DETROIT, SEP'I'. B, 1888.

 

 

THE H OUSEH OLD-"Supplement.

 

4

 

“ TWO SINNhRS.”

 

There was a man, it was said one time,

Who went astray in his youthful prime.

Can the brain keep co ul and the heart keep quiet
When the blood is a river that’s running riot?
And the boys will be boys, the old folks say,
And the man's the better who's had his day.

The sinner reformed, and the preacher told

0f the prodigal son who came back to the fold,

And the Christian people threw open the door

With a warmer welcome than ever before.

Wealth and honor were his to comm :nd

And a spotless woman gave him her hand,

And the world strewed their pathway with
flowers asbloom,

Crying, "God bless lady and God bless groom I”

There was a maiden went astray,

In the golden t awn of life’s young day.

She had more passion and heart than head,
And she followed blindly where fond love led,
And love unchecked is a dangerous guide,

To wander at will by a fair girl’s side.

The woman repented and turned from her sin,

But no door opened to let her in;

The preacher prayed that she might be forgiven,

But told her to look for mercy in heaven.

For this is the law of the earth, 'WI know,

That the woman is scorned, while the man may
go.

A brave man wedded her, afte' all,

But the world as. d frowning. “We shall not call."

—1r‘lla Wheeler Wilcox.

—__..._.__———

AUTUMNAL STYLES.

 

Dresses for autumn and early winter
wear on the streets, according to the Bazar,
indicate a return to a style popular not long
since, though with certain modifications.
It is only three or four years ago we were
wearing skirts laid in kilts or box pleats in
front and sides, with short drapery above.
This model is reproduced in some of the
new dresses, except that the skirt is plain
instead of being pleated, and the drapery
arranged to appear like three downward-
turning folds taken in the upper portion of
the skirt. These fronts are made of striped
goods in combination with plain, which
,-_forms the full, straight, slightly draped
‘back and the jacket basque, worn over a
vest of the stripe which is sometimes ar-
ranged horizontally. It is the perfection of
the dressmaker’s art to get these plain
fronts to hang exactly right. The front
breadth is gored, wide at the top, and the
straight edges of the side gores joined to it.
The jacket basque meets across the bust
where it is fastened with a clasp or a large
button, rolls away like a man’s coat to dis-
close the vest, slopes away to just behind the
second dart of the vest, and is continued one-
eighth or three-sixteenths of a yard below
it. The waistcoat, or vest, is painted in
front, buttoned behind so that it is per-

 

fectly plain before. and the high standing
collar is of the 511119. Sleeves plain, and
easy fitting, with medium cuffs of the
striped goods.

Another pretty suit which follows later
models is of navy blue in combination with
a plaid of blue and gray. which is used
diagonally. This plaid forms one side and
part of the front of the dress, the plain being
used for the back and the. long front drapery.
which comes in folds from a point just in
front of the right under arm seam in the
basque, and reaches the foot of the skirt
at the left of the centre of the front. The
back is full and not draped except as it is
caught up in a loose fold or two on the left
side where it joins the front. Jacket
basque cut as above described, except that
it has revers of the plaid instead of the
rolling coat collar.

A more elaborate costume of green wool
goods has a skirt hanging in full straight
folds at the sides and back. In frontis a
drapery reaching to the foot of. the skirt:
drawn up on the side, to give fullness across
the front, and having a forward turning
revers, which looks as if the side edge of
the drapery had been folded forward, show-
ing a braided pattern. This revers would
be pretty of silk in the same or contrasting
color.» The basque is unusually long. and
has braided revers down the front. ending
a little below the waist line. Folds of silk
coming from each side and crossing on the
bust form a beautiful and stylish vest; the
sleeves have an elbow puff of silk.

Combinations of two kinds of wool stuffs
in the same dress will be as pOpular as ever.
A skirt bordered with stripes of two colors
has a polonaise of one color in plain goods.
These bordered lower skirts are laid in
broad box pleats in front and on the sides.
while the back is plain and full. Many
polonaises are to be worn; those most in
favor have diagonal fronts, a feature which
is very becoming to stout figures.

