1903 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
4 i I 
An Old Straw Tick. 
After the hired man had gone I emp¬ 
tied the straw out of his bed and wash¬ 
ed the tick. It was an old brown home- 
spun one, and I thought I’d make some 
hand towels of it. After I had it in the 
wash tub it was so heavy 1 had to rip 
it apart, which was no easy job, as it 
was sewed with strong linen thread. 
After it was dried I made the discovery 
that the tick was homespun linen, and 
soap and water, aided by the sun and 
time, had faded it to a light silvery gray. 
It felt so soft and smooth to the touch 
as I took it from the line that I con¬ 
gratulated myself on the nice towels 
it would make. But Dorothy met me at 
the door with the exclamation: 
“What lovely homespun linen. Aunt 
Martha! What are you going to do with 
it? Where did you get it?” 
“Why, it’s been in the house for years 
and years,” I replied. “It’s nothing but 
an old straw tick, which has been on 
beds for centuries, I guess. It seemed 
so dirty I washed it, and am going to 
make towels of it. I have so many old 
ticks.” 
“Towels!” exclaimed Dorothy in 
amazement. “Why, it’s an heirloom, it’s 
a And, Aunt Martha. It must have beeii 
woven by our great-great-grandmothers. 
I could make lovely things of it. It is 
regular treasure trove.” 
Dorothy has been off to boarding 
school, and has come home with notions 
that there are treasures even in the rag 
bag of old country houses, while the 
attic is almost a gold mine. 
“It does seem quite nice,” I replied, 
“and if you can make anything pretty of 
it you may have it, though I shall miss 
my towels.” 
Well, what do you think she made of 
it? She took one of those old straight- 
back rockers and cut out a strip of linen 
to fit the back and a cushion for the 
seat. On the center of the back piece 
she embroidered our old English coat-of- 
arms, with the motto below, embroider¬ 
ing her name and the date in the nat¬ 
ural colors in addition. Then she cut a 
square for a table cover and stamped a 
pretty large leaf pattern which she out¬ 
lined with the old indigo blue shades of 
linen, working around each leaf first 
with the darkest shade of blue, the next 
now being a little lighter, and the third 
row still lighter. It was lovely when 
finished. The old blues harmonized so 
prettily with the soft gray linen. Then 
she made sofa pillows, embroidering 
them with old blue, and dark reds and 
browns, and last but not least, she is 
trying to cover a little old-fashioned 
chest which she dragged from the attic; 
says it will make a lovely cozy corner 
seat. But I am afraid I shall have to 
hunt up another old bed-tick, in order to 
make that out. She hasn’t left me a 
scrap big enough for a dish cloth, to say 
nothing of a towel, alioe e. pinney. 
Something About Soup. 
I saw something on page 347 about 
canning soup. I have never canned any, 
but soup stock may be kept a long time 
in cold weather without canning. It will 
also keep a week or two., perhaps longer, 
in warm weather. Cover the meat with 
cold water and let it come to a boil; 
then simmer for five or six hours, until 
the meat is very soft. Pour off the broth 
in another vessel and boil down to about 
one-fourth. If this is pleasantly season¬ 
ed at first it will of course be very salty 
when boiled down. This helps to keep 
it right. I put this stock in small bowls 
holding about a pint or less, and set in 
a cold place. In Winter I keep mine in 
a pantry off the kitchen; in Summer it 
should be in the cellar. When you want 
soup put three or four quarts of water 
on a cupful of rice and boil until very 
soft. It will not be likely to burn if 
plenty of boiling water is put on at 
first. Put in with the rice eight or 10 
onions, leave them whole and they may 
be taken out when soft and heated in 
milk when w’anted for the table. If you 
have any celery, put in a few white 
pieces; green celery does not give as 
pleasant a flavor. A little parsley im¬ 
proves it; put in a small bunch and 
pick it out after a few minutes’ boiling. 
Some like it cut fine and left in. One 
who makes soup ought to be a good 
judge of what is pleasant to the taste. 
The flavoring may be varied with dif¬ 
ferent vegetables, such as cabbage, car¬ 
rots, etc. I do not leave the vegetables 
in. Of course they may be left in for 
those who like it. Beef makes good 
soup, but mutton or lamb with a little 
chicken broth is, I think, a little nicer. 
Different kinds of broth put with the 
rice makes the best soup. There should 
be plenty of water on the rice, so that it 
does not stick together in the least. 
