Newspaper Page Text
r
Oar Households
‘ J'riencts, on entering
this house you cto/possess it *
CONDUCTED BY CARRIE 5. MAHONEY.
does not <1
11 p m'
me. Only once in
honl ihat I must
tlie* kitchen. and
nround for three days drew
me show her how to do i hr
no t ht rod up all the "cold *.
could find, a silver spoon, oik
for
in>
mi sice
ife did 1 pet i; ini
lave a colored eo
"hep she had hung
ilv watching
work, she
a ns” she
•him
he.-l
•up
■at
PLEASING PARAGRAPHS.
linen towel I
peace. 1 let her
I was only too glad
to this day I smile
-cook of mine every
a use I feel she ha s
resign.
gra tulatt
display..
i molls
ill e 1 y
flow
lla
T have noted with regret that the highly
gifted Mrs. .M irion I>anicl Mc.'onnell has
.1 the management of The Sunny
■ department of poetry. Rut 1 con-
• the readers U'pon tile wisdom
1 h\ Mother Hubbard in clloos-
■cessor for that difticult. if pbas-
. .Vow that Mr. Rice is beconyng
as a poet, being recognized hy
mdard periodicals, and liand-
iaid for his work, which seems
continuously and unrestrainedly
deep perennial spring. 1 may p* r-
i pardoned hy The Sunny South's
circle for venturing m recall the fact that
before tile young poet had emerged from
Up obscurity of a modest beginner, I ac
cept..! hi.- work and predicted his rise as
a singer. 1 am not going to attempt to
.!. line the word poet, or the word poetry,
lint 1 will venture to say that 1 believe
on o'" the distinguishing marks of (he
horn l.ar.l is his constant-and irrepressi
ble tendency to express all his thoughts
and emotions in verse in preference to
prose. Stanton possess, s this earmark in
an extraordinary .1. gree. as his intimates
all know, and judging only through the
outcroppings disclosed by correspondence.
I believe Mr. Rice to lie markedly distin
guished by tlie same characteristic. Of
course easy v> rse making frequently
amounts only to voluble rhyming, hut Mr.
Rice's efforts work to distinet ends, and
habitually teem with brilliant figures of
rhetoric, (its fancy is alive and supple
and he carves out his ideal forms with
singular fidelity and distinctness. Tile out
lines of the evolving shape are kept
clearly before the mind's eye ns the artist
chants the metrical tale, and stands forth
well rounded and proportioned at the .ml.
Rack in '91 or 92 this young poet favor
ed Tiic Sunny South with a short poem
which illustrated the velvet-like softness
of his touch, the delicacy of his fancy,
and the unbroken, musical flow of liis
v. rse. It would have been more quickly
and wid- l.v appreciated in the days of Dr.
Samuel Johnson, when every reading
mind was stuffed with mythological lore,
i print it here as a titling close to this
inadequate paragraph:
BALLADE.
(To' a Southern Beauty.1
The light dust leaps to kiss the feet
Of Marjorie, along the lanes
And by-ways of the Faun's retreat
And Old Silenus slyly drains
A pledge to her: in softest strains
Old Goat-Foot sings, and gaily trips
To please the sylph who sweetly reigns.
With sea-blue eyes and cherry lips.
At eve the Lady .Moon lies soft
in sunset's courts of spires ami fanes;
On snowy hand she rears aloft
Her jeweled head until site gains
A view of hills and fair champagnes.
Then hides her head in mute eclipse;
Her light reveals the queen who reigns,
With s-a-blue eyes and cherry lips.
used i
In those linn s, and
and never failed to get. w
from her cracker sketches. V
her at an early date as an
the enduring reputation sh
lias justified the justice of
pressions. She was one of
o anticipate,
■ekly laughs
e recognized
iriginal, and
established
uir first im-
t he stoutest
•hi
literary props i
Whitehall stree
ful. bright and
peaceful hearth. :
niauil as a reader
vertis d. May she
to prosper.
