918 
The RURAL. NEW-YORKER 
June 21, 1924 
WOMAN AND HOME 
From Day to Day 
Wee Hughie 
He’s gone to school, wee Hughie, 
An’ him not four, 
Sure I saw the fright was in him 
When he left the door. 
But he took a hand o’ Denny, 
An’ a hand o’ Dan, 
Wi’ Joe’s owld coat upon him— 
Och, the poor wee man! 
He cut the quarest figure, 
More stout nor thin ; 
An’ trottin’ right an’ steady 
Wi’ his toes turned in. 
I watched him to the corner 
O’ the big turf stack, 
An’ the more his feet went forrit, 
Still his head turned back. 
He was lookin’, would I call him— 
Och, my heart was woe— 
Sure it’s lost I am without him, 
But he be to go. 
I followed to the turnin’ 
When they passed it by, 
God help him he was cryin’, 
An’ maybe, so was I. 
—Elizabeth Shane, in 
“By Bog and Sea in Donegal.” 
* 
The National Committee for the Pre¬ 
vention of Blindness has issued a warn¬ 
ing against buying eyeglasses by mail 
from irresponsible dealers. According to 
this organization, widespread sales cam¬ 
paigns are being conducted by firms “sell¬ 
ing glasses without even asking for any 
symptoms, without the slightest sort of 
examination of the eyes of the prospec¬ 
tive purchaser, and without even an in¬ 
quiry as to the condition of the eyes.” It 
continues: 
“Investigation has shown that the 
glasses which are actually sent are simp¬ 
ly a fair grade of magnifying glasses 
mounted in an extremenly poor grade of 
frame. These are advertised as ‘scien¬ 
tifically ground and curved lenses.’ The 
glasses do nothing that the exploiters 
claim for them—they do not cure eye- 
strain, they do not fit the eyes. They 
simply make the print look larger, as a 
consequence of which many persons re¬ 
ceiving them, particularly old people with 
failing sight, will worry along with them, 
occasionally feeling satisfied because of 
their own ignorance of the harm that is 
being done their eyes and lack of knowl¬ 
edge of what proper fitting of glasses re¬ 
quires.” 
Some of the greatest sufferers from de¬ 
fective vision and inadequate glasses are 
farm women in isolated sections. It is 
not only lack of money, but also the dif¬ 
ficulty of leaving home and its duties to 
go to the oculist or optometrist, who may 
be located at. some inconvenient or dist¬ 
ant place. Yet, when we consider how 
much discomfort, suffering and inconven¬ 
ience results from defective sight, we may 
realize that a person’s eyes are well 
worth the expense incurred in caring for 
them. We have warned our readers in 
the past against the traveling “eye doc¬ 
tor,” who is often guilty of cruel fraud 
and extortion. The mail order fraud is 
no less dangerous; your eyes are too val¬ 
uable to be imperilled. 
* 
We still meet with some old-fashioned 
housekeepers who consider that dark 
paint is desirable for the kitchen, because 
it does not show dirt. One may well re¬ 
tort that the dirt is there, even if one 
does not see it. But there is one great 
advantage in light colors, and that ’S 
the diffusion and reflection of light, so 
that there are no dark corners, and this 
is an economy in lighting. Warm shades 
of gray, buff or other neutral tints are 
attractive in the kitchen and do not show 
soil as easily as pure white. Whatever 
colors are selected, they should be cheer¬ 
ful and pretty, for a houseworker spends 
too much time in the kitchen to be con¬ 
demned to ugly surroundings. 
* 
Do you keep receipts for all bills paid 
in such a manner that you can refer to 
them easily? Or do you slip them into 
some drawer with countless other items, 
or skewer them on a spindle where they 
are all in confusion? A closed letter file 
may be bought for 50 cents or less, and 
every receipted bill laid flat within it. 
in alphabetical order. Such files have 
separate folds marked alphabetically. The 
file should be marked on the back with 
the date, merely the year if it contains 
a whole year’s bills, or with the months 
included if not those of a full year. Such 
a file may be stored easily, and is always 
accessible for reference. Do not put re¬ 
ceipts aside until you get around to filing 
then!; file as soon as paid. Tax receipts 
or other data involving property trans¬ 
actions should not be filed with other 
bills; their place is in a locked cash box 
or other separate repository. But it is 
wiser to have a box in the safe deposit 
vaults of the local bank where deeds or 
any valuable papers may be kept, safe 
from fire, theft or accident. The rental 
of a small box is not large, and it gives 
The Rural Patterns 
In ordering always give number of pattern 
and size desired, sending price with order 
2080. Dress with 
inset front, sleeves 
in either of two 
lengths and skirt 
With inverted side 
plaits. For ladies 
and misses. Sizes 
34, 30, 38, 40 and 
42-in. bust. Size 38 
requires 3% yards 
30-in. material with 
4% yards 30-in. 
contrasting mater¬ 
ial. 20 cents. 
1010. Hoys’ suit, 
consisting of slip-on 
blouse with sailor 
collar and straight 
trousers. Sizes 0, 
8, 10, 12 and 14 
years. Size 10 years 
requires 3% yards 
32-in. material. 20 
cents. 
