SHELTER FOT FOWLS.-
Korptnc I'oultry In Cheap llullrilnga nt
Some lltnrn From the llntur.
Most farmers Uavo no buildings spe
cially designed for the fowls they keep.
They allow tlicm to occupy the farm
mid stable with the cuttle mid horses.
This plan is very objectionable in
many respects. All fowls nro dirty
creatures. Their elroppings two scut
tored on every place they pass over
and are deposited tinder their roosts.
They are so offensive that they ruin
every kind of food tb$y touch and ren
der the air in a building unfit to beathe.
They are very valuab'a fft' manure,
but it is likely to bo lost if it is
scattered about a barn or horse
stable. Hens will eat much of the
grain that is fed out to animals if they
nro kept in the same building with
them. They will also "hide their
nests" in hay-mows, and in many cases
they will not bo found till the eggs
they contain are spoiled. They will
sometimes hatch out a lot of chickens
in a nest on a scaffold, from which
they will fall out and be killed li
theio are rats about a barn they will
be likely to cat many eggs.
Persons who put up buildings for the
special use of fowls are likely to spend
so much money on them that their in
vestment in unprofitable. Thoy use
the designs furnished by poultry books
and papers, which nro intended for
those V. ho keep fowls for pleasure rath
er than profit. Thoy supply these build
ings with "all the modern improve
ments" found in iirst-class city resi
dences. The boxes for nests are all in
this same style and are arranged in uni
form rows. For some reason fowls do
not take kindly to these expensive ana
ornate structures. They behave like
Indians quartered in a palace. Their
chief desire appears to be to make their
escape. Thoy want more freedom and
a greater variety of nests. Thoy have
e very thing their owner thinks they
need. There is no reason why poultry
houses should be made ornamental un
less they are to stand in a town or
city where thoy will attract consider
able notice. No one but a poultry
fancier cares for a splendid house to
shelter fowls.
There are good reasons for putting
up buildings on farms expressly for
ihc use of fowls and for locating them
at some distance from the house and
br.rn. If more than a hundred liens
arc kept on a place there should be
more than one building, as very large
Hocks are seldom profitable or healthy,
l'robably it would bo better to restrict;
Hie number of full-grown fowls kept
in eno Hock to fifty. In a newly-settled
part of the country where farmers
are likely to bo poor a poultry-house
must be made of cheap materials. A
building made of turf has many ad
vantages. It is very cheap, is warm
in winter, and cool in summer. It
can bo covered by straw placed
on poles. These will form a roof
that will shed rain and keep out
the cold. It will rcquiro no ventila
tion, as air will eireuhvto through the
straw. It should stand in a dry place,
so that water will not collect about it.
A lloor is not necessary. The ground
between the wallo can be covered with
sand or gravel. The roosts can bo
fastened into the turf walls. Frames
fur glass windows can bo set in thorn.
A building that will accommodate
from .00 to 100 hens can bo mado of
boards and scantling for about $20.
This sum will buy tho lumber for a
building '-'0 feot by 12 and G feet high
from tho sills to tho eaves. On tho
south end thore should bo a door of
tho ordinary sizo for persons to enter,
with a window on ec.eh side. It is
also woll to havo two windows on the
east side. Under the windows should
be small sliding doors for tho fowls to
pass through. Tho north and west
walls should bo mado tight to keop
out tho cold wind. In each gablo
should bo a small sliding window for
ventilation when tho weather is warm.
Soino sholves for nests can be put in
each corner of the building. Half
barrels turned on tho sido and sunk a
few inches in the ground are good for
making suitable places for nests.
Nail-kegs and cheap boxes can also
bo used for the samo purpose. Somo
hens prefer to deposit thoir eggs in a
dark place. To accommodate them
largo boxes may bo fastened to tho
ouifaido of tho building and small doors
cut to alTord n passage to them. 6Y--nrjo
Times.
m ,
The Foot Gear of Kings.
