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A Winter Morning
tho floft, bluo nky lcuncd down
toward tho earth,
Voilod with white, ncccy cloudB
that inovod and stirred
Lilco tho ItKht pinions o Bomo
Blooplng bird,
Poised In tho othor whoro It had Its
"birth.
An opal radlanco shimmered in the
oast,
Mounted and widened, till, shot
through Its bars,
Tho arrows of tho sun dispersed
tho stars,
31nd from their Bcrvlco to bo thus
roloasod.
No sun which lights a perfect day
In Juno
Has ovor known a fairer sky than
this-;
it should bo wolcomod by tho song
birds' tune,
Its rose and gold should greet the
south-wind's kiss;
Who could boliovo, did ho not glance
bolow,
TJiis glory bondB abovo a wasto of
snow?
NInotto M. Lowalter.
Cremation for tho Dead
Tho custom of cromating tho
6odics of tho dead Is growing in
favor, but among tho masses but
llttio Is known of tho process by
which it Is accomplished. At tho
cromatory, there aro all tho sad cere
monies usually attending tho inter
ment of tho body, but thoro aro no
harrowing sights; no smoll, no do
cay; and wlion tho reduction is com
plotod, thoro romains nothing but
the mineral salts of tho body, and
thoso aro as clean as fino washed
sand. At tho crematorium, the
upper story is used as a chapel, In
tho contor of which is tho catafalque
draped In black, for tho rocontion of
tho coffin and Its contents; below this
aro tho furnaces and othor appa
ratuses for tho incineration. When
a body Is to bo cremated, tho secre
tary of tho association notifies in
writing tho manager, who attends to
having tho furnace ready by, a cer
tain hour for tho Incinoration of the
romains; in each instance, giving the
name of tho dead. At tho appointed
hour tho cortogo arrives, tho coffin
Is removed from tho hearso and
bomo into tho chapol, whoro it is
placed on tho catafalquo. While the
tho funeral services ar.o being hold,
tho comn is noiselessly lowered Into
tho crypt below, whoro, In the
presence of several witnesses, the
body Is removed and placed upon a
grated iron framo beneath which is
a metal floor covered with asbestos,
upon which tho ashes are deposited.
Tho casket Is then placed out of sight
behind a black curtain, tho body Is
swathed In a heavy cotton cloth
"which haB been soakod In a strong
Bolutlon of alum, and it Is roady for
tho fire; tho rocolvlng framo Is
pushed upon Iron rails to tho mouth
of tho retort Into which the corpse is
Biia; tno doors are then closed, and
no mortal oyo may look upon tho
body again until It comes forth In
tho shapo of a graylsh-whlto mass of
ashes. Tho time occupied In tho re
duction of an adult varies from one
and one-half to two hours. In tho
case of men, the ashes weigh from
five to six pounds; of womon, from
four and a half to five pounds.
rue usual crematory apparatus Is
composod of a receiver, a furnace
and a chimney. Tho receiver Is an
arched brick chamber with a flat
bottom, open at each end, ono of
which communicates with tho upper'
part of tho furnace, and the other
with tho lower part of the chimney,
tho furnace, which discharges its
heat into tho receiver, Is somewhat
spacious, sufficiently so as to pro
duce tho necessary heat by means of
wood fuel; tho chimney is also of
sufficient sectional area to remove
tho products of combustion, and
high enough to permit the draft to
keep abovo the gases and to prevent
any dispersion of heat or smoke
Hi rough tho apertures of tho retort.
Tn order to overcome the possibility
of any organic molecules escaping
from the shaft, a portion of coke Is
kept constantly burning upon a grat
ing at the base of the chimney. The
products of animal combustion which
issue still highly heated from tho
receiver aro subjected to a higher
temperature in passing through the
blazing coke, and any organic mat
tor which mav have resisted or
escaped tho first combustion Is
dost roved by tho second, and mixes
harmlessly with the outer atmos
phere.