One of the newest autumn styles, easily
managed by the home dressmaker, has a
foundation skirt, with pleatings of silk
down the front and a pleating of the same
around the foot. The drapery is three
widths of cashmere shirred around the top,
andopening in front to show the pleated
silk front its entire length. Revers of silk
or cashmere may be turned back down each
side of the front. This drapery is caught
up carelessly in a deep fold on each hip, but
bangs straight in front and behind; the hem
is blindstitched or faced with silk. The
waist is a coat of the cashmere, coming
four or five inches below the waistline.
The front has revers of silk or cashmere

       

 

turned back to show a full puffed front of
cream or pale pink silk or China crape.
This is a new and very unique style.
Corsages are very much trimmed; it is rare
indeed to see a perfectly plain waist.

The new mantles for fall wear are of
heavy silk, of velvet. and fancy cloth. Both
short mantles and long cloaks will be worn,
and also the jackets which have been so
popular. Some of the new styles for long
cloaks are fearfully and wonderfully made;
it is impossible to describe them adequately,
and the home dressmaker may as well not
attempt them. Some have velvet yokes to ~
which the goods is set in great pleats that
keep their shape to the foot of the garment,
others have sleeves that extend to the bot~
tom of the garment. A pretty silk mantle was
of more than usual length, with a deep fall
of gathered lace around the bottom and the
sleeves, headed by cord passementerie
which extends up each side of the front.

Passementerie seems to have returned to
even more than its original favor this fall.
It is bJautiful, but oh so expensive! The
cashmere galloons—woven o f mixed metal
threads—are very showy trimmings and
used on black as well as colored dresses.
But they tarnish quickly except in the more
costly patterns, and are a poor investment.
Jet passementerie is much used; jet is now '
intermixed with the gimps and galloons-
In making selections. choose that with
small cut beads rather than larger beads
with less sparkle. Steel trimmings are
elegant on both black and gray dresses.
There are mohair braids and passementeriee‘
which are very durable on wool dresses.

Some of the early importations of fall
goods, now displayed in our merchants"
windows, are pattern dresses at $11. $12
and $15 each. They consist of six yards of
plain goods and four of striped, the latter
to be used as borders or for the lower skirt.
A very pretty maroon serge had a stripe of
mixed threads of gray, maroon, red and
blue (these are called cashmere stripes)
alternating with stripes of the plain maroon,
each about an inch and a half wide. A
green camel’s hair had a wide stripe of
several shades of green. These make very
stylish dresses if tastefully made up. The
buttons are small and iridescent; no other
trimmings are necessary. Taylor & Woolv
fenden showed last week a line of colored
Henriettas, 46 inches wide, at $1.25, which
Were very excellent value for the money; a
French Henrietta, 42 inches wide, at $1.50,
was finer, and much resembled the popular
but expensive drap (1’ etc. For trimmings,
cord passementeries in the same or har-
monious colorings are in stock. For in-


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2 THE] 'HO'USEHOLD.

vii

 

stance, with a wood brown Henrietta at
>31 25 could be used a cord passementerie at
$1 per yard, or a very showy leaf pattern in
brown and two shades of yellow, which
contrasted beautifully with it. This was $2
per yard. but being so showy, only a small
:quantity would be required; half a yard, to
‘trim one side of the basque from the shoulder
‘to the top of the first dart, and one orna-
ment on each sleeve, would be quite suf-
ficient. It is quite the correct thing to
'trim one side of a corsage in one style and
the other in another; thus, with this passe-
‘menterie on one side. an appropriate trim-
ming tor the other would be folds of the
dress material coming from the shoulder
and meeting it across the bust.
.—”——

IN THE KITCHEN.

The Colonel pushed back his plate with a
”little gesture of disappointment, ‘and frown-
ed slightly as he said: “I’d as soon chew a
basswood chip as that steak. It has been
cooked to death. I like beafsteak out three-
quarters of an inch thick and broiled rare.”
and he reached for another muffin and but-
tered it deliberately, ignoring the thin,
dried up scraps of meat which had been
served him. Somebody at the other end of
“the table took it up. “Steak ought never to
be fried. You can ruin the best meat that
ever was raised by not cooking it as it
should be.” And all the boarders said,
“Amen.”

