Some Phases cf Army Life.
"There is a report gaining more or
less credence," said Lieut. Davis, one
of the army officers at West Point,
when speaking to a Tribune reporter
recently, "that the sons of army offi
cers have more favors shown them and
get along easier and stand higher a.t
the academy than those who have no
backing, but unfortuuateiy an exami
nation of the reports proves the oppo
site to he the case. I have ran down
the list, and with one or two excep
tions the otlieers1 sons occupy honor
able positions in the rear. The reason
is not dillicult to understand, either,
for the son ot an army officer is either
brought up away from his father and
allowed to run wild or else if Ire is to
have the benefit of paternal restraint
and advice he must spend his boyhood
at some out-of-the-way post, where
the advantages of education are, to
say the least, limited. In either case
he is poorly equipped to withstand the
strain of work piled upon him here,
and he soon seeks his natural level
at the bottom of the class. The ex
ceptions to which I have alluded are
the sons of engineer officers stationed
in the eastern states. Here at West
Point, as in every other college, it is
the man without frieads or station or.
backing, who has his own way to
make id the world, that digs in for all
he is worth and comes out at the head
of his class.
"The most popular branch of the
service at present is the cavalry. Not,
as some suppose, 'because officers are
killed off faster there, but because they
are used up and retired, which results
in the same filing, gene? ally pro
motion.Let me give you an idea of
the work which had to lie done out m
Arizona lately, where they have been
howling about She inefficiency of the
troops. The problem was about like
this: Given attachment of troops at
New York and another at Montreal;
required to -catch an enemy moving
from Albany to Pittsburgh, with She
possibility of finding water twice be
tween New Fork and Albany; mind I
say the possibility, not the certainty,
ar even the probab'lity. And then,
when you catch up with the Indians,
they just scatter, and that's the ead of
it as far as strkin? any serious blew is
concerned. The only way anything
can be accomohshed is to take along
some friendly "Indians, talk the thing
up over the camp-fire, make up your
mind about where they're goi-irg to
meet again, and lay for them. These
fellows that have been tearing op and
down Arizona are simply a lot of
roughs and outlaws that came up
from Mexico some time ago, mr.d the
sixteen theusand peaceful Apaches in
the territory would like nothing bet
ter than tosee them all killed off.
""Our regiment was stationed eu that
ground far four years, and we have
lost tifteoir'iofficers from the effects of
it, while as many more have bean re
tired, utterly used up. I're Known a
detachment of troops to go seventy
two hours without water, until their
tongues hung out and swelled up so
they oouliLhardly speak. The settlers
there are either a lot of desperadoes
or else tl-'re green and easily, stam
peded. They're always ready c howl
for troops Jo protect them, and then
wheal saf&tc turn around and -murder
a lot iof ipeaeeaole, innocent savages.
I'vetfeenibhe time when I had tc turn
out .my whole force with 'bayonets
fixed rto, guard the Indians from a
band of eettlen thirsting ior their
Sore." -Neiv York Tribune.
Western Men Have Ideas.
Two -men-who announced, that they
were from Chicago, rushed moieUj into
a very-fluietfcarber shop np-lowc the
sther.day, acd pulled off -their sooats
with .a great deal of talk about the
heat! ft ne..c f them fell into the hands
of the boss.a. tall saturnine man- with
a want .on his bulging Harow, sand
the otber-subrcitted to the lathenbrvush
sf the -solemn foreman.
"Phe.w.!"'said the man wbm hadcf-all-sn
under the- foreman's care, -"what a
i boilingihot .day!"
"Hot," -said the foreman sasafe jly.
"I was seying.to the boss afiew min
utes agciihat .we had better kn.ve-scme
of the windows open as the visitors
ifrom (wit of ..town would be ;apt ito
think oik '(weather was on usually
-warm."
"Windows. pea?" said theCihicago
man. "I -should hope so. bU-.n'tyc- i
sail 98 diavees,hot.:J"
"Well,"' jsaM the foremac intiitil
.gently, "New ".leakers don't maud 8
degrees. We .don't usually iptit -or.
shin coate here ..until it tops & .hun
dred by douhle figtres."
