THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
FEB i5 
106 
progress of the work of Nature filling the 
world with wonderful beauty and life, are 
constant sources of refined and elevating 
enjoyment though often unappreciated.... 
Beechek SAID : The most important 
element in the education of the common 
people is the increasing of that cerebral ex¬ 
citability which is produced by it. It is 
not simply that they know more: it is that 
education changes the very vitality of the 
nervous system, and opens a man to every 
influence that is in creation. 
Du. Cutler says it is a poor specimen of 
a Christian who is satisfied to be to-day no 
better than he was yesterday. To be bare¬ 
ly alive is not enough. Jesus promises to 
all his blood-bought disciples that they 
shall have “life more abundantly .”. 
The CHURcn Press says the Bible is not 
a mysterious essence requiring a key to in¬ 
terpret, but the truth, the whole truth and 
nothing but the truth ; a Divine revelation 
and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for 
correction and instruction in righteousness. 
Pomes tic Ccommuj 
CONDUCTED BY MRS. AGNES E. M. CARMAN. 
“Strenyth for to-day is all that wc need. 
As there never will be a to-morrow; 
For to-morrow will prove but another to¬ 
day. 
With its measure of joy and of sorrow .” 
“UP STAIRS AND DOWN STAIRS 
AND IN MY LADY’S CHAMBER.” 
H E would be thought a very careless, 
unbusiness-like merchant, who, at 
least once in the year, did not take an in¬ 
ventory of his stock of goods; make a 
careful division of the different grades; 
plan to dispose of the inferior stock or of a 
surplus in any line and keep himself well 
informed concerning his business general¬ 
ly. Precisely in the same way and on the 
same principle of thrift, should every good 
housekeeper manage her little domestic 
business. With most of us as with the 
merchant, mid-winter brings the nearest 
approach to leisure and the most convenient 
time for doing this. 
The winter sewing for the family is usu¬ 
ally done before this; consequently the 
clothing is now easily kept in repair by the 
“ stitch in time” and we now have leisure 
to take a careful inventory of our house¬ 
hold belongings. Bright young matrons 
may not need any other help than their 
trusty memories; but I think the easier 
and more dependable way is to have a 
small memorandum, and under different 
heads make lists, not only of the pur¬ 
chases to be made but of all the repairing 
of old garments and the making of new as 
well. During the operation of inspecting 
chambers, closets, bureaus, etc., I always 
take my notes promiscuously, and at my 
leisure assort and arrange them under dif¬ 
ferent heads; of the purchases to be made I 
have two lists, one called “Must Daves” 
and the other called “ Wants.” I expect I 
am very like the average housekeeper in 
this respect. I have many wants which are 
not needs, and without a clearly defined 
idea one is very apt to see some tempting 
bargain and impulsively secure a “ want ” 
which may perhaps necessitate the doing 
without a genuine need. 
The garments needing making and re¬ 
pairing should be arranged as two separate 
lists, the most important items in each 
case heading the list, and as fast as these 
are completed they should be crossed off. 
The woman who has never tried this or a 
similar plan may think it looks formid¬ 
able ; but one trial will convince her that, 
like most systematic ways of doing work, 
it is by far the easier. It is a pleasure 
either to do or to superintend work when 
one has a clear and definite idea of what 
she needs to do. Mending is a fine art— 
and capable of being made a pleasure in¬ 
stead of the bug-bear so many women 
make it. 
If you have not already done so, make 
slips of strong unbleached cotton cloth to 
draw on over every mattress. They should 
be cut box-shaped similar to a mattress 
and tied at one end by tapes. Thick 
“tacks” or comfortables to be used next 
the mattress, should be covered with strong 
material, a cheap grade of ticking being 
superior to anything else. Do not tie 
them close together: the cotton should al¬ 
ways be removed when they become soiled 
enough to need cleaning. All things con¬ 
sidered, blankets combine more good qual¬ 
ities than any other kind of bedding. But 
many women consider quilts a necessity, or 
cannot afford one entire outfit of blankets 
for a house. I have great respect and admir¬ 
ation for very many of our mothers’ ideas 
and ways of doing things; but the elabor¬ 
ately pieced and much quilted bed-quilt, 
which so many women seem striving to make 
popular again, is not one of those things. 
