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The Commoner.
VOLUME 3, NUMBER 17,
8
""" "
At Lait.
'Tis sweet to rest. The years bring
peace
Tho peace that comes of pain's sur
cease 0 Life's, decay.
And I, who used to chafe and fret
To watch tho hours, with wild regret,
Slip fast away.
I grow contented not to do
To watch Time's sands slip idly
through,
Without a tear.
And as the world goes raging by,
I smile to think, at last, that I
Am done with fear.
I do not fret that, idly' now,
My worn feet lag upon the brow
Of Life's long hill;
Around me Nature's pulses beat,
I pause to catch its rythmics sweet
Ecstatic thrill.
And often in its measured rhyme,
Voices from out the oldentimo
Call softly "Come."
My restless heart grows calm and still,
As, hushed, I wait upon the hill,
My summons home.
For, like a tired child at play,
I know my ears, at close of day,
' Shall catch the call.
And, fearless, on a loving breast,
. My weary head shall sink to rest,
w Whon Night shall fall.
make a conventional visit, or go to a
ceremonious dinner or reception.
"Formal" affairs are just what their
name implies, and the real advant
ages derived from them are few. Such
aairs lack the individual atmosphere,
the guests being expected to stay just
so long, say just so many words, eat
and drink and depart Informal gath
erings admit of more social Inter
course and intelligent conversation.
They aro excellent means of broad
ening one's ideas by a concensus of
thoughts. There Is more freedom in
the atmosphere of such entertain
ments, and one is really the gainer
whero intellectual, refined people are
tho guests. Ceremonious entertain
ments are frequently given out of
compliment to some important person
age or visiting friend; and quite fre
quently from an innate love of dis
play. A certain amount of ceremony
in official and other phases of life is
necessary, but as a rule, It is the in
formal gathering that is the more en
joyable. American Queen.
means, practically, as well as spirit
ually; do not let any feeling of-delicacy
prevent you from telling her all
you can impart.
When she is a wife and mother, give
her of your most practical experience,
and if she has grown up properly, she
will have unconsciously made the best
possible preparation by being what
she is. Do not, however, let her mar
ry ignorantl7, but supplement your
own personal teachings by placing in
her hands several of the best books
written especially for such learners.
There is surely a blessed medium
ground between the preposterously
wise maiden and the painfully ignor
ant young wife, and I believe that on
this medium ground the preparation
most necessary and acceptible for
coming motherhood may be made.
Ex.
DlBlar Tabic Dots.
ap-
Natare's Healing
Now that tho hot months are
proaching, It is well to plan" for little
convenient outings, to be taken when
ever time and business will permit.
The resting spell may be but a few
hours in length, and tho journey but
a short distance from our own door
yard, but let us got out whenever we
can, into the blessed sunshine and fel
lowship with Nature. In this age of
artificial life and pursuits, thero Is so
much that Is exhausting to both mind
and body, that our mental, as -well as
physical, health demands a certain
amount of relaxation to. be gotten in
no other way than by wandering in
green fields and drinking in the
sweetened airs of tho outer world.
Many tired and depressed men and
women would be lifted out of the
slough of their own despond if they
T.ould live more out of doors. Wo
men, especially, need this relief. It is
not needed that we become a Thoreau
and live in a hut in tho woods in or
der to commune with Nature, though
if one might leave tho city behind and
seek tho solitude of woods and fields,
"tho world forgetting, by tho world
forgot," the cure would bo more com
plete, and tho benefit much greater.
But anything that" takes one out into
tho open air, if but for an hour or
twof and creates an interest in the
green things of the natural world, if
it bo only tho care of a little patch
of flower garden in a city backyard,
is helpful, and no woman ever learned
to love and care for a plant or flower
without becoming, to that extent, a
better and happier woman. Even a
small bed, sown to a mixed package of
flowor seeds will bo a source of per
petual delight to the one who is in
terested in watching the continual sur
prises there are stored up in the ex
pectancy of $ho over-varying blooming
time. Let us rosolvo to get as mar.y
outings as we possibly can, and let U3
take oyery one wo can get
Moth Pest.
