The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, July 18, 1900, Image 6
The king
* _^honi
A KOVEL OF AMERICAN LIFI
BY MAURICE
CopjjjgM,1E?2 aEd lsf::
CHAPTER I. |
SOME IJfTP.ODUCTOBX au > x m&o. t
Jules Vernon with his wife, who
was much younger than himself, and
his only child Pauline went to the
Vernon plantation house, or Vernon
Place, as it was called at Bay Saint
Louis, to spend some months. There
were few residents on that wild,
lonely and lovely shore in tl.ose days;
for our story begins at the time when
war -with England, commot.ly called
the War of 1812, was at its l igh tide.
Why Mr. Vernon had sought this
isolation will be disclosed, perhaps,
in due time; at present we must bo
content to know him with only such a
glimpse of his character and motives
as circumstances permit.
He is a man of giaut stature; and
his face, almost covered with grizzly
beard, wears that look of rugged
strength which perfect health often
gives to the countenance of an aged
man whose life has been spent at sea.
His shoulders are square-set and
powerful, his -head large, shaggy,
leonine, his arms heavy aud muscular.
When he laughs, there is a suggestion
of sea-roar in hi1? voice?a mellow
hoarseness not unlike the beating of
long swells on a reef.
His wife is a bright, clear-faced,
volatile Creole, just beginning to show
the lines of age in her pretty face,
albeit her hair is almost snow-white.
As for Pauline, she is lovely, a girl
to catch the eye and heart of almost
any man, with her regular features,
her expression of modest simplicity,
lighted up with a charming vivacity,
her plump, supple figure and her
luxuriance of shining hair.
Here they are, these three, living
for the time a life of utter loneliness
in a large, rudely built house, in the
most out-of-the-way nook to be found
on the wild gulf coast.
It was not as strange as it seems
romantic, that they were thus isolated;
for in thoso days men ventured
without fear and risked everything
without hesitation.
Mr. Vernon was a very rich man,
who, since he abandoned sea-faring
life, had been one of the chief leaders
- x-? tj.o
Ol anairs iu i>ew uuvauo.
ness relations had been many and
far-reaching. Perhaps he now wished
to get rid of some of them, and had
come to this lonely plantation with
the hope of breaking away from entanglements
which had become irnBorne
to him.
A tall, slender, emaciated, bnt yet
seemingly vigorous old man, one
stormy March night, sought the hospitality
of the Vernon household. Of
course, as was the'old Southern custom,
they took him in, although his
actions were myteriousto the point of
suggesting a doubt as to his sanity.
He had crossed the bay in a little
open boat, which capsized with him
near the shore; and when he entered
the house it was evident that he had
suffered much. Next morning he was
ill, and for many days he seemed at
at the point of death.
In this extremity, he confided his
Ofe-secret to Mr. Vernon. Simply
told it was this: His orphan granddaughter,
a sweet and beautiful girl,
while yet scarcely more than a mere
child, had been influenced by a daring
young scapegrace to elope with
him and become ins wife. This was
in Scotland. The old man, who gave
Lis name as Max Burns, did not disclose
the name of liis grand-daughter's
abductor. Perhaps he had good reasons
for keeping it a secret; but he
went on to tell a touching and almost
incredible story of how he had spent
many years and a large fortune in trying
to find aud in someway take back
his wandering grandchild Margaret.
The young nir.u, immediately after
marrying the girl, took her to Italy,
where he became a robber. The
grandfather followed him,only to find
that he had/led to Spain. There, too,
Le was an outlaw; and after some
years of picturesque and terrible adventure,
he was so closely pushed by
the authorities that he left the country
and was next heard of in San Do
mingo. From there, at length, hs
came to New Orleans.
All this time Max Burns, who was a
Presbyterian preacher, had followed
him as best he could, making every
effort that money and tireless energy
could sustain to capture the man and
regain Margaret.
And now, almost penniless, his fortune
dissipated in his vain endeavors,
his health badly broken and with old
cge grippiug his vitals, he was once
more close upon the object of his long
and apparently hopeless quest.