the paper. 1 met her oil
•(•cully. She was youth-
>ery as a cricket on a
he is in constant de-
tliough hut little ad-
li\e long ami continue
I never thilnk
and the pleasure
columns without
his inimitable I
i ditorially in these
peat, that for nearly
t Cl
he old bunny toouin
oil to derive from its
ailing Rill Arp and
•s. 1 once remarked
columns, and I rt—
or quite la years lie
has been tin most popular letter writer on
the southern press. I read, when a hoy,
the letters that first madt him well
known. It was in ixito and IS til that his
quaint comments on "Abe I.inkhorn”
floated over the south, carrying laughter
into every reading household. I have
read him ever since and have thoroughly
enjoyed the teeming accounts of his fa
mous golden wedding. All the south loves
Hill Arp and his venerable wife. May he
live to continue sending out his wet kly
letters up to and beyond his centennial
birthday.
I have many pleasant recollections of
Miss Lizzie Thomas, who as the House
hold readers all know, work' d alongside
of me in editorial harness for three con
secutive years. She loved the members of
h> r department and work' d devotedly fur
them interests and entertainment. She
was a persistent, patient little woman.and
thougn site would sometimes declare that
she had nothing under the sun to write
a'bout, and beg for a suggestion of a top
ic, she never failed to get tip a breezy
chat for ner first column. It would be in
teresting to see her in far away Japan as
she labors to teach Christianity to the al
mond-eyed Mongolians. It is not easy
to realize that she is so far away, hut in
this amazing age the circumnavigation of
the globe has come to be a trivial mat
ter. Donnelly's dr am of -airships may yet
lie realized, r" neo i r'ai; to n ad Mis-
lettet s about the people of the
Thomas'
Orien i.
S<
In autumn days the wet-winged dust
Still closer clings, and morn retains
The twin impressions which I trust
To brave knight-errant, such as Spain's
Most gallant Don. to ward from trains
and guard the crypts
s of her who reigns,
, es ami cherry lips.
Of passing ills
Of golden da
With sea-blue .
L' ENVOI.
In Cupid's debonair domains
Neghel is still the frost that nips
My bud of promise, when she reigns.
With sea-blue eyes and cherry lips.
1 cannot say truthfully that 1 am a close
reaih r of The Sunny South. Hut despite
other mental engagements 1 seldom fail to
run through every copy that monies out,
and I always find entertainment. One
thing 1 have been reading closely of late
is the series of articles on distinguished
Georgians by Wallace Putnam Reed. The
truth is there is a magnetism alyiut his
writings that draws me to them, whether
found in the Constitution, Sunny South or
some leading northern journal. Mr. Ree.l
long sine establish'd an enduring reputa
tion as a short story teller, and editorial
writer on The Constitution, and his ef
forts of the last year or two show him
to possess superior gifts as a historical
essayist. If he would make it a specialty
in- would make a famous historian.
1 never pass Mother Hubbard's House
hold door without looking in. In truth 1
frequently spend an hour or so in run
ning through the many-colored letters
that till those pages. I have read a num
ber of the book criticisms that the mem
bers have of on writing, and have found
all entertaining and some decidedly able.
The new Mother Hubbard is entitled to
high praise for starting this educational
and social movement. Indeed it is no flat
tery. but simplt justice to say that she
has exhibited decided editorial and writ
ing ability since she succeeded the bril
liant Miss Josephine Davidson. And here
I would suggest to the Household that
they should insist upon tip- publication of
the new Mother Hubbard’s face in an ear
ly number. They are entitled to one
glimpse at the woman who edits their
Utters and "chats” at them editorially, i
will guarantee that the picture will he
an ornament to the'columns, and a valua
ble album souvenir to the members.
* • *
The Sunny South has been known to me
from a very early date. I must have neen
among its first subscribers. 1 lived in a
distant state when it was starting under
the joint management of Colonel Seals
and Mrs. Mary E. Bryan. 1 sonu- how
came in contact with a copy or its pros
pectus. and subscribed for it in ike in
terest of southern literature. The editors
were both unknown to me personally. But
I formed an attachment for the paper,
and used to join my wife in admiring the
versatility, industry and brilliance of Mrs.
whoso expanding reputation after-
Irew her away to the metropolis.
p M Hamilton tuow Mrs. Colonel M. \ .