About the -same moment a wbioe
iwas heard irom. the next chair ccoon
icf lazilv. -"Ees. ..we usualrv rfieeid-e
to. call ic w.-arntihere when it reaches
124. degrees, ihwt ,yon can't tell ny-
thing at all about. heat You thiai; to
jday that it is iheC. .li'on't think -if. is.
Quite a seasonable i"ay. tbougn mot
quite warm aigh: that shows uhal
it is .partly a matter. f opinion."
The Chicago tuen wore sileut for .a
long while, and iHben.of.fi of them ac
ed carelessly, "Wikat.thc you call coCd
weather here?"
"Do you mean n .winter?" asked
the boss.
"Yes, in the dead of wtatcr."
"Well, we consider joMegrees be- !
low ratbar cold."
At this the victim launched forth
into stories of what tod of weather
they eoesidered cold in Chicago.
The anecdotes had covered periods
extending considerably more than 120
degrees Ixfotv zero before .the shave
was over, a Ed when they got up to go
out the barters were cheerfully fold
ing up their itowels again and placing
,-ihe brushes ie methodical rows wider
ithe mirrors. The whole conversation
thad been carfiwd on with the utmost
.solemnity from beginning to end.
"I like them western men." aid the
boss, cheerfully, as the door closed.
beet use they hare got ideas. Hoif.,
a. New Yorker, aen he comes in to
get shaved, don't are for back talk or
argument. He just lays back stiff,
allows the artist to toy with his hide,
and discourages all conversation by
going to sleep in the ehsir. Tiie west
erners are perfect gents, though; they
give a barber a chance to cultivate his
iniud, doa,"t they, Toby?"
"Every heat," said the foreman,
heartily Jfot YvT Sun.
r.StOK.TOTlIAL ZEAL.
How "Zoo Mttcb of It Came Near Hanglir
Its Possessor.
Vvobably one of the most remarkable
instances of reportorial zeal ever heard
of, and which came near ending very
seriously to the main actor, was the
exploit of a yqung man named Arm
strong, connected at the time with the
city staff of a morning paper in New
York. The incident, writes a Hartford
Uourunt correspondent, transpired
about sixteen or eighteen years ago.
Armstrong lived across the East river,
just back of WUliamsburgh. At that
time the outlying district was sparsley
settled, and many pretty little cottages
were rented cheap. One summer night
the reporter left the office about mid
night After crossing the ferry and
going to the end of the street-car line,
Armstrong had quite a piece to walk
before he reached his cottage. A por
tion of the way led through a dense
grove. On the night in question,
while the reporter was sauntering
leisurely through the grove, his atten
tion was suddenly attracted to an ob
ject suspended from the limb of a tree
about a dozen yards from the road he
was traversing. It was a bright,
moonlight night, and there was little
difficulty in seeing objects near by.
As he passed over to examine what had
caught his gaze, he was startled upon
ooming up to it to find the dead body
of a man swinging from a very low
limb of a tree. His feet were about
twelve inches from the ground. A
knife was plunged lo the hilt in his
left breast. The reporter was in a
quandary. Here was a big item and
it was too late to get a line in the pa
per about it. What should he do? He
was the discoverer of this lirst-class
sensation, and he hated to be cheated
out of the sweet privilege of "beat
ing" all the other papers by giving it
to his own first. He thought only of
this, and finally resolved upon a very
strange proceeding. He deliberately
cut the body down, carried it off to a
huge log near by that lay upon the
bank of a little brook, and covered it
entirely with leaves, sticks, and other
debris. He then departed with the
intention of "discovering" the body at
an hour in the afternoon of the next
day too late for any publication in the
afternoon papers. As Armstrong
struck the road he was not aware that
two neighbors were jogging along just
behind him, both of whom had seen
him come from the log near the brook.
