March 4, 
i9o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
From Day to Day. 
FATE. 
The sky is clouded, (lie rooks are bare! 
The spray of the tempest Is white in air; 
The winds are out with the waves at play. 
And I shall not tempt the sea to-day. 
The trail is narrow, the wood is dim, 
The panther clings to the arching limb; 
And the lion’s whelps are abroad at play. 
And I shall not join in the chase to-day. 
But the ship sailed safely over the sea, 
And the hunters came from the chase in glee; 
And the town that was builded upon a rock 
Was swallowed up in the earthquake shock. 
—Bret Harte. 
* 
Among comforts in Winter undergar¬ 
ments we may include a mohair petticoat 
with flannelette lining. 1 his has all the 
warmth of an outer petticoat with flannel 
underskirt, without the uncomfortable 
“bunching” of the ordinary flannel skirt 
in walking. Such a skirt, in fine black 
mohair with umbrella flounce and pleated 
ruffle, costs $2,75. 
* 
Some of the baskets made by the Amer¬ 
ican Indians are extremely elaborate in 
weave, and show effects that other work¬ 
ers are unable to acquire. Fine displays 
of this work are offered by dealers in the 
large cities. One very elaborate basket 
noted was the feathered Poma, in which 
rare feathers woven into grass form a 
beautiful pattern on the outside, without 
showing on the inside at all; the basket 
being further decorated with wampum and 
beads. This basket, about seven inches 
across, costs from $25 to $65. Strangely 
decorated baskets from the Aleutian 
Islands cost $20 to $40, but the hand¬ 
somest specimens are made by Indians 
within the United States. 
* 
Eggs cooked in French fashion, a la 
maitre d’hotel, will make a pleasant 
change. Put the eggs in boiling water 
and boil for six minutes; then take from 
the fire and dip in cold water, taking them 
out immediately; this is to render shelling 
easy. When shelled, cut the eggs through 
lengthwise and lay them on a hot dish 
on which maitre d'hotel butter has been 
melted. With a spoon cover the eggs 
with this sauce, which is made as follows: 
Mix with a spoon on a plate a piece of 
butter the size of an egg with a table¬ 
spoonful of finely chopped parsley, a pinch 
of salt, and pepper. Put it on a hot plat¬ 
ter to melt. This sauce is often served 
with fish, broiled meat or boiled vege¬ 
tables. It is very nice with new potatoes. 
Eggs boiled as above described are also 
very good with strained tomato, or pars¬ 
ley sauce, while another variation is given 
by using black butter, sauce au beurre 
noir. To make this, brown half a cupful 
of butter in the frying pan as brown as it 
can be made without burning, then add 
two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, salt and 
pepper. This sauce is very good with fish 
also. Some of these simple but appetiz¬ 
ing sauces do much to relieve the monot¬ 
ony of Lenten fare. 
* 
The newest baby’s dresses are no longer 
gored at the sides, but have an inverted 
box pleat under each arm, which gives all 
the fullness necessary at the bottom, with¬ 
out sagging out of shape, as a gored seam 
so often does. This style is used for any 
simple yoke dresses up to the age of five. 
A very useful garment for a young baby 
is a combination cape and hood, which is 
all made in one piece. It consists of a 
square of soft cashmere, lined with China 
silk, one corner being rounded off to form 
the hood. Eyelets are worked across the 
corner and also around the hood portion, 
so that riDDon maybe run through to draw 
it into shape. When it needs washing the 
ribbons are taken out, and the cape is 
merely a flat piece, easily laundered. It 
may be bound with ribbon, or buttonholed 
around the edge, being decorated or left 
plain as desired. This simple cape is a 
great comfort to the baby if the house is 
drafty or irregularly heated, being free 
from the objections of a heavier wrap. 
