.‘ 35"“ ‘ ‘

 

 

_ mentioned as being a fine scholar and a

 

 

 

 

DETROIT, JANUARY 9, 1888.

 

THE H\OUSEHOLD---Supplement.

 

 

0ROWN UP LAND.

 

Hood morrow, fair maiden with lashes brown.
Can you tell me the way to Womanhood 'l‘owu?

Oh, this way and that way—never stop!

Tis pickir g up stitches that grandma will drop,
'l‘is kissing the babies‘ troubles away,

‘Tis learning that cross words will never pay.
'l‘is helping mother, ‘tis sewing up rents,

Ti! reading and playing. ‘tis saving the cents.
'Tis loving and smiling. forgetting to frown.

Oh that is the way to Womanhood Town!

Just wait, my brave lad—~tme moment I pray.
Manhood Town lie.» where-wan you tell me the
way?

Oh, by toiling and trying, we reach the land—
A bit with the head. a bit with the hand——

"Pie by climbing up the steep hill Work.

‘Tis by keeping out of the wide street Shirk.
"Pie by always taking the weak one‘s part,

‘Tis by giving mother a happy heart,

‘Tis by keeping bad thoughts and actions down.
Oh that is the way to Manhood l‘own!

And the lad and the maid ran hand in hand
To their fair estates in the Grown up Land.

———-—.O.——_

DISORDERLY SCHOOLS.

 

In a recent issue of a paper published in
one of the oldest and wealthiest counties
in the State, it is announced that a cer-
tain district school has been broken up,
owing to the misconduct of the pupils.
Two years ago three teachers were em-
ployed during the winter time; last winter
the instructor was chosen more for his
muscle than any other qualification, and
got through the term only because his
pupils realized the fact that he had the
strength to quell insubordination by brute
force; and this season the teacher, aftera
turbulent session of five weeks, threw up
the thankless task, and left, though he is

gentlemanly young man,——too gentlemanly,
evidently, for the missionary work he had
attempted.

But pray, where were the school ofiicers
during these three years- of strife and
trouble? The conflict seems to have been
between teachers and pupils; at least the
board is not reported as having had any-
thing to say or do during the dissensions.
l’rabably, as is usual in such cases, the
school officers stood by to see the fight,
saying in effect “ Let the best dog whip!”
preserving an amiable neutrality, but ready
to congratulate the teacher if he was able to
win the unequal battle. The result of their
“ masterly inactivity ” is that the school is
broken up at the beginning of the term, the
children who were willing, perhaps anxious,

and unless their parents are able to afford
the expense of sending them elsewhere,
must spend an idle winter, forgetting what
they have already acquired, and this at an
age when every day’s instruction ought to
be treasured. Moreover, the influence 0f
the unchecked insubordination in the
school will be felt ii. the discipline of every
ho.ne; children hitherto obedient and well-
mannered will be found growing impatient
of control and. pcrtin speech and action;
this is a natural and inevitable result of the
example set in the school. The lubberly
hobbledehoys who have made the distur—
bance are encouraged in their resistance to
law and order; theirs is the “dog in the
manger” part; they will neither learn
anything themselves, nor allow anyone
else to be instructed. It is mere wanton
mischief and “ cussedness ” on their part,
because they do not realize the worth of
What they are depriving themselves and
others. The school gets a reputation which
makes it avoided by all good teachers who
have a pride or interest in their work; and
the neighborhood itself suflers in the
opinion of adjoining communities, because
among civilized people a lot of half-grown
boys, not yet too old to be under the
school-master’s birch, are not allowed to
wantonly destroy and make valueless an
institution governed by State laws and
aided by State funds.

