davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05
Word Concerning the Blues.

one word Cor two) in reply to our mem
bev's allusion to the assertion that " the
blues " are form of insanity.
do not think that I said it. I hope not.
for the opinion is loosely expressed. The
lowness of spirits for which the sufferer
can give no good and sufficient reason. dag
nosed in modern parlance as blues" was
known to our ancestors as 4" the vapors."
In perhaps fifteen cases out of twenty IT IS
caused by physical and not mental derange-
ment. In a vast majority of instances the
provocation arises from the stomach. The
explana ton is not romantic. but It Is badly
correct.
An eminent criminal judge left upon rec
ord his belief that no man should be con-
demned to death for murder II It could be
proved that he was confirmed dyspeptic
when the deed was done. In the jurist's
opinion, the wretch was irresponsible-dys-
pepsia being form of dementia-
The fact is well established that indiges-
ton is a frequent cause of melancholis.
which may be catalogued as chronic
blues" calling for medicine and change OF
existing sanitary conditions rather than for
spiritual consolation.
For an ordinary case know OF no better
prescription than one often quoted in the
corner: " Do something for somebody else
quick"
Forget your own imaginary grievance in
thought for the real sufferer Your neigh
Dor is always and everywhere the one who
needs you and to whom you might minister
IL Won would
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05

for that conserve. 1 publish IT, that the
will be observed that this, too, may be
made of canned tomatoes if the fresh be
unattainable.
" TOMATO BUTTER Scald twenty
pounds of ripe tomatoes and remove the
skins. Put them into a porcelain lined
Kettle with four pounds of apples. pared.
cored. and quartered Set the kettle over
a moderate fire to cook slowly for one hour
stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to
the bottom. Add the juice of four lemons
and a tablespoonful of ground ginger. Cook
and stir ontinually until the tomatoes,
etc, are reduced to the consistency of mar
malade. Put into jars and seal. Keep In a
cool, dry place. MRS. w. ]. H."
Our correspondent adds postscript to
correct defect which must be patent to
cooked tomatoes:
"P. S.-Thfs recipe was given to me by
a friend who assures me that It is all right
But it seems to me that the addition of
sugar and spices would improve the tomato
butter"
say nothing of the need OF spices, but
the mixture, as it now stands would be
intolerably acid even for a pickle. I in
variably add a dash of sugar to any prepare
ton of cooked tomatoes. Heat increases
the acidity natural to the vegetable. and a
little sugar modifes the sharpness When
tart apples (made more sour by cooking)
and lemon juice combine to increase the
acid, few palates would relish the but
fer"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05
Minds Preserved from, Monotonv.


And as we turned the pages together she
added. with g. shy smile: call it my
mind preserver.'
drew out, too the confession that she
had contributed specimens and written
descriptions of the same to a botanical
society in Boston, and that some of her
articles had been published in horticul-
tural journal. OF this latter fact she made
little. She was not " literary" she said
but loved to study plants and was never
tired of collecting them.
You wouldn't believe how it rests me
when I am just fairly worn ou- with the
everlasting round of farm work. she con-
tinued. I supposes if my taste had not
run in this direction 1 should have thought
up some other way of keeping out of the
asylum
In another farmstead 1 found a micro
scope. The owner had bought it with her
- butter money! and kept her wits bright
by examining all manner of insects and
fungi. Her husband was a man of intelli-
gence, and took down the results of her
the horticultural club.
An illiterate farm hand hit the truth I'M
willingly in commenting upon the work
they did together during winter evenings:
Well, now, 1t do seem queer to me.
but suppose it's good for them to take in
trust in somethin besides plowin an
hoein' an cookin an the like"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05
Needs of Mem Interests.

