422 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
June 14 
From Day to Day. 
WHEN SYLVIA SPRAYS THE LaWN. 
When Sylvia in the morning takes the sin¬ 
uous garden hose 
And flutters to the verdant spot in front, 
She has a monster sun-hat set to shield 
her piquant nose 
While busy with that world-refreshing 
stunt. 
Then woe to the pedestrian who doesn’t 
watch and dodge 
When Sylvia sprays the lawn in front of 
where she’s known to lodge. 
When Sylvia holds the nozzle pointed out 
toward the street. 
And looks at the geraniums near by, 
There’s danger on the sidewalk—O you 
never saw the beat! 
For Sylvia has a wondrous wand'ring eye. 
Then dodge like all creation when you pass 
the pretty place 
Where Sylvia sprays the verdancy with 
such consummate grace. 
O many a stenographic job has fallen to 
the lot 
Of that partic'lar angel who records 
The sin that is most commoiA when hu¬ 
manity gets hot— 
The habit of employing naughty words— 
And all because of Sylvia with her careless 
little way 
When she takes out the garden hose and 
lets the nozzle play. 
—Los Angeles Herald. 
* 
Shiny streaks showing in silks or rib¬ 
bons that have been washed may usual¬ 
ly be sponged out with alcohol. We 
sponge soiled ribbons with weak am¬ 
monia water, dry partially between 
towels, and then iron between tissue 
paper. 
♦ 
The directions given for canning as¬ 
paragus on page 391 direct the cutting 
of the stalks into inch lengths. Canned 
French asparagus put in glass, 
which is the highest priced, consists of 
whole stalks, and as they are the 
bleached type there is a considerable 
percentage of woody and tasteless mat¬ 
ter. Have any of our readers ever tried 
putting up the stalks entire? It would 
seem comparatively easy to pack in a 
fruit jar, tips up, after merely cutting 
the proper length. 
* 
Are modern American brides giving 
up the good old custom of including 
household linen in their wedding out¬ 
fits? It would seem so, judging from 
most cases coming under our observa¬ 
tion lately. Some of them were young 
women in comfortable circumstances, 
who meant to keep house upon moderate 
means; but silk-lined gowns and silk 
petticoats occupied the place in the 
trosseau that a few years ago would 
be given to towels and table linen for 
the new home. We like the housewifely 
point of view of our German friends, to 
whom domestic linens are as essentia! 
as the wedding gown. 
* 
Two women who sat behind us on the 
train recently exchanged a few brief 
opinions concerning the landscape, and 
then settled down to the more congenial 
subject of their immediate friends. 
“Yes,” remarked one of them, “Jane’s a 
nice woman, and her husband thinks 
the sun rises and sets right where she is, 
but it don’t worry her a mite if her car¬ 
pet has to stay down three years at a 
stretch! Now, I just about fly to pieces 
if I can’t get all my housecleaning done 
right on time!” It seems possible, how¬ 
ever, that the criticised Jane’s household 
philosophy may have much to do with 
her husband’s appreciation. There are 
times when the housewifely virtues have 
to take a vacation, and when we do most 
for those around us by ignoring some 
apparent duties. The woman who will 
“just about fly to pieces” because non- 
vital plans are deranged may be a good 
housekeeper, but she is a poor wife and 
mother. 
When one begins to iron shirt waists 
it is soon realized that a draw-string at 
Ihe waist is much more convenient than 
clusters of gathers at front and back 
tightly stitched in place. When these 
gathers are sewn in it is very difficult 
to iron without making unsightly 
creases. The draw-string should be cov¬ 
ered by a casing of thin muslin, and 
fastened in the middle only. 
* 
Cornmeal gruel is an old-fashioned 
food for convalescents or weakly chil¬ 
dren, which is very nourishing and 
4131 Girls Frock, 
4 to 12 yrs. 
pleasant to take. It is made by stirring 
two even tablespoonfuls of cornmeal in¬ 
to a quart of boiling water, and cooking 
steadily for three hours in a double 
boiler. This long cooking is essential 
for the result desired, which should be 
a smooth, thin mush. Remove from the 
fire, and stir into it while warm one 
well-beaten egg, using an egg-beater to 
stir it into the mush; sweeten and flavor 
with a little nutmeg if desired. Set the 
gruel away to grow cold, and, when it 
is used, thin it with good sweet cream 
so that it may be taken like soup. A 
cupful of this gruel, thoroughly chilled, 
would be a desirable prescription during 
hot weather for that “sinking feeling” 
a busy housekeeper often suffers from 
during the long interval between early 
breakfast and noon dinner. 
The Rural Patterns. 
The girl’s frock shown is made of pale 
blue dimity with trimming of fine em¬ 
broidery, but all simple washable ma¬ 
terials are appropriate. The guimpe is 
preferably white. The waist is fitted by 
means of shoulder and under-arm seams 
and is gathered at upper and lower 
edges. At the neck is a frill of embroid¬ 
ery, which may be omitted, and the 
sleeves are made in short puffs finished 
with frills. The skirt is cut with front 
and side gores and straight back 
breadth. The two are joined at the 
waist line, by the belt. The guimpe is 
plain, fitted by means of shoulder and 
under-arm seams, and drawn up at the 
waist by means of tapes. Its sleeves 
are long, in bishop style. To cut this 
frock for a girl eight years of age 4% 
yards of material 27 inches wide, 3% 
yards 32 inches wide, or 2 y 2 yards 44 
inches wide will be required with 3 y 2 
yards of wide, and V/ 2 yard of narrow 
embroidery and 3% yards of insertion to 
trim as illustrated. The pattern No. 
