Vj
10
The Cbiftmoner.
VOIiTJMH Ti.NUMBJlR 17
I p
v
is';
te.
a
w&j
R. -
r-'
SERMONS IN SONG
The Candle
"Nor do men light a candle and put
it under a bushel." Matt. V. 15.
Your candle 1b so small, so small,
It makes scarce any light;
The feeble word you may let fall
Has neither strength nor might?
And there ho many greater ones
Who outshine you by far,
As do the sky-lllumlng suns
Outgrow the farthest star?
But of all good sounds over heard
There Is nono half so fall
As one unealeulated word
That soothes some dim despair,
And what a dull ,sky It would be
If all tho points of light
Were gone, and wo might, only see
The suns of wondrous might
He who holds up Ids little flame
Knows not what straining eyes
May find It guiding them from shame
Into a paradise;
All may not climb the lofty steep,
All may not lead tho throng
But each" may shelter and may keep
Aglow some word or song.
We know not, how our candle gleams,
It may be sconced In gold.
Or It may send Its cheering gleams
From some cup worn and old, .
And that which fate has hphV;..apnrt
1'vom pathways wide and grand,
May glow with light which finds tv
heart
Attuned to understand.
The little word, the little smile,
Tho little song you know
These make tho candle all the while
That we must keep aglow,
And we may think jts" trembling light
Unnoticed by all eyes
But there Is greater dark of night
When that lone candle dies.
W. D. Nesbltt, In St, Louis Republic.
Women Seeking Work
Since telling you of tho two women
who wanted "easy places," I have had
many letters from overworked or lone
ly housewives, offering homes. But I
must tell you, these women did not
want homesthey wanted less work
and larger pay. The letters were
placed in the hands of a benevolent
society, and good situations were free
ly offered them, in homes- where "as
sistance" was greatly needed, and
where tho salary was reasonable. But
in every case, the work was consid
ered too hard, or not congenial, aud
those offered from the suburbs were
not even considered. As to such wo
men going to the country they would
treat such an offor with contempt.
There Is absolutely no reason why a
girl or woman should remain Idle, in
any city, If she would do housework.
But they crowd to the shops, factories,
offices, and public places, willing to
work for merely nominal wages, rath
er than go Into the homes where every
comfort and convenience for lighten
ing labor is to be found, unless, in
deed, there are many employes, and
their duties clearly defined. Of course
In' such families, they cannot hope to
be treated "as one of the family," and
even among the employes there are
grades of "social standing."
Every employment is crowded but
housework. Reliable, trustworthy help
AN OLD AND WELL TRIED REMEDY
Mas. Wxnblow's Soo-raiNo SYimpforchlL
drcn teethtnir should always bo Sled for 288"
dren whilo toothlusr. Itsoftens tho minis, allaya
?Wn vurcs ,TJ,nd c?1Jc and Is tho best remedy
tordtarrhoB. Twenty-Qve cents abottl
is almost impossible to secure, and
the demand is never half met. A girl
or woman who understands her. busi
ness, and will attend to it as a busi
ness proposition, can set her own price
as to salary, and will never have to
hunt work. As to treatment tho lady
who "employs" will hardly dare utter
.the word "servant" In the hearing of
the housework girl. If the mistress
of a- homo should treat her help as
tho employer in other business treats
ills, she would almost be "lynched" by
lior Indignant servitors; she would
certainly be left, and that without cere
mony. Why women will accept work,
oftentimes only on condition of its be
boing within tho city limits, is in no
way explained by any balance in fa
vor of the city service. The basement
kitchen, tho attic sleeping room, the
bad air, tho many stairs to climb,
makes in favor of the country homo;
nd if it were only the young and com
pany-loving who choose the city sur
roundings, it would not appear so
strange. But sedate, middle-aged help
present tho same objections to the
country service, and simply shake
their heads when It Is proposed. They
do not like the country. They do not
want tho work.
'Meantime, the world is seeking for
metiious. by which the home can bo.
run without Individual housekeeping.
Many plans are being suggested; many
methods are being tried. Inventors
mid architects are turning their atten
tion to. "ways and moans" and much.