"And so," he weut on in a feeble,
panting tone, "just as I can almost
reach him it seems that I must die.
Oh, Margaret, Margaret!" and he lay
gazing at the ceiling as if in prayer.
The story was so strange that, told
tinder the peculiar aud pathetic circumstances,
it filled the hearts of the
Vernon household with inexpressible
sadness.
No one hearing the old man speak
could doubt the truth of what te said;
there was the unmistakable stamp of
sincerity and deep, absolutely poignaut
feeiiugou every word as it came
from his feeble lips.
But contrary to every probability,
Burns got well and departed as mysno
Iia noma crrtinrr r\ft r?r? fnnf
in trie direction of tbe Pearl River and
Honey Island, a region which at that
time was the home of a robber-band,
the most desperate and powerful ever
known in our country.
The old saying is, it never rain.8 but
pours. Scarcely had old Max Bui us
gone away, leaving behind him the
almost weird impression of his strange
story and of his mysterious personality,
when another wanderer thrust
himself into the life of the Vernous;
and this time it was a young man of
distinguished bearing, handsome,winning
and withal not devoid of most
that goes to add romance to character.
Pauline had been out to the cabin
j OF**-.
?Y ISLAND
5 DURING THE WAR OF 1812.
THOMPSON.
by Itofcert Bonner's Son*.
of one Lapin, the overseer of her
father's servants, to see Lizette, the
overseer's daughter, who had been ill.
Returning thence on horseback and
followed by a negro groom, she was
making her pony gallop briskly -when
at a turn in the path he suddenly
scared, whirled about and flung her
off.
The object which had frightened
' the fiery little animal proved to bo an
easel roughly improvised by an artist
who had been sketching a cluster of
moss-hung trees. The artist himself
was near by, and ran to Pauline's assistance.
The fall, though hard, had rather
dazed than hurt the astonished girl,
and before she fairly realized what
had happened, she found herself upborne
in the arms of a strange, handsome
young man, who held her as if
she had been a little child.
"Are you hurt?" he inquired, his
face close to hers, his eyes tenderly
regarding her. '
At first she could make no answer,
and she was too weak to struggle.
The groom hastened to the spot; but
seeing his young mistress in the possession
of a stalwart, heavily armed
white man, was afraid to say a word or
move a hand. The pony, freed of its
burden, had run home at full speed,
and the thoroughly frightened negro,
after glaring a moment, whipped his
cob and rushed away in the same direction,
leaving Pauline a helpless
captive in the arms of her rescuA.
Mr. Yernon chanced to be at the
house, when the groom, wiid-eyedand
gasping, arrived with his but half-coherent
story of the adventure.
??T>;Qvfo"Romooni" hehoarselvcried
in a half wliisper. "Pierre Bameau
done got Mies Pauline! Ob, de good
Lor', de good Lor', Marse Vernon run
dar quick!"
Mr. Vernon did not need to be told
twice. He snatched a brace of heavy
pistols, mounted the groom's horse
and galloped toward the scene of the
tragedy.
Pierre Bameau was a terrible name
in the Gulf-coast region in those days,
more terrible even than that of John
A. Murrell became a few years later.
Indeed, Bameau was reputed to be
the leader of all the robbers, pirates
and Creole forbans in the whole Southwest.
. His deeds had hung a fascinating
mist of romance about him
which appealed to the imagination of
the people.
Little wonder, then, that Mr. Vernon
felt, as he urged the clumsy horse
along the vague bridle-path, under
the trees, a terrible whirl of mingling
and, so to s&y, crushing emotions.
His daughter was his idol; he worshiped
her as only an aged man can
worship an only child, the offspring
of a belated marriage.
Pauline in the hands of Pierre
Bameau! The thought was absolutely
unbearable, and yet it had to be borne,
at least for a few minutes; and the
strain npon the old man's feelings
showed in the swelling veins of his
neck and forehead as he leaned forward
over his horse's shoulders and
seemed trying to pierce the dark,
thick woods with his gaze.