Baby’s bootees made of fleece-lined pique 
are one of the novelties; they wash much 
better than those knitted or crocheted, and 
are quite as warm. Another new idea is 
a baby’s coat that buttons down the back 
instead of the front, so that the child’s 
chest is never exposed to cold winds; the 
deep cape collar is of the same material, 
but without wadding. An improvement in 
baby’s bonnets is making them without in¬ 
terlining, a small wadded cap being worn 
inside. This greatly facilitates launder¬ 
ing, as the wadded cap may be washed 
separately. We notice, too, that the little 
sacques are now fastened with tiny but¬ 
tons and loops, thus depriving baby of the 
innocent pleasure he usually derives from 
swallowing the ribbon ties to the verge of 
choking. These sacques are all without 
collars, which form an uncomfortable wad 
around the tiny throat. The flannel band 
which used to be wound tightly around 
the baby, and firmly pinned, has now given 
way to a soft knitted band that is slipped 
over the head, and kept in place by straps 
over the shoulders, which are knitted to 
form one piece with the band. This band 
is worn for warmth, not support, and is 
recommended until the child is four or five 
years old, as a preventive of intestinal dis¬ 
orders. Flannel petticoats are now made 
all in one piece, a sleeveless slip buttoned 
on the shoulders, thus doing away with 
the muslin band. 
A SPRING BREAKFAST. 
A Question About Soap. 
My wife is rather a successful soap boil¬ 
er in a general way, but in her efforts with 
the raw suet or tallow from beeves her 
success is not what she would wish, the 
result being apparently too greasy. Can 
any of your subscribers explain the trou¬ 
ble? D- m. 
Pennsylvania. 
Two Soap Recipes. 
Soft Soap. —My recipe calls for nine 
pounds of potash (no concentrated lye 
will do; I pay 10 cents per pound); 12 
pounds of clean grease, any kind will do 
if it is well cleaned and strained. 1 use 
brass kettles, as I have them. Put the 
potash in, pouring over it two gallons of 
soft water; stir every day till dissolved. 
Heat the grease, add the lye and a gallon 
of boiling water, stirring vigorously; add 
some hot water each day when you stir it. 
After putting in the first lye I add some 
water to the sediment at least twice, so as 
to get all the strength. I do not let the 
sediment go in, as it makes the soap dark. 
This will make 16 gallons, one-half barrel, 
the consistency of jelly and the color of 
manila paper. Do not touch the potash 
with your hands. They used to call it 
cold soap, as it was never boiled. It can 
be made cold, but the hot water makes it 
easier to mix. Get a good strong barrel 
to put it in. a. m. f. 
Hard Soap.—O ne can Babbitt's potash; 
one quart and one gill cold water; five 
pounds and three ounces strained grease; 
two tablespoonfuls powdered borax; two 
tablespoon fuls powdered ammonia. Stir 
potash with wooden spoon into cold 
water till dissolved; let stand till cooled. 
Stir lye into the warm (not hot) grease 
till thoroughly mixed. Add borax and 
ammonia, and stir 20 minutes. Line drip¬ 
ping pan with thick brown paper; oil 
paper from melting grease. Before it hard¬ 
ens mark the shape desired. Next day 
cut and place in warm room to dry. This 
recipe is from the Swanton, Vt., Cook 
Book. I have used it with perfect suc¬ 
cess. c. L. E. 
Sure Warmth 
In hot air heating the heat is expected 
to “come up” through registers placed 
in the most protected part of the room. 
It has to be so “coaxed” in—especially 
on windy days. Stoves of course heat 
the rooms only in “ spots.” 
In steam or hot water warming the 
heat is compelled to circulate through 
the hollow pipes and radiators, which 
are placed wherever warmth is most 
needed. 
AffiRION 
Jl Radiators 
& 
DEAL 
Boilers 
carry warmth uniformly to all parts of the build¬ 
ing, no matter how stormy or hitter cold. The 
farm or city family suffering from a cold house 
would be surprised to know how quickly, simply, 
noiselessly our outfit is put in, and brings great 
comfort and fuel economy. 