A curious museum has just been
opened at Dresden. In it'aro collected
a numbor of boots, shoes and slippers
in which Emperors, Kings. Queens,
Princes and other august or famous
persons havo somo timo or other
trodden tho path through life. Among
thorn aro a pair of boots worn by
Napoleon I. nt tho battlo of Dresden,
on April 27, 1813, and a pair of white
satin shoos, embroidered in gold, which
tho snvno great Emperor wore on tho
day of his coronation; nnother pair cf
6trone leather boots which belonged
to tho famous French Marshal, Murat,
afterwards King of tho Two Sicilies; a
pair of high heeled boots of Maria
Theresa; boots of tho philosopher,
Kent, and many others, forming a
curious assembly. If tho promoters
of tho museum havo any energy they
will not find it dllllcult to increase
their curious collection considerably
and to make it ono of tho sights of
Dresden. Hut thoy must search both
highways and byways for thoir
treasures; thus, for instance, thoy
might perhaps obtain an interesting
nr-ielo from tho good nuns at Nniaroth
Hou.o. Hnmmor.mlth, who pnworvo a
Inrjfu ooinfortnbl.looklng slipper of
tho late Popo nndar a dainty glmaton-o
in oat of r huge. roum. "h7 Mail
Uaxik.
HuUSchuLu i.INi.jv
Ucnnttrul Xiipkln. l'.eit-Sprc.iiK Sltprts
and Tiililr-Clutli.
l'uro white damask is still the
only thing for dinner, but nap
kins vary in size. Tl most popular
size is twenty-seven inches square for
a dinner napkin, but sonn-tlmes they
are preferred thirty-one inches square.
Tho demand seems to be all tho time
for a larger napkin, and more and
more tho French napkin is being used.
This napkin is not qulto square, being
seven-eighths of a yard ono way and a
yard the other. Tho damask has an
artistic pattern which is called crackle
and daisy, and other patterns are
crackle and clover, and crackle and
oak, showing the oak leaf and acorn.
The designs are mado here and sent
over to Europe, and there worked into
linen. A dinner set in this pattern of
very excellent quality of damask, in
cluding table cloth, twocarving cloths,
two tray cloths and a dozen napkins
may be had for the moderate price of
$18. Tho best dinner napkins are
from $7..00to$10adozen. For luncheon
and tea smaller napkins with fringes
are used, and the price is only one-third.
In luncheon cloths a broad band of
narrow stripes on a white ground is
popular; tho edge is fringed and tho
napkins match. Tiny doylies are in
silk.hcin-stitehed or fringed.the newest
designs in embroidery on them being
in geometrical patterns.
For the bedroom, handsome damask
large, very nice huckaback towels nrcf;
$3 a dozen, the demand for the lattei f
far exceeding that for the former.
There is a decided preference shown
for the- huckaback towel, the. damask
being bought more for a show towel
than for use, and tho hemstitch is
taking the place of fringe. The
fringed towel is always cheaper than
the hem-stitched one, and unless t lie
fringe is carefully washed and ironed
and we'll kept, it has a ragged, untidy
look, which people aro beginning to
Hud out. There is also a new towel
calleTt the Russian towel, that is .$3 a
dozen, which is quite heavy, and will
probably take the place of the Turkish
bath towel.
The newest thing in fancy bed
spreads is of linen, one large- piece
that is cut out and embroidered to re
semble lace work and is very hand
some. This work is elone in (icrmnny
and is all by hand. A bed-spread and
pillow shams cost $.00; smaller pieces
are for bureau cover-, and lucre are
also tray cloths, with a bordor of this
open work. Long scarfs of lino white
linen for bureaus, table, or sideboards
have a similar border on each end.
Tho hem-stitched sheet is still the
most popular, with initial or mono
gram in the ipiddlo of tho end, just
below the hem. Theso em
broidered letters aro used on all
nice towels and napkins. A nov
elty for the bed-room which
is the revival of an old fashion, is the
night-dress case. They aro imported,
of course, and aro of linen, embroid
ered, in the shape of a largo envelope.