The district school is supported by a
tax levied by State authority; it is the hum-
blest child of our educational system, but to
country people at large it is one of the most
important. The children of poor parents
often find in it their only educational ad—
vantages: the better the country school, the
more general the spread of education. In
the school officers are vested the authority
and responsibility of its management. It
is their business to see that the teacher is
competent, but their duty does not end
there. It is not enough to put him in the
school house and say “ Now teach!” It is
their business to uphold his authority in
the maintenance of proper discipline. If
pupils know the school board dare not or
will not interfere in the support of good
order, and second -the teacher’s rightful
authority, the fact is in itself an incentive
to those pranks which are characteristic of
the calf-hood of a certain class of country
b0ys~pranks which it is to be hoped they
will have the grace to remember with shame
when they are a few years older. The
weakness and vacillation of the officers rob
the teacher of part at least of his dignity as
ruler, just as in the family, which the

 

to learn are debarred from the privilege;

  

father neutralizes the influence and dis-
cipline of a. wise mother.

It is only in “Wayback” that a teacher
is expected to be a prize-fighter. Else-
where, he is recognized as one whose call-
ing is high ani noble. whose work is for
the everlasting welfare of the community,
and whose hands should be upheld by both
parents and school ofiicers. How idiotic
it is to hire a teacher to instruct our child‘
ren and then set to work to destroy his
power to do so by encouraging them in
their willfulness and foolish neglect of
privileges which can never be theirs again!
A farmer who would hire a man to build
fence and pull it down as fast as it was
built would be thought fit for a lunatic
asylum; we do a much more wicked and un-
wise thing when we turn over the educa-
tion of our children to the school teacher,
and then let a few disorderly boys, having
neither manners nor manliness, boast they
“turned the teacher out.”

What is the duty of the school board?
There is only one answer. The school is
for those who are willing to be instructed.
Let all others stay away. Make them
stay away if they will not behave them—
selves. This is simple justice to the other
pupils, to the parents who support the
school, LO the neighborhood and to the
teacher. Looked at in that light, the solu—
tion is easy. The school is a benefit, those
who will not allow themselves to be benefit—
ed can be more profitably employed chop<
ping wood or herding swine.

BEA'l‘RiX.
-———-90

CHILDREN AGAIN.

 

With a Solomon’s wisdom, some one has
said; “Give me the first ten years of a
child’s life, ard you may have him all the
rest of his years.” The liomzn Catholic
church, recognizing these early years as the
proper seed-time, seeks to instil into the
minds of her children the doctrines of the
church, and has fully demonstrated the
value of early training.

During these early years, by the frequent
repetition of certain actions, habits are
formed that become apart of us and more
strongly influence us than do inherent
virtues or vices. They express and con—
stitute character.

A boy’s character at ten years of age is
more or less formed; if honest, with a strong
sense of justice, of right and of truth, such
will be his manhood; if dishonest, with lit-
tle or no regard for truth and right, look for
a man such as the boy is, unless by grace
he receives a new heart, and then he will

 

school resembles, an undecided, weak

have a life long battle with bad habits.


 

2 THE HOUSEHOLD.

 

 

How early in life does a child commence
to learn? Undoubtedly as soon as any
object or act attracts and holds its atten—
tion. The first three years of its life it
learns more than in any other three years.
With the car it learns to distinguish sounds,
with the eye to measure distance; it learns
to talk and walk; it learns that objects are
hard or soft, have form and color; in fact
nearly if not all of its knowledge of the
material world is acquired during this
period.

I never did but two things that I con‘
sidered at all remarkable; one, the mastery
of the A B C's, I have mentioned once be-
fore, the other was this: At one time in
my life I found myself among foreigners,
without any knowledge whatever of their
language, nor could they understand any-
thing I said. It was ludicrous the way
they would interpret everything I said or
did to mean 1 was hungry; equally unin-
telligible to me was their jargon, and yet in
six months from the time I commenced to
use their language I could intelligibly ex-
press my every thought. At least this is
what is told me, for it was so long ago I
cannot remember. Just think of it! in six
months time to master for all practical pur-
poses the English language! Whv not
learn to speak more than one language in
childhood? I believe that those studies not
requiring the use of the reasoning faculty
ought to be pursued in childhood. It is
pre—eminently the time for memorizing, the
time to store away facts and dates of his-
tory, gems of poetry, loving words of
promises from God’s word, that may in
some dark hour return, bringing light and
hope.

