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375 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
THE “ ’TIS BUT ” BOX. 
T HE “original and only” Dickens 
voiced a sentiment that all too many 
of ns have been led by experience to say 
amen to, when he made the immortal Mr. 
Micawber describe so vividly the difference 
between happiness and misery as repre¬ 
sented by one penny either on the wrong, 
or the right side of one’s accounts. Mr. 
Micawber, it will be remembered, was, at 
the time of putting forth this bit of wis¬ 
dom, a verv unsuccessful man. The suc¬ 
cessful and popular Chauncey M. Depew 
took time upon his ffited birthday just 
past, to give young men a happy “ pointer” 
something in the same line, but looking 
not only to coming out even, but to saving 
a little for future possible rainy days, or 
even for future comfort without the rainy 
days. There is a world of wisdom in the 
terse little story he gave. “Some time 
ago,” said he, “I took a great fancy to a 
young man, who, though receiving a good 
salary, could never save a cent. He was 
not viciously extravagant, but heedless 
and not at all careful. Finally he married, 
and I thought that perhaps the responsi¬ 
bility of a wife and subsequent tender re¬ 
sponsibilities might induce him to pay 
more attention to the limitations of his 
purse. But it did not, and the funny part 
of it was that his wife seemed to be just as 
indifferent a financier as he was. They 
were fast drifting on the rocks of bank¬ 
ruptcy. At last he came to me and told 
me his predicament. I related how, when 
1 was a young boy, it was the rage in Peeks- 
kill to have a ‘ ’Tis But ’ box. This was a 
box in which were deposited all of the 
quarters and other pieces which would 
have gone on the plea of the husband or 
wife; * Why, John, or why, Mary, ’tis but 
a quarter.’ Well, will you believe it, that 
young man and that young woman rigged 
up a ‘’Tis But’ box, and in a year he 
brought me $1,000 and asked me to buy 
some sort of an investment bond for him. 
Every young married couple in the country 
should have a ‘ ’Tis But ’ box, and if you 
will but tell them so with my compliments 
they will be very happy chicks at the end 
of the year.” Though few may be able to 
gave $1,000 a.year from the “ ’Tis Buts,” the 
well put lesson in thrift appeals to all in 
greater or less degree; and there are few 
but might be startled into greater careful¬ 
ness in expenditure by the unexpected dis¬ 
closures of the quaintly-named little bank 
of deposit. 
added to the butter. More sugar is needed 
for cabbage, not any for ham. Mustard 
and red pepper go with the original recipe, 
but need not be used. Potatoes rubbed 
through a sieve are sometimes used for 
thickening. I have kept this dressing for 
weeks on the cellar bottom, and it did not 
spoil until the butter in it became rancid. 
I think, though, that the cream was left 
out. It is excellent on any kind of salad, 
and will make a company dish out of a few 
boiled epgs, either warm or cold, by adding 
it to the mashed yelks, then molding the 
mixture and returning it to the halved 
whites ; it is alsQ good on plain, cold beans, 
and on plain lettuce. With this on hand, it 
is only to slice or chop the remnants of a 
meal, adding a little chopped onion when¬ 
ever liked, and pour the dressing over it 
and a good dish is on hand for the next; a 
dish that the unexpected visitor to tea will 
ask the recipe for—one that will make her 
wonder how you got up so good a meal at 
such short notice. Just now, between 
“hay and grass,” salads are especially 
helpful to the housewife who has to rack 
her brains to know what to prepare, and I 
levy more heavily on them at this time of 
the year than at any other; they are also 
very grateful to the languid spring appe¬ 
tite. Canned salmon, chicken, or other 
cold meats are excellent for these dishes, 
but cost more than do vegetable salads, 
for which no one can obtain the slender 
material so easily as the farmer’s family. 
A Frenchman whose name is quite well- 
known here, Mr. Vilmorin, has lately been 
giving Englishmen a lecture on “salad- 
ings,” or vegetables for salads. It appears 
from this that almost any vegetable that 
has a top that may be blanched is used by 
the French for this purpose, and many 
that are scarcely known in England, even 
by name. I think it will lighten the work 
and worry of farmers’ wives a little, when 
they learn to depend on salads to help them 
through the spring season. L. HADLEY. 
the muslin. I have never found'that hand- 
hemmed bed-linen was more satisfactory 
than that hemmed by the machine, but 
table-linen looks much better when hem¬ 
med by hand. 