Without doubt the nicest way to cook
steak is to broil it. Many house-keepers
consider it too much trouble because they
have not used the gridiron enough to be fa-
miliar with it. But steak can be fried so as
to be almost‘as good as broiled if one knows
how. I think several years ago I told the
HOUSEHOLD how to do it, but perhaps some
have forgotten and others may not have
seen it. The gospel of good cooking is be-
ing quite generally difiused, yet as adults
learn somewhat like children, by iteration
and reiteration, I shall say my little lesson
again, hoping some may be benefitted.
Have your spider or frying pan hot, ut in
just butter enough to grease the bottom so
steak will not stick. Lay the meat in the
hot pan and turn almost instantly; keep
turning it until both sides are scared, so
that the juices of the meat are cooked in,
not out. Cook to suit the taste of your fam-
ily, rare or well done; cook quickly; never
let it stand in the pan a moment after it is
done, and do not cook it until just as every-
body is ready to sit down to the table. To
cook and let stand in the warmer is to ruin
it. Never salt steak until it is almost done;
the salt draws out the juice of the meat.
Spread with butter. Lay on a platter, turn a
cupful of sweet cream with a lump of butter
into the pan, let it boil up and then don’t
turn it on the meat but serve in a gravy-
boat. If you wish to broil meat, deaden
the blue flame that sometimes rises, by
throwing a handful of salt on the coals; if
drippings take fire lift up the broiler; don’t
try to blow out the flame, as you value your
eyebrows and your frizzes.

A roast of beef should be washed, wiped,
and laid upon an iron tripod in the drip-
ping-pan to keep it out of the juices which
cook ,out. If you have not a tripod, lay

strips of wood across the top of the drip-

 

 

ping-pan. No salt until the meat is almost
done; it toughens it. Tom a little water in
the bottom of the pan; the steam helps cook
the meat and make it tender. Have a cov-
er made to fit down over the pan, and use it
when you bake beef or poultry; it is more
tender and cooks quicker. Baste the meat
frequently; this too helps make it tender.
Colo'i- your gravies with burnt flour; any-
thing but a “white-livered” gravy.

The nicest way to cook a sparerib is to
crack the ribs across, fold them up to the
back-bone, secure with string, and fill the
cavity thus made with dressing of bread
crumbs. And if you want this dressing to
be delicious, light and crumbly instead of
solidly clammy, moisten it with butter, us-
ing no water whatever. Always serve ap-
ple sauce with roast pork.

I have learned that veal and mutton can
be kept fresh without ice by putting it in
sour milk, changing the milk occasionally.
Rinse in fresh water when wanted. I do
not recommend this process as better than
keeping on ice, but the meat can be kept
perfectly sweet in that way.

It is half in cleaning fish tojmake them
palatable. They must be perfectly fresh or
they are “perfectly awfulg” a stale fish is
an abomination. If the flesh is flabby and
the eyes sunken, don’t bother to cook it.
If the eyes are full and the flesh firm when
you press it with the finger you may ven-
ture. Always use lard for frying fish, and
have it very hot. When both sides are
browned, cook slowly till well done; there
is nothing sorepulsive as underdone fish or
poultry. To freshen a mackerel or any salt
fish, lay it skin side up in an earthen dish,
with plenty of water. Unless you have a
fish-kettle, always tie up the fish in thin
muslin before boiling it.

Don’t parboil anything in the poultry
line except an antiquated hen without teeth.
All the flavor of the meat is thrown out
with the water. The fowls must be cooked
for Chil ken pie, but as little water as possi-
ble should be used, and that put in the pie
with the chicken and used to make the gra-
vy served with it. I know a misguided
woman who always parboils her chickens
before frying or baking them, and the Col-
onel’s bass-wood chip will compare favora-
bly with them in point of flavor.