When he turned a sharp curve ol
the way and looked down a straight
stretch between heavy liveoaks and
under gray festoons of Spanish moss,
lie saw somethiug which, as a picture,
hung ever after in his memory.
It was Pauline walking side by side
with a tall young man, who, armed
like a brigand, with rifle and pistols,
and bearing an artist's portfolio, sauntered
with the careless ease and grace
of one at home in any place. The
two seemed quite on good terms with
each other, and were coming toward
Mr. Vernon, who checked his horse
in time and glowered darkly at them.
Pauline ran forward to meet hei
father, her face beamiug.
x "Papa, this gentleman is Mr. Fairfax,
of Virginia; when my pony threw
me a moment ago, he came to my aid.'
"He is an artist, and is staying at
Monsieur Vas'seur's. I hope you will
thank him for his kindness to me."
The young man came up just then,
and Mr. Vernon bent upon him a
steady, searching look.
"Are you Mr. Burton Fairfax, sir?"
he demanded, putting away the pistol
that he had been holding for deadjy
use.
"Yes, sir." Evidently the young
man was surprised. His face showedit.
"The negro tcld me that a robber
hud caught my daughter, so I was
scarcely prepared to see the son of m\
old friend, Colonel Stirling Fairfax."
tt I.-.T : ?
ivir. vernon uuu rejjumeu
composure, and was now smiling
kindly.
"You knew my father?" inquired
Fairfax.
"Mirny, many years ago, in England.
"We" "were the best of friends,
and I am proud now to see his son
and to thank him for his gallant kindness
to my daughter."
"You give mfcthe deepest pleasure,"
Fairfax said, the strangeness of the
situation preventing a clear understanding
of it.
''lour mother was a F.urton," Mr.
VerDO^~weut on. He dismounted and
took the young* man's hand. "Fine
old families, the Burtons and the Fairfaxes?fine
old families. Glad to take
yonr band, sir."
Pauline stood by, looting on. II
was a picturesque group, and evidently
the vouncr girl felt deeply the romaucc
of the occasion. Her feelings heightened
her beauty.
Mr. Vernon pressed tbe young man
i to go to Vernou Place, iim! the three
i walked thither along tLe woodlaud
i roa'l, the horse following after them.
When they reached the house the
i two gentlemen were quite like old ac
quniutauces. Mrs. Vernon was glad
to see the son of her husband's old
fiiend, and thus Fairfax found himself
tbe center of charming attentions
It was like a leaf from some old romance,
like being cast into a nook
where tbe uoetrv of life Btill survived
ami where scarcely a ripple of the new
order of things was ever heard.
Rich, fatherless, motherless, without
a tie to bind him to any spot, tha J
youug man, after much travel and ;
many adventures, had come to Xew \
Orleans, wheuce, in search of what- ,
ever was new or sketchable, he passed
on into the wilderness, and finally
found his way to the lonely shore of
Bay Saint Louis, where he was glad
to make his home for a time with a
queer little fellow, Vasseur by name,
in a rambling old backwoods house
overlooking the beautiful water.
Yasseur was an enigma to the young
adventurer and as such very interesting.
He was very dark, could speak
English, but brokenly, and in many
ways his actions suggested a past life
not above outlawry. All the furniture
and belongings of Yasseur's house
hinted .at plunder; all of the man's ac
tions. had about them an atmospnere
of furtiveness.
To pass suddenly from such surroundings
into the charming circle of
the Vernon household was a change
which gave emphasis to tbe effect, and
it caught the young man's imagination
at once.
And how was it vith Pauline?
A young girl under such circumstances
does not analyze her feelings,
and who shall do it for her?
She sat in the spacious room, and
instinctively her chair was drawn
close to her mother. Her heart was
$ull of vague happiness, and any
observer could have seen that she was
quite uifconscious of her beauty. Her
expression was all attention, for every
faculty of her nature had assumed a
receptive attitude; and while Mr. Vernon
and Burton Fairfax discussed the
ancient social relations of the Vernons,
the Fairfaxes and the Burtons,
she found a most satisfying pleasure
in the details, although it would have
been quite impossible for to explain
why.
