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The Commoner
VOLUME 10,- NUMBER Bt
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VRffl jl v j- w i in i tit.
' Through Suffering,
dod never would eond you the. dark
(, ness
" if Ho thought you could bear tho
light;
But you would not cling to his guid
ing hand
If tho way wore alwavs brlcht.
And you would not care To walk by
, faith
Could you always walk by sight.
'Tls true, He has many an anguish
s For your sorrowing heart to bear,
And many a cruel thorn-crown
' For your aching head to wear;
Ho knows how few would reach
heaven at all
If pain did not guide them there.
6p Ho sends you the blinding dark
ness, . '
, And" the furnace of seven-fold
" heat;
'Tls the only way, believe me,
To keep you close to His feet;
For 'tis always so easy to ' wander
When our lives are glad and sweet.
Then nestle your hand in your
Father's,
And sing, if you can, as you go;
Tour song may cheer some one be
hind you
Whose courage is sinking low.
And well, if your llpB do quiver.
God will love you the better, so.
-Author Unknown.
well. But do wp ever stop to ask
them, or ourselves, what would con
stitute a really happy and prosper
ous Now Year, to either them or our
selves? There are so many good
things in this life to be. had 'with '&
little effort; yet many of them
would fail to inako us happy, if we
possessed them. There are many
degrees or prosperity, and we may
prosper finely in some one or more
things yet fail in others equally as
important to our well-being; and,
inissing the thing we felt that wo
most wanted, wo may hold all else
as nothing, or at best very little. Few
of us know, really, just what we do
want. We are told that we should
seek 'first the kingdom of rietitfcniia-
ness, and entering there, all else shall
oe given unto us. A second only to '
this wonderful possession, we should
seek health health of body, soul ;
ana spirit, one evem fairly well in ;
body is usually happy and prosper
ous, ior neaitn is indeed happiness
and prosperity. But we muat nav
the price for all good" thing. Let l
us seek health in every way w can.
Urain the fragrant, flowerine:. nr fino
foliage kinds, that will rest you and
icomrort you. Let the "things to eat"
grow in tne kitcnen carden. Lifs
wants nothing so much as love and
beauty; and the housewife needs rest-
rui, tnought-bringlng things. See
that there are beauty-snots about Hia
back yard, as well as the useful. Cul-
tivate an sides of your nature.
"The Happy New Year"
; The custom of celebrating the first,
$ay of the now year is a verjr ancient
one, though the date of the New
Year's day differs among tho na
tions. Among the majority, there
was always feasting and gift-giving
and varipus merry-makings. The
practice of ringing In the New Year
with a peal of bells at midnight
comes from a very ancient custom
of northern Europe. The calendar
used by Christian nations is a revi
sion of that of the old Romans. The
Roman year began with the month
next following the whiter solstice,
while the nations of northern Europe
cecwd the year with the winter
sufcfcice. In early Christian times,
the date varied, but was flnallyflxed
in the sixteenth century. The Jewish
Now, Year is not a fixed date, but
ocours in September; the Chinese
New Year comes fh September, and
the Mohammedans in July, the day
being fixed each year by lunar
changes. In olden times, in this
country especially the new year
opened with much festivity, but from
several causes, fell into disuse,
though Its observance Is again bc
coming more general. The people of
Holland and Germany make mare of
the New Year than any other people
with customs peculiar to themselves.
Twelfth Night Is the evening before
Epiphany, or the twelfth night after
Christmas, and the observance of this
date used to be the culmlnatlqn of
the Christmas festivities In England.
Its superstitions are still sacredly ob-
served in some parts of England.
With many at the present day, New
' Year's day is the beginning of a new
life, and an appropriate time to wish
all manner of good things for their
friends and themselves. May it be
a Happy and Prosperous New Year
to each of you.
Poem Wanted
Will some one furnish the words
and namo of the author of a poem
containing these lines:
"With passions unruffled untainted
with pride,
By reason my life let me square;
The wants of my nature are cheaply
supplied,
And the rest are but folly and care.
How vainly, with infinite trouble and
strife,
The many their labor amnlvtrf
Since all that is truly delightful In
life
Is what all, if they will, may enjoy."
What Do We Wish?
Ws are all wishing for onr friends
and acquaintance a "Happy and
fcrosparaut New Year." And it is
Planning for tho Springtime
It is none too early to begin the
spring planning. Almost before we
realize it, the winter will be gone,
and the spring work will be rushing
in upon us. Tho florist's catalogues
have reached you, or will be sent to
you on request, during this month,
and it is a rest and recuperation to
Jook them over and study the possi
bilities of your purse and plans. Re
call the vacant places in the border,
the bare places about the grounds,
and study carefully, with mtfch fam
ily consultation, how these lacks may
be met most satisfactorily to all. Do
not be v content with a bare, flower
less door yard, back or front, and
see that there are plenty of vines In
the proper places for them. Do not
shroud the window with vines, how
ever, for there Is nothing so good as
the sunshine,; but they may, be
trained up around the casements of
both doors and windows, with
charming effect. Do not plant trees
about the house so as to shut out
the light from the rooms, or the sun
shine, from the grounds. Shade is
good?' but human beings need the
sunshine. There is a place for both.
"Let there be light," and let it be
plentiful; damp, dark corners are a
menace to both children ami rtTiit
"Nothing ripens in the shade." Have
flowering shrubs that will stand ne
glect, if need bo; have perennials In
the border, if you are a busy people;
try to have a succession of tho flow
ers. Lot tho children have their
favorites, if only one or two, and in
sist on them caring for their own.
uo not piant grape vines over the
General Household
Don't forget or neglect to protect
yourself when hanging out clothes
during the winter. Many women
bring trouble on themselves by going
out from the steaming wash room to
hang the wet clothes on the line,
wearing thin house shoes and with
no extra wran. excent It mav hn
something wound about the head.
