Grandmother's Kitchen

Much as inventioD and progresa in manufactures have done for man, it is probable that they have done still more for woman within the last fifty years. Although the inventions for the household and for woman have not been great ones, except the sewing machine, and therefore are not comparable to the telegraph, telephone, thrashing and mowing machines, phonograph, typewriter, electric lights, and other wonderful inventions that have revolutionized modern life and business for man; yet the host of comparatively lesser inventions and improvements in woman's household realm have really ameliorated her life and elevated the condition of society more than the grander achievements of science. It was only about fifty years ago that the blessed genius of invention flratturned its serious attention toimproving woman's utensils and inventing new comforts and labor saving devices for household use. But in that period what an enormous adVancel The invention of the sewing machine was one of the early great advances that has caused an immense progress in elevating woman from the position of an overworked household drudge; but the lesser inventions have done still more. ASK TOUR GRANDMOTHER to describe minutely her kitchen and her household furnishings of sixty years ago. Possibly you remember how grandma's pies, or cookies, or doughnuts were the delights of your childhood. But now, taking a calm business view of it, with your wife's assistauce, you will be astonished to think how grandma managed to keep house at all, much more to cook anything beyond the barest necessities, with her meagerly furnished kitchen, pantry and house. Your grandmother had no stove, nor any of the convenient pans, pots, kettles, and other furnishings that go with a tove. Just think of that as a starter- cooking and keeping house without any stove! Your grandmother had no roller process nor any other process fine flour. The poorest and coarsest grade of flour you can possibly find anywhere now is better than the best flour your grandmother had. Your grandmother had no good sugar. She used a quality like our cheapest brown sugar - such as your wife probably never uses, and wouldn't have in the house. Sometimos, "forcompany," grandma brought out "loaf sugar," white but "harder'n a rock," and HA VINO TO BE BROKEN UP WITH A HAMMES before it could be used even in chunks for tea or eoffee. And a large part of your grandmother's "sweet'nin"' in cooking was doue with black Orleans molasses. But we can best teil what your grandmother didn't have by hearing what she did have. Your grandmother's kitchen was furnished with a big brick or stone fire-place, where she burned cordwood three to six feet long. She had a fryingpan with a handle flve feet long; a skillet with a similar long handle; two or three pots to hang over the fire on hooks hung on the iron crane in the chimney; an iron tea-kettle with legs, to either hang on the crane or set on the coals; a big iron bakekettle with a thick iron cover like a Baucer- (it was set amid the coals to bake, and coals were also piled upon the saucer shaped cover); and a tin bake oven, fixed to sit on its long legs over coals, with a ■loping roof that reflected the heat from the fire down on top of the bread orbiscuit baking. TOUR GIÍANPMOTHEH HAD NO WASHBOILER. She boiled her clothes in a big iron or brass kettle hung over the fire. She had no soap except she made it herself, either for washing or toilet. She couldn't send to the grocer, as you do, and take her choice of a dozen different kinds of soap. Your grandmother not only did all the family sewing and knitting by hand (sewlng and knitting machines were then uudreamed of), but she actually had to make the cloth of wool and linen, and her yarns, with her own loom and spining-wheel,' and dye them, and cut and make underwear for the whole family, both male and female. The furuiture in your grandmother's house was scanty, though the best might be solid mahogany. She had no piano. Your grandmother had not more than one carpet, unless it was home-made; so she had no use for a carpet sweeper, had there been any such thing in her days. So barren, so hard, so poverty-stricken, we ehould consider the conditions of her life. But grandmother got on pretty happily, after all, and managed to train up BRAVE SONS AND CHASTE DAUOHTEB8. Both were bred to live useful and indus trlous lives. If the wivea and daughters, as well as the fatheis and sons of the present day, want to appreciate the comforts and luxuries of modern homes, let them, bearing in mind the scantiness that grandmother endured, visit the Detroit International Fair and Exposition, Aug. 20 to Sept. 5, inclushe, and see the rich and immense coilection ot goods, wares, inv iitions tools, utensiU, machines, and the thousand useful, elegant, and toil-saving artiulesfor the family and household thut will there beexhibited, all of the latest styles and best makers. From the richest jewels embroidery, laces, furs, and the latest styles oí bonnets, hats, robes, silks, velvets and all dresa goods for both men and women, to all the finest furniture and furnishing of a modern home- all the latest and handsomest stoves for heating and cooking, from the elegant and artistic art tile stove through all grades to the latest and best nickel-plated kitchen range; from all machines and inventions, through the finest sewing and knitting machines, meat choppers, cherry-stoners, fruit-jarers, raisin seeders, down to the ■mallest of the thousand ingeniousdevices and inventions; all the most elegant and artistic potter and glassware; all the richest silver and gold plate; mantels, hearths, beautiful carpets, and all sorts of floor coverings; curtains and draperiespianos and all musical goods; ALL THE SUISSTANTIALS AND ALL THK LUXURIES that render home pleasant, elegant or comfortable. and that have so elevated and soitened the condition of wives and mothers by lightening and lessening their formerly incessant toil- all that delight the eye, please or cultívate the taste, and fit the length of every family purse from the poorest to the richest, will beexhibited in abundance at this great exposition. Meanwhile all machines and inventions for the farm and the shop, to lighten the toil and increase the profit of the labor of men will Iso le on exhibition, mingled with the ilfliijlits of grand concerts, beautiful and thrilling pectacles, processions, displ'iys, raceg, games, balloon ascensions, regattas, immeuse animal and stock shows, and a ten days' round full of proflt, education and pleasure.