The only merit I can see in the work is, that 
it is very fascinating and easy for teaching 
little girls their first lessons in sewing. 
“ Tacks ” made of handsome satine either 
figured or plain, of oil-boiled figured Tur¬ 
key red calico, of handsome domestic ging¬ 
ham, or of worsted dress goods tied regu¬ 
larly with Dexter’s cotton in either white 
or colored, and in case of the worsted ones, 
with tufts of Germantown yarn, have every 
advantage over pieced and quilted quilts. 
They can be made in one-tenth part the 
time, feel much softer and lighter, and are 
as handsome if not handsomer. There is 
not one woman in 100 who might not 
spend her time more profitably than in 
piecing bed-quilts. 
Marseilles quilts in both white and 
colored are being woven in handsomer de¬ 
signs than ever, and the cheaper grades of 
crochet quilts are now made of excellent 
quality. The ingenious woman who is an 
adept at embroidery can make beautiful 
bed-spreads of different materials. The 
old-fashioned ribbed dimity, Bolton sheet¬ 
ing, linen sheeting, etc., outline work is 
the kind commonly used, and detached 
sprays or other designs spread over the en¬ 
tire surface are more popular than set 
corner and center-pieces. 
A pretty idea is to repeat the same flower 
that is in the wall paper, the back ground 
of which should be of the same color as the 
wood-work in either a darker or a lighter 
shade. A bed-spread should be made a 
trifle larger than the size of the mattress 
below the pillows, hemmed on all four 
sides, and edged with heavy lace all 
around. The ones made of linen sheeting 
are very handsome with either hem-stitch 
or a wider drawn work above a five-inch¬ 
wide hem. Pillow covers are made to 
match the last style, either in one piece or 
two, as preferred. When embroidered in 
colors, wash silk should be used, and when 
in white, linen art thread. 
The scarfs most in demand for bureaus 
and dressing tables are those which can be 
lauudried. Roman embroidery done in 
either white or yellow silk and drawn work 
is considered the most beautiful decora¬ 
tion for them. 
Comparatively few chamber floors are 
now carpeted all over. In most new houses 
they are made either of hard wood, finished 
in natural color, or stained or painted to 
accord with the wood-work of the room. 
Large rugs for the center of the floor are 
very often made of carpet, moquette or 
body brussels being considered the best 
with a harmonizing border all around nice¬ 
ly mitered at the corners. Remnants of 
both carpet and border can often be utilized 
in this way, and obtained at a merely nom¬ 
inal price at this season of the year. As 
far as possible, the colors and pattern of 
the rug, wall paper, hangings and bed 
furnishings, should be in accord. For 
summer or to use -with light furniture, 
there are fadeless cotton Japanese rugs 
which are artistic in color and design, and 
so light in weight as to be easily shaken 
and cleaned. French satine is more satis¬ 
factory, as regards its unfading qualities, 
than cretonne for use as draperies of beds 
and dressing tables, or for covering cushions 
and pillows. It is also another item often 
sold cheap out of its regular season. 
Turkish cotton crape is a very handsome 
material for chamber draperies. It is 
cheap, bears washing perfectly and looks 
very dainty; it is transparent enough for 
an inked pattern to show through it, so 
that any woman can do her own marking 
of designs for embroidery by using a soft 
pencil. Linen floss in the dull golden 
colors washes well, and by using this with 
wash silks for the flowers, many beautiful 
articles can be made at a comparatively 
small outlay—such as bed hangings, bed¬ 
spreads, pillow covers, drapery for the 
dressing table, scarf for the mantel lambre¬ 
quin, bracket drapery for a clock, a wall- 
pocket or a set of draped hanging book¬ 
shelves. I think one piece of the goods 
would be nearly or quite sufficient for all 
the purposes mentioned. 
If, when making sheets, the sewing of 
them together is not an item of expense, it 
is more economical to use single-width 
cloth, as when partly worn, they can be 
ripped apart, the outer edges can be sewed 
together, and so made to wear a much 
longer time than they otherwise would. 
