor. 
Cheaper, cleaner than old way. Send for olr 
cnlar. E. Krautier Sc Bro.f Milton, Pa. 
Ih£ KALAMAZOO 
All our cook stoves 
071(1 Ranges equipped 
with jHitent oven tnev 
mometer, v^hich makes 
baking a delight. 
The only strictly high grade stoves and ranges 
sold direct from factory to user at factory prices. 
They are sold on a 
360 DAYS 
Don’t buy until you have investigated our special 
proposition. Send for FREE catalogue No. 114 
KALAMAZOO STOVE CO., 
Manufacturers, Kalamazoo, Mich. 
Farmers’ 
Telephones 
are not untried iioveltleB. 
Thousands now use them 
daily. For this purpose there 
is no instrument bettor than 
Our S4a.i\da.rd No. 2, 
which is shown in thecut This Is 
no trust nor monopoly phone. No 
rents, no royalties. All your 
own. Simple, perfect in calling, 
sending and receiving. Kiioal to 
any phone made. We lurniah 
switchboards and all aocess- 
orle«. Does it interest 
you! Write for our 
catalogue. Sent free. 
THE U. S. ELECTRIC MfO. CO., 
800 Elm St.. Butler, Pu. 
if^Ejhu li^raWatch 
should^ve a Jas. Boss fitlffened Gold Case in order 
to protect the works and lesson the cost of repairs. The 
Bo-ss Case Is made of two layers of solid gold with a layer of 
Btllfening metal between. It Is better than a solid gold case 
becau.se it is stronger and so close-fitting as to keep out gas, 
smoke, dust and dampness. 
Stiffened 
GOLD 
MS, BOSS 
Watch Cases 
are recognized aa the standard the world over, and 
sold as such by all Jewelers. The Boss la the only 
Btiffenpd case in use long enough to prove by actual 
wear that they will outlast the 25-year guarantoe. 
There ia none “Just as good." Tho Keystone trade¬ 
mark here shown la stamped in each Boss case ffjr 
Consult the jeweler. Write us for booklet. 
THE KEYSTONE WATCH CASE CO., Philadelphia. 