Remember one thing. Whenever you
fail to cook food in the best manner you
lose a certain percentage of its value in nu—
triment. A dried-up steak, a chicken
whose flavor has gone down the kitchen
sink, a slice of ham frizzled to a cinder, is
simply a waste of good material, material
which ought to go to make healthy blood
and muscle but which through its inadapt—
ability to digestive processes fails to be

assimilated and produces dyspepsia.
BEATRIX.

__—..._——

HUSBANDS OR LOVERS?

 

“Do walk up closer to me; folks’ll think
we’re married if you keep so far away!"
So said the mischievous lad of seventeen to
the pretty miss with whom he was strolling
down the street. And she giggled, a
sweet school-girlish giggle, and “ walked up
closer ” at once. We all laughed, of course,
who could help it? at this naive evidence
of .acuteness of observation. Yes, it is

 

comparatively easy to tell the married folks
and the “spoons,” one from anOther, by
certain tell-tale evidences in their bearing
and manner. The gardener needs not to
pinch the ruddy cheek of his peaches, nor
snap his peapeds to discover their fitness
for market; his eye is his guide. So the
observer does not require the marriage lines
to distinguish lovers from those to whom to
whom love is an old story. There is a
“Come along” air, indicative of wedlock,
about the husband, as he keeps a couple of
feet ahead of his wife, as if he would typify
to the world the fact that he leads the van
of the domestic procession. And he marches
on, quite ignoring his helpmate, who trots on
after him meekly carrying a bundle or lead-
inga child, always struggling to keep up
with her lord and master. Does she take
his arm? Oh no, they’re past that. If she
does, it is in a deprecating, excuse-the-
liberty style, while he afiects a profound
indifierence, or gives you to understand by
his manner that it is a concession on his
part just to please “the woman.” Does
the wife drop abundle? She can pick it up.
Does she Want her parasol raised? Well,
she knows how to do it. Are they to leave
a room together? He opens the door and
walks out and she can follow and shut it at
her leisure. “ The bloom’s off the rose,”
they’re married!

But this same man, when a lover, who so
attentive to the maid of his choice, who so
gallant asquire, who so proud of her ap-
pearance and so quick to notice every
coquettish wile? Ah, he had not won her
then. Then, who so carerl to help her
into the carriage? Now he makes a break
to untie the horse and she scrambles in as
best she can. Then she was first, now an
afterthought.

Girls, when you marry do not allow your
husbands to get into the way Of ignoring
all those little courtesies which are so
pleasing to you and which are worth a good
deal tohim. Wait, till he is prepared to
assist you into a vehicle: take his arm, just
as you used to, and then don’t drag along
a pace behind him and out of step, but walk
up at his side, in your proper place. Teach
him that you expect all those little atten-
tions of your courtship; do not wait upon
him as if you were a bondservant, but allow
him occasionally the pleasure of waiting
upon himself and upon you.

And young men, I recommend for
your consideration and guidance the
following quotation: “There is noth-
ing which so exalts and graces a man
in the opinion of others as his polite-
ness and consideration for his wife.
Instead of being, as some unfortunately feel
it, unmanly and weak, it is the highest
type of manliness; and to such service of
love and respect the woman will invariably
respond with all the tenderness and af-
fection of her nature.” BRUNEFILLE.

“49*—

INFORMATION Wanna—Will some of
the HOUSEHOLD readers kindly inform me
if it is best to save the plants—geraniums
and the like—that have been in beds all
summer, or only take slips from them.
Also, whycannot we can corn in the same
way we do fruit. M. T.

HOWELL.

 

 


 

THE HOUSEHOLD.

3

 

IN DEFENSE OF THE SISTERHOOD.

 

After reading that article in the HOUSE-
"HOLD of Aug. 11th on the forbidden topic
“the ballot,” I beg to differ with the writer.

I had hardly looked for such a picture of
woman from one of Oil! own sex. First she
says, “two ignorant to each sensible
women ;” that leaves a fraction over thirty-
three in one hundred. I do not know
how to take out those “ ten frivolous but-
terflies to one sensible woman,” without
using up the sensible women, and where are
the impure to come from? I did think I
was good in figures, but somehow I find
this problem too much for me. I cannot
make it come out that she did not mean
me or some of my neighbors. If those few
sensible women are among the farmers’
wives, then whose toes is she trying to step
on?

