378 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
May 16 
I Woman and Home ] 
From Day to Day. 
TO BLOSSOMS. 
Fair pledges of a fruitful tree, 
Why do ye fall so fast? 
Your date is not so past 
But you may stay yet here awhile 
To blush and gently smile. 
And go at last. 
What! were ye born to be 
An hour or half’s delight. 
And so to bid good-night? 
’Tis pity Nature brought ye forth 
Merely to show your worth 
And lose you quite. 
But you are lovely leaves, where we 
May re.ad how soon things have 
Their end, though ne’er so brave; 
And after they have shown their pride 
Like you awhile, they glide 
Into the grave. 
—Robert Herrick (1591-1674). 
* 
WiiEitK closet room is limited a hold- 
all to hang inside a closet door is a 
great convenience. It may be made of 
denim or stout gingham, the width of 
the material, and four feet deep. At 
the bottom are two deep pockets, above 
these a row of three pockets 10 inches 
deep, and still higher a row of four 
pockets six inches deep. The pockets 
should have a little fullness at the bot¬ 
tom set in a box pleat. Edges of pock¬ 
ets and case are bound with wide tape, 
and loops of the same serve to hang 
it up. 
* 
Invai.ii>s or aged persons often suffer 
from cold feet while in bed, even when 
the weather is warm. A foot-muff, de¬ 
scribed in the Modern Priscilla, may be 
a great comfort. Make two cases about 
seven-eighths of a yard square, of fine, 
but not heavy, unbleached muslin. Fill 
each case with feathers enough to make 
the cushion plump, but not stiff. Cover 
each cu.shion with any soft material you 
choose. Join the cushions securely by 
three sides, leaving the fourth open, for 
the admission of the feet. It is a good 
plan to make a loose lining of flannel, 
or something that will wa.sh easily; this 
can be basted in, when the muff is in 
use, and taken out for washing as often 
as necessary. To some persons this 
large muff, coming up to the knees (as it 
should do), is a more satisfactory “foot- 
warmer” than either bed socks or the 
hot water bag. 
* 
A pirETTY stock recently seen was very 
effective, while comparatively easy to 
make. It had a transparent foundation 
of white net, with the usual stiffening 
of fealherbone, which was hidden by the 
trimming. Three rows of No. 2 white 
ribbon velvet were put around it, one 
at top, one at bottom, and one in the 
center. Other rows of the velvet were 
put on vertically, at the same distance 
apart as the horizontal rows, thus mak¬ 
ing a lattice-work of even squares. A 
spiderweb of black silk was then worked 
in each square, and French knots of the 
silk were worked along each of the hori¬ 
zontal rows. The effect was charming. 
Such a stock would be pretty in any 
color, made to match a waist. The silk 
used for French knots, spiderwebs or 
fagoting is crochet silk which comes in 
balls costing 35 cents. Buttonhole twist 
is not heavy enough, and embroidery 
floss either too heavy or too loose; it 
does not work so smoothly. 
* 
Lauoe circular collars of lace alone, 
or of lace built around medallions of 
other material, are extremely popular 
this Spring. The favorite shapes in this 
collar are the circular, coming well down 
over the arms, and the stole collar, 
smaller in the collar part and having 
long ends in front reaching far below 
Ihe waist line. Outlined patterns for 
making these collars can be bought at 
all the art needlework departments at 
the stores. There, too, can be procured 
the proper thread for the lace work and 
a wide range of braids. The latter are 
particularly interesting, showing many 
kinds. Among the braids fashionable 
just now for the “renaissance” work are 
those of pure white silk; some in Per¬ 
sian effects showing a pretty blending 
of colors, which, when made into the 
collar, is very pretty. The braids are 
about a quarter of an inch wide. In the 
stamped pattern bought at the store the 
medallion, repeated throughout the col¬ 
lar, is generally left to be filled in as 
desired. 
• 
Many of the new sofa pillows have the 
corners gathered in, so as to give a 
round effect, and are then finished with 
a fiat button covered with the same ma¬ 
terial, as large as a 50-cent piece. The 
button is fastened on very firm and fiat, 
and no cord or other trimming is used 
to cover the seams. The buttons are 
merely wooden molds covered with the 
same material as the pillow. This seems 
a very sensible style of pillow for porch 
use in the Summer. Madras or ging¬ 
ham in broad showy stripes, which may 
be bought for 10 cents a yard, makes a 
good covering for porch pillows, being 
pretty and easily laundered. Flowery 
cretonnes, though much used for this 
purpo.se, do not usually wash so well. 
We have seen some very handsome sofa 
pillows covered with leather decorated 
in burnt work, and finished around the 
edges with leather fringe; they were 
intended for use with mission furniture, 
or rather to decorate it, since no one 
would willingly seek to rest against such 
a cushion. It would be several shades 
less comfortable than the horsehair fur¬ 
niture covering of our grandmothers. 
* 
It has been decided by school authori¬ 
ties in this city to bar “Uncle Tom’s 
Cabin” from the school libraries in fu¬ 
ture. The reason given by the Superin¬ 
tendent of Libraries is that Mrs. Stowe’s 
story served its purpose years ago, and 
that the sooner the tragedies of the 
Civil War are forgotten the better. 