would retract my statement If 1t were
not strictly true. Ny object in calling at
tention to the evil effects of the life Of
monotonous toll led by large percentage
of farmers wives. was to incite them to
seek out means by which 1t might be re-
lieved. We hear. again and again. when
this class of workers is referred to: 50 You
see. they have no mental resources IN
plain English. it is the old saw of % All work
and no play makes Jack dull boy" Jack,
when grown into a man. has his agr.cul
tural club, his farm papers, the yearly agri-
cultural fair at which he meets other men
of like mind his political meetings, his
church work and a score of other interests
that keep him abreast of the world outside
of his home and lands. He must bestir him
self or be left behind in the march of prog
ress. These are his F" mental resources
albeit he may not be a.reading man."
Now, I would awaken his wife to the ne
cessity OF getting outside of the routine of
housework Systematically. I mean by this
that she should force herself to engage in
something which will lift her head far
enough to enable her to see over the edges
of the rut-rIot now and then, but daily.
If I were asked to name what 1 believe to
be almost panacea for the blues and
lowness of spirits in general, I should say
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05

fry the peppers in this, turning when they
have been in five or six minutes. When they
are done, take out, drain off the fat and
serve.
They are usually served with bacon. If
you do this, fry the bacon first remove and
keep hot while you cook the peppers in the
fat left in the pan. Lay in the middle of the
dish and the bacon around Il.
STUFFED EGGPLANT-Wash and wipe
large eggplant and parboi for ten min
utes in boiling sailed water. Let it get per-
fectly cold; cut it in half lengthwise and
scrape out the center, leaving the walls of
the eggplant three-quarters of an inch
thick. Chop the extracted pulp fine and add
to it any cold white meat you may have, or
if you have none make the forcemeat with
out it with half cupful of fine crumbs a
tablespoonful of melted butter. salt and
pepper to your taste.
Mix we'll; moisten with little soup stock
and fill the followed halves with this.
When they are full and rounded sprinkle
the surface of the forcemeat with dry
cracker crumbs and lay the halves, side by
side, in the baking pan.
Pour two cupfuls of weak stock around
them and bake nearly an hour, basting
every ten minutes with the stock in the
pan. Then lift the eggplant to a hot dish
and thicken the gravy left in the pan with
Drowned flour; boil up once on the top OF
the range. stirring constantly. and pour this
Drowned sauce about the base of the halved
eggplant
1 am happy to offer these recipes as a
return in part for your new preparation of
pork tenderloins
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05

- AITHFUL are the wounds Of a.
IL IS friend"
This is especially true when the
blow is dealt by a hand so tender
as that which takes me to task
for a fact plainly but not harshly stated
some weeks ago. AS my readers know, it
is my custom Cand my privilege to base
our weekly talks upon suggestions supplied
by intelligent correspondents who have the
good of the Corner at heart and are friendly
to the editor thereof.
VIII you permit a real friend of the
Corner to say a word of regret for some
thing you have published? have always
been pleased with everything of yours that
L have read until you mentioned the fact
that insane asylurhs contain a large num-
Der of housewives and of farmers wives.
1t struck me that the poor, tired worker
who wants some sister woman to help her
ought not to be told of the fate of so many
of her class. I think you did not realize the
harm the statement might do In a recent
number of your paper there was an article
which said that the blues are only a
form Of insanity. If this be true. wonder
il those thus afflicted are bettered or
cheered by the information.
Please accept this as a word to the
wise KENwooD."
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05
Candied Figs Recipe.

viii you kindly send me a recipe for
drying figs? Those we have have green
skins and pink meat. We have many and
would like to dry and pack some of them.
" MRS. H. NJ"
This request comes from California,
where it is not unreasonable.
This is the only recipe at my command
for drying figs. I offer it in the hope that
it may be what you wish:
CANDIED FIGS-Simmer the figs until
they are tender in enough water to cover
them. Then take them out with skinner
and spread upon paper lined platters to dry
and firm Set the platters in the sun.
Make a strip of half the weight of the figs
in sugar and cup of cold water for each
pound of fruit Boil until it is clear and
entirely free from scum. Put the figs into
this and simmer ten minutes. Take them
up. drain free of strip, and spread as before
upon broad dishes lined with thick paper
that will absorb the strip. Leave in the sun
for three days, taking them in at night.
Then pack in boxes, with waxed paper be-
tween the layers
Should a better recipe be offered, 1t will
be printed with thanks. It may be that
you do not want the sugared figs.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05
IMPORTANT NOTICE

BECAUSE of The enormous number Of
- letters se7tto the department must ask
contributors TO limit their communications to
100 pords. except In cases Of formulas or
Teeipes Which require greater space. 1 want
all my correspondents 10 hare shouting in
ths Corner. and if my request in this respect
Is complied softh IL uiR Be possible 10 print
many more letters. .e. a
.AHentiora Is called to the fact that Marion
HaTlan6 cannot recefUe money for patterns.
as she has no connection tOith any department
fkot sells them. Morton Hdrldnd.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05
Adopt a MIND Preserper."