Mittens made of light colored flan
nel or canton flannel am msiiv mawa
and when not in use should be slipped
into tne ciotnes-pm bag, ready for'
the next washing. An easy way to
cut them out is to lay the open hand
down on -a, piece of paper and trace
a line all aroupd the hand and
thumb, leaving plenty of space for
the wrist. Allow for a good seam,
and plenty of room. Sew the two
pieces together when cut out and
hem tho top of the wrist.
Keep old, thick sock-legs and
make snow shoes of 'them; or- buy
ready made snow shoes or "arctics;"
put on a jacket, or over garment,
and thus protect the body against
the chJU of the outer, air.
Where furnace heat is used, with
the' registers' in the floors, stretch a
stout wire across the inside of the
register and hang on thlB a small
tin pan, or even a tin can, and keep
well filled with water, and this will
supply much moisture.
To remove lamp soot from furni
ture, try blowing off the soot rather
than wiping it off. A lighted lamp,
left burning for many hours, may
fill the room full of soot, , covering
the furniture with a coating of soot
which can be removed In no other
way without ruining whatever it set-
ties on. Tne rurnlture may be taken
out of doors, and a small pair of bel
lows used. Walls and ceiling may
be treated with the bellows, catching
the soot on sheets or papers held so
as to receive it aB It falls. Lamps
should not be left turned down low;
it is better to shade the light, or
turn them entirely out, as a turned
down lamp gives off a bad odor, as
well as- spreads soot from poor combustion.
tin a tin can will do two strips
of tin about six inches long and an
inch wide. In the middle of each
strip, cut half way through the strip,
then slip the two pieces together,
crossing at right angles, fitting the
cut places one in the other. -Set this
on the top of the chimney over the
lighted lamp, and set the cup or ves
sel on it. The tin cross-piece will'
hold the vessel up so as not to inter
fere with the draft of the chimney.
Using tho Corners -Don't
forget that the corners may
be made of the greatest convenience
by fitting into them three cornered
boards to be used as shelves, the'
highest one being suitable for a
table-top. Where the house Is a
rented one, the corners may be made
into closets, for most of small houses
built for rent are woefully lacking
in closet rooms. Tho shelves may
be screwed to upright pieces that will
hold them steady, and these screwed
to the walls, and may be taken down
and apart when a ohange of residence
is made. They are wonderfully con-'
venient, i
An Emergency Convenience
Here is a little contrivance, not
hard to make, that may be of great
value where there are children, or
sudden cases of Illness which re
quire tho quick heating of some
thing: Make a frame of stout wire,
or the ribs of an old umbrella, hav
ing four legs, with a sort of rack on
top on which to set a tin cup or
small vessel; make the frame high
enough so a lighted lamp may be set
under the rack, and make It stout
enough by braces at the sides so it
will bear the weight set on It with
out collapsing. A piece of stout wire
and a pair df pincers to shape tjie
wire with are all the ' materials re
qiilredj The cup or vessel set oh
the rack and the1 lighted lamp net
unqer it wn soon give results.
'jtVlYlAl ia .k ..,- . .
front porches; such things belong toltb hHiTi little rack made Ttt&S
!ei 5nd UMp ' n, cross! ad life oHS
p ,, u um ui vwuMrn, oi tn xamp chimney. Cut from any
, Some Health Notes
For cold feet, after being sure they
are clean and comfortably clad, Iry
taking the tiptoe exercise, rising
slowly on the toes, holding the posi
tion a minute and then slowly low-'
ering the heels to the floor.
Will-power is the psychic energy
that enables one to control them
selves, mentally, morally and physi-V
cally. It is not necessarily courage,
or fortitude, but is a higher power.
It is one of the strongest factors-for
health enabling one to rise above
weaknesses of the flesh, and oveW.
come them.
As soon as a cold sore appears, .
wet the spot with camphor and covery
with powdered subnitrataof bismuth; .
camphorT?y Jjtself often..qures. :-,'. .
Ear-strain, from defective Uearjngv
is frequently a cause of headache,;
just as eye-strain is. When the"
hearing is bad, the eyes as well as
the ears are strained to catch the
sound, and this tires the nerves.
There are many mechanical de
vices and aids for both eye and ear'
defection, and some oT them are very
valuable; but with these it is like :
with artificial teeth they are poor'
substitutes for the natural organs. It
pays to take special care of one's
health. -
For sorenesa hptwonn tv.
first wash the feet carefully and
gently remove the callous, then wet
a bit of gauze or medicated cotton '
with tincture of myrrh, compound
tincture of benzoin, pr colorless
iodine, and put between the affected
toes. Deep breathing of fresh air will
do more for. tho complexion than any
kind of cosmetic. Begin the house
cleaning from the inside, and push
tho waste material outwardly. Clean- -Ing
the doorstep will never make the
house look tidy, if the litter is left
inside. Copious water-drinking
should be indulged in, between meals,
and the water should be of a tem
perature that one likes the best. Ice
water should not he taken, as very
cold water retards digestion. -, .
Questions of Etiquette
It is, no longer considered correct
to wait until all are served before
beginning the meal; when two or
three are served, they may begin ""
slowly to taste the foods, buttering
the bread, etc., using no undue haste,
however.
The small dishes holding th
olives, radishes, tiny sour pickles and
salted nuts are arranged about th
centerpiece, the spoons or forks be
side them.
A potato Is broken up with tha
rk"Tnot cut itiuthe knife; put
the skins on one side of your platii,
mmk
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