1220 
Woman and the Home 
From Day to Day. 
A CHRISTMAS CAROL. 
There was a Star, whose light 
Mystical and holy, 
Shone through the quiet night 
O’er a stable lowly. 
Sing praise to God on high ! 
And rejoice that He 
Thus should beautify 
Humble poverty. 
A Merrie Christmas, Gentlefolk! 
And may your wealth and pride 
Be mindful of the humble ones 
This blessed Christmastide. 
There was a Little Child, 
Innocent and holy, 
Born of the Virgin mild 
In that stable lowly. 
Sing praise to God, who gave 
Unto you and me 
Such Gift our souls to save! 
O! the Charity ! 
A Merrie Christmas, Gentlefolk! 
And may your wealth and pride 
Be mindful of the humble ones 
This blessed Christmastide. 
—T. A. Daly, in the Catholic Standard and 
Times. 
* 
The Pure Food Board of the De¬ 
partment of Agriculture is trying to put 
a safeguard around our holiday diet by 
standardizing commercial mincemeat. 
The following draft has been sent out 
to State food commissioners, asking 
for suggestions: 
After due consideration of all evidence 
the board, while realizing the difficulty of 
fixing an arbitrary standard or definition 
for such a product as mince meat, is of the 
opinion that the evidence shows conclu¬ 
sively that the standard recommended ny 
the Association of Official Agricultural 
Chemists and adopted by the Association 
of State and National Food and Dairy De¬ 
partments in August. 1908, is a fair and 
reasonable one and in accordance with the 
facts, such as will guarantee to the con¬ 
sumer a product of good quality and sub¬ 
stantial value. This definition is as fol¬ 
lows : 
“Mince, mince meat is a mixture of not 
less than ten (10 > per cent of cooked, com¬ 
minuted meat, with chopped suet, apple 
and other fruit, salt and spices, and with 
sugar, syrup or molasses and witli or with¬ 
out vinegar, fresh, concentrated, or fer¬ 
mented fruit juices or spirituous liquors.” 
The question of the use of glucose and 
starch in mince meat has been considered 
and the 'board is of the opinion that these 
are not normally ingredients of mince 
meat, and therefore, their presence 
should be plainly indicated on the label. 
It seems needless to add that family 
mincemeat is exempt from the require¬ 
ments of the Food Board. 
* 
Once upon a time! That is the way 
the old-fashioned stories used to begin, 
and many of us can never forget the 
wonders of our childish fancy—the 
myths and folklore that formed our 
first introduction to literature. Unfor¬ 
tunately there are many good and care¬ 
ful people who seem to fear the devel¬ 
opment of imagination in children— 
they are like Mr. Gradgrind, who want¬ 
ed nothing but facts—and the thought 
of telling storids to the children is 
sternly put aside as unprofitable. On 
the other hand, many of the really 
scientific educators have so far recog¬ 
nized the value of telling stories to 
children that it is frequently a part of 
their training, and we find story-tellers 
engaged for that purpose in public 
libraries. This seems a scientific vindi¬ 
cation of old-fashioned motherhood. 
We do not believe in tacking a moral 
on every childish pleasure, like an in¬ 
evitable pill in a spoonful of jam, but 
we believe that many a child uncon¬ 
sciously learns to look for the good be¬ 
neath an unlovely exterior from Beauty 
and the Beast, or of the changes of for¬ 
tune from Cinderella, and the fantasies 
of old folklore surely develop character 
and widen the sensibilities. The lack of 
early acquaintance with folklore and 
myth is often felt in high school and 
college, where many literary allusions 
fall on deaf ears, or cause much toil¬ 
some study before their meaning is clear. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
December 23, 
Let us have practical education, by all 
means, with an effort towards voca¬ 
tional training; but remember that the 
vacant spot from which we remove 
flowers may easily fill up with weeds, 
and the mind from which all the flowers 
of imagination are removed may in 
turn be occupied by weeds that are both 
ugly and dangerous. 
