1890 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
455 
Domesticated Lightning. 
HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AT THE ELEC- 
TBICAL SHOW. 
Portable Stoves. —Gas or oil stoves 
are so convenient, and supply so many 
needs for which, a cumbersome and un¬ 
clean coal stove is unsuitable, that one 
feels some surprise in noting a still more 
convenient form of heater. The electric 
heating and cooking appliances displayed 
at the New York electrical show seem a 
modern realization of Aladdin’s lamp. 
The small disk heaters, which run from 
43* to 15 inches in diameter, seem espe¬ 
cially useful for heating food or drink 
rapidly. One of these, connected with a 
lamp socket, is hot within two minuteB. 
These heaters are not designed for using 
with storage batteries, but in places 
wired for light or heat. More desirable 
are the stoves with switches, which per¬ 
mit careful and exact regulation of the 
heat. These stoves cost from $4 to $24. 
Pots and Kettles —A heating disk 
fitted with an aluminium stewpan is a 
very neat little utensil, just the thing 
for boiling eggs or making a hot drink. 
The same disk may be used with a tea 
kettle. Another style, almost uncanny 
in its oddness, is a kettle which, liter¬ 
ally, boils itself. The heater is inside 
the kettle, so the operator merely turns 
on the current, and has steam up in a 
very short time. The idea of a kettle 
which carries its own stove within is 
unique. We have often read, with in¬ 
terest, of those savages who cook in un¬ 
baked earthen vessels by heating stonss 
red-hot, and then plunging the stones 
into the contents of the vessel. The 
same system is followed in the immersion 
heaters—coils or disks connected with 
an electric wire, which are plunged into 
the liquid which it is desired to heat. 
These heaters are of copper, either plain 
or nickeled. 
For Tea or Coffee Making —The up- 
to-date five-o’clock tea table is furnished 
with a little silver or nickel heater on 
which to boil water or heat wafers. It 
is a wonderful improvement over the 
spirit lamp, supplying heat without the 
use of matches, alcohol or flame ; turn 
on the current, and, presto ! the kettle 
is boiling almost before one realizes that 
the heat is there. A very nice coffee-pot 
is made having the lower part immersed 
in a hot-water bath, which is kept warm 
by an electric coil heater. 
The electric curling-iron heater, dis¬ 
played at the show, is already a fixture 
in some of the more luxurious hotels 
and steamships. A portable form is 
made, and this is far less dangerous than 
the spirit lamps so freely used. There 
is no doubt that many mysterious fires 
have been started by the carelessness of 
some woman who was hurriedly heating 
a curling iron, and it is the recognition 
of this danger which has caused the use 
of the electr'e heater as a fixture in such 
hotels as the Waldorf-Astoria and Tour- 
aine. These heaters are automatic, the 
current being shut off by the removal of 
the curling tongs. 
A Substitute for Hot-water Bags. 
—An electric heating pad, whijh looks 
like a piece of thick, soft felt, is recom¬ 
mended as a vast improvement upon 
hot-water bags. It is light, cleaa and 
always ready for use. Imagine the con¬ 
venience, when there is a midnight de¬ 
mand for hot applications ! Instead of 
heating water and filling bottles, the 
only thing required is to connect the 
pad witn the electric wire, and turn on 
the current. It is an ideal foot-warmer. 
Other Kitchen Appliances. —Chafing 
dishes (of course), farina boilers, broil¬ 
ers, griddle-cake cookers, ovens and 
plate warmers are among other electri¬ 
cal conveniences for the kitchen. The 
farina boiler has an electric coil in the 
water bath surrounding the porcelain 
pot in which the cooking is done. The 
heat can be regulated to three different 
degrees. The electric ovens are so ar¬ 
ranged that the heat at top, sides or 
bottom may be changed independently. 
There can be no mistake in regulating, 
because each change in the switch pro¬ 
duces a definite result. No heat escapes 
into the room, and the oven, like all the 
other devices, may be moved around to 
any position desired. 
A Lightning Flatiron. —The electric 
flatiron certainly seems capable of revo¬ 
lutionizing laundry work. No need to 
get up a big fire ironing day, for this 
magical tool doesn’t need a stove; no 
heated rooms, no black smudges, to rub 
off on to the clean clothes ; no delay 
because the iron won’t stay hot. No 
time is lo3t in changing irons, or in 
rubbing off to remove dust or ashes. 
