1902 
5i9 
Women Exhibitors at Agri¬ 
cultural Fairs. 
SOME HELPFUL CRITICISMS. 
Do you usually find the women's exhibits 
at agricultural fairs interesting and valu¬ 
able? What part of these exhibits do you 
consider most instructive? Is there suffi¬ 
cient inducement for capable women to ex¬ 
hibit at such fairs? How do you think 
these exhibits could be improved and ren¬ 
dered of greater value? 
I find the women’s exhibits at the 
agricultural fairs very interesting, and 
therefore very valuable. I consider all 
the exhibits instructive in their line, to 
any critical observer. I must say that, 
in my opinion, there is not enough in¬ 
ducement for capable women to make 
exhibits. The premiums are too small; 
entry fees are too large. The society 
should stand responsible for articles 
while in their care. Exhibits can be im¬ 
proved and made more instructive by 
the society offering more inducement to 
people. MRS. J. C. NORTON. 
Kansas. 
I have had some experience in exhib¬ 
iting at fairs, and have found it inter¬ 
esting and profitable. My exhibits have 
been in oil and water color paintings, 
fancy work and baked goods; some flow¬ 
ers and vegetables. I generally take 
what I have on hand. I look the prem¬ 
ium list over, and if I have anything in 
the house with which I can make out a 
list I do so. The baking I do specially. I 
have always had some premiums, some¬ 
times as high at $25, and as low as 
$2.85. I intend to exhibit this Fall. I 
talked with my friends on the subject, 
and we think if business men would give 
more special premiums it would be more 
interesting. Our State Fair was held 
here for a few years, and I think they 
fill up the halls too much with adver¬ 
tising and school work. The upper halls 
were nearly all school work, which it 
was tiresome to see, not that I do not 
wish to encourage the schools, but near¬ 
ly all the special prizes went to school 
and stock. 
Many people make a mistake in en¬ 
tries; they enter amateur work among 
professionals, and then find fault if they 
do not get a premium when if they had 
put it in the amateur list they would 
have secured a prize. I think prem¬ 
ium lists should change as times and 
fashions change. I know our fair made 
a canvass among women and found they 
must throw out some of the old-time 
names of work and put in the new. You 
could not enter a piece of Battenberg 
lace under the name of cross-stitch on 
canvas; if there was no mention of 
such lace as Battenberg and the newer 
kinds of work they cannot be entered. 
Judges pay no attention to the way 
things ought to be entered; they go by 
the list. Farmers like to attend fairs, 
but they do not help enough to fill 
space. They let city and suburban peo¬ 
ple do the most work; then say fairs 
are not what they used to be. Country 
boys and girls could do more if their 
parents would encourage them, and how 
nice the money would be for them if 
they got a premium! I took a quilt that 
my mother made 45 years ago, and they 
gave me premium for its age and work; 
it was a white quilt with sewed-on flow¬ 
ers in colors. If there were specials of 
baked goods, dairy and household ar¬ 
ticles, sewing and homemade appliances 
for house and barn, all could take part. 
A girl could bake a pie, bread or half a 
dozen cookies, make butter, etc., boys 
could get grain, vegetables and things 
around the place. All would interest 
some one. To make it look nice is the 
secret. mrs. s. j. perky. 
Michigan. 
The crowds that invariably surround 
women’s exhibits at fairs are proof posi¬ 
tive that they are interesting, and it 
would seem that they must be in a mea¬ 
sure at least valuable. The poorest ex¬ 
hibit should sow some ideas, that with 
care and cultivation might grow to be 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
helpful, and anything that makes life 
easier or sweeter is surely worth while. 
1 did not agree with a wealthy woman 
who remarked at a fair: “What a tre¬ 
mendous waste of eyesight, time and 
material, all this stuff is.” Her own 
home was filled with bric-a-brac, em¬ 
broideries, etc., but they were enriched 
by the importer’s stamp or were the work 
of skilled labor. Point of view makes 
all the difference. The average woman 
of the farm home admires beautiful and 
dainty things as much as her prouder 
sister, and it is often a real rest for her 
to make them, in the intervals between 
her own arduous labors, and I have no¬ 
ticed that those who benefit by the hints 
they get at fairs are always equally 
quick and willing to grasp other hints 
of more practical utility. Everything is 
instructive if it is observed with seeing 
eyes, and though one does not approve 
of all the trash one sees, it is good to 
know what to avoid copying. 
So far as my experience goes, there is 
no inducement whatever for a capable 
woman to exhibit her wares at agricul¬ 
tural fairs. Judges as a rule are incom¬ 
petent, careless and sometimes neither 
honest nor unbiased. Managers of fairs 
admit in some cases the truth of this 
assertion, but excuse themselves by say¬ 
ing that it is impossible to get compe¬ 
tent persons who will serve on commit¬ 
tees; it is often such thankless and la¬ 
borious work—and prooably this is true. 
