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For Woman’s Work.
WHEN THE OLD YEAR DIED—
▲ REQUIEM.
Twilight shades are softly stealing
Upon the landscape gray.
In pallid robes of gloom concealing
The closing day.
In pallid vestment grim and drear
Clinging round the dying year.
Murmuring winds in sullen woe
Are sobbing in distress;
Wailing dirges soft and low
In bitterness.
Wailing faintly, sobbing there—
Wailing o’er the dying year.
Leafless trees are bending slowly
In lingering adieu;
Bending reverently, lowly
Farewells anew.
Bowing in attitude of prayer
Farewell to the dying year.
Stars have veiled their silvery rays
Behind a friendly screen
Os lowering clouds, as loath to gaze
Upon the scene.
In quiet grief, in mute dispair
Mourning o’er the dying year.
Ashen clouds are drifting past
Shedding tears of pain ;
From ashen clouds is falling fast
The dripping rain.
Drifting, desolate and drear
Weeping o’er the dying year.
Carle Berne.
(Uallpjfa Sown
For Woman’s Work.
A WORD TO MOTHERS.
On the management of the Infant during
“The Month”
BY ABRAM LIVKZEY. A M., M. D, TARDLY, BA.
NO. I.
The infant, if perfectly healthful, should
pass its first month’s existence in a calm
and almost constant slumber; f<>r toinfant
cy as well as to manhood “sweet sleep is
tired Nature’s wholesome balm.” And it
is a well observed fact, that those infants
which sleep most, thrive with the least
interruption; whilst on the contrary those
whose sleep is disturbed by adverse in
fluences, or from any cause, not only cease
to grow properly, but becomes more or
less emaciated and sickly in proportion to
the degree of disturbance And this dis
turbance or broken slumber, is attended
by nervous movements, as jerking of the
limbs or a sudden starting with loud cries
as in alright; or a low, moaning noise,
evincing pain.
Symptoms such as these mark an un
healthy or artificial sleep, mainly the re
sult of cold, improper nursing, washing or
changing the infant, or other imprudence,
through accident or carlessness on the part of
the mother, or through the agency of
laudanum, paregoric, Bateman’s Drops,
Godfrey’s Cordial, or some “soothing” syrup,
or even spiritousliquorsadministered on the.
sly by the nurse.
The habit of resorting even to catnip or
root teas, and much more to these poisonous
drugs, upon every slight appearance of pain
or uneasiness from the above causes or any
other oi kindred character, is one fraught
with the most ruinous and destructive con
sequences.
instances of outright infanticide and
many more of destroyed health and short
ened existence from the continuance of this
most unnatural custom must be known to
most physicians and should be plainly con
demned by them; and many striking cases
have been fearfully set forth by Dr. Beck
in his little but valuable work on “Infant
Therapeutics,”—a work that could be profit
ably placed both in young mother’s and
your physician’s hands.
Many who assume the important charge
of nurse are possesed ofsolittie moral sensi
bility, that they hesitate not to commence
the nefarious trick of “giving drops” from
the very first in a little food or drink—
during the mother’s sleep—for fear the in
fant may be troublesome; and thus its
healthy existence is changed at once into a
state of unnatural dullness,which is artfully
imposed upon the unsuspecting mother by
the nurse asan evidence of superior skill in
her profession ; and she will not in frequently
remark with an air of triumph (or impu
dence!) “I never have cross babies!”
And thus, the mother often vainly en
deavoring on divers occasions to quiet her
babe, passes it into the hands of the nurse,
who, ever prepared with a cup of poisoned
or drugged tea or pap, and with her back
towards the mother, gives a few spoonsful*
and soon the child is quiet, and the good
mother thus imposed upon only flatters
the nurse by saying, “What a good nurse
ycu are!” This deception is often not de
tected until alter the nurse has taken her
departure, and not always then, for the
mother in her embarrassment to discover
why her babe is more fretful and restless
now than when in charge of the nurse, two
readily attributes it to her tact in manag
ing it, instead of ascribing it to the proper
cause. This subject is of such importance
that we must needs continue it in a subse
quent number.
A MOTHER’S TOUCH.