1t is, then, in spirit or idle speculation
that 1 invite our Farmers Wife to find her
." mind preserver and adopt it without
delay.
Choose a hobby and ride it. Let it be bot
any, beetles, butterflies, beadwork, or bed
Quilts-or something quite unlike any of
this swarm of B's-find it and make for
yourself a sphere outside of the drudgery
you deplore. But let it be something diff
ferent from the routine of your ordinary
work and ways. Therein lies much of the
secret of the wonders worked by change of
air and scene.
There is deep meaning in the homely
saying, % Variety is the spice of life" Spice,
is tonic and stimulant and recupera-
ton Don't delude yourself with the false
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05
specific and regular occupation in some
thing one really likes to do"
# u
Revival of LOST Arts.

% "
Revival of Lost Arts.
The reader who does not care for sew
ing may smile contemptuously at my
assertion that l hail the revival of the
patchwork and rag carpet industry; the
inquiries as to rose petal beads and fancy
beadwork are hopeful signs of our utili-
tartan times. Our grandmothers kept
away the "bIues " and kept themselves
out of insane asylums by the marvels of
lace they wove upon cushions and bob
bins; by embroidering, bead by bead. the
bags we now sport proudly as works of
art.
have among my treasures a counter
pane the cotton for which was grown and
woven upon an old Virginia plantation,
where my maternal grandmother first saw
the light She did not weave the cloth. but
she directed the work. 1t is what we
would call now - twilled fabric. She
wrought upon it for-I should not dare to
say how many days and weeks and months.
embroidering in thirteen different stitches
patterns designed by herself and her three
sisters.
The central design was drawn by the only
brother Of the family. a worthy planter,
then in love with a neighboring belle, whom
he afterward married. 1t moves me to a
smile that is yet softened by something
akin to pathos, to trace the stiff outlining
of the pair of love birds of indefinite species
perched, beak to beak, upon what he meant
should stand for altar, sprig of olive
protruding from the Joined bills. The
counterpart is edged with fine netted fringe,
the handiwork of the ancestors from whom
the treasure descended to me.
I have also a bit of exquisitely fine lace
wrought by her deft fingers which formed
a lappet of her wedding cap" Beside
these 1 have d velvet bag, wrought CEN
fury ago with colored beads into flowers
and leaves by the stately New England
granddame to whom my father owed life
and a vigorous constitution.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05

sent there few months before. had let
myself run down, so to speak. until then
That woke me up! 1 determined that I
would do something to keep me out of the
rut in which they were all running.
was fond of botany at school and had
taught 1t in Boston. I began to look for
and to analyze and collect and classify
flowers. If you would like to see my herb
arium?" she paused to say, diffldently.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05
Caramel Pie Recipe.

As have kept boarders for six years
perhaps few of my tested recipes may
Helping Hand
one cup of sugar. half a cup of chopped
raisins, a pinch of soda Put over the fire
and cook until the mixture is dark. Make
a paste of a tablespoonful of flour with
little cold water and stir into the caramel
Cook until it thickens. Flavor with vanilla.
Bake with top and bottom crusts
g Mrs. J. z. H -
woman who has catered successfully
to mixed company of boarders for half
a dozen years should be prime authority
upon culinary experiments. Let us have
other novel recipes
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05
Struggle Against Gray Monotony.

And this is not a singular history OF the
preservation of what we, name family
curios," They represent the valiant and
sustained struggle Of the women of that
day against the gray monotony Of an exist
ence of which our contemporaries can
form no adequate conception. There were
no railroads; no telegraphs; no telephones.
and practically no current literature. All
the sewing. spinning, and weaving, the
sweeping, washing. ironing, and baking
was done by hand with absolutely no help
from machinery.
Do you understand what I mean when I
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05
Sauce for Suet Puddings.