Yet exhibitors have some rights, if they 
are to risk their treasures to the fair 
management. Artists, for instance, 
would like to see their work well placed, 
and judged by those who know the dif¬ 
ference between a chromo and a paint¬ 
ing. Some exquisite hand needlework 
was shown at one of our fairs; beside 
it hung similar articles purchased at a 
store, factory made. The blue ticket 
was put upon the home work first, but 
later was removed to the machine pro¬ 
duct, because the latter was “exhibited 
by Mrs. So-and-so, of our town you 
know,” said the young girl judge (?) 
Our fair is a money-maker, and returns 
good dividends to its stockholders, yet 
the premium list as sent out is never 
fully paid. Under these circumstances 
is it any wonder that it is deteriorating 
in all its departments? If committees 
could be procured who were well versed 
in the exhibits of their departments, 
and would judge them on their merits 
alone, there would be some incentive to 
send good work to fairs and trash would 
be frozen out. 
I should like to see liberal and special 
premiums offered for the work of young 
women, for sewing, cooking, etc.; work 
that all home makers need to know and 
understand. In these days girls are so 
prone to get away from home and home¬ 
ly duties, and to me this seems a great 
mistake. It is all right to get an “edu¬ 
cation,” and know all the ’ologies, ath¬ 
letics, etc., but add to them some knowl¬ 
edge of old-fashioned womanly work— 
country girls need this knowledge just 
as much as their city sisters, and I am 
sorry to see are growing away from it 
just the same. If fair managers would 
live up to their opportunities, and make 
their shows agricultural in fact as well 
as in name, giving premiums and praise 
to amateur workers in whatever line; 
provide fair and honest judges, and 
eliminate all “workers of iniquity” there 
would be no need to beg merchants and 
manufacturers to come and fill up their 
empty booths, and thus advertise their 
wares. There is enough of good produce 
raised, enough of dairy and women’s 
work done, to fill every booth to over¬ 
flowing and make a real farmers’ fair, 
if only exhibitors were sure of reason¬ 
able and honest treatment. 
New York. mary mann. 
Rural Recipes. 
General Satisfaction.—Any remnants 
of cake, cottage pudding and soda 
wafers, same quantity of strawberries 
or raspberries and a pint of boiled cus¬ 
tard. Break the cake and crackers into 
small pieces and mix with the fruit and 
enough sugar to sweeten the berries. Put 
into an earthen or porcelain pudding 
dish and pour the sauce over and 
through it; put into the oven to bake 
until custard is set. Then cover with a 
meringue made with white of an egg 
and two tablespoonfuls of powdered 
sugar. Brown slightly and serve the 
pudding hot. Any kind of preserved 
fruit, marmalade or bits of fruit jellies 
may be used instead of fresh fruit, 
spreading it in layers between the 
broken cake and crackers and leaving 
out the sugar. 
Cherry Cups.—Measure a pint of sift¬ 
ed flour, add two teaspoonfuls of baking 
powder and half a teaspoonful of salt 
and sift again. Mix to a soft dough with 
cold water. Butter little custard cups 
and drop in a little of the dough and 
then add a teaspoonful of the cherries; 
cover these with more dough (the cups 
should not be more than half full). Set 
the cups in a steamer, or if you have 
no steamer you can put them in a deep 
baking pan with a little boiling water; 
cover closely with another pan and 
steam half an hour in the oven. Eat 
with cherry sauce or sweetened cream. 
On bread baking day you can make these 
with bread dough instead of the baking 
powder dough. 
Rhubarb Puffs.—One cupful of finely 
chopped rhubarb, one cupful of sugar, 
two tablespoonfuls of butter creamed 
with the sugar, add two well-beaten 
eggs, one quarter of a cup of milk, flour 
with one teaspoonful of baking powder 
well mixed into it, to make a thick bat¬ 
ter. Fill well-greased cups naif full and 
steam for half an hour. The sauce to 
serve with these puffs is made by cream¬ 
ing together one-half cupful of powdered 
sugar and a small half cupful of butter, 
then add by degrees one whipped egg, 
beating until perfectly smooth. The last 
thing before serving stir in three table¬ 
spoonfuls of boiling water. 
Spiced Berry Syrup.—This, diluted 
with water, makes a pleasant drink. 
Cook well-ripened berries in an agate or 
porcelain kettle on the back of the stove 
in as little water as will prevent scorch¬ 
ing; when simmered stir with a wooden 
spoon and strain through a flannel. To 
each pint of juice put one pound of 
granulated sugar, one-half ounce each 
of cinnamon and nutmeg, one-fourth 
ounce each of cloves and mace. Tie 
spices in a thin cloth, set the stewpan 
or kettle in a larger pan to prevent 
burning the syrup, and when it comes 
to a boil remove spice bag and seal at 
once. _ 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See our guarantee 8th page. 
Some Coffees 
are Glazed 
with a cheap coating. 
If glazing helps coffee 
why aren’t the high- 
priced Mochas and Javas 
glazed also? 
Lion Coffee 
is not glazed. It is per¬ 
fectly pure and has a 
delicious flavor. 
