1900 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
839 
A Neighborly Talk. 
“Jim’s wife hasn’t taken no perceiv- 
ance of me since my brother went away 
an’ I ain’t sayin’ it’s because I have no 
men folks around, neither. I leave spite¬ 
ful remarks like that to my neighbors, 
an’ they do say mean things about that 
woman. 
“They say Jim’s wife’s ez proud ez a 
peacock about that yellow touzled hair 
of hers. They say she’d put on her Sun¬ 
day best any day in the week if she 
thought new folks wuz a cornin’ round. 
They say that she jus’ winds Jim around 
that little finger of hers an’ there’s many 
in our church what pities Jim. They 
say she’s dreadful extravagant, buyin’ 
new ribbons an’ things for every new 
dress instead of fixin’ things over. That’s 
wnat the neighbors say. I don’t say so 
myself; never mind what I may think 
’way down in my heart. I don’t believe 
in bearin’ no false witness against my 
neighbors, and Jim’s wife she lives right 
next door. 
“I will say that she’s curious. My 
brother hadn’t no more’n reached the 
house when Jim’s wife came over to re¬ 
turn a cup of sugar which she said she 
borrowed last Summer. Perhaps she 
did borrow it an’ perhaps she didn't. I 
didn’t take no notice ez to her owin’ me 
any sugar. Now, tain’t natcheral for 
any woman to go round the neighbor¬ 
hood, sociable like, to return borrowed 
things any more dressed up than usual. 
But Jim’s wife ain’t that kind when 
there’s men around. When she came 
into my house with that cup of sugar 
she wuz dressed just ez elaborate ez if 
she wuz goin’ to the opery in the city. 
Sue had on everything she owned except 
her piano scarf which her cousin in Bos¬ 
ton sent on to her. I never see such 
fixin’s outside a church sociable or a 
show. She had on her two rings an’ her 
hair watch chain an’ her imitation tor¬ 
toise-shell comb which she got by send- 
in’ on six new subscriptions for that 
magazine that tells how to make home 
beautiful out of odds an’ ends an’ things. 
“Well, sir, do you suppose Jim's wife 
put on all her jewelry for me? She seen 
my brotner come to the house an’ she 
came over to make an effect on him. I 
told him jus’ what all the neighbors said 
about her, after she wuz gone, bein’ 
careful not to criticise her myself, for I 
didn’t want to prejudice him against 
her. Yes, I’m sorry to say he kinder 
took to Jim’s wife. He said ner hair 
was fashionable, as if any one could like 
such faded-out yellow stuff! 
“Well, sir, while he was with me, 
Jim’s wife came over ’mos’ every day. 
She come to ask me about my rheuma- 
tiz an’ I ain’t had a tinge in 10 years. 
She come to ask about the next mission¬ 
ary meeting, an’ she on the committee 
herself! I got that sick of Jim’s wife 
that I could have strangled her if it 
wouldn’t have been murder. I don't 
know what Jim’s about to let his wife 
go gallavantin’ around wearin’ her best 
clothes every day; but them men folks 
are so blind. Jim’s wife’s always at her 
window an’ she don’t miss much that’s 
goin’ on in this neighborhood now I can 
tell you. 
“It always beat me why folks should 
be more interested in other people’s 
doin’s than in their own. When I made 
this observation to my brother he just 
laughed an’ said that life was a game of 
poker where every fellow held his own 
hand close an’ tried to see or guess what 
the other fellows had. I ain’t now tak- 
in’ no perceivance of poker playin’, be¬ 
longin’ to the Methodist Church all my 
life, but my brother once led a sinful 
life of card playin’ and dancin’, an’ he 
knows. 