As the reporter was several rods
ahead they' did not hail him, so he
walked rapidlv to his cottage and went
in at the front door. About 10 o'clock
the next day, while the sun was
streaming through the 'Window of the
reportorial bedroom, where Armstrong
lay possibly dreaming of his big sen
sation, a constable and two men, call
ed at the cottage a,ad told his wife that
they wished to see kini on important
business. She aroused her husband,
informed him what was wanted, and
he at once gotwp, dressed himself, and
went out into the parlor, where the
visitors were waiting. He was then
informed by the constable that he had
come to arrest him. on the very serious
charge of murder, and a request was
made that Armstrong accompany the
officers at once a neighboring justice
of the peace. IBefore .Teaching that
functionary's place, thoTeporter was
made aware of tthe fact that the body
he had so -eayofuliy concealed the
night before had been discovered, and
that he had foeen.rrested on suspicion
of knowing how the man came to his
death, ithe neighbors who saw him
come from ithe brook, as related, hav
ing testified to what they had witness
ed. Tbcne was intense excitement for
a time in 4be locality. Armstrong
told his fcwy, but there were a good
many suspicious glances thrown at
him." Fortunately, however, a letter
in a pocket .of the deceaced man's
coat, Mail abherssu-pplementary facts,
proved ithatiie -was-a suicide, and that
he ha put airqpeooout his neck while
sitting on the branch of the tree where
he was fount. ;tnd subsequently drove
a knife inte his heart. Armstrong
kicke.il up a bigger-sensation than he
at firstimagioed he would.
FAEM ASD HOUSEHOLD
Farm Totes.
The Volume of the 'litanies.
Bcsi&es a number, of other interest
ing details about itbe river 'Beanies in
and near London, fehe evidence taken
before the roy aJ.eoruinission Oil sewage
discharge gives in ti tabular form some
new information! ires pecting the,quautty
of water .which eomecperiodieaily over
the wej.r:at ledciingten. Observations
were caie fully takecduring period
of about seventeen months'- from
June, Ib3, to O&kobe? in last year,
and the aesults are .accorded ic a re
port which show.- .exactly hov the
volume of water varies from time to
time, aeoerding 6o -t-ka time d year
and the .abundance orf rainfall. The
smallest imount found' to have flewed
past the weir in one day was 21&X)0,
000 galloce, which was. all that .same
down on be 25th of Aug jst, last v-tar.
(But the average for the latter half of
ilhat montfe vas bareikr 450,000,000,. as
compared with about EL50,0u0,0fXmor
itke corresponding period in the pre
vious year- The diffiea'airces between
rtbese figures and those cvhich are e-eu-ded
in otiter parts of the year it
vry remarkable. The iuaiiest vohiatt-
observed to pass the we.JJ.was 4,18,
.OfAOOO of gallons on ithe 27th o
November, 188$ but the dauy average
fox iliiat month was under2,000,0(X),
OOQ.tthough it was considerably high
er than the total for any ofchcr month
included in the bservatiuns The ef
fect a sudden do wn-pour ie seen in
the record for laat June, when after
about .c fortnight, during whict a flow
of waiter past Teddington hail been
well u&der 60,000 ottbic feet jmt min
ute, it wwe at onee to over MO, 000.
The draught of last autumn iu, of
course, eiearly traceable in the returns.
The average for October, for instance,
is scarcely 300,000,000 of galiems.
whereas in the preceding October it
was reckoned at close upon l.OOO.tV'i, -000.
London, Globe.
Wood ashes contain every element, of
food for plants except nitrogen, viz.
potash, lime, magnesia, and phos
phoric acid. They are, therefore, use
ful for any crop, but are especially
valuable for grass. From 40 to 100
bushels per acre may be used, and the
effect will be felt for many years.
There are very few or no steam
plows in use in Amtrica. The only
place where they can be used is on the
large wheat farms in the Northwest,
and there they have not been found
profitable, because they are used only
for a few days, or weeks, and then lie
idle the rest of the year, costing some
expense to care for there. Meanwhile
just as many horses are required on
the farms to do the other work. It is
not probable that steam plowing will
ever De common in this country.