When the rice is properly cooked set 
the vessel on the table and take plenty 
of time to add the broth previously 
cooked, and taste of it to see when you 
have put in just enough stock. Of course 
all the fat must be removed, and only 
the clear jelly added. Instead of noodles, 
I often beat an egg very light and put in 
two or three heaping teaspoonfuls of 
flour. Mix it up in a batter a little too 
thick to run from the spoon. Next add 
a little water, a teaspoonful may be 
enough, so it will be thin enough to run 
freely. Stir ii in the boiling soup while 
stirring it rapidly with a spoon, and re¬ 
move from the fire. It ought to be very 
good. I have had so much experience I 
sometimes wish young housekeepers 
might have it to begin with, and so be 
saved some trouble and worry. The beef 
used for soup can be prepared for the 
table in various ways, and is very good. 
Never throw away broth, however small 
the quantity may be. v. o. 
The Household Congress. 
Engi.ish Bbeesteak Pudding. —^Make 
a crust by thoroughly mixing two cup¬ 
fuls of finely chopped beef suet in three 
cupfuls of flour; add half teaspoonful of 
salt, and mix with cold water into a 
dough with the consistency of biscuit. 
Roll out the paste to the thickness of 
half an inch. Butter an earthen pud¬ 
ding bowl, and line with the paste. Take 
flank or round steak, cut into one-inch 
pieces, season with pepper and salt, and 
fill the dish. Pour in as much cold 
water as will find its way in around the 
meat, then cover it with paste, having 
moistened the edges to make them stick 
together. Cover with a cloth, well flour¬ 
ed leaving a little room for the pud¬ 
ding to swell. Put it into a pot of boil¬ 
ing water, and let it boil three hours, or 
put it in a steamer, and allow four 
hours’ cooking. When fully cooked the 
meat should be very tender, with an 
abundance of rich clotted gravy. The 
addition of a few oysters with the meat 
forms a palatable change. Serve with 
boiled carrots and turnips. 
OT.D-COUNTRY HOUSEKEEPER.' 
Competitive GxVMes. —it was a dull 
afternoon, and we felt listless and de¬ 
pressed. So, to while away the time, we 
played a few gimmes of cards. We be¬ 
came quite interested, and as we played 
I suddenly became aware of certain very 
unchristian feelings which I was enter¬ 
taining toward my opponent, for whom 
at all other times I had very different 
sentiments. Then the question occurred 
to me: Do not all games tend to some 
extent toward fostering selfishness, jeal¬ 
ousy, regret and impatience at another’s 
good fortune, and exultation over one’s 
own? Of course many games are useful 
in cultivating quickness of perception, 
prompt decision, and mental alertness, 
but can one play a game of any kind, 
taking an interest in it and wishing to 
beat, without entertaining in some mea¬ 
sure, selfish and unlovely sentiments? 
We are apt to think that when a family 
spends its evenings playing games, it 
is an ideal state of affairs, it is well 
for them to be together, of course, but 
the home influence should be uplifting 
and ennobling, and it is a serious ques¬ 
tion whether playing games has this 
tendency. It might be well to vary the 
amusements. If a family has any musi¬ 
cal ability, singing is an ideal recrea¬ 
tion. Learning the different parts is 
interesting, and each one can strive to 
do his best, and there will still be no 
selfish competition, but each will be do¬ 
ing his or her part toward the perfect 
whole. Then there is reading aloud, 
which can be listened to while some 
quiet work is going on. Games may 
have their place, but it seems to me 
there are other amusements that are 
better. sus.t\N brown bobbins. 
SAVINGS Si: 5% 
IT may Interest you to read 
* the testimonials of our old 
patrons who have been paid 
regul ar dividends of 5 per cent 
for years. Many are eminent 
clergymen and professional 
men. 
Write for the facts in detail. 
6 per cent per annum paid 
quarterly by check. With¬ 
drawals at pleasure without 
loss of dividends. Under su¬ 
pervision of New York Bank¬ 
ing Department. 
INDUSTRIAL, SAVINGS 
AND LOAN CO., 
1134 Broadway, New York. 
Capital 
and Surplu.s 
!» 1 , 100,000 
As.sets 
»1,600,000 
Rural Recipes. 
Dutch Apple Cake.—Measure a pint of 
sifted flour, add half a level teaspoonful 
salt, quarter of a cupful of sugar and a 
scant teaspoonful of soda. Sift three 
times. Beat up one egg with a cupful of 
sour milk. Rub a third of a cupful of 
butter into the flour thoroughly; tiien 
mix in the liquid, making a soft dough. 
Spread this half an inch thick in a well- 
greased biscuit pan. Pare and core five 
juicy, nicely-flavored apples, and cut 
them into eighths; arrange them in 
parallel rows, sharp edges down, on top 
of the dough, pressing down so that they 
are partially imbedded in the dough. 
Sprinkle over thickly with sugar and a 
little cinnamon and spread with bits of 
butter. Bake in a quick oven for 25 
minutes. Serve hot as a dessert or tea 
cake. Made with fresh, ripe peaches cut 
in quarters, it is delicious. Omit the 
cinnamon when peaches are used. 