I HAD SUPPOSED that the question in re¬ 
gard to washing flannels was one that did 
not admit of two opinions. I direct that 
mine be washed and rinsed in water of the 
same temperature preferably, as hot as can 
be comfortably used, but not boiling. 
S. A. L. 
“ BETWEEN HAY AND GRASS : ” 
SALADS. 
T HE appeal of “H. M. E.,” for more 
healthful and economical food, and for 
less work for the home-maker, touches a 
point that needs consideration in the great 
majority of homes. I cannot suppose that 
the friend had in mind anything like salads. . 
yet I think that if managed just right, they 
may be aids in the line of healthfulness, and 
economy, and may also serve to lighten the 
work in a measure, because they can be 
prepared in the morning, and will be wel¬ 
comed at any meal, after they once gain a 
foothold in the family liking. The mus¬ 
tards and spices can always be left out, and 
thesalad belittle the worse for the omission, 
and these are the only ingredients that can 
be considered very unhealthful. It is es¬ 
pecially to farmers, and more especially to 
those farmers who are fond of “ greens,” 
that I would recommend these appetizing 
dishes. I have known some of them to look 
with scorn on these “ fancy French messes ” 
and to refuse to test their table qualities. 
Simply because they are now considered 
indispensable by the fashionable world, they 
are dubbed “fancy,” when really they are 
plain facts, very excellent “stand-bys.” 
Lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, cold potatoes, 
cold beans, beets, onions, parsley, bits of 
meat, eggs,—in fact, about everything that 
is left from any meal, can be used for the 
basis, as the real inwardness of these dishes 
consists not in themselves, but in the 
dressing. 
The best, most healthful, and most easily 
prepared dressing with which I am famtl- 
iar, aside from hot vinegar with melted 
butter, is made as follows: Put IK pint 
of vinegar over the fire in a granite or 
porcelain vessel. Cream one cupful of 
butter, one-half cupful of sugar, one tea- 
spoonful of salt together; add four eggs, 
one at a time, beating well; then add one 
cup of cream, and, lastly, the boiling vin¬ 
egar. Let it boil up once till it thickens, 
stirring carefully, and takiug care not to 
leave it over the fire long enough to curdle. 
The vinegar should be only moderately 
strong. The cream may be omitted if not 
to be had, and if a thicker dressing is de¬ 
sired, a little flour or corn-starch may be 
YOUR NEIGHBOR’S WAYS. 
C OTTON CARPET RAGS are often 
quite bright on one side and dull on 
the other ; to get the benefit of the bright¬ 
est shade the rags, after they have been 
sewed, may be ironed together, the bright 
side being folded out, and when wound 
carefully they will keep in place until 
woven. 
Some chronic fault-finders now and 
then express their disgust that people will 
spend their time cutting up calico and 
sewing it together again. There is reason 
in all things, and where there is a family 
of girls and young children there will be a 
steady accumulation of pieces, large and 
small, left after the dresses and aprons are 
made. Then why not piece them together 
in contrasting colors during spare mo¬ 
ments, and have the benefit of them ? And 
as it is a pleasure to many to plan and ar¬ 
range these different patterns of prints to¬ 
gether, why not continue the custom, both 
pretty and economical ? 
To Cut a Jelly Cake.—W ith a sharp 
knife cut a piece about an inch and a half 
square in the center of the cake, then from 
each corner of the square to the outside cut 
slices. Then the slices will be of uniform 
size and shape, and not so awkward-looking 
as if cut in wedge-like pieces from the 
center to the outside. 
If ONE HAS a surplus of sour apples on 
hand in the spring, it is nice to use them 
for jelly. Take two quarts of water to a 
dozen apples, pared and sliced; boil soft 
and strain through a flannel bag. To one 
pint of juice, add one pound of loaf sugar 
and the juice and rind of a lemon, and boil 
15 minutes. Before boiling put in a tea¬ 
cupful of the juice of stewed or canned 
cranberries. The result will be very satis- 
factory. AUNT RACHEL. 