I am so much a believer in woman’s
rights as to say that no woman has a right
to slander her sex. I wish to remind our
friend that there are no more impure
women than men. And how many im-
pure men and those who are of the most
dangerous class, are now in important
offices of state? I find myself wondering
in what part of these United States the
writer resides. How sad it is to be placed
in a community where there is such a large
majority of ignorant, impure, degraded
women, and with all those frivolous but-
terflies! It must be a great blessingto meet
a pure, sensible woman. I am thankful
that we h'iVG quite a different class of
women in Jackson County, and I think I
might safely say in the State of Michigan.
We count our women here pure and virtuous
until they give us reason to think otherwise.
I know we have some women whose in-
fluence is bad, but take the majority and
they compare very favorably with our men;
and as to purity I think would come out a
little ahead. It is not on account of
woman’s degradation and ignorance that
she is not permitted to vote, but the stronger
will of the man wishes to protect her from
such a step. Most men are not attracted
by the strong-minded woman, but prefer
those who are submissive to the stronger
will. Yet we see how much man depends
on woman in the domestic circle. There
are many little things for her to do that a
man does not think of, that prove to be of
more value in the and than some of the
more weighty matters; even so now in our
political affairs, man may need some of
woman’s wit or forethought.

In all important affairs in this life man is
not complete without the woman. I am
surprised that our national affairs are no
worse, but the time has not quite come for
women to vote. I for one would like to see
the experiment triad of lessening the num-
ber of voters by throwing out all the illiter-
ate foreigners. the ignorant and the ine-
briate. If our government were in the
hands Of honest, Christian men, woman
would not care for the ballot. 1f woman
is not equally intelligent as man, at what
age does she become interim? Take the
boy and girl in the schoolroom and we see
them on a par with each other, and up to
graduation day the girl stands equal with
the boy, now when does she degenerate into

, mfiv’mm

 

that frivolous butterfly, after her majority
or before?

It is not uncommonly the case that the
schoolgirl will be a little giddy after being
released from her laborious schooldays, and
Iam not sure but the brain needs such a
re st to prepare it for the cares that are al-
most sure to come in after life. And most
men pick their wives from these gay and
seemingly thoughtless girls, and it is
through the care of such that our states-
men are to come. And if she is capable to
guide him in early life, man as head of
the family has reason to blush for shame if
he has allowed the cares of domestic life to
rob the partner of his choice of her mental
faculties so as to unfit her to say, with him,
who shall make our laws and rule our

country. MRS. R. D. P.
BROOKLYN.
—————...——
CHICKEN PIE.

I often wonder if any of my methods are
superior to others’. There is one thing I
never have, and that is raw chicken pie.
1 have been exceedingly tried twice within
a few months by some one bringing raw
chicken-pies to church social and picnic; as
I was on committee it was particularly
aggravating. You can all imagine the
whys and wherefores. Th re are never too
many chicken pics at any gathering; good
chicken pie seems to fit the majority Of
palates, and there are alwrys enough of said
palates to take care of and lay away all the
chicken pics that get made, if “cooked
done.” As I have been making them
prett y often within the past few weeks, it
might help some young housekeeper. and
I hope the old ones who always have
raw ones. If there is no grain where
fowls can help themselves, I have them
caught, shut up, and fed all they will eat
for at least one week, preferably two weeks.
Afttr they are dressed and washed, let
them lie in clean cold water an hour to take
out the animal heat and blood; put into cool
or lukewarm water and bring to a boil, then
skim thoroughly; let them boil gently until
they begin tobe tender; salt. (Any meat will
cook tender much sooner boiled gently than
to boil hard). It the fire is too hot I set the
kettle on top of the stove; when the chicken
is entirely done take it out into the pan you
intend to bake your pie in; take out the
bones or leave them in as you like. For a
party, where the finest tablecloths and nap-
kins are used, it is much nicer to have the
bones taken out; and obviates the necessity
of bone-plates, the use of which has not be-
come general in the country as yet. Dip a
part of the bro:h into the pan, the rest save
in the kettle and thicken for gravy. Be
sure the chicken and broth in the pan are
salted sufficiently; sprinkle a little pepper
over the surface and add lumps of butter at
short intervals over the top of this: also
sprinklealittle flour over it, let the pan
stand on the stove and keep boiling hot
until the crust is ready to go on. like a
crust like rich biscuit—only richer; I use
baking powder, two heaping teaspoonfuls to
a quart of flour, and a large iron spoon
heaping full Of butter, or butter and lard,
for the one quart; a five quart pan needs a
little more than aquart of flour: for a ten
quart pan I use two quarts of flour. Mix