2072. Misses’ dress 
having kimono 
sleeve blouse with 
side-front closing, 
and slightly gather¬ 
ed skirt; may be 
worn with or with¬ 
out plaited apron. 
Sizes 10, 18 and 20 
years. Size 18 years 
requires 4% yards 
30 to 40-in. mater¬ 
ial. 20 cents. 
1985. Girls’ slip- 
on dress with rag- 
lan sleeves and 
scallops; suitable 
for two kinds of 
material. • Sizes 8, 
10, 12 and 14 years. 
Size 10 years re¬ 
quires 1% yards 30- 
in. plain material 
and 1V4 yards 30- 
in. figured mater¬ 
ial. 20 cents. 
The Home Dressmaker, Needlework In¬ 
structor and Fashion Book, 35 cents. 
a sense of security that may not always 
be present in an isolated farmhouse. Fur¬ 
thermore, we think the moral effect is 
good. Farmer Brown, who is known to 
do business with the local bank, and to 
keep any valuables he may possess there, 
is not nearly so likely to be approached 
by thieves and swindlers as Farmer 
Smith, who is reputed to keep his Liberty 
bonds hidden away in the house. 
Rag Carpet Suggestions 
The afternoon that I took my Winter's 
supply of sewed carpet rags to the weav¬ 
ers I had a little spare time. The weav¬ 
er was busy warping his loom and willing 
to talk about weaving. I gleaned quite 
a bit of information that had hereto¬ 
fore passed unnoticed as far as I was 
concerned. Personally he said he pre¬ 
ferred always using white warp ; it was 
cheaper, and the new rugs had a “store” 
look, but right here I am sure I could 
never agree with him. as I find the 
white warp soils too quickly and cheapens 
the appearance of the darker rags. He 
said that people bringing rags and 
choosing their own warp combinations do 
not realize that this is a real nuisance 
with a small order, and that is why they 
are often kept waiting until he has 
enough orders in to pay to do them all 
at once. It takes a day to warp a loom, 
and while it is not really tiresome it is 
tedious. 
I was shown all sorts of rags, and was 
surprised at the different methods em¬ 
ployed in sewing them. I had always 
machine eewed mine, sewing lengthwise 
over the folded strip an inch and passing 
to the left, adding another, etc., and clip¬ 
ping them of an evening, but some had 
been sewed in a seam and others tied, 
and all manners of methods used. Be it 
hand or machine sewed they should never 
have loose ends or be left in a bunch. 
It is hard for the weaver with an au¬ 
tomatic loom to fill the bobbins if the 
ball is rolled goose-egg shape. Five-inch 
balls are really the most satisfactory 
and if colors are folded bright side out 
and rolled tightly they will remain so. 
Critical people always look at the 
edges of rugs and carpets, but if the 
rags are prepared with great bunches the 
edges cannot be made to look even. So 
many caution the weaver to plan out a 
pretty rug or carpet. He says that is 
an impossibility if the rags are poor 
assortment and poor colors, and if one 
has any plane whatever it would save so 
much of the weaver’s time if their plans 
were made before they reached the weav¬ 
er, or only general ideas be given for the 
weaver to do the best he can. His work 
with all sorts of grades and colors gives 
him a wide experience, and the customer 
is sure to be suited. In general, how¬ 
ever, two-thirds of the rug should form 
the body and a twelfth of the length at 
each end form the approach and match 
the body, the remaining twelfth form the 
border. For a three-yard rug a yard 
wide 72 in. would form the center, 9 
in. at each end form the approach, and 9 
in. for border. This is the standard in 
planning rugs. Ofttimes, however, the 
body has to be striped to use the rags one 
has accumulated. 
To secure good results grade the rags, 
cottons and woolens separately. Have 
them uniform thickness, meaning not to 
cut all the same width but so when they 
are rolled they will be the same size, and 
then the rug will be even. Frayed goods 
works up beautifully, but would better be 
kept by thetnselves. 
In dyeing rags, if some are tied tight 
in bunches they will be mottled when done 
and with extra pains can be dyed two 
colors, by tying the fresh dyed part tight 
for the second dye bath. Contrasting 
warps give best results, the neutral 
shades blending with all colors. The col¬ 
ored warps change the appearance of the 
different colored rugs when woven. 
If one has much weaving to be done it 
will pay to make a visit to the weaver to 
learn how to sort and prepare rags. New 
rags make beautiful rugs, but do not 
beat up well. Old muslins and bed 
blankets are ideal. Cretonnes make beau¬ 
tiful stripes, and dark plaids make a 
very effective stripe also. According to 
the width and thickness of the rags one 
can figure on anywhere from 1 % to 2^ 
lbs. for a yard of rug or carpet one yard 
wide. It is better to use heavier rags 
for rugs than carpet, as they will lie flat 
better. Last but not least, the weaver 
said he detests dirty rags. 
I had spent a profitable hour at the 
weaver’s, now I am waiting till Win¬ 
ter comes to prepare rags for other things 
than floor coverings. He showed me sofa 
pillows, portiers and shopping bags, slip¬ 
per bags and letter holders, all woven. 
