rso 
July 17, 1020 
WOMAN AND HOME 
From Day to Day 
The Travelers 
We were old to be traveling out of our 
hills, 
My husband and me; 
But sixty-odd years sometimes hungers 
for thrills, 
Don’t you see? 
He was wild as the boy to be off: so we 
went. 
Land! the sights that we saw and the 
- money we spent. 
Oh. the window-eyed walls like the face of 
remorse 
Lifted up to the sky; 
My throat tightened up for the sight of a 
horse 
Going by. 
But one thing was like the old village the 
same: 
The faces we met as we went and we 
came. 
There were little white girls that I wanted 
to kiss; 
And I wanted to warn; 
There were women who never learned 
love they must miss 
For their scorn; 
And boys God had made to be men who 
were not, 
Because of the duty that someone forgot. 
I guess I’m old-fasliioued: I didn’t care 
much 
For the music and art. 
With the pain of those sad eyes and faces 
and such 
In my heart— 
But I’m glad we went gadding away 
from our hearth; 
It’s taught me I have neighbors all over 
the earth. 
—Gertrude WEST, in Youths com¬ 
panion. 
Remember that rats are the chief car¬ 
riers of bubonic plague infection, and that 
this terrible disease is reported from more 
than one Southern city. Another carrier 
of this plague is the flea. There is no 
reason why rats, mice or other vermin 
should be permitted to increase in dwell¬ 
ings, farm buildings or other structures, 
and there is every reason why they should 
be destroyed. To carry on a persistent 
warfare against such vermin is always 
an economic measure, and it now becomes 
a patriotic duty. Every effort should be 
made to destroy all vermin, and to keep 
the farm free from such intruders. If 
every farm household kept track of the 
loss and spoilage caused by mice alone 
during a single year, they would be re¬ 
garded as costly guests. We do not fear 
the spread of plague in this country, but 
rats are wanderers and vagrants, and an 
infected animal may go far. A regular 
campaign of rat destruction will be a 
saving in health, money and anxiety. 
❖ 
When making syrup for canning, sift 
the sugar into boiling water just as you 
would .sift in a fine-graiued cereal. This 
prevents scum forming, and is a saving 
of .sugar. A standard formula for mak¬ 
ing syrup calls for three measures of 
sugar and two measures of water. For 
a thin syrup this is boiled one minute; 
for medium thin syrup, boil five min¬ 
utes ; for a medium thick syrup, boil 10 
minutes; for a thick syrup, boil till it 
will fall from the spoon in drops. 
* 
Some very simple or absurd little 
“stunt” often provides a great deal of 
amusement at a social gathering. One of 
the features at a salmagundi party was 
cracking nuts blindfolded. Each player 
was blindfolded and placed in a kneeling 
position on the floor. He was then given 
a hammer and a small hazelnut, which 
he was to crack. The nut could be lo¬ 
cated with the tip of the hammer before 
bringing down the tool, but might not 
be touched with the hands. A certain 
number of minutes were given each player, 
and while their efforts were very amus¬ 
ing to those watching them, it was sur¬ 
prising how few succeeded in cracking 
the nuts. 
Advantages of the Maternity Hospital 
I quite disagree with Mrs. Parson on 
page 1142 about the maternity hospital. 
Let me ask her if she ever went there as 
a patient. I have—six times—and if my 
babies were allowed to cry as much as 
she thinks, they surely were not hurt by 
it. I was, as well as all the other moth¬ 
ers in the ward, made to nurse them 
20 minutes each time, and they are the 
pictures of health. Some babies get so 
much cuddling and loving that I don’t 
see how the mothers ever get time to do 
other necessary work. Of course, when 
there is only one or two babies, perhaps 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
it would be all right, but suppose I should 
stop to love and cuddle mine every time 
they need it. there would be very little 
else done. I have seven; the oldest is 
11. and all the water to be carried from 
the spring: but you know how it is in 
the country. 
As to changing babies in the hospital, 
whore I generally go the babies all are 
tagged with a piece of adhesive tape on 
the back, and their name in indelible ink 
put thereon, so that they cannot be 
changed. I have seen as many as a 
dozen new-born colored babies, and they 
looked just like any other baby, as far 
The Rural Patterns 
fr. ordering always give number of pattern 
and size desired, sending price wi th order 
i — ■ - ' 
9940. Child's Rom- Blouse with C'onvert- 
pers. 2. 4 nncl 0 ible Collar. 10 to 14 
years. The medium years. Medium size 
size will require 2 will require Us, yds. 
yds. of material 30 of material 30 ins. 
ins. wide, 1% yds. wide. lt<. yds. 44. 