The only way to guard against the
ravages of the moth is to exercise eter
nal vigilance." Very frequently air,
finish, shake and beat any article of
wool, fur, silk or velvet, or anything
that would possibly harbor a moth.
If a garment of any moth-encouraging
texture is not in use, sew it up in
a whole cbtton or linen bag; if possi
ble, take it out every month or six
weeks for examination, airing and
shaking. Only this care and cleanli
ness can protect against moths. A
few whole cloves, a bit of real camph
or gum and newspaper wrappings arj
good, but fancy preparations are not
only offensive to a sickening degree
to many persons, but they are irri
tating to nose, throat and eyea of
those who remain In their atmosphere
and will seldom do any good in pre
venting moth ravages. Ex.
Our Daughter.
Is it best to say much to
daughters about themselves, and to
be constantly "preparing" them for
motherhood? I believe in keeping
them, during their childhood and
young girlhood, in an atmosphere of
purity and letting them, with as lit
tle self-consciousness as possible, just
grow up artless and pure. As tho
crisis of their lives approaches, let
the wise mother gradually lead them
along the paths of necessary knowl
edge, telling them all they need to
know of life's laws and mysteries, an
swering their perplexities and impart
ing information as their natures
awaken. Should tho watchful mother
perceive in her child the need of spe
cial warning and instruction, let it be
given immediately, and as fully as the
case requires.
The best preparation, however, for
any calling, is to lead them up,
healthy in body, natural in mind, and
gentle in heart I believe it is better
that a -girl should not know anything
special of the responsibilities and du
ties of wifehood and motherhood, un
til she is well grounded in the duties
of girlhood.
Lot her health bo preserved sacred
ly, and the normal development of her
One may begin to eat as soon as
those near one have been served. The
oysters are eaten with, the smallest
fork. Soup is taken nojselessly from
the side of the spoon, and to tip the
plate to either side betrays too good
an appetite. Olives may be taken in
the fingers if no better means is pro
vided. Bread is broken, not cut, and con
veyed to the mouth in small pieces
Fish is eaten with the fork held in
the right hand, "with the aid only of a
bit of bread, unless silver fish knives
are provided.
Entrees aro eaten with the fork
only, and when, for the roast or game,
a knife is used, the fork is held in
the left hand, tines downward and
the right relaxes its grasp of the knife
as the fork is raised to the lips.
Salad is always eaten with a fork;
even with lettuce, the leaves may be
folded into convenient size. Ices are
eaten with a fork or a spoon. These
should never be auxiliaries. Fruit is
cut into small pieces and eaten from
the hand, or "with a fork, never bitten.
I Bonbons are taken in the fingers and
are served when the finger-bowls are
When one passes one's plate tho
knifo and' fork should be left upon
it, side by side.
A fork is always preferred to a
sAoon where the character of thefooi
permits its use.
In spreading bread, it should be
rested on the plate, supported by the
fingers of the left hand. One may
drink bullion from the cup or, use a
spoon. Cheese is cut with a knife
preferably a silver one, and a morsel
placed on a cracker or a piece of bread
to be conveyed to the mouth.
Asparagus may be taken up in the
fingers when the stalks are large and
hardy, dipped in the sauce and bitten
off otherwise, the points should be
cut off, eaten separately and the butts
held oy a fork to the mouth. When
drinking from a cup the spoon is re
moved and the cup held directly over
the saucer.
To sop up gravy or sauce with a bit
of bread, to pile one thing upon an
other on the fork so as to eat meat
and vegetables at the same moment,
to crumble bread into one's soup, are
breaches of the prevailing rules of
tabla etiquette. One should endeavor
take up horticulture and market-gardening
as a calling, with the remark
that no industrial pursuit is better
fitted to women, and they to it, than
the culture of fruits and vegetables.
