©78 
THE RURAL* NEW-YORKER 
December 19, 
Woman and the Home 
From Day to Day. 
THE HAUGHTY ASPEN. 
(A German Legend.) 
As I went through the tangled wood 
I heard the Aspen shiver. 
“What dost thou adl, sweet Aspen, say, 
“Why do thy leaflets quivert 
“ ’Twas long ago,” the Aspen sighed— 
How long ’tis past my knowing— 
“When Mother Mary rode adown 
This wood where I was growing. 
Blest Joseph journeyed by her side 
Upon his good staff resting, 
And in her arms the Heav’nly Babe, 
Dove of the World was nesting. 
Fair was the Mother, shining-fair, 
A lily sweetly blowing; 
The Babe was but a lily-bud, 
Like to His mother showing. 
The birds began, ‘Thy Master comes! 
Bow down, bow <\own before Him!’ 
The date, the fig, the hazel-tree, 
In rev’renee bent to adore Him. 
I only, out of all the host 
Of bird and tree and flower,— 
I, haughty, would not bow my head 
Nor own my Master’s power. 
‘Proud Aspen,’ quoth the Mother-Maid, 
‘Thy Lord, dost thou defy Him? 
When Emperors worship at His shrine 
Wilt courtesy deny Him?’ 
I heard her voice; my heart was rent, 
My boughs began to shiver, 
And age on age, in punishment, 
My sorrowing leaflets quiver.” 
Still in the dark and tangled wood. 
Still doth the Aspen quiver. 
The haughty tree doth bear a curse. 
Her leaflets aye must shiver. 
—Nora Archibald Smith in the Outlook. 
* 
As a variation from ordinary break¬ 
fast pancakes, try pan doodles, when a 
baking of bread is made over night. In 
the morning take pieces of the dough 
the size of walnuts, fry in deep fat like 
doughnuts, and put in a hot dish. Eat 
with butter and syrup. We do not 
recommend pan doodles to people afraid 
of hot bread, but they are very good. 
* 
In some of the newest cut glass the 
patterns display curves and scrolls here¬ 
tofore considered impossible with deep 
cutting, which confined the designs to 
geometric patterns. A wonderful de¬ 
sign in the new cutting is the Papillon, 
or butterfly, with border of overlay¬ 
ing daisies supported by daisy foliage, 
on which a butterfly is alighting. 
* 
Among odd hat trimmings are velvet 
cockades with big fur buttons in the 
center, or fur cockades with velvet but¬ 
tons. A great many fur hat trimmings 
are made, some of the oddest being imi¬ 
tation feathers of long fur. Marabout 
feathers, which were so much worn last 
Winter, are equally popular now. The 
new fur toques are very much larger 
than before, being modeled on the lines 
of the Russian peasant’s cap, wide and 
flat. They are very heavy, and, we 
imagine decidedly uncomfortable, but 
trimmed with a Paradise plume fastened 
by a jeweled buckle, the wearer may be 
able to forget the tiring weight in the 
thought of her modish headgear. Just 
now, when most women are going 
around in hats as wide as a church door, 
the fashionable milliners announce that 
small close shapes are the height of 
elegance, and will soon be the only wear. 
It is consoling to those among us who 
have avoided those millinery pagodas, 
but rather hard on the foolish virgins 
who have bought the biggest hat their 
means will compass, to find—dreadful 
thought—that it isn’t really stylish 
after all! 
* 
Just now a good many daily papers 
contain anxious letters from misguided 
people who want to know how they 
should perform their Christmas giving, 
and what should be expected of them. 
Perhaps such letters are really sincere, 
but we can hardly believe it, unless the 
writers are so undecided in intellect 
that they expect all their thinking done 
for them, and sent up on the dumb 
waiter with the breakfast rolls. We do 
not believe such indecision troubles 
many of our Rural readers; the greater 
problem is to decide how the house¬ 
mother’s purse can be stretched to in¬ 
clude all the thoughts prompted by un¬ 
selfish affection. When Christmas giv¬ 
ing has to be prompted by outsiders, 
there can be little Christmas love in¬ 
cluded in the gifts. Our own rule has 
ever been to remember the claims of 
kindred or love first, and to avoid any 
giving that might be prompted by self 
interest. With that as the guiding rule, 
Christmas giving ceases to be a burden, 
and becomes the natural expression of 
a joyous festival. Nor can we reach the 
highest significance of the holy day with¬ 
out giving of ourselves and of our sub¬ 
stance—not only to those whose claim 
is love or kindship, but to those whose 
indigence or suffering gives them a 
special claim upon our sympathy. 
