1422 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
December 5, 
Woman and the Home 
From Day to Day 
A CHRISTMAS CAROL. 
“What means this glory round our feet,” 
The Magi mused, “more bright than 
morn?” 
And voices chanted clear and sweet, 
“Today the Prince of Peace is bornl” 
“What means that star,” the shepherds 
said, 
“That brightens through the rocky 
glen?” 
And angels, answering overhead, 
Sang, “Peace on earth, good will to 
men !” 
’Tis eighteen hundred years and more 
Since those sweet oracles were dumb; 
We wait for Him, like them of yore; 
Alas, lie seems so slow to come! 
But it was said, in words of gold 
No time or sorrow ne’er shall dim, 
That little children might be bold 
In perfect trust to come to Him. 
All round about our feet shall shine 
A light like that the wise men saw, 
If we our loving wills incline 
To that sweet life which is the law. 
So shall we learn to understand 
The simple faith of s'-epherds then, 
And, clasping kindly hand in hahd, 
Sing, “Peace on earth, good will to 
men!” 
And they who do their souls no wrong, 
But keep at eve the faith of morn, 
Shall daily hear the angel song 
“Today the Prince of Peace is born!” 
—James Russell Lowell. 
* 
T HE Department of Household Science 
of the University of Illinois has sent 
out an interesting bulletin entitled “The 
Planning of Meals,” by Isabel Bevier. 
Farm housekeepers often feel that dieti¬ 
tians rarely consider the character and 
variety of food that they find most ac¬ 
cessible, when making up their meals. 
This bulletin, however, includes 12 dif¬ 
ferent menus, using four common arti¬ 
cles of food, beef, cabbage, potatoes and 
apples in a different way each time. 
There are also comparisons of food val¬ 
ues that will be very helpful. \ 
* 
P ATTERNS for infants’ wardrobes are 
always in style and though wo have 
printed these pattern numbers several 
times, there are always new readers who 
have missed seeing them. There is an 
infant’s wardrobe copmlete (no pattern 
number) consisting of 10 patterns, the 
entire outfit costing 40 cents. Another 
infant’s set, pattern No. 7017, includes 
dress, petticoat, and kimono. A baby’s 
short outfit (no pattern number) in¬ 
cluding eight patterns, costs .‘50 cents. 
Another infant’s set, No. 7912, includes 
dress, coat and cap. In making up baby 
clothes, there is a sensible tendency to¬ 
ward plainness, fine materials and dainty 
stitches taking the place of lace and em¬ 
broidery. Soft-finished fabrics s/.ould al¬ 
ways be used. Hand-made robes of soft 
nainsook, trimmed with the finest of 
feather-stitchings and hand-run tucks, 
have permanent beauty and refinement 
and if the busy woman has to run her 
seams and hems on the machine, that is 
all the more reason for simple dainti¬ 
ness in the finishing. 
The Rural Patterns. 
When ordering patterns (jive number 
and size desired. Price of each pattern 
10 cents. 
Pattern 8472A shows a smart tailored 
coat with cutaway fronts, perforated for 
two lengths. Cut in sizes 24 to 44 bust 
measure. For the medium size will be 
needed 4% yards 27 inches, yards 86 
inches, 2% yards 44 inches or 2% yards 
54 inches wide, with one-eighth yard 28 
inches wide for the collar. This 
is a becoming model for plump women, 
far more so than a belted coat. 
8326, Child’s dress. Cut in sizes 2, 
4, and 6 years. Size 4 requires 1% 
yards of 27 or 36 inch material for body 
portion and 1% yards for skirt; or, 1% 
yards of 44 inch to make of one ma¬ 
terial. 8274A, Girl’s dress. Cut in sizes 
6 , 8 and 10 years. Size 8 requires 1% 
yards of 26 or 44 inch material for 
blouse and 1% yards for skirt and trim¬ 
ming. 8345, Girl ’i dress. Cut in sizes 
6 , 8 and 10 years. Size 8 requires 2% 
yards of 36 inch material with three- 
eighths yard 27 inch for collar and cuffs. 