Now that they havo really come they
will probably bo made in various de
signs and colors, and cortainly they
will look very protty laid on the foot
of a bed, or in the center, according to
their size and ornamentation.
Ireland. Scotland and Germany send
their linen to the United States, but it
is not necessary to cross the sea in
order to buy good blankets, for Cali
fornia produces as lino if not liner than
any country in the world. If ono is so
incli ed, ono may pay $7.0 for a pair o!
blankets, or $30; but blankets at "18 v
pair aro good enough for any one. and
very nice ones may be had for $7 .00.
Tho newest scarfs for decorative
purposes aro imported and aro of liner
scrim, tho ends adorned with Turkisl
cmbroidory in colors, tho wrong sieh
being almost tho same as the right.
Thoy aro very handsome and como as
high as $8, though less elaborate one
are much lower. Doylies also c me in
this siyle, gojd thread being used in
tho embroidery. -V. Y. Mail and ;
jircss. m
Warm Water for Stock.
In spito of tho teachings of agricult
ural papers, thore aro still man,
farmers who adhere to the old way o:
turning out the stock to drink at a
frozen stream, perhaps half a mile off.
first having to break a holo in the ice
to let tho cows got to tho water. What
is tho result? A deficiency nt the milk
pail and moro feed required to maki
up for tho animal heat lost drinking
ice-cold water. In theso days o'
small prices for farm products it be
hooves tho farmer to uso evcr,
means in his power to increase the
quantity of milk given by each cow
without increasing tho cost of feeding.
A farmer with a small herd, say olgh
or ton cows, need not bo at thooxpen--of
fitting up a costly apparatus. H
could easily heat enough water in th
wash boiler or in tho old-fashion'
ton-quart cans that aro lying aroun
to take tho chill oil tho cold watc
given. In tho twenty years I havi
been farming I havo always held
tho opinion that it is not so much th
breed or peuligreo of a cow as tho cat
and feed given her that mako a goo
cow such as tho common farmor v.
afford to possess. W. li. Cunuison, t
Farm tful Home.
m
It is hotter to mako your land pr
duco moro rather than to attempt t
cultivato moro land. Tho larger lb
area cultivated tho grontor the pr
portionntu expense. Kvon the mat!
of Dimply Unvoting to the dUUint
of a large ft nn become qu la hu it
of expense In tho course of a y
Phti work xhoultl bo onua-mrut V
lie hLiullrnt splice tlmi Mril)ll-
, .in.
OF GENERAL INTEREST. ,
1 wenty-ono apples picked by a No w
Holland (Fa.) farmer completely tilled
a half-bushel measure. Tho smallest
weighed exactly ono pound and live
ounces. Tho entire lot tipped the
scales at twenty-four pounds.
Tho mule has qualities which en
title him to respect. A mule and a
mnn in Georgia made a crop of cotton
which packed into seventeen bales,
averaging live hundred pounds each,
besides making enough corn, fodder,
hay and peas to feed the mu.o another
year.
A Nebraska man has organized a
band consisting of a Concertina, a tri
angle, two drums, a pair of cymbals
and a mouth organ. Ho plays the en
tire combination himself, and wouRl
make a mighty showy organization if
he could only afford to hire a drum
major.
There are on exhibition in the
rooms of the State mining bureau at
San Francisco four "desiccated human
bodies" that were found by Signer S.
Marghieri in a sealed cavern at an
elevation of 4,000 feet on tho eastern
sido of the Sierra Mad re mountains in
Mexico.
' You'd be surprised," says a New
York safe manufacturer, "at tho
number of sham pasteboard safes in
New York and they're made so woll
that any ordinary person would be de
ceived. They havo a businesslike ap
pearance and give an ollieo a thrifty
look, all for $.0 or $ti whereas the real
article would cost something like $100
Joo l'atrick, of Delovan, Wis.,
married his mother-in-law, Mrs. Cas
perwich, the other day, and brought
about a very complex state of things.
