700 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
June 14 
Woman and the Home 
From Day to Day 
SENTINEL. 
Perhaps God thinks you strong enough 
to wait, 
To stand on guard when Death unbars 
the gate, 
And guide the faltering steps of those 
who go 
Into the darkness—those who love you 
so! 
Although you fain would turn and enter, 
too, 
You still must face the work you have 
to do, 
And stand beside the gate till all have 
passed, 
And you are free to follow them at last. 
Then count yourself, beyond your dear 
ones, blest 
That you may hold the light for all the 
rest. 
—Mary A. Buttles. 
* 
Sometimes it is desired to bleach a 
faded linen or lawn skirt or dress to 
make it white. To do this wash very 
clean, using extra strong suds, then boil 
in water containing a heaping tablespoon¬ 
ful of cream of tartar to each gallon. 
Boil for half an hour; if not white boil 
longer. Be sure there is plenty of water 
in the boiler, so that the material is well 
covered. Rinse in two waters after boil¬ 
ing, and then dry in strong sunlight be¬ 
fore ironing. 
* 
In contrast with our present belief in 
cold water an English herbal published 
in 1529 states that . “many folke that 
hath bathed them in colde water have 
dyed or they came home,” while the dan¬ 
ger of drinking nature’s beverage is point¬ 
ed out in the assertion that “it is un- 
possyble for them that drynketh over- 
moche water in theyr youth to come to ye 
aege that God ordeyned them.” Con¬ 
demned alike as a beverage and a bath, 
cold water held a very meager place in 
mediaeval domestic economy. 
* 
We have, more than once, warned 
women readers against so-called clairvoy¬ 
ants, fortune-tellers or “seeresses.” Their 
business is illegal, although freely adver¬ 
tised in many papers, especially those 
read largely by working people. There 
is, however, a darker side to this form 
of swindle. Recent investigations in this 
city bring out the fact that these “clair¬ 
voyants” are very often in the pay of the 
very vilest class of social parasites—the 
men who find their victims among igno¬ 
rant or inexperienced girls. It is very 
easy for the “clairvoyant” to learn all 
about a girl, whether she is in a condi¬ 
tion of life where she has little protec¬ 
tion, and by predicting some wonderful 
future for her, and describing some man 
she will meet later, a web of villainy is 
drawn about the unhappy girl, from 
which there is small chance of escape. 
We cannot warn women and girls too em¬ 
phatically to shun any communication 
with these allies of the powers that prey. 
* 
Several recent cases of poisoning with 
bichloride of mercury taken by mistake 
remind us that no poison should ever be 
kept where it may be mistaken for some 
common household remedy; indeed, corro¬ 
sive sublimate seems entirely too dan¬ 
gerous for common household use. It 
may well be remembered, however, that 
there is a simple household antidote usu¬ 
ally at hand. The white of an egg, swal¬ 
lowed soon after the corrosive sublimate, 
followed by a teaspoonful of mustard in 
a glass of tepid water, is likely to be en¬ 
tirely effectual. Some doctors are urg¬ 
ing legislation that would compel the 
making of such dangerous tablets in dia¬ 
mond shape, instead of the customary 
round form, and surely there ought to be 
some distinguishing trait about these too- 
much-alike drugs. But there is no ex¬ 
cuse for careless handling of dangerous 
drugs, and it is far better to be careful 
to the point of fussiness than to hold the 
memory of a preventable tragedy, due to 
carelessness alone. 
* 
A PLAIN omelet sprinkled liberally with 
grated cheese and surrounded by savory 
tomato sauce will be enjoyed, and will 
be found an appetizing supper dish. A 
baked cheese omelet, which may be more 
properly called a cheese souflle, is made 
as follows: Have ready a very scant 
pint of milk, four large eggs, one very 
heaping tablespoonful of flour, a table- 
spoonful of butter and a teaspoonful of 
salt. Let the milk stand on the stove 
until it reaches the boiling point. Cream 
the butter and flour together in a little 
pan on the stove. Then beat the paste 
into the milk, taking care that no lumps 
form. Let the mixture cook for five min¬ 
utes, stirring constantly. Then remove 
this creamy sauce from the fire. Let it 
become cold and beat in the yolks of the 
eggs. Whip the whites to as stiff a froth 
as possible and fold them through the 
mixture. Pour this omelet into a but¬ 
tered dish and sprinkle the top thickly 
with grated cheese. Put the dish into 
the- oven and let its contents bake in a 
hot oven until solid. This usually takes 
about half an hour. 
Woman’* Work at Home. 
Do you know of any work that a 
woman could do at home? I could not 
go out canvassing, for I have a small 
baby. I am handy at fancy work, but 
am not in a position to do any other sew¬ 
ing. E. L. K. 
This question is almost impossible to 
answer. The one thing the inquirer re¬ 
fers to is being “handy at fancy work.” 