Another thing in regard to children I
want to have my say about is the possibility
of teaching them presence of mind. Not
long since I received a visit from a friend.
Her little boy was just commencing to walk
and, as quite often happens, he one day
met with a fall. I looked for a scream from
the child, a frightened look and words of
pity from the mother, but saw nothing of
the kind; the child good—naturedly tried to
right himself, the mother quietly but quickly
went to the child, satisfied herself he was
not hurt, gave him some playthings and re-
turned to her work. For the sake of the
child she had learned self-control. Unless
you yourself manifest excitement and alarm
when a child cuts itself, nine times out of
ten the child will make no more ado than
did the little girl, who, cutting her finger,
looked at it with astonishment, and then
going to her mother said, “ See, the juice is
coming out!” Teach the child to hold or
press the cut together until it can be bound,
sustead of running, or shaking the cut hand
.or finger.

Children should learn what to do for
themselves or others in case they are
,bumed, that the main thing is in some way
:to exclude air from the portion burned.

The only difficulty in teaching these
things is to so impress them upon the mind
that they will be remembered in the hour of
need. One way to do this is frequent con-
versation upon these subjects. Simply tell-
ing children what to do under certain cir-
cumstances. to lay down rules to be follow-
ed, will not answer. An assertion usually

commands but little thought; our minds
quickly assent or dissent to it, whilea ques-
tion arouses the mind into activity, and
throws upon us the responsibility of an
answer; and so I would pursue the question-
ing method. After talking with the chil-
dren about fire needing air to make it burn,
why we blow it to help it burn, and then
how to extinguish it by smothering it, and
that to run when the clothing is afire will
make it burn faster, turn to Harry and ask
him what he wo uld doif Bessie’s dress were
ablaze. If he has been attentive he will
answer, smother it. Yes, but how? what
with? Here is a dilemma; now he must
think. He looks around, sees his overcoat,
and thinks he could use that or a quilt from
the bed. “Bessie, what would you do if
in the field alone and your dress caught fire
from a burning brush heap?” She knows
a quilt is not at hand and so says, “I would
run to the house,” but you remind her that
running is very bad for the burning dress,
and then tell them you would try lying
down and rolling over and over. This may
sprovoke a hearty laugh as they think of you
rolling around, but never mind, the laugh
will help to recall what is to be done if
needed. I knew one young girl who often
talked with her mother what she would try
to save from the house lf it should burn.
It burned, and she saved those very things
and kept cool and self-possessed through it.
That is all there is of presence of mind—to
keep possessed of self. What some possess

by nature others can acquire if properly
trained. JANNETTE.
—-——.oo—-————

A HENPECKED HUSBAND’S WAIL

 

I read the HOUSEHOLD with pleasure,
and I trust with profit. 1 have noticed that
quite a large percentage of articles con-
tained in it have a bearing, more or less
direct, on the “Woman Question.” 1 con-
cede this to be an important topic, and one
that should receive careful consideration
and all the illumination that could be given
it, by the pens of the very able and gifted
correspondents of the HOUSEHOLD; but
while this is true, is it not also true that
the “Man Question” viewed from a man’s
standpoint, may with propriety be introduc-
ed into the columns of the HOUSEHOLD?

Assuming that you have given permis—
sion, let me say a few words in behalf of
myself and my fellow husbands, who are
too dejected, or too much under the thumbs
of their wives,to speak for’themselves. The
sorrows that “we poor husbands” endure
will perhaps never be known, unless I or
some other kind soul, speak right out and
tell our griefs. To begin with. many of us
poor husbands are obliged to leave our warm
beds in the morning and build the fire, and
this too right in mid winter, when it is so
cold!