Good mutton is always in demand;
hv irrmrovinc out sheen tor meat, and
feeding better, sheepkeeping can De
made profitable even when wool is
low. Then when wool advances the
profit will be correspondingly in
creased. In England sheep are kept
principally for mutton, and although
good fleeces are produced, yet the
sheep would return profit without the
wool. Our common sheep by crossing
with the best mutton sheep of Europe
may in a few years be so far improved
as to become good mutton producers.
Even the Merinos when crossed with
Cots wolds produce grades which, when
well fed, make good mutton nearly or
quite as good as any.
A good preservative for shingles on
a roof is common pine jfcar laid on hot
bo as to soak into theshingles. Or the
shingles may be dipped in crude petro
leum before they are laid, and left to
soak in tubs or barrels. Coal tar is
not a good material for preserving
wood, as it contains an acid which
causes the wood to decay; but if it is
mixed with lime to neutralize the acid,
and is then applied to the wood, it has
a better effect.
Pig Ailments.
In the first four or five weeks after
their birth, diarrhoea carries off many
little pigs and greatly retards the
growth of others that may survive its
attacks. Improper feeding of the sow,
if the pigs are sucking, and of the pigs
themselves, if weaned, is the promi
nent cause, though often, attacks are
brought on by breathing bad air,
drinking foul water, and taking cold.
If the pigs are sucking, the sow should,
for a few days, be fed 'on something
less loosening; if the yigs at e weaned,
the same general treatment should
prevail, and a tablespoonful of pre
pared chalk given once or twice a clay.
See that the pens or sleeping-quarters
are well ventilated and clean, and use
some chloride fi lime and carbolic
a-M as deodorizers and disinfectants.
Constipation, though not fatal, or a
disease of itself, may, 'if ignored, lead to
serious results, end is indicative of fe
ver. Gueen, amdiany kind of soft, easily-digested
food iis good, and bran
stashes prepared with hot Jwater, or
fetter yet, flaxseed tea, are very use
feal. In -obstinate cases an ounce of
Epsom s3ts may I be used in an injec
tion of arai soap-suds.
The Wheat Crop.
There is abundant evidence that in
roearly all parts Of the United States,
where winter riheat is raised, that
tiber-e wiH toe .a- ivery short crop. At
best it -cannot .exceed 225,000,000
irosbels, whichdEa.25,000,000 less than
last year. Tbi6.onclusion is come to
foycareful meportstfrom all of the win
ter wheat regions. The season is now
tseiar advanced to. change the acreage
the spring (wheat. In all corn grow-
i nag -States it iis -greatly reduced in area.
rJtat it is too seen to even predict the
yield. Early inrlhe season for sowing
wbeat, the low i price and the large
aawount said tc be ron hand, deter
tmaned farmers iir-iall spring wheat re
gitsnis to sow less, and in many locali
tiee to sow mooe. But the
prpect for a iwatr between Eng
land and Russia somewhat mod
ifiefi resolutions on this sub
ject. But evien this did not in
duoe'itarmers to -sew an average quan-
tity. Of course in Minnesotaiand Da
j kota, -where little else but nheat is
rawea, the anmauntwill not probably
be mnEch, if any. etauueed. But where
grass and corn aie.-uceessful, &nd are
the ruling prodiuete, there wtU be a
greatlg- reduced wbeati-erop. Good crop
statieians say, if the:average yitld per
acre be equal to average years,, there
will beia falling off -af.7c,000,000tjush-els.
Tllcis will ntaike iin winter and
spring w.iheaf a defieieivsy of 200X)0,
000 bssK&els. This Mnbd be a seiious
matter, mot to be- anafle up by the
surplus mow on hand., .-ami the reduced
Europefun demand. Wiheut raising k an
operation which starves the land fend
the owner., and the fiBtture;!for a surplus
of that uoagportant cenealiisdoubtfuf jn
the extreme- Des Moines Register.
An Incomplete Scheme.
Washington has a training school
for aervant girls. This is a step in the
right direction. Now let Washington
go right on in thi good work of re
form and establish a training school
for mistresses and we will gel ajyjfc-splendidly.--'6
Uunkite-
Separating Cream Cnomftlilk.
