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The Commoner.
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VOLUME 9, NUMBER 15
Somebody's Boy
List to tho ring of the midnight song;
4Tia somobody'B boy.
Tho winds givo to every wild echo a
tongue,
Yes, somebody's boy.
Tho witcli of tho revel has waved
her wand
Ovor somebody's boy;
And the spirit of evil has clasped tho
hand
Of somebody's boy.
soil for your pots, pans and boxes.
Remember, too, that you must be
gin to grow your seedlings, espe
cially such as chrysanthemums, now,
with an eye to their transplantings,
pinching into shapeliness, and shift
ing from pot to pot. Geraniums, and
many other plants that are wanted
for the window blooming, must be
attended to in May or Juno, and only
by keoping them in pots through
out tho season can you hope for
brightness and color during the dark
Then, too, this compost may
davs.
li iicnrl In Hi n irmlnTI tV O.nfilimber
Comes now a yell on the midnislit tjus ana other vegetables will
air,
From somebody's boy;
Reckless, defiant and devil-may-care
Is somebody's boy!
Foul is tho bod madly dark the
dark coll,
Whoro somebody's boy
Is writhing in torture, tho veriest
somebody's boy.
Waiting and watching, a mother's
eyes weep
For somebody's boy,
Tho vigil, dear Father, O help her
' to' keep!
For somebody's boy.
Throw 'round him, and over, thy
Spirit to save,
This somebody's boy;
Ero fiends for his lost soul shall hol
low tho grrvo
- .Of somebody's boy.
Fill with thy Spirit, too, our hearts,
we pray,
That somebody's boy
Wo may watch for, and snatch from
the death-trodden way
XeB' somebody's boy!
-Mfst 13. P. Miller, in Mother
Truth's Melodies.
thrive wonderfully for a shovel full
occasionally.
"Mother's Day"
A pretty custom is gaining ground
In observing "Mother's Day," which
is set for the second Sunday in May.
It was first observed last year, and
its observance will be more wide
spread this year. Those who have
a mother living should visit her, or,
if not within visiting distance, write
a letter to her; the letter to bo writ
ten so it will reach her on that day.
Those whose mother has passed out
can decorate her grave with flowers,
or plant something on the mound, or,
if this can not be done personally,
have it done by some one living
where the body is buried. This is a"
worthy custom and, while the mother
is living, the patient old friend will
be gladdened by this tribute of affection.
of buying the showy "ready-to-wear"
that are only made to sell.
In using paper patterns for the
skirt, bo sure to lay the line of per
forations down the pattern, as indi
cated on the paper, on a straight
thread of the material. Study the
pattern well before cutting into the
goods, and once the paper is laid
on tho goods, cut exactly as tho pat
tern, marking every perioration,
notch, or square. If the material is
not as wide as the pattern, do not
skimp, but change the position on
the, cloth, or, if nothing else will do,
do not hesitate to neatly pieco the
corners of gores.
It is the business of the owner of
the goods to say if the goods shall
be pieced out, but care should be
taken to need as little piecing as
possible, at the same time cutting
exactly as the pattern demands.
Many a garment is ruined as to fit,
by suiting the pattern to the goods,
rather than the goods to the pattern.
In plaited skirts, be sure to lay
the plaits neatly and evenly. If one
hip is higher than the other and
one generally is the skirt should
be slightly raised on the side that is
smallest, until the line of the front
hangs straight. In evening the bot
tom of a skirt, one should have help
of a second person.
When the long seams are run, they
should be either pressed open, or
with both edges on one side, .as the
finish Indicates, A material that is
inclined to fray should be bound,
while more substantial goods may be
pinked.
acidulous power, to any made from
fruits. Used with lemons, oranges,
dates, or other things, it makes ex
cellent preserves. Remedial, if taken
plainly as a stew, so the acids are
tart in-it, the stalk acts as a foe to
gout and rheumatism, neutralizing
the uric acid said to cause' such
things. The stalks should not bo
stripped until the skin begins to get
tough. It should be sweetened after
stewing, as it calls for less sugar, and
the flavor is richer.
Items of Interest
The Vegetnblo Gnrdon
, If ..you did not set out the aspara
gus plants last spring, do not neglect
it now. If you can not buy tho
plants, tho seeds gorminato readily,
but you will havo a longer wait be
foro you reap results. Every year
the work is neglected puts tho fruits
of your labor just so much further
in the future. Fruit, especially small
fruit, can bo had nowhere in aunh
quality and quantity as In tho farm
or village garden. A productive, well
kept garden Is tho best paying spot
on the premises.
Looking Ahead
Remember, If you are hoping to
havo. success with your window gar
don, next winter, it is none too early
to bogin preparations now. You will
need tho right Wnd of soil, and it is
easier made than found. In some
old corner, whoro there Is plenty of
Bunshlne, dig a hole, and In this hole
put all your peelings and trimmings
and odd onds that are usually thrown
out in tho yard. When you havo a
layer of this a few inches deep,
sprinkle dirt over it. A shovel full
of cow manure, or sheop droppings,
or from the hog pen should bo added
now and then, and a little horse
manure will help to heat and rot it.
Over this garbage, pour the kitchen
slops, and put ln the hole bits of
sod, or grass roots, leaves, or any
thing that will rot and make food
for tho plants. Keep adding to this
all summer, and by fall, when you
want it, you will havo the host of
A writer in an exchange says that
every county town has, or is sup
posed to have a court house, and if
no other privlslon is made for a
"rest room" for the country woman
coming to the village to trade, there
might a room bo set apart In this
building, equipped with conveniences,
to which tho country woman may
retire to get herself In shape for her
shopping after the rough, dusty ride
over the country roads. Country
merchants do not givo enough
thought to tho comfort of their cus
tomers, and for this reason, in many
instances, the journey to the store
for most women of tho farm is often
looked upon as a disagreeable duty
winch can not be shirked.