Now at our house the bed has two front
side to it, and why can’t my wife just
slip out quietly, without disturbing me, and
build the fires—get the breakfast—not for-
getting to put my clothes where they will
get nicely warmed, and then when break-
fast is ready, with gentle tone and smil-
ing face, call me? Again, when, I have cut
the wood, my wife is not willing even to

 

split it, and certainly cutting it is more

than half. the work. And then again when
I come home from the village, and perhaps
want a drink of water (I don’t drink wa-
ter at the village),my wife, who has been in
the house and kept warm all day,objects to
going after apail of water, and she don’t
have to go over a third of a mile to our
neighbor’s after it. (Our well has something
in it and we don’t use the water.) ‘

Then l’m expected to milk the cows every
now and then. I tell my wife that a man
is not calculated for that business, he’d
better be talking politics and looking after
the welfare of our country at the village
store.

Many of us try to assuage our griefs and
solace ourselves with pipe and tobacco.
but even this comfort our wives would like
to take from us, and thus make our lives
more sad and sorrowful.

And now can you suggest any remedy
for our grievances? If you can please do
so, and come with the remedy quickly:
don’t wait till spring.

HENI’ECKED THEOPALL‘s.

Essex. '

__...___

LETTERS AND LIFE.

 

I have a letter before me,—-a letter from
a stranger; that is, I have not seen the wri—
ter, yet he tells me something of his life
experience, from which I gather his influ-
ence upon the world around him, and feel
the plane of life upon which he acts and
thinks. A sincere and truthful chapter
from any life always makes me think, and
perhaps all my thought is not idle dreaming.

Reader, have you missed the pleasure and
profit of correspondence with men and wo-
men who are thinkers, workers, individuals
each active in his own peculiar sphere? It"

so, you have failed to gain much life of- '

fers. Letter-writing is the test of intellect-
ual abilities, of refinement, and of high a0“
complishment. It blends all the ripened
and fine qualities of the mind into expres-
sion.

The subtle influence of a letter! It is a
silent message, but it brings the mental at-
mosphere of the writer about us. and we
gather as much by reading between the
lines as on the lines. Can we be deceived?
Perhaps, yet I believe it to be true that by
cultivating high and true susceptibility of
spirit, we can feel and define the mental
and spiritual influences touching our being
as clearly and truthfully as we perceive
odors through the sense of smell.

Human life is old; the story of its toils
and pains and joys is old, but old themes
and familiar topics renew their interest
when newly presented. Many are the meet-
ings and partings of our little crafts upon
the tide of human life, but few of them all
are treasured in our hearts. Friends are as
likely to come to us from afar as to be
found touching our daily lives. We need
new influences to set our life currents in
motion, and through the experience of one
life, our thought widens into circles touch-
ing the great circumference of human being.
There is deep teaching in the comparison
of other lives with our own. Whether we
study nature or interrogate life, are we not
taught that everything is the result of the

 

causes producing it, and is, in its develop-

 

 

< ”MW?" :“

 

a. “immeasumw't-eW:

v :afifimflemiwamwa...” - ~ .. u.»

a
a

-,;y»-.«.xiijas.«.~, .5; We


   

 

 

* “lazfiimié’mfisdéemwaimmw . ., .

 

e
s

3
z
t

  

THE HOUSEHOLD.

    

 

ment, true to these causes. The great les-
son of charity shines through all right in-
vestigation. A partial study of human ex-
perience convinces us there is a reason for
the vast variety of tastes, actions and
aspirations.

Some writer has defined life to be the
correspondence between the soul and its
environments, and death as want of this
correspondence, or irresponsiveness. By
environment, is meant all that is felt or
apprehended by physical, mental and spir-
itualconsciousness,—in brief, all that is.
From this point of view, some things, some
persons, are more alive than others. The
tree is in correspondence with a small
part of its environment. It takes in the
rain and the sunshine, it utilizes the soil,
but it knows nothing of the tender mater-
nity or the sweet songs of the birds nestling
in its branches. As we enter the higher
kingdom of life we find more perfect being,
because of a wider correspondence and re-
sponsiveness to the environments of life.
Yet there are human ‘lives so dead to the
better influences, they may be said to live
only in the cellar of existence. Some climb
up to the intellectual plane and seek there,
through ambition, to satisfy their entire
nature, but few win the crown of life and
rise to the heights of spiritual culture.