“Why, I’ve been settin’ in my window 
when one of the neighbors would come 
down the street. I’d look over and there 
in her window would set Jim’s wife just 
ez curious ez she could be, a watchin’ 
the neighbor pass. When I go to my 
side window to see which corner they’d 
turn at I ain’t exaggeratin’ a bit when 
I say that Jim’s wife would move from 
window to window so’s she could watch 
them longer. She's secretive, too. I 
saw Josh Hopkins' boy what works in 
the station, learnin’ to be a telegraph 
operator, go to Jim’s house last week 
carryin’ in his hand one of those brown 
envelopes that telegrams come in. Jim’s 
wife met him at the door an’ tore the 
thing right open. Then she signed the 
book an’ went in. ’Perhaps the poor 
thing’s been too busy to can on me since 
my brother went away,’ says 1, ‘an’ I’ll 
just run over an’ ask her what wuz did 
at the last missionary meetin’. Just 
possible that she got some bad news in 
a telegram an’ needs cheerin’ up.’ I 
siicked up my hair an’ put on my Pais¬ 
ley shawl an’ over I went. Jim’s wife 
wuz a bustlin’ around ez if she expected 
company. I led her up to declare her¬ 
self twicet an’ she wouldn’t do it. I hate 
this dilly-dallyin’ around the point an’ 
yet I didn’t like to ask her what was 
in her telegram. Some people are sensi¬ 
tive about those things so I just said: 
“ ‘I seen Josh Hopkins’ boy a cornin’ 
here a little while ago,’ says 1. 
“ ‘I’m sure you did,’ says she. 
“ ‘Why?’ says I, not likin’ the way she 
said it. 
" ‘Oh, just because your eyesight is so 
good,’ says Jim’s wife. 
“I didn’t like that remark any too 
well, but perhaps Jim’s wife didn’t mean 
no insinuation by it so I let it pass. 
“ ‘Josh Hopkins’ son in learnin’ the 
telegraph business,’ says I, ‘an’ payin' 
ms way by deliverin’ messages, I hear.’ 
“ ‘Your hearin’,’ said Jim’s wife, ‘is ez 
good ez your eyesight.’ 
“I hesitated again because Jim’s wife 
had a tone I didn’t like. Some people 
do have it natcherally though, an’ I 
didn’t say nothin’ about it. 
“I thought he might been a-bringin’ 
you a telegram,’ said I. 
“ ‘Why, of course, he might,’ said 
Jim’s wife, ‘or he might a been makin’ 
a social call seein’ ez how his mother 
was my mother’s second cousin.’ 
“That’s the way Jim's wife talked, an’ 
she went into family history so far that 
I couldn’t get her back to the telegram. 
I don’t know yet what was in that tele¬ 
gram. Since my brother left she ain’t 
taken no perceivance of me. I don’t 
harbor it up against her an’ I don’t say 
spiteful things about her like some of 
the neighbors, but it does seem ez if 
Jim’s wife was just a leetle bit distant. 
Jest a little hit you understand, but 
laws, I’ve too much to do to oother my 
head much about my neighbors.”—New 
York Sun. 
Rural Recipes. 
He was a dusky cannibal. 
His color it was tan. 
He ate a missionary, and 
The chieftain of his clan 
Inscribed upon his tombstone: 
“He loved his fellow-man." 
—Phila. Record. 
Parsnip Fritters.—Boil two large pars 
nips, mash them well into a batter made 
of one tablespoonful of rolled bread 
crumbs, two tablespoonfuls of milk and 
one egg; season with salt and pepper. 
Drop from a tablespoon into boiling hot 
fat and cook a light brown. 
Jellied Veal.—Wash a knuckle of veal 
and cut it in pieces. Boil until the meat 
will slip from the bones. Take from the 
liquor, remove the bones and chop the 
meat fine. Season with a teaspoonful of 
salt, saltspoonful of pepper, half a grated 
nutmeg, saltspoonful of cinnamon. Put 
back in the liquor and boil until nearly 
dry. Take from the fire and stir the 
juice of a lemon in it. Turn into a mold. 
When cold slice and garnish with lemon 
and parsley. 
Savory Pie.—One pound of liver, six 
potatoes, five red onions, one pint flour, 
two tablespoonfuls butter, one-half tea- 
MOTHERS.—Be sure to use“Mrs.Wins- 
low’s Soothing Syrup” for your children 
while Teething. It is the Best.— Adv. 
spoonful salt, one-quarter teaspoonful 
pepper, two teaspoonfuls baking powder. 
Cut the liver in small pieces; also the 
onions; pare the potatoes and cut in 
slices; put them in a tin baking dish; 
when all in, add one tablespoonful of 
butter. Fill the dish two-thirds full of 
water; take the flour, one tablespoonful 
butter, baking powder and a saltspoon¬ 
ful of salt; mix well; wet with a naif- 
cup cold water; roll out, cover pie dish 
and bake one hour. 
