The Months January brings the snow, February brings the rain, March brings breezes loud and shrill, April brings the primrose sweet, May brings flocks of pretty lambs, June brings tulips, lilies, roses, Hot July brings cooling showers, Warm September brings the fruit, Fresh October brings the pheasant, The First New Year's Call He was just a fat, chubby boy, holding in his hands a scroll of white paper and a pencil, but he was not writing. Tod and Tip, the twins, looked at him in wonder, but he apparently did not notice them; his eyes were bent over his scroll. "I think he is a new baby," said Tod. Tip looked at him with scorn. "Babies cannot sit up on the backs of chairs, and babies do not write." "Well, what I want to know is how he got here," demanded Tod, who always expected Tip, his twin, to explain things which he did not understand. Tip gazed wonderingly at the little figure on the back of grandma's chair in the nur scry, and shook her curly head. 66 "I tell you it is a baby, and he has come to live with us," maintained Tod. "It isn't," and Tip flushed, and her face looked as it always does when papa says, "Be careful! the danger signal is out." The pencil in the fingers of the little figure dropped closer to the scroll, which was so clean and white. ""Tisn't a baby; I know a baby; this is a "—and Tip stopped; she was going to say a little old man, but that would be ridiculous. Tip looked again, and the little figure was gone. Tip and Tod looked at each other, looked at the chair where the little figure had been, and then rubbed their eyes. No, the little figure was gone-gone; and then the children wondered why they had not been afraid. Both ran to the window, but no little child was in sight. 66 Why," said Tip, "he would freeze to go out this cold day; he had 'most nothing on." Tod looked toward the fire, but there was the big screen and the fire. It was New Year's Day, and the streets were bright with happy-looking people going to give the New Year's greetings. Tip and Tod were alone, for grandma, papa, and mamma had gone to see Uncle John, Aunt Kate, and the new baby, and everybody in the house seemed to be so busy that Tip and Tod had the whole house to themselves. Company was expected, and so much was to be done! "Let's play house," said Tip, going toward the beautiful doll-house that she found at Christmas. "No," answered Tod; "I want to play fireman," and he dragged out of the closet the beautiful hook-and-ladder machine that was his next to greatest treasure. He began running around the room with it, and struck the chair in which Charlotte Augusta, the lady hostess of the doll-house, was sitting. She fell on her face, and her little mother struck Tod on the back; a blow which Tod returned with all his might, and which Tip returned in full measure. She turned to pick up Charlotte Augusta-and there sat the little figure on the back of the chair writing on the scroll, but looking so sad. You may be sure that both children stopped in sheer amaze ment. They looked at each other and back, at the little figure, who was still writing. "How did he get in?" demanded Tod. Tip, remorseful Tip, just shook her head; she was too amazed to speak, and, besides, Charlotte Augusta had been hurt. Tip sat down in her little rocker holding Charlotte Augusta, whose nose was flattened on the tip. The tears gathered and fell on her beautiful hair. Tod knew something dreadful must have happened, and hastened over to Tip's chair and saw why she was crying. He put his arm around his sister's neck, and his curly head down on hers. They both looked up, and the little figure was rubbing out what he had written on the scroll, and his face was not sad. The two children looked at each other for an explanation; when they looked back, the little figure could not be seen. Tod bravely walked over to the corner and looked behind the chair and the curtain, but it was not there. Tip could not long be diverted from the serious accident that had befallen Charlotte Augusta, and was crying silently. Tod looked at her, and the tears came into his eyes as he said: "Tip, mamma will have her fixed, and I'll— I'll give you my watch," and Tod took his treasure from his pocket. Tip knew what that meant, and she bravely wiped her eyes and answered: "The doll man can make her well; I don't "-her voice sounded as though she would cry-"I don't believe it hurt her very much." Charlotte Augusta was rocked, and kissed on her poor nose in the way that Tip and Tod both knew had such power to comfort and heal bruises. At last she was put to bed in her own room in her own house, until mamma could come. "Let us play ninepins,” said Tod, with a feeling of security as he looked about and thought there was nothing else to be hurt or injured in the clear space he had selected. They began, but presently a discussion. arose as to whether Tod had knocked down three or four pins. They grew more and more angry and noisy. "I did!" "You didn't!" was fairly hurled through the air, and Tod raised his foot to kick Tip-when there sat the little figure on the back of the chair writing and looking very sad. Tod's foot fell back on the floor, but Tip, expecting what Tod was going to do, threw a ninepin and struck Tod on the foot. There was a cry of pain, and in a minute both of Tip's arms were round Tod's neck, and she was sobbing, "I did not mean it, Tod, dear. Does it hurt so much?" and she kissed Tod's face wherever she could find a place. When they remembered, they looked at the little figure, and it was rubbing out what it had written, and the sweetest smile was on its lips. The two children were quiet in a minute, and stood holding hands and looking up at the figure. "Tod, it's the spirit of the year; don't you remember grandma told us about it? It has a clean page, and begins to write on it the first day of the year." Tod bounded forward to climb into the chair and catch the figure, but he stubbed his toe on a mat, and nearly fell. Tip sprang to help him, and when they looked up again the little figure was gone. "Oh, Tip!" and Tod fairly trembled. "Grandma said the good things we did stayed on the page, and also the bad things for which we were not sorry." Tip was still and thoughtful. They climbed on the sofa and held each other's hands, looking at the big chair that had held this important visitor. "Tod, we were sorry, and there is nothing written." They sat closer together. "Tod, let us do something good to stay on the page." They looked about, but could see nothing to do. A bright look flashed over Tod's face, and, putting his arm around Tip, he whispered, "Let us be good," and Tip nodded. "Well, my little team seems to have quieted down early," and their pretty mamma kissed and kissed them over and over again. They were so solemn that she got up and looked at them. "Mamma, the spirit of the year has been here, and he wrote-" "But he rubbed it out," interrupted Tip; and grandma came in with a knowing look, saying, "I guess it is time for a walk;" and in this delightful proposal, with papa as companion, even the spirit of the New Year was forgotten for a time. But they often remembered. When the danger signal was in Tip's face, Tod tried to love it away. When Tod's fists doubled up, or his foot came quickly from the ground, somehow the memory of the little figure and the clean white page on which things might be written that they would not want to read, or have any one else read, when the year was twelve months old, made them careful, and they tried to be good; and then there were written many things that they did not know, for they did not remember the doing. The Home Club Home-Making Organizations Two educational movements developed in the past five years are positive evidences of the moral development as well as of the intelligence of American women—the organization of housekeepers to study the scientific side of housekeeping, and mothers' organizations for the purpose of acquiring a better knowledge of child-training and educa tion. The housekeepers' organizations naturally have given the major portion of their attention to the great problem of our day, the domestic servant question. The first acknowledgment on the part of the housekeepers is that mistresses need training as much as maids. Dr. Lucy M. Salmon, of Vassar College, in her scientific treatment of this whole question in "Domestic Service," published three years ago, says: For a reform in domestic service a moral revolution is everywhere needed, bringing with it to every person an appreciation of his responsibility to all connected with the employment, whether employer or employee. Reforms begin at the top, revolutions at the bottom. It rests with the men and women of the so-called upper classes, whether raised to their position by birth, wealth, intellect, education, or opportunity, to work out in the best way a satisfactory solution of the vexed question of domestic service. The School of Housekeeping of the Women's Educational and Industrial Union of Boston is one of the results of this new conception that being born a girl does not of necessity imply being born a housekeeper, any more than being born a boy settles the question of his future profession. This school of housekeeping recognizes two classes of workers, each needing special training the housekeeper needing scientific training, the houseworker needing training to become a skilled workwoman in her trade. There is a boarding-house in connection with the school that provides the necessary practice for the apprentice, who is also given a training in the theory of her trade. This boarding-house is under the control of a graduate of the University of Michigan and of the Armour Institute, who at one time was at the head of the Halls of the University of Chicago; she is also in charge of the school. Employers are allowed to attend the lectures provided for the employees, and are given the privilege of doing what might be called the laboratory work in the house, under direction; so that for employers and employees the School of Housekeeping under the Women's Educational and Industrial Union of Boston is in truth a training-school on a pedagogical basis. The list of the lectures given on Mondays this year will doubtless be interesting: "How to Build a House," two lectures, one by a sanitary engineer and one by an architect; "How to Equip a House," two lectures, one by a practical housekeeper and one by an artist; "Food in Relation to True Economics;""Economic Buying and Domestic Bookkeeping;" "The House as a Unit of Health;" "Division of Income in Household Expenditure;" "Domestic Service: Its Past, Present, and Future;” “The Responsibility of Employers;" "Domestic Service as a Trade;" "Domestic Service in its Relation to the Present Industrial Situation." On Thursdays the lectures are on Dust and Its Dangers;" "Practical Study of the Cellar and Yard;" "Heating and Lighting;" "Ventilation, Drainage, and Plumbing; "The Laundry: Its Uses and Abuses;” "The Kitchen: Its Care and Equipment;" "The Storeroom and Household Supplies;" "Interior Woodwork: Its Preparation and Preservation;" "Hints About the DiningRoom and Parlor;" "The Hygiene of the Bedroom;" "Some Household Secrets;" "Fair Conditions and Faithful Service.” 66 All the lectures are given by acknowledged experts. In addition, special courses of study-lectures will be given on "The Chemistry of Foods,” "Household Economics," "Household Bacteriology," and 66 Domestic Hygiene." The School of Domestic Science of Syracuse, of which Mrs. S. B. Larned is the projector and head, is doing thorough work in that city. In New York the New York Household Economic Association, formed last year and now issuing its first annual report, is doing most excellent work. This Association is a State society, and has chairmen in seven counties. Traveling libraries, under the Public Libraries Division of the University of the State of New York, have been prepared on domestic science and correlated subjects, by consultation with the committee of this Association. The Associ ation is using every means to get into touch with women's clubs and all organizations that are or should be interested in the scientific side of housekeeping and the economic side of the "domestic problem." It hopes to establish a training-school, and a committee to study the subject and enlist public interest has been appointed. The college women of the country are active in all this work. As college women they issued a book entitled "Home Sanitation" in 1887. This book is the visible result to the general public of the Sanitary Science Club of the Association of Collegiate Alumnæ, which was organized in 1883. It is the result of theory and practice. The work of the Sanitary Science Club of the Association of Collegiate Alumnæ formed the basis of the course in sanitary science offered by the Society to Encourage Study at Home. The first edition of "Home Sanitation" appeared in 1887. A new edition has just been issued (Home Science Publishing Company, Boston), which is changed by expansion of certain subjects treated in the first edition, and by the entire elimination of other subjects. Ellen H. Richards and Marion Talbot are the editors-names that guarantee the thoroughness of the work presented in this book, which will prove a valuable addition to the home library. The organizations named above are but few of the many in the country whose object is to make the homes of the country more perfect. A Travel Club at Home 十 A correspondent asked for suggestions for conducting a foreign tourist club at home. What course of reading would enable a group of readers to travel abroad while staying at home? The Anna Ticknor Library Association (Trinity Court, Boston) furnishes courses of travel. Taking some one guide-book as chief reference-book, an imaginary trip is taken through a chosen country-Great Britain, France, Germany and Austria, Holland and Belgium, Italy, or Spain and Portugal. The most interesting objects in the country or in the cities are mentioned, and books are recommended that tell of them and also of the lives and manners of the people. Especial attention is called to the geography of the country visited (in imagination), and the Association is constantly enlarging its collection of photographs and prints used to illustrate it. The books recommended in the "lists" can be hired of the Library for two cents a day, or can be taken from any public or private library. The volumes of photographs are lent at the same rate as other books. If several books are taken out at one time, the rates are lower. obtained from the Librarian; the price of each course of travel or of study is ten cents. Boyish Vandalism Dear Outlook: As an answer to "A Sub scriber" might be recommended the plan of a high-school teacher who, coming into a large manufacturing town infamous for its ruffianly youth, formed his own following and their mates into a boys' brigade, securing peace for himself and others during his stay, and affecting, to their advantage, the characters which he was given the opportunity of helping to mold. In another neighborhood, where lawlessness ran riot, an ungraded school-teacher revolutionized the town by drawing the ringleaders, some of them her own pupils, into the reforming toils of a Loyal Temperance Legion, organized by herself for their especial benefit. Although it met but once a week, and the stipulation to "be quiet and orderly" had reference only to their deportment at those meetings, it improved their street manners to the same degree that it enlisted their interest. Gradually parents were interested, and although here and there a demur was heard because the vestry carpet was scuffed out by the march of many feet, it was always silenced by the majority's answer that vestry and carpet were made for boys and girls. The Loyal Temperance Legion succeeded so well that a Band of Mercy was organized, to be held on a different date. The two societies united in giving the first entertainment— musical and elocutionary-and with the proceeds hired the town hall, wherein to meet, for a year. Concerts and prize contests followed, to defray the fast-growing expenses, the boys' manliness increasing as they realized their financial independence. The leader was careful to steer elections and place in office some of the most irresponsible rioters, who developed unexpected talents by virtue of the trust. A Puzzled Mother L. L. P. A young mother of a handsome baby boy of two years is in a state of anxiety. The boy has within three months developed two disagreeable habits-striking and biting other children. The remedies for the cure given this mother are so conflicting in their application that she is hopeless, and wishes some mother who has cured a child of these Circulars containing all information may be habits to tell her what method she followed. |