* * * 
When papering a room take two rolls 
of paper, match the figure, and cut first 
from one then from the other. In this way 
there will be no waste in matching. Starch 
made thick enough to spread evenly when 
cold, is much nicer than paste made of 
flour. 
A few bits of salt codfish added to 
vegetable oysters a few minutes before 
they are served, add much to their flavor. 
AN OLD HOUSEKEEPER. 
* * * 
SHOULD “ M. W. F.” sew the selvages of 
her sheets together in a flat seam on the 
machine instead of oversewing them by 
hand, she could use the yard-wide muslin 
for every-day sheets, with very little extra 
work, and when they became thin enough 
to be turned, she could rip them very 
easily, as the thread wears as quickly as 
ELLA’S PHILOSOPHY. 
“ T^LLA, I cannot help noticing that 
11/ yon live very differently now from 
what you did three years ago. You saved 
then in so many ways in which you do not 
now, that I should have come to the conclu¬ 
sion that farming must pay better now 
since the children’s clothes are all new, and 
you employ a fashionable dressmaker, and 
do not seem to care whether you save any¬ 
thing or not, if John had not complained 
to me of your extravagance.” 
Ella Marston’s expression of indifference 
had not changed until her husband’s name 
was mentioned ; then she looked up with a 
flash in her eyes, and waited with firmly 
compressed lips until cousin Mary had 
finished. 
“ So John has been complaining, has he ?” 
she said. “It is all his own fault. You 
know, Mary, I was always careful and eco¬ 
nomical. Father gave each of his daughters 
an allowance, and I always saved a part of 
mine. When I was married I intended to be 
careful and help John along. He had a 
good farm, all paid for, and some money 
at interest; when we bought our stock, in¬ 
stead of taking anythingfrom the principal 
we made arrangements to pay as we made 
the money, and we did pay for it from our 
earnings. Then the house had to have a 
new roof, and other repairs; but after the 
stock was paid for we laid by something 
every year. I had a habit of saving, so I 
still patched and got along without many 
a thing that would have been a convenience, 
for we would need money to educate the 
children by and by. But though John was 
willing to let me have money for clothes, he 
never seemed to want me to have any 
money to call my own, and I became dis¬ 
couraged. Oh I Mary, it is hard for a mar¬ 
ried woman who works every hour of the 
day to feel that she can never have a penny 
of her own; even the hired girl does not 
work as does her mistress ; but she has her 
own money, and I have envied Bridget her 
wages so. She can spend them or lay them 
up as she pleases. We lay up money every 
year; but it is all in John’s name; and I 
found that the little I saved by wearing my 
old clothes, darning my gloves and making 
rag carpet, I could not have; for John jeal¬ 
ously watched my use of every cent, and I 
must not have money unless I needed it to 
spend, so I gave up saving. I could lay up 
a nice little sum every year if John would 
encourage me by letting me have my sav¬ 
ings : but you know one must have some 
purpose to work for, and it is so strange 
that a man never thinks that his wife may 
like a little independence as well as he 
does. A woman does not plow, and plant 
and raise large crops as men do; but she 
works just as many hours a day—generally 
more; she bears children, and loses hours 
of sleep every night while she is bringing 
them up; she nurses them and her hus¬ 
band through sickness, often doing all the 
work besides. If he had all this to pay for 
it would be a good round sum ; but, as it 
is, it does not count. It is all very well if a 
woman should live to bring up her chil¬ 
dren, and see them settled in life; but 
should she die, how many men are there 
who would not marry within two or three 
years ? and what becomes of the children ? 
Oh! they are pushed aside to shift for 
themselves, and make room for the second 
brood. Then where is the use of a wife’s 
working herself to death ; and saving and 
scrimping for what neither she, nor her 
children may ever enjoy. She may as well 
*take comfort, and enjoy herself as she goes 
along. So if John wants to work and scrimp 
to keep me in nice clothes he may ; under 
different conditions I could save what I 
can earn and would be glad to do so.” 
Mary laughed. 