 

Vfi

with milk, water or sweet cream; you can

have delicious crust with either, only mix
soft. Do not knead, roll into a lump. put
flour on the moulding board and roll to the

right thickness, while it lies on the b:ard
trim off a narrow strip around the edge of
the crust, lay the cover on the hot pie. roll
the narrow strip under the flat hand so it is
round, then lay around twice on top of the
cover and set the pie in a moderately hot

oven. 1f the oven is right it will be cooked
through in 30 minutes; try it with a fork, if
raw it will stick to the fork. Now if the
chicken is well seasoned, the crust good and
light and cooked done, that pie will not go
begging to be eaten. Thicken the gravy in
the kettle. adding a large lump of butter
after it is in the gravy dish.

ALBION. M. E. H.

-——...___

ANONG THE FLOWERS.

 

The green fly (Aphis) is the terror of all
plant growers. as he multiplies himself not
not only by thousands but by millions. It
is stated by Reamur that “ one aphis may
be the progenitor, in five generations, of six
thousand millions, and there may be ten
generations in one year.” When we con-
sider the rapidity with which they establish
themselves, and their destructive habits if
left to their own ways for only a short time,
we see the necessity of all precaution pos-
sible against his gaining a foothold. It is
the tender, juicy and most succulent plants
and the newest growth that are first selected
for attack, and with the long beak scientists
term erostrrum it sucks the juices from the
plants, covering them with sticky, dark
fluid that ekudes continually through the
knot5 y openings for the purpose.

There have been various means employed
for the destruction of this insect, but none
have proved as efiicient as the tobacco treat-
ment described by our Editor, and which
would be more generally used but for the
unpleasant, and to many sickening fumes,
to be endured while using it. Pyrethrum
powder blown among the foliage and shoots
after placing the plants upon a table and
covering with a paper sack, will stupify
them so they drop from the plant and may
be destroyed. If several plants are to be
treated, a box of suitable size and closely
covered should be used. As the pyrethrum
is effective in destroying the aphis, or rather
renders him helpless and ready for the fire,
it is preferable to tobacco. A tea madé of
quassia chips and enough added to the
water used in syringing or spraying plants
is a good preventative, as it is so bitter as
to render them distasteful to the most of
these plant destroyers, and is not as objec-
tionable as tobacco tea.

It is the closely housed plants that are
most liable to attacks of insects, and when
kept too crowded. Plants require breath-
ing space, pure air and generous bathing,
like their owners; and tender ones will not
bear hot tobacco fumes and harsh remedies.
To keep them in good health by giving good
soil, plenty of moisture‘in the air and on
the leaves as well as at the roots, will be
easier and far more pleasant than battling
with insects.

The time is near now to think of potting
plants from the border to become well set
for winter. Remember to try a petunia or

 


 

4:

THE _HOUSEHOLD.

 

two; they will climb, if allowed, higher than
your head and never refuse to bloom or
live over if you wish. They hold out in
color and size of flower if given the least
chance, and inSects never trouble them. So
select a slip or root of your best and
brightest; it takes very little to feed them,
nor do they ask much pot room.

Do not arrange your shelves for plants
above the window ledge, but let the pots
rest below, or be protected from the sun
with folds of. paper or strips of board. The
plants like the sun, but it will heat through
the glass, dry the soil and roots, and nearly
if not quite ruin the plants.