* 
If Mr. Roosevelt will visit East Af¬ 
rica during his projected hunting trip 
he can do real work for the farmers 
there by killing off the wild beasts that 
are destroying domestic animals. A 
newspaper report tells of a pioneer in 
the Kilimatinde district of the Usam- 
bara Mountains who complains that 
lions have killed eighty of his cattle in 
the last year and leopards have de¬ 
stroyed some hundreds of his sheep and 
goats. One lion performed the record 
breaking feat of killing two full grown 
cattle in fifteen minutes. These beasts 
of prey are under the Government ban 
and a price is offered for their destruc- 
tidn. But animals protected by law and 
regarded as harmless are working even 
greater evil than lions and leopards. 
.The settlers say they have not yet suc¬ 
ceeded in building fences around their 
fields that will keep out the antelopes, 
zebras, giraffes and ostriches. These 
favored beasts seem to think that ten¬ 
der and succulent garden truck were 
planted especially for them, and fences 
only stimulate their zeal to break down 
the obstacles and revel in the feast. 
More aggravating still is the wild boar, 
which does not injure the fence, but 
roots out a pathway under it and is 
ready to contract to dig all the pota¬ 
toes a month or so before they are 
ripe enough for the harvest. The white 
community of Kilimatinde are offering 
head money for lions and leopards in 
addition to the Government bounty, 
with the result that the hunting of these 
animals has been greatly stimulated. 
One man has distinguished himself by 
killing as fast as he could shoot two 
lions and a leopard that were only three 
or four rods distant from one another. 
But how to deal with the other pests is 
still a problem. New England farmers 
who have been wrestling with the deer 
problem are in a position to sympathize. 
With the Christmas Needle. 
The girl who spent her Summer 
leisure embroidering corset covers, and 
who consequently has one for each of 
her dearest friends’ Christmas stocking, 
can congratulate herself as prepared 
with some of the daintiest gifts of the 
season. These little garments are 
usually cut in one piece with seams only 
upon the shoulders. Being bias at the 
back and the size of the waist at the 
lower edge they snug close to the form 
and fit admirably. A buttonholed scallop 
finishes top and arm’s-eye and a line of 
eyelets worked below the scallops ad¬ 
mits a drawing ribbon which gathers 
in the extra fullness above the bust. 
Some pretty design worked upon each 
front gives sufficient decoration, a bow- 
knot pattern or flower spray in eyelet 
work being the popular choice. The 
present liking being for fine hand work 
instead of the cheap lace insets of the 
readymade garment, one should not 
decorate too heavily, two garments be¬ 
ing preferable to one over-embellished. 
Made of good quality of nainsook or 
Berkeley cloth, with white wash ribbons 
run in about the top and also into the 
beading which serves as a belt, these 
garments are quite dainty enough for 
any lady’s wear. For your own use you 
will probably like to add a peplum be¬ 
low the beading at the waist line, else 
one’s skirt bands are inclined to slip 
down and also to soil the corset. 
If the Christmas needle busies itself 
with neckwear some sort of ruche effect 
is to be managed at the latest conceit 
of fashion. Collars must all have the 
upward point beneath each ear. Neck¬ 
ties are to be fashioned out of almost 
any dainty bit, but not all are in butter¬ 
fly effect. Two falling ends five inches 
long and held midway by a crosspiece 
are often seen depending from the 
small square bow at the collar. 
Any piece of table linen embroidered 
with the initial of the household is sure 
to be valued as a gift, even if it be no 
more than a single doily. Initialing a 
set of heavy dinner napkins is, of course, 
work for leisure hours and not for the 
holiday hurry, but now that one’s city 
friends like to serve breakfast and 
luncheon upon their shining mahogany 
with linen squares beneath each plate 
and glass no one can have too many odd 
pieces of hemstitched linen. 
The care of keeping such a polished 
board from being injured by hot dishes 
is a constant anxiety to the owner. As 
asbestos is the best non-conductor of 
heat any device for using it without its 
being seen is sure to delight the lady 
who presides at a mahogany dining 
table. If the asbestos mats sold at five 
and 10 cent counters have their handles 
removed and be fitted out with a cover¬ 
ing upon both sides of white canton 
flannel, fleece side out, they can be 
slipped beneath the table cloth at the 
places near the carver’s seat where hot 
platters are to stand. They are also 
covered with scalloped or embroidered 
linen, and used upon the table cloth, 
like any other mat. The flannel covers 
should fit closely with no flaps or edges 
to roll over. Cut two circular pieces a 
half inch larger all around than the mat 
to be covered. Turn over once and 
baste to the size of the mat. A line of 
brierstitch in white on the right side 
will hold the edge neatly. Lay two of 
these circles back to back and over- 
band together half way above the edge. 
