household Fbrfhe . Younger x jVflatters Children: volntloa of Flower rati. When you buy a potted plant from a fashionable florist nowadays he does not send It home in the ordinary red clay pot such as bas been In use from time out of mind, says tbe Philadelphia Inquirer. The plant is delivered in a receptacle of the conventional shape, but It is covered with One straw bound around with raffia that 1s either painted m soft green or 'a dull enade of red. These bindings are fashioned in some pleasing designs and are Tarnished, o that the whole thing Is ready to stand as an ornament just as It is. These plants may come high, hut were Is one economy in buying them. You do net have to purchase a Jardiniere to put them tn. Gown anil Uniform. , The practice of uniforming our ser rants and officials proceeds apace. Middle-aged people can recall the ob jections that were made to the practice jnntil well after the war. Tosstbly It was the multitude of nnl'forms put into circulation by that momentous inci dent, and the honor which attached to them, that reconciled the public to the extension of- the hnbit of distinctive dress. As the town drunkard had no characteristic apparel except his rags, so the town constable considered that his tin star was authority enough when be arrested the aforesaid, and as ser vants In provincial towns ate with the family the idea of putting them Into livery was undreamed of. But while we talked largely of the equality of men in a democracy and the disgrace of wearing a dress which denoted a service that none thought disgraceful or they would not have ac cepted it the European fashion of cos tuming people according to their em ployments has obtained such hold on s that we should object loudly if it iwere discontinued. As the butler is commonly a more distinguished look ing person than most of the guests he has to wear buttons to prevent him self from becoming a subject of morti fying confidences, and as the district messenger Is a youth of headlong habit, be is compelled to put himself In blue, so that he shall have right of (Way when, ha surges through our streets eager to break records In speed of delivery. We hare extended this habit of uniforming till now we recog nize not only our soldiers, sailors, ma rines and policemen, as such, but our letter carriers, customs officers, build ing inspectors, conductors, train hands, ferrymen, Janitors, gatekeepers, guides, Burses, wardens, street cleaners and cot only do clubs and families uniform their servants, but many shopkeepers and corporations require their employes to wear a striking dress. Brooklyn Eagle: Some Fanny Faiililon. Some of the winter fashions are go ing to be mighty foolish for a girl earning wages to follow. There will be every chance for her to make her self conspicuous and ridiculous If she has a mind to. Her hat, which was perched on top of an enormous pompadore, was of the most fly-away order. It bad so many wings on It that it is a wonder it did not fly off her head. Her waist was a cheap white lace and she wore a string of pearls around her neck. Her skirt was of thin black material, and the underskirt was far too scant - i. . , i tut; uuu.'l. She had patent leather shqcs on with heels three inches blgb. She is employed in an office, and that Rvas her business costume. Every mnn she passed; stared at her and turned to look after her. The glances were not those of admiration. Her clothes were conspicuous, un ladylike and unbecoming. It's a bad plan to buy a thing Just because it happens to be stylish. The wise girl chooses what is becoming and sets her own styles. When she can have but a limited wardrobe it Is a great mistake to have her things bo conspicuous that erery " one will get to know them. The last thing a well bred woman wants to be Is conspicuous. Loud dressing is al most as bad as loud behavior. Donot spend all your money on your bat and dress and not have enough left to buy a warm coat. The most be Witching hats will not do you much rood If your nose Is red. 11 Buy sensible, heavy-soled shoes, and keep your feet warm and dry. Patent leather is only for "dress" occasions. If yon are a girl who goes to work, bring all yourcommon sense to bear on the question and put temptation In tbe way of foolish fashions behind you. Bcranton Tribune. Beauty ni Age. Dr. Crlstion, of Paris, who gives beauty culture and facial blemish lec tures, says that women at fifty are in the prime of life. "In this age nothing Is more absurd than for a woman to Imagine her power to please and attract her bus band and hold her own socially has