The iron is connected with a wire, the 
current turned on, and the operator 
may use the same iron all day, unless 
she desire to change for one of different 
size or shape. An automatic cut-off is 
used, which stops the current if the iron 
is left by the operator, and this also 
regulates the heat to adapt it to differ¬ 
ent kinds of work 
Electric Radiators —These are made, 
but are not considered commercially 
practicable unless electricity is produced 
very cheaply. Small electric heaters, 
however, will be found useful for quickly 
heating bathrooms, small offices, etc., 
especially on chilly days during Sum¬ 
mer. These heaters are clean, portable, 
and devoid of unpleasant gases. A large 
proportion of the modern city houses 
now built are arranged for the use of 
electricity, and the system is extending 
throughout the country. The Twentieth 
Century will undoubtedly see a wonder¬ 
ful increase in the domestic use of this 
mysterious force. Already the lightning 
is broken to harness in many hotel 
kitchens and, sooner or later, the same 
power will lighten the labors of the 
average housewife. Who knows ? Some 
of us may live to see the day when a 
little waterfall may furnish power to 
supply light and warmth for a whole 
farm community, and cook their dinners 
as well! 
We are all wishing strawberries were 
ripe, for they make such an easy dessert, 
and do away with the necessity for pud¬ 
ding, at a busy season of the year, be¬ 
sides being healthful and appetizing. 
No farmer’s garden should be without 
its patch of this fruit, to be enjoyed by 
the household while it lasts. 
So far we have apples in the cellar, 
good sound russets, that are wholesome 
and pleasant eating at this season. Ap¬ 
ples till May is done, and strawberries 
in June keep up the succession very well, 
and show what culinary advantages a 
farmer’s family may possess, truly the 
best of everything in the market. 
How beautiful was lilac time, and 
though the flowers have faded, we have 
the memory of their loveliness. They are 
just the plants for a kitchen window— 
quaint, sweet blossoms that appeal to 
every one and were beloved by a past 
generation, with a sentiment that no 
hothouse orchid can inspire. 
The sweetest token of the Spring, 
Is in the lilac’s breath. 
ANNIE L. JACK. 
From the Kitchen Window. 
Some of the clothes, after the weekly 
wash, were left out over night, and this 
morning very early, I noticed large yel¬ 
low blotches on them, as they waved in 
the wind. The spots moved, and I found 
that orioles were tugging away at the 
threads of the curtains, picking the flan¬ 
nelette garments, or anything available 
to get material to make their nests. 
They looked so strange as they worked 
perseveringly, quite regardless of a 
future mending day for me. We are 
quite accustomed to having them take 
the gray thread that we use for pack¬ 
ages, when it is on a reel in the fruit 
house, for they will take away many 
yards of it; but to have them come de¬ 
liberately to the clothes lines, and tear 
our weekly washing, did not please 
any too well, so we found some old 
raveled yarn, and placed it in a tree near¬ 
by, took in the clothes, and watched 
them fly away with the gay yarn to 
weave into their aerial nests. 
One of our amateur cooks went to 
Philadelphia, and was graduated at a 
cooking school; it is wonderful what a 
difference it makes wheD one knows 
just how and why things are done. 
The choicest soups, and most healthful 
puddings are not the hardest to make, 
and with practical knowledge, a little 
meat goes a great way. Just now, it is 
our asparagus season, and we try to vary 
that vegetable so as to have it on the 
table every day, and have it enjoyed. 
When put through a sieve, and a little 
good stock added, with a trifle of good 
sweet cream, it makes one of the most 
delicious soups, and its nutritious quali¬ 
ties are well known, especially if a 
beaten raw egg is mixed with the cream. 
MOTHERS.—Be sure to use “Mrs. Wins¬ 
low’s Soothing Syrup ” for your children 
while Teething. It is the;Best.— AcLv. 
The Aftermath 
....The iron and granite in the New 
England soil will soon work their way 
into some Webster’s soul. Wealthy 
parents are often put to their wits’ end 
to invent some device to do for their 
children what poverty and adversity did 
for them. 
... .It is a rather curious circumstance 
that, while South Africa is exporting 
gold at the rate of over $6,000,000 a 
month to England, Australia at the same 
time is exporting gold to South Africa 
in the form of sovereigns, the explana¬ 
tion being that there is no mint at the 
Cape.—Philadelphia Record. 
