Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 April 1880 — HOME INTERESTS. [ARTICLE]

HOME INTERESTS.

The True and the False. If anybody, man or woman, stands up and says that-“ the man docsnot live who can be trusted,” I say they speak a plaiu lie, or else are not acquainted with their subject; or, perhaps, possess so little of true manhood or womanhood that they cannot recognize the same when seen in others. It makes me mad that such a thought is entertained of men generally. It’s true there are low-minded men whom ’tis best to be guarded against—in whose company a young lady is misplaced to her grief; but, thank God, are there not thousands of men whose hearts in their nobleness throb with compassion | for the fair young girl (yet foolish) who is about I to throw her life away for a mere fop, whom she has selected for her husband, in preference to the man who tndy loved her? And this same true lover held nothing more sacred, during their courtship, than the innocence and purity of her he Imped to win for his wife, but whom he lost because she could not discriminate between a trustworthy man and a rascal. And Olive Logan says: “Men will not do to trust.” No! Neither are all women to be trusted. 11l not be so hard on the fair sex, by using “all." ’ How many a true and noble-hearted boy has come to ruin and degradation through the in--1 fidelity and worthlessness of woman! I hold the thing is pretty well divided. Show me your untrue men, and I’ll point out as many women ; yet, notwithstanding there are many such, the ; world is still full of noble and trustworthy humanity ! In our millions of currency to-day , there are, of course, many counterfeit coins and bills afloat so well executed that they pass for months from hand to hand without detection. Yet sooner or later the deceit is found out, and usually a poor man must bear the loss. Then what is found ? Why we find, though the coin is faultless in its “get-up,” that the metal is alloyed, and not from the United States mint,'and therefore counterfeit. Oh, counterfeit, did you say ? Then we must admit that there was a genuine coin to copy from, or there could be no counterfeit, as we all know. So-are there imitations of the true man. We meet and converse with them every day, but, owing to their fine cut and outer semblance to a gentleman, we, perhaps, never know their worthlessness ; and, if the revelation is made, it is always with an allotted amount of misery and unhappiness to parties concerned. (1. L. Marion. Bloomington, 111.

Flower-Gardening for Beginners. Among the many pleasant letters which have come to me recently I have laid aside two as especially worthy of a detailed reply through these columns. One of them is from a young man who, by force of circumstances, is separated from the outside world, yet he is an enthusiastic Hower lover, and begs the paper that he may read my letters about flowers. The other epistle is written by a school-girl, the daughter of a farmer, and she wants the pleasure of raising a nice bed of flowers all her own. She thinks these letters have helped her thus fig, so I will tell what was accomplished by three daughters of a farmer, some few years ago, under my directions. They took hold with a will, were apt and studious pupils, and all are now quite expert in gardening, considering they are only amateurs. They have taken four out of five premiums offered for flowers at the county fair. At this time of the year, when the trees are just beginning to put forth their leaves, it seems as if one gets the gardening fever upon them. Advertisements in the leading newspapers are perused, catalogues sent for, and, after they have come, long lists are made out; for we think of all the pretty flowers we saw in our travels last summer, and determine to have them. When the lists are footed up they stagger one with their enormity, for some "of the seedsmen who issue expensive catalogues, with highly-colored plates, do charge extravagant prices. I can remember, when I was a novice, after the first selection, the bill would be ¥lO and over; then I would reluctantly weed out this and that item until it came within the reach of my purse. A beginner is very apt to be led into buying high-priced seeds because the flowers she I expects them to produce are made to appear very beautiful in the colored plates. It is better policy for a novice to start with the hardiest seeds, then, as experience is gained in their management, she can go on step by step until the finest greenhouse seeds will grow and thrive under her care. There is one dear sister who has encouraged the children to save their pennies until they get twenty-five, and then send them to me for twelve kinds of hardy annual seeds, suitable for beginners. She’ teaches them it is a better investment than purchasing candy, because the flowers will endure and give them pleasure a whole summer and fall, while the sweets would only afford a temporary gratification. It teaches them habits of patience and industry, too, and one rarely sees a child fond of flowers who is not of good disposition. It is a source of pleasure to me that many who never cared about flowers until reading ‘these letters are now enthusiasts. I Suppose you have the seeds now. Don’t get the planting fever because there happens to come a spell of warm weather. Wait until the ground gets thoroughly warmed up first. Select a piece of ground for a seed bed looking south, if possible. Spade it well and rake smooth; now mark it off in drills about an eighth of an inch deep. Sow the seeds in these drills, covering the larger seeds deeper than the small ones; write the name of each kind on a wooden label previously oiled to withstand effect of weather, and place these at the end of the drills, so you will know when the seeds come up just what vou have. While the seeds are growing, and until they get strong enough to transplant, vou can be making the beds where they are to flower. My preference is for beds cut in the lawn, because they retain moisture longer. Some few years ago I boarded at a farm house where there"were three young ladies in the family. They liked flowers, but had no experience in" raising" them. After determining upon having a garden, the first step was taken in preparing the seed bed. We located the proposed garden, but the ground was a stiff clay; so, after marking out three circles by means of stakes driven around them, fresh green sods were cut by me, and laid against the stakes by the ladies. While thev | were at work I wheeled leaf mold from the ad- ; jacent woods. Meanwhile the Asters, Zinnias, ■ China Pinks, etc., were ready to transplant, so we took advantage of the evening of a rainy day for the purpose. After the beds were filled up and all the plants growing nicely we found we had abundance left in the seed-bed, so the neighbors for two or three miles around got a share. The grass edgings were trimmed every ; week with a sharp sickle. After awhile I made I other beds, filling them with Phlox, Petunias, ■ Candytuft and Portulacca. In front of the house we had two beds of Geraniums. All that summer we had bouquets in every room, on the kitchen table at meal times, gave every visitor a bouquet, decorated Floral Hall at the county fair and still had abundance of Howers. If I remember right I think $2 was all we expended |in procuring both the seeds and plants. Very I briefly stated, success to the beginner will de- | pend on getting good seed, not being in too big | a hurry to plant it, keeping the seed alwavs moist after it is put into the ground; and when seedlings and plants are growing keep the weeds ou t- Mr. Rennie. Ainsworth, lowa. A ICusk Hat. Mu. Editor : It is a question in my i mind whether it is not our duty to impart any information we may be able to when it will be a | pleasure or benefit to others. The public can i do as well without us, but there is one place | where we are in demand every day, and coni stantly; when mothers’ hands are still, then 1 things go wrong. We find it takes a great amount of patience to answer to all the little calls; but if the little ones only grow to be good doing their best, we may see in their good deeds the reward of our striving. To color Easter eggs, you can sew them in printed calico and boil them a long time, they will have the figure of the cloth. To make a husk mat : Take the best of the husks, pick them off the butts and dip them in water and shake so they will not ’-e wet, onlydamp; it is best to have all your husks ready before you commence braiding. If your mat is to be oval take three strands, airs aqc| husks op

both sides as you braid till the braid is as long as you want the center of the mat, leaving about two inches of the butt end of the husk out, then add only on the right-hand side every time you lap that strand. You will soon see that in this way you will have a nice, smooth mat with the husks all turning to the outside. If you were here, I could have braided your mat while it takes me to write this. Aurinda. Chapman, Neb.