1902 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
261 
a chilly evening are by no means unwel¬ 
come cheer as the horses plod home¬ 
ward from town, and a bagful hot from 
the chestnut man's brazier is not half 
bad for the chilled fingers of any school 
girl. Italians, less heavily fed than we, 
no doubt munch the fat mouthfuls with 
more zest. Then, too, they seem not to 
know beneath their own “sunny” skies 
our more dainty and rich-flavored pea¬ 
nuts. Aye, there’s the rub. Every fruit 
and nut imported to our gardens must 
compete with established favorites, and 
the chance that the new will surpass in 
favor is small. Yet Winter squashes do 
not always keep till Spring; not every¬ 
body likes onions, one doesn’t care for 
canned tomatoes at every dinner, and we 
all know that the home gardener is a 
rare treasure who sees that we never 
lack parsnips, carrots, cabbage, kale and 
salsify. Then why not a puree of chest¬ 
nuts now and then, if the trees have 
come into bearing? A little troublesome 
to prepare I suspect, yet practice and 
Yankee ingenuity have overcome most 
things in the universe. I know the 
chestnut purge used to be a very wel¬ 
come addition to our Swiss bill of fare. 
I used to hear the crackling sound as 
the nuts were being shelled, and though 
the kitchen was a locality never pene¬ 
trated, we have an idea that the nuts 
were shelled, then blanched and skinned, 
and finally boiled tender. Certainly 
they were afterward passed through a 
sieve of some sort and served much as 
we would Hubbard squash. They may 
not have been very much superior to 
good Hubbard squash—which I happen 
to count a delicious vegetable—but cer¬ 
tainly they were very good, or perhaps 
since as nuts they had lost identity I 
should say, it was very good. 
Not happening to care much for pure 
sweets the marrons glacges of the confec¬ 
tioner’s shop, each daintily bedded in its 
crimped paper cup, had more attraction 
for eye than palate. I was told that the 
grand dames of Geneva, those aristo¬ 
cratic dwellers in the steep, dark streets 
that crowd the cathedral, were last sea¬ 
son much disturbed over the failing 
health of an aged confectioner; not that 
they valued his life so tenderly, but if 
he died from whence would come just 
the proper marrons glacges always served 
at their afternoon teas? My fourth ex¬ 
perience with the culinary chestnut on 
its native shores was as a sweet course 
at dessert. It then appeared again as a 
smooth paste formed in a mound that 
was snowed away under drifts of 
whipped cream. Again it was very ac¬ 
ceptable, and one of the best sweet 
courses I remember. 
To be sure our Thanksgiving turkey, 
eaten at Naples to the accompaniment 
of Russian cranberries seasoned with 
cinnamon and followed by a plum pud¬ 
ding that only the Americans who or¬ 
dered it could recognize as such, the 
turkey (true Neapolitan no doubt, for I 
saw them driven along the streets) was 
stuffed with chestnuts. But has not our 
own Mrs. Rorer been telling us, these 
several seasons, that a chestnut dressing 
is the proper cavity-filler for roast tur¬ 
key? Maybe, as in our own family, you 
have always meant to try the innova¬ 
tion, and maybe it has likewise always 
seemed too much bother when the stress 
of preparation came. But if the trees 
have come to bearing age why not set 
ingenuity to work and make of the novel 
food product the real acquisition which 
it will surely prove when the cook be¬ 
comes skillful? “Why do we not make 
more of chestnuts at home?” I asked, 
and a New York woman replied that she 
often had them prepared in her kitchen, 
but that in the New York market these 
large chestnuts cost too much for ordi¬ 
nary use. So here is another table luxury 
any farmer may have in plenty for the 
planting. prudence primrose. 
MOTHERS.—Be sure to use“Mrs.Wins- 
low’s Soothing Syrup” for your children 
while Teething. It is the Best.— Adv. 
Old and New Child Culture. 
“Mary, I am going to visit Mrs. Bright 
this afternoon, and you can go with me, 
so after doing your morning work cut 
out blocks for your quilt to take with 
you ” 
“All right. Mother, what a nice time 
we will have,” and the child skipped 
away to her work and to tell her little 
sister Beth the news. Soon the bag of 
pieces is brought out, the paper pattern 
carefully pinned on, and blocks are 
cut out until quite a pile of dark and 
light patches are ready for the after¬ 
noon work. Helping Mother get the 
dinner, setting the table and wiping the 
dishes constituted her work each noon 
time when not in school; although but 
10 years of age, she was a great help 
and also a companion for her mother. 