In our family we have used to our COM
plete satisfaction the following formulas.
Make the disposition Of them that pleases
you.
DINGS.-Cream half a cup of butter with
a small cupful Of sugar and tablespoonful
of cornstarch. Stir into this gradually @
teacupful of boiling water Now add half
a glassfuI of red currant jelly, the juice of
an orange. and cupfuI of hard cider which
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05
HON 10 Make Bran Mufins2

Can you let me have a recipe for Dran
mullins such as one buys in the restaurants
of department stores? b. ""
Referred. / have no formula which would
be satisfactory. Watch the Corner for a
reply from some housewife who knows
how the bran mullins are made.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05

her mad " with loneliness and the incessaut
round Of drudgery
She saw that her neighbors were no bet
ter of. They toiled all summer long at the
washtub and ironing board and over the
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05

say that these heroines of the eighteenth
century wrought wisely and beneficently
in devising measures for driving away
ennui and giving their minds something to
feed upon besides the drudgery of everyday
life? Mary Stuart fought OFF insanity that
would have driven her to suicide during
those nineteen years at Fotheringay by en-
broidery which still challenges the adnira-
ton of connoisseurs and battles Initators.
The farmers wife of today has thou
sand resources wnere her great-grand-
mother had one. When I speak Of mental
diversion I do not, of necessity. mean that
she shall be a student of books, magazines.
and papers dealing with the deeper prob
lens of life.
Physical Work Affects Mind.
Said a lawyer who had :" put himself
through college by working in a carpen-
small hours six nights out Of seven for
fifty-two weeks on stretch:
It is an absolute impossibilfty for man
to do really excellent intellectual work
when he is physically tired got through
the prescribed course after fashion, it is
true, by dint of an overstrain of all my
forces, which 1 shall feel as long as 1 live
which will probably shorten my Life II
you ask IL I did one-fourth as well as If
had studied all day instead or standing at
the bench and expanding nervous tissue
over hammer and plane. answer unquaA>
fledly, No!'''
Twenty-odd years ago. while spending
the summer in the beautiful Berkshire
hills, paused at the porch of a farmhouse
to inquire the way back to the village In
which I was boarding. The mistress of the
house stood In the door and invited me to
take a porch chair and rest before began
the homeward climb. My hands were full
of wild flowers and her remark that the
" flora Of the region was very r4ch," ex-
cited my surprise.
Somehow I had not thought of q knowl-
edge of the " fora - of New England in
connection with a woman who " did her
own work " and lived a mile distant from
any other human habitation. When she
presently remarked, as I proudly exhibited
a fine cluster of fringed gentfon, that " 1t
is the most poetic of our New England wild
flowers 1 led her on to talk further of
subject in which she was evidently interest
ed to an unusual degree.
-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05
Hon 10 Fry Green Peppers.

Hon 10 Fry Green Peppers.
seeds from sweet green peppers, taking care
not to let them touch the sides of the pep
pers In doing it Cut off the blossom end
and get the seed out through the hole thus
made.
Slice them crosswise in pieces about a
quarter of inch thick and pour boiling
water over them, leaving in it for ten min
utes Drain off the water and let the pep
pers get perfectly cold. Spread upon a dry
cloth with another cloth over them, patting
them dry through the upper.
Have ready some butter or dripping or
bacon fat in a frying pan, and when it Kisses
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05

church in summer, and a succession of
stormy Sundays would often keep them al
home for month at time in winter.
What frightened me most of all was
the discovery I made at the beginning Of
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05
Another Tomato Butter Recipe.

From Memphis, Tenn, we have recipe
for tomato butter which differs materially
from many of the dozen others that have
been contributed in response to the request
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05