In one of the fierce engagements near
Mechanicsville, a young lieutenant of a
Rhode Island battery had his right foot so
shattered by a fragment of a shell, that, on
reaching Washington after one of those
horrible ambulance rides and a journey of
a week’s duration, he was obliged to under
go amputation of the leg. He telegraphed
home, hundreds of miles away, that all was
going well, and with a soldier’s fortitude
composed himselt to bear his sufferings
alone. Unknown to him. however, his
mother, who had read the report ot his
wound, was hastening to see him. She
reached Washington at midnight, and the
nurses would have kept her from seeing her
son until m rning. One sat by his side,
fanning him as he slept, her hand on his
feeble, fluctuating pulse. But what wo
man’s heart could resist the pleading of a
mother then? In the darkness she was
finally allowed to glide in and take place
at his side. She touched his pulse as the
nurse had done. Not a word had been
spoken, but the sleeping boy opened his
eyes ar.d said:
“That feels like my mother’s hand! Who
is this beside me? It is my mother I Turn
up the gas and let me see my mother.”
The two dear faces met in one long, joy
ful, sobbing embrace. The gallant fellow,
just twenty-one, had his leg amputated on
the last day of his three years’ service,
underwent operation after operation, and
at last, when death drew nigh, resigned
himself in peace, saying, “I have faced
death too often to fear it now.”
Children are living jewels dropped un
stained from heaven.
When you rise in the morning, resolve
to make the day a happy one to some fel
low creature.
It is best to accustom a young babe to a
little fresh air and by no means or persua
tion allow one of those abominations—a
cap, to be kept on daily.
While advocating cleanliness to a scrupu
lous degree, still we are of the opinion that
n puny weakly babe should not be bathed
entirely, oftener than twice or three times
a week. Some nurses, and some mothers
too, often keep the child in the water so
long as to thoroughly chill it, from which
they seldom recover. A young infant
should have its bath even during the warm
est days.before a fire, its clothing thorough
ly aired and warmed, when after dressing
it will then be ready for a refreshing sleep.
A good many parents are alarmed when
they hear at night a child cough. I will
try to tell them how they can tell a
croupy cough. A strong, sonorous cough
suggests the ordinary or false croup. A
hoarse and rough cough is an indication of
true croup. Bronchitis is known to be
present when the cough is clear and distinct.
When it is suppressed and painful,pneu
monia and pleurisy are the twin causes ot
it. Whooping cough hasaaonvulsivecough.
These general characteristics will give you
a very good idea whether your child’scough
is serious or nut.
PARTING.
There is one warning lesson in life which
few of us have not received, and no book that
I can call to memory has noted it down
with adequate emphasis. It is this: "Beware
of parting." The true sadness is in the when
and how you are to meet again with the
face about to vanish from your view; from
the passionate farewell to the woman who
has your heart in her keeping, to the cor
dial “good-bye” exchanged with pleasant
companions at a watering-place, a country
home, or the close of a festive day’s blithe
and careless excursion.
A cord stronger or weaker is snapped
asunder at every parting, and time’s busy
fingers are not practiced in re-splicing
broken ties. Meet again you may. Will
it be in the same way? With the same
sympathies? With the same sentiments?
Will the souls hurrying on in diverse
paths unite once more, as if the interval
had been a dream? Rarely, rarely.—Bul
wer Lytton.
For Woman’s Work.
ETIQUETTE NOTES.
It is not proper for a woman to call upon
a man at any time, except strictly on busi
ness.
When an engagement to marry is broken
up. or declared ofl’, all presents should be
returned by each parly. To keep them on
one side, when those on the other aide art
returned is * singular breach of etiquette.
A lady should pay her own car-fare, or if
it is paid by a gentleman escorting, insist
on refunding it.
A wedding by gas-light in the afternoon
is still an afternoon wedding, and calls for
afternoon dress on the part of the groom.
A gentleman should not take a lady’s
arm under any circumstances, unless he is
aged, or an invalid, and the lady is his wife
or daughter or otherwise related to him.
Politeness must come from the heart to
be genuine. One may be learned in all
that pertains to etiquette according to the
latest code, without being really polite, and
one may be truly polite without any ex
tended knowledge of the latest code of eti
quette.
White gloves are considered the most
dressy with a toilet of ceremony, and
Swedish gloves are generally adopted for
quiet calls, shopping and such occasions.
Black gloves are considered most el< gant
with a costume of white, blue or pink voile,
or veiling, and with them are worn lovely
little bracelets of gold or silver. Sometimes
as many as a dozen of these tiny circlets
are worn, and yet this number is often
increased on the left arm to twenty or
thirty. 0.