After the work was done Mary and Beth 
were washed and their hair neatly 
combed and braided in two strands, tied 
with ribbons at the ends. Long sleeved 
gingham aprons with ruffles of the same 
at neck and wrists nearly covered their 
blue and white calico dresses; their 
Shaker sunbonnets of pink gingham are 
tied on. Mother, with her neat dark 
gingham dress, black silk apron, white 
linen collar fastened with cameo pin, and 
Shaker sunbonnet with silk bag on her 
arm containing Mary’s quilt pieces and 
her knitting work, soon walk down the 
pleasant country road. They talk of the 
birds, butterflies, flowers, grass and 
trees; many an object lesson is taught 
on the way. Mrs. Bright meets them 
part way down to the gate with out¬ 
stretched hands. “So glad to see you, and 
Elsie will be to see the girls. She is in 
the garden for flowers.” They are in¬ 
vited into the * best” room with its 
bright rag carpet, calico-covered lounge, 
cane-seat chairs, center table on which 
are the big family Bible, album and a 
few books. Elsie soon makes her ap¬ 
pearance with her hands full of flowers 
which fill tumblers and bowls with love¬ 
liness and fragrance. Then she brings 
her patchwork and the little girls com¬ 
pare pieces, Elsie giving Mary some of 
her calicoes, and Mary will return the 
favor when Elsie visits her “when 
Mother comes over.” After the required 
number of blocks are sewed the girls 
are told they can go and play until sup¬ 
per Is ready. Out under the big currant 
bushes in Elsie’s playhouse, a box with 
shelves holding bright bits of glass and 
crockery and another box serves for a 
table. What fun the little girls have! 
The bushes are loaded with ripening 
fruit, and there is spearmint and pepper¬ 
mint in the brook close by; the rag 
dolls and kittens to hold and fondle; 
the bird’s nest in the big gooseberry 
bush was looked into to see the bird 
babies that opened their mouths so 
wide, and so the happy playtime passed 
until they were called to five o’clock 
supper of cream biscuits and butter, pre¬ 
serves, honey, dried beef and fruit cake 
(that was always kept on hand for com¬ 
pany). As the mothers talked over the 
teacups the little girls quietly ate their 
supper, as they had been taught to be 
“seen and not heard” at meal time, and 
when told it was time to go home there 
was no fuss, but putting on their bon¬ 
nets, they said good-night and “You 
must make us a visit soon.” Thus the 
pleasant afternoon ended. 
“I am going to call on Mrs. Brown, 
and you must stay at home and be a 
good girl.” 
“No; I am going, too.” 
“You cannot; I am only going for a 
short call and don’t want to be both¬ 
ered.” 
“But I am going”—and so the contro- 
GRAIN-0! GRAIN-0! 
Remember that narno when you want a delicious, 
appetizing, nourishing food drink to take the place 
of coffee. Sold by all grocers and liked by all who 
have used it. Graln-0 Is made of pure grain, it aids 
digestion and strengthens the nerves. It Is not a 
stimulant but a health builder and the children as 
well as the adults can drink It with great benefit. 
Costs about H aa much as coffee. 15c. and 25c. per 
paokage. Ask your grocer for Graln-O 
versy went on between mother and child 
until the child won, as she usually did 
by making a fuss. The mother, in tailor- 
made suit, hat and gloves to match, with 
card-case in hand, and her daughter in 
white with laces, tucks, ruffles and rib¬ 
bons, her hair in frizzles down her back, 
walked the short distance and called on 
Mrs. Brown, who had recently moved on 
the farm adjoining. They are ushered 
into a pleasant room where books, music 
and fine pictures denote refinement and 
culture. Daisy goes about the room 
from one article to another, throwing 
down this and turning over that until 
she is told to stop, to which she pays no 
attention, and when Ethel Brown comes 
in they both rush out of doors and are 
seen no more until Mrs. White rises to 
go. Search being made the children are 
found at the barn, dresses torn and soil¬ 
ed, gloves lost and hats gone. A scream 
from Daisy is her response when she 
finds her mother is going, and she has 
to be coaxed, threatened and hired to 
start home. 
“Oh dear! I think I never will leave 
the house; Daisy always acts so!” Poor 1 
mother—who is to blame? Look back 
to the starting point and reflect. 
MRS. FREDERICK C. JOHNSON. 
What does a 
chimney do to a 
Macbeth’s is 
the making of it. 
My name on every one. 
If you’ll send your address, I’ll send you 
the index to Lamps and their Chimneys, to 
tell you what number to get for your lamp. 
Macbeth, Pittsburgh. 
Our Pen Carbon Letter book 
Copies • 
Your Letters 
"While you write. 
Use any pen and your own stationery. If your 
stationer does not keep it, write for free specimen of 
work. Beware of infringements. Address Dept.'59 
Pen-Carbon Manifold Co., 145-7-9 Centre St.,New Torn. 
