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Note.—Space frequently compels us to condense communications, but we feel as sured our friends will not condemn the necessity for the exercise of this liberty. All are welcome—too many cannot come —and we note with pleasure every new arrival and every repeated visit. Let each add to the value of this popular department by asking for and giving information, mat ters of interest, etc. Dear Woman's Work: I don’t think I can possibly let the holi days pass by without wishing all my fami ly a very “Merry Christmas!” To many, the coming of Christmas, is a time of rejoicing,'to others a time for sad ness and regret. A few short years ago, and many homes were filled with childish shouts of glee, and laughter; now, perhaps, the band is broken. Some are in distant lands,or scattered far away from the dearold home nest, leaving two hearts desolate and longing to hear once again the shouts of joyous laughter, as one by one, the little stockings are taken down and emptied of their contents. Oh, happy childhood! How innocent are all your joys. With what merry laughter are the rows of stockings hung ! what peeps, to see if “Santa” is near. But soon, all too soon, is the dear delu sion dispelled, and the knowledge of who “Santa Claus” is, always brings a feeling of incredulity, and regret. It is within the power of all, to make some heart happy, some desolate heart joyous. Don’t forget that in our crowd ed cities, are manv little ones who have never heard of Santa Claus. What a little it will take, from your abundance, to bring j >y and gladness to a few such. 1 recall, as 1 write the above, the happy faces of three poor children, that lived a short distance from our home, as on Christmas morn, I carried a basket of all kinds of nice things over to them, not for getting a doll for the baby girl. What if it was only a common china doll? it made happy the little heart for many a day. Children rarely forget a kindne;s,and a first impression is generally lasting. There was the sick grandfather, very old. indeed, who feit the need of something the family could not afford. He had wished for some wine For him there was stored away a bottle of blackberry wine and an old-fashioned pipe, as he was an inveterate smoker. For the mother a generous cake and a shoulder cape, with many little gar ments that were out-grown, though still warm and comfortable. All these things, simple themselves, brought tears to the eyes of the mother, tears of joy. they were, to know that, though poor and humble, they had been remembered in our pleasures tor Christmas. And then what a light heart it gives, to know you have brightened at least one home, by an act of kindness, There are two little stockings, yet to hang at our fireside and be filled. Please God they may be there for many years yet. I am thinking of, and wishing foraZZmy scattered family, a very pleasant and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Little Mother. Dear Woman's Work: I have never written for publication in my life and feel a great hesitancy at now beginning. I like our paper so very much that I want to tell you just how much you are appreciated, so will ask the friends that read please “don’t read me with a critic’s eye, but pass my imperfec tions by.” I think our paper isjustsplend ed, and feel as if 1 would like to know all the contributors. I hope they will be among the number whose portraits will be forthcoming. I would like so much to know just how they look. If I do not see this in our next woman’s work, I d< n’t think I would ever have courage to try again. 1 will send with this a pretty pattern of knit lace. Won’t some of the ladies send some pretty,narrow crochet edgings to our paper? 1 want something about an inch wide. Yours, Einna. Dear Woman's Work: Have any sisters made use of the “Cork paper” used to pack glass, . and other fragile articles? It is extremely light weight, of pale straw color, covered with .particles of ground cork. It takes gilt or any stain, does not fall apart, can be used lor frames, boxes, easels and many uses, is ex tremely cheap. For pine picture frame, join flat strips in the usual manner; it the corners don’t mitre neatly, no matter it is hidden. Cut strips of paper the exact width, glue firmly, let dry, then gild or stain. 1 fold narrow strips, scarlet silk or veivet, place on inside edge of frame just a scarlet line shows between glass and frame as a relief. Take high square cigar box, line wi , poppy, red tissue paper drawn throui bri hands to give crinkle effect. A ft touches of glue fastens lining. Covof-r with cork paper, gild, screw small brass curtain ring on one corner of lid to lift by. | Tie pretty satin bow in ring. Present to < papa or husband for cuffs and collars. I : have one of very small cigarette box, cover- ) ed and lined and ornamented with cluster j of scarlet poppies on lid. It holds collars, I cards and parlor scraps. Save your poppy pods to make paper poppies to brighten your walls this winter. Mrs. G. B. Parsell. Dear Woman's Work: This bleak November day gives us a fore taste of the winter which lies before us; the earth is sere and brown beneath our feet, the sky so dull and gray above our heads, the limbs are bare of leaves, and the wind whistles and shrieks and rages among the trees, as though rejoicing in its mad, wild way over the beginning of its winter’s reign. There is a charm in all this to a true lover of nature,which is deep and unuttera ble. I wish our boys and girls would study nature and cultivate a love for her in her wild and wayward moods, as well as when clothed in verdure