ceased because she has attained mid dle age," says Dr. Crlstion. "The woman of brain and culture, who has the self control and perse r era nee to combat obesity and the men tal and scientific equipment to defy wrinkles should feel no fear of ad' rancing time should, Indeed, regard it as a general friend with added gifts to bestow, v "In every age there hare been ex amples of mature women who have held their sway socially and sentimen tally. Cleopatra, Helen of Troy, As pasia, were all women who had seen two score years when tliPlr greatest prowess was felt. Josephine was forty years old before she became Empress, and her sway was supreme and her beauty preemineut at that age. Madame de Malntenon was advanced in years and not at all beautiful when she captured a king for a husband and held him captive till he died. George Sand was fascinating and attractive to old and young men in her middle life. and the wonderful Ninon de l'Euclos kept her charm of maimer and beauty of person until she was eighty. "Mme. Tatll, who celebrated her sixty-first birthday last spring, has no wrinkles, gray halts or crowsfeet, but looks like a young woman of thirty. Her Majesty, Queen Alexandra, Is sixty years old, and is a perfect beauty and looks as well as either of the daugh ters." Dr. Cristion, who had the pleas ure of seeing her often, says this of Her Majesty: "She is a beautiful, preserved woman, a noble mother aui a charming grandmother. ,She never uses ponder, creams and seldom wears a veil." New Haven P.egister. Tenement Lace Making. "A thoroughly Interesting experiment In lace making has been carried out this summer at Greenwich house, on New York's lower West Side, under tho direction of Miss Katharine Lord," says the current number of Charities. "Those who know the picturesque stories which are woven inty exquisite laces which have come down to us know that in several Instances the art of their fashioning has been almost, If not quite, lost. Many of the Italian women in the tenement districts are skillful lace makers, but their materials are more often than not of the rough est sort and of colors abominable. Lace making has been carried on in connection with the work at South End house, Boston, until it is quite past tbe experimental stage, and the success of this summer's venture leads those who hare been watching It to believe that such is the case also in New York. Over thirty girls and women have been Instructed in one or more kinds of lace making; further, seven or eight expert lace makers have been glveu employment. "The plan Miss Lord has followed has been to purchase the thread and give it out, and then buy the lace from tho workers much after the fashion in which all industry was carried on In the domestic stage. With the youngar girls the instruction has, of course, been very elementary; but with a skilled French embroiderer, with the Italian women who had spent their time on crude braid laces and the like, and with some Scotch women not un familiar with the craft, very little in struction has been needed to teach the finer patterns. It is believed that when a sufficient number of workers are employed, so that contracts with merchants can be filled reliably, steady work can be assured women and girls to take up lace making in their homes and to mend old .ace. Tor cripples and for women with children, who cannot go out to factories readily, lace making offers an opportunity for work. It is not to be compared with the ordinary sweating industries that carry house hold manufacture to such dire lengths. "This summer's experiment was car ried on through the contributions of a group of young New York women. In developing the permanent work this winter, with beaaquarters at Green wich house, Miss Lord will carry on work with groups of women in con nection with several of the other neigh borhood centres." A novelty which combines comfort and common sense is the long cloth glove from London. One sees chiffon, net and other deli cate fabrics scalloped and bound with the lightest of ribbons or silk. Very charming Is a lace blouse In cream color with separate flowers and leaves dipped iu pale tluts and applied In graceful designs, says Vogue. A little Invention for the neck Is out It is a little velvet stole with short, broad ends. It Is worn inside the coat, as a sort of chest protector, hence its name of ' .uQler." Every oue must have noticed the re viral of the scollop as a dress decora tion. Many of the handsomest broad cloth street; gowns are thus -decorated, the effect given being one of graceful flufflness. In the