.... “My earliest recolle ction, when I was 
a child,” says Dr. Newman Hall, “is that 
of sitting on my mother’s knee, listen¬ 
ing to her sweet voice repeating John iii 
16: ‘ For God so loved the world,’ etc. 
I have been going on learning that text 
ever since, and it will take eternity to 
learn the full meaning of that wonder¬ 
ful word ‘so’ ”. 
_How to Economize Life.—A man 
has just so many hours to be awake, 
and the fewer of these he uses up each 
day, the more days will they last. I be¬ 
lieve that a man might last 200 years if 
he would sleep most of the time. That 
is why negroes live to such an advanced 
age—because they sleep most of the 
time. The proper way to economize life 
is to sleep every moment that it is not 
necessary or desirable that you should 
be awake.—Tesla. 
During February cf this year I contracted a severe 
co d which caused me to cough continuously. I com 
menced using Jayne’s Expectorant, which gave me 
instant relief, and speedily effected a permanent 
cure. I have had no return of the symptoms.— 
DAVID L. BARKER, Deputy, Indiana, October 4, 
1895. 
Stimulate your Liver with Jayne’s Painless Sana¬ 
tive Pills.— Adv. 
S5 - S30 3000 BICYCLES 
” Bargain. 
NEW AND SECOND NANDI 
Sd Hand—good aa any f«r mrrim, || to $11. 
New ’$9 Model* $12.H) to $10. Iom 
\ higher. W« guarantee to save yon money.lar(«at 
J variety to select from. Lowest prices ever quoted. 
I Every customer satisfied. Shipped subject to examln- 
' at loo and approval. No money In advanoe. A flrw 
good AGENTS WANTED. For price list and partio- 
_ ulars address the old reliable eycle house. 
BROWN-LEWIS CO., (»M> 29S Wabash At., Chicago. 
Grocer 
about it If he is A 
honest lie will tell 
vou that for all mem¬ 
bers of the family— 
.father, mother, 
' children—nothing can equal 
Wheatlet 
It is made from the whole wheat with the 
Innutritions woody husk removed. The most 
sensitive stomach can easily digest it. Your 
grocer keeps it, if not, send us his name and 
your order —we will 
see that you are sup¬ 
plied. 
Made only by the 
FRANKLIN MILLS CO., 
Lockport, N. Y. 
Send for free booklet 
containing valuable re¬ 
cipes and opinions of 
noted physicians and 
chemists. 
& B. 
hot weather elegance 
showing the latest ideas—the distinctly 
correct, handsome styles. 
Demonstrating that this small-profit 
store will sell you choice styles, and give 
you selection from the largest variety 
you’ll find anywhere, for as little or less 
money than, at the least calculation, 
you’d expect to pay usual places for 
ordinary styles. 
Nice colored wash waists 50c. 
Plain white ones 75c. 
shirt waists one dollar 
that completely outclass any ever known 
of at the price. Variety of styles, both 
white or colored. 
Fine “ Star ” shirt waists $1.50. 
Handsome white shirt waists $1 50, $2, 
$2 50—to seven dollars, 
wash skirts. 
Plain crash skirts 50c. 
Plain Duck 75c. 
Fancy Polkadot Duck $1. 
Plain white P. K. $1.25. 
and the greatest collection of hand¬ 
somely trimmed wash skirts $2 to $16 50 
—including Duck, Linen, P. K. and 
Denim—braided, applique bands, inser¬ 
tion and dressy overskirt effects. 
Elegant styles $2.50, $3.50, $5. 
Your orders will get the benefit of ex¬ 
perienced and most careful selection. 
BOGGS & BUHL, 
Department C, 
ALLEGHENY, PA. 
gOOO B ICYCLES 
Overstock: 91 ust He Closed Out. 
STANDARD ’98 MODULI), 
guaranteed, $9.75 to 
$16. Shopworn & sec¬ 
ond hand wheels, good 
as new, $3 to $10. 
Great factory clearing aale. 
We ship to anyone on approval 
y&trial without a centin advance 
EARN x B/CYCLE 
_ “*by helping us advertise our superb line of 
models. We give one Rider Agent in each town FREE USE 
of samplo wheel tointroduco them. Write at once for our special offer. 
MEAD CYCLE CO., 293 Ave. K, Chicago, Ill. 
THE BEST 
Powder 
Washing 