“ I see, Ella, that you do not mean to make 
room for John’s second wife; and judging 
from your blooming face, I do not think you 
will do so very soon. I am sure I don’t 
blame you for taking care of yourself, and 
enjoying the income of the farm as you go 
along. I shall remember what you have 
told me, when I marry: and if I cannot 
have my share of the income, 1 will follow 
your example.” B. H. G. 
Johnson’s, N. Y. 
WHY NOT ? 
A N item that has recently been going 
the rounds of the papers, states that 
Miss Sanger, stenographer to President 
Harrison and private secretary to Mrs. 
Harrison, was recently asked to assist at a 
reception given at the White House ; also 
that Miss Hunt, who is private secretary to 
Mrs. Morton, assisted at a reception at her 
employer’s house. It is remarked that 
while this is highly sensible and correct, 
inasmuch as the young ladies are educated, 
attractive, and in every way fitted to grace 
a drawing-room, yet their appearance is 
“ an innovation which Is said to be with¬ 
out precedent.” It is in truth a shoddy 
aristocracy that would shut out from social 
circles young women of refinement and 
talent simply because they are bread-win¬ 
ners. Yet that this has been the case is 
proved by the fact that this action on the 
part of Mrs. Harrison and Mrs. Morton has 
attracted so much attention, not only in 
official circles, but in society wherever this 
custom has prevailed, viz., to regard those 
young women who earn their own living 
as “outside society,” without regard to 
their ability or accomplishments. 
Nor would this be so noticeable were it 
not for the fact that others possessing far 
less natural ability and education than 
these thus debarred from society are 
courted and received therein with great 
display—and this simply because fortune 
has smiled upon them ; and we may judge 
that it is their money alone that has 
brought them into prominence. No matter 
if their grammar is shocking; their knowl¬ 
edge of polite manners exceedingly limited; 
tbeir ancestry decidedly obscure ; all this 
is overlooked because of their money. 
It must be admitted that in American 
society the Veneering family as pictured by 
Dickens is very extensive. Why this class 
of people should be welcomed witn out¬ 
stretched arms while others far more 
worthy are passed by, is the question. 
Presumably it is because fate has decreed 
that they should be wage-earners, for 
which they should be commended rather 
than snubbed. To the ladies of the pres¬ 
ent Administration has it been given to 
signify this fact by the course they have 
taken, and it is to be hoped that their 
example will be followed in other cities. 
Thus, will society in general be benefited ; 
for besides the addition of culture and re¬ 
finement, the Veneerings, seeing their own 
shoddiness in comparison with real worth, 
will quietly withdraw. f. m. t. 
PijsceUanmtf Advertising. 
Advertisers treat all correspondents 
well if they mention the Rural New- 
Yorker. 
The Shah of Persia 
Though advanced in years, has hair of raven 
hue. Gray hairs are strictly prohibited in 
his dominions, and hence the large ship¬ 
ments to that country of Ayer’s Hair Vigor, 
by the use of which the Shah’s subjects save 
not only their hair but their heads. Ayer’s 
Hair Vigor restores the natural color of the 
hair. It should be on every toilet-table. 
“ Some time ago my hair began to fade and 
to fall oiit so badly that 1 thought I should 
be bald; but the use of Ayer’s Hair Vigor 
has restored the original color and made my 
hair strong, abundant, and healthy. It does 
not fall out any more.” — Addie Shaffer, 540 
Kace st., Cincinnati, Ohio. 
“ My hair (which had partly turned gray) 
was restored to its youthful color and 
’beauty by the use of a few bott es of Ayer’s 
•Hair Vigor. I shall continue to use it, as 
.there is no better dressing for the hair.” — 
Gaido Gapp, Georgeana, Ala. 
Ayer’s Hair Vigor, 
PREPARED BY 
DR. J. C. AYER & CO., Lowell, Mass. 
Sold by all Druggists and Perfumers. 
HOG CHOLERA AND SWINE PLAGUE 
Particulars 
and 
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Free. 
AGENTS 
_ WANTED. 
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7 1 Clinton Street. Boston. Mass. 
PREVENTED 
and CURED. 
DESKS, 
Chairs, 
Office Furniture 
SEND FOR CATALOGUE. 
DERBY k KILMER DESK CO. 
Salesrooms, 
opp. Lowell Depot, 
33 Causeway St., Boitooi 
