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The Commoner
VOLUME 12, NUMBER 21
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The Other Side
We go our ways In life too much
alone;
We hold ourselves too 'far from
all our kind;
Too often are we deaf to sigh and
moan
Too often to the weak and help
less blind.
Too often, where distress and want
abide,
Wo turn and pass upon the other
side.
The other side is trodden smooth,
unci worn
By footsteps passing idly all tho
day;
"Where lie tho bruised ones and the
faint and torn,
Is seldom more than an untrod
den way.
Our selfish hearts are for our feet
the guide,
They lead us by upon the other side.
It should bo ours, the oil and wine
to pour
Into tho bleeding wounds of
stricken ones;
To lift the smitten, and the sick and
sore,
And bear them where a stream
of mercy runs.
Instead, we look about; the way is
wide;
And so we pass upon the other side'.
0, friends and brothers hastening
down the years,
Humanity is calling each and all
In tender accents, born of pain and
tears;
I pray you, listen to the thrilling
call!
You can not, in your selfishness and
pride,
Pass guiltless on tho other side.
A. A. Hopkins, in Rural Home
vided I must confine myself to one
or tho other." It is well known that
when one is exhausted, or worn out
with worry or labor, a cup of hot
broth, or toa or coffee, or even
copious draughts of quite hot water
is one of tho best stimulants known
and always easy to be had, with no
bad effects, such as alcoholic stimu
lants are apt to leave. In cases of
Internal cramps, spasms, and liko
pains, the internal hot bath, by way
of the mouth Is often a specific, and
all that is needed, giving comfort
instantly.
Cleanings
Value of Hot Drinks
Hot intornal applications by way
of tho mouth are valuable aids in the
treatments of various ailments and
disorders, even plain hot water many
times being all that is needed. If
any one doubts the value of heat ad
ministered through tho stomach as a
stimulant to tho entire organism of
tho individual, lot him try the effects
of a bowl of well-seasoned broth or
soup, piping hot, when "out of
order." A well known physician
says, "I have labored with nattents
suffering from severe shock, apply
ing tho wholo category of remedies,
hypodevmically, and hopelessly in
in some cases, nothing bringing
about tho desired result, when a cup
ful of highly seasoned hot broth ad
ministered would almost instantlv
quiet tho restlessness, stimulate tho
enfeebled heart to better work,
cause tho patient to drop to sleep,
and, if any value existed in tho hypo
tiermic medication previously ad
ministered, seem to render it In a
very short time of its fullest value
and effect to tho patient, diffused
and directed quickly and easily to
the parts and purposes intended;
while, without tho administration of
heat internally, even hypodermic
medication seemed as inert and
valueless as though the applications
had been made into a tin horn." He
adds, "I would rather take chances
on my own life in a case of pure
shock with an occasional well
seasoned cup of hot broth than with
lull doses of alcoholic stimulants,
strychnine, nitroglycerine, etc., pro-
Tho renRon that thn mental habits
of women are so notoriously inexact
is that for ages they have been de
nied tho training which insures
exactness; men, who, until lately,
have had the ordering of their edu
cation, are primarily responsible.
The revolution already begun in
discipline and in requirements will
teach the feminine mind to prefer
accuracy to vagueness, thoroughness
to dispatch. And whenever that bet
ter order is established, there will
rise up a community of scientific
workers, seeing in their work not a
contemptible drudgery, but a lofty
opportunity, since a people nour
ished on fit, attractive food will
loathe bad drink, bad air, gluttony
and depravity.
The sweet girl graduate who has
learned to make a jelly and a sponge
cako by rote would accept without
hesitation the management of a hus
band's house and ithe health of a
family, and thank God she is not as
those who can only crochet or work
fancy tea cloths." Women must
learn that a handful is not the. un
varying equivalent of any fixed
measure whatever; that tho bared
arm is not a trusty thermometer;
that a "while" does not mean in
differently half an hour or five
hours; that boiling is a steady, not
fluctuating process, and that all sub
stances which can bo made edible
are not therefore food.
Many a young wife finds her
trouble commencing with her ignor
ance as to tho proper preparation
of simple articles for food, and while
it is the duty of tho husband to nrn.
vide tho means for home making, It
is no less the duty of tho wife to
administer the affairs of her house
hold in such a way as to get the
best of what is brought to her.
Wo do not believe that the kitchen
is the woman's sphere any more than
it is tho man's; indeed, there are
reasons why men ought to bo not
only tho beitter, but tho more nu
merous cooks. Women who, hav
ing neither knowledge nor vocation
for housework, and who find its exac
tions and routine a hopeless slavery,
are to bo profoundly pitied. But
it is wisdom on hor part to learn
the theory and practice of scientific
cookery.
ninth Rnnnro fhlolrlv and lav
smooth upon the board; over that
stretch the stained stuff smoothly,
right side down; if there is a lining,
rip it so as to get at the under side;
bujt first brush, not only the stain,
but the whole garment thoroughly,
so as to remove all the invisible
dust and prevent the cleansing from
leaving an ugly circle, worse than
the spot itself. Pour a little alcohol
through the spot and dab the place
hard with a soft, clean rag. Shift
the spot over a fresh place on the
cheesecloth, and pour on more al
cohol, using just enough to drench
the spot without spreading. Do this
two or three times, then look at the
right side.
An acid stain has most likely
taken out the color; most times it
may be brought back by sponging
the right side very delicately with
ammonia spirits, but it is well to try
ammonia first on a scran of the stuff.
as it may change the color, or the
unspotted surface, and thus do more
harm than good. Greens in wash
stuffs may be renewed with weak
alum water, but here, as with am
monia, it is best to try a scrap first.
