646 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
September 1? 
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| Woman and | 
t The Home. ♦ 
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FROM DAY TO DAY. 
The League for Social Service, lately 
organized in New York, has for its ob¬ 
ject the education of public opinion and 
the popular conscience, from the enlight¬ 
ening and quickening of which must 
come every needed reform. Why not or¬ 
ganize your home into such a league ? 
As the home is, so the nation. 
* 
It will soon be time to examine last 
Winter’s millinery, to see what we may 
renovate for Fall wear. Some of it may 
be available with very little alteration, 
if properly put away last Spring ; but 
very often the trimming must be re¬ 
moved, cleaned and pressed, before fit 
for wear. Any pile fabric, such as plush, 
velvet or velveteen, will be the better 
for steaming. This may be done by 
stretching the fabric across an embroid¬ 
ery frame, which is placed over a pan of 
boiling water, the right side of the fabric 
up, while the pile is brushed up with a 
stiff brush. This removes all the wrin¬ 
kles and restores the pile. It is impossi¬ 
ble, as yet, to say what styles of hats 
will be most in favor. A great many of 
the early models are to be worn off the 
face, a natural reaction after the slant¬ 
wise erections worn in the Summer, but 
the trimmed sailor promises to be with 
us yet. 
* 
We have received a good many inqui¬ 
ries, during the past year, regarding po¬ 
sitions in training schools for nurses. 
We have learned recently of a hospital 
training school where there are, at the 
present time, vacancies for two or three 
candidates, and should be pleased to 
give further particulars to any one de¬ 
sirous of making application. The hos¬ 
pital, which is situated in a small town 
within an hour’s ride of New York, of¬ 
fers admirable facilities for training, the 
work being varied in character, while 
lectures and demonstrations are given 
by famous specialists, in addition to the 
instructions of the house staff. The 
niceties of private nursing may often be 
studied to better advantage in a place 
of this class than in a great city institu¬ 
tion. Candidates should be between the 
ages of 22 and 30 years, and must pre¬ 
sent a letter from a clergyman testify- 
ng to good moral character, and from a 
physician, giving assurance of good 
health. A full account of the require¬ 
ments for such positions was given in 
The R. N.-Y. for May 8, 1807, page 31G. 
* 
The Chicago Board of Education is 
earehing for a suitable teacher of do¬ 
mestic economy in the public schools 
and, at the preliminary examination, 31 
women and one lone man appeared as 
candidates. In addition to the written 
examination, practical demonstrations 
were called for. Here are some of the 
questions asked : 
Describe a fricassee, a chowder, braising, soup 
stock, broiling. 
What objection may be urged to eating warm 
bread, underdone pork, fried oysters, overdone 
beef? 
Describe two methods for the economical and 
palatable utilization of the remnants of a beef 
roast. ' 
Give the chemical symbols for water and car¬ 
bon dioxide. Explain the symbols both gravimet- 
rically and volumetrically. 
What is overcasting, a gusset, a bias darn, a 
placket ? 
What is the “ germ theory ” of disease ? Mention 
a disease caused by germs. What sanitary pre¬ 
cautions should be taken in the care of clothing 
to avoid such diseases ? 
One dressmaker can construct a gown in three 
days, another in four days. How long will it take 
both working together ? 
We should like to know how that one 
lone man would describe a gusset or a 
bias darn. It will be noted that all the 
questions asked are very practical. It 
was privately given out that the com¬ 
mittee charged with this examination 
were determined to select some teacher 
who could tell all about plain everyday 
food rather than fancy cooking. 
THE MORNING CUP. 