In a series .of experiments by Prof,
Ford of England, as reported in thep
MrrifamLl da4.ti T .rinHrtjK, Vila fllrt... .
ingconclusioasioiay be draw: It was
fotfind that tlae yield of butter grew
lege the lower tibe temperat ate of the
milk before setting. When maitk set in
ice-ia.ter directly after milking gave
100 pounds, milk that had been pre
viously cooked to 8 deg. gave 95.7
pounds, 54 deg. gave 91 pounJ, 48
gave 8S,3 pounds. A means of restor
ing the original qualities of such stalk
was found in warming the milk to
about 104 deg. before setting.
Prof. Ford gives two general c
glusions: 1. Shaking of the milk before setting
is detrimental to a rapid separation
of tfte eream. Of two sample of milk,
one being shaken before set aside, the
latter required eight hours to separate
7 per cmt of cream, the time rfignfrad
by the other to separate the same quan
tity being only three hours.
2. Premature cooling of the milk be
fore setting is more serious in its effect
upon a thorough separation than the
first mentioned. When milk conveyed
to a creamery in a common vehicle
by centrefugal separation gave 100
pounds of butter, a sample of milk of
the same quantity and quality con
veyed in the same manner, and set in
ice-water, gave 90.8 pounds, while an
other sample that had been cooled,
transported as before, and then set in
ice-water, gave only 87.9 pounds.
Strawberries.
There has been a bountiful crop this
year, and nearly all of the larger cities
have been amply supplied. In the
flush of the season they have been so
plenty that the price scarcely justified
picking and marketing. It is probable
not sufficient arrangements were made
for shipping the surplus to deficient
points. There are a plenty of such
places. The smaller towns are yet
poorly supplied, and, in many
cases, none are to be had. The great
farming population is not yet one
third supplied with this most delicidus
of all fruits. It is a gross neglect on
their part. They are easily raised,
and it takes but a small 'Jiatch to sup
ply a large family with a healthy ap
petite. As an idea of the dimensions
of a strawberry bed, we notice that
Mr. E. H. Calkins, of the Burlington
Hawkeye, rejoices over a daily supply
of three quarts of luscious berries from
a bed eighteen feet square.
The spring season is the best time to
set out a new bed of plants. But at
that time, we know from long experi
ence, that farmers with the crowding
spring work have no time for attend
ing to the garden; or, for that matter,
any of the lesser duties of the farm ana
household, which really in the aggre
gate contribute more to the real com
fort of life than a thousand acres of
wheat, or double that amount of
corn.
But now is the time for the busy man
to set out strawberry plants. They
do very well any time in July and
August. The sooner now, the better.
But in hot weather great care must be
exercised. In fact, thist is the main
element of success, and is all im
portant at any time. If plants can be
had near at hand, which is now gener
ally the case, they should be taken up
carefully with a large lump of dirt to
each plant , and set out without disturb
ing or expobins the roots. Too many
failures arc made by setting out plants
in hot weather with roots stripped
bare and then drenched with water.
The soil dries and bakes about the
plant and death is inevitable.
Then the farmer becomes discourag
ed and disgusted at what he considers
the great difficulty in raising straw
berries. But have your wits about
you, and go at the work sensibly,
studying the nature of plant life and
growth. Some men act as though they
thought that cabbage, tomato or
strawberry plants could be driven in
to anr kind of unprepared soil, like a
stake -and then go away and not look
after 3bem until tltc time when be ex
pects -a crop,
We -want to see the time when all of
our farm houses w ill be amply supplied
with-all of the small fruits which can
be successfully grown in Iowa. But
this will not be until a lai-ge amount
of missionary work is done. Buttbat
fameer who has not a strawberry bed,
we ask that all of the influences of (the
household be now brought to beatr on
hiitj to commence this month, and
commence right. Just now new plants
are forming on the runners, and by
the time you are aroused to action by
this notice they will be just right for
transplanting. Des. Moines Register.
Summer Seed i iter to Gns.
Fnom'the American Agriculturist.
