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(bror. For Woman’s Work. A LITTLE CHILD. BY MRS. S. C. HAZLETT. Only a tiny hand clasp, Only an accent mild; , Only a pattering footstep, But that of a little child. Only blue eyes uplifted, Only a pleading filed; Only a heart in yearning, And that of a little child. Only a trust in keeping, Only to be beguiled; Only glistening tear-drops, The blood of a little child. Only a heart grown callous, Only a soul defiled; Only a saddened memory— A neglected little child. For Woman’s Work. DUTY OF MOTHERS. BY A. LIVEZEY, A. M., M. »., YARDLAY, PA. The causes which, after birth, act directly upon the system of the child, and which gradually undermine its health, are largely to be attributed to ignorance and misman agement, in the first place by the monthly nurse, and secondly, by the mother who subsequently assumes the charge. We do not dispute the fact that the or dinary contageous and some other una voidable diseases to which infantile life is liable, are productive of a certain amount of mortality, but this is but a small propor tion to that produced by the causes just mentioned. Experience in the past and observation of the present time afford the most unde niable proof that but few families (the wealthier class by no means excepted,) act on the principles and laws of health either towards themselves or children. In a few families the services of a physician are sel dom required, whilst in others he is scarcely absent a week; and yet observation for many years does not prove that the chil dren of the two families have not equally healthy constitutions, Lnt Jhe real secret of the diffttie of each. How often delicate and sickly children become healthy and vigorous under judicious care, whilst others, born strong and healthy, have withered, pined and died simply from bad manage ment. These instances prove conclusively to the observant mind that health is not a matter of chance, but the natural reward, result and offspring of intelligent prudence and persevering care. The irritation produced by sympathy in teething, and the various diseases resulting therefrom, should be fully understood by the mother, so that by the adoption of a proper mode of management in accordance with this condition, their dangers may be diminished. Teething and errors in diet are undoubt edly the principle sources of derangement of the digestive organs and bowels in the young, and these bowel affections with their sympathetic connections form a large proportion of the diseases which destroy life in early infancy. Mistaken kindness of a relative, or the imprudent love of a parent, often sacrifices a child by an unwise indulgence. How often, for instance, have we seen attacks of convulsions, or of diarrhoea, which endan gered the child’s life, result from the giving of an improper article of food or fruit as cheese, nuts, etc. The writer has traveled thousands and tens of thousands of miles in railroad cars, and how often has he been pained to see young mothers with one or more very young children buy peanuts of the newsboy, and breaking the shells feed the indigestible nuts to them. Indigestion, colic and convulsions often result. And these errors in a minor degree are con stantly committed by parents, and though the resulting mischief may not be mani fested so quickly, yet a sure and permanent injury is being inflicted. We can only briefly consider one other point in the bad management of infants in this connection, namely, the want of venti lation in the apartments occupied by chil dren, which is such a fruitful source of evil. And it is only necessary for mothers to reflect one moment to be convinced of this, to avoid the error in future, as it is a matter almost entirely under their control, as are most of the conditions on which the health of offspring depends. A little reading, a little self-instruction, or counseling with her mother, or an ex perienced nurse, would enable the young married woman to discharge her duties faithfully to her new-born, which might otherwise be sacrificed upon the altar of inexperience. . A mother, by early fitting herself for all that the title of mother implies, may greatly diminish that large amount of sick ness and death due to ignorance and mis management. Os course we do not mean to insinuate that illness can be banished from the nur sery ; for hereditary diseases will produce it and infection will give rise to it, not withstanding the best directed efforts on the part of the mother. But she can so live—by taking up the daily cross in a measure—that her offspring will generally inherit a healthy body, and she can so real 1 them that health will be the rule, and if disease should attack them, their restora tion is more readily assured and accom plished. JJrigljl For this department we desire bright, wise, and witty remarks of the little ones under six years of age, and ask all sub scribers to send what they can, that their babies may get full credit for their “say ings.” A record will be kept of all the original contributions. At the close of 1888 a competent committee will be chosen to select the “smartest speech,,’ and the little one who made it, will be presented with a handsomely engraved gold medal. Such a medal will be highly prized through life by the fortunate one, and we hope on this account, and for the amusement of our readers, that each will be given a chance. No. 36.