Fairfax gladly accepted an invitation
to take luucheon atVernon Place;
indeed, it required a little heroism on
his part to refuse Mr. Vern'on's urgent
request that he remain in the house
during the rest of his sojourn on the
bay shore; especially hard was it to
hold out against the hospitable insistence
of the ladies, who; in the good
nlrl Southern rtvIp. ioineil in nressinor
him to stay. As it was, he took his
departure late in the afternoon; but
Vasseur's was not so far away that ho
could not come back every day if he
saw lit.
If he saw fit! Did a young man
ever fail to see fit to go back under
such circumstances? Vernon Place
was better in every way than Vasseur's;
Mr. Vernon was a more interesting
man than Vasseur; Mrs. Vernon was
a charming woman; and Pauline?
certainly Pauline was lovely, even if
she did not talk much.
The young man leifc a very pleasant
impression in the household. So
pleasant, indeed, that it wiped out
for the time all memory of the old
wanderer who so lately had occupied
almost their entire thought.
Pauline, after bidding good-by to
Fairfax, ran to her own room and
watched him go away. He had put
. on again his belt and,pistols, his
pouch of drawing-materials and his
, broad hat. The rifle across his shoulder
gleamed bravely in the sunlight.
hnt In 11 di jit stick a die
?? V O ?
play of weapons in our day; but tben
i it was different. The wonder is that
, a man could feel quite safe even when
thus apparently over-armed.
! To Pauline there was no suggestion
i of the bravado of mere outward pretense
iu the appearance of Fairfax,
, nor ought there to have baen. The
[ times were tragic enough. War between
the United States and Great
Britain was already progressing in
; the North and at any moment might
; oe transferred to the Gulf coast. Not
[ only this, but all the lawless men of
the remote and to a degree unprotected
regions were taking advantage of
the disturbed state of things to re,
double their defiance of local authority.
The spirit of violence was in the
air, and an unarmed man was an ex.
caption to a prevailing rule.
> The vivid imagination of Pauline
, Vernon caught an impression from the
young man's showy armament quite
different from what such a vision
, would produce in the mind of a bright
girl of our day. To lier came a thrill
. of the romance in the midst of which
she was living. She was not self-con.
scious enough or sufficiently trained
. in self-analysis to be aware of the
> source from which the glamour came;
but she felt her right to enjoy to the
full the deep and rich though elusive
charm of the. moment.
She watched the young man until
he passed out of sight, then closed her
eyes, the simple-hearted maiden that
she was, as if Bhe could thus shut iu
forever the fascinating picture.
(to be continued. )
BrlHili Prisoner* at Pretoria.
The Boers treated us with every
. kindness after capturing us, and here,
( whare we have just arrived this morn
ing, we are all in a large shed on the
1 race course. There are about fifty
; officers prisoners. Of course we had
uAtUinor Knf wliot tt*a at swirl nn in Unf
the authorities are giving us all uecesi
saries and feed us. We are all teetotallers,
as we are not given any spirits,
aud in fact all spirits are forbidden to
be sold in the Transvaal during the
war aud all liquors shops and re.
freshnrent rooms are closed. The
food is plentiful though plain, aud
1 we are allowed to supplement it by
i buying things. Then we have been
. presented by the Government with n
suit of multi, a toothbrush, a flannel
shirt, a pair of socks, a pair of slip[
pers, a bed, blanket, pillow, braces
> and a to*vel each. So, you see, we
. are comfortable enough, and the only
s thing we feel is the restriction on our
liberty.?Letter of an imprisoned ofii*
> cer in the London Times.
i T!t? Fortnre of War.