She who has been making coffee, year 
in and year out, has her ways, and is not 
likely to change them ; but discussion is 
not, therefore, useless, for are there not 
always some unskillful ones, some ready 
to confess there may be methods better 
than those followed ? Whatever rules 
are observed in the making, all agree on 
the tablespoonful of freshly ground 
coffee for each cupful, the clean coffee¬ 
pot freshly rinsed w’th hot water, the 
egg, shell and all, beaten up with the 
coffee (the egg being washed before 
breaking) and the fresh water just 
brought to the boiling point. One claims 
that her coffee never needs straining, 
and pins her faith, when all is done, on 
the dash of co’d water to check the boil¬ 
ing suddenly just before the coffee pot 
is drawn back. This one adds two 
tablespoonfuls of cold water to the egg 
when mixing it with the coffee, and her 
rival in coffee-making skill will have no 
water, or at least, only enough to be 
sure that all the coffee is damp. One 
likes as quick a boil as possible, and 
another thinks a more gradual rise to 
the highest point of ebullition draws 
the strength better. A third lets the 
coffee pot stand on the back of the range 
for five minutes after the boiling water 
is turned on, then draws it over the fire 
to boil furiously for a moment ; the half 
cupful of cold water to check the boiling 
suddenly makes it then ready to serve 
almost immediately, being sure to clear 
the spout of the coffee pot before pour¬ 
ing out!] the fragrant, golden-brown 
fluid. 
As to different brands of coffee, each 
family has its favorite, and we are all, 
probably, very much at the humor of the 
importer and merchant in the matter, 
for in all probability, it is very much 
with coffee as with fruit, and a name 
that sells well carries all sorts of pro¬ 
ducts. One prefers a very delicate 
flavor, and calls for pure Mocha. Others 
combine Mocha and Java to give the 
concoction the character best liked. Or 
perhaps the head of the house demands 
a heavier draught, and chicory is added. 
So long as the taste is suited, there’s 
naught to be said, for while chicory is 
an adulteration of the more valuable 
coffee berry, it is a clean and harmless 
root, and its presence in the matutinal 
cup should be, and where one deals with 
a reliable grocer, will be, merely a mat¬ 
ter of choice with the purchaser. 
And when the cup of perfect coffee is 
made and served you enjoy it. Break¬ 
fast comes to be nothing without it; in¬ 
deed, you can better take your cup of 
coffee and spare the rest than go coffee¬ 
less, though the table be well supplied 
with all else. Its aroma cheers, its 
flavor satisfies, and its stimulant invig¬ 
orates. You are thankful for this, too, 
among the good things of life, maybe 
all your life—or, perhaps, you one day 
turn your steps in the path of the many 
who seek another sort of aid to living. 
You sit under the scrutiny of the man of 
tablets, temperatures and long bills. He 
questions your w r ays, weighs the evidence 
cautiously, and takes serious views of 
what you have held lightly. From that 
hour, you begin gradually to look upon 
health and even life itself as a less man¬ 
ageable possession than it has seemed 
heretofore. You observe the death no¬ 
tices. How few live to ripe old age! 
How many fall off even before the mid¬ 
dle span ! What are the doctors for ? 
They must be woefully incompetent. 
Headaches, rheumatism, indigestion, kid- 
will mail The Ladies’ Home Journal, begin¬ 
ning with the October number, to January i, 1899, 
also The Saturday Evening Post, every week, 
from the time subscription is received to January 1, 
1899, on receipt of only Twenty-five Cents . 
In The Ladies’ Home Journal 
Mrs. Rorer, who writes exclusively 
for The Ladies’ Home Journal, 
will continue her cooking and do¬ 
mestic lessons. In the October num¬ 
ber she tells what should, and what 
should not, be eaten by men follow¬ 
ing certain occupations. Twenty- 
five desserts are given for all sorts 
of stomachs. 
Some Special Features include 
churches decorated for Christmas, 
Easter, Fairs and Weddings, photo¬ 
graphed and described. 
Interiors of tasteful and inexpen¬ 
sive homes pictured and described, 
showing pretty corners, tables set for 
dinners, luncheons and teas, etc. 
Some Special Features of 
THE SATURDAY EVENING POST 
Besides the General Departments—Serials, 
Short Stories and Sketches— 
Men and Women of the Hour 
Brief biographic sketches and characteristic 
stories of people prominently before the 
public, with portrait illustrations. 
The Post’s Series of 
Practical Sermons 
Each week is given a strong sermon, simple, 
direct and unsectarian, on vital topics, by one 
of the best religious thinkers of the world. 
The Best Poems of the World 
Beautifully illustrated by the best American 
artists, are accompanied by a portrait of the 
poet, a biographic sketch and the interesting 
story of how each poem was written. 
THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY. PHILADELPHIA 
