788 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
October 20, 
l 
it v w w^r w ▼ ▼-’T’* 
[ Woman and Home \ 
From Day to Day. 
OCTOBER’S BRIGHT BLUE WEATHER. 
O suns and skies and clouds of June, 
And flowers of June together, 
Ye can not rival for one hour 
October’s bright blue weather. 
When loud the bumblebee makes haste, 
Belated, thriftless vagrant; 
And goidenrod is dying fast. 
And lanes with grapes arc fragrant; 
When gentians roll their fringes tight 
To save them from the morning, 
And chestnuts fall from satin burrs 
Without a sound of warning; 
When on (lie ground red apples lie 
In piles like jewels shining. 
And redder still on old stone walls 
Are leaves of woodbine twining; 
When all the lovely wayside things 
Their white-winged seeds are sowing, 
And in the fields, still green and fair, 
Late aftermaths are growing; 
When springs run low, and on the brooks, 
In idle golden freighting. 
Bright leaves sink noiseless in the hush 
Of woods for Winter waiting; 
When comrades seek sweet country haunts. 
By twos and twos together, 
And count like misers hour by hour. 
October’s bright blue weather. 
O suns and skies and flowers of June, 
Count all your boasts together— 
Love loveth best of all the year, 
October's bright blue weather. 
—Helen Hunt Jackson (1S.‘51-1885). 
* 
The cool evenings make us think of 
pop corn. It is very good sugared as 
follows: Put two cups of sugar, either 
granulated or brown, or half of each, 
two tablespoons of vinegar and half a 
cup of water into a buttered saucepan. 
Cook until it forms a hard ball when 
tried in cold water. Add a fourth of a 
cup of butter when the candy is almost 
done. In a large, deep bowl or granite 
pan have four quarts of freshly popped 
corn from which all imperfect grains have 
been removed. Pour the hot syrup in a 
fine stream over the corn, stirring briskly 
to distribute it evenly. Continue to stir 
until it is cool, when each separate grain 
will be coated. If half a cup or more of 
powdered sugar is sifted over the corn 
while stirring, the kernels separate more 
readily. 
It was a surprise to the Summer 
boarder to learn, says the Youth’s Com¬ 
panion, that one of the group of gradu¬ 
ates from the seminary, to the “farewell 
exercises” of which she had listened the 
year before, was married and settled in 
a home of her own. 
“I remember her,” said the Summer 
boarder, when the name was mentioned, 
“but she did not strike me as being as 
attractive as most of the other girls.” 
“Um-m!” said her informant. “Well 
I guess ’twas her graduating essay that 
kerried her off so quick, maybe. Her 
subject was, ‘How to Keep House on 
Six Dollars a Week,’ and it fetched most 
every young fellow in town, they tell me. 
By what I hear, all she had to do was to 
sit at home and pick and choose.” 
* 
Several towns and cities of the Middle 
West report an alarming epidemic of fleas 
this Autumn. This particular trouble re¬ 
minds us that it is aways the small 
worries of life that cause us most anxiety; 
as the late Josh Billings observed, “You 
kail dodge an clefant. but you kan’t dodge 
a flea.” The secretary of the Milwaukee 
school board had recently received nearly 
200 letters asking relief from the agile 
flea, and some sections of this city are 
similarly afflicted. Most cases of flea 
infestation 'in cleanly houses are noted 
in Summer or Pali, after the apartments 
have been closed while the family is 
away on a vacation. Dust or dirt are 
the natural home of the larvae; the spaces 
between the boards of floors are often 
filled with them, and consequently if there 
has been any chance for it from infested 
’ animals, the insects may develop in 
myriads during a period when dust is 
undisturbed. Persistent cleanliness and, 
in the case of serious infestation, applica¬ 
tion of gasoline (and remember it is 
highly inflammable) to every crack and 
crevice, will destroy this plague. Pet 
animals should be freely washed with 
carbolic soap. Prof. Slingerland told us, 
some time ago, of a flea invasion in a 
college building where the janitor, wear¬ 
ing leggings of sticky fly paper, strolled 
about to entice the volatile fleas into 
jumping, and thus captured a large pro¬ 
portion. Fly paper is usually a valuable 
aid in getting rid of this nuisance, but 
so long as there is an infested pet animal 
in the house there is always a chance for 
this plague when conditions are favorable. 