and decked with flowers. They could learn from her many lessons of contentment and peace, if they only would. In nature everything fulfills its mission, from the tiny blade of grass pointing heaven ward,to the cloud-capped mountain, cold in the grandeur of its eternal shroud of snow. There is nothing low and grovelingin nature, everything points upward. Last summer I had an Akebia vine which I tried to persuade to run downward, but it was an utter' failure; it grew and twined around a post of my veranda; it soon reached the top of the post ana ran across to another. Then my futile attempts began; 1 tried to get it to run down that post but it would not; I would wind it around the post and tie it and think it could not help but grow the way I wished, but by the next morning it wou.d be turned upward. <nd climbing bravely skyward. So we should ail do; never give up to difficulties <>r force of circumstances. No matter how hard our surroundings, let us push onward let us ever lilt our faces skyward, ami every day try to grow braver .better and purer. Your bright, good paper teaches us this lesson—it points us continually to better and brighter ways of living. I love it be cause it is printed in our dear Sunny South. 1 have no war to make with other sections— I wish to live in peace and good will to all mankind, but 1 love the South with a per fect love; it beats in my pulse, thiobs in my heart, and courses with my blood through every vein in my body; it has grown with my growth, and strengthened with my strength, and from its warmth will spring flowers to beautify my grave. Mrs. Z. Chastain. Dear Woman's Work: A pretty pincushion is made of crazy work in form of ascent satchet and tied with a bright ribbon. Tiny scent satchels are made of different colored ribbon about two and a half inches long. Fringe and tie with narrow ribbon of different lengths. There should be seven in a bunch. A photograph holder is pretty made of garnet plush, lined with pale blue or yellow satin and tied with ribbon to match the lining. One corner should be turned back and bow of ribbon fastened on. Mrs. Nellie Morgan. Dear Woman's Work: To me our paper is a bright gem whose effulgence permeates my innermost soul. There is no home but would be morally better from the monthly visits of such a paper as “Woman’s Work,” with its cheering and useful pages. Your well wisher, Mrs. M.E. Snipes Mississippi. Dear Editress: “ Another year has passed away! Time swiftly speeds along.” Yes, a whole year has passed, since the reception of the first number of “Woman's Work,” and I have thought with each successive issue that I would write and tell you how very much my husband and my self love the paper, but. “Procrastination,” has stolen a whole year from me and this is my first attempt. I feareven now I shall fail to* interest you and the many readers of “Womans Work.” In the first place I won d like to answer some questions which appeared in the May number, in regard to treatment of household servants. I know nothing of while servants, as in this section they are all negroes, and very tew here would care to exchange. After loni Are they over-worked? I have ) ight and i e this y ear i 1 cook dinner When or 1 a ”d ironing days, and with ) Pof those two days she has i i two or three leisure hours both morn- ) ing and afternoon. Second. She is paid I ; accordingly. Third. She is fed from the 1 ! table, having a portion of every thing on | ! the table, even to jelly, pickle, preserves ) ( and sugar. Fourth 1 let her go to all their I picnics and celebrations, and help her fix her basket. I also give her the privilege of going to Church every Sunday. This was my grand-mother’s and my mother’s way of treating their household servants, even when they were slaves, and it was so all over the South. As Winter is upon us again, I will give one of my ways of dressing butter. After taking from the churn and working, let it get cold, then work thoroughly, make it cone shape; have a cup of boiling water at hand; take a large screw, dip it in hot wa ter and commencing at the top of the but ter, press downward, go all around several times, dipping the screw in the hot waler, as often as it becomes cool. A golden cake of butter dressed this way looks too pretty to cut. If you see proper to print this I will write again. Your true friend, Ida Washington. Dear Womans Work: I have been wanting to write you some time to ask if some one of our band can tell me how to conveniently furnish a bath room in a country house, where we have no water pipes. What kind of stove would be best and cheapest for heating water and warming the room? Will some one tell me a good way to keep potatoes during winter, when we have no cellar? lam a young housekeeper as yet. but hope in time to be able to give others some valuable hints. Now I must ask advice of kind and wise friends. With love to all the sisters, I am yours, Leila Gaines. Dear Editress: I have been reading your valuable paper for nearly a year, and have often thought I would write a communication for it, but have neglected to do so. Words are inadequate to express my love for Woman’s Work, and surely no ■ >ne enjoys it more than 1 do. I take several magazines and dailies, but will lay any of them aside to read and re read Woman’s Work. When my subscrip tion expires, please notify me at once, and don’t stop the paper which I love above all others. I With affectionate blessings for Woman’s Work, and its many readers, I am your true friend. S. B. Fordland, Mo. Words to Think of. —Work is no dis honor, and laziness is no credit to any one. It is good to have good wages; but half pay is better than nothing, and working for nothing is better than idleness and vice. There is no true manhood without independence. He whose individuality is swallowed up in fashion, folly or society, has lost that which be may never regain,and without which his life must be a vain one. He who restrains himself from luxury may help others in necessity. He who helps others may look to God to help him. Difficulties are placed in our way that we may overcome them, and pass through conflicts to victory, and through victories to triumphs. Pride goes before destruction, but honor and nobleness and independ ' ence of soul are approved of God, and are profitable to man.