FENTON. MRS. M. A. FULLER.

_____....___——

THE EYESIGHT.

 

I can imagine no greater deprivation than
the loss of the sight, or even its impair-
ment, so 1 would caution our busy farmers’
wives to avmd, so far as possible, trying the
eyes by too close application, or using them
too steadily by lamplight. Plan your work
so that you do not have to sew evenings:
every woman ought to have that much
time free to spend with husband and chil-
dren. But if it becomes necessary to sew
evenings. always manage to work on light
colored goods. Many a woman has ruined
her eyesight by sewing on black by lamp-
light, seeming to think if she gets the gar-
ment finished it does not matter whether
she becomes blind or not. Sort your sew-
ing, and do the dark work in the daytime,
and the mending oflight garments, or white
sewing, in the evenings, if. sew you must.

Do not peril your eyes by doing unneces-
sary fancy work in dim light, or reading
books or papers having poor print. And
no matter what you are doing, stop at once
if. your eyes begin to feel tired, become
watery, or the sight “blurs,” as we say.
They are symptoms not to be disregarded,
except at great risk. I have little patience
with those women who spoil their sight over
crocheted and knitted lace and darned net
dresses for the children, when other trim-
mings are so cheap and handsome; they de-
serVe~what they get; only I pity their mis-
guided folly.

Sight is a priceless gift, it is the chief of
the senses; through it we gain most of the
good of life, how foolish then to imperil it
carelessly or thoughtlessly. What would
we not give to receive it again when once it
is gone. What delights are barred to sight-
less eyes! What darkness closes over the
spirit when the light goes out, the light of
the eyes that is more precious than gold or
rubies! CARRIE.

CHELSEA.

W

OLIVE OIL IN SCARLET FEVER.

Dr. Hutchinson, in the American Maga-
zine, says: “Among the many mothers
who read these lines there may be one or
more whose child has scarlet fever, that
terrible disease that has come to be so
dangerous of late years. and who will be
glad to know of anything to help their
baby. And this is something so simple, yet
so effective, that no physician cm object to
its employment. It is the application to
the entire body of warm sweet oil, well
rubbed in. There is something curious in

 

its immediate good effect. Almost twenty
years ago I had five patients in one family
sick with the anginnse or throat Variety of
scarlet fever, and had them all brought
into one room for convenience sake, as
well as seclusion. Five little heads return—
ed my greeting every time a visit was made,
and all clamored loudly for their oil bath.
It was plentifully used, then a woolen
nightgown put on, and nothing else done.
No medicine was given, and but little food
was needed to supplement absorbed oil.
And in recovery there was an absence of
usual complications, so that in my western
town oil baths came to be generally used
with excellent result. '

“ Other fats were tried, but none answer-
ed the double purpose of nutrition and skin
cooler as well as plain olive oil. It is well
worth trial.”

HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

IF you wish your pickles to keep well, see
that the air is excluded from them. Unless
well covered the vinegar will “ kill ” by ex-
posure to the air.

 

JELLY should be strained twice, and is
clearer if allowed to drip over night. It is
usually nicer if made in small quantities.

To keep your pickles from getting soft,
cover them with grape leaves, when in brine.
A few slices of horseradish in the jars will
prevent, to a certain extent, the scum which
rises on the vinegar.

 

A GOOD housekeeper says “No insect
which crawls can live under the application
of hot alum water. It will destroy every
crawling pest which infests our houses dur-
ing the summer. Dissolve two pounds of
alum in four quarts of water, and while
nearly boiling apply with a brush to every
joint and crevice of the closet and pantry
shelves, bedsteads, etc., and the cracks in
the floors.