Mi... . . of Alabama) Was rising in fam.
of th" familiar names that used
to brighten the Household have dropped
out. Death, the insatiable destroyer, has
done his usual grim part in producing this
change. Among his most lamented vic
tims has been Mr. Bet hell, whose heart
and pen were so devoted to the cause of
Confederate war history. Others have
doubtless been withdrawn by marriage
and other diverting events. But new ones
come forward to fill the places of the
missing, and the literary supply. like
charming gills, is always overflowing. The
Household, like the king, never dies. I
note that Firefly still flashes her pleasing
light into the columns with well-sustain
ed vivacity. Her pieces have what is said
to he unusual in women—a flavor of hu
mor. Musa Dunn still strings pearls for
yon occasionally. She also has tile gift
of humor, and always has had a style pe
culiarly her own. SIp imitates nobody
and is always entertaining. Though Ear
nest Willie does not visit you frequently
he retains his pouplarity with the read
ers. Not so much for what he writes for
them now as for what he has done so
success ful I\ in the post. Well.lie is a gifl-
ed and ‘'earnest” fellow, and makes the
world brighter and better than it would
have been without him. I do not often see
him or hear from him directly, but I am
glad to know that he is studying conge
nial things at Mercer college, l want Ma
ry K. Templeton to know that Mother
j Hubbard called my a Mention some months
ago to her letter in which site quoted an
extract from a letter received from me
| when I was editor. Her experience and
j achievements should afford strong ciu-our-
1 agement to young writers. As she lias
j frankly pointed out the fact herself it is
not wrong for me to agree with her that
j her earliest contributions were unaccepta-
j Vile and unmanageable. But with wonder
ful pluck, patience and persistence she
overcame her difficulties and has lung
been recognized as one of the best and
most facetious of votir writers. Eugene
Edwards used to amuse the circle fre
quently, but he visits you but rarely now
I think. 1 cast my mental eyes along the
track of '91-'92-'9:j and '94. when 1 used to
make paragraphic reference to the writ
ers. the poets rise out of the mists along
with ;he prosists. Miss Marr. Josephine
Davidson. Miss Vaughan. Miss Henson,
the gifted Dolores and other valued cor
respondents too numerous to name. But
I must come to a stop.
HENRY GRAY FA I RM AX.
CHOWCHOW.
Brj a i
ward
Health for ten cents. Cascarels make
•he bowels and kidneys act naturally, dc-
strov microbes, cure headache. bilious
ness and constipation. All druggist's.
This is Monday mornihg. Id o'clock, and
if I had time I'd drop into a chair, curl
up on one foot, heave a great sigh, and
tell myself 1 was a "poor tired little dar
ling." My downy couch and sleepy self
parted company this morning at the un
earthly hour ol 5 o'clock, while yet the
dawn was faint, the dew was fresh, the
breeze hut half uwalce. the early birds
asleep, and now breakfast is a thing of
the past, tlie soiled clothes on their way
to wash, the dishes cleaned, the churning-
done. the butler made, the refrigerator
full of cream, the chickens fed. the
porches swept, the rooms in trim, and the
remnant of the day stretches out before
me fair and bright and sweet, and all
ag'ow with a thousand golden possibili
ties.
The recollection of what we had to eat
yesterday shall serve for lunch today,
and there is nothing better for a twilight
meal than cottage cheese and cream.
Chester is a noble cow! She gives five
gallops of good rich milk a 0a> -she gives
six really, but the man who lives at our
house cautioned me not to tell it. be
cause lie said nobody believes such things,
and he couldn’t have folk thinking I told
"another:" and so the great oceans of
foamy fluid make a lot of work for two
small hands to do, hut the two small
hands are willing. You see the 'servant
n great p< ac<
to see her go, and
sweetly upon that e:
time | meet her. he
done me a favor hard to repay. [ never
.ltd figure tip the loss, or gain, to myself
in the transaction for I take no stock in
"problems” at all. in any shape, form
or fashion i flee to the beautiful, wide,
empty spaces of my own soul every time
1 see "lie of them approaching. They dis
tract the mind, muddle the brain, drive
away peace, till the lunatic asylums, and
1 am convinced (hat Solomon in all his
glory was laboring under one of them
when he exclaimed. "Vanity, vanity, all
is vanity and vexation of spirit.”
The man who lives nt our house deals
in them extensively; he has un numbered
thousands on hand, and springs them on
nie on all occasions. If 1 understood them,
or tried to understand them, they'd kill
me. I don't know why he tackles them.
I never have known him to make any
thing out of them, and he generally*
leaves them in a much worse tangle than
he found them, but that doesn't daunt
him in the least. He turns up on tin
“educational problem” for breakfast, tile
"negro problem" for dinner, (lie "labor
problem" for supper, the "tax problem"
like the poor we have with us always, and
when the shades of twilight deepen over
the earth, the r rogs open up a concert on
the creek, and the stars peep down
through the vines on the south porch,
the world stands, the winds blow, the
they titid him 'nil; launched in the end-
lex- intricacies of l he"Spanish-Anierlcan
war problem." while I lean gracefully
back in my chair, my feet on the railing
in front, and drift away to slumber-land
as gently and sweetly as a child who has
been dosed on Mrs. 4\ inslow s sooth
ing syrup. Whether education makes the
country better or worse, does not affect
me very seriously; whether the colored
individual has a soul, or not. doesn't dis-
ttti-D me beyond sleeping: whether labor
is bound t" arise—for want "f something-
better to do—and annihilate capital, is a
matter 1 am willing to leave to the fu
ture: when liie state and county taxes are
due I renounce a few superfluities to pay
them: when the city demands its revenue
I relinquish a half dozen necessities to
satisfy them: and how we are going to
settle the war debt, or cope with the
stamp act. or meet the multiplied pen
sion list, or what earthly or unearthly dis
posal we will make of the beastly Fili
pinos when we get them, arc all questions
of supreme indiuerence to me, and if our
noble country is never saved until I
sacrifice time and talent to save it. then
it will go unsaved to the end of the chap
ter.
Just now the man who lives at our
house is wild over the "anti-trust bill."
which was hatched out in Arkansas, or
Texas—1 don't know which—and is pend
ing in our legislature, or senate, or con
gress. or supreme court, or city council,
or somewhere. 1 don't know just what
ii is. or how it is, or why it is, but it
seems to he some kind of an extreme
measure to force the people to quit trust
ing corporations, combines, monopolies
or something, and he says ii it carries, or
don't carry I've forgotten now which—
the country is ruined beyond redemption.
It has been ruined beyond redemption
several times already in the
long and eventful career,
same 1 notice the seasons i
clouds drift, the rains fall
broom, the skies clear, the
te.rs down upon this house,
here yet. living, breathing,
ing as we have always done.
course of his
But all the
•ome and go.
the flowers
sunshine fil-
iiiid we are
rating, sleeti-
ring on.
still, trusting yet. all of which at
es to prove that ii does not take
. great depth of mind, or thought,
to make a small feather-headed
the order of
MI'S A DUNN.
Waxahachie. Texas.
Imping
least goe:
any very
or sense
philosoph
Do you owe us hack dues?
Do you want to renew?
Why not send in now and enter
our two $100 contests? It will
pay you to do it.
HRS. BURTON SMITH.
A Daughter of tieiieral John Li. Gordon, Who Ni as Recently Elected President
of tiie Atlanta W Oman’s Club.
OUR LETTER BOX.
SOME HAPPENINGS.
Dear Household: When things won't
happen, the way to do is to make 'em.
I did.
The garden fence, after battling with
the wind all winter.had tinally succumbed
to adverstitv. Fonce is gone—off on the
road: no chance of help there, and sup
posing a boy could be found- I should
have been mad as a March hare to see
him doing it no better than 1 could and
demanding the entire earth for so doing.
So I just donated the entire morning,
from early until 12 sharp, to that fence.
The morning wasn't all the donations,
either Let me see: there was my left
hand thumb nail (and I'm not sure as the
thumb won't go, too. because it s royal
purple ip hue and feverish, tool: then,
there's aches and aches and aches and
sore muscles and impetuous remarks
that sound better “when they ain’t
spoke,” and some vegetables I trampled
in my frantic efforts to ram (he dirt
around tbe posts 1 was interring. I've
planted lots of things In my life, hut of
all the hard ones—it’s posts.
Just when you think the hole is dug
deep enough, you Hud it isn't, and it isn't
on a line with the others, and it won't
stay put when you trust it to stand alone
while you reach out for something to ram
wit h.
Just at the most interesting stage of
proceedings a young snake showed up.
There not being anything around wearing
pants—I knew it was useless to scream—
and remembering the old fragment, “shall
bruise the serpent's head." I did that
same thing with all the thoroughness that
distinguishes me.
There was hardly enough snake to wear
a nam< when 1 ceased my well-meant
ministra tfons.
Seemed like there had been enough
rocks in the way in the forenoon, but ID-
len further to mt tale o' woe. I went out
to see some people this afternoon—walked
three mites, and all live were away from
their homes. Bail ’cess to 'em, savs I.
After milking was disposed of and the
garden watered, ! bethought me of a dear
neighbi
good i i.v
time w
st rands
r whom I was v<
before she left,
is short,
of wire fencing
nt
anxious to hid
ml 1 knew the
to climb two
•aught my foot
am! fell. Did it hurt? There were
yards and yards of me hurt. 1 didn't
know 1 was so tremendous until 1 got that
fall. Hastening to pick the remains of
me up, 1 took 'em along—only to find un
friend had two minutes before left. Only
two wretched, insignificant, important
minutes!
in t lie ti
1 bi
er il.
Yes. and I tried to take a reef
a generous proportions of the
si tonight, and the machine
ad every little bit -something it
If all these happenings had been
crowded into tomorrow iV). ’twouldn't
have mattered. Was married on the
PUh. too. and ai cording to eternal fitness
of tilings, should die on the Pith also.
Then's lots o' things to be done yet.
and ii is In p. in. Fonce being away, i
have lo lock the doors, then go back to
see if I have, look under the beds, get
out the shooting iron and place near bv
the bed. and so on ad libitum.
If .i burglar should corpe. I Wouldn't
mind the shooting him so much—but, oh.
tin* dreadful suddenness of the explosion!
IT I had time I should stuff my ears with
cotton, t' 11 him to hold up his hands, shut
my eves and calmly (?) shoot.
Here's hopin' that somebody will invent
pistols that go off mentis noise, or that
burglars will cease to burgle.
PATS.
Dallas. Texas.
A LETTER OF THANKS.
Dear Household: To those who so |
; promptly responded to my resquest for .
! contributions t" tnj flower garden 1 ,de-
sire i" return sincere thanks, assuring \
| PEERLESS ATLAS of THE WORLD,
largo, up-to-date. $4.00 atlas. Ifi.1 p. 14x22.
1.000 to be given away, as a premium free,
j Send 10c silver to pay postage, to J. E.
! Rue. Box 4. Littleton. N. c. ,
you that your kindness is appreciated and
your presence will remain with me in all
the beauty and fragrance of the flowers.
1 cannot reply to each one personally just
now, but hope to do so soon.
Replying to many inquiries about the
photo collection. I will here give my sev
eral graphic ideas concerning the same,
hoping this- will take the place of many
personal replies that l am unable to
make now.
I have a suggestion and an amendment
to offer. I move that each and every
Household member, old and new. send a
photo to Mother Hubbard, who is not
feminine if she has not some curiosity to
know what each of her numerous progeny
looks like. Then, when she has fixed on
a time for all to he in, let her have a
group made of the whole, with herself in
the centre, and each nu mber buy one of
this group. Mother Hubbard to retain
the original photos for her Household
album. Now. who seconds my motion and
amendment? i do not mean to discour
age or Interfere with Sylvan Glen's plan,
but think this would give more pleasure
to the greatest number, including our
g iod mother.
Better be careful. Earnestine. While I
may not object the first, or even second
time, my jealousy will surely rise before
the third temptation.
Yea. Amy. 1 have found tlial all is not
gold that glitters, and every man i^oth not
keep his promise. Verily, this is a world
of tribulation
1 would like t" mention each new mem- j
her personally while I extend the right j
hand of fellowship, hut space forbids. So. I
here's to you. one and all. an old Virginia .
Welcome and hope that your stay among ;
us may he pleasant and helpful, as wo i
hope to receive help from you, socially, j
mentally and morally.
Yours, with a warm heart, full of love j
for both old and new Householders.
GENOA. I
I
A HOUSE PARTY AND
A CALL TO ARMS, j
Dear Mother Hubbard and Household: i
Ever since childhood 1 have had a pas- j
sion for listening to real stories—those j
happenings of flesh and blood, and not |
the creations of the brain only. Once I
attended a house party in the country.
A rain set in. as it always does in English
novels of high life. One bright girl said
this coincidence was charming, and that
its advantage should he seized at once.
Therefore, for the sake of this happy con
currence. she stipulated that the mail
must be brought in while at the breakfast
table, and of course tableaux and cha
rades should he tbe regulation. Who knew
hut that this might bring together some
aching atul misunderstanding hearts, for
this was always the consequence in fic
tion. A house party in the country, shut
in. mail at fhe breakfast table, one letter
at least that changes a life, tableaux,
charades, hearts, what else could he de
sired? And thus for a week or more we
were delightfully English.
The next proposition made hy this girl
was when she intimated that instead of
selecting one to read aloud, we each
should tell a story—something that hail
happened in the narrator's own family or
neighborhood. She maintained that fami
ly legends and folk lore make the best
stories. While listening to the narratives
that followed without any premeditation
as to their make-up or proper setting. r
thought the girl very correct as to her
estimate of truth over fiction. There was
not an inferior incident related. And I
must say that each reciter did not claim
the .story told as happening in his or her
own family, though a few did. Some be
gan by saying something like this: "The
story 1 am about to tell happened in my
neighborhood.” etc: but the one who said
"I will tell my utory just as my grand
mother told it to me." won the prize,
which e Arista tod of i . ,;e written by
each contestant to the winner, expressing
congratulations upon her signal triumph.
The girl declared that she would treas
ure those notes through life among her
most precious possessions. 1 suppose none
who listened will ever forget those stories
—some were as bright as the lips that
told them, some sad with tlie anguish of
the sorrow of human hearts. Comedy and
tragedy so intermingled that we some
times smiled with tears in our eyes. The
novel way in which we amused ourselves
during that house party i shall never
forget.
Now. Mother Hubbard, could we House
holders not get up something of the kind?
T.et each of us who is willing tell a true
story—a family legend, an old neighbor
hood romance, anything. The only de
mand is that it really happened.
1 think we ought to have just a little
more system iti our corner. Mother Hub-
hard, call the roll and secure from your
scattered children the promise of so many
letters for the summer—as many as you
may require, or as many as the writer is
willing to send in. This must he decided
between us. Suppose Mother Hubbard
were to drop me a letter saying. "1 shall
expect a paper from you to lie published
in the first Sunny South appearing in
June.” I must have a letter there by that
time. However, dear Mother Hubbard,
give us always two weeks' warning, with
three days of grace thrown in. In this
way we will secure system and the head
lady of our department will always be
sure of entertainment for those who have
come to expect it from our corner of the
Sunny South.
Dolores, your "Still Hour Thoughts”
were sweet, womanly and true. 1 have
felt every word you uttered.
Aunt Emma. 1 read your "Vision of the
Mystical Beyond" with much interest.
What would life be without these visions
of the life to come? We should think of
such things oltener. The world is too en
grossing when the end of ii all is not a
deathbed, hut eternity.
Lillian G. Woodin. you are correct: our
hospitality is unlimited. By all means
give us your opinions. "We must culti
vate our gardens.” Yes. indeed. lie
Household is our garden just now. Do st
agree ?
Agnes, imagine my feelings when the
little black Abigail who waits on the ta
ble protestingly begged me to eat more,
saying. "Miss Julia (her former mis
tress) eats more in one day than you does
in a week, and she's plum beautiful, wid
her face as big and round as er sifter
and her cheeks as red as er beet."
John, whispers are sweet a« bird-love
notes, as every woman knows—every man
also, as for that—else why do they try
the efficacy so often of the whispered
word? But such takes place in our early
youth.
Sylvan Glenn. I like >nur business pros
clivities. What is law without obedience?
Carolyn, I thoroughly enjoyed your
sketch.
Alice Telfair, better it is when
friendship is broken by death than liy [
strife or misunderstanding.
Earnest Willie, have you forgotten me? j
Maggie Richard, the Columbia papers j
are receiving too much from you. we too
little.
Musa Dunn, give me your recipe for
chow-chow. I never tasted any quite so
good.
Mother Hubbard, unknown friend. I love
you for many reasons. One is because j
you now bear the name that one used to I
bear whom I loved as a sister. I see her |
brown eyes in my dreams. 1 hear her j
voice of encouragement, for she hail a j
lofty ambition for me. 1 may have fallen
beneath her fond expectation, but I have
not lived all my life yet. 1 have tried to j
fulfill my many duties rather than to
find pleasure or to follow where ambition
leads. Yes. none of her friends who ever ■
knew Lizzie Thomas, loved her more th*n i
1 <lo. If any says he. or she did. let them '
prove it.
Mother Hubbard, you are privileged to
give me a lecture on the beauty of brevi- j
Tiie work of a farmer’s wife is never
ended. But it is wholesome, enjovable,
productive work that is pleasurable it the
farmer’s wife is a well woman.
The work becomes weary drudgery
when the woman is sick. The mik
drags and the woman's pride is hurt.
Her ambition is to do as much and better
work than her
neighbors. It is
a distinct tri
umph if her
butter is gener
ally regarded
as the finest in
the count y .
But fine butter C’«
and had health
don’t go to
gether.
Mrs. W. T. Kid
der. or Hill Dale
Farm. Enosburg,
Vt., writes to Dr.
K V. Fierce. Buf
falo. N.Y.: "Dur
ing the past year I
found that I was
to become a moth
er and that t was
in rapidly failing healtli i suffer-d dread.ully
from bloating, and urinary difficult} I was
growing perceptibly weaker each day and suf
fered much sharp pain at times. T had to give
up my work and I felt that something must i.e
done I sought your advice and received a prompt
replv. t foWoweii vour directions and took twi lve
bottles of Dr. Pierce’s Favorite Prescription, arid
also followed your hygeni" instructions. I began
to improve immediately, my health became e x
cellent. and t could do ail my work (wi live on a
good sized farmi. I walked and rode all I could,
and enjoyed it. I hail a short easy confinement
and have a healthy baby boy."
The one medicine that gives prompt
a td sure relief is I)r. Pierce s Favorite
rescription. It is a tonic and purifier
at works on one special set of organs
a d puts them in a perfectly vigorous,
h althv condition. It quick]} - soothes in
flammation and stops debilitating drains
on the system. Taken regularly during
the period of gestation it greatly lessen ;
the pain and danger of childbirth.
Although sweet to the taste it contains
no sugar which often disagrees with weak
stomachs; nor does it contain any alco
hoi, or opium in any form, and therefore
does not induce a craving for stimulants.
Keeps perfectly in any climate.
ty. If my gossip has been too long, take
your pencil and cut me short. Love to
all our band.
MARION DURHAM.
DEMOCRACY
Dear Mother Hubbard: It surprises me
that r have been so slow in sending in my
rejoicings over the election of a perma
nent Mother Hubbard.
Even one of our dear sisters who was
an imperialist says now that she is glad
we are to have a democratic household.
So many say that The Sunny South is the
best literary pa per published in the stat-s.
But 1 do honestly think, that the house-
j hold enters largely in making it so. The
criticisms in the book salon are very in
teresting and helpful, and the library
corner written by Mother Hubbard is a
weekly feast that no lover of books can
fail to enjoy.
Who knows how- many writers of note
are being made through this very House
hold?
When our little mother is an old lady
in cap and glasses she. will have occasion
to say of more than one bright literary
star "I criticised her. or his. first efforts."
Now. Mother, if vou will let me have a
word or so with Wilbert Prince I will go
away and not conn again till next time.
1 like Wilbert Prince immensely, and
wouldn’t mind a bit getting up a flirta
tion with him. Here in the Househould.
of course, so that Mother Hubbard could
watch and check anything that looked
serious.
Only I'm not convinced. Wilbert, that
you are a man. There is a little tender
pathos running through your letters that-
is distinctly womanly. Are you going to
acknowledge the truth?
With a merry welcome for the new
members and happy greetings to all. I am
JOS IE B.
A REQUEST.
Will Maud Estelle Smith please publish
again a little poem about the two little
frogs who got in the milk can. It was
such a cute thing and such good philoso
ph.} that 1 cut it out. but lost it.
Wture are Gladys Vernon, Golden Gos
sip May Phillips Tatro, Fiuetta—but th
list is too long to call each one’s name.
1 iove you all and look anxiously for the
old favorites. Come again, please.
LITERARY NOTES.
Eds
'awcett. in Collier’s Weekly,
gives it as his opinion that—
The Anglo-French agreement has one
incontestable merit: it appears to have
pleased each party. England can now
wear the Nile like a braceet. France the
Niger like a necklace, and they both have
a huge tropic empire as well. It has been
truly said that the European, countries
take more pleasure in trying to torment
and affront one another on tbe subject of
this whole African question than in terri
torially aiding themselves. If grumblings
have risi n on either side of late, these
have drowned one another, and grateful
stillness has been the result. Without
doubt England now relinquishes all idea
of joining the two mightiest rivers of the
Dark Continent, but she is undisputed
mistress, notwithstanding, of that cast
valley whose turf the blood of her sons
already has often soaked. France, on
the other hand, if she were only as tall
in reality as she sometimes is in her own
estimation, could stand on the soil of Al
geria and mark how her realm thence
radiates toward almost every point of the
compass—to Senegal, to the Gulf of
Guinea and to Lake Chad, all of which
means a sweep larger than that of old
Rome when it declared itself, with mag
nificent incorrectness, ruler of the world.
John Davidson, in The Speaker, writes
an article on "The Criticism of Poetry"
and explains how poetry is to he recog
nized.
Literary criticism has a comparative
method, the employment of a foot rule or
Tape line obtained by ihe study of ac
cepted poetiy, a method not altogether to
be despised. It is, of course, the only
possible method of dealing with the huge
body of imitative verse: but it does not
commend itself to me in the criticism of
actual poetry except as a most subsidiary
aid. Poetry is the product of originality,
of a first-hand experience and observa
tion of life, of a direct communion with
men and women, with the seasons of the
year, with day and night. The critic
will therefore lie well auvls'ed. if he have
the good fortune to find something thai
seems to him poetry, to lay it out in the
daylight and the moonlight, to take it in
to the street and the fields, to set against
it his own experience and observation of
life, and, should he be a poet himself, to
remember how it was that he wrote his
own poetry. In this way 1 reduce cul
ture, which is only experience at second
hand. to its proper place as the merest
handmaid of criticism It is not
the purpose to say that this lias been said
and suns before, if it is here sung newly,
at first-hand, by a poet living at this
present day. it Is the mission of the
poet to state the world afresh. And
academic questions of rhyme, rhythm
and diction have little more to do with
poetry than epaulettes and pipeclay have
to do with strategy. Poetry is not al-
& J