The most successful seeding to grass
maybe done in July and August after
the grain crops are taken off. The
present season has been a bad one for
the seed sown last fall. The bard win
ter 'destroyed the timothy, and the
late spring has interfered greatly with
the seeding of the clover. As a rule, it
may be said that summer seeding is
more -successful than fall and spring
seeding,: but the ground must be thor
oughly well prepared. The whole se
cret lies iin this preparation. The fol
lowiiagjplan has been found excellent:
The stubble is well plowed, not more
than four inches deep.and ineuuediately
harrowed in a thorough manner.
There ;are several new implements
which (do this work in the best man
ner, pulverizing the soil, leveling the
surface and smoothing it, .so as to
get thelland in the most perfect con
dition Sorthe seed. After affl this has
ljcen ds ne, and the furrow marks ob
literated, the seed is sown and the sur
face immediately rolled. If this is done
in July nothing more is required. If it
is left later.it will be desirable to sow
turnip seed at the rate of one pound
per acre with the grass seed. This
affords protection for the younag grass
and clover in the fall and winter. We
have found tt a good plan to leave the
turnips on the ground and not gather
them. They will be killed by the frost,
and the leaves falling down furnish
protetion to the grass during the win
ter, and in the early spring, when so
much damage is usually done by the
alternate tha ws and frosts. The grass
will usually furnish one cutting the
same season, but it should notbepas-
tured, as the surface is not firm enough
nor the plants sufficiently well rooted
to stand such a tax.
Slow EaUngr.
The idea of rest and recreation and
deliberation in eating no longer oc
cupies the thought of the American
boy, much less of the business men.
Yet the power of one's life depends as
much upon this as upon any one con
duct of life. The relation of the chew
ing and the juices of the mouth to the
after digestion, all along the digestive
track, and to that assimilation which
is to give force and vigor to work, is
such that we cannot afford to forget
the essential relationship. Thefailure
of this part of tne apparatus to do it
part does not involve immediate loss
of power or bed ridden sickness, but it
is a more frequent limitation upon
forceful life than any one disability. A
thorough digestion not only leaves, the
mind clear and the nervous system
placid, but so provides the physical
and mental machinery with its pro
pelling power as to make thought as
natural as if it were a physical func
tion. It is not difficult to see in the
work, as well as in the writings of some
men, the traces of a bad physical con
dition. Emerson overstated the case
when he stated that the sick man is
on the road to rascality; but, never
theless, did indicate what is true, that
a man in a chronic state of embarrass
ed digestion is out of gear with himself
and the rest of mankind. We believe
that the foundation of many an in
capacity is laid in this want of quiet,
deliberate eating. The Independent.
Sick Room Cooking.
Bran Tea Take one pound of bran,
pour over it one quart of boiling water;
let it stand till cold; strain it, and take
a glassful at any time. This is very
soothing for the chest.
Hop Tea Take two ounces of hops,
and pour over them one quart of boil
ing water; let it stand ten minutes;
then set it to the fire, and just bring it
to the boil; then strain and bottle it
for use; a wineglass to be taken every
morning fasting. This will create an
appetite and strengthen the digestive
organs.
Iceland Moss Jelly Take half a
pound of Iceland moss; put it in a
saucepan with three pints of cold wa
ter; let it gently simmer by the fire two
hours; whilst it is simmering add the
juice and rind of a lemon, and half a
pound of lump sugar; when it begins
to boil take care to skim it well; then
strain it through a fine tammy and set
it aside to cool. I may be eaten cold;
but it is more efficacious to take it
warm, a teaspoonful at a time. It is
strongly recommended for consump
tion, and is also very good for colds,
catarrh or weakness of the chest.
Dandelion Tea Take half a pound
of dandelion leaves and bruise them;
put them in a jug, with two ounces of
honey; pour over these a pint and a
half of boiling water; let it stand until
cold; then strain it and bottle it for
use; take half a gill three times a day.
This is an excellent remedy for bilious
ness and dropsical affections.
A Cure for Sore Throat Take a
teaspoonful of black currant jam or
jelly; mt it in a tumbler and fill up the
tumbler with boiling water. Take this
several times in the day, and drink
whilst hot.