Before a bodv may bo subjected to
Incinoration tho burial certificates
from tho board of health, as well as
the certificate of tho attending phy
sicians must be shown, elso a heavy
fine is lodged against tho manager,
who is also sublected to a term of
impripnnment. Tho ashes are vari
ously disposed of by the friends or
relatives, but usually tho flaky re
mains aro inurned and allowed to
remain at tho crematory. Just as
the bodv Is received it 1b taken from
fhp coffin and placed in the retort:
nothing Is disturbed. Tho heat tho
bodv Is sub looted to 1b of 800 de
crees intenltv: from tho time It Is
placed In tho receiving chamber until
it Issues a handful of whitish grav
ashes, it is enveloped In such a cloud
of vaporish smoke that even If the
rules of tho association permitted an
inspection during tho process, noth
ing but this could bo seen.
and you will be all right in one year
or sooner. It is supposed that a mild
caso of catarrh will succumb to the
remedy before the expiration of tho
year; but for a severe chronic case,
it may call for the whole time.
Harmless Amusements
A part of the education of every
child should be tho teaching it to
enjoy funny things. A sense of
humor is a saving sense in more ways
than one. Amusement is a good
thing when it Is harmless, and a good
laugh is better than medicine.
Condensed Milk
Tt Is ' told that when condensed
milk was first introduced, forty years
ago, tho idea was laughed at. rlhe
inventor of tho method carried the
supply for New York city in a ten
quart pail, delivering it personally
to his customers. He died later,
worth $7,000,000 made out of the
business, which crew to be a gigantic
Industry. "The process employed is
very simple, the fresh milk being
put into a great copper tank with a
steam jacket. While it is being
heated, sugar is added, and the mix
ture then drawn off into a vacuum
tank where evaporation is produced
by heat. The tank has a glass at
tho top through which tho operator
in charge looks from time to time,
and can tell by tho annearance of the
milk when the time has arrived to
shut off the steam; this must be done
at just the right minute, or the batch
will bo spoiled. Next tho condensed
milk is drawn into large cans which
are set in very cold water and chilled,
being made to revolve rapidly by a
mechanical contrivance, in order that
tho contents may cool evenly." This
is but tho outline of the original
method, the great Industry that has
grown out of it today requiring most
effective machinery and the putting
into small cans. A great many people
us the canned milk from choice, but
the taste for it has to.be acquired.
VOLUME 12, NUMBER Q
weather tho component parts of tho
paint form a hard substance on tho
surface, almost as hard as glass; but
in warm weather, the oil penetrates
the wood and the paints wear off.
For roofs, this is said to "look
better than paint and wear better,
and is as durable as slate, stopping
tho small leaks in roofs, making tho
roof incombustible and rendering
brick impervious to water." Slack
stone lime by putting it into a tub,
covering to keep tho steam in. When
slacked, pass the powder through a
fine sieve, and to each six quarts of
tho powder add ono quart of rock
salt and one gallon of water; then
boil and skim clean. To each fivo
gallons of this add one pound of pul
verized alum, half a pound of pul
verized copperas, and slowly add
three-fourths pound of powdered
potash; then fine sand or hickory
ashes, four pounds; now add any
desired color and apply the mixture
with a brush, smoothly coating it on.
Keep stirring it well as you add tho
ingredients, so it will be well mixed.
Getting Ready to Garden
While it may seem a little early to
do anything in the garden, yet there
is a great deal that can bo done, and
by doing it now, time will be gained
for the busy season soon coming. All
tho garden tools should be gathered
up, mended, the woodwork painted,
and all blades sharpened, handles
mended, and everything put into
shape. Pea and tomato sticks' may
be got ready and put under shelter,
and it is a good time to spread ferti
lizer, if you neglected it last fall.
Tho garden spot should be very rich
in order to have vegetables get right
down to business as soon as the warm
days come. If you did not gather the
weeds off the ground last fall, it
would be well to set matches to the
piles as you bunch them now, and
thus burn up a lot of insect eggs.
Don't forget to read tho advertising
columns, send for the catalogues,
look over the lists of new implements
and plan for the busy days.