Sheets should never be made less than 2% 
yards long, and if made of unbleached cloth 
—which, by the way, is much more durable 
for servants’ rooms, or other common wear 
—an inch should be allowed on each yard 
for shrinkage. 
I think linen napery was never woven in 
as artistic, handsome designs as now, or 
sold at as reasonable prices. Beautiful 
lunch sets can be had in either all white, 
or a combination of white and the most ex¬ 
quisite colors. Even the most delicate of 
them wash beautifully if carefully laun- 
dried. For ordinary wear, however, a 
fringed cloth is not so satisfactory as a 
hemmed one; even heavy knotted fringe 
will wear and break off while the cloth is 
otherwise perfectly good, thus imparting 
to it a dilapidated air. Table-cloths will 
not only look decidedly better, but will 
wear much longer, if a heavy Canton 
flannel spread is used under them next the 
table. Hand-sewing is far preferable to any 
machine-stitching on table linen. In trim¬ 
ming off a table-cloth preparatory to hem- 
ing it, the pieces should be saved, and 
raveled out to darn old cloths with. Quite 
a dilapidated old table-cloth can be made 
to do service a long time by darning it 
nicely—and then, “ making a virtue of ne¬ 
cessity,” covering the mended places with 
embroidered or other fancy doyleys. 
Several different styles of tray and car¬ 
vers’ cloths can be boughtin plain,in twilled, 
in damask and in momie linen, with hand¬ 
some knotted fringe, with lace, with hem¬ 
stitched borders, and with wider, more 
elaborate designs of drawn work either 
stamped for outline embroidery or not as 
you prefer. These designs, however, are 
usually very ordinary, and it is preferable 
to have them stamped to order, though, of 
course, more expensive. Knit and cro- 
chetted linen lace is coming to be very pop¬ 
ular for these uses. Handsome cloths can 
be made at home of butchers’ linen, either 
simply hemmed and trimmed with lace- 
fringe, or embroidered in outline. For 
common use I find a carvers’ cloth made 
more nearly square than is common, so as 
to come well to the edge of the table, more 
desirable. With all the beautiful devices 
and exquisite delicacy of coloring in both 
weaves and embroideries, it is still an in¬ 
disputable fact that nothing is more dainty 
and beautiful than spotless white napery 
and the added bit of color to come from the 
decorated china and glass. 
If proper ornamentation of underwear 
means more work at good wages for a seam¬ 
stress, let the work go on, and let women 
who can afford the expense, indulge their 
laudable pride to its utmost; but when, as 
is too often the case, it means stitch, stitch, 
stitch for the already over-worked house¬ 
wife, then I protest. It is not only foolish, 
but a positive sin. After making out a list 
of the garments needed by each individual 
member of your family, instead of cutting 
out one or two as you progress in sewing, 
take a day or two and cut enough to wipe 
out the entire list. The advantages are all 
on the side of this plan if only you fold 
each piece carefully and roll up every gar¬ 
ment by itself. One often feels in the 
mood for sewing when she is not in a mood 
for cutting, consequently if this has been 
previously done, she will pick up the work, 
and though perhaps but a few stitches are 
put in they will soon aggregate quite a nice 
bit of sewing. Very many housewives have 
a very inadequate idea of how time is either 
lost or won. 
Hamburg embroideries, at least in the 
cheaper grades, wear so poorly as to be 
only a delusion and a snare. Torchon or 
Medici lace is much more serviceable and 
little, if any, more expensive. The makers 
of machine-made lace have also made rapid 
improvement of late both in the designs 
and weaving, and some of it is very desir¬ 
able for common wear. Hamburgs should 
always be washed previous to making them 
up, and if sewed with a machine, care must 
be taken not to do it with a short stitch. 
Not all women or even a majority of 
them are ready to concede the advantages 
claimed for Annie Jenness-Miller’s divided 
skirt and combination under-garment. 
But the majority of women have surely 
modified their ideas of the legitimate uses 
and styles best adapted for under-gar¬ 
ments, and those giving no protection to 
the arms and chest, but with unnecessary 
bulk about the waist and hips, are rapidly 
being susperseded by a more sensible style. 