early seventies gowns were trimmed with dozens and dozens of yards of narrow ruffles or pleatlngs. We are not cutting up materials in such reckless fashion nowadays, but the narrow pleating have been revived, and no one knows precisely where they will stop. It must be a sort of annoyance to the fashionable that again the lines of the figure have changed, and the too, too solid flesh has now to be by some means compressed. Hips are very un fashionable. In fact, to be truly smart, one must have a figure like the1 traditional bean-pole, very . long and quite straight up and down. ' Saratoga Potatoes. Slioe some potatoes very thin, -let itaud In ice water about one hour, then thoroughly dry with a towel, have a saucepan ready with boiling hot lard, drop each piece into the boiling fat and fry until crisp and brown. Remove with a wire spoon, drain and iprinkle with salt while hot. Preserred Tomatoes. Half peek of green tomatoes, quar ter them, add four pounds of sugar, melt, strain and slice three or four lemons; cook until tender. To make tender omelette use hot water in the proportion of a lablespoonful to aeh egg. Instead of the milk usually advised. Chives for salads are very aice. Smire For tlie Cu lm. Put in a trying pan one tablespoon ful of butter and the same of flour, mix perfectly smooth without allow ing to color. Pour In one cupful of stock and return to the lire, stirring it all the time until quite thick. Sea son with half a tcaspoonful of salt, a little pepper. Beat the yolks of two eggs, stir these Into the sauce add the juice of one lemon and oue table spoonful of capers. Fg a la Clolilnn Roil, White sauce to be made of two spooufuls of bultcr, two even spoon fuls of flour sifted into the melted butter, scald two cups of milk and pour gradually over the above mix ture until it is the right thickness, add pepper and salt, boll six or seven e?gs bard, separate them, chop or slice the whites and add to the sauce. Place on platter toasted bread cut in points, squares or slices, pour the sauce over the mixture and sift the yolk;; over It. Use the potato rlcer to sift Ih- yolks through. Browned Potatoes. Cut some boiled potatoes Into slices, make one pint of thick white sauce, mix with it (off the fire) fouf ounces of grated cheese, cayenne pepper and salt to taste, and, if mustard be liked, two teaspoons of made mustard may b(? added. Fry some triangular crou tons with white of nu egg, stick a cresceiit-shnped border of them on a disb, inside them arrange a close row of sliced potato, cover It with some sauce, then repeat In alternate layers till the crescent Is high. Musk the whole with the sauce, sprinkle it thick ly with grated cheese and fried bread crumbs, heat and brown for about twenty minutes in the oven and serve hot. Cecil of BreT. Two cups of minced cold beef, one te.ispootiful of chopped parsley, one touspoonful of chopped onion, the peel of a quarter of a lemon. Half a tea spooufut of salt. Two or three dashes of pepper. Two eggs and a cupful of crumbs. One slice of bread soaked In a quarter, of a cupful of cream. Mix together the onion, parsley and bread crumbs. Beat up one egg and put it iu with the meat, place it over the (Ire and let It heut thoroughly. After it cools sufficiently make up Into balls the size of an egs. Iioll the balls first in flour, then into beaten egg mixed with a lablespoonful of hot water, theu roll In 'cracker crumbs. Have a pan of trailing lard; try a piece of bread first In the hot lard and it it browns instantly It Is right for frying. The lord must be half an Inch above the top of the cecils, else they will split open. mm Glean gilt frames with rain water in which flower of sulphur bas been stirred. A little flour dredged over a cake before icing will keep the icing from spreading and running off. When milk Is to be used In tumblers wash tbem first In cold waler and af terwards rinse In hot water. When the washboiler is rusted place the clothes in a bag or old pillow slip before putting them iu to boll, writes a correspondent. But why not try the up-to-date soaps that do away with the boiling? A novel way for one's overshoes to be identified Is to fasten tbem together with a clothespin bearing one's name. A more practical Idea, however, is to have tbt mime written iu each shoe wilh red Ink. T'hi' tops of wardrobes and cup boards i that do not reach to the ceil ing) should have papers laid over them not only to keep dust from silfiing down, but to lighten the monthly house cleaning. sSiuulI pieces of cotton batting, slight ly steamed, make good dusters that