Is being done. It is wonderful, when
or.e reads of broomloss and dustless
house cleaning, iireiess cookery, and
tho services and conveniences to bo
had by those who have the means to
t.ay for them, without a care or a
worry on their part. Tho new ideas,
Ike tho new garment, bind and pinch
n some places, and do not "set snug
y in others;' but little by" little, the
easy places" are coming to the front
even In housewifery, jftid while try
ing to got used to "doing their own
things," they must cut out the unnec
essary, and get all tho conveniences
in the. way of machinery, which thev
can reach, and then make use of It.
lho useless and unnecessary must go.
system of .the country, each state is
supposed to provide for its own, and
it does so, in a measure. But in too
many instances, children who should
be in school have to work for a live
lihood. In too many instances this de-
piorauie condition cannot be avoided.
It is impossible for the parents to
clothe and feed and keep the children
in school on the wages of one or both,
while the mother has enough to do
without trying to earn the support.
The printed pages are fill! of scoldings
for tho mother who neglects her home
In order to earn tho pittance which is
absolutely needed for the comfort of
Che little school children. No woman
.can be a perfect housekeeper and care
properly for her children, and at the
same time go into the labor market
as a wage worker even as a laundress
or seamstress at her own fireside". If
the children can not work, and the
parents can not supply their needs,
then the schools must be deserted
Many a poorly-clad and poorly fed
child learns to hate the school be
cause of being subjected to the ridi
cule of more fortunate companions.
Compulsory education may be all right
with the child who has "good clothes"
and a love for study, but for the hun
gry, ill-fed and Ill-clad little body, it
seems a cruel hardship. If the state
could feed and clothe those who can
not supply themselves, or compensate
the parents for the time 'of the child so
ho or she may be kept decently lii
school, it might lessen the burden: but
this seems as yet to bo impracticable,
and as things now are, the educatidn of
file children seems a burden Svh'ich the
hardworking parents of large families
find it hard to carry. Not every child
wants, or will take an education. Many
are kept in the school room, year In
and year out, aiid what they do memo
rize is joyously forgotten when the
age of freedom" is attained, and the
cramped little qul is let loose to en
ter into the labors of the world.
think, half-heartedly, "will do," for ten
chances to one, it won't. Remember
that "paraffin wax, poured over your
jelly will keep it from moulding, and
have a supply of that on hand. If you
have taken care of that you used last
j ear, it is just as good for use this
year, if kept clean. If you can have
a pair of good household scales that
will weigh true, it will be found a '
great help In your "work, but you will
want your graduated measuring cups,
too. Remember, you will get out of
your jars, etc., only what you put into
thorn, be that good or poor, and a lit
tle of really good quality Is better than
a great deal of Inferior grade.
The "Lost Art"
If our girls, whether contemplating
marriage or not, who have homes and
mothers, would study the "lost art of
housekeeping," and seek to render
themselves efficient and proficient in
the business (for It really is a busi
ness) and profession of housekeeping
and homo making, there would be few
er sorrowful sinntngs and unhappy,
broken-down lives because of trvlnc
to "make a living" in the mad scram
ble' for situations which are alreadv
overcrowded, and af best poorly paid.
J he young wife who has found that
life is something of a failure when
soggy bread iind muddy coffee is tho
rule, or when "store-cooked" foods are
all that her table can "sot before its
king," should learn' to eliminate the
mc-rely ornate, rind do first the everyday-essentials,
perfecting herself in
tho few substantial and keeping with
in the limits of her untrained strength.
Simplify and systematize should be
her watchwords. -
Educating the Masses
A German scientist, traveling
through the United States, speaks of
the munificent gifts of the monied
men to bo applied to the advance of
higher education, yet finds the proyl
Sions for tho ednnnHnn f t mnaaM
to be very defective. Under the school
Getting Ready for the Summer
While the season, in all parts of the
country, is remarkably "unseasonable,"
and we are warned, from all quarters,
that our frut supply will be limited,
it is as well to lie getting ready "to
make the best of what we- may have
Some fruits will undoubtedly be verv
scarce, but of many others' we shall
have enough if not an abundance, and
It Is well to be prepared for what may
be given us. The stoclc of jars, iiA
g asses and fruit receptacles of evefv
kind; should be looked over, thorough
ly cleansed, aired and fitted with new
rubbers, tops, or other parts that mav
be found injured or lacking. Do not
put this off until the fruit is ready
for use, but see that everything you
have is available. If you find that you
will need more later on you can 'get
them. But have what you now have
in good-order. See that your preserv
ing kettles, spoons, and funnels, or
other utens Is are In good order, and
Unit the spice box, and sugar can Is
refilled. Have the spices as fresh as1
possible, and do not try to make the
old, tasteless things "do," Make your
flannel jellybag, and your fruit-strainers,
and have them where you can set
thpra when -wanted. Have your chop
ping bowls ot machines in hand, and
bo prepared to make good the lack of
fruit by a good supply of canned, dried,
preserved or pickled vegetables. See
that your supply of sealing wax is
sufficient, or your soldering outfit In
working order, and don't forget that
you must have good, clean tin, If you
want to keep your work from spoiling.