4131 is cut in sizes for girls of 4, 8 , 10 
and 12 years of age; price 10 cents. 
The pretty box-pleated suit is shown 
on a small boy, and closes at the right 
side, but by simply lapping from right 
to left becomes suited to girls as well. 
The original is made of natural colored 
linen with bands of white, but galatea, 
piqu 6 and similar washable fabrics are 
appropriate, as are serge and like wools. 
The dress is cut with fronts and back, 
and fitted by means of shoulder and un¬ 
der-arm seams. The fronts are plain, 
but the back is laid in two box pleats 
that extend for its entire length. The 
sleeves are in bishop style and at the 
neck is a square sailor collar, which 
opens over a shield and standing collar 
that are buttoned into place. The belt 
at the waist may be of the material or 
leather as preferred. To cut this dress 
for a child four years of age 3 y 2 yards 
of material 27 inches wide, 2% yards 32 
inches wide or 2V a yards 44 inches wide 
will be required. The pattern No. 4127 
is cut in sizes for children of 2, 4 and 6 
years of age; price 10 cents. 
i>.-j . aim you gci a. quioiv reply anrl 
a square deal.” See our guarantee 8th page 
Washing Fine Fabrics. —Delicately 
tinted mulls and nearly all delicate 
goods to be cleaned must be soaked over 
night in salt water and washed in bran 
water without any soap. The bran 
water is prepared by boiling wheat bran, 
about two quarts to a dress, in soft 
water for half an hour; then it is 
strained into a tub half full of cold 
water and used instead of soap suds. 
The garment will only need rinsing in 
one water and starching is unnecessary, 
as the bran will stiffen it sufficiently. 
A. M. H. 
Housewifely Hints. —Clean lamps 
are a source of pleasure in any house, 
for without them the lights are always 
poor. Boil the burners in soft soap and 
vinegar for half an hour, and when they 
are taken out, polish with a woolen 
cloth; they will be as bright as new 
burners, and the danger of explosion 
greatly lessened. Wash the flues in 
warm suds, rinse in clear water and 
Trifling that Costs. 
Neglect 
Sciatica and Lumbago 
And you mar b. disabled and 
iRoapaaltated for work l«r 
lent days. 
i 
I 
I 
4 
StJacobsOil 
VlB cure eurehr, rlfM away, 
and tare time, money and 
adUrlai. St 
Conquers Pain \ 
Price. >fc and 50c. 
g IOU *T AIX DIALER! DT KXDIOIXB. 
mfcfli 1 I 
■ 
l 
The Best 
Farmer’s Garments 
made anywhere are Keystone 
Union-Made Overalls and Pants. 
Two garments like this, with 
coats to match, costing less than 
82 a suit, will clothe a farmer 
neatly one year. Ask for lots 50, 
57 or 58, In stripes—or if you 
prefer blue, lot 18. With each 
suit a 6 months’ Diary and 
Time Book free. If your 
dealer will not furnish Key¬ 
stone goods,send his name, 
and we’ll supply you. 
Cleveland & Whitehill Co. 
Newburgh, N. Y. 
T*AD* MASK BtGIBTKB ED, 
4127 Childs Dress, 
2, 4 and 6 yrs* 
wipe dry. Fruit stains or any other dis¬ 
colorations may he removed from dishes 
by rubbing them with common baking 
soda moistened with water. An old 
toothbrush will be found useful in 
cleaning the crevices of cut glass. If 
you use an old-fashioned churn you 
have doubtless been troubled with 
cream spattering all over the top. Melt 
the top and bottom off a tomato can, or 
any other can of that size. This will 
leave a tin tube which may be slipped 
over the dasher and prevent any fur¬ 
ther splashing. e. j. c. 
Kansas. 
Bicycles Below Cost 
■5000 Bicycles, overstock. For 30 days 
• only wo will sacrifice at less than actual 
/a Sl? New 1902 Models. 
“Ball Isa complete $8.7 S 
$9.7B 
“Siberian,'" $10.7S 
Meudorf," Road Racer, 4*11 7 c 
l HO finer bicycle at any price. &MMa i O 
I Choice of M. & W. or Record tires 
I and best equipment on all our bicycles. 
| Strongest guarantee . 
We SHIP ON APPROVAL 
I C.O.D. to anyone without a cent deposit 
allow 10 HAYS FREE TRIAL 
• before purchase is binding. 
500 good 2nd-hand wheels $3 to $8. 
,. Do not buy a bicycle until you have written 
tor our free catalogues with large photographic 
engravings and full descriptions. 
MEAD CYCLE CO . Dept. 175 N Chicago. 
As Time is the stuff Life’s 
made of, take it from an 
Elgin Watch 
the timekeeper of a lifetime—the world’s 
standard pocket timepiece. Sold every¬ 
where ; fully guaranteed. Booklet free. 
ELGIN NATIONAL WATCH CO., 
Elgin, Illinois. 