Write for free booklet “ Heating Investments.” 
j[MEl? IGM g ADIATQI ?r OA\PAN7 
Good lamp-chimneys 
one make 
mv name on ’em all. 
j 
Macbeth. 
How to take care of lamps, including the 
getting of right-shape chimneys, is in my 
Index; sent free. 
Macbeth. Pittsburgh. 
NOW IS THE TIME 
to decorate your home; don’t buy wall papers 
until you see our offer. Gilts, Embossed, Silks 
and Ingrains at 5 to cts. per roll. We save 
you 50 p.c.; we defy competition. Write for 
our book of samples sent free, which includes 
all instructions to hang your own paper. 
Consumers Wall Paper and Supply Co. 
Greenpoint, Brooklyn, N. Y. 
GOOD INCOMES FOR ALL 
25to 30 per cent commission 
to get onlerH lor our celebrated Teas, 
Coffees, SjdceH, Kxtracts and Raking 
Powder. Beautiful Pretents and Coupons 
with every purchase. C HARGES PAID 
For prompt attention address Mr. J. J. D 
care of 
THE GREAT AMERICAN TEA CO., 
P. O. Box 289, 31-33 Vesey St. ,New York. 
%?WE WANT AGENTS 
in every town to ride and sell our bicycles. 
Good pay. Finest guaranteed 1305 MODELS, 
with Puncture-Proof f f ^ Q/f 
tires,Coaster-Brakes ^ 
130.1 k 1304 Models tff f O 
of Best Makes. • Iu ^ 
500 Second-Hand Wheels 
■ All makes & Mod- Q * n O 
lela good as new 
I CLEARING SALE at half cost. 
We SHIP ON APPROVAL and 
TEN DAYS TRIAL to anyone 
without a cent deposit. Write at once for 
Special Offer on sample bicycle. 
TIKES?SUNDRIES, AUTOMOBILES. 
TELEPHONE APPARATUS 
OWN YOTTK OWN TELEPHONE LINE. 
Our telephones are powerful, loud- 
talking and absolutely guaranteed. 
OUR PRICES ARE RIGHT. 
Telephones that work on any line. 
Large Catalog No. 9 Fkee. 
CONNECTICUT TELE, 4. ELEC. CO., 
Meriden, Conn., U. S. A. 
Telephones for Farmers 
Five year guarantee, thirty days trial. 
Send postal for prices. 
Standard Telephone & Electric Company 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin _ 
—————— ■ ■tii 
PHONE NEWS 
FOR FARMERS 
GREAT ACTIVITY 
AMONG FARMERS 
Everywhere farmers 
-e awakening to modern 
ieas. 
Just now there is great 
itivity among farmers 
i establishing and build- 
i': telephone lines 
, over this country, 
be telephone saves 
me in getting 
elp in a hurry; 
eeps the farmer in 
>uch with the mar- 
eta at all times, and 
i case of emergency 
ets assistance from 
eighbors or the city 
ithout delay. The 
uilding of private and 
arty lines has been so 
[mplified and cheapened 
y the introduction of 
Slromberg-Carlson 
Telephones 
oat every neighborhood, 
o matter how small, can 
■ell airord its own tele¬ 
hone line. 
For farmers lines none 
but the best telephones 
will do—instruments that 
are practically perfect, 
that do not require con¬ 
stant adjusting and 
‘•tinkering” to keep them 
talking right. There are 
many telephones offered 
to farmers that are 
actually not lit for 
such service. It 
pays to get good 
instruments at the 
start. Stromberg- 
Carlson Telephones 
meet every need of 
the farmers line. 
Write for book F 102 
“Telephone Facts 
for Farmers” how 
to organize your neigh¬ 
bors and build_a lino* 
Ask for book 102 telling 
how successful lines have 
been built. 
STROMBERG-CARLSON 
TELEPHONE MFG. CO. 
Rochester, N Y.. 
Chicago, III. 