Ho thus becomes stepfather to his
former wife. He was formerly tho
son of his present wife; being tho son,
he becomes tho brother of tho old
lady's daughter (his former wife) and
also a. father-in-law to himself.
Thomas Cruse, tho millionaire
stockman of Montana, proposes tc.
rent ewes at fifty cents each per year
for a term of years, the lesseos to re
turn the same number of ewes at the
end of tho term; tho owes to bo taken
as thoy run In the Hock when leased
and when returned. The lessees have
all tho wool and bear tho losses. Mr.
Cruse, estimating tho sheep at $2..0G
per head, receives twenty per cent, on
his investment.
A negro entered an Amoricus (Ga.)
restaurant and laying down a dollar
said: "Give mo a square meal and no
change." The proprietor hustled
around to oblige so good a customer,
but soon sickened of tho bargain. Tho
hungry man ato thirty-two links of
sausage, thirteen biscuits, half a elozon
slices of fresh pork and two fried
mullets. Ho remarked as he left tho
restaurant: "I havo been sulTering
from dyspepsia and my appetite isn't
very good."
A pair of carrier pigeons but three
months old, and entirely untrained,
wero sold by a man in Now Haven to
a citizen of Hoston, who carried them
homo with him. A month afterward
thoy appeared at their old home in
Now Haven, and wore shortly fol
lowed bv a postal card from lloston
savinfi- that thev wero missing. Tho
(inestion is yet to be answered: How
did these young and untrained birds
know the way from Hoston to Now
Haven, a distance of Mfi miles?
The following .is from a Grass
Lake, Mich., daily: "Last Monday
morning, while a small knot of men
wore talking together at tho Contra I
Depot in Jackson, tho peep of a chicken
was distinctly heard. Thereupon one
of tho number opened his vest, and in
an inner pocket was revealed a chicken
just hatched and still partly in its
shell. Ho reported that ho had carried
an ogg for twonty-ono days on a ten
dollar wager that it would hatch from
tho natural warmth of his body."
Trained Heas aro exhibited from
llmo to time. Whether trained or un
trained, thoy. ar.o. extremely interest
ing insects simply irom an atnieiio
point of view. A healthy flea will
cover two hundred times its own
length nt ono jump. They aro plucky
fighters, and will stand on their hind
legs and strike at ono another until they
lose legs, antennas and life. A single
(lea has been known to draw a silver
cannon twenty-four times its own
weight, and to show no fear nt tho dis
charge of gunpowder from tho cannon.
In tho town of Sutro, Nov., thcro
is a silver mino tho main gangway of
which runs from that place to Vir
ginia City, four miles distant. Fre
quently this "tunnel routo," as it is
called, is used by Sutro parties desir
ing to go to Virginia City theaters
Tho parties enter the tunnel almost at
their own door, clamber into a cur
drawn by several mules and aro
carried tho full length of tho tunnel in
a comparatively short spaco of time.
Once there they are hoisted up a shaft
1.G40 feot deep, issuing within a fovr
minutes' walk of tho Virginia Opera
House. Tho routo Is cool in summer
and warm in winter. Tho cars aro so
clean that ?ho best of dresses can be
worn without disastrous result.
A Hint to Salesmen.
"Cheap watches?" YcssumO Now,
horo's no for $75."
"Do you mean to say you call that
cheap?"
"Well, no. I don't mysolf, hut Mrs
Tompkins, who llvos across tho street
from you, was Inyostordnyand wanted
to sou a cheap watch, and whoa 1
showed her one for $0O she turned up
her noo and wild that a watch for f GO
was uhtMip wuough for her."
Well. I'll Utktt t!itt$75ono, Iguoss."
Jeuh it r' U'itktff,
PERSONAL AND IMPERSONAL.
Tho Washington Mnr mentions
the fact that every Vice-l'resldent who
was more than sixty years old when
elected has died in otllco. The list is
limited to five. Clinton, (Jerry, King,
Wilson and Hendricks.