Many teachers in New York are opposed 
to this ruling, and Intend to work for 
the restoration of the book, because 
they consider the great proportion of 
439B Olrl’a Gibson Dress, 
4 to 12 yrs. 
children of foreign birth should learn 
from it the purpose of tlie North in 
fighting against the disintegration of 
the Union. On the other hand, the 
writer can speak from personal knowl¬ 
edge of one alien family, whose juvenile 
members, many years ago, made their 
first acquaintance with American litera¬ 
ture in the pages of this book. From 
it they imbibed a number of quite erron¬ 
eous impressions and prejudices, which 
were only dissipated in later life, when 
wider knowledge gave them a better 
sense of proportion. 
MOTHERS.—Be sure to use“Mrs.Wins- 
low’s Soothing Syrup” for your children 
while Teething. It is the Best.— A(fi’ 
The Rural Patterns. 
'rhe Gibson dress is is still in favor for 
girls, though a few changes have been 
made as shown in the picture. The 
waist is made over a body lining that is 
smoothly fitted and closes at the center 
front, and consists of fronts and backs. 
The pleats are wide and extend over the 
shoulders, concealing the arm’s-eye 
seams, but are so laid as to give a taper¬ 
ing effect to the figure. The closing is 
made invisibly at the left shoulder and 
beneath the pleat at the left side of the 
12 to 16 yrs. 
front. The sleeves are in bishop style 
with straight cuffs. The skirt is laid in 
backward turning side pleats that meet 
at the back and form a wide box-pleated 
effect at the front. It is seamed at the 
waist and closes at the left of the cen¬ 
ter beneath the pleat. The quantity of 
material required for the medium size 
(eight ye.ars) is 5^/^ yards 27 inches wide 
or 314 yards 44 inches wide. The pat¬ 
tern No. 4395 is cut in sizes for girls 4, 
G, 8, 10 and 12 years of age; price 10 
cents from this office. 
Who makes 
the lamp chim¬ 
neys 
Macbeth makes 
the good ones. 
His name on every one. 
If you’ll send your address, I’ll send you 
the Index to Lamps and their Cliimneys, to 
tell you what number to get for your lamp. 
Macbeth, Pittsburgh. 
We will eend any bicycle to any address with the un- 
dcr»t(ind<n(t and aprroenient that you can give It I 0 
DAYS' FREE TRIAL and if you do not find it easier run¬ 
ning, handsomer, stronger, better linished and equip|>ed, 
more up to date and lUgher grade than any bicycle 
you can buy elsewhere at (5.00 to (16.00 more money, j ouetn 
return It (o us at ourexpense and you will not be out one cent. 
Buys our new HIGH GRADE 1903 
NEWTON BICYCLE, which we guar- 
antee stronger, easier riding, better 
equipped; better frame, wlieels, hubs and bearings 
than you can get In any other bicycle for less than (SO.OO. 
OUR 1903 NAPOLEON BICYCLE is priced at 
about ONE-HALF tlio lowest price asked by others. 
For Free Bicycle Catalogue, hundreds of price surpri.sea 
in bicycles and supplies, our Free Trial and Guarantee 
Proposition and our Most Astonishing Oiler, cut this 
mail to SEARS) ROEBUCK & CQ.J Chicago 
$i0.95 
The pleated skirt shown Is cut in nine 
gores and is laid in somewhat deep 
backward turning pleats which conceal 
all seams. The pleats meet at the cen¬ 
ter hack, where additional fullness is 
laid in inverted pleats, and are stitched 
to give a tuck effect and in graduated 
lengths that suggest the flounce. They 
fit smoothly and snugly about the hips 
but flare freely below the stitchings. The 
quantity of material required for the 
medium size is six yards 27 inches wide, 
3% yards 44 inches wide, or three yards 
52 inches wide. The pattern No. 4393 is 
cut in .sizes for misses of 12, 14 and 16 
years of age; price 10 cents. 
In this world, where there is so much 
real sorrow, and so much unnecessary 
grief of fret and worry; where men 
stumble in rough paths, and so many 
push them down rather than help them 
up; where tears are as common as smiles 
and hearts ache so easily, but are poorly 
fed on higher joys—how grateful ought 
we to be that God sends along, here and 
there, a natural heart singer, a man 
whose nature is large and luminous, and 
who, by his very carriage and spontan¬ 
eous actions,, calms, cheers and helps his 
fellows. God bless the good-natured, for 
they bless everybody else.—Credit Lost. 
“ Ami they gathered themselves together Iu 
eltlcs.” 
URBAN POPULATION 
IN 1900 
The growth in the poijulation of 
a country and the manner of its 
di.stribution among cities, villages 
and) tiie rural di.stricts is always 
an interesting field for study and 
investigation. The 
NEW YORK CENTRAUS 
“ Four-Track Series” No. 13 gives 
the population of all cities in the 
United State.s of more than 8,tK)0 
inhabitants according to the census 
of 1900, and a, comparative table 
.showing the population in 1890. It 
aLso contains two maps in colors. 
A copy of No. 13, “ Urban Population In 
1900” sent free, postpaid, to any address on 
receipt of a postage stamp by George U. 
nanlels.Uencral Passenger Agent, New York 
Central Uailroad, Grand Central Station, 
Now York. 
PamkvUer 
|3e.RRV DA.\/IS> 
CURES 
CRAMPS 
a COLIC 
From Pole To Equator 
ELGIN miCHES 
run 
alike 
Every Elgin Watch 
is adjusted to all 
conditions of 
heat and cold 
before leav¬ 
ing the 
factory. 
An illustrated history 
of the watch sent 
free upon re¬ 
quest to 
Elgin 
National 
Watch Co. 
Clgin, III. 