Don't use any old, rusted tin that you
How
Names -gnd Addresses
Are Obtained .
Many families are literally "snowed
under" with circulars), advertising
sheets and pamphlets, for which they
have no possible use, and they wondeV
how such people obtained their ad
dresses. Some time ago, I ordered an
article of household necessity, and in
sending it out to me, a peculiar error
was made in my name. As an error
made no difference as to the delivery
of what I had paid for, I paid no at
tention to it. But it was but a short
time until the carrier began bringing
me letters, pamphlets, cards and sam-.
pies of many thingsall directed to
my address with that peculiar error
in the arrangement of my name. I at.
once recalled the circumstance of the -order.
Later, I learned that this firm -
kept a list of their, customers names -j
unci addresses, and sold the addresses?
to "Whomsoever will," or wanted to J"
buy them. Because of their thriftlness '
I: am supplied with, an abundance of it.
paper material fpr every use known toifr7
housekeepers, from; starting the fire toitt-J'
polishing-the,' windows, free: .of. cost?u
p?he peculiarity in the name.; gave the
iwu mvuj. . .'.,.., -;v K.-.r.;
... -. .. -' 5 '-
: r i . '.jtiiAt
. a
Going iri Debt
One of the very worst things one can
do is to spend money before if is
earned go in debt buy on credit. Tho
astern is one or the greatest causes. .
of "hard luck," or financial straits. To ;&
buy things and settle for them with Aj&JB
"promises to pay" will surely bring ' m
trouble, no -matter how. large a salary C,,
one has.. By thus tvlhcr un our i-n-.".
'sources, we are never in a position. 1..
to jneet me tuture with anything like "
a comfortable condition of mind, anil " V r
if for any reason our earning ability ; '
is cut off, it places, us in, a very dis- f
agreeable position. The only sane, sen
slble way to live Is to set aside, every.-:-pay-day,
some portion of our earnings,' ' -ana
force ourselves to live strictly '
within the limits of what Is left We- ';
may want more than this balance will -buy,
butlt won't hurt us half as much
to want, as to face a deficit with no
prospect, or a distant one, of being able- r
to meet our obligations. We' all have ?
t',o much, as it is. We could do with
much less, and still be happy: tU
Helps for the Home Seam-
stress r'
For holding your shirt-waist down " '
to the skirt, get a piece of eotton (not ."" .
silk) elastic, half to three-quarters of "
an Inch wide, remove the gathers from' --"'
the front of the shirtwaist; letting it .' -..
hang-loose, then draw the' elastic tighti
and pin through your shirtwaist ana r A
your corset. uuu;,,
Be sure to. remember that iri'malcing '
ai.?rop,8rfc,'foF au organdie or jawT &'X
dress it is -best to include ftf In the' k :
band with the skirt proper. If &"- :
'ffifr,!8 'gore mftke the d,
skirt from the same pattern, sb'Wo, "V-
seams will match; turn up tl e dro-fei
sk rt around v hAffAm A x.. n .; i -
:v, . ii , i""""1" uie sauievjS-'.'-K- "
time as the outer skirt, to make the
length exactly the same. " 'r'v'
Thfi nlrltfoHhlnnnl on,t i.t..a . " ' i
grandmothers is again In use It i "t-C
made so thnt if TOni B -"!:' Ihr sfWl
or the ledge of a desk, and while heinr; yt?&
'$
.
M
31
i
&;
. ,
::