Senator Hearst, of California, is
beyond doubt the richest miner in
America. Originally from Missouri,
he began in tho mountains as day la
borer. Ho steadily ascended to fore
man, superintendent and ownor.
-Mr. Frank Godfrey, now tho State
Printer of Michigan and a man of con
siderable fortune, w hen a boy of twelve
years walked into Michigan's capital
and slept the first night in a barn in
sight of tho presont huge smoke-stneiv
of his printing otllco.
The late Francis A. Droxol left an
estate of $10,000,000. all of which Is to
go to tho Roman vntholic Church il ,
his three daughters die childless. Il
they have children tho property is to
be divided among their offspring. In
case only one child Is born to any one
of them tho fortune goes to that child.
President Van Home, of tho Cana
dian Pacific railway, who resides at
Montreal, Is to be knighted by Queen
Victoria because of his services to the
Dominion iti promoting railway and
commercial interests. Mr. Van Home
began his career as a night operator
for tho Michigan Central at.Ioliet. 111.,
nearly thirty years ago, and is yet a
comparatively young man.
Congressman "Tim" Onmplnjll is
fond of the phrase, "There's no Hies
on me," and tells a story which proves
that not every Washington lady under
stands tho United States language. At
a dinner to which he was a guest, ho
remarked to tho hostess: "An elegant
dinner, ma'am. No Hies on that din
ner." "No, indeed, Mr. Congressman,"
returned tho hostess, all unconscious
of his meaning. "1 had tho kitchen
windows kept shut for two days.
A lady who has dono great honor
ti herself in scholarship is Miss Cora
Henneson, of Quiney, 111., who at pres
ent holds a fellowship in Hryn Mawr
College in Pennsylvania. She was
graduated at the University of Michi
gan with high honors, and afterwards
received the degree of LL. R. cum
laude from tho same institution. Sev
eral years ago sho went around the
world, going tho greater part of the
way alone, and then spent somo time
"roughing il" in the Rocky Mount
ains and in California.
A whimsical and extravagant Phil
adelphia lady decorates her table to
correspond with her own costune. For
instance, sho lately presided at a dinner
party in a superb directoiro robe,
while the tablo decorations wero after
the ;tyle of the same era. Tho table
cloth was of stripes of laco and drawn
work, spread over a foundation of
olive-green satin. Laid in loops all
around the tablo wero pink roses and
foliage, festooned- with satin ribbons;
at each nlato wero laid bunches of
cream roses and maiden-hair ferns,
tied with pink and pale-green ribbons.
"A LITTLE
NONSENSE."
In tho palmy days of Homo prize
fights wore fought with gloves loaded
with lead. seems to us thai scrap
iron would havo beon moro appro
priate. Tcrrc Haute Express.
Mrs. Cumso "Why did you not
remain after service, John? The min
ister asked all lay mombers to wait a
few moment." Mr. Cumso "Yes,
I know; but I'm not a lamo member."
Drake's Magazine.
First base-ball player "Did you
go to Shortstop's wedding to-day?"
Second base-ball player "Of course
I did." First player "How did it
como olT?" Second player "Declared
a tio." Once a Week.
"Kiches take unto homsolvot
wings and lly away," said tho teacher
"What kind of riches is meant?" Aiu
the smart bad boy at tho foot of tin
class said ho "reckoned thoy must in
ostriches." American Poultry Yard.
llobbio "Oil! Great Scott, Pv
beon and put tho wrong ond of m;
cigar in my mouth." Maggie "Ha
Ha! It's not Great Scott, but anolhe
poet you put mo In mind of. Hobble.
"Who?" "Why, Heibbio Hurns!"
Texas tiifliiirjs.
Tho meanest man up to date i
Snlfkins. Ho sold Jones a half Intel
est In a cow, and then refused to d
vide tho milk, maintaining that .lone
owned tho front half. Tho cow hooke
Snifklns, and now Snlfkins Is suiii
Jones for diimagos. Time.