8269, Girl’s guimpe dress. Cut in sizes 
4. 6 and 8 years. Size 6 requires 2 yards 
of 27 or 36 inch material for dress with 
seven-eighths yard for guimpe. 8249, 
Child’s rompers. Cut in sizes 2, 4, and 
6 years. Size 4 requires 2*4 yards of 
36 inch material with 1% yards 27 inch 
for trimming. 
Seen in New York Shops. 
C OVERT cloth suits, in sand or putty 
color, are among the newest fashions. 
Anyone who remembers the covert coats 
we all wore 20 years ago knows how 
well this fabric wears. With dark-col¬ 
ored furs, especially skunk or fox, these 
light colors are becoming, and particu¬ 
larly so to young women. The covert 
cloth is always made up very plainly, 
with mannish tailoring. A very smart 
style for young women is the “Tommy 
Atkins,” which has a plain full gored 
skirt, and a belted coat with patch pock¬ 
ets, cut like a field uniform. The coat 
of another favored model has a pleated 
back with deep yoke and loose belt. The 
skirts are quite short, which is one rea¬ 
son why spats, or boots with cloth tops, 
fawn, tan or gray, are so popular. With 
these light-colored suits dark hats of vel¬ 
vet or felt are always worn. 
The present vogue for sand and putty 
color has brought out the same tints in 
chiffon blouses. While the white blouse 
always remains in vogue, there is a de¬ 
cided preference for a blouse matching 
the skirt. Light-weight silks and crapes 
are favored for plain tailored blouses, 
but chiffon is the greatest favorite of all. 
It is usually made up over white or llesli- 
colored lining. Some of these chiffon 
waists have surplice straps or yokes of 
taffeta, with collars of lace, batiste or 
white taffeta. 
Separate dress skirts are to be pro¬ 
cured in more variety than ever, for 
though a commonplace "shirt waist and 
skirt,” is not stylish, there are many 
occasions when such a skirt is combined 
very conveniently with a pretty blouse. 
Among black broadcloth skirts noted 
were several with u tunic falling from 
a circular yoke. A dressy model had a 
full rippled over-drapery banded with 
skunk-dyed raccoon fur, with rows of 
tiny velvet buttons down the side. A 
plain but handsome broadcloth skirt 
was full, a flaring circular shape attached 
to a deep channelise yoke. Another cir¬ 
cular model had a deep yoke pointed at 
back and front. 
"Buy a bale” party cases offered 
among novelties were of the customary 
box shape covered with smooth burlap 
in the natural color, strapped with black, 
so as to suggest a miniature cotton bale. 
They were lined with tan-colored moirC*, 
with the usual gilded fittings. 
Sanitary woolen underwear is expen¬ 
sive, but a necessary thing to those in 
a rigorous climate, and also to invalids 
undergoing fresh air treatment. Prices 
are said to be lower than last year; sep¬ 
arate garments are $2.50 to $4; union 
suits $4.50 to $0.25. Other all-wool spe¬ 
cialties are open-air sleeping outfits, bed 
socks, knee-warmers and abdominal bands, 
Many middle-aged and elderly people do 
not realize how much Winter comfort 
would be gained by the knee-protectors, 
which often prevent rheumatic twinges. 
All over the world thousands of wom¬ 
en are busily knitting soldiers’ comforts, 
and all the New York stores that sell 
the materials have instructors who will 
teach purchasers how to knit gloves, 
socks, nuifilers, helmets and abdominal 
bands. This is a case where, so far, ma¬ 
chinery has not superseded hand work. 
The abdominal bands (cholera bands, 
they are often called) are knitted into a 
circle, the center plain garter stitch, with 
each edge ridged like the top of a stock¬ 
ing, so that they are firm, yet elastic. 
Any man exposed to exhausting outdoor 
manual labor in cold and storm, like 
many farmers, would find this soldier’s 
comfort very desirable. 
Boys’ mackinaw coats an very 
“sporty” in all sorts of plaids, both 
bright and dull colors, with shawl-rolled 
or convertible collars; they have been of¬ 
fered, in sizes 10 to 17 years, for $6.75. 
Fashions in toys, like fashions in dress, 
show a tendency to return to old times. 