Lieutenant Meiklejohu, of the Gordon
Highlanders, seems to have had n
i very hot time at Elandslaagte. He
> received three bullets through his
upper arm. oue through the right torearm,
one through the left thigh, two
! through his helmet, a "sni^k" in the
neck, one of his lingers was l.!"'.vu
I 1 il. _ . 1 1 n/.nUUnw1
i ttwu^y, ami iuo nwwu huu o^uimivi
1 were shot to pieces. Bat be is quite
happy, ami the loss of big right arm
. gives him little uneasiueea. Between
his chuckles be is heard to say: '"The
: silly duffers didn't know I am leftI
handed!"?London Globe.
I
View of the Imperia
V
|
~~ i ^ ~ r ~ ~ 'r-rr.
The Chinese imperial palace is the
Forbidden City, and Is itself more forbi
necessary to pass three great walls. F1
wall of the entire city. Within this Is
miles in circumference. Wftjiin this aj
den City, which is sacred to the Emg^n
den City, or Tze-Kin-Cheng, is nearly i
of the compass. Two walls running fi
into three parts. The central part com
division the chief entrance is the Wn 3
gate is a large court, and running throi
five bridges of sculptured marble. Ani
gives admission to the Palace of Supr<
i pal hall of audience. Here the dignit;
to His Majesty. T6 kow-tow Isto kne*
the ground nine times. To thei inner:
is here that the emperor liv|jk poiTotmi
ooooooooooooooooooodbooooo
j I fdodern ?tate of g
^ thp Rait. Inifiistru 8
| Interesting PrbcesseBkg j
Sooooooooooooooooooooqo<p8
I /^""V OXSPICUODS among the nat!
[ f ural resources of the State of
Michigan are the forests which
cover a considerable extent of
its surface and the large deposits of
salt which underlie a great portion of
its area. In the vicinity of Manistee
where the "salt blocks" which form
! the subject of the present article are
located, this deposit consists of a stratum
of rock salt, which is from twentyfive
to thirty feet in thickness. Salt
j blocks are usually built in connection
with sawmill plants, with a view to
| making use of the refuse as fuel, and
I for this reason the city of Manistee
I has of late years become such a largo
I producer of salt that about half of all
| this commodity manufactured in the
1 Snare is made at that point.
As soon as tlie site of a well has been
! selected, a cellar is excavated and
j planked np and a derrick, usually
j about eighty feet high, is erected oud
j the work of driving commences. The
I firet nnprnfton is tn sink n section of
? ten-inch pipe, by means of a sand
pump, to a depth of about 400 feet,
from which point the well is continued
by inserting an eight-inch pipe within
the ten-inch pipe and driving it down
to the rock formation, the eight-inch
pipe extending from the rock up
through the ten-inch pipe to the surface
of the ground. From the rock
formation down, the rock is drilled
: TOP VIEW OP A GRAINER, SHOWING THE
BRINE, RUNWAY, AND AGITATING
PADDLES.
i without any pipe casing, except
I through such portions as are liable to
cave. Salt well No. 5 at Manistee,
which is described in the present nrj
tide, is fairly typical of the wells in
I this vicinity. The ten-inch pipe reaches
I tr> n of 4fk) feet, the eicrht-inch
I pipe to a c?pth of GIG foot, where the
rock formation is encountered. The
bed of rock sait. which is thirty fe^t
in thickness, reaches to a of
10S5 feet, making a total ?
2015 feet. The yield pumped from this
well amounts to from 20(H) to 2400 barrels
of briue in twenty-four hours.
The accompanying diagrams and
photographs represent the modern
state of the art. As the brine is
pumped from the well, it is delivered to
ranr
COMPRESSED AIR AUGEB FOR LOO
llio storage cisterns, from which it falls
by gravity to the settlers, and from the
settlers to the gralners. In the settlers
it is heated to a temperature of about
170 decrees Fahrenheit. Upon beingalj
lowed to cool, the gypsum, which, if it
I Palace at Pekin.