Refreshments -While
not obligatory, it la enn-
tomary to servo light refreshments
at an evening gathering. No elab
orate preparation of any sort Is
necessary; tho refreshments may be
passed around, or a buffet lunch
may bo served in the dining room.
Tees and fancy cakes aro In good
taste, and for a cold weather gather
ing, chocolate with cakes, or sand
wiches with little cups of hot
bouillon may be substituted for the
ices. The men of tho party should
pass tho cups and plates, or the
ladles mav do this. Either Is proper.
Tf something heavier la remit!
salads made of chicken, lobster, fish,
etc., may bo served. For a chafing
dish suppor, Welsh rarebit, oysters
and lobsters mav bo served, or any
other of tho chafing dish dainties.
A Remedy for Catarrh
Tho following remedy was given
a year or two ago, but is asked for
again: Go to the drug storo and buy
one ounce of pure extract of yellow
puccoon; take ono teaspoonful of
this and put it in ono pint of water
that has been freshly boiled, shake
well and set It away to settle. Buy
a spray (It will cost 50 to 75 cents) ;
pour tho solution out of the bottle
carefully, not stirring up tho dreca
at the bottom. Take the spray, hold
your head high, and spray the liquid
in both nostrils, letting it run down
Into tho throat. Do this twice a day,
Bits of Information Asked For
A good stain for a floor is made
by adding to a strong lye of wood
ashes enough copperas to make the
desired shade of oak. Put this on
the boards with a mop, let dry and
varnish afterwards.
For cleaning paint for varnishing,
have a plate with some of the best
whiting to be had on it, and have
reaay some clean warm water and a
piece of flannel. Dip the flannel into
tho water, squeeze nearly dry, then
take up as much of tho whiting as
will adhere to It; apply to the painted
surface, and rub gently; any dirt or
grease win do removed; then wash
tho parts well with clean water, rub-
oing it dry with a soft cloth or
chamois skin. This will not injure
the most delicate colors, and it will
look as well as new. Try this.
There are so many varnishes and
stains now on the market which aro
both reasonable in nrico and anHofn
tory for use, that it is hardly worth
while to attempt to mix one's own
varnisn.
For painting canvas, make a
flexible paint by these directions:
Yellow bar soap shredded in thin
slices, ono and one-half pounds; boil
ing water, one gallon; dissolve, and
wiiuo uot mix witn on paint, ono cwt.
mm is rar a large canvas.
March Is the best "month in spring
in which to paint houses, etc., as tho
paint will last twice as long as when
applied in hot weather. In cold
Query Box
Several letters have been returned
to me, because tho person to whom
they were addressed' could not bo
found. Tt is bettor that you send an
addressed envelope, as some of our
excellent scribes slur over the names
of the town, city or state, and it is
almost Impossible to clearly make
them out without the aid of an offi
cial guide wherein every postofllce
is to be found. If some of you aro
still waiting for your answers, please
remember this. Several have writ
ten, giving no address, and can only
oe answered by personal letter.
Will Mrs. G. W. B., "Business
Manager," please send address.
M. R. Wash tan shoes with warm
water and castlle soap, wetting them
as little as possible; let dry, then
dress with tan dressing. Rubbing
with banana peel is recommended;
also rubbing with a woolen cloth on
which a few drops of turpentine is
poured.
Polly M. Poll Rhine tha IHr? HnvAfl
with shoo polish may or may not bo
injurious; it depends on the polish.
A little of tho polish stirred up with,
a little olive oil, and rubbed thor
oughly into the leather may bo best.
H R Ask your furniture dealer
about the brown stain: thorrf are so
many ways of staining, and so many
stains on the market that It 1b hard
to advise.
"Housekeeper" The stylo of in
terior decoration as to Joining side
WallS With CGIHtIC Vnrloa art. m.inh t-n
different sections .of the country that
you would best consult your local
paper" man, or house-decorator.
The pieces of furniture should have
the old varnish removed and can
then bo grated anew. Tho polishei
and varnishes advertised in reliable
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