All that is, is the heritage of the soul.
Are we unhappy? Life has but to seek
a wider correspondence with its environ-
ment. The eternal verities touch us on
every hand. We have but to search in the
rich domain of our possessions to supply
all our need. I am impatient of hearing
the “one world at a time,” philosophy.
There is but one world. Life is eternal
being, and the soul constitutes its own
world. The question is, will we make life
whole-souled, full-orbed,or not? Will we
be content to conquer only on material
ground, or will we grasp entities of being,
and through the correspondence with Di-
vine Life feel our life widen until it touch
all the universe and gather from all sources,
until the spririt compass all knowledge and
reveal all truth?

LESLIE. S. M. G.

——.-...—

ONE CHRISTMAS DAY.

Nature never turned out of her laboratory
a finer Christmas day than this one of 1887,
the hours of which are now rapidly closing.
I was awakened at 4 A. M. by the terms of
a church bell which seemed saying as it
rang, “ Christ-mas! be-glad!” As the morn-
ing advanced the bracing but not too cold
atmosphere through which floated an in-
tangible veil of daintiest frost work, most
grateful to the eye, became as enchanting
to the car as it already was to the other
physical senses, for it was all astir and
a quiver with the glad sound of church bells,
calling in sweetest tones to the inhabitants
of this fair city to “ Come and hear the
story of the Child!” and well it ”was told, I
wit, in each crowded edifice. It was my
fortune to hear it told in two of them. In
one where wealth and culture, ease and
elegance Speak continually to every exter-
nal sense; while the ripened fruitage of
broad and deep scholarship and the elo-
quence of flawless music and melodies in-

 

  

struct, uplift and inspire the mind and
spirit. Eloquently, forcibly was “the
story ” told there, . and many a heart recog-
nized itself in the picture of the palace or
the inn where there was “ no room for the
holy mother and the heavenly Child.”
And from this day some men and some
women will live saintlier lives for having
thus felt the personal allegorical application
of the story which, although it has been
told for nearly 1900 years. is ever new.

From here I went to aplain little church
to see how simple folk might tell the story
and worship at the shrine of purity and
peace. The church was filled with the
dusky descendants of Ham, neatly and
comfortably dressed, and wearing a general
air of prosperity. Two “leaders” were
passing through the congregation inviting
each person to speak. This kept two en-
thusiastic exponents of an intensely emo-
tionai faith and hope telling of present joys
and future bliss at the same time, which in
connection with frequent piercing screams
or stentorian shouts of some brother or

sister whose appreciation of the day and 0

the doings could find no other mode of ex-
pression. made it no small task to keep
track of the testimonies. I concluded
that the spirit of the Pharisee was not
there. They surely must speak for God,
since they are evidently destitute of
thought or care to be heard of men, so as
at least to be intelligible to them. Their
singing was often weird, but although they
might sing one simple line over 999 times
it never grew wearisome in its monotony.
This fact is quite unaccountable to me. For
instance, it was ordered that they sing an old
plantation hymn, while they passed around
the room in an order that would insure the
hand shaking of every person present by
every other person present. This was done
in a most orderly but enthusiastic manner,
done as a Christmas memorial of this es-
peci 1 day, occupying fifteen or twenty
minutes of time, during which they sang
over and over and over' again these
words:

"I heard my'mother say give me Jesu~ in the

UlOI'lllllg,

(iive me Jesus, give me Jesus,

Give me Jesus, give me Jews.

And you may have all beside."