* 
We are often impressed by the number 
of children belonging to respectable, even 
refined and cultivated parents, who can 
only be described by the forcible though 
inelegant designation of “fresh kids.” One 
of our friends, who loves children, told 
us how she had been attracted by two 
pretty little boys, sons of a new neighbor, 
who were playing on the sidewalk. She 
ventured to say “Good morning,” where¬ 
upon one of the children responded by 
sticking out his tongue at her, while the 
other impudently ordered her to “Shut 
up.” She finds that such responses to 
neighborly courtesy are quite usual with 
these boys, whose parents, people of fair 
education and excellent moral standards, 
appear entirely oblivious of any defect in 
training. Another delicate little fellow 
who appeared too shy to speak at first 
finally responded to a pleasant salutation 
by calling out—“Go ’way, old dopy-head.” 
Now, it may be that the parents are not 
aware of the children’s aggressive rude¬ 
ness, yet it is more than likely that they 
have been permitted to think impudence 
a sign of “smartness,’ and to regard the 
Sunday supplement of a “yellow” news¬ 
paper as a model for young America. We 
have long believed that the coarse and 
vulgar pictures which, in many news¬ 
papers, take the place of real humor, must 
affect the manners and morals of the 
young, and it is more than possible that 
we are already reaping the natural result. 
Since it does not appear entirely practical 
to follow the advice of a philosopher who 
believed that all boys should be shut up 
in barrels and fed through the bungholc 
until they reached the age of 21, it cer¬ 
tainly would be wise to give more thought 
to their training. There is a better op¬ 
portunity for such training on the farm 
than in town, where both business and 
pleasure are more likely to take the 
parents away from the children, and 
where there is more opportunity to form 
undesirable associates. It is an unfortu¬ 
nate fact that many business men pay 
little attention to the training of their 
children, and if the mother shirks her 
responsibilities too we are very likely 
to see the combination of undesirable 
qualities that turns an ordinary child into 
a neighborhood nuisance. 
Indoor Ferneries. 
Already the shortening of the days 
warns us of the approach of Winter, and 
we begin to look about for material to 
brighten our homes during the dreary 
season of snow and cold. The first 
thought is naturally of green plants and 
blossoms. The garden’s choicest treas¬ 
ures are brought indoors, and bulb cata¬ 
logues are eagerly studied that the house 
may be brave with bloom amid February 
snow'drifts. Those who are not the for¬ 
tunate possessors of large, sunny win¬ 
dows, or who prefer to reserve the same 
for the use of the family (a wise choice, 
by the way) must employ plants that will 
thrive in partial or entire shade. Not 
everyone realizes the decorative value of 
our native ferns. Some of them are as 
beautiful as those petted favorites, the 
Boston and Pierson ferns, and will grow 
under conditions which would cause most 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See guarantee, page 14. 
other plants to dwindle and die. They 
are quite at home in an east or north win¬ 
dow, on a wall bracket, or top of a book¬ 
case. All they require is good drainage, 
plenty of water, and not too much dry 
heat; from 00 to 65 degrees F., the tem¬ 
perature which physicians declare is best 
for the living-room also suits the ferns. 
October is the proper month to select 
plants for the Winter fernery. After two 
or three hard frosts, the perishable sorts 
disappear, leaving those having thick, 
evergreen leaves that endure all Winter. 
When hunting ferns, one should go 
armed with a stout spade, so as to re¬ 
move the roots with a generous ball of 
earth attached. Extra care in transplant¬ 
ing will be rewarded by the undiminished 
vigor of the plants. By examining the 
lower surface of the leaves for the brown 
fruit-dots, specimens can be readily se¬ 
lected having only sterile, non-fruiting 
fronds. These keep in good condition for 
a long time, while the fertile ones, having 
done their work, are apt to turn brown 
speedily and wither away. The Christ¬ 
mas fern is one of the commonest and 
best; every one knows its glossy, dark- 
green plumes. The native maiden-hair 
when taken up in. the Fall, should be 
shorn of its old,' unsightly fronds and 
rested for a month or two in the cellar. 
If then brought to the light and warmth, 
the new growth will appear in tight, red¬ 
dish spirals, and the plant soon becomes 
a thing of beauty. 
Give the feyns a rustic set ing, if pos¬ 
sible; nothing else so well suits their deli¬ 
cate grace. The rock-loving species with 
drooping fronds are best adapted for a 
wall bracket or other high perch. They 
look their prettiest in birch-bark baskets 
with the fronds swaying gracefully down 
the sides. A box that will group half a 
dozen specimens is a good arrangement 
for a shaded window. The outside may 
be covered with rough bark, nailed on in 
overlapping sections with small nails. 
Other woodland treasures may be includ¬ 
ed in the box, such as trailing lengths of 
ground pine and the dark-green leaves 
and ruddy fruit of the partridge berry. 
Hepaticas arc pleasant neighbors for the 
ferns; the downy leaves that unfold after 
the flowers are as charming as the blos¬ 
soms. 