—One day while three-year-old Jessie was walking up town with me, we were overtaken by one of our leading citi zens, who, as he came along side of Jessie, slackened his gait and said, “ How are you, Jessie?” Assuming a self-important atti tude the little fellow replied, “You get off this side-walk Mr. , I have a little baby brother at my house.” No. 37.—Little Claud was recently told that a bird then singing in the yard was a cat-bird. On hearing a mocking bird a few days afterward, she exclaimed, “Oh, mamma, don’t that kitty-bird sing pretty.” No. 38.—Little Kennith was born among, the red hills of North Georgia, but when about two and a half years old his residence with that of his parents, was changed to the low, sandy portions of South Georgia. Soon after this his mother was teaching him a lesson in a primary catechism ; looking up suddenly into her face, he said, “If God made me of dust then he made these boys down here of sand!” No. 39.—“0h no! you do not remem ber that, little one. That happened long ago before you were born,” referring to some event of years ago. “ Well,” said the little four-year-old, looking wise, “ I guess God had the dust up in Heaven to make me out of.” No. 40.—We do not use candles, and on seeing one at a neighbors, little Jackson exclaimed: “Look at de butter ’tending up.” No. 41.—Our baby boy hearing hens cackling, said : “Open door, mamma, hens barking.” No. 42.—Our four-year-old wanted to get out of bed. “Wait until I can dress you,” I said. “Papa can dess me.” “No, your papa is busy.” “ Well, he can un busy,” was the reply. No. 43.—0 n hearing me say that money was made in Washington, our little boy, four years of age, said : “ Mamma, less go there and have some made.” No. 44.—1 bought a child’s bible for my little girl, aged five, who has just learned to read. After sometime, she said: “It tells ’bout Dod and Jesus, but don’t tell ’bout Mrs. Dod and Mrs. Jesus, and their little girls and boys.” JOHN W. CAUGHEY, PITTSBURG, PA. NOTES. The Guinea ben never lays a golden egg. Rice is recommended for young chickens. Vegetables of all kinds are relished by fowls of all ages. The best medicine in the world for poul try is dry, clean quarters and lots of sun shine. Feed all the milk you can spare, either sweet or sour. It is a model food, and there is nothing like it for young chicks. Old hens generally make the best setters, they are not so fickle as pullets, and they attend to their natural duties better. Nine eggs are enough under ordinary sized hens in cold weather. For canker, paint twice daily with per chloride of iron the inside of the mouth, and touch the sores outside with lunar caustic. Give twice each week as much Epsom salts as will lie on a quarter of a dollar. For ducklings, mix corn meal and bran equal parts and make into mush and feed this in milk. If milk is not to be had put some ground meat or crackers in the mush. Clear raw corn meal mixed with water is not a fit feed for ducklings. Until past the downy stage they should have no water to swim in. Give them all they want to drink. Put gravel and sand in the bottom of the water vessel. In selecting a breed of fowls, it is better for an amateur to depend on some reliable and well-known variety. The Wyandottes are a long established breed, justly esteemed for their many desirable qualities, while the White Wyandottes are only a “ sport ” from the former, and although they origi nated several years ago, and are now added to the regular list of fowls, they do not possess any special excellence not claimed also by a standard breed. It is better for a beginner to be on the safe side. A very successful poultry raiser feeds the following to his chicks until they are two weeks old. He mixes four pounds of corn meal with half the quantity of mid dlings, two pounds ot finely chopped meat and a quarter of a pound of bone meal, one tablespoonful of pepper, an ounce of baking soda. This he mixes with milk and bakes like bread,crumbling and feeding every two hours. After they are two weeks old it will be sufficient to scald this mess without baking and they will also then require occasional feeds of cracked corn, and chop ped green food. Probably the best breed of French fowls are the Houdans and Crevecoeurs. The latter are very handsome and stately and bear confinement well The plumage of the hens is perfectly black, and that of the cocks somber colored. They