To me there was something strangely
solemn in this unfamiliar scene, as my
mind went back over the history of the race,
and from that over the history of Israel,
then out over the world of today, till with
the horoscope of history in one hand and
the kaliedoscope of present times in the
other, I found myself vainly figuring on the
possible place that this people will event-
ually hold in the world’s history. They
sang at last a queer doxology and pro-
nounced a novel benediction, and no doubt
all went home to partake of savory Christ-
mas cheer. But I and my companions
went to the house of a friend where we
were invited guests. and finished out the
day in feasting and good company. At
evening I came home, where there is always
quiet and rest for wearied nature, thankful
that I had lived through the scenes of one
more day which is destined in time to be-
come the whole world’s happiest, holiest
holiday. E. L.. NYE.

FLINT.

    

 

 

 

HOME TALKS.

N0. XIII.

 

' Next Sunday the minister and his wife
and Harry will be here to dinner, and we
will plan the dinner so it can be gotten
without much work. Saturday you will
bake fresh bread and rusks and a loaf of
lady cake, a dish of charlotte russe, after the
directions I have just given you, and black-
berries. We will stew a piece of beef and
make the gravy, so all that will be necessary
on Sunday will be to put the meat in the
steamer and heat it and warm the gravy.
Make a double quantity of succotash, as that
is easily warmed, and is as good as when
first made too. Cook enough beets for din-
ner both days, season them with butter and
pepper, next day serve with sugar and vine-
gar cold; that only leaves sweet potatoes to
bake and coffee to make. After dinner we
will have melons. I do not think they are
quite as nice as usual, for the weather is too
dry. There are no field blackberries I be-
lieve, on account of the drouth, but our
Lawtons will supply enough for the table
and our jam will be what is in the cans
down cellar.

Pears and crab-apples will be ready for
use soon; we will can, preserve and pickle
of both; there is nothing better than crab-
apple jelly for meats, unless it is cranber—
ries with poultry.

For dinner to—day we have roast mutton,
sweet and Irish potatoes, boiled corn,
boiled onions, Estelle pudding and melons.
This seems to be a loin for roasting; weighs
nine pounds, twenty minutes to the pound,
would require it to be put in the oven at
nine or thereabouts. Mutton never ought to
be underdone; there is adecided difference
in underdone and rare meat; in the former
the red juice will follow the knife blade, if
rare it is more purple. Meat can be done
and be juicy; it need not be dried to a
chip and perfectly tasteless. In roasting
meat frequent basting helps to make it
juicy, and also a steady fire and steady
heat. Where skill in cooking is shown is in
these minor details, a well cooked meal is
never placed on the table unless a well
trained eye has seen to these thingszthere
can be no chance about a well cooked
meal. Mutton chops are cut along the line
of the back bone and behind the fore
shoulder, can be fried or broiled. If fried,
salt and pepper and lay in the frying pan
and add a little water, cover closely and
let cook until the water is all used up, then
dip in beaten egg, roll in crumbs and fry
a nice brown. Green peas are usually
served with mutton. The ham is good
boiled as you stew beef, and then sliced
cold. Some salt it for a few days like
ham.

Estelle pudding requires three eggs,
three tablespoonfuls sugar, two of butter,
three-fourths teacupful sweet milk, one of
raisins or currants, one tablespoonful of
baking powder, flour to make consistency
of cake dough; steam thirty-five minutes, eat
with sweetened cream, flavored.

You have not tried your hand at soup
yet. As I have said before it is not
found often enough on our tables. Soup is
very nutritious, and it does not require any


 

4

THE HOUSEHOLD.

 

 

great amount of meat to make the stock,
only one pound to a quart of water. A beef
bone is the best; the leg pieces of all meats
are composed largely of gelatine which
forms an important element in soup, for if
there be no bone or gristle about the meat
the soup will not jelly; it will partake of
the nature of beef tea. Have the bones
thoroughly cracked—you can add the rem-
nants of meats, roasts, trimmings of steak,
etc—plunge the beef bone into cold water
and do not salt it. At first, skim it and
keep it boiling steadily. If boiled too
violently the stock will be cloudy and
dark. It is a good idea to cook it the day
before it is wanted. When the meat falls
from the bone take it out and strain the
stock into an earthen dish or crock and set
away to cool. All the superfluous fat will
rise to the top and can be removed, as soup
should never be greasy. There is nothing
against which the stomach will rebel as
quickly as a hot, greasy soup. A large
beef bone weighing say nine or ten pounds,
should make six or seven quarts oforich
stock. If vermicelli or macaroni is used
break in small pieces and soak awhile.
Potatoes and turnip carrot should be grated
raw and cooked by themselves and then
added to the stock. I seldom use onions
in a soup, as I do not like them, and there
may be others to whom they may be dis-
tasteful. A soup-maker must needs have a
good taste; the seasoning: instead of being
lavish or profuse, must be delicate, one
flavor merge into another so as to be hardly
distinguishable. A bit of curry powder
gives a greenish color; a slice of lemon for
each bowl adds a piquant flavor. Soup
should be thin, the starch from the potato
and the vermicelli or macaroni will be suf-
ficient.

Soups can be varied; many kinds can
be made from plain stock by using pearl
barley, sage, rice. To make a brown soup
a caramel can be made from sugar melted
in a basin and allowed to nearly scorch,
then add the water and bottle for use; or
some roast beef gravy will add to the rich-
ness and color. For those who like, mutton-
broth made from the meat is considered
very healthy in hot weather. Many make it
every week for small children; it is so good
for the bowels. The demand for mutton has
increased three-fold within the last three
years. The next time you boil a leg of
mutton use the broth for a soup. The meat
can be browned in the frying pan, in hot
butter; turn the browned butter into the
soup and strain; add a little potato, an
onion cut fine, and half a cup of pearl‘
barley; this will need a trifle of thickening.
Some cooks add tomatoes. The plain
broth is very healthy for little children,
with crackers crumbed fine. Mutton ham
is excellent, cut in slices like round steak,
fried or broiled. While the beauty of any
breakfast or dinner is in being put on the
table hot, it is highly necessary for mutton
to be served piping hot. Anything but
mutton coming to the table with the tallow
all hardened about the platter. All meat
should be thoroughly cooked and served
hot. I remember well a little circumstance
that occurred once ata hotel where I was
at dinner; a gentleman opposite me ordered

 

a slice of roast beef—rare; when the waiter

brought it, it positively seemed to be
swimming in blood. “Take that meat
away,” he ordered in a loud tone. “But
sir,” the waiter expostulated, “you said
rare.” “Yes, I do want it rare.” he re-
plied, “butI do not want it brought on to
the table bellowing.”

Veal is one of our best meats in any
form it may be cooked. The ham, sliced
thin, and cooked in hot butter until nearly
done, then dipped in a batter and browned,
is very delicious. To make the batter beat
two eggs light in a cup and fill the cup with
rich sweet milk, a scant teaspoonful of
baking powder, salt, and flour for a thin
batter. Veal pot-pie makes a good change
for dinner; the knuckle or upper joint of
the hind quarter furnishes a good piece of
meat for pot-pie. After the meat is nearly
tender enough take it up and strain the
soup back in the kettle; return the meat
and add butter, salt and pepper and what
pared potatoes—of an even size-you re-
quire. Make the crust as I have directed
you—mixing soft as you can handle nicely
—and cut in round pieces or strips. For
dinner at twelve put in the potatoes at half
past eleven, the crust lay over the top,
having rolled them in flour, this makes a
thickening for the gravy; ten minutes after,
new cover the kettle and do not lift the
cover until you are ready to dish it. Care
should be exercised that all the crust is
above the soup. It is cooked. rather by
steam than in the soup. that which is under
is invariably heavy. Here again observe
gentle boiling. Veal soup is made from a
joint well cracked, in four quarts of water;
use macaroni for this, with salt and pepper;
some add celery. Bean soup is a'dish not
to be despised; in cooking beans to bake,
considerable soup can be made on then;
turn off all that is not required to moisten
them, and take say a pint of beans, rub
them through the colander, add to the soup
and if too thick add more water, season
with butter, salt and pepper, and serve hot
with crackers. How fond my father was
of bean soup! I suppose the beauty of the
Boston baked beans lies in their being
baked in brick ovens; they are cooked on
Saturday and left in the oven all night,
and are browned all through the great pan
alike, and not dried up at all, but moist.
1 have heard old' soldiers tell about baking
beans in the army; after cooking them in the
kettle, they dug a hole and put in hot ashes
and coals, then sunk the kettle and cov—
ered it close, put on ashes and coals, and
when they became cold took out the kettle
and the beans were all browned through.
The war made lots of handy husbands I
tell you; they can get up and prepare a
passably good breakfast if necessary. Now,
there’s your father, Hetty; he cannot cook
the first thing but bless me, he seems to
possess the happy faculty of discriminating
between a good meal and a poor one; he
positively enjoys a good square meal, un-
less he’s suffering the pangs of dyspepsia,
which he ascribes to hot coffee and rich
fried cakes, but I attribute it to that alter
dinner cigar. If a man is ever in a quies-
cent frame of mind, it is when his stomach
is filledto its utmost capacity, and he sits
out on the porch with his. heels at right
angles with the top of his head, and a wreath

 

of smoke circling around and over him; if
he is ever approachable and pliable it is then.
If one happens to want an extra ten, then
is the timeto go for it. But I would not
raise insurrection in the house of Belmont
by advising you to try it. It is the wiser
plan to keep your bills from accumulating
on your hands. Pay as you go is the better
way in everything, then you are not obliged
to lie awake nights concocting “ ways and
means” to get out whole.
BATTLE CREEK. EVANGELINE
._....__...__.._.

AFTER-THOUGHTS.

 

Although the holidays are over, some sug-
gestions may be useful, if not now, at least
next year, when it is again time to wonder
what we shall make for Christmas.

One of the prettiest novelties of the sea-
son is a “mystic album,” very simple and
inexpensive, and yet a gift which anyone
would value. aTake a square piece of plush,
stiffen with crinoline, and line with silk or
satin of a pretty contrasting color; turn in
two opposite corners, and fold in the shape
of a three-cornered book. With narrow
ribbon, fasten in as many sheets of French
letter paper as is desired, in clusters of
three sheets. Then let the friends of the
person for whom the book is designed fill
the different sheets with Christmas verses,
or anything which has point. Each one
must fold the leaf on which he has written
in the shape of the cover, concealing the
writing, and write his name and the words
“To be opened December twenty-fifth,”and
fasten with a tiny seal.

Another pretty gift {is made by taking
water-color paper, and folding it so as to
make book-covers the size and shape of a
sheet of ordinary note-paper. Paint on one
cover a pretty landscape, and the words “A
wilderness of sweets.” Write out on note-
paper as many good recipes for candy as
you can collect, and fasten the sheets in-
side the cover with narrow ribbon.

“Love-bags” have quite taken the place
of the large sachet-bag. The prettiest clus—
ter that I have seen consists of twenty-four
little bags with no two of the same shade
tied with No. 1 picot-edged ribbon of dif:
ferent lengths. Etch bag is made of a
eighth of a yard of ribbon, and must be tied
with ribbon of a contrasting shade.

Anything which is a bag and has a bow
of ribbon on it, is a fashionable present
this year. Thimble bags are pretty and
easy to make. Split an English walnut,
gild the halves, and fasten them on the
sides of a little surah bag with ribbon, leav-
ing a loop to hang it up by. Put a big bow
on the bottom, and there you have a pretty
but very inconvenient place for your thim-
ble.

Pun'r Htruorx.
.__..._____’

)IllsaliAlili, of Leslie, in a private note
to the Eiitor says: "I think our oat meal
steamer of most service in the kitchen. Can
use it for so many other purposes; cook
rice, tapioca, sauce for pudding, as, &c.”
M. E. E, Howell, thinks most highly of
her lard press in the fruit season, finding it
an indispensable adjunct to marmalade, jel-

lies, fruit butters, and a “handy thing to

have round” at all times.