Nut Cookies.—These are extremely 
nice. One cupful of sugar, one-half cup¬ 
ful of butter, two eggs well beaten, three 
teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one- 
third cupful of milk, one cupful of nut 
meats (hickory or walnut rolled fine); 
flavor with vanilla and add flour enough 
to roll. Beat butter and sugar to cream, 
add eggs, milk, baking powder, flavoi*- 
ing and flour. When dough is ready to 
cut out sprinkle nut meats on and roll 
in lightly with rolling pin. Bake in 
quick oven. 
Rye Nut Bread.—This will be a deli¬ 
cious change in the school lunch. To. 
one quart of hot milk add one-quarter 
cupful of good molasses or one table¬ 
spoonful of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of 
butter, one teaspoonful of salt, and cool 
until tepid. Dissolve half a cake of com¬ 
pressed yeast and add to the milk; stir 
in one cupiul of flour and two cupfuls of 
rye meal; beat thoroughly and add one 
cupful of ground nut meats (nickory, 
walnut, filbert or pecan or a mixture of 
all); then knead thoroughly until 
spongy and elastic, adding rye meal as 
it is needed until stiff enough. Cover 
and let rise all night. In the morning 
knead again thoroughly and put in pans. 
When light brush over with milk and 
bake one hour in a moderate oven. 
ONE-HALF YOUR 
We Tell You How. 
Rochester Radiator Co. 27 Furnace St. Rochester, N.t> 
Good Starch Polish for Sale. It will 
make collars and shirts shine. It is (rood for 1.0UU 
articles. 10c. a box by mail postpaid; money with 
order. .1. J. Connelly, Branchdale. Schuykill Co.,Pa 
PUBLICATIONS sent 
free. Address 
MISSIONS, 150 Holland St., Syracuse. N. V. 
UNITARIAN 
nncto -ECZEMA CUBE, SI. Large sample 
UUC 0 mailed free. Coe Chem. Co., Cleveland, O 
Are You Deaf 77 
Ail owes of &EAFNESS at HAKD-HKAKilNC] 
•re aow CCRkULi by oar new intention; only those oorn 
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Describe your oase. Examination and adrloe free. 
Yon can core yourself at home at a nominal coei. 
International Aural Clinic, u“ IMS f" cHlcieo. 
A GOOD START 
By our Method 
FARMERS’ 
BOYS 
FARMERS' 
(3IRI.S 
Have Become ! 
Have Becomel 
Draflsnirn, 
Electrician*, 
Surveyor*. 
Stenc^rnphers, 
Book-keeper*, 
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Write, stating subject In which interested. 
The International Correspondence Schools, 
ltox 1510, Scranton, Pa. 
A farmer’s 
boy or girl 
can get an 
education in 
a few months 
at home that 
will tit them 
to take posi¬ 
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or eitv, where 
they can earn 
good salaries 
from the start, 
continue their 
studies and earn more as they learn 
more. By our method of Education 
by Mall' we have prepared farmer's 
boys for positions in machine or elec¬ 
trical works, or with architects. 
Elgin Watches 
are sold by jewelers everywhere in various sizes 
and styles, at prices to suit. Send for free booklet 
to the ELGIN NATIONAL WATCH CO., Elgin, Ill. 
or coarse. 
ENTERPRISE 
FOOD CHOPPER 
Coars« 
Knife 
Medium 
Fine 
Nut Butter Cutter 
The Enterprise Food Chopper furnishes the house¬ 
wife a means by which she may add innumerable appetizing and economical dishes to her 
daily menus. Everything chop-able in the way of food can be chopped with it, more 
easily, rapidly and perfectly than by any other means. It is guaranteed to Cliop 
raw meat. It won’t break or get out of order; as easily cleaned almost as a common 
chopping knife. Each machine is furnished with four knives, for chopping fine, medium 
Insist on getting the Enterprise. 
Sold at all hardware, bouse furnishing and department stores. 
Illustrated catalogue of household helps mailed free. Send 
four cents for the "Enterprising Housekeeper ” —200 recipes. 
THE ENTERPRISE MANUFACTURING CO. OF PA., Philadelphia, U. S. A. 
is a name with a Christmas ring in it, and 
many a Christmas has seen many a household 
made glad by the coming of an Estey Organ. 
An Estey is an ideal gift, for its tone is 
pure and sweet and it remains so, often to 
the second and third generation. 
Buy an Estey if you want an 
Catalogue, if you ask for it. 
ESTEY ORGAN CO., Brattleboro, Vt 
