1910 . 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
061 
Who Said Christmas ? 
“I have just finished my first half dozen 
Dutch collars for Christmas gifts. You 
remember the aprons I gave two years 
ago? Last year I gave each of my girl 
friends a fancy shirtwaist bow, and this 
year it is to be collars. Those I have 
just finished are all embroidered, each 
in a different pattern; the next lot are 
to be lace trimmed, and a few I shall 
make of Irish crochet.” 
I was somewhat startled to read the 
foregoing in a letter from a friend re¬ 
cently. I had not begun to think of mak¬ 
ing preparations for Christmas yet. It 
is just like Laura, though; she is always 
ready when things happen because she 
begins to get ready in season. While I— 
but never mind me. What do you think 
of her plan of giving the same thing to 
each friend? Personally I rather like it. 
It is an economy of time in trying to de¬ 
cide what to give to who, and I can see 
how it may be an economy of money. 
I tried it last year as a solution of my 
perplexity over the choice of gifts for 
the men on my list, and I found it a 
decided help in making a limited allow¬ 
ance cover a somewhat extensive demand. 
I made ties, and by making them with a 
seam in the center of the back I found 
that two-thirds of a yard was quite suf¬ 
ficient to make two of the soft four-in- 
hands which were popular last Winter, or 
four string ties. I bought three different 
patterns, and as there were not more 
than three of the men living in the same 
town it was not necessary to give dupli¬ 
cates where they would be recognized as 
such. The ties cost me less than 50 
cents each. Had I bought them in the 
store the identical ties would have cost 
me $1.50 each. I first went into the 
most aristocratic men’s furnishing stores 
I could find and examined the latest 
models; this gave me a clue as to what 
was to be worn, both in color and shape, 
and I went to the silk department in a 
reliable store and selected the silk ac¬ 
cordingly. If you will rip up an old tie 
similar to the one you are going to make, 
it will give you a better idea how to pro¬ 
ceed than any written instructions. You 
will find an interlining of wadding or 
canton flannel. One sheet of wadding 
and a yard of canton flannel will line 
several ties. 
There is one little article which every¬ 
one seems to find usable and that is the 
reminder tablet. I sent a few as gifts 
two or three years ago, and almost 
everyone who received one has asked or 
hinted for another. I used the three- 
cent tablet size. I cut a piece of heavy 
pasteboard one inch longer and one inch 
wider than the tablet. This I covered 
with water color paper, cutting the pa¬ 
per two inches longer and two inches 
wider than the pasteboard, so that it 
lapped over one inch all around on the 
under side. The corners were mitred and 
the edges drawn down smoothly and fas¬ 
tened with mucilage. I covered the 
back of the tablet with mucilage and 
placed it on the covered pasteboard over 
the lapped edges of the water color paper, 
so that the covered pasteboard projected 
only one-half inch all the way around, 
placed a weight on and left it until dry. 
Then I painted the water color paper side 
with sprays of flowers or conventional 
designs, and in fancy lettering wrote on 
each some title, such as “Notes,” “Don’t 
Forget,” “Memo,” etc. A programme 
pencil was attached to the corner of the 
cover by a yard of narrow ribbon. I 
have seen these made in exactly the same 
way using cretonne or pretty wall paper 
instead of the water color paper, which 
might be an advantage for those who 
do not paint. 
I saw a. little contrivance for protecting 
the bureau cover when using the brush 
and comb a day or two ago, which I am 
sure would be an acceptable gift to most 
any girl or woman. It was just a straight 
piece of linen embroidered in scallops at 
the ends, and on one end there was a 
monogram. This was lined with rubber 
cloth. It was as wide as the hair brush 
was long, and long enough to wrap well 
around the brush and comb when not in 
use. When combing her hair my guest 
laid her comb and brush on this pro¬ 
tector, which was laid out flat, rubber 
side up, which prevented any soil or hair 
from coming in contact with the bureau 
cover. I think it would be an improve¬ 
ment to stitch in a little pocket at one 
end to hold hair pins and the comb, and 
it would make a smoother looking bun¬ 
dle when folded on the bureau to stitch 
in five pieces of pasteboard just as they 
were stitched in the slat sunbonnets of 
olden times, making the two at the ends 
and the one in the middle as wide as the 
width of the brush and the two others 
which come between the middle and ends 
two inches in width. This would give 
the effect of a box when folded. One 
could use cretonne or silk or print in¬ 
stead of the linen if preferred, and oiled 
silk or white oil cloth might be used 
instead of the rubber cloth. 
