Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 October 1880 — HOME INTERESTS. [ARTICLE]

HOME INTERESTS.

Little Barefoot. The Christmas is coming, the fairies are humming And singing and whispering soft in my ear; The bright Christmas morning, so sweetly adorning The frost-woven crown of the poor dying year. The bells will be chiming their glad, merry rhyming— Gay feet will be dancing, the halls will be bright, The rich roll in splendor, so dainty and tender, But poor Little Barefoot, where art thou to-night? Oh ! little ones flocking to hang up their stocking, Puffed out with the pressure of dear, dimpled feet. Will rouse from their dreaming to find them all teeming With treasures so costly, so rare, and so neat; Bright eyes will be brighter, light hearts will be lighter, But oh I ’mid the tumult of each new delight, Remember—forget not—that poor Little Barefoot Hath never a stocking to hang up to-night Rich gifts will be lavished, bright eyes will be ravished. And fashion, false goddess, so fickle and vain, Will bear with her sweet smiles and hide with her gay wiles The head of the “hydra” that lurks in her train; Sweet lips will be pressing, white arms soft caressing, Rich banquets will glitter with si.ver and gold, Warm garments will cover, but oh! who will hover The poor little barefooted ones from the cold ? The pale, drooping mother, with love like no other, Is striving to warm, with her own feeble breath, The little ones hovering, with no other covering Than rags, oh! so scant, freezing, starving to death; O God, will Thy peop’es build churches and steeples, And deck them like Solomon’s Temple of old, And know not nor care not that poor Little Barefoot Is freezing and starving with hunger and cold ? Will Christians remember this eve of December, When Jesus, the dear little Bethlehem Babe, Was pillowed by. stranger, in humblest manger— No fashion was there, neither pride nor parade; No robes richly molded around Him were folded. Yet angels from heaven’s own mansions so bright Were there in that manger, by that little stranger, As poor as the Barefoot that wanders to-night. Cheerful Christian*. Right here let me copy a little extract from the writings of Sir Matthew Hale, with whose name some of you are no doubt familiar—an ancient and truly-good man—where he says, in speaking of prayer : “ I can call my own experience to witness that, even in the external actions, occurrences and incidents of my whole life, I was never disappointed of the best guidance and direction, when, in humility and a sense of my own deficiency and diffidence of my own ability to direct myself or to grapple with the difficulties of my’life, I have with humility and sincerity implored the secret direction and guidance’of divine wisdom and Providence.” Now I would not have any of the friends infer from the tone of my letter that I advocate long faces or the coiuting of melancholy. Oh, no ; I think cheerful Christians are the “ lights of the world.”. But there are medium lines to lie observed. The path is indeed narrow, when compared with the unhedged avenues of vice ; but it has been paved by the white feet of the ransomed above. Oh, how many of our dear ones are there—those “ with whom it seemed our very life went half away !” Parents, brothers, sisters, children—all are there ! Dear friends, circumstances have been such with me that I could not meet with yon at the reunions, but I was with yon in spirit. Do you believe in spirit connnunion—i. e., that the minds of different persons can commune with each other, even at a very remote distance, when conditions are favorable? Ido. I have tested the quitter so many times, and at times under peculiar circumstances, that to doubt it would be to doubt my existence. M. Lettie Lee. Chemung, N. Y.

The time of Tobacco. It is with trembling and fear that I broach a subject which has so often been skillfully handled by those who are older and wiser than I, still I must say it. Much has been said about tobacco-smoking. Whether that be a grave offense or not others shall decile, as I have never tried it,* and never intend to try it, in any form. Some of the ladies seem to favor the habit, and speak encouragement to the smoker. He needs no encouragement. It has been proved to be an injurious habit to man, therefore, discourage it, if yon love mankind.Tobacco, gossip and strong drink are a bane to society. Only recently I read, in a leading journal, of ladies (?) of high social standing who make it a daily practice to indulge in wine and cigarettes. Are these women setting a good example to their husbands and sons? One strong argument in favor of woman suffrage was this: Her vote will crush the whisky license. But will if, if they themselves indulge in ii “ social glass?” If an increase of privileges causes women to copy man’s bad habits, i. e.„ betting, gambling, chewing and smoking, then those privileges had better be withdrawn, and women sent back to their kitchens. On the other hand, if she improves these opportunities by taking an interest in the welfare of the nation by reading and engaging in instructive conversation, as a true woman, she may do this, and lose nothing in modesty, refinement and womanliness, while she gains in strength and nobility. In which case let her have her “ rights,” by all means. Roxy Glen. A Fashionable Clirl’s Trials. I purchased material for a dress that I thought would be particularly becoming to my complexion, after spending about two weeks in shopping, as I wished to have it perfect in its design, and look as charming as possible. Then I gave all the materials to a fashionable dressmaker, with all the instructions I considered necessary for its making. Well, let me tell you that it has been to the shop, which is for such contrivances, a considerable of a trifle over three months, and the “ fates ” only know when I shall get it, to have the use of it. The first time it was sent home to me it was scarcely more than basted together, but, being extremely anxious of having it, I thought I would try and make it do. Consequently I wore it once, and unfortunately lost some of its belongings, so the next day it was returned to the shop, to be finally completed. After several days of anxious expectation it was returned, and pronounced by the modiste to be complete, perfectly charming and bewitching, with its fringes, laces, bows and multiplicity of buttons. To my utter chagrin and great vexation, with my first attempt to use it, which was to attend a party that I had anticipated for weeks, off flew about two-thirds of the lovely, expensive buttons, and a closer inspection revealed the fact, that one of the sleeves was up-side down, and the other wrong side out. To say that I was put out or angry at this, would lie thoroughly ridiculous, for I was downright insane for the space of a half hour. Well, something else must be used instead, which was too provoking for anything, for I was sure—with that lovely dress—l would be the observed of all observers, and in all probability make some very favorable impressions upon so and so, for they would assuredly think that patcr-familias had the shiners. However, the dress was once more returned, and the next time when it came home mamma declared that it was all out of fashion, for the Misses Smith had worn dresses made just like it for the last two weeks, at least, and so it must bo returned to the shop and all completely remodeled ; and now when it returns the material will be all out of fashion ; and so I shall have to give up the idea of sending my picture to the Exposition, and remain at home myself, and wreak out my eternal vengeance on the shoddy dressmakers and detestable fashion. Oh. what martyrs we are to great queen goddess fashion, and her twin sis- - ter, etiquette 1 We must pinch and torture our little toes, like the heathen Chinee, in No. 1 shoes, for it would be just abominable to wear No. 2’s. Our hands must be loaded down with rings, all diamonds (except in quality) until white and delicate. And we must sit at that piano for hours in succession, rasping and banging away at something until our strength and patience are gone, and our nerves all unstrung and let loose, and we don’t know for what, when we would much rather play, “The Girl I Left Behind Me,” or “Coming Thro’the Rye,” or “Willie, We Have Missed You.”