44. Price 20 cents. Trice 20 cents. 
9022. Child’s Yoke Blouse, 12 to 10 
Dress. 2. 4 and 0 years. The medium 
year*. The medium size will require 2% 
size will require 3 yds. of material 30 
yds. of material 30 ins. wide, 2% yds. 
ins. wide, 2yi yds. 44. Price 20 cents. 
44. Price 20 cents. 
as their color went, but perhaps the baby 
Pastoral Parson refers to was older. I 
have had splendid care in the ward, and 
if I am blessed with more babies, this is 
where I intend to go, as in my case it is 
much better for all concerned. I should 
like to hear from other readers about 
their experiences in the hospital 
MRS. c. P. s. 
Cucumbers in Brine, Canned Beets and 
Canned Sauerkraut 
Many housewives like the method of 
putting up the big jars of cucumbers iu 
brine, just as our mothers did, hut many 
have not been successful in keeping theip 
firm and sound. Instead they ferment 
and become soft, and are unfit for use. 
I used to have this trouble, until an aged 
man helped me out by telling me that I 
had failed to use enough salt. The brine, 
not being heavy enough, became sour, a 
scum formed and the whole mass was a 
waste. Now, since I use plenty of salt, 
I do not have this trouble. 
First, cucumbers must he gathered 
while still small enough for making good 
nickles; about three inches is a good 
length. Cut from vine, leaving part of 
the stem on the cucumber. Wash lightly 
and iflace first fi layer of salt, then one 
of cucumbers. Have a > board cover to 
fit down closely inside jin\ or keg. and 
keep cucumbers weighted down under 
brine. Add no water, as they will make 
their own brine. Keep putting them iu 
every morning, as gathered, until con¬ 
tainer is nearly full. Weight down and 
tie heavy cloth over all. Use only a stone 
jar, or clean wooden vessel for holding 
brine. Set iu a cool place. 
When wanted for use take out as many 
as wanted at one time, soak iu clear water 
until only a faint taste of salt is left. 
Pack in stone jar and pour scalding vine¬ 
gar over. If sweet pickles are wanted, 
add sugar and spices to taste. Will be 
ready for use in 10 hours. In putting 
up cucumbers by this method, do not he 
afraid of too much salt. If some is left 
undissolved in bottom, so much the bet¬ 
ter ; hut if not enough is used, the work 
is wasted. 
To make cucumber pickles like those 
we buy. gather cucumbers while quite 
small. Pack in stone jar and pour over 
a scalding brine, made with one pint of 
salt to one gallon of water. Cover and 
let stand over night. Drain and rinse 
with clear water. Have enough cider 
vinegar heating to cover, add a piece of 
alum size of pea to each quart of pickles. 
Drop cucumbers in and bring all to a sim¬ 
mering heat. Toft out pickles and pack 
closely in heated jars; when full pour on 
vinegar to cover and seal. 
For sweet pickled encumbers add sugar 
and spices to the vinegar before putting 
in the cucumbers. Grocers keep a combi¬ 
nation of mixed spices, selected especially 
for use in making sweet pickles, and we 
prefer this assortment over the old way of 
using each flavoring separately. 
Young, tender beets are often used in 
making sweet pickles as above. Our fam¬ 
ily. however, prefers beets pickled just 
plain. Bring all to a boil and fi'l heated 
glass jars, cover with hot vinegar and 
seal. Do -not attempt to can beets by 
merely slicing, packing in jars, pouring 
the hot vinegar over and sealing. Some 
claim success with this plan, but my ex¬ 
perience has invariably been that fermen¬ 
tation takes place, and I must do the 
work over, or else have a very sharp¬ 
tasting. unpalatable pickle. I never lose 
a jar when vinegar and beets are brought 
to a boil together and canued. 
Now that we understand how easy it is 
to can sauerkraut, a supply may be made 
any time there happens to be a surplus 
of cabbage at hand. Use only clean 
wooden or stone vessels for containers. 
Gut off outer leaves and shred cabbage 
fine. I use a one-knife slaw cutter. 
When a tub of cabbage is shredded I 
put iu about half a cup of salt. A good 
guide is this: Use as much salt as if cab¬ 
bage were to he cooked for the table. Stir 
in well and pack closely in container. 
Continue until within six inches of top. 
Have wooden lid to fit inside and use 
heavy rock for weight. Tie cloth over 
top. and oilcloth over all. In ten days 
to two weeks the kraut will be sour and 
ready for canning. Put on range in 
granite dishpan or stewpan. coyer with 
brine from jar. adding water, if neces¬ 
sary. cover closely and bring to boil; 
boil 10 minutes, pack into glass jars, 
press down well, cover with hot brine 
and seal. If sealed perfectly the kraut 
will keep indefinitely, and will be better 
than if kept in open vessel through the 
season. 