are not winter layers, but do well in climates where there’ is little or no winter. They are highly esteemed for the table, their flesh being of delicious flavor. They are very tame, and fatten quickly. The Houdans are also an excellent table fowl, and bear confinement well. They are all the year layers and show no inclination to set, as a general thing. The South, as a market tor fancy and high-class poultry, is attracting at present a great share of attention, perhaps more than any other section. The many disadvant ages that have arisen during the last quar ter of a century, especially the careless, unprogressive disposition of the vast num ber of negroes that largely compose the farm laborers, and many white citizens no less thriftless and unenterprising, has made the South as a whole drag behind in the advancement of poultry culture, as in almost every other department, of rural industry. But the South is now awakening with vigor and enterprise to the value of her resources in every particular, and this general advancement is bringing and has brought uncalculable numbers of the finest fowls into her borders, but the territory is large and the demand daily increasing. One may have the best known breeds of poultry, and yet fail to make them re munerative if he manages them badly. To raise fowls and make them profitable, use time and care. “ What is worth doing at all is worth doing well.” The one who neglects taking care of his fowls when they need food, drink and suitable shelter will never gain much by their keeping. To secure a good return from - poultry, they must be kept clean, well fed and com fortably housed. Fowls cannot thrive on an occasional mess of food or on stagnant water no more than can a human being thrive on it. On the no-care principle, no profits. There is little use for the inex perienced person to flatter himself because he can manage a few fowls very well that he can pursue the poultry business success fully without giving time and close atten tion to all the details connected with it. A singular instance of making fowls do a thing which they are opposed to, occurs in our provision of roosts which we design for their greatest degree of comfort. The regulation roosts are broad on top, from two to four inches, to afford a good surface for the repose of the weary occupant. It is unnecessary to say that theory is largely at the bottom of this arrangement. Facts and a study of nature reveals an inbred desire for something entirely different—no less than roosts which are small enough to be grasped by the toes and feet of the fowls—and such they will have if they can get them. We find here a reason why they persist in leaving the comfortable roosts which are provided and take to the edges of the nest boxes or other angular projections which may be handy when wooing “ tired natures sweet restorer.” While upholding the natural desire of the fowls themselves we do not for one moment lose sight of the reason why broad roosts may be used—that of preserving the breast bones from deformity. A FEW SUGGESTIONS TO BEGIN NERS. After a careful consideration, decide what breed you will keep. One breed is enough for a beginner the first season, and it may take four or five years of careful study to fully understand that one. If you can afford it, buy a trio or a breed ing pen of first-class fowls, if not, buy eggs. The advantage of buying fowls is, you get your eggs fresh from stock you know to be good, and from them you will probably hatch a larger per centage of chicks than from eggs that have been transported by rail. You have a pattern constantly before you, and you will soon learn how a good fowl of that breed looks. If you start with eggs, it may be two or three years before you know just how first-class fowls should look. The only way to learn is to see some that are fine and study their good points. After you have raised chicks from your fowls, they may be sold for nearly or quite as much as they cost you. Whether you buy fowls or eggs, get them of a reliable breeder. Pay a good price and you will get good stock. It is not the cheap stock that is cheapest in the end. It will make a number of dollars difference to you whether you raise a brood of chickens from good eggs, and half of them are first-class birds and of a strain that has a good repu tation, or whether you raise a brood with not one really good bird among them. In buying eggs, it is a good plan to buy two or more settings at a time—they can be bought cheaper; the express is little more than on one setting. If all are set at the time they can be given to a less num ber of hens than it took to hatch them, and in this way some of the hens can be kept to service their second term, and best of all if you are successful in the fall, you will have a nice little flock, all of the same strain and age. If a thing is not right, don’t do it; if it is not true, don’t say it.