~~J
*
. *
principal architectural feature of the
dden still. To reach the palace it is
rst, there is the great sixty-foot thick
tie wall of the Imperial City, six
?ain is the wall of the Purple Forbid)ir
and his family. The Purple Forbidjquare,
Its sides facing the four points
rom north to south divide the space
tains the principal building. To this
Mod, or Meridian Gate. Inside this
ugh it a a artificial stream, spanned by
other gate at the end of the bridges
jmo Peace, or Tai-ho-tien. the princi-*
iries of the empire meet and kow-tow
3I thrice and knock your forehead on
most palace no man is admitted. It
Jed by his uncounted wives.
W J
were not removed, would form a coating
on the steam pipee in the grainers,
! is precipitated, and as soon as jpjicipij
tation is completed the brine 13 <irawn
to a long box running across, the head
ends of the grainers. and from the box
It is fed to the grainers as required. The
latter are long, shallow tanks, near
the bottom of which, and exteuding
&roughout their full length, is a series
or steam pipus. i m* unuc i^iug uu- i
mltted to ,tbe grainers, the steam is '
/ :
I - v., - vw=r r- .
8A.LT PACKERS AT WORK
turned on, the liquor soon acquires a
high temperature, and rapid evaporation
takes place. To assist the precipitation
of tne grains of salt, the surface |
of the brine is agitated at frequent intervals
by means of a series of paddles i
which are operated by a lever at the j
end of the grainer. 'ihe salt accumu- j
lates at the bottom, until in the course :
of twenty-four hours there will be a 1
layer from six to eight inches deep. ;
The salt is lifted from the grainer by !
means of long-handled, perforated i
shovels, and is deposited on the run- j
away. As .soon as it is thoroughly j
drained, it is shoveled into carts run I
out over the storage bin, and dumped. |
The plant under consideration con-1
oictc nf tivn w(>lis. three cisterns each !
eighteen feet wide by 100 feet long'
and eight feet deep, and six settlers i
twelve feet wide. 17." feet Ions, nud !
eight feet deep, capable of holding
about 24,000 barrels. When those cisterns
and settlers are all full.tlu^y hold
enough brine to manufacture over Jo.000
barrels of salt.
Fart of the salt manufactured in this
plant is made by the vacuum-pan process.
In operating the plant the pans
are first filled by gravity, after which
the gravity supply pipe is closed, and
the valve in the pipe connecting with
the settlers is opened, the brine being
drawn into the pans by the vacuum
therein as the evaporation proceeds.
The water anil the air pumps are iu- I
sorted, steam is admitted to the steam j
belt, and the process of manufacturing
salt begins. The atmospheric pressure
being removed from the surface of the
brine.the latter boils violently at a tem- j
perature wuich seldom rises above 15<> i
degrees 1* arenheit. The brine rushes |
upward through the tubes, and under I
the rapid evaporation the brine becomes i
so dense that it can no longer hold the
salt in solution. Fine crystal grains
are formed, as the liquid circulates
through the large three-foot opening in 1
tiie steam belt, and falling to the bot- .
\. a 'iJijLj
sekino^ r ^ ?.?f salt.^
[ torn of the pan they pass to tho foot
ot the elevator, whence they arc taken
up' mul dumped into the drainac bins.
After the salt has remained in these
bins for a period of sixteen to eighteen
hours, it is drmvn off into carts, wheel
ed to tho storag^bins and dumped. It
Is customary to^tise the pans for not
longer than twelve consecutive hours,
at the end of which period they are
emptied, boiled out with fresh water,
and cleaned. One of the pans is run
during the day and the other difring the
night, each pan making m a twelvehour
run from GOO to 700 barrels of
salt, the combined production being
from JUUU to 14'M) barrels a day.
Iu the mamifatUire of salt it is a
recognizcd necessity that a large quantivy
must bo kept in storage, and for
VACUUM PAN PLANT.
A, vacuum pan; B, steam belt; C, condenser;
D, spray plate; E, air pump; F, cold
water pump; G, steam pipe: H, sealing
tank; K, hot water pump; L, elevator;
N, brine pump; R, brine settler; S, brine
tank; T, water tank; U^brine vat; V,
drainage bin.