should be burned after once using. A medium-sized camcl's-hair paint brush is most useful iu dusting the carving of furniture. A quick-witted woman stopped the flow from a cut artery in the leg by putting tbe foot in three Inches ol flour In a large Jar and jacking flout to the top of the jar, beating the flout down with a piece of stove wood. If newspapers are spread on th floor before the stove when ashes art to be removed much work will bt saved, for the papers eau be gathered up and burned and there will be nc necessity for sweeping. Tbe ashei should be sprinkled with water be t fore the pan is overturned. M X I f V I I s I L New York City. So many fancy blouses are of necessity closed at the back that It becomes a relief to the woman of practical mind to find a fashionable one which can lie closed at the front while it retains the es sential fenUircs of style and smart ness. Here Is one that fulfills the con ditions nnd that takes one of the most I f desirable of nil form. ' occupying n place midway between the severe shirt waist and the elaborate blouse, in the Illustration It Is made of a pretty, sim ple figured silk trimmed with bunding and matches the skirt, but it also Is adapted to the separate wnlst and will be found available for ulnntst every thing seasonable. It Is full below the yoke anil must take soft folds, but this season so tunny fabrics are of the "chiffon" order that lu sjule of that fact tbe list Is long anil generous. The shaped yoke and the deep pointed cull's make especially noteworthy features and could be of contrasting material If better liked. The waist Is iiiado with the tilted lining, which Is optional, the yoke urn, the full fronts and buck. These- lust are gathered and joined to the yoke and tbe wulst Is arranged over the lining, the closing being made Invisi bly nt the centre. In Ibis luslunce the plain slock is covered with a orush ablo one of chiffon, but the collar with out, fulness has certain advantage which are self evident. The sleeves are full above the deep pointed cuffs and are arranged over fitted linings. The quantity of material required for the medium size Is four and one eighth yards twenty-one, three and one-quarter yards tweuty-seveu or two and three-quarter yards forty-four Inches wide, with seven-eighth yards silk for belt and four and three-eighth 1 . Hand Kafc-a. On some of tbe newest hand bags the handles are attached by means of tiny buckles. This Is generally the case when there are double bundles, oue on each side of the opening. The little envelope bags that are long and rather narrow, and hare a strap along oue side so that they may be slipped over the back of the baud, are very popular and for some reasons are more easily curried than the ordluaay laud bug. yards of banding to trim us Illustrated In medium size. Minn1 l:tou With Teat. , The Jaunty cton coat Is a favorite for the young girls ns well as for the more mature women and Is to be noted made In various, styles. Here is one of the prettiest and that Includes a narrow vest, a wide collar and quite novel sleeves. As shown It Is made of dark red Venetian cloth combined with silk, while the trimming Is straps of the material embroidered with simu lated button-boles and held by hand some buttons, but It Is an available model and can be utilized In various ways. The vest and cuffs appro priately could be of velvet, of silk embroidered in some simple design, of the richer Mandarin embroideries or of cloth braided or, Indeed, of almost any contrasting material that makes a noud effect, while for the jacket it self ull seasonable suitings are appro priate. The Kton is made with the plain back, fronts that are cut In two por tions each unit the vest. The rest is Joined to tho fronts and the closing made at the centre while the neck edge Is finished with the collar. The sleeves can be either long, as Illus trated, or cut off iu three-quarter length and allow a choice of scalloped or plain cuffs. DBSIOK BT MAT MAJtVOIJ. The quantity of material required for Ibe medium size (sixteen years) Is three anil llvo-oiglitb yards twenly soven. one and seven-eighth yards forty-four or one and flvp-eiglith yards llfly-two inches wide, wllh one yard of silk for vest and cuffs and five uud one half yards of bunding. Extremely Popular. Girdles are so extremely popular that everybody seems to wear them, and keep a variety of them at bund, for the various garments with which they may be worn. Their popularity is dun to the fact that they make the waist look small and graceful and tbe figure trim. A snug girdle gives a