If a jar is used I place a clean flour 
sack inside, put cabbage in this and press 
top down avcII under brine. There is no 
waste in this method, as the sack keeps 
every hit of the kraut under brine. Do 
not use too much salt; if so the kraut 
will become soft, take on a very acid 
flavor and soon becomes unfit for use. 
ETEY REED YORK. 
More About Soap-making 
On page 878 Mrs. D. B. P. t in “Notes 
from Tennessee.” tells how to make soap. 
I would like more definite information. I 
have 18 lbs. of beef tallow, for which I 
can find no sale. I would like to use it. 
if possble. What does Mrs. D. B. P. 
do with the rosin and borax, and how 
does she finish it up? Does she make it 
into cakes? Should the water the lye is 
dissolved in he hot or cold? 
MBS. E. D. C. 
To make the soap, place an iron wash 
kettle over a fire. Measure eight gallons 
of water (soft water preferred) in kettle. 
Let water get hot. hut not boiling. Add 
the rosin. 1 lb., borax, 1 lb., and three 
cans of concentrated lye. Stir until con¬ 
tents are dissolved, add lye slowly, as it 
is highly corrosive. Then add 12 lbs. of 
scrap grease or 10 lbs. of tallow: boil 
and stir two hours, or until a hit of soap 
dipped out in a saucer will harden when 
cold. If the lye eats a feather and 
grease is on top and lye underneath of 
sample in saucer, more grease or a gallon 
of water should he added, and let boil, 
though if the lye is all right. there will be 
no trouble. When soap is finished, cover 
kettle and let stand over night, then cut 
out iu blocks or squares and lay on a 
plank or place in a stone jar. If laid on 
planks the blocks dry out; if kept cov¬ 
ered they stay moist. The recipe may 
be divided and make one-third of the 
amount for a trial, hut I am sure that 
after a trial you will find it cheaper and 
far ahead of many brands of the laundry 
soap now on the market. Do not have 
too much fire, or soap will boil over when 
it begins to thicken. When tallow is 
used instead of scraps, skins, etc., a bone 
added to the kettle will sometimes hurry 
up the thickening process. 
MRS. D. B. P. 
A Mending Hint 
A hoy chopped an inch-long gash in his 
>vershoe, the cloth part just above the 
•ubher. TIis mother started to put a 
bin cotton lining under it and darn the 
mt edges down upon it, but thought of a 
nore durable remedy. She cut a patch 
T-om a piece of heavy black material, 
wneared it heavily with mucilage, ami 
wasted it upon the inisde. Another used 
iourt plaster for a smaller wound in her 
iwu “arctic,” where less wear came upon 
t. i*. t. 
80 Glasses 
From One 
Package 
A package of Hires Household 
Extract—25c at your grocer’s, a yeast 
cake and some sugar. These will 
make 40 pints or 80 glasses of the 
best rootbeer you ever tasted. And 
it’s so easy to make. 
The actual juices of roots, barks, 
herbs, berries—and pure cane sugar 
make Hires Household Extract pure 
and healthful. 
Our special airtight, patent 
bottle stoppers keep the 
fizz from escaping until 
you are ready to 
drink. Ydur 
grocer has 
them. 
Be sure 
you get this 
package. It brings 
you the genuine 
Hires Household Extract. 
THE CHARLES E. HIRES COMPANY 
Philadelphia, Pa* 
QUICKSTEP 
SHOE 
CO. 
Boston 
Save Your Money 
$ 3.98 
For this stunning, bright, 
soft. genuine leather 
shoe. Buy your shoes 
direct from our factory 
and save many dollars. 
This is only one of the 
many big values we are 
showing in our catalog 
R. We are selling shoes 
for all the family direct 
from our factory to you 
at prices that will sur¬ 
prise you. 
Try a pair of these. 
You will surely be 
glad you did. 
TVe guarantee that the 
Shoes illlist Please or 
ice refund. Money. 
ir« pay delivery 
charges. 
QUICKSTEPPERS 
ALWAYS SAVE MONEY 
Send for Big Catalog R 
“TURKISH TOWELS” 
Mill Seconds that are Good Value 
We will send you POSTPAID FOR FOUR 
DOLLARS Our Special Bundle of Assorted 
Towels—Retail Value Five Dollars. 
Fall Valae Guaranteed 
[ Money Hack If Dissatisfied 
STERLING TEXTILE MILLS Clinton. Mass 
Agents 
Wanted 
Active, reliable, on salary, to 
take subscriptions for Rural 
New-Yorket' in New York 
State. Prefer men who have 
horse or auto. 
Address 
The Rural New-Yorker 
333 W. 30th St, New York City 
[ 
When you write advertisers mention 
The Rural New-Yorker and you U 
a Quick reply and a “square deal. <>£ 
guarantee editorial page. : » l 