An eastern state has put upon its
statuto book recently a law that nun-
Ishes parents who do not care for
their children and do not sunnort
them. The wife must also bo sup
ported, and the fact that she and her
children aro not supported shall bo
evidence of neglect on tho part of tho
father. This state has done a creat
deal for the children, but now the
Coffee Drinking
A great deal of advice is being
dealt out to the coffee drinker, and
much of it is well to heed. Drink
ing with food is no longer recog
nized as a healthful habit, and if
one would exercise a little self de
nial, the habit would soon be over
come. It is acknowledging a weak
ness to declare that one can not
"quit drinking coffee." On some
people, coffee acts as a stimulant,
and they at once assume that It gives
them strength. Wo might as well
claim that a lash laid on the back
with a heavy hand gives strength.
It certainly Is a "stimulant," but it
is the. stimulant of pain. It gives
just as much real strength as the
cup of coffee does. Very many per
sons drink the coffee "to get
strength," but suffer agonies with
stomach trouble after the stimulant
loses its strength. Many things give
the same energy, but no lasting
strength, without doing half the in
jury that coffee does. If any one
will drink largely of water, of the
temperature found most agreeable,
House Cleaning
It is claimed that moths will not
molest woolens that are well wrap
ped in newspapers, but it must be as
certained that the moths have not
already molested the garment, lay
ing her eggs in its meshes. Before
putting away woolens, furs, and hair
goods, they must be well sunned and
well beaten, to free them from pos
sible eggs. If they are then wrapped
in plenty of newspaper, with no hole
or lapping through which the moth
can make its way into the material,
the article is reasonably safe from its
ravages.
Do not throw heavy rugs over the
line for cleaning, and do not shake
small rugs by the sides. If a grass
plat can be had, spread the rug on
it and beat with a carpet beater. A
better arrangement is to lay the rug
on an old bed spring, and beat it,
as the dust will drop through and
blow away as it falls out.
In hanging heavy material, such as
denims, for screen curtains, instead
of sewing the breadths together, use
the ball and socket skirt fasteners.
The fasteners are cheap, and the
breadths of curtain are not so heavy
to handle. Women'- must learn to
save their strength.
An exchange says it is no use to
talk bath tub to a man who is not
able to buy a wash basin; but when
tho wash basin costs no more than
ten cents, the man and the whole
family may be kept clean by a good
use of the basin and a' wash rag. The
trouble is, we are not willing to
make the most of what we have.
When laying the bedding out to
sun, put a layer of newspapers under
it, and thus prevent the dampness
arising from the ground underneath
from penetrating the bedding. For
many things about house cleaning
time, the old newspapers are second
in value only to the old soft linen
so much in demand.
Laying tho pillows and old soiled
comforts out on a grass plat during
a heavy shower, and afterwards turn
ing them often until dried, is a good
way to cleanse them; particularly so
in the case of old comforts.
law requires that having children between meals, the liking for coffee
shall bring with it the responsibility or tea can bo much more readily
lor their care. This, in those high
priced times, will argue against big
families, in a measure. A house-full
of children moans the need of a' good
salary.
overcome, ana once overcome, you
will be delighted with the relief af
forded. Begin now to be good to
yourself by refusing the coffee.
For tho Homo Seamstress
One of tho very best things a girl
can do is to servo an apprenticeship
to a good dressmaker and seamstress.
A girl or woman who can mni ho.
own garments can be much bettor the roots, which are astringent and
UiVOOCU. l"w oaui wst, ana ax the purgative, are used dried aq moru,
Rhubarb
This Is the season for rhubarb, and
of It Table Talk has this to say: This
product of the garden has many uses,
not only for the table but for medi
cinal purposes. The parts used for
the table are tho foot stalks, and
same time give to her clothes an air
oi individuality which no "ready
made" can have. It is not the goods
that make tho clothing -so expensive;
but the cost of hiring them made, or
ftfn T4- te V -v nnl . 1 x. .
wii. i. io mu uuiy instance or a
vegetable being used in every re
spect as fruit. Puddings and pies
made with the stalks' aro equal, -in
juice-giving properties-, and also tq
Tho Between Season
From now on, until "green things
become plentiful, or at least within
the means of the family purse, the
housewife will find herself puzzled
as to how to have variety on her
table, unless she is blessed with a
full assortment of canned and dried
things in her store room. One of
the favorite dishes in our grand
mother's day was the succotash made
of either dried corn and dried beans,
or of dried beans and canned corn.
The coarsely broken corn known as
"dried hominy" and an equal amount
of dried beans should be put to soak
over night, and in the morning each
should be cooked in a separate ves
sel until tender, which, in either case,
will call for several hours of slow
cooking. A slice or two of fresh salt
pork may be cooked with them, if
liked. When quite tender, the corn
and beans may be mixed, and let
cook slowly another half hour. If
AN OLD AND' WELL TRIED REMEDY
Jfns. "WiNSwnv'p Sootiiino Sykup for children
tcothlm? should always ho used for children whllo
toothing, it. softens, tho gums, Uays tho pain,
cures wind' colic nnd'fc'tho heat remody for diar
rhoea. Tweuty-uvo euls n hottle.
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