Where such work is sold commercially it 
demands perfection of finish and the abil¬ 
ity to provide a regular output—not little 
odd lots. There are skilled outside work¬ 
ers who do such things; for example, two 
women in one small New York town do 
the sample embroideries for a great man¬ 
ufacturer of embroidery silk, but they are 
highly skilled, and devote their whole 
time to it. Firms selling such work 
would require samples and assurance of 
the worker’s ability ; they give out some 
work, while some is done in their own 
workrooms. Crocheting and knitting is 
very poorly paid, largely because so many 
women do it for pocket money. One 
manufacturer testified at a hearing in 
this city that he paid 50 cents a dozen 
pairs for crocheting bedroom slippers. 
Our first advice is to look for local 
needs which may be supplied; they may 
seem humble, and yet lead to something 
worth while. In a town where there are 
factory or railroad employes, both men 
and women, there is often a demand for 
some one to mend their clothes, such 
work usually being given out by laun¬ 
dries. In every small town there is a 
chance for some one who will take care 
of small children while their mothers are 
out. In our own locality several “moth¬ 
er’s helpers” go out to care for children 
while their mothers go shopping or at¬ 
tend their regular card parties, and while 
a woman with a small baby could not go 
out she could take young children at 
home in this way. Of course people used 
to do this for “neighborliness”; nowa¬ 
days they are paid for it. Various forms 
of cooking, baking and candy-making are 
also practical. 
What we say here may not sound very 
encouraging, but a woman who can only 
give a small part of her time, in her own 
home, to some handicraft, is at a dis¬ 
advantage. She must either supply a 
local need, or do something better than 
a factory worker can do it. Then, to 
supply a constant demand, a group of 
workers must be brought together, with 
a business manager who will seek a mar¬ 
ket for what they make, and also stand¬ 
ardize the goods. Such plans are worked 
out in many places; in Minnesota Indian 
women make beautiful lace under the 
management of mission teachers; hooked 
rugs, hand-woven bedspreads and bas¬ 
ketry are thus made in New England and 
the South. In Great Britain a number 
of “cottage industries” are fostered— 
lace, homespun woolens, hand-woven 
silks, fine knitting, etc., and many women 
of rank use their influence to advertise 
such goods. 
There is always a chance for a clever 
home worker to plan something original 
—some quaint little trifle suitable for a 
gift or favor, w'here inexpensive material 
is so cleverly used that it takes the pub¬ 
lic fancy. Getting a start is the chief 
thing, and we should like to hear from 
women who are now solving this prob¬ 
lem, and can offer ideas that will be 
helpful to their working sisters. 
My mind lets go a thousand things 
Like dates of wars and deaths of kings, 
And yet recalls the very hour— 
’Twas noon by yonder village tower, 
And on the last blue noon in May— 
The wind came briskly up this way, 
Crisping the brook beside the road; 
Then, pausing here, set down its load 
Of pine scents, and shook listlessly, 
Two petals from that wild rose tree. 
—Thomas Bailey Aldrich. 
The Rural Patterns. 
When ordering patterns always give 
number of pattern and measurements 
desired. 
The first group shows 7612 corset cover 
with straight upper edge, 34 to 42 bust, 
especially adapted to embroidery. 7S27 
draped negligee, 34 to 42 bust. 7170 
princesse slip, 34 to 44 bust. 7825 closed 
drawers for misses and small women, 14, 
1G and 18 years. 7S14 combination cor¬ 
set cover, drawers and petticoat, 34 to 44 
bust. 
The second group includes 0775 girl’s 
apron, 8 to 14 years. 7143 child’s apron, 
2 to 8 years. 7048 fancy tucked aprons, 
one size. 7264 work apron, small 34 or 
30, medium 38 or 40, large 42 or 44 bust. 
7521 two-piece apron, 22, 24 and 20 
waist. Price of each pattern 10 cents. 
Canned Fish and Chicken; Nova 
Scotia Bacon. 
I canned some potted mackerel last 
August, cooked the same way you describe 
for kippered fish, leaving the onion out. 
We think it very nice as a relish with 
bread and butter for supper or luncheon, 
but for cooking in the jars I prefer the 
washboiler instead of the oven, using a 
thin wooden rack which I made purposely 
to fit the bottom of boiler, or a wire 
cake cooler. A milk carrier such as 
milk men use is good, as the jars fit in 
and all can be lifted out very easily. 
The lish or the chicken is very handy 
to have on hand for unexpected com¬ 
pany. 
I would like to ask how the Nova 
Scotia or New Brunswick people cure 
their bacon ; have been told it was dif¬ 
ferent and nicer than ours. It may be 
cured with spices and sugar in some 
way. I am expecting to have some to 
cure this Fall and would like to know 
if there is anything better than our way. 