Justlco "Well, O'Connor, what!
tho matter with your eye?" O'Conno
"Sure Missus O'Connor an' inose
wuz dlshcussln 'Is marrlago a fallyor .
I said it wuz and sho said it wuz no
nn' wld that sho t'ron a fiat-iron at m
Oi'd loiko to havo yor honor put a fo
bonds on her." America.
Customer (in "hund-mo-down
store) "This suit is all full of cioas
and wrinkles. It looks as If it lin
been slopt In." Doalor- "Dot vos on
ladest Improved tourist suit, mlstei
noddlngs llko it in Vhiladclphla. Dc
suit mako all your vrlonds dink yo
shust return from a torvelvo month
tour In Kuropo."
Little Pat was In tho habit of fall
Ingoutof bod during tho night, an
his father to break him of the habii
would remind him of It tho noxt morn
Ing. Ono day, as usual, his fathe
said to him: "Horc, Pat, you fell on
of bed again." "Oh, no, papa," sab
Pat; "It was tho pillow, for I wont Uj
to tco, and tho pillow was on tho lloo
by tho sido of tho bed." "What mud
you cry, then?" askod his fathoi
"Woll, you see," said Pat la his hio
sobor inunner, "It was dark and
couldn't toll whether It was mo or tin
pillow." Troi VfriHW,
THE BOWSER r-Alvtti-t.
Hr. II. Conk SuppiT mid ItWk 111 I.lfp liy
Kiitlnc Somo of It.
Mr. Howser camo homo tho other
afternoon just In time to meet the cook
going awav with her bundle, and ho
rushed into tho house to inquire:
"I suppose you've gono and done It
ifrnin?"
"What?"
"Abused and maltreated the girl un
til her sense of justlco has impelled
her to leave."
"I hadn't any thing to do with her
leaving."
"Then who hnd? Sho looked honrt
broken as I passed her just now."
"Did she? Poor thing! Sho got a
letter this morning from her aunt in
Canada, tolling her that sho had been
left llvo thousand dollars In cash, and
advising her to como homo and marry
a man who owns three farms. She
must feel very sorrowful!"
"Humph! And you didn't put too
much work on herP"
"No."
"Nor make her feol hor position?"
"No. Her position was in tho parlor
&bout half the time."
"Well, it seems very qucor to me
that so many of our girls leave. Every
thing will bo upset now for a week, 1
suppose."
"Oh, no. You can cook, you know.
and you aro such a sympathetic soul
that you ought to bo willing to go into
the kitchen for a day or two. 1 shall
depend on you, Mr. Howser."
"Oh, you will? Not satisfied with
driving a dozen poor souls to destruc
tion, you want a rub at me! I wouldn't
have your spirit for nil tho money In
tho world!"
Ho went away with that, but ho was
home an hour earlier than usual, and
when I inquired tho cause ho said:
"What for? Why, tho child and I
have got to havo something to eat,
haven't wo, and who's to cook it if 1
don't take hold?"
"I can cook."
"Mrs. Howser, Pvo long felt it my
duty to give you a fow lessons in tho
culinary art. 1 havo held off, hoping
your prido would force you to take
bold, but tho limit hns been reached.
The time has come when I must sacri
fice my business to enter my kitchen
and prevent my child from feeling the
pangs of hunger."
"Please don't."
"Hut I will! I'm driven to it. Pvo
got a wifo who can't cook tho north
west end of a last year's turnip, and
who can't keep a cook over a week at
n time. Pvo put up with it too long
much too long, Mrs. Howser. 1 must
sacrifice my dignity to preserve tho
life of my child."
"Shan't I help you got supper?"
"Not a help. You'el only bo In tho
way. Just sit down in tho rocker,
Mrs. Howser, put your feet on the
lounge, got a cud of gum in your mouth
and sit down and chow and chow and
think what mean things you aro going
to say to tho next girl to drive hor
away. When suppor is ready 1 will
call your royal highness."