.. . ; it. j_ij. j j i_i.
mis purpose ine sau. is aumpeu 11110
vast storerooms which-measure from
200 to 300 feet In length,?and the same
in width; the amoonigFstore frequently
abrogated 400,(WqJ&|9Jb. As these
rooms are from||riXCTKfe^n-^nty feet
deep the salt b^pafflffiijftjt packed,
and has to be packers
with picks, shovTC'g^^B^irtc., who
proceed to guar Pack
the salt into balHB^HHphe coarser
grades of salt^ftj SElx^i the grainers
this is not a (iBB Kj&fter. but the
finer grained, vaOTMBK^tjbecoines
compact and yeryJKjj'CMfllig packer
IN THE 3TOBAQKfeOOM8. 7 : .
soon finds himself confronted by a-wffrl
of salt twenty feet In height and as
white, if not as hard, as marble. To
undermine and bring dotvn this mass
of salt is a dangerous operation, and
involves long delays; and to overcome
j these difficultiesTthe'comowiies have
used a compressed-air dtlVeri spiral
.n:j:er. which is ten inches in diameter
ami provided with a 'double spoon
point. The auger is mounted on a
truck and the hack end of the shaft
is attached to a th&eeJMrse-power rotary
air drill machSMH^fow of holes
is driven into th^PHR&U^af *a height
of ten inches from tWMror for a distance
of six feet int^Jne mass, the
holes being drilled as cicely together
as possible. After nil "interval 01 one
to three hours, a fall of salt takes
place, a mass equal to 400 or 500 barof
salt being brought down in each
section. The saving of labor by the
use of the compressed-air drill is shdwn
by the fact that sufficient salt cau be
undermined and caved in this manner
in one-half day to keep the packers at
work for two or three days following.
?Scientific American.
How Hoys of 1784 Dressed.
Until the time of the Revolution
children dressed precisely like their
parents. This goes to explain their
painfully mature air in their portraits.
In the illustration reproduced 01 tin
boy in calico, wo have one of the first
attempts at change. Cotton had come
into general use and was worn both
summer and winter. Figure calico in
high colors is the material of this boy's
suit.?Now York World.
Tongli on tlie Joker.
The contributor wrote a joke abou.
a plumber whose bills were always
normal. "That." said the editor, rejecting
it. "is not a joke: it's a lie."
The contributor tried again with i
story -of the pluudit-r whose ciiarg'-s
Pg to lie desired on the score
That." said the editor, who
ed. "is not a lie; ueither is
?Scraps.
^HOUSEHOLD" j
Tldcnratlnz thn TnliTp.
There are many conventional ruleSfor
table decorations, but each housekeeper
should carry out her own.
ideas. A table set without individuality
is much like a house furnished
by an upholsterer. Have for every,
day use a potted plant, or, if cut flowers
are acceptable, a few cut flowers.
If the table is large a handsome dish
of fruit or flowers iu the centre, then
the candelabra or candlesticks, and
small dishes of ferns near the ends. j
Ribbon and lace have no place in ordinary
table decorations. All things J
should be washable and made of such! ^
materials as may be easily kept clean. J
What Laundresses Fail to Comprehend.
Soft water for washing is preferable
to hard, for various nelsons. In the |
first place, because it uses less soap, *
more soap being required to make a'
lather with hard water than with soft.
In the second place, because hard water
contains a deposit of lime, which
is not good for the clothes, tending
to rot the fibres. One soon learns to* ,
know the difference in feeling between j
hard and soft water. There is no substance
so hard that it cannot be dissolved
sooner or later with water."
Water dissolves the dirt, and water;
without soap will do this. We use.t
soap, however, to soften the grrae
which holds the particles of dirt,which j
loosen as the grease is softened. If,1
therefore, the' watej which you are
compelled to use is hard, use boraxto
soften it.?Woman's Home Companion.
*
Preparing For Preserving Dav.
In putting up fruit see that all tlieessentials
are on baud before Ixgiu-.
ning work. Don't wait until the fi^iit
is iu the preserving kettle before running
to the corner grocery for a littlesugar.