woman a more youthful figure than & loose low one; and the tight-fitting sllk-glrdle bells are certainly very ueat and becoming. A SPANISH BALLAD. A gentleman in fair Madrid He loved a lovely maid, he did; Of all tbe maid the nearl and pink. Oh, tink-a-tink-a-tink rtink! He followed her both near and far, Performing on his light guitar; And ofteu at Iter feet he sank Ob, tank-a-tank-a-tank-a-tank! ' Btit alie remained both grim and grave; ; 'I wih," she said, "you would behave!" And ao lie went and waa a monk Oh, tunk-a-tmik-a-tuiik-a-tunkt Laura E. Richards, in St. Nicholas. SYMPATHY. Harper's Weekly says that one after noon recently there entered a hospital in the poorer quarter of Philadelphia a little girl of about eight years, bear ing In her arm's a fox terrier whose forefoot had been crushed by a heavy wagon. To tbe attendant who tolls the story the Utile girl eiplnlned that she desired to have the doctors "fix the doggy's foot." The physicians were for refusing the case at first, but, in view of the great distress of the youngster, they finally permitted their good nature to get the better of them. Chloroform, instruments and bandages were produced ejid a rat operation was performed, the child bravely as sisting. . "Now," said one of the doctors, "you may take the dog home with you." The little one's eyes widened. "Oh,' she explained, "It ain't mine! I Jest found it, an' I think you oughter take care of it." And off she went, leaving the dog In their custody. That is a rery pretty story, and one which should be read to children and to folks generally. The men and women of the future will be kind to one another if the boys and girls of to-day are taught to be considerate of dumb animals and sym pathetic with their afflictions. THE BEAUTIFUL NAUTILUS. .One of the most beautiful shells of the snail family is that of the nau tilus, with its delicate pearly tluts and frail texture. These lovely shells are offered for sale at nearly all the sea side resorts, but are not found, exeppt In very rare cases, on our coast. They are natives of the seas of warm clim ates and of deep waters. Because of their frailness they are seldom found in perfect condition, the edges usually Being more or less cracked or chipped, and for tills reason an unblemished specimen is exceedingly valuable. These shells belong to the female, and, so far as known, have no other use than to protect the eggs which are deposited within them. The nautilus has been the subject of much romance and conjecture. It was supposed to have the power of pumping air Into or out of its shell, so that it might float or sink at will, and, from its position when swim ming, with the open part above the surface of the water, was thought to sail, Instead of swim, catching the breeze in the hoodlike shell. Another suggested thought came from the fact of its having many divisions or sepa rate chambers in tbe shell, beginning in the centre nnd growing regularly larger In spiral form. This was ac counted for by supposing that the ani mal as it Increased in size and out grew its original house withdrew itself from crowded quarters and grew a larger compartment to accommodate its greater bulk. This process, often repeated, finally produced a large shell, with many outgrown rooms. It Is to this Oliver Wondell Holmes re fers in his beautiful poem: The chambered nautilus, beginning Build thea more stately manjioua, oh, my aoul, As the swift season roll Leave thy low-vaulted paat. Let each new temple, nobler than the last. Shut thee from Heaven with a dome more vast. Till thou at length art free. Leaving thine outgrown ahell by life's un resting sea. Philadelphia Record. WHITTIER'S CONVERSION. A party of young people, visiting tbe historic places In New England, spent a day in "Whlttier Land," as the sec tion of Essex County bas come to be called where Whlttier lived and wrote. At the old home in Amesbury Mr. PIckord, Mr. Whittler's nephew by marriage, who lives in the old bouse, received tbem graciously, and showed them many articles associated with the poet's life and work. As tbe exhibi tion of these articles led to discussions of his life and character, one and an other expressed surprise at some of the characteristics of Whlttier which tbe visit disclosed. The poet was seen to be not merely genial but jolly; his playfulness ap peared again and again in connection with tbe memories of bis life and work. THE KACTILUS. The zealous reformer and tho beulgsj old Quaker merged Into a man genuine ly mirthful, but terribly in earnest; a man of faith and reverence, bat man aii