Slip in the mat and secure the other 
half of the circumference with slip 
stitches easily ripped out when the cov¬ 
ers need go to the laundry. 
It is probable that asbestos of this 
grade can also be bought by the square 
foot or yard. If it can be found it will 
be better than using the tin-bound mats. 
One can cut a large oval for the meat 
platter and smaller ones for the side 
dishes. Three for the carver and one 
for the opposite side of the table are 
none too many. Even a single mat 
would not come amiss upon tables less 
expensive than mahogany. Small mats 
not more than five inches in diameter 
may be used beneath the doily upon 
which a hot casserole is set. 
When you write advertisers mention Tub 
R. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick redy and 
“a square deal.” See guarantee, page 8. 
Why remain where the climatic 
conditions are so much against you, 
where it is necessary to battle with 
the rigors of a long winter ? 
There great opportunities in 
the South where you can work 
out of doors the entire year. 
ALONG THE 
SEABOARD AIR LINE 
lands can be obtained at rea¬ 
sonable prices that are equally as 
productive as yours, and the prices 
for your crops are as good, if not 
better. Thru our Industrial Depart¬ 
ment we can assist you. Write for 
copy of “Fruit and Vegetable 
Growing in the land of the Mana¬ 
tee,” by a western man; containing 
interesting data and full particulars. 
Address, 
J. W. WHITE, 
General Industrial jdgeni, 
Seaboard JlirLine T^ailway 
PORTSMOUTH, VA. 
Dept. 18 . 
A Complete Lighting System 
for Homes. Stores. 
Churches, etc. 
Ann Arbor Lighting Systems are 
brighter than gas, steadier and clearer 
than electric light, and cost about one- 
tenth as much to operate. Each lamp 
gives 300 to 500 candle power for less 
than Ys cents per hour. Fuel is gaso¬ 
line, perfectly safe. 
Price $10 up, according to number of 
lamps desired. We make inverted arcs 
especially adapted for use in stores 
halls, factories, etc. 
We Want Agents, 
who will push our line. Special terms 
to those who write early. Catalog and 
prices on request. 
SUPERIOR MFG. CO. 
305 Second St., Ann Arbor, Mich. 
What Does Your Wash 
ing Cost ? 
Out the expense in half 
by using the Syracuse 
“EASY” non¬ 
friction steel washer. Have heating 
attachment with it if you wish to 
do away with boiler and range. Onr 
free book, page 22, tells youhow to 
save the soap. Ask for it now. 
Attractive proposition for agents. 
DODGE & ZUILL, 
224V Dillaye Bldg., Syracuse, N. Y. 
How to Keep Farm Accounts 
Particulars Free. Steiner & Co., Toledo, Ohio 
FUIHA 
kills Prairie Dogs, 
““ ™ ™ Woodchucks, Gophers, 
and Grain Insects. 
“The wheels of the gods 
grind slow but exceed¬ 
ingly small." So the weevil, but you can stop their 
^Vith “ Fuma Carbon Bisulphide ’Yrl 
EDWARD R. TAYLOR, Perm Yan, N. Y. 
AUGUSTA ROSE. 
The road is rough—the night is long: 
Stand steady! 
The morning comes, with light and song: 
Stand steady! 
No matter how the storm-holts fall, 
God made the country for us all: 
Stand steady ! 
—Atlanta Constitution. 
VIRGINIA FARMS 
low as $§ P©!" ACI*© 
With improvements. Much land now being worked has paid ft 
profit greater Ilian the purchase price the first year. Long sum- 
niers, mild Winters. Best shipping facilities to great eastern 
markets at lowest rateB. Best church, school and social advan¬ 
tages. For list of farms, excursion rates, and what others have 
accomplished, write to-day to F. II. LaBAUMK, Agr. and lud. 
Agt., Norfolk and Westc .n By., Bex Eh, Itoanoke. Va. 
Quality Calicoes 
Our grandmothers believed in 
high quality—and they got it. 
They bought Simpson-Eddy- 
stone Solid Black cotton dress- 
goods. Standard 65*yeafs ago 
—standard today. Intense fast 
color, and of great durability. 
Ask your dealer for Simpson-Eddystone Prints. If he 
hasn’t them write us his name. We’ll help him supply 
you. Don’t accept substitutes and imitations. 
The Eddystone Mfg. Co., Philadelphia 
Established by Wm. Simpson, Sr. 
Three generations oi 
Simpsons have made 
PRINTS 
Pounded 1842 