Stand covers, etc., can be made from the 
odd bits of yarn that accumulate. For 
the shopping bag plain goods cut fine 
with bright colors for the border seem 
best. Indeed I admired one that was 
made from very light calicoes and striped 
with gingham check and dark wool plaid, 
the latter standing out as the center of 
border. The fringe is left for bottom, 
and the top may be either fringed or 
hemmed. Handles are made from braided 
warp. Sofa pillows are made out of 
silk or velvet rags, but cotton rags make 
excellent covers for pillows to use on the 
porch or in the canoe, and for bungalow 
cushions. While we are utilizing our 
accumulation of odd scraps we are quite 
up-to-date, for the demand for colonial 
rugs and these woven articles of which I 
have been writing are considerable. Dur¬ 
ing the war there was scarcely any de¬ 
mand, but now again city people as well 
as the efficient farm wife are getting 
weaving done. Runners and stair car¬ 
pets are included and indeed runners are 
quite necessary to save our new rugs in 
places w’here traffic is heaviest. And do 
not tell the weaver you have more rags 
of a color home if he needs them. Take 
what you want woven and any that may 
be needed with you. and do not expect 
him to stop and wait till you can bring 
more, for if he has to wait his work is 
at a standstill, and that does not pay 
him. The weaver quoted several such in¬ 
stances, and time wasted in waiting for 
rags to be prepared. 
When caught up on custom weaving 
he gets a supply of “fillers” and makes 
up pretty rugs for retail, telling me that 
at present the demand is very good in¬ 
deed. That reminds me of some old in¬ 
grain carpet in the attic; just the time 
to get it out on the grass before a 
shower, and cut it in half-inch strips for 
a semi-fluffy rug for the dining room, 
pretty and serviceable when done, but al¬ 
together too linty a job for Winter work. 
Warp is very high now, and the weaver 
needs to charge double and treble his 
old price's, but even so rugs of this kind 
are very durable and attractive. 
patsy’s WIFE. 
Dutch cuts and 
bobbed hair 
Keep them neatly trimmed. Our 
Head Barber’s Booklet shows you 
how. May we send you a copy ? 
BROWN Cr'SHARPE Mfd.Co. 
Providence. I\.L.U.S.A. ' 
Brown &. Sharpe Mfg. Co., Providence, R.I. 
Please send me a free copy of your new 
booklet ,"How to Use Clippers. ” 
Name . 
Address . 
City . . State . 
K. N.-Y. 6-21-24 
The 
“Pride” 
Send for 
Catalog 80 
A Modern Bathroom, $60 
Just one oi our wonderful bargains. Set com¬ 
prises a 4, 4*6 or 5 foot iron enamelled roll rim 
bath tub, one 19 inch roll rim enamelled flat- 
back lavatory, and a syphon action, wash-down 
water closet with porcelain tank and oat post 
hinge seat; all china index faucets, nickel-plated 
traps, and all nickel-plated heavy fittings. 
J. M. SEIDENBERG CO.. Inc. 
254 W. 34 Si. Bet. 7th and 8th Ave». N. Y. C. 
Makes Canning 
Does a way with the expense of glass jars, 
the bother and worry of caps, rubbers, 
i solder and a tot of hard work. With tho 
Virginia Home 
Can Staler 
. and Virginia Sanitary 
Tin Cans, you can put 
up high as 600 to 800 
. cans a day of as fine 
• fruits, vegetables and 
. , -— meats as if you had the 
biggest canning factory in the world. Approved by 
Good Housekeeping Institute and U. 8. Government. 
Write for free booklet, right now. Virginia Can 
Co.. Box 677-f Roanoke. Va. 
HONEY SAVING SUPPLIES - 
FOR THE AUTOIST 
OUR NEW CATALOGUE LISTS HUNDREDS 
OF MONEY SAVING ACCESSORIES 
YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO BE WITBOUTONE 
ITS JUST OUT AND NUMBER. ["46^1 
TIMES SQUARE AUTO SUPPLYIO. mci 
1741 BROADV/gy AT 56 th ST nyc 
AINT 
$ 1.25 
PER 
Gallon 
ORDER DIRECT FROM FACTORY 
We will send you as many gallons as you 
want of good quality red or brown 
BARN PAINT 
upon receipt of remittance. We are paint special¬ 
ists and can supply you with paint for any pur¬ 
pose. Tell us your wants and let us quote you 
low prices. We can save you money by shipping 
direct from our factory. Satisfaction Guaranteed. 
On orders for thlrtr eallone or over we will prepay the 
freight within a radius of three hundred miles. 
AMALGAMATED PAINT CO. 
Factory: 372 WAYNE ST., JERSEY CITY. N. J. 
INDIGESTION Comp ethicus ,,owder 
Jar—16 doses— 50c 
lgellet ETHICUS LAB., 1819 B’way. H. Y. City 
Edmonds’ Poultry 
Account Book 
A COMPLETE RECORD. EASY TO 
KEEP. START ANY TIME ; RESULTS 
SHOWN ANY TIME. 
PRICE, POSTPAID, $1.00 
For Sale by 
RURAL NEW-YORKER 
333 West 30th St. - New York 