The sealed package insures uni¬ 
form quality and freshness. 
GRAIN-0! GRAIN-0! 
Remember that name when you want a delicious, 
appetizing, nourishing food drink to tako the place 
of coffee. Sold by all grocers and liked by all who 
have used it. Graln-0 Is made of pure grain, It aide 
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 benefits 
Costs about H as much as coffee. 15c. and 25c. do* 
package. Ask your grocer for Qraln-O 
Banner Lye 
The best help in cleaning household 
and farm utensils. 
Makes pure soap without boiling. 
The University oi Notre Dame, 
NOTKK DAME, INDIANA. 
Classics, Letters, Economics and History, 
Journalism, Art, Science, Pharmacy. Law, 
Civil, Mechanical and .Electrical Engineer¬ 
ing, Architecture- 
Thorough Preparatory and Coimnereial 
Courses. Ecclesiastical students a 1 special rates. 
Rooms Free, Junior o Sonlot Year. Collegiate 
Courses. Rooms to Rent moderate charge. 
St. Edward's Hall, fo> boys under 18 
Tho 59tli Year will open September 9, 190«. 
Catalogues Eree. Address 
REV. A. MORRISSEY, C. S. C., President. 
STM ARY’S ACADEMY 
NOTRE DAME, INDIANA. 
Conducted by the Sisters of the Holy Cross. 
Chartered 1855. Thorough English and Classical 
education. Regular Collegiate Degrees 
In Preparatory Department students carefully pre¬ 
pared for Collegiate course Physical and Chemical 
Laboratories well equipped. Conservatory of Music 
and School of Art Gymnasium under jirectlon of 
graduated Dr. Sargent s Normal School of Physi¬ 
cal Training, Cambridge, Massachusetts Catalogue 
free. Address 
DIRECTRESS OF THE ACADEMY, 
St. Mary’s Academy, Notre Dame, Indiana. 
Bicycles Below Cost 
5000 Bicycles, overstock. For 30 days 
only we will sacrifice at less than actual 
/a c c ^New 1902 Models. 
"flo///**," complete $8.76 
$0.76 
**Siberian,” »Be«uty $10.76 
“Moudorf," Ro*i Bwer, 7 JC 
no finer bicycle .t on j price. M 
Choice of M. & W. or Record tires 
and best equipment on all our bicycles. 
Strongest guarantee. 
We SHIP ON APPROVAL 
C.O.D. to anyone without a cent deposit 
& allow io Bays free trial 
before purchase is binding. 
500 good 2nd-hand wheels $3 to $8. 
Do not buy a bicycle until you have written 
for our free catalogues with large photographio 
engravings and full descriptions. 
MEAD CYCLE CO - Dept. 175 N Chicago. 
NIAGARA 
FALLS 
One of the natural wonders of 
the world. A charming - place at 
any season of the year, reached 
from every direction by the 
NEW YORK 
CENTRAL LINES 
A visit to the Falls is an object 
lesson in geography ; an exliibi. 
tion of landscapes that no painter 
can equal, and a glimpse of the 
latest developments of the indus¬ 
trial world. 
A copy of Four-Track Series No. 9, “ Two 
Days at Niagara Falls,"will be sent free, 
postpaid, to any address on receipt of a two- 
cent postage stamp, by Georg ■ 11. Daniels, 
General Passenger Agent, New YoikCenfal 
& Hudson River Railroud, Grand Central 
Station, New York. 
r, THEN BUY Plan 
the only way we sell our special 
line of celebrated 
KALAMAZOO 
| steel ranges, steel cook stoves and 
Oak heaters. We sell direct from 
our factory at factory prices on 
30 Days’ Free Trial* 
freight paid. At the end of the trial yon ' 
can keep or return purchase at your 
I pleasure. Fairest offer ever made. Wanttokuow 
more about It? Send for free catalogue. 
Kalamazoo Stove Co., illrn., 
Kalamazoo, Mich. 
MOTHERS.—Be sure to use “Mrs.Wins- 
low’s Soothing Syrup” for your children 
while Teething. It is the Best.— Adv. 
Undeniably the Best—Absolute Perfection 
HAPGOOD DOUBLE FLUE AND HOT BLAST RANGES 
Save one-third in fuel over any other range made. Material and workmanship . 
unexcelled. Guaranteed to be satisfactory or you can return them and have your 
money back. (See cut.) OUR HAPGOOI) ANTI-TRUST RANGE, 2 sizes, 12 
combinations. A 6-hole range, full nickel trimmings and aluminum coated 
reservoir, and oven 12x17x2], *24.48. Most perfect low priced range on the 
market. We have complete line of ranges from $13.00 up. Send for complete 
Catalogue showing a full line of Agricultural Implements, Buggies, Sewing 
Machines, Harness and 1000Other articles. 
HAPCOOD MFC. CO., - 3ox 390, Alton, III. 
The only manufacturing company in tb.e world in their line selling 
direct to the consumer. 