For Woman’s Work.
PEACOCK FEATHERS.
These beautiful feathers enter largely
into art decoration at the present day, and
are much simulated in embroidery. Two
or three worked in the centre of a screen
panel, or on ecru linen curtains, are consid
ered as sufficient ornamentation. A group
consisting of a prettily painted placque, a
fan of some bright color, and one or more
long peacock feathers, is very effective on
a light-tinted wall. We have often seen
them used for dusters and fans, thus unit
ing the useful with the beautiful, but to-day
they are used in many different ways;they
make lovely and exquisite lamp mats.
Make the centre of the mat of felt or can
vas—Java canvas—and sew the feathers
around in three rows, letting the first row
of eyes come close to the edge of the circle,
the second just on the edge of the first and
so on—three rows being sufficient, though
even one will do very well. This will
make the circle of eyes about four inches
wide. After the feathers are all evenly
and firmly sewed on—you can cover the
centre canvas with any material preferred,
embroidered with gay colored silk. Be
sure to scrape the quills thin and even, so
that no ridges will appear.
A friend once gave me a bunch of “Old
Man’s Gray Beard,” a fine white, silvery
looking grass or bloom, more in appearance
like a bunch of ostrich tips, I prized them
highly and bought a fine, dainty, antique
shaped vase of blue and white and tying
this bunch of plumes with narrow bLe
satin ribbon, I placed it in the vase on a
walnut and gilt bracket, letting the bow
of ribbon just come above the top of the
vase, I then selected three beautiful peacock
feathers and after bending the quills in a
graceful curve, stuck them down in the
vase at the back and bending over the
silvery plumes. It is a thing of beauty,
and just on each side of the vase, on the
bracket, I placed two shells, one a lovely
tinted conch, the other a pearl shell—in
shape a pyrandd and about four or five
inches high, both shells being the gift of
friends. On the bracket opposite—there is
a pair of these—is another vase, Bohemian
glass, filled with lovely grasses and bright
scarlet berries, also around this vase are
several beautiful sea shells. Sometime I
will tell the readers of the plaques I paint
ed—a pair of them—and of other pretty
things for home adornment. I have made
several very pretty easels, one of then one
foot and a half high, and gilded. On a
bracket in one corner of the parlor is an
exquisite vase filled with pampas plumes
that reach nearly to the top of the wall. I
have gathered this fall about 150 plumes,
some of them white or gray, others slightly
tinged pink. They make lovely ornaments
for our room, tied with bright hued ribbons
and suspended over pictures or doors Any
one with a little ingenuity and taste, can
make home beautiful at small expense, and
we should all strive to make home attrac
tive—a place of contentment, rest and
peace.
Littlk Mother.
For Woman’s Work.
TREATMENT OF GUESTS.
True hospitality consists in making
guests feel thoroughly at home.
If the guests are friends, treat them as
such, and do not let them feel they are un
welcome, or treated as strangers or compa
ny. It is far less care for the hostess, and
much more enjoyable for the guest.
Always have your house in older, and
your table neatly set with well-prepared
m ■ale; but do not wear yourself out fixing
up extra dainties; for in nine casta out of |
ten, your guests would enjoy a good visit
with you and a simple meas, far more than
the most elaborate menu and a tired hos
tess.
If you have no servant, and she offers to
assist in household work, let her do so.
No person can feel at home or comfortable
where the hostess is obliged to do every
bit of the work and will accept no help.
A guest is always expected to make her
own bed and look after her room, un
less several servants are kept,and will offer
to do any little thing she can, to lighten the
hostess’ duties.
Let us all simplify our manners of living,
and not make company of our guests.
I never feel like repeating my visit,when
I am not invited beyond the parlor.
One of the pleasantest visits of my life,
that has left a lingering impression, was
spent with a cousin some years ago. She
was a trail little body and had her hands
full with her house-work, the care of her
baby and looking after the milk of two
cows; but she made me feel s > perfectly at
home and “one of them,” that I really knew
she was enjoying my visit, and not making
any fuss or extra work over my being
there.
To be a good home maker means far
more than to be a good house-keeper; and
she, who can by a simple and pleasant man
ner, make her guests feel “at home,” is far
more to be envied than she, who has great
wealth, but does not understand the art of
entertaining. Carrie M. Ashton.
HOME SCHOOL,
ATHENS, GA.
MADAM SOSNOWSKI, 1 Associate
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