- ROM an honored and beloved CORE
- spondent we have a communication
that will meet with a cordial recep-
ton from every member of the fam
lily to which she owes allegiance, and
which owes her a big debt for services rem
dered.
1t does heart and eyes good to see again
her familiar signature:
my RECENT DISCOVERIES.-One
dated last year was brought about by the
failure of the cucumber crop in this region.
So invented mock cucumbers for picking.
MOCK. CUCUMBER PICKLEs.-We
had a large yield of small, unripened Hub
bard squashes- I cut some of these into
prettily shaped pieces, pared away the
skins that were at all hardened, leaving
them soft and natural. Then they were
dropped into a pickle prepared thus:
." To one gallon of cider vinegar, not too
strong. allow two cups of granulated sugar.
one cup of salt, and half a cup of ground
mustard.
:" Mix salt sugar and mustard, and wet
the mixture with little vinegar into
paste. This done, add the rest of the vine
gar gradually. stirring all the time.
sePour over the prepared squash. The
pickles Will be ripe IN two months and
keep well.
Some More Discoveries.
Il HAVE DISCOVERED: That SCOT
inparts an exquisite polish to nickel and
like metals
:" That pillow slips should be left open at
both ends. Why? First, the trimming at
the ends-or even broad hen-adds much
to the comeliness of a we'll made bed. Sec
ondly. in the washing and wringing, the
usual gush of water accumulated in the
closed end does not deluge the laundress.
Thirdly, the case may be slipped around
on the pillow, bringing the strain equally
upon all parts, and in ironing the fold may
be changed numberless times, making the
case less liable to wear and break at the
sides.
Don't laugh until you have read the
whole of the next discovery!
AZ make my house dresses of different
grades of unbleached muslin! And they
are pretty The soft, creamy tint is be-
coming to young and old, and lends itself
TO various styles which must be seen to be
appreciated. The heavy looks like canvas
and that is what I call It when questioned
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05

Formerly Boston School Teacher.
In our half hours chat found out, in
cidentaly, that she had been a public
school teacher in Boston before her mar
riage, although born and brought up in a
farm house. Her first year in her new home
she frankly confessed, had almost driven
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05

LUNCHEON.
Minced mutton upon toast Ia left overl.
Stuffed potatoes.
Cream cheese and pimento sandwiches.
Lettuce salad.
Crackers Iheatedl.
Cookies and narmalade-
Tea.
DINNER.
Tomato cream soup.
Pot roast of beef.
Sweet potatoes.
Boiled onions.
Orange and cocoanut delight.
Sponge cake.
Black coffee.
4. -
WEDNESDAY.
BREAKFAST
Grapes.
Cereal and cream.
Cheese omelet.
Southern batter bread.
Toast.
Coffee and tea
LUNCHEON.
Oysters. creamed and baked.
Chopped sweet potatoes Ia left overl.
Crackers heated with American cheese
and served hot.
Thin bread and butter.
Ginger snaps and tea.
DINNER.
Tomato and pea soup lpartly a left overl.
Cold pot roast Ia left overl
with horseradish sauce.
Drowned potatoes.
Onion soufie Ia left overl.
Indian meal pudding with hard sauce.
Black coffee.
X *
THURSDAY.
BREAKFAST
Grapefruit.
Cereal and cream.
Bacon and fried green peppers. ISee recipe.l
Quick biscuits.
Toast.
Tea and coffee.
LUNCHEON.
Hash of beef and potato Ia left overl.
Breakfast biscuits warmed over.
Ronaine salad
Crackers and cheese.
Remains of Indian meal pudding.
Cocoa.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05

raisins be halved and seeded. then dredged
with flour?
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05

SUNDAY.
BREAKFAST.
Grapes
Cereal and cream.
Fish cakes
Popovers.
Toast.
Tea and coffee
LUNCHEON
Pork and beans tbakedl.
Boston brown bread
Apple and celery salad
Crackers and cheese
Chocolate eclairs and tea.
DINNER.
Muligatawney soup.
Stewed shoulder of mutton a la venison.
Stuffed eggplant. [see recipe.l
Green peas rcannedl.
Green tomato mincemeat pie.
Swiss cheese.
Black coffee.
* >:
MONDAY.
BREAKFAST
Oranges
Cereal and cream.
Remains of yesterdays baked pork and beans.
Whole wheat bread.
Toast.
Coffee and tea
LUNCHEON.
Baked sardines with tomato sauce.
Stewed potatoes.
Brown bread. sliced, heated, and buttered
Ia left overl
Old fashioned bread pudding.
Tea.
DINNER.
Yesterdays soup.
Cold shoulder of mutton Ia left overl.
ScalIoped eggplant ia left overl.
Green pea pancakes Ia left overl.
Apple meringue pudding.
Black coffee.
- +
TUESDAY.
BREAKFAST
Oranges.
Cereal and cream.
Bacon
Boiled eggs.
French rolls.
Toast
Tea and coffee.