 

HERB powder, for seasoning soups,
gravies, dressings, etc., is prepared as fol-
lows. Remove the stalks from three ounces
of thyme, three ounces of marjoram, three
ounces of basil, one ounce of bay leaves,
two ounces of winter savory and two ounces
of parsley; dry the herbs thoroughly and
put them into a mortar with half an ounce
of grated lemon rind. half an ounce of
cayenne pepper, one ounce of grated nut-
meg, an ounce of powdered mace, two
ounces ot peppercorns and two ounces of
cloves. Pound these ingredients well until
arather fine powder is obtained; pass this
through a wire sieve, put it into perfectly
dry bottles and cork securely till wanted.
Half a teaspoonful of this powder is suf-
ficient to flavor a pint of sauce. soup, etc.

 

CATHERINE OWEN says there is a vast
dilference in the solidity of whipped cream.
Sometimes it is a frothy mess that cannot
be piled up; when this is the case the cream
is generally too fresh or too warm. If in
proper condition it will whip solid as the
white of eggs, and leave not a teaspoonful
of liquid, nor will it go back to liquid; it
will sour, but will not change form. Cream
intended for whipping should be twenty-

,four hours old in warm weather, and thirty-

six in winter. It should be thoroughly

 

chilled, and on a hot day it is well to have
the bowl stand on ice while whipping the
cream. Do not lift the froth off as it rises.
the vessel containing the cream should be
large enough to hold it all. If, on attempt-
ing to whip it, it «foes not begin to thicken
within five .or SIX minutes, set the ho wl,

whip and all. on the ice till very cold again.
Whipped cream forms an adjunct to many

very dainty desserts. Even a plain apple
pie, served with a powdering of fine sugar,
a generous spoonful of whipped cream and
a slice of jelly, becomes “ a culinary poem.”

—..——-—4...—————

MRS. M. A. FULLER says: Tell Martha
Ann that a brine made of one teacupful of
salt to two gallons of water will keep to-
matoes fresh and in color all winter. Put
them in whole and see that the skins are
unbroken.

 

C. B., of Birmingham, wants a recipe for
mixed mustard pickles. Will some one
kindly furnish it for her?

-__. 4....___._
Useful Recipes.

 

SCALLOPED Omens—Grease a tin, and be-
gin with first a layer of onions, then of bread-
crumbs until the dish is full. On each layer
of onions put bits of butter, and sprinkle
with salt and pepper: add a little boiling
water and bake about an hour.

——..-——

SCALLOPED TOMATOEs.—Exactly the same
as the onions with the exception of adding a
little sugar with the salt and pepper. or
course the tomatoes must be peeled.

HOWELL. M. T.

RAISIN LAYER CAKE.—-Make any good layer
cake, and bake as usual. Seed and chop fine
one-half pound of raisins. Boil one teacup-
ful of sugar and three tablespoonfuls of wa-
ter five minutes: beat the whites of two eggs
to a stiff froth and pour the hot syrup over
it. Add the raisins. and beat till cold, then
spread between the layers.

 

Crrnon AND QUINCE Pansnnvns.—Cut the
cltron into inch pieces, boil in moderately
strong alum water for half an hour, drain,
boil in clear water till tender. Pare the
quinces, and divide into eighths, boil the
cores and parlngs an hour and a half in water
enough to cover them, skim out and add the
quinces, and when they begin to be tender
add the citron and three-fourths of a pound
of sugar to each pound of fruit.

GRAPE J rennin—Take partially ripe grapes,
allow a coifee-cupful of water to every eight
pounds, boil till soft, strain through a jelly-
bag, measure the juice and allow an equal
quantity of granu'ated sugar. Boil the juice
half an hour, add the sugar and boil five or
eight minutes, then turn into glasses. Jelly,
to be the best, should not be firm and hard,
but a quivering, transparent mass that does
not “break down ” but shakes and trembles
at every motion.

 

SPANISH PICKLE.—-Slice one dozen and a
half large cucumbers in large pieces, without
paring; chop fine two large heads of cab-
bage, three dozen very small onions and
eight small green peppers, bell peppers;
sprinkle salt over all and let stand twelve
hours; press out dry with the hands. Put in-
to a kettle, alternate layers of the vegetables
and the following spices: Two ounces of
white mustard seed, three-fourths of a pound
of English mustard and two pounds of sugar.
Cover all with the best cider vinegar and
seal hot.