It all reads very pretty on paper. It
is very pretty to see a pretty woman
in her sun-bonnet, out in the sun
shine, digging about among her flow
ering plants and even vegetables "for
the fun of it," or even for profit on a
limited scale; but to lay it down, Cat
and solid, that a woman is in her
place at the hard work of the field"
or the market garden, is all nonsense.
We admit that, so far as her strength
goes, she is better out-doors than in
the kitchen, .but everybody who
grows vegetables for profit must labor
hard and be out in all weathers, early,
and late, and it is one of the most
exacting callings that can be engaged
in. It is doubtful if any "woman was
ever benefited by laboring initio
field, and we do not believe she be
longs there. In the flower garden.
she is an ornament, and, the work
being light, she finds great pleasure,
and often financial profit In floricult
ure; but the broad advocpey of hard
labor for women, just quoted, smacks
too much of the Indian's conception
of woman's rightful sphere.
Care of Roses. t
To be successful with roses, atten
tion must be paid to insect enemies.
The slug is probably tho worst in
most localities; being small and
green, it is likely to do serious dam
age before discovered. It is found on
tho leaves, where it feeds on tho
green part, leaving the skeleton,
which soon turns brown and shriv
elled. On the first appearance of the
worms, sprinkle the leaves, either
with a whisk broom or through, tha
nose of a watering-pot, with the fol
lowing mixture: A level teaspoonful
of white hellebore powder stirred; -into
a gallon of water. This is -a-bov-ereign
remedy, and seldom, requires
more than one application; it should
be used in the shady part of the day,
morning or evening, and when rain
is not imminent Hellebore is a dead
ly poison, when taken Jnwardly, and
should be labelled and handled carefully.
..Mrs.
try
i ueveiopment or ner i . t rr ---.
young body be unrestricted. Cultivate ." ,i' u X..l as oraly a
Some Eatcrtalnnetits.
People, as a rule, much prefer to
drop in" on their friends than to
conaiuon as circumstances will r!.
low Ladies' Home Journal.
in her a healthy mind, and encourasre
in her life habits of industry, truth
and unselfishness. When sho 1r wpII
grown, and her school duties are he- Oat-Daar Werk far Wastes.
hind her, be careful jto Instruct her I An exchange advises tho woman
thoroughly upon all that marriage seeking for a means of livelihood to
Query Box
J. B. V., Newton, la. Will
and find the recipe for you.
Thanks for the promise.
Mrs. G. E. L., South Berwick, Me.
Thanks for kind, words. Am glad " I
can help you. Wish I could hug those
sweet babies.
Mrs. A. F. Soft fresh light bread is
bad for the stomach. Should not be
eaten until a day old. Toasted, pulled
or small well-baked breads are health
iest and more digestible.
L.-0. F. It is hardly worth while
to try keeping bulbs that have
bloomed in the house, as they are not
reliable. Better put them in the
ground, where they can take care of
themselves.
M. T. M., Alma, Mich. Will he glad
to oblige you as soon as possible.
Many thanks for kind 'words, will
also appreciate any suggestion point
ing to a wider scope of usefulness for
this department. We want it to be
just what its readers want it to' be.
Beginner. For tea towels, a good
quality of the plaid linen- sold 'by,
the yard as "glass toweling" is ser
viceable and economical; for common
kitchen ware and crockery, a loose
woven linen crash: for dish-cloths.
and loose-woven, coarse crash. 'Close---woven
material holds the grease 'and
stain, and is hard to keep clean. Any
old, half-worn, soft cloth will answec
for the latter.
A Reader. For water-proofing dress
goods, dissolve half Dound nf nlnm
in two quarts of water, boiling. Then
add two gallons of cold, clear spring
water. Into this solution place the
material and let it remain fora day;