How to Detect Alum Powders 
Several correspondents have asked 
how they may know the alum baking 
powders, as they wish to avoid them. 
Alum powders closely resemble pure 
cream of tartar powders. A chemica 1 
analysis is required to certainly distin¬ 
guish them. 
It may be taken for granted, however, 
that powders sold below the price of a 
pure cream of tartar powder, or which 
are peddled or sold with a gift or by any 
scheme, are alum powders and unfit to 
use. The great majority of alum pow¬ 
ders are sold at either 10 cents or 25 
cents a pound—and both are usually of 
the same composition, out of the same 
barrel. The most expensively made 
alum powders cost only about two cents 
a pound to make. 
It is not necessary, however, for con¬ 
sumers to know which they are. It is 
sufficient to know which powders do not 
contain alum and stick to them. Such 
brands as the Royal, Dr. Price’s and 
Cleveland’s, for instance, are well- 
known cream of tartar powders, pure 
and healthful, about which there is no 
question. 
mxwKsam\MnAwmimmm miiiubi ■ i«miw i»nunw> 
v Lel me see! 
s t £eBlind man. 
“The box I am 
looking for must 
be heavy (yours 
is), must have few 
joints (you ve got 
'em), must be sim¬ 
ple in construction, be 
strong all over like 
the deacon s one hoss 
shay, this is the first box I've seen 
that fills the hill.” Some men with two eyes 
can be more easily fooled with "side issues" 
than this man. 
Bond Steel Post Co. # Adrian, Mich. 
wwb— nwp* r '^T!»'^i^Tir'* T T 
Bargains in Buttons. 
To any reader of The K. N.Y., mentioning this 
paper and enclosing 20c. in silver or stamps, we will 
mail as a sample six (fit dozen, half gross, good pearl 
buttons, four sizes. Write your name and address 
plainly. The Lamb Supply Co., Amsterdam, N. Y. 
MADE $105 THE FIRST MONTH 
writes FRED. BLODGETT, of N. Y. J. L. 
BARRICK, of La., writes: “Am making 
$3.00 to $8.00 everyday I work.” MRS. L. 
M. ANDERSON, of Iowa, writes: “I 
made $3.80 to $6.50 a day.” Hundreds 
doing likewise. So can you. 
$5.00 to $10.00 daily made pla¬ 
ting jewelry, tableware, bicy¬ 
cles, metal goods with gold, sil¬ 
ver, nickel, etc. F.normous de¬ 
mand. We teach you CDCC 
Write—offer free. lllkti 
0. GRAY & CO.. I'Utinc Work*. A Minnil Hide.. Cincinnati. O. 
Z ZARD COLD BLAST 
One of our handy light givers, ready for many uses, as 
a hand lantern, side or wall lamp and as a dash lamp for 
night driving. Strong spring holds it to dash. Comes witli 
bright tin reflector, and bull’s-eye lens. It is safe and 
reliable at all times. If you do not find it at your dealor’s 
write us for special price delivered. Catalogue of our 
extensive line of lanterns and lamps free upon application. 
R. E. 
87 Laight St., 
DIETZ 
Established 
COMPANY, 
- New YorK 
Earn a Roman Divan 
with automatic adjustment, the latest and most popular thing in 
iparlor furniture, without paying out a cent, by taking orders for the 
celebrated Niagara Extracts, Perfumes and Toilet Prepara¬ 
tions from your neighbors and friends. 
Only a few hours spare time required. 
Our goods are absolutely the best of their kind, and cannot be bought for less 
anywhere. We are the only firm in the world making itsown goods 
and Its own premiums, and can guarantee absolutely unequaled 
values. We send the premium right, along with the goods, and without, a 
cent in advance from you, and allow you 30 days in which to sell the goods. 
f*nf*f* To show what we mean by quality we will send on request a sample 
■"flCC package of Niagara Talcum powdei with our new catalogue of hun¬ 
dreds of premiums easily earned. Write today. 
5. A. COOK & COMPANY, 12 Cook Bidq., Medina , N. Y. 
Rural Free Delivery 
_ THE _ # 
SIGNAL 
MAIL BOX 
Bates-Hawley Patent 
A POSTOFFICE 
AT YOUR. DOOR 
THE SIGNAL MAIL BOX, Bates 
Hawley Patent, IS THE ORIGINAL BOX 
FOR RURAL SERVICE. It has been 
especially recommended by the Post 
master General— Is full government size, 18x6Mxll‘/4, and is the only 
one which will meet all your requirements. Material—Heavy Steel and 
Iron, completely Galvanized, finished very attractively in Aluminum and 
Red. Yale lock. Automatic Signal flag. Individual celluloid name plate. 
Write for particular. SIGNAL MAIL BOX CO., 107 Benton St. Joliet, 