One weakness in our old-style dress was 
tjiat we invariably had too much clothing 
over the abdomen and not enough on the 
extremities. In obviating the former diffi¬ 
culty I find nothing so helpful as the 
round yokes made of cotton cloth, and 
adapted both to under and outside drawers 
as well as to skirts. 
With fine and all-wool vest and drawers, 
the latter on one of the above-mentioned 
yokes, a combination corset cover and un¬ 
dershirt, cut princess shape in front and at 
the sides, with one dart and an under arm 
gore, the back half fitting and extending 
only to basque depth, when a plain skirt 
one yard in width is gathered and added to 
it, the outside drawers also on a yoke, as 
well as the skirts, a woman is dressed con¬ 
veniently and healthfully enough to satisfy 
the demands of either modern judges or 
critics. 
Sacque night-gowns are better-fitting if 
an under arm gore is taken out of them. A 
light-weight flannel overnight-gown is an 
appreciable garment for an old person, one 
in delicate health or any one compelled to 
be up during the night. Both the former 
classes invariably feel chilly towards the 
latter part of the night, and one of these 
gowns lying conveniently near and slipped 
on at this time would cause a saving of 
vitality. 
The homely but very essential sewing 
needs of the kitchen and pantry are also 
best met now, and a generous supply of 
hand towels, dish towels, dish-cloths, stove 
cloths and holders in store has a value by 
no means insignificant. If the pieces of 
half-worn garments and table linen have 
been saved—as they always should be— 
more or less of them can be utilized in 
making kitchen supplies. Heavy colored 
cotton cloths, like domestic gingham and 
shirting, cut about three-quarters of a yard 
square and hemmed, are far more conven¬ 
ient for use about the range than are the 
old-fashioned, clumsy holders, and are the 
most effectual means I have found of de¬ 
feating the shiftless habit, which so maay 
cooks acquire, of using dish towels for this 
purpose. Two thicknesses of strong 
manilla paper are better protection against 
heat in ironing holders than is cloth. 
The larger part of the work mentioned in 
this article, is considered necessary to the 
comfort of a thrifty housewife; but it 
would be far better and wiser if some of it 
were left undone than that the over-bur¬ 
dened wife and mother should neglect to 
get out often into the invigorating air and 
sunshine, or fail to obtain other rest and 
recreation. katherine b. j. 
Now is a good time to buy white goods— 
sheeting, table-linen, towels, etc. 
FORETHOUGHT. 
F ORETHOUGHT results in freedom 
from debt, the possession of a bank 
balance, or its equivalent, and of a world 
of small comforts and conveniences, as a 
rule. Of course, there are exceptions, for 
the man of forethought may have a partner 
who scatters faster than he can gather, but 
genuine forethought will perhaps find some 
remedy for even that. 
* 
* * 
Many of us go unconcernedly upon our 
way without the after-thoughts that draw 
wholesome lessons from the past and with 
no forethoughts at all worth the name, 
and when the ladder we are climbing 
breaks, never for an instant do we think 
that we might have mended it or strength¬ 
ened it before it was in a dangerous condi¬ 
tion. 
* 
♦ * 
A stumble over a loose board or a fall 
from catching a foot in the loose edge of a 
carpet may happen a dozen times without 
broken bones, but rarely without a feeling 
of annoyance, and then when the thirteenth 
time makes a temporary cripple of some 
one, how inexcusable it seems that the 
cause was not removed after the first slight 
accident. 
* * * 
Living from “hand to mouth” is not the 
ideal of this age; and well-stored cellars 
and an abundant supply of fuel distinguish 
the provident family. Where country 
roads often hinder farmers’ wives from 
going into town during the spring, a supply 
of materials for all kinds of sewing may 
PissccUancoujs gUvcrti.oint). 
When Baby was sick, we gave her Castoria, 
When she was a Child, she cried for Castoria. 
When she became Miss, she clung to Castoria. 
When she had ChiUlreu,she gave iheui Castvt'u 