* 
W henever we hear some chronic 
pessimist talk about the selfishness, cu¬ 
pidity and lack of human feeling that 
marks the commercialized side of Christ¬ 
mas we like to remember that is one 
side only, and a side that accompanies 
every sort of seasonal occupation that 
is exploited for purely business pur¬ 
poses. Just as the person who makes a 
selfish gift as bait to catch something in 
return will display the same spirit in 
every effort of social life, so the em¬ 
ployer who grinds the faces of the poor 
does so at every opportunity, and not 
at Christmas alone. On the other hand, 
we see every year a greater effort, on 
the part of many thoughtful men and 
women, to spread the doctrine of peace 
and good will all the year round, in¬ 
stead of merely at the one season. Par¬ 
ents may show special indulgence to 
their own children at Christmas, but 
public sentiment is teaching us our duty 
to all children, as reflected in legislation 
for their care and protection. We are 
very far from the millennium, but 
surely the world is groping towards the 
light. If the Christmas spirit seems 
lacking in your neighbor, you can at 
least try to make up his deficiency your¬ 
self. And don’t be afraid that people 
will think you “gushing” if you show a 
little sentiment and affection. A good 
many highly intellectual people say that 
Charles Dickens, whom we may well call 
the great Christmas author, was not really 
a finished literary artist; that he exag¬ 
gerated his characters and deluged them 
with sentiment. Perhaps he did, but 
now, when we are approaching the cen¬ 
tenary of his birth, his books remain 
permanent sellers, while in most libraries 
his stories are literally read to pieces— 
not by the prosperous alone, but by the 
poor, the unfortunate and the unhappy 
—the people for whom his writings 
show love and sympathy. We go to 
books for these qualities when we fail 
to find them in real life. Why not make 
a good book truer to nature by making 
real life truer to a good book? 
Old-fashioned Yeast Wanted. 
Is there a reader of The R. N.-Y. who 
can furnish the recipe for the old-fash¬ 
ioned neighborhood “hop yeast” used by 
our mothers and grandmothers 30, 40 
and 50 years ago? By “neighborhood” 
I mean that when by some mismanage¬ 
ment on the part of the housewife her 
yeast had become sour, too cold, etc., 
she would get another “start” from a 
neighbor. Hops were always used in 
making the yeast. m. s. c. 
A Coffee Substitute. 
Why is it that nine-tenths of the kind 
housewives feel that they must serve 
coffee though the heavens fall and the 
commission dealer totes fair? Our de¬ 
votion to the brown fragrant cup has 
become a part of our religion. What¬ 
ever else may betide, our United States 
people must help out Brazil in her coffee 
trust. Now, coffee is delicious and sat¬ 
isfying, but it has other qualities; it is 
a mild poison. It is taxing our nerves, 
it is congesting our livers, it quickens 
the heart, it causes insomnia, and it does 
hurt to every stomach it enters. If we 
need a harmless substitute we can make 
it. Mix bran with molasses very thick, 
bake and grate up. This should be 
boiled 20 minutes. j. h. 
ThoUgh all the winds of doctrine 
were let loose to play upon the earth, 
so truth be in the field, we do inglor- 
iously, by licensing and prohibiting, to 
misdoubt her strength. Let her and 
falsehood grapple; who ever knew truth 
put to the worse in a free and ooen 
encounter ?—Milton. 
The Rural Patterns. 
When ordering patterns alzvays give 
number of pattern and measurement de¬ 
sired. 
The small pictures show: 7115—Man¬ 
nish shirt waist, 34 to 40 bust, with or 
without yoke on back. 7107—Tucked 
peasant waist, 34 to 42 bust, with 
straight back edges. 7028—Girl’s dress, 
eight, 10 and 12 years. 7123—Two-piece 
skirt, 22 to 30 waist. 6980—Seven-gored 
petticoat with habit back, 22 to 32 waist. 
Price of each, 10 cents. 
A very attractive one-piece dress is 
shown in No. 7198. The gown is made 
with blouse and skirt. The blouse is 
made in one with the sleeves, but is 
seamed at the center back, and the skirt 
is made in four gores. The front and 
back gores form panels and the closing 
7198 Semi-Princesse Gown. 
34 to 42 bust. 
is made invisibly at the left of the front. 
The chemisette is adjusted under the 
gown and closed at the back. For the 
medium size will be required seven yards 
of material 27, 4% yards 44 or 52 inches 
wide with % yard 21 inches wide for 
collar and cuffs, ^ yard 18 inches wide 
for chemisette, the width of the skirt at 
the lower edge is 2J4 yards. The pat¬ 
tern No. 7198 is cut in sizes for a 34, 
36, 38, 40 and 42 inch bust measure. 
Price, 10 cents. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and a 
“square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
FURNITURE 
FOR ALL 
EOPLE 
ALL 
URPOSES 
ALL 
0CKET-B00KS 
AT 
FACTORY-COST 
Buy that Furniture you 
have wanted bo long right 
now. Don’t think for a 
minute you can’t afford that 
chair, bookcase, couch or 
bed. Perhaps you can’t afford to pay the price 
your local dealer asks you to pay: but have you 
seen our prices? Our values will startle you. 
Never before have we offered such a complete, 
high grade, carefully selected line of furniture 
at such ridiculously low prices. You do not want 
to mist our furniture book this year. It will be 
interesting reading for you. From the first page 
to the last it is all the same story—highest quality 
furniture at lowest possible prices. 
John A. Hall, our expert furniture buyer, has 
selected this line from the offerings of the lead¬ 
ing factories of this country. In many cases he 
has contracted for the entire output. Thus we 
have obtained prices that no local dealer can hope 
toduplicata This saving is yours—how much of 
a saving it is, a comparison of prices will tell. 
And just a word about the assortment. Every¬ 
thing (absolutely everything) that comes within 
the ordinary furniture needs of man, is here. We 
have grades and prices that will suit you, no mat¬ 
ter what your tastes, no matter how large or how 
small your pocket-book. Everything is new—up- 
to-date and stylish in design and finish. Thema- 
terials are the very best, and we show you a vari¬ 
ety ten times as great as you will find in the 
average retail store. 
Let us send you the furniture book. You need 
it. The number is 7. 
Here is a complete list of our money-savers—we 
will send any of them free of charge on request 
Put numbers of the books you want on the coupon. 
28 Women’s Tailored 
Suits 
29 Circular and Drag 
Saws 
1 Paints 
2 Pianos 
3 Organs 
4 Trunks 
5 Roofing 
6 Vehicles 
7 Furniture 
8 Incubators 
9 Wall Paj>er 
10 Typewriters 
11 Grocery List 
12 Feed Cookers 
13 Tank Heaters 
14 Wire Fencing 
15 Carpets. Rugs 
16 Building Plans 
17 Baby Carriages 
18 Men’s Fur Coats 
19 Sewing Machines 
20 Gasoline Engines 
21 Cream Separators 
22 Building Material 
23 Stoves and Ranges 
24 Underwear Sam¬ 
ples 
25 Automobile Sup¬ 
plies 
26 Bicycles — Motor¬ 
cycles 
27 Baby’s Dress and 
Toilet 
30 Women’s Fashion 
Books 
31 Rain Coats, Rub¬ 
ber Coats, etc. 
32 Tombstones and 
Monuments 
33 Men’s Clothing 
34 Women's Furs 
36 Dry Goods 
36 Muslin Wear 
37 Millinery 
Sign and Mail Coupon NOW! 
158 Montgomery Ward & Co. 
I 
19th and Campbell Sts. 
KANSAS CITY 
Chicago Avenue Bridgo 
CHICAGO 
Please send to my address below books Nos. 
absolutely free of cost. 
Name..... 
Post Office. 
I State. 
SEND COUPON TO THE 
NEARER ADDRESS 
Chicago Office: 
43 years’ successful operation 
Used In nearly all parts of the 
world. We make a complete line 
of Drilling Machines and tools 
for every condition of earth 
and rock drilling and min¬ 
eral prospecting. Complete 
■catalogue No. 120 showing over 
40 styles of machines free. 
THE AMERICAN WELL WORKS 
General Office and Works: 
Aurora, Ill* 
First National Bank Building. 
DRILLING 
WELL MACHINES 
Over 70 sizes and styles, for drilling either deep < 
•hallow wells in any kind of soil or rock. Mounted < 
i or 
on 
wheels or on sills, with engines or horse powers. Strong, 
•imple and durable. Any mechanic can operate them 
sily. Send for catalog. 
WILLIAMS BROS.. Ithaca. N. Y. 
. 
5 | the most efficient device 
■ ■ t made for pumping water by water. 
A BUI Raises water 30 feet for each foot 
***** of fall—no trouble 
*or pumping expense.. Satis¬ 
faction guaranteed. ’ 
Booklet, plans, estimate, FREE. 
RITE ENGINE CO. 
2429 Trinity Bldg., N. Y. 
FUMA 
(!■■■■■■ a 99, hills 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 
E w\th “Fuma Carbon Bisulphide ’Yrl doing 8 
EDWARD R. TAYLOR, Penn Yan, N. Y. 
LET US TAN 
YOUR HIDE. 
Cattle or Horse hide. Calf, Dog, Deer, 
or any kind of skin with hair or fur on. 
We make them soft, light, odorless, 
wind, moth and water proof, and make 
them into coats (for men or women), 
robes, rugs oi - gloves when so ordered. 
Your fur goods will cost you less than 
to buy them, and be worth more. It 
will certainly pay you to look into it. 
Our illustrated catalog gives a lot of 
information. Tells how to take off and 
care for hides; how we pay the freight 
both ways ; about our marvelous brush 
dyeing process which is a tremendous 
advantage to the customer, especially 
on horse hides and calf skins; about 
the goods we sell, taxidermy, etc., but 
we never send out this valuable book 
except upon request. If you want a 
copy send in your correct address. 
The Crosby Frisian Fur Company, 
571 Lyell Ave., Rochester, N. ¥._ 