For Chilblains Take a turnip, boil
it with the skin on; then take out the
pulp and beat it up, and add to it
half a teaspoonful of grated horserad
ish. Lay this on a rag and tie it on
the part affected.
A Poul tice for Inflamat ion Take half
a pound of linseed meal; mix with it a
teaspoonful of msatsfoot oil and a
teaspoonful of laudanum; pour over
it sufficient boiling water to make it
into a thick paste; spread it on a
large piece of linen; then sprinkle over
a teaspoonful of raw mustard; lay
over that a thin piece of muslin, and
apply as hot as it can be borne.
Hominy and Milk Take a quarter
of a pound of hominy; put it in a
saucepan with a quart of water; then
put it on the hre, and stir until it be
comes quite thick, and absorbs all the
water; then put it m basin tor use;
then take one large tablespoonful of
the prepared hominy, put it in a sauce
pan with half a pint of new milk, a
teaspoonful ot castor sugar, and a lit
tle grated nutmeg; make all boil; pour
into a basin, and serve hot. This is a
very nourishing meal for an invalid.
Digestible Bisouits Take one pound
ot brown Hour, then put it in a basin;
add a pinch ot salt; put t wo ounces ot
butter in a saucepan; add to it half a
pint of water and make it boil; mix it
with the flour, and beat it up until it
is quite stiff; then roll it out with pas
try cutters, and bake ten minutes.
Unleavened Biscuits (for Invalids)
Take one pound of dry flour; add to it
half a teaspoonful of salt ;make it into
a stiff dough with halt a pint of milk;
beat this well with therolhng-pin; then
roll it -out very thinlv, cut it out with
a paste cutter, lay them on a buttered
tin, and bake ten minutes.
Treatment of Bowel Complaints.
Hot fomentations are very useful in
many diseases and at this season of
the year are especially so in the treat
ment of bowel complaints. I have
many times nearly blistered my hands
in wringing clothes from hot water for
this purpose, but a few years ago I
learned an easier and better way to
prepare them. Fold a piece of flannel
of sufficient size into from four to
eight thicknesses. Dip it into very
hot water, taking care to saturate it
completely. With a stick lift it from
the water and lay it into a strong
towel, then wring it by twisting the
ends of the towel. Have apieceofdry
flannel twice the size of the fomenta
tion and lay it over the bowels or part
to be fomented. Lay the hot flannel,
which should be wrung so it will not
drip, over the dry flannel and fold over
it the extra part of the dry flannel, so
as to retain the heat as long as possi
ble. By this means the heat reaches
the skin gradually and a much higher
temperature can be borne with less
discomfort than when the fomentation
is placed next to the body. Home
Companion.
Neatness in Women.
A woman may be handsome or re
markably attractive in various ways,
but if she is not personally neat, she
cannot hope do win admiration. Fine
clothes will not conceal the slattern.
A young woman with her hair always
in disorder, and her clothes hanging
about her as it suspended fromaprop,
is always repulsive. Slattern is written
on her person from the crown of her
head to t he soles of her feet, and if she
wins a husband, he will turn out, in all
probability, either an idle fool or a
drunken ruffian. The bringing up of
daughters to be able to work, talk and
act like honest, sensible youngwomen,
is the special task of all mothers, anJ
in the industrial ranks there is im
posed, also, the prime obligation of
learning to respect household work for
its own sake, and the comfort and
happiness it will bring in the future.
Housework is a drudgery, but it must
be done by somebody, and had better
be well than ill done. Home Compan
ion. See What Tom Reads.
Mrs. H. Annette Poole, in Good House,
keeping.
