‘lire RURAL. NEW-YORKER 
1755 
WOMAN AND HOME j 
Which Shall It Be? 
Older readers will remember how in 
years or more ago the little poem vith the 
above title was very popular. Every 
“elocutionist" of that day recited this 
poem before country audiences. It ap¬ 
pealed to the heart—iu those sad old 
days of war orphans. Of late years it 
has fallen out of notice. Now, we find 
it in a singular place—the Star Bulletin. 
published by the prisoners in Sing Sing 
prison. In former years it was credited 
to Ethel Lynn Beers. 
“Which shall it be? Which shall it be?" 
1 looked at John—John looked at me 
(Dear, patient John, who loves me yet 
As well as though my locks were jet) ; 
And when I found that I must speak. 
My voice seemed strangely low and weak : 
“Tell me again what Robert said,” 
And then I, listening, bent my head. 
“This is his letter: ‘I will give 
A house and land while you shall live. 
If in return, from out your seven. 
One child to me for aye is given.’” 
I looked at John’s old garments worn. 
I thought of all that John had borne 
Of poverty and work and care, 
While I, though willing, could not share; 
I thought of seven mouths to feed. 
Of seven little children’s need, 
And then of this. “Come, John,” said I, 
“We’ll choose among them as they lie 
Asleep.” So, walking hand in hapd. 
Dear John and I surveyed our band. 
First to the cradle lightly stepped. 
Where Lillian, the baby, slept, 
A glory ’gainst the pillow white. 
Softly the father stooped to lay 
His rough hand on in gentle way. 
When dream or whisper made her stir, 
And huskily he said. “Not her, not her!” 
We stopped beside the trundle-bed, 
And one long ray of lamplight shed 
Athwart the boyish features there, 
In sleep so pitiful and fair; 
I saw on Jamie's rough, red cheek 
A tear undried. Ere John could speak. 
“He’s but a baby, .too." said I. 
And kissed him as we hurried by. 
Pale, patient Robbie's angel face 
Still in his sleep bore suffering’s trace. 
“No, for a thousand crowns, not him !” 
He whispered, while our eyes were dim. 
Poor Dick ! bad Dick! our wayward son. 
Turbulent, reckless, idle one— 
Could he be spared? Nay; He who gave. 
Bade us befriend him to his grave: 
Only a mother’s heart can be 
Patient enough for such as he ; 
“And so,” said John. “I would not dare 
To send him from our bedside prayer.” 
Then stole we softly up above 
And knelt by Mary, child of love. 
“Perhaps for her *t would better be." 
I said to John. Quite silently 
lie lifted up a curl that lay 
Across her cheek in wilful way. 
And shook his head: ‘Nay. love; not 
thee,’ ” 
The while my heart beat audibly. 
Only one more, our eldest lad, 
Trusty and truthful, good and glad—- 
So like his father. “No. John, no— 
I cannot, will not. let him go.” 
And so we wrote, in courteous way. 
We could not drive one child away ; 
And afterward toil lighter seemed. 
Thinking of that of which we dreamed. 
Happy in the truth that not one face 
Was missed from its accustomed m-ice; 
Thankful to work for all the seven 
Trusting the rest to One in heaven 
Last week the Hope Farm man spoke 
of the sub-normal child and the public 
school. That means the child with the 
slow, undeveloped mind— who is incap¬ 
able of quick thinking. Many a time 
such a little one will develop if someone 
can only have the patience and skill to 
lead the halting mind along until it gains 
power. In the public school such a child 
cannot have a fair chance because the 
teacher cannot give special care. The 
little one must take her chance with the 
rest and she cannot acr as a unit in the 
rush of class-room work. Far better keep 
such a child at home until she gains con¬ 
fidence, for she ought to have special at¬ 
tention. 
ai: • 
SEVEBAI. New ^ ork reader- i-k wii.it 
has become of the former school commis¬ 
sioners and how are the superintendents 
elected? A letter from the Education 
Department answers a' follows: 
The office of school commissioner v is 
done away with a number of years igo. 
In place of the school commissioner the 
office of district superintendent was estab¬ 
lished. These district superintendents are 
elected by a board of directors, which 
board consists of two members from each 
township comprising a supervisory dis¬ 
trict. The members of the board of direc¬ 
tors. are elected in the same uiauuer is 
are other town officers. U. C- CASi. 
The New York Post gives the following 
figures regarding a farm township in 
Iowa: 
It is an exceptional town that can make 
such a showing as that of Orange Town¬ 
ship. Blackhawk County. Iowa. Of the 
1 12 farm homes in the township, all have 
newspapers and magazines; 125 have li¬ 
braries. with an average of 100 volumes; 
122 have telephones; 80 have pianos; 70 
have automobiles; 70 have vacuum clean¬ 
ers: 72 have furnace heat; 08 have power 
washers; 63 have electric light: 57 have 
running water; 47 have bathrooms. 
We can find townships in Wayne and 
other fruit counties in New York where 
the showing would be even better. There 
are, of course, other sections where there 
will not be so many “improvements.” but 
they are working in everywhere. During 
the past six months we must have had at 
least 100 calls for help iu producing a 
water supply for farmhouses, and pur¬ 
chase of heaters, water fixtures and other 
conveniences have been heavy. These 
thiugs are no longer regarded as costly 
luxuries, but coihforts and necessities— 
and country women are as clearly entitled 
to them as any who live in town or city. 