It is economy of time to buy: *'
sugar iu twenty-live 01* flfty-poundj
bags this mouth, for you will need it
right along. See that all utensils are
in perfect order, that a supply-of new
rubber bands is on-hand, and that
the cans and glasses are as clean and
sweet and clcar.'as soap and water
can make them'. If every time a can
has been emptied it has been carefully
washed and dried ajad put away with,
its own top screwed on?this part of
the work will be greatly, simplified.
Yet, even if cleaned before putting
away, they will need to be 6calded
; .just before using. Have ready a /
j ; smalli sharp-pointed knife for paring;; .
a 'silver plated fruit knife ground to
a fine edge and kept expressly for this
purpose is best. Have a half pound of
parafflne on'hand for covering jellies,1
several long-handled wooden spoons,^,
a ladle, a colander, a bright tin' strain-'
er/a small, skewer or silver nut pick,
several large bowls and platters, and
a couple, of large porcelain or granite
kettles; Never use tin vessels for
/wvlrlnor f?nit nnr vet iron. Brass.
when thoroughly cleaned, is pleasant
to use, but its expense and the labor
nccessary to keep it in good condif
tlon preclad? its adoption *irf the or-'dinary
kitchen. A pleutiful'^upply of
cheese cloth aud towels, and a largemouthed
funnel to use in filling jars*
should also be in readiness. """" .
RECIPES : J)
Tonir.Co Tea st?Stew and strain '
either fresh or canned tomatoes: thick1
en with a little flour, season with salt.'
Moisten the toast, and thjn pour the -.yj
tomatoes over it. i ./<*
Parsley Fritters?rour boiling walor
on liali a pound of st:il?.* bread.
Drain well, add a cup' of parsley,
mi need fine, lour eggs, two saltspoonl'uls
of salt and out- of pepper. .Mold
into fritters, fry and serve '.villi lemon
quarters.
Asparagus Salad?Take the tips
from one pound of cold asparagus. Cut
one cucumber iuto thlu slices; let
stand one hour fti cold water. Then
add to ir half a teaspoonful of snlt.^
Mix lightly with the tips, cover wifii . -j
mayonnaise dressing^nd serve on lettuce.
Almond Dressing?Shell and blanch
twelve sweet and four bitter almonds,
soak them in cold water an hour, then
drain :iuO pound in a mortar with a lit- j
tie lemon juice; auu enougn more lem- ?
011 juice 10 make it the consistency of 4".
ihii' cream. Heap strawberries on '.he
lieurt leaves of hea\J lettuce in individual
saucers, and dust with sugar; then
pour the dressing over.
An iiit'xpeiisivo Ice Cream?Take a
gallon of new milk, and place all of
it. except a pint, or a litTle more, into
a pan over the fi^. and let it be heating.
With the piut 111 akv a good custard.
using two eggs, and thicken with
two ounces of corn Hour. When tho
milk approaches the boiling poiut. add
the custai'd. stirring it constantly till
it tliickeus. Set as;d?> to cool, and
when cold l'rocze in the ordinary way.
Bride's Cake Icing?Beat the whirls
of three eggs to a stiff froth. .\dd
gradually one pound of con feet icr.er's , i
sugar, beating all the time. Teat until
tho mixture >wi 11 uoi r.:u when
epread^nud then add a few drops.
a grain or two.-^T ultramarine or inl
Jiiro blue. Mix this in carefully, so
j tliar it will not streak. Apply to iho
en Ice with :i broad, pliable knil'e s'.'di
as painters use for scraping pallem-?.
Ansel I'.irfait? Boil ? cupful of supra
r i'.ui! a half cupful of water to the
soft-!'all st a ire. Pour ou the whites
of two oircs beaten until foamy, lieat
until Cf-lt!. Flavor with a third teaspot.iiful
of violet extract and fold in
the whip from three uipf'ds of cream.
Turn in'o a mold. Press down the
eovr ovn* a sheet of paper. Bury
iu iee and salt for four hours. Turn
from the mold, garnlib and sitvc with
ladvtlugers.
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