Most of the varieties sold by the flor¬ 
ists for fern di§hes are suitable for the 
Winter fernery. Last Fall I purchased 
five little plants for 25 cents. One of the 
number was the holly fern with its beau¬ 
tiful glossy leaves. They were placed in 
a rustic jardiniere that held six quarts of 
rich leaf-mold. The luxuriant growth 
these plants have made would be a revela¬ 
tion to people who only know them as 
stunted, sickly, fern-dish specimens. 
Along the sides, Kenilworth ivy is grow¬ 
ing and sweeps downward in an unbroken 
sheet of green to the floor. The great¬ 
est pleasure, for me, of a fernery is in its 
making—in the walks in the October 
woods and the quickened sense which 
comes of the splendor of the waning 
year. There also comes a desire to learn 
more of the characteristics of these wood¬ 
land neighbors, their names, and family 
groups—a knowledge which the new na¬ 
ture-study books have made easy and de¬ 
lightful to attain. Not long ago 1 was 
reproved by a relative for having inad¬ 
vertently stated in her presence that I 
knew 25 of our local fern species. Such 
things, I was informed, were not practi¬ 
cal ; better know how to cut a seven- 
gored skirt. Perhaps the well-meaning 
lady was right; perhaps I should do bet¬ 
ter to spend, like her, long hours over 
fine embroidery. Then I should have 
something “to show for my time.” But 
each must take her recreation in her own 
way. Verily, I have my recompense for 
the hours spent with nature in sound 
health and no nerves to speak of. 
m. e. colegkovr. 
BURalo brand 
No rubber wears as well as new pure 
Para rubber. It has stretch and don’t 
crack. Put on good canvas and duck 
it will outwear any other kind three 
times over. 
Buffalo Brand 
Rubber boots are made of new pure 
Para rubber. They stretch where 
the strain comes. That’s why they 
wear better. Other kinds of rubber 
will crack because there’s no 
stretch in it. So that you will 
remember the Buffalo Brand 
we will send FREE abeautiful 
souvenir Buffalo Watch Fob 
if you ask for illustrated book¬ 
let C. Send 10c. to pay post¬ 
age and packing. 
Established Over Fifty Years 
WM. H. WALKER & CO., 
77-83 So. Pearl St«, 
Buffalo, N. Y. 
YOUR IDLE MONEY 
SHOULD EARN 
5 % 
I NSTEAD of keeping unemployed the funds you 
expect to have use for later, they may he in¬ 
vested with tliis Company, withdrawn when 
you wish. We pay you earnings for every day 
and can handle such temporary investments 
as profitably for you as more 
permanent accounts. 
Assets, $1,750,000. 
Established 13 Years. 
Banking Dept. Supervision 
Let us send you further and 
more detailed information .with 
endorsements of those whom 
we have servod. 
INDUSTRIAL SAVINGS AND LOAN CO. 
5 Times Bldg., Broadway, New York. 
W. L. DOUGLAS 
*3.50&*3.00 Shoes 
BEST IN THE WORLD 
W.L.Douglas $4 Gill Edge line^ 
c annotbe equalled at any p rice, 
To Shoe Dealers: 
W. L. Douglas’ Job¬ 
bing House is the most 
complete in this country 
Send for Cataloo 
SHOES FOE EVERYBODY AT ALL PRICES. 
Men’s Shoes, $5 to $1,60. Hoys’ Shoes, $3 
to $1.25. Women’s Shoes, $4.00 to $1.50. 
Misses’ & Children’s Shoes. $2.25 to $1.00. 
Try W. E. Douglas Women’s, Misses and 
Children’s shoes; for style, fit and wear 
they excel other makes. 
If I could take you Into my large 
factories at Brockton, Mass.,and show 
you how carefully W. L. Douglas shoes 
are made, you would then understand 
why they hold their shape, fit better, 
wear longer, and are of greater value 
than any other make. 
Wherever you live, you can obtain W. L. 
Douglas shoes. His name and price is stamped 
on the bottom, which protects you against high 
prices and Inferior shoes. Take no substi » 
tute. Ask your dealer for W. L. Douglas shoes 
and insist upon having them. 
Fast Color Eyelets used; they will not wear brassy. 
Write for Illustrated Catalog of Fall Styles. 
W. L. DOUGLAS, Dept. Q, Brockton, Mass. 
EddystonE 
PRINTS 
Simpson - Eddystone 
Blacks Whites 
cover the widest range of desirable 
patterns, from neat pin-stripes, polka 
dots and plaids to elaborate figures in 
dignified effects. Fast color and supe¬ 
rior quality, insuring durable dresses. 
’ Ask your dealer for 
Simfson-Eddy stone Black <&» Whites. 
Three generations of Simpsons 
have made Simpson Prints. 
The Eddystone Mfg Co (Sole Makers) Philadelphia 