The time has got to come when every 
farm home must have its full supply of 
water and light and heat. Water is said 
to be one of the most unstable things in 
the universe. Yet. send it running freely 
through every farmhouse in this country 
with its companions, heut and light, and 
you build a contentment which will put 
this nation on the solid rock of full foun¬ 
dation. 
* 
At one time a very capable woman ad¬ 
vertised for a position as farm house¬ 
keeper. She was strong and energetic, 
knew all about farm work, and knew 
nothing about “organized labor” or any 
servants’ union. She just wanted to give 
honest service for au honest job. You 
can imagine what a rush there was for 
this treasure, for in a popular voting con¬ 
test with worried men aud weary women 
to vote such a woman would be elected 
as household companion over the average 
angel! She had over 350 replies to her 
advertisement, aud secured a job out of 
the first half dozen offers! But there 
was only one woman and some 350 
woman-seekers. This woman's hands 
were skilled to the finger-tips at house¬ 
hold work, but holding a peu or pencil 
was a dreaded and laborious task How 
could she possibly write 350 letters of 
refusal? It would have cost her $15 at 
least to have a note printed and mailed. 
So she just took the job and nothing 
more. The 350 blamed her for not re¬ 
plying, and some of them thought the 
paper in which her "ad” appeared had 
led them astray. But what could the 
woman do under the circumstances? 
Whenever it is possible to do so every 
such letter should be answered respect¬ 
fully, but in such a case as we have men¬ 
tioned how could this be fairly done? 
Before we criticize people too much and 
call them frauds let us know all the cir¬ 
cumstances. 
* 
This last election clearly showed what 
farm women can do with the ballot. As 
a rule the women took more interest in 
voting than the men did. They voted in¬ 
telligently and did not by any means al¬ 
ways follow the lead of their men. In 
several counties candidates were inclined 
to dodge on the temperance question or 
on other issues involving a principle. 
Most of the men grumbled a little, but 
fell in line for the party, while the women 
openly organized opposition, and in sev¬ 
eral cases defeated the candidate. There 
is no question about It, a new element 
has entered politics, and it will do more 
to put what is called "the fear of God" 
into the hearts of the politicians than 
anything heretofore started. In that great 
campaign in Wayne Co., N. Y.. the women 
did great work. 
*= 
The National Wool Growers’ Associa¬ 
tion has started a campaign to induce 
people to eat more lamb. It is somewhat 
on the plan of the old Apple Consumers’ 
League, which did sucli remarkable ad¬ 
vertising for the apple a few years ago. 
The sheep men know that many lambs 
are sacrificed, and that lamb as a food 
is not popular. It ought to be. because, 
did they but know it. there is no more 
nourishing meat iu the world than roasted 
or boiled lamb. It ranks with chicken 
as food for invalids, and with beef as 
food for strong men. So the sheep men 
are out to make lamb popular. They go 
at it the right way—by starting at home. 
Farmers are asked to help by using roast 
lamb in place of ham at picnics and pub¬ 
lic meals, and for sandwiches. Many a 
ruit grower or gardener would do well 
o keep a few- sheep. They are the cleau- 
st animal you can have around. They 
will cake the place of a lawn-mower, keep 
weeds cleaned up. furnish wool and yarn 
and hand out a supply of the best meat, 
jets all join the “eat-more-lamb” cam¬ 
paign .' 
A Warm Dinner in the Woods 
As the cold days are here again and 
it is necessary for the men to take their 
dinners into the woods, etc., I would like 
to tell you how to pack the dinner box. 
For breakfast I cook plenty of potatoes 
aud fresh meat (usually plentiful at this 
time of year on a farm), also a good sup¬ 
ply of coffee, or tea if pfeferred. I mash 
the potatoes with the meat gravy on it. 
in an enameled dish, with the meat be¬ 
side it, and cover it up with a basin. The 
coffee or tea I put in a tin can that has 
a shut-in cover on it. These two dishes 
I put on to a soap stone which has been 
well heated and wrapped in a burlap sack 
and put in a wooden box. The bread, 
cookies and other things I put on top 
away from the heat, and cover them with 
a napkin. I then add an enamel plate, 
knife, fork, spoon and cup. which enables 
them to have their dinner as warm aud 
nice as we that are at home. I find al¬ 
though it may take a little longer to put 
it up they always appreciate it. and in 
that way I am amply paid for the extra 
work. \Ve all look forward to the coming 
of your paper each week, as it is always 
full of thiugs just to the point aud just 
in season for everything; iu short, it is a 
sure adviser for any subject. m. 0. o. 
McDonough, N. Y. 
Mites on the Canary 
Edna S. Knapp has already given me 
some information as to effective treat¬ 
ment. Here is what I have found to be 
surest method of destroying the pests: 
If the breeding cages are wood or of 
enameled wire, put a dampened cloth over 
cage thus finding out if the bird has mites 
or not: but before removing the cloth 
from the cage in the morning be sure to 
have a pail of hot water ready into which 
you put the cloth. Then remove the bird 
to a clean cage and place it in another 
room. Place the old cage in boiling water, 
one end down first if the cage is a large 
breeding cage, having the other end cov¬ 
ered with a cloth. After a few minutes 
soak the other end of the cage and the 
cloth. f. b. 
New York. 
Selecting the Thanksgiving Dinner 