of quaint little foibles of hta own, and odd little ways of making quiet fun. Besides this, they were sur prised to discover how. large was the Influence of Mr. Whlttier in matters of current interest. Living hl quiet life apart from the world, he was none the Was an ardent and aggressive politician. - "You are right," said Mr. Plcksrd, "when yon say that Whlttier was a pol itician. He was one by nature, and he continued to be one all bis life. He did not care greatly to discuss poetry; he was always ready to discuss poli tics. He wrote letters to Presidents and Governors and Senators, approv ing or suggesting official nets. "It was not only his poem, 'The Pris oner For Debt,' but his active influence upon men in political life which brought a repeal of the laws for Im prisonment for debt, nnd that by a majority of one vote. And I could tell you many facts which reveal his In fluence in politics, both in the accom plishment of ends he deemed desirable In Amesbury town meetings, and in such larger matters as dissuading John C. Fremont from standing as a canal, date of the Abolitionists against Lin coin in 1864. Whlttier at one time in. tended to go to Congress, and had laid his plaus with great political sagacity.'' "What deterred him?" was asked. "When he was about twenty-five,'' hrcplipd Mr. Tickard, "Whlttier expert. enced what can be called nothing less than a conversion. He bad been rather gay young Quaker, and was very ambitious. But he faced the question of the use to which he should devote his life, and in the love of God and of his fellow men he espoused an unpopular cause that meant the de feat of his political ambitions. Always a politician, he sacrificed bis own hopes of political preferment to his re ligious convictions." "And he did not lose his gaiety?" "No, he recovered it. There bad beep running through his writings a strain of pessimism. A new note of cheerfub ness came with the change I mentior He had a lufrd battle to fight, and hs fought it out bravely. And- his buoy nney and cheerfulness and eonfidencs In God increased with his loyalty to duty." " The young people went away with a new light on the character of Whlttier, nnd more than ever admirers of his life nnd work. Youth's Companion. THE ONE-LEGGED "LEFTIES." i This sport Is lots of fun for the play crs, and still more for the spectators! and a thick rug will remove al daneel of bumps or bruises. Over the rug ol4 newspapers should be spread to catch candle grease. Tbe players knepl on their left knees, facing each other, on the papers. Eacll holds his right foot in bis right hand, nnd n candle, in a holder, in his left hand. One candle Is burning, the other is not. nnd the trick is to light the seo ond candle from the first. It does not look easy, and it is good deal more difficult than it looks. It is pretty hard to keep your balance on one knee, especially the left knee, and It 19 bard for many people to do anything requiring exactness or deli cacy with the left hand. You are very likely to topple over sldcwlse, and will have to let youi right foot, and perhaps even the candle. go, and catch yourself as best you can. Now I would not describe this trie If it were absolutely necessary to nse a lighted candle, spill grease about, and possibly burn yourself or set firs to your clothes or tbe house. Tbe tricK will be safer, though Just as difficult and amusing, if other things are sub stituted for the candles. For example, one boy may try to band a letter or a card to. tbe other. This Is comparatively easy. When yon nave mastered It, try exchanging cards, which you will find very diffi cult. Or one boy may try to slip a ring a very loose one, of course on or off ths other's finger, or to write on a card, held in the other's hand. War T In Japan. Recent Japanese papers say that the heavy war tax-Imposed on city resi dental lands has caused land owners In the city of Toklo to raise ground rents and, In turn, house owners have Increased house rents. This has caused much dissatisfaction among tbe poor. Arctle Poatoffloe. Served during the winter by dog teams, a permanent ' postefflce hae been established by the Canadian au thorities at Fort McPherson, In the Arctic circle, 000O miles from Ottawa and 2000 miles north of Edmonton, the capital of the new province of Alberta. American Coffee Coneamptlon. One billion six hundred and twenty million gallons of coffee are drank in the United States every year. . Aaphalt la Hong-axy. Asphalt is found in large quantities in various parts of Hungary.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers