The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-02

grown. anu D4rcIN De-llll n 10 II II /,
wash and cut them in slices, pare with
a sharp knife 50 a. To leave all that is
possible Of the firm part Of the melon.
Then take a quart OF the best quality ol
vinegar with three pounds of sugar. a
tables poOnful Of cloves. half a dozen
three-nch-long sticks of cinnamon, a
! little mace and ginger Il DO not ike al
spice in any thing il may be added or
not as YOU like. Put the vinegar, su-
gar aud spices in porcelain Kettle aud
set on the stove; when Il has boiled If
/ teen or twenty minutes. drop the slices
OF melon in. not too many at a time,
| let boil five minutes, take out and lay
on dish. | never weigh the melons
but keep on with that quantity Of vine
gar and sugar till ! have enough TO ill
without at all packing the fruit, three
/ half a gallon jars, waen you have boil
ed all the fruit over once, begin again
at the first boiled. and repeat. Some
times it requires a little more. or less
boiling. as the melons happen to be, or
not in Just the right condition for pre-
serving When tender, put into Jars.
and let the syrup boil till it pours out o!
a spoon like a thin syrup. but still not
waterv then pour over the fruit hot.
and close up the Jars. Now | Will give
YOU the real recipe for Hunters Beef;
but my dear, let me first tell you. that
prepared my last Hunters Beef on
the tip top of the Blue Ridge, where il
Is not easy TO persuade round OF beet
to thaw except in midsummer Take a
round of beef. cut out the bone lay il
in large bowl, and pour over it strong
vinegar, spiced, Cor not, a. your taste
incliues) with cloves. mace. and all
spice, any kind of spices you ike let
stand twenty-tour hours, having turned
it over once then take it out. wash oil.
salt and sprinkle with black pepper
place over ii a large sheet of letter pa
per. and over that dough rolled out
large enough to cover it entirely over,
except the part that lies in the stove
pan; then cook it all day at an even
temperature that will not burn before il
is cooked through. Let it cool a little
before removing the covering of paper
and dough. To be eaten cold. 1t Is
an English recipe, and exceedingly nice.
There is a blank in the life of every
one who has not spent part of the
four seasons on top of the Blue Ridge.
Many very beautiful writers. (among
them our own christian Reid.") have
WORD painted with inimita lie grace.
mountain scenery in the hall-blown
loveliness of Spring, the glory of sum
mer, and the splendor of autumn But
do not remember description of our
own mountains in mid winter; and ii is
to be regretted. for it is like a visit to
another world. l have mania for
snow, and if possible always get out in
the wildwood in deep snow. 1t is al
most the only time | enjoy solitude.
On the mountain in midwintCr. all out
door w ,rk must cease. ana the gentle,
domestic beauties all be hous ed so
that very little way from human habi-
tation may be felt a stiffness that is
appalling. Imagine countless Irregular
peaks. snow clad. but where the bold
cliffs Of each are tringed with cold. pure
icicles; every limb and twig of the lor-
est monarchs dropping while the ever
green's and slender young trees are bow
ed down to earth beneath their robes %,
purity. amid silence that is perfect; not
sound, not the dream of an echo. In
the cleaning" it looks as though
Death had stretched out his sceptre aud
said be still. and YOU feel yourself the
only living atom above the "whitcd
sepulchres" of nation. But look
again in the morning sunlight over the
same scene. and it suggests the resur-
rection. As the sun sheds his life-giv-
ing beams, each buried deniZen in
that Court Of Death" rises slowly up,
and casting its grave clothes" stands
erect to meet the bridegroom. Every
where is life and motion. The hanging
cliffs are sparkling with rainbow tints.
the feet walk pavement Of diamonds.
and dull indeed would be the soul that
could not almost hear the angelic song
"Oh. all We mountains and hills. bless
vc the Lord; praise him, and magnify
him forever oh. | would some chris
tian genius could feel and paint in tho
light OF Holiness. scene so unearthly
But must not keep you all standing
in the snow while | rapsodize. WhC
can resist Miss Rebecca Cameron 5 ele
CANT criticism on Mr.. McCarthy's Sol
dier Life in the army of No. Virginia: =
The subject is sufficiently. though
mourrfully attractive of itself. but tht
criticism would tempt an anchorite.
have ere now asLed on the chas t,
beauties of her own genius. In hel
novel "Salted with Fire she has era
ven ineffaceably picture Of innocence
tempted to the last degree by happi
ness that for which mankind has been
since the world began. willing to eX
change immortal souls, and yet purity
guards the heroine. like ''the flaming
sword at Eden's gate, which kept the
way of the tree Of life.' The book i
beautifully written. but the moral would
redeem a dull book. | would il were
possible to acquire the consumate skill
and natural grace. with which that gift
ed young lady glides through the realm
of thought. touching each secret spring
and tuning each chord in harmony witt
the good and the beautiful. Some one
asked for a recipe for happiness. The
world is too old for an original thought
on that subject. No one has ever yet
found his or her own happiness. 1t Is &
thing to which mortals become blind a
soon as they look too near home. Take
this recipe for lack Of better one
Search for the happiness of others, anC
let others search for yours. The words
are commonplace, but the idea they
represent is divine. Anita. dear, | an
so grieved to tell You that | have tailco
after almost superhuman efforts, tc
make your generous praise fit me.
;lave compressed my faults. expanded
my virtues, and furnished my accom-
pllshments. all to no purpose; the
handsome compliment will not stay on
as soon as | move, or speak, of it falls
| cannot. however. part with 1t. | VII
frame it in the generous spirit thai
prompted it. suspend it in my memory
and have the consolation OF making
daily efforts to get where its reflected
light may guide me. would give
recipe for washing fine laces. if my let
, ter was not already past the bounds o