Christmas was getting to be such a 
financial burden that a few years ago we 
decided in our families, the brothers anc 
sisters and in-laws and nieces and 
nephews and uncles and aunts, to do 
some thing to remove the burden part of 
it, so we have tried different plans. One 
was a 10-cent Christmas, when each was 
pledged not to ^.ive a present costing 
over 10 cents to any in the group. I 
think that was the most satisfactory in 
every respect, but some prefer the one 
present plan. In this we draw cuts or 
slips on which the name of one of our 
group is written. The one whose name 
we draw is the one who is to receive 
our gift. It is understood that we are 
to give to no one else in' the group, and 
each receives only the gift given by the 
one who draws his name. In case either 
plan is adopted it is well to decide the 
matter several weeks in advance of the 
Christmas season, to guard against pos¬ 
sible embarrassment to such forehanded 
people as the person referred to at the 
beginning of this article. 
In response to my request for a list of 
things for men which cost ^ess than a 
dollar I have received various replies 
from nephews and cousins, and I will 
pass them on thinking some one else may 
be interested. Tools, ties, handkerchiefs, 
stationery, pocket pin case, towels, books, 
purses, china cups and plates for indi¬ 
vidual use, calendars, suspenders, ho¬ 
siery, collar and cuff cases, bachelor’s 
friend, confectionery. The list suggests 
men of varying occupations and ages, 
and would doubtless have been greatly 
lengthened had they taken the request 
seriously. 
The bachelor’s friend, as you doubtless 
know, is a case made of ribbon or linen 
containing needles, thread, thimble, but¬ 
tons and such other articles as you may 
deem appropriate, and which your purse 
will allow. A cuff case which gives 
satisfaction is made the shape of a cuff, 
only larger, that the cuffs may be easily 
slipped in. The case lies flat with a flap 
and button at one end for closing when 
filled. This may be made of linen, em¬ 
broidered and bound with linen or of silk 
or figured cretonne, though the cretonne 
should be very dainty in pattern if used. 
The pin cases most in demand by these 
men are either the circular ones or those 
made to imitate a domino in size and 
shape. Either is made by covering two 
pieces of pasteboard with silk or other 
material, placing a little wool between 
and overhanding together. The domino 
is made of black silk decorated with 
white or red dots of oil paint to 
imitate the real article. I am going to 
begin my Christmas preparations right 
away, now that my attention has been 
directed to the matter. Even if our 
“family group” decide on something un¬ 
usual, I have a long list of names beside 
to provide for. Martha’s niece. 
Handling Soap. 
On page 827 Virginia Reader wishes 
to know the cause of trouble with soap. 
If she will add water to soap that will 
not harden and boil a little I think it will 
make good hard soap. To one can of 
potash add six pounds of clean grease; 
if it does not look right when stirred, I 
add four or five quarts of water and boil 
until it soaps on a stick, airs. c. w. f. 
More About Chicken Feathers. 
I have used chicken feathers both for 
pillows and cushions. Wash them in 
clean water, then pour boiling water over 
them, draining through a colander; 
wring them and place in a tin pan on 
shelf back of cook stove. When nearly 
dry put in paper bags and hang near 
stove, where they will thoroughly dry. 
When filling pillow put bag inside and 
tear it open, allowing the feathers to 
shake out. d. a. h. 
The American Flower Garden, by 
Neltje Blanchan, with planting lists by 
Leonard Barron. This beautiful book 
attracts the eye by its handsome binding, 
fine printing and sumptuous illustrations, 
while it holds the garden lover’s interest 
by its varied information. It covers all 
lines of development in ornamental 
gardening, bringing out its points by apt 
illustrations in a way that appeals to 
every gardener. The chapters on “Per¬ 
ennials for a Thought-out Garden” and 
“Annuals” will have a special message 
for those who are developing a real 
country garden with much enthusiasm 
and modest outlay. We have always 
considered perennials the real backbone 
of a country or farm garden—in no 
other class of plants can we find such 
varied beauty at such small expense of 
time and money, giving us some return 
no matter what the season, and greeting 
us year after year like human friends. 
Nor must we lose sight of trees and 
shrubs in their relation to the garden. 
Here is another permanent source of 
pleasure at all seasons, which is admir¬ 
ably treated in the book under discus¬ 
sion. The rose garden has a chapter to 
itself, with a lengthy list of roses di¬ 
vided into separate classes, with sugges¬ 
tions as to treatment. There is a sug¬ 
gestive chapter on vines, a discussion of 
the wild garden, of garden design, gar¬ 
den furniture, etc. The book contains 
3G8 pages and 92 full page pictures, four 
colored plates. Published by the Double¬ 
day Page Company, Garden City, L. I.; 
price $5 net, postage 35 cents additional. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
It. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and 
"a square deal.” See guarantee page 12. 
& 
ivEODYSTORy 
FOUNDED 1642. 
Intense and Fadeless 
Simpson- 
Eddystone 
Solid Black Prints 
have been the recognized 
standard black since 1842. 
The rich lustrous> black 
of this calico is insepar¬ 
able from the cloth. The 
color is tub-proof, sun¬ 
proof and perspiration- 
proof. Cloth of the first 
quality, well-woven and 
durable. 
Show this advertisement to your dcal- 
ler when you order, and don’t accept 
I substitutes. If not in your dealer’s 
■ stock write us his name and address. 
■ We’ll help him supply you. 
|The Eddystone Mfe. Co., Philadelphia 
Established by Wm. Simpson, Sr* 
To make cocoanut kisses beat the 
whites of two eggs until they are so 
stiff they will cling to the bowl when it 
is turned upside down; beat in by de¬ 
grees four tablcspoonfuls of granulated 
sugar; add vanilla flavoring and enougli 
freshly grated cocoanut (nearly a 
pound) to make very stiff. Drop in 
spoonfuls on greased paper, and bake in 
a quick oven. 
Lamps smell for 
three reasons: they 
are not clean—the 
wick is clop'Gfed— 
the chimney is 
wronor 
o 
Macbeth “Pearl 
Glass” lamp-chim¬ 
neys will remedy 
the last—my “In¬ 
dex” will tell you how to remedy 
the other two. 
I make a chimney for every 
size and style of lamp. I put 
my name on every one. 
Send for my “Index.” It tells what chimney to 
get for any burner. Free. 
Macbeth 
Macbeth-Evans Glass Co. Pittsburgh 
Keg. U. S. Pat. Off. 
THIS-STYLISH TAILORED SUIT) & I i) rif 
FOR WOMEN SENT PREPAID FORjd I £.911 
An illustration of this kind cannot do justice to this excellent Suit, but it does show the jaunty 
lines, the trim-and-trig appearance which the Suit has. Made of very serviceable mixed tweed 
in oxford and gray, not unlike the famous pepper-and-salt effects which never wane in popularity. 
The Coat is man-tailored, lined with satin of good quality; velvet collar; single-breasted, semi- 
fitted style. Gored Skirt with plaited panel front and bias simulated flare at sides. Can be fur¬ 
nished in sizes 34 , 36, 38, 40, 42 and 44 inches 
bust measurement. We feel sure that no Suit 
you could buy for anywhere near this low price 
would give you the service, style rn 
and satisfaction that this one-does at 
Send for one to-day, and if it does not meet 
your expectations in every way, return it and 
your money will be refunded. In ordering, be 
careful to give your actual bust measurement, 
and tell us briefly something about your figure. 
Send for a Free Copy of our 
October Magazine. 
The Suit above described is but one of the many 
shown in the October-November issue of the Straw- 
bridge & Clothier Magazine. This unique little 
publication also shows our famous line of Corsets, 
Muslin Underwear, House Dresses, Women’s Coats, 
Waists, Dresses, Misses’ Garments, Shoes and the 
like. It also has several pages devoted to Silks, Dress 
Goods, Cotton Materials and other Dress Fabrics ia 
the selling of which this Store has been an acknow- 
ledged leader for over two-score years. The Maga¬ 
zine has interesting pages, too, on Boys’ Clothing, 
Fancy and Table Linens, special values in Bedfur- 
nisliings and other merchandise news of interest. 
It will be sent you free on request together with 
full particulars of our— 
Free Delivery Service Everywhere. 
Write for a copy of the Magazine to-day. If you come to Philadelphia to shop 
at any time, we want you to make this Store your shopping headquarters, avail 
yourselves of the many conveniences, meet your friends here. If you cannot 
come, then we want you to learn more of the excellent way in which we serve 
our customers, no matter where they may live, through our Mail Order Service. 
Anyone in Philadelphia will tell you of the quality of our merchandise, the fair¬ 
ness of our prices and our square way of doing business. No store in the country 
can serve you better, either in person or by mail. 
Strawbridge & Clothier, Philadelphia 
These Beautiful Nottingham Lace 
Curtains—$1.00 a Pair, 
A remarkable value surely—usually you would pay 
$ 1.50 for Curtains of the same quality. The illustra¬ 
tion shows the design. Each curtain is 60 inches 
wide and 3 yards long. Sent prepaid for $ 1.00 a pair. 
Lace Curtain Catalogue Free. 
Our special Catalogue of Upholstery Goods and 
Lace Curtains is ready and will be sent free on re¬ 
quest. It shows scores of styles of Lace Curtains of 
different kinds and at a wide range of prices— 
Portieres, Couch Covers, Window Shades and the 
like. You will find it interesting and helpful. 
Free on request. Mention this paper in writing. 