Ho disappeared with that.
When ho reached the kitchen he
took oil' his cutis and coat, pushed up
his sleeves, and kindled a fire. His
confidence began to desert him at this
point and ho seemed to bo studying
deeply as ho filled tho tea-kottlo ovon
full and sot it to boll. 1 Hud some
fresh beofsteak in tho ico box, and ho
got it out, scratched his head in a
thoughtful way, and laid it on the
kitchen table. Thou ho went down
collar after the hatchet, wiped tho
head of It on his right leg, and pounded
away until a good shjiro of tho steak
had gono into tho board.
Mr. Howsor's noxt move was to hunt
behind tho pantry door for a spldor
which wo had never used. Ho carried
it to tho kitchen towel, gavo it a wlpo,
and then placed it on tho stove. lie
had heard that grease was necessary,
and ho put in somo buttor, dropped in
his steak and soon had it sizzling.
Then ho started in for tho biscuit. Ho
got down tho dish-pan, filled It almost
full, and then relleeted for a moment.
I took advantago of tho occasion to
oiion tho door and remark:
"Mr. Howser, you needn't figure on
an elaborate supper, under tho circum
stances. Just make us a cup of tea
:ind wo'll got along."
"Mrs. Howser, you ought to know
by this tlmo that thcro Is no half-way
work with mo," ho replied, with groat
frigidity. "You can afford to neglect
tho comfort of this family, but I can
not. Plcaso return to your gum and
your novel."
Then ho went nhend just as any
other husband would.
Hp hnd heard about soda and short
ening in biscuit, and he mixed tho
(lour with cold water, put in pepper
und salt, slushed off half a pound of
butter und stirred it in and then re
membered tho baking powder. Thore
was nearly a quarter of a pound In the
box, and the whole of it went in.
How Mr. Howser managed to got a
grease spot between his shoulder
bladcs.llourou his hair and baking pow
dor In his hind pocket I do not know, but
It was probably whilo ho was rolling
that mass out. He didn't trlllo with
tho nilxlng-board, but used tho spot
whore ho had pounded tho beef. I
heard tho mass of dough fall to tho
lloor three different times with a dull
thud, but he wasn't a bit discouraged.
Ho got it rolled out at last, cut somo
biscuits with a tea cup, and presently
the oven door shut on his tins. Ho
bud just forty biscuit.
Ky this time the steak had burned
Mack on both Kldos, and hu set It
down buhlnd the stove and prepared
the tun. To two quarts of water hu
tibud ono tonipooiifiil, Ten minutes
'ator lie HUiniiioniid mo to the buuquut
Ho hnd tho tablecloth on crlss-cross
the butter on tho pie plate, tho cako
In the chceso dish and his beefsteak
was placed in tho center of tho tablo
on a pie tin.
'Any thing wrong?" ho asked as L
sat down.
'Oli, no. You havo dono splen
didly."
'I am awnro of It. Tills tablo has
never looked so homelike boforo."
His biscuits wero raw In tho mid
dle, while top and bottom wero so
wonderfully and fearfully mado that I
had to laugh.
'Tho biscuit; you can't beat 'em.
Wait till you tasto ono!"
I dldn t taste, but he did. I was
watching him, and a look of horror
camo over ins lace at. tno nrst mourn
ful. Ho wouldn't glvo in, however,
but crowded a whole biscuit down and.
pretended to enjoy it.
'I wouldn't eat any of that steak.
Mr. Howser," I said, as ho eyed it sus
piciously.
"Wouldn't you? Perhaps you want
It all yourself?"
"I don t think it is proporly cookod.
"Well. I do! If that isn't a nico
steak then wo never have had any in.
this house'."