Puff Gems.—Beat very light one egg, 
then add to it one-quarter cupful sugar, 
two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, one 
cupful of sour milk. Beat all well. Then 
add one cupful of cornmeal and one cup¬ 
ful of white flour into which has been 
well mixed one heaping teaspoonful of 
A Little Gold Mine for Women 
The U.S. Cook-Stove Fruit-Drier 
Dries all kinds of Fruits, Berries, Cher¬ 
ries, Corn, Vegetables, etc. It takes 
no extra Are. Always ready for use, 
will last a lifetime. It works while 
you cook. Write for circulars and 
special terms to agents. Price, #5. 
E. B. PAHRNEY. B.120,Waynesboro,Pa 
T 
OLLARS 
AND NINETY-FIVE CENTS 
^BUYS THE GENTS' HIGH GRADE 
NEW 1903 MODEL BURDICK 
BICYCLE. Shipped to any ad¬ 
dress with the understanding and agreement that you 
can give It ten days’ free trial, put Ittoevery test, and If 
you do notfindlthandsoraer,stronger,easlerrlding, bet¬ 
tor eiiulpped, better tires, hubs, hangers, bearings, and 
In every way higher grade than any bicycle you can 
buy from any other house In Chicago, at home or 
elsewhere for less than *20.00, you can return the bicycle 
to us at our expense, and you will not be out one cent. 
FOR OUR FREE SPECIAL BICYCLE 
ABTII flf'IIC showing the most complete line of 
wAIALUUUk new 1903 model gents', Isdles' 
and children's bicycles at prices so low as to be realty 
startling, for everything In bicycle sundries and sup- 
E lles, for the most astonishingly liberal offer ever 
eard of, cut this advertisement out and mall to 
SEARS, ROEBUCK & CO.,'"'i>L‘*’ 
baking powder. Lastly dissolve one- 
quarter teaspoonful of soda in one table¬ 
spoonful of boiling water, add, beat well 
and pour in gem pans, and bake 20 min¬ 
utes in a hot oven. 
Spider Cake.—Four cupfuls of sifted 
flour, add one teaspoonful of salt, four 
level teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and 
sift again. Rub into the flour, using 
spatula or flexible knife, half a cupful 
of butter, add a cupful of stewed fruit, 
or currants, mix well, then mix in 
enough milk to make a soft dough that 
will spread hut not run In the pan. Heat 
a teaspoonful of butter in the iron spider 
(frying pan), put in the cake (the pan 
must be large enough to make the cake 
three-quarters of an inch thick). Set it 
over a moderate fire to bake slowly for 
about 20 minutes, allowing 10 minutes 
for each side. Shake the pan about and 
turn the cake to prevent its burning. 
Serve as soon as done. Split open, do 
not cut and use plenty of good butter 
and maple syrup. 
Home=Made Soap 
Ten pounds of the best hard soap or twenty gal¬ 
lons of soft soap costs just this, nothing more: 
Ten minutes, almost no trouble at all, tbe grease 
or fat that yo\i often pour down your kitchen sink 
(stopping up the pipes) and a can of 
Banner Lye 
obtainable at your grocer’s for ten cents. 
It is pure soap—not soap adulterated with 
ro.sin, lime, clay, or other things that turn your 
clothes yellow and wear them out. 
The New Cleanliness 
Soap will take away the dirt th at you see, but not 
the dirt that you can’t see. 
Nothing is sure to take 
away this dirt, but Banner 
Lye. Use it in your 
Milk-pans Butter-tubs 
Mitk-pails Dairy 
Sink Drains 
Cellar Toilets 
Garbage-pails 
—wherever dirt and germs 
collect—and your house 
will not only look clean, 
but be clean and in the 
best possible condition to 
resist disease. 
Banner Lye aLsois a gi*eat 
help in washing dishes and 
clothes and everything else. It is odorless and 
colorless, easy to use, safe and cheap. 
Write for book Uses of Bantur Lye.” and give us 
your grocer’s or druggist’s name, should he not have It. 
The Penn Chemical Works, Philadelphia, U.S.A. 
Sarsaparilla 
“Without doubt I owe my life to Ayer’s 
Sarsaparilla. It’s the most wonderful 
medicine in the worldfor nervousness. 
I cannot thank you enough for it.” 
Mrs. Delia McWell, Newark, N. J. 
Are you discourageiJ, half-sick, miserable all the time? 
Then your blood is thin and impure. Make your blood 
rich and pure with a doctor’s medicine—Ayer’s Sarsa¬ 
parilla; tested and tried for sixty years. Ask your doctor 
if he knows a better spring medicine. LoweirMasa: 
Auers 
Best of all BLOOD PURIFIERS is 
JAYNE’S ALTERATIVE. It cures Scrofula. 