You will find it a very hard task to
keep the sight and sound of bad read
ing away from Tom. It is everywhere
If he does not see it at home some of
his school-mates will have their pock
ets filled with it. Any quantity of
stories bearing such fascinating titles
as "The Madman of the North-Pole,
or the Boy Mazeppaot t he Art ie Seas,"
which is an actual title, can be' pur
chased for five cents each, and in many
cases the buyers will dispose of them,
after perusal, for two cents. Broad
sides containing wonderful pictures,
and the opening chapters of such tales
are weekly distributed by enterpris
ing newsdealers. And I think these
stories are far worse than they used
to be. For even pirate stories
had in them the smack of the
blue ocean, and the fascination
of white sails and tropical islands
and all the thousand and one charms
that visions of the sea summon up
before the eyes of an imaginative boy
And Indian tales bore the flavor of the
prairies and buffalo hunts, and of a
wild, free, open air life. But these sto
ries, which are thrust into Tom's
hands and under his eyes at every cor
ner are mainly detective stories, and
the reader is led through the lowest
slums of New York and London,
crimes of the bloodiest and vilest na
ture are depicted, and the language is
the worst of thieves' slang. The Ip
dian fighter and pirate were pictured
as brave and chivalrous; but these vil
lians are only cruel and murderous
from the beginning to the end of the
story; and the only way to keep Tout
away from them is to fill his reading
hours so full of something else that he
will have no time for them until his
taste is so far formed that they will
have no fascination for him, and the
, i - i i. j.: i - . l.
remeuy lies aunosu entirely 111 in
hands of the mothers.
Church Attendance Diniinisliingr.-
According to statistics gathered by a
church paper, not more than 5 pet
cent, of American artisans in cities
V,nKif na.lKr n.ffenrl relirTirms services oi
any kind. All but two of the letters
say that the attendance is diminish
ing, and all but one that the neglect is
not from unbelief in Christianity. The
cause of non-church attendance, as
given by these experts, may be sum
med up as follows: The' men have to
work all the week, and they recreate
on Sunday. They cannot dress as
well as those with whom they must as
sociate, and therefore stay aoraiy--
They think secret societies are as good
as the church. They are unable to
pay for the privileges because of the
high prices of things which they must
have. The large salaries of the minis
ters disgust some. Some feel that the
minister is a hireling, and therefore
seeks to upbuild his church as a doc
tor seeks to increase his practice, not
from love of souls, but to increase his
salary. Some employers of labor are
so bad in their treatment of their em
ployes that the men do not want to
go where they snail meet those in
whose real Christianity they have so.
little faith.
concerning- sonars.
Pittsburg Dispatch. The papet
collar is a thing of the past. A few
old-fashioned and impecunious young
men still cling to pasteboard neckwear,
but most people who wear collars now
use linen. The paper collar had'its
points, howeves. It was always ready
for use, and a man wasn't so depend
ent on his washerwoman as he is now.
It was so cheap that it could be thrown
away whenever it was slightly soiled.
Why, when paper goods were the style,
a man could buy a pair of paper col
i ,i a 'i;i-" ,i,
lalO ll il.l ,111.1 (l nil l l - v VI lilt:
same material, and be fixed up good
enough for a ball or a wedding. They
were liable to cover up any amount of
uncleanliness, however. The paper
collar was invented by Walter Hunt,
about forty years ago, and was first .
made as smooth and glossy as bristoli
board. Then they were finally merged
into the present style of linen. The
celluloid collars and cuffs have never
caught on very well. They are worm
considerably by itinerant book agents,,
peddlers and that sort of people, but
have never become popular. You can
always tell a man who wears them by
the strong smell of camphor.
Wanted in Wall Street-
From the Wall Street News.
Tiiere is a man in Wisconsin whonr
some of our railroad kings-should get
hold of. The fact that he is in state
prison won't be much of an objection,
as railroad kings are supposed to ha ve
governors and judges under their
thumbs. This man, in the space of
three months, organized three canal'
companies, and floated out $90,000
worth of stock at $700. He organized
two mineral companies, and got rid of
$17,000 worth of stock for $350. He
organized a sanitarium, andgaveaway
$27,000 worth of stock for $225. He
organized a water-power company,
paid individuals before a dam was
built, and came out $1,120 ahead
He was organizing a railroad company '
and was about to call in a capital of '
$50,000, when the law grabbed him
and shut him up. The man, if proper
ly coached, has a great future before
him.
The value of live cattle exported
during last year was $17,885,495
sheep. $850,146; hogs, $627,480; a
total of $19,833,121, again of $30,
064,318 over 1883.