Ho ato at least a quarter of a pound.
though every morsel choked him. I
offered to wash up the dishes, but ho
put me out of tho kitchen and wont
ahead, lie washed ovory thing to
gether in the Hour-pan, wiped them on
whatever ho could find loose, and it
was a week before wo got tho pantry
In order again. That night, aftor
bragging of what a breakfast ho was.
going to got, Mr. Howser was taken
with chills and colic, and when tho
doctor camo and I showed him tho
beef and tho biscuit ho said:
"Mr. Howser, If you hadn't tho
stomach of a shark you'd havo boon
dead an hour ago. You'd better quit
this sort of nonsense if you want to
llvo tho year out."
And as soon as wo woro alono Mr.
Howser turned on mo with:
"Don't expect mo to shiold you
again! Your jealousy prompted you to
put poison into that Hour while 1 was
down cellar! If this thiny occurs again
1 will send you to tho gallows." De
troit Free Press.
WORK FOR WOMEN.
TIui Cooking anil 1'rcparliiK of Dollciicle
for tlto Nick.
Cooking delicacies for tho sick with
a dnitity perfection that can not bo at
tained by largo caterers or ordinary,
cooks Is a comparatively now but very
popular Industry, added to tho list of
peculiar employments by which women
aro enabled to earn their living In Now
York. Ono of tho consignors of tho
Woman's Exehango has ontiro charge
of this special branch of culslno, nnd
has coined dollars for herself, bosidoa
carrying comfort to many sufferers.
Sho is ono of tho unappropriated
blessings of this world, nn unpluckod
roso loft to withor on tho virgin stem,
according to tho billons poet, hut who,
with tho perversity of her sox, re
fused to do tho expected, and, instead
of withering, has blossomed into now
tenderness, Iwauty, usefulness and
womanliness. Sho failed entirely lit
tho cako department at tho Exchange,
but at tho suggestion of somo friends
sho began tho cooking of thoso delica
cies which long practice had mado hor
an adopt and an artist in preparing.
Now tho Invalids In tho richest housoa
on tho avenue, the boarders at tho
Hoffman llouso and Hrunswlck, tho
sick in various hospitals and tho dol
icato friends of wealthy patrons among
tho poor alike enjoy tho same broths
and teas, Iceland moss and blano mango
sho prepares, and which can bo found
nowhoro else so dollclous in tasto.
Hoof tea, (shlckcn and mutton broth
and beef juice, with various similar
delicacies, mny bo had at any timo on a.
diiy's notico at tho Exchange, and in
cases of emergency thoy aro often pro
pared by tho lady during tho night.
Ladles who havo most accomplished
cooks Hay that thoy almost invariably
fail in cooking for invalids, and
boarders at oven tho best hotels nnd
boarding houses can not bo supplied
with tho appetizing and nourishing
food essential to invalidism.
Still another gentlewoman propares
various kinds of breads, brown bro:ul,
graham, and health food bread, tho
latter mado from cntlro wheat. Ono
oustomor, a dollcato man boarding at
a vory elegant up-town reaturant, con
sumed eight loaves of health food
bread a week through tho ontiro
winter. A wealthy lady in town haa
kept an old coachman allvo on the bcor
tea mado by tho gontlo spinster at tho
Woman's Exehango all through tho
past summer nnd another ladyirdered
rolls and chicken broth sent to a sick,
servant for many weoks, until hor ro
covory was announced. A lady i
Washington, learning of tho illness of
a poor friond, ordered nourishing
dainties sent to hor through a long
illness. The kindness of rich women
continually manifests itself in this
way.
Other women employ thomsolvos very
lucratively In tho preparation of puro
jollies, containing no gelatino, for
invalids, and still others aro occupied
in the making of wino and fruitcordlals
and tonics for tho sick and debilitated.
Theso women aro almost without ex
ception ladles of wealth and rollncniont,
who, learning their dainty and
womanly art of invalid culslno from
experience gained In tho enro of their
own fumllles, havo a pooullar skill
which can not ho acquired In any other
way, and which soma Middon whirl In
tho wheel of fortuno haa caused them to
employ for thopuuluigowl through tha
omptlnoBS of u prlvHt puim JV, J'.
Hun,