Elderly women will remember the wood¬ 
en dolls of long ago, arms, logs, body and 
head all whittled out, their round wood¬ 
en faces painted, with rosy cheeks and 
staring eyes. One of the newest “inde¬ 
structible” dolls is all of wood, with 
jointed limbs, and really not very dif¬ 
ferent from the old-style toy, except for 
its more artistic finish. There are many 
other new wooden toys that return to 
old styles, especially funny birds and 
animals on wheels, intended for the lit- 
tlest children. Among the soft cloth 
birds and beasts for the babies are fat 
and solemn ducks, nearly life isze, gaily 
colored; as beak, feet and all are of cloth 
there is nothing to hurt a tiny child. Mili¬ 
tary toys are very plentiful; in addi¬ 
tion to the old-fashioned lead soldiers, 
which have changed but little since Hans 
Anderson wrote about them, there are 
modern troops in some sort of composi¬ 
tion like papier-mache, with dirigibles and 
other up-to-date necessities. 
The American Parlor, 
Lamp makes your 
home beautiful and 
comfortable. Lights tho entire room with 
a soft white light, almost us light as day. 
Easy on the eyes—you can road or sow 
by tho hour and not have tho loust 
tinkling of tired eyes or hoadacho. 
Tho American gives a 
light of 400 candle power 
and docs it for ono-third 
of a cent an hour. Always 
plcuHunt to use—no wicks 
to trim or chimneys to 
wash—nor is there any 
smoke or disagreeable 
odors. Nickol-plated finish, 
pluin white or fenoy 
shades with fringo to mutch. 
Put an American in your 
Home for Christmas. Makes a 
beautiful Christmas Gift. 
Ask your dealer about the American 
P67 Lamp or write for large circular. 
American Gas Machine Co. 
bit Clark St., Albert Lea.Minn. 
Thousands of Women Delighted 
The A. B. C.—"world’s best" — Power 
Washer, run by your engine ormotor, pays 
its own lowpricein afewwashings. Clothes 
cleaner, whiter than by hand. No injury 
to delicate fabrics. Greatest time and labor 
saver for women. 
Sliding Power Wringer, Adjustable 
Height Platform, Noiseless Belt Drive, 
All Steel Base, etc. Guaranteed. 
The A. B. C. Alco Washer 
Occupies loss space. ITas Swinging Power 
Wringer. Large Tub. Oasolineorelectrlcmotor. 
Writ© for 14 Dny FREE Trial Offer. 
Illustrated Booklet and send name of your 
local dealer. 
Altorfer Bros. Co. 
Dept. H 12 Roanoke and Paorla, III. 
Write now lor my Freo 
Book. Tells how you can 
build 300 big steel models 
with Erector—battleships, 
torpedo boats, elevators, 
bridges, etc. Many of these you can run 
with tree Electric Motor. Erector trains 
boys'mechanical skill—and it's great 
nml Write me today. A. C. 
GILBERT, Pres. MYST0 MEG. CO., 
90 Foote Street, New Haven, Conn. 
Eight sizes, SI to $25. 
At toy dealers; or direct 
II no dealer in your town. 
A*splendid Christmas gilt. 
Our New 
Reward 
List 
containing descriptions of 
Over 1 00 
Useful Articles 
given in exchange for sub¬ 
scription work is now ready. 
—Send for a copy of it to 
Department “M” 
The Rural 
New-Yorker 
333 West 30th Street 
New York City. 
44 
Christmas SurprisoBoxes 
Solve yonr Christmas shopping problem 
Groceries and candy of fine quality, packed 
In unusually attractive Christinas boxes. Splen¬ 
did rifts for sendine home to "the old folks." 
substantial remembrances to relatives and 
friends—in fact, these boxes solve the Christmas 
shopping problem for everyone. We send direct 
to any address savine you all trouble. fltoflO. 
Our Catalog is filled with hundreds of other 
valuable surrestions for Christmas rifts—jewel¬ 
ry, leather roods, cutlery, furniture, clocks, 
etc. Wonderful values for little money—be¬ 
cause we sell direct at factory prices. 
Writ© now for special Christma, 
offers Catalog No. 40. 
NEW ENGLAND MERCANTILE CO. 
61-70 India Street Boston. Mass. 