And the rest of the time we must masticate French and Latin verbs for pastime. We must sit in the parlor as prim, afternoons, as the Sisters of Charity, and keep as still as mice for fear that our pretty muslin dresses will look a little cramped, when we in our hearts are longing to jump and laugh and be merrv. But that would never do, for you would be called coarse and rude. We must never laugh to show irnr teeth, no matter how white and prettv they are, for that would be very impolite. If a friend calls, we must just touch their hand with the tips of our lingers, ami coldly say, yes and no, and you don't say so ; really, I didn't think so, etc. Never earn- on conversation, only in monosyllables, for you would lose your dignity if you should. When you make a call be sure you d »n't stay over five minutes at the longest, for if you should you would lx- considered very unfashioiiable an Ito sum all up. yon might as w II be out of th-- world as out of the fashion. You mustn't ent Binthing but crackers, with warm water, with a little of the trimmings, for a dnnk ; if you <!«>. your face will )<x>k ruddy awl vulgar. It you chance to have a lover, pater fannliss must know to a certainly who his gn-at-gnat-4raiwifAther and motlx-r were, and jiist all of thru- surosindingK. And if vour lover cbaiMs « to call lox- you. the library door, wlw-rv |«at< r fannliaa mu reading bn paper, will t« »ur. w 4 !<• toay rl«> olrntindy, but Just •jar. f- r SBUv«;»»■ in. rerrlMncc taler fatuiiia« will »«< p into th*- hall and try on that myatonatos lai. wto.-r.Lv he may jwigr about the use toto rrsnanm and what it may ositain. (flcr a g»t thwiau to*• hft tto>- narbw m enters ftoet faawhns ami •*«* t “ Nadatn. I wish you to t»»l >M» alw* that ixr-.wi wax. ami what wrre MtosWr m ea’Utnr." raMang Im» bands a»w tuMMas —-rv |*m*yrandy. **<ietol.*nm wanton tots* awe ■* l-xv xy*-king with mv 4w«e4tov Th- v»rv stow «f that to etmecd. totoe-. «d the 4a» a*< htowttoe » hatrvsr. and to • tw to to that w» nave an Banny ■antotagM wtommßwttoa '* | Uxtok ■* Pamnto

are not considerate enough in this respect times, and seem to haveentirelv foiAtten tjtet they were young once, aad the liberg tiAtyy, enjoyed, and in all probability exercised? too. Many a girl has given her heart where she could not give her hand without disobeying Bter parents, and, having too mbeh good, sensejta do that, ends her days in Bribery, W M ing unmarried, or marrying itifc, lie her heart, she despised. *' I f I 1 ’ A young man that has health, enesgy and ambition, if temperate, no matter if he is poor, will make a better husband and life pom-’ panion than many a rich man’s ron. I rather stake my future happiness In tKaf direction, and endure a few privations at first, than roll in luxury at first, and come to begging and humiliation at last. BlacE-Eyed Obio. Chicago, 111, Brown Bread. Two cups of Indian meal, even, one cup of rye meal, onecupof flour, one quart (small) of sweet milk, one and a half cups of molasses, pinch of salt, one teaspoon of soda ; if baking powder b preferred, two heaping tea-spoons. Steam (ih a covered tin four hours. The water must boiling when the tin is put in the pot, and must not be allowed to stop boiling during the four hours. This is sure to be good if the water boiling. 1 » Moss > South Amana^low^__ =