For canned chicken, one weighing about 
five pounds fits into a quart jar very 
nicely, either a hen or rooster. It can 
be boiled whole or cut up and boiled 
same as for fricassee. I prefer boiling 
it whole. Cook until tender as you 
would for the table. Add Salt to suit 
the taste when nearly done. Let stand 
in liquid it is cooked in until nearly cool, 
then with the hand lift on to a platter 
and disjoint it (I skin it, but it is not 
necessary), slipping out the bones with¬ 
out breaking the pieces, which can be 
very easily done when warm. Slip the 
separate pieces into the jar, the breast 
first (whole) the bone taken out, leaving 
the lucky bone in to show from the 
outside of the jar, next the two second 
joints. Those bones can be left in if 
wished, also the drumstick bones. The 
wings, gizzard, liver and odd pieces of 
meat I pack in center of jar, so as to 
have nice whole pieces show from the 
outside, and then fill the jar up with 
the liquid it was boiled in, put on cover, 
but not fastened down tight, set in 
kettle or boiler in cold water, with rack 
under the jars, and boil an hour. Take 
out, fasten the cover down tight. When 
cool the liquid will be a clear jelly. I 
do not put in the neck, back or rib 
bones. The liquid and odd pieces of 
bone and meat left over makes a gravy 
for dinner. I am going to try some 
in two-quart jars and put in all the 
bones and liquid. Two or three days 
after I test the jar by taking off the 
clamp, but have had no trouble about 
its keeping. I use an ordinary glass- 
top fruit jar. I have also canned roast 
chicken, but it doesn’t look quite as 
nice as the boiled. I have a few jars 
of both now that I put up last Fall. 
ANNA D. LOVERIXG. 
R. N.-Y.—Who can tell us just how 
Nova Scotia or New Brunswick cures 
bacon? Perhaps the difference is chiefly 
due to breed and feed, as British taste 
prefers a bacon rather than lard hog, 
with less Indian corn in the finishing 
ration, we believe. 
Rhubarb Recipes. 
Rhubarb Marmalade.—Boil four or¬ 
anges, one lemon sliced, until tender, then 
chop very fine, take the water and cook 
three pounds rhubarb 15 minutes, then 
add the chopped orange and lemon (do 
not peel any of the fruit, wash it), then 
take measure for measure of fruit and 
sugar, return to stove, let simmer about 
one hour, put it in pint cans or jelly 
cups and cover with paraffin. This is 
delicious. 
In cooking rhubarb for sauce try it 
this way: Wash and remove the ends, 
do not peel, but use a sharp knife and 
cut in small pieces. Place it in a granite 
basin about half full, cover with plenty 
of sugar, then cover with a lid and bake 
in a moderate oven about 15 or 20 min¬ 
utes. The water from washing it will 
be moisture enough. This is better than 
stewing it on the stove; it has a rich 
flavor. I cook it this way and can it; it 
makes nice sauce for Winter. 
One-crust Pie.—Line a deep pie tin 
with pie crust, then take two cups cooked 
rhubarb, one cup brown sugar, the yolks 
of two eggs, tablespoonful cornstarch, 
one-quarter teaspoon ginger, a little lemon 
extract, and put in the shell and bake. 
AYhen done, have the whites of eggs 
beaten to a stiff froth with two table¬ 
spoonfuls sugar and spread on top, re¬ 
turn to oven just enough to set. You 
will find this extra nice. 
For shortcake I cook rhubarb in the 
oven as for sauce, and make rich baking 
powder biscuits, split them, put them on 
pie plates, and serve rhubarb sauce over. 
We like it better than two-crust pie be¬ 
cause it gets soggy. Try beating an egg 
and pouring it over the rhubarb before 
you put on the top crust in making a 
two-crust pie. MBS. c. 
Chicken Feather Pillows.—I note 
that you have an inquiry as to using 
chicken feathers for pillows. I used to 
know an old lady who saved all her 
chicken feathers to make pillows. 8he 
was old and weak, but willing, and would 
sit out in a comfortable place with her 
feathers and stripped them, that is skin¬ 
ning the feather from each side ot the 
quill. An old negro woman who worked 
for me several years ago, thought us 
wasteful white folks because we threw 
out all the chicken feathers. 8he had 
at one time worked for some Russian 
Jews, and they stripped all their feathers. 
Feathers after stripping should be sewed 
in a tick and weighted down in a large 
pot and boiled for several hours, and 
then the tick hung in the air to dry, 
which takes a couple of weeks. " e 
have had all the duck down we needed 
for pillows, so have never tried the 
chicken feathers, and, if any one has 
anything else to do, the stripping would 
hardly be justified. If you wish to make 
a small quantity of feathers go as far 
as possible, by sitting in a good current 
of air in the yard, you will be sur¬ 
prised how far a small lot will go. 
Alabama. M. A. P. 