— Exchange. If we are cheerful and contented, all na ture smiles with us; the air seems more balmy, the sky more clear, the ground has a brignter green, the trees bear a richer foliage, the flowers a more fragrant smell, the birds sing more sweetly and the sun, moon and stars appear more beautiful. Men rarely succeed in changing the world; but a man seldom fails of success if he lets the world alone, and resolves to make the best of it.— Bulwer. TO THE YOUNG READERS OF “WOMAN’S WORK.” i We will give one dollar for the best let ter sent us by children before the fifteenth •j of January next. It will cost you nothing | to comp ete for this prize, if y“U are already . a subscriber to Young Folks, and if you ' are not, you will be thankful a thousand times for subscribing. And should you i not be successful this time, perhaps you 1 will another time, as wu will continue this offer from month to month. So every one send in your letter and subscription if you are not already one of our family. Address i “Young Folks,” Newton Hamilton, Pa., "Letter Box.” I' - ‘ Use wandering milk-root tea for dyspep- : sia. Beware of the first cross word in the 1 ) morning. Long, plain effects are sought after in all draperies. Inveterate tea drinkers invite early wrinkles. Honeycomb or smock work is very effec tive on children’s dresses. In pressing flat embroidery, lay the ar ticle wrong side up on a damp cloth. The leg-of-mutton or gigot sleeve is fashionable for all dresses of light-weight | material. When making up unbleached muslin I you must allow an inch to the yard for i shrinkage. | New walking boots are laced in frjnvL the uppers being made of the material!off the dress and foxed with russet. If your sewing machine runs hairdland your oiler is empty, try as a substitute equal parts of clean lard and kerosene oil, If a dish gets burnt in using, do not scrape it, put a little water and ashes in it and let it get warm. It will come off nicely. To clean straw matting, wash with a cloth dipped in clean salt and water; then wipe dry at once. This prevents it from turning yellow. For chapped or cracked hands use a tea of witch-hazel. It is also good tor canker ed mouth or throat with golden seal and white sugar added, Take a quarter of a yard of mosquito net- i ting, fold and refold it until the required: , size, then tack it as you would a Comfort,, and you have a good dish-cloth. For an informal or family breakfast,. I cream tinted damask cloths with borders ;in bright colors are liked. The napkins match, and are finished with fringe. Clean knives with a soft flannel and Bath hri<-k. If rustv. use wood ashes, rubbedl on with a newly cut bit of Irish potato. This will remove spots when nothing else ; will. A room with a low ceiling will seem •! higher if the window curtaiqs bang to the ) floor. Lambrequins may be used to extend the curtains to the ceiling and thus carry out the effect. To clean bottles, put into them some kernels of corn and a tablespoon of ashes, I ha’f fill them with water, and after a vigor ous shaking and rinsing you will find the bottles as good as new. In case of burningthe hand, which often occurs when one is cooking, at once spread a thick covering of common baking soda over the injured part, then tie a cloth over it. It gives speedy relief. An excellent way to clean old brass is to* use ordinary household amonia, un-diluted and rub wilh a brush. This will leave the > metal clear and bright. It should then be rinsed in clear water and wiped dry. Shirt bosoms never blister if starched on the right side, but if they are wrong side out when starched they are apt to do so. Pour mixed starch into boiling water, in stead of pouring boiling water on the starch, in that way never using more starch than ) is necessary, as the simple starch and water :can be saved. For a Bad Cold.—Just before getting i i.ito bed for the night, soak the feet in mus tard water as hot as can be borne; put the feet first into a pail half full of warm water, adding by degrees very hot water until the desired heat is attained, protecting the body and knees with biankets so as to re tain the vapor of the water and induce a I good sweat. Next take a dozen drops or I more of strong spirits of camphor on white sugar or in water, get into bed under plenty of blankets, and sleep off the cold. ; As a warmer for a sick-room, or for use in very cold weather a sand-bag is said to be superior to the old-time bottle'or brick, Get some clean, fine sand, dry it thoroughly ■ in a kettle on the stove; make a bag about j • ight inches square of flannel, fill it with ! the dry sand, sew the opening carefully to- I gether, and cover the bag with cotton or linen cloth. This will prevent the sand from sifting out. and will also enable you to heat the bag quickly by placing it in the oven or on top of the stove. The sand holds the heat for a long time, and the bag can be tucked up to the back without hurt* ing the invalid.