Keep grass stains wet with alco
hol for half an hour by pouring on a
very little at a time before attempt
ing to wash them out. They are
hard to get rid of, and once through
the wash, or half cleaned, they are
indelible. After soaking them with
alcohol,, wash them very quickly,
using tepid water, white soap and
a small, stiff -bristled brush; first wet
the brush and run it back and forth
with a sort of scooping motion, then
rinse the bristles well and rub on a
little soap; brush hard for a minute,
then turn tho stain wrong side up
and brush, using clear water nlent-
tifully; but keep tho stain pressed
down in the folded cloth, so the
water will not spread.
Stains and Spots
Fruit stains of every sort will do
no harm to things washable if they
are wet through and through wi'th
alcohol before going in the wash,
very big stains, as those of wine
upon table linen, will come out if
they are first weit with cold water
and then have a stream of boiling
water poured steadily through the
stains for two or throe minutes.
Stains on stuffs not washable may
be got rid of thus: .Fold a cheeso
Tho Fine Art of Darning
Skillful darning of rents in gar
ments is not easily picked up, but
girls should bo taught this as an
essential part of their homo train
ing Tho expert darnor will make a
rent in woolens well nigh invisible,
weaving tho torn edges together,
matching them carefully, and after
wards pressing carefully. A fine
sewing silk is used for darning
wooiens in preterence to any
wool, which would not be strong
enough to hold unless tho thread
was too coarse. Where the cloth is
thick enough, try to hide tho thread
between tho face and back of the
ciotn; begin about half an inch from
the edge of one side of the tear and
run the needle the same distance
from the other edge, concealing the
threads carefully, and drawing tho
edges closely together, but not so
they will overlap. If there is any
uup co mo ciotn, brush it back when
you are darning, and then brush it
down again. Lav a rinmn in.
(cotton) on tho wrong side of the
cloth over the darn and press it
down once, then remove the cotton
cloth and press next the woolen
surface, being careful that you do
not press it perfectly dry, but that
a very littlo steam arises after the
iron is removed from it. If the cloth
is pressed perfectly dry tho work of
tho iron will show on the right side
A piece of cloth is usually darned
with tho 'vortical and diagonal
stitches running with tho threads of
tho cloth. The up and down thread
is usually tho strongest way of
mending a bias darn. Use no piece
of cloth under the darning unless tho
material darned is thin, in which
case a piece of silk of the same color
is' less clumsy as a backing to darn
the wool, unless the wool is sheer.
"Gathering Up the Fragments"
Where one has fine cooking apples
that mature early, a good way to
save the surplus is to peel, cut into
quarters and dry in tho sun, if you
have no drier, though it will pay to
have a small one, even .for family
use. The early, apples d.o not keep
very well, in the fresh state, but dry
nicely, and if screened from flies,
wasps and other insects while dry
ing, cook up as nicely as the com
mercial evaporated ones, and if you
have your own, you know what you
are cooking. Sweet apples will not
do for drying, as they cook poorly.
Tart apples are best. When drying
such apples as the old "Maiden's
Blush," try this way: Cut the apple
in halves before peeling, then care
fully scoop out the core, then peel,
with as little handling as possible.
If you have a dryer, lay the, halves
on the racks until full, and dry as
directed in the machine, setting
over the stove, and sprinkling a
small pinch of sulphur on the top of
tho stove underneath the dryer to
whiten or bleach tho apples If no
dryer, set in the sunshine; or, if
careful, you can dry in the oven with
a very slow heat. Always cover with
some very thin material to protect
against insect filth. Always take in
the fruit that is drying before the
sun sets or the dew begins falling.
Never leave drying fruit out over
night. Apples, peaches, pears, apri
cots, and other large fruits may be
dried nicely, and all the small fruits
and soft berries, the same; but tho
much seeded fruits are not at their
best in the dried state, though they
have good flavor, and many peoplo
like them, and the only expense at
tending the putting up is -the care
they require, and putting away in
good shape when fully dried. Many
vegetables are "just as good" if
dried before fuly ripe, and when
cooked have fine flavor and servo
every purpose of canned vegetables.
Putting vegetables down in brine, as
corn, etc., is rather hard on the
vegetable, and also on tho stomach
they are intended for.
Putting Away Fruit
Peaches, dried with sugar, aro
fully as nice as when canned, and if
given reasonable care will keep with
out trouble. Peel nice, ripe, but not
too soft peaches, take out the stone
or pit, leaving the fruit whole, or at
least in halves; allow two pounds of
sugar to six pounds of fruit; make
a syrup of three-quarters of a pound
of sugar and a little water, put into
this the prepared peaches, a few at
a time, and let cook gently until
quite clear. Take them up carefully
on a dish and set in the sun to dry.
Strew powdered sugar over them on
all sides, a littlo at a time. If any
syrup is left on tho dish, remove to
fresh dishes, turning the pieces of
fruit. When quite dry. lay them
lightly in jars with a little sifted
sugar between layers.
Another way, less trouble, and
just as good," is this: Peel nice,
ripe, firm peaches, cut in halves and
remove the pit or stono with as littlo
handling as possible. Lay on clean
hardwood boards, wire racks, or
dishes, in the sun, and let drv, turn
ing each piece as it dries on the sur
face.. Spread over the fruit a width
of mosquito netting, or have them
v;uvorou witn screen wire on frames,
to protect from insects. Allow -to
get perfectly dry, turning each piece
every day, and as the fruit shrinks,
laying the pieces closer together, and
thus make room for more drying.
