Housekeeper.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 700, 3 November 1909, Page 7

Housekeeper.

HOME HINTS. when shampooing, as it is very hard to wash out. Always use soap in liquid form. Never rub soap directly on the hair When darning stockings run a thread round each hole before beginning, and draw until the edges lie flat. This makes the hole appear smaller, and it will be much easier to mend.

An ingenious bed for baby can be made from a clothes-basket covered with a bright colour, with a frill round and a soft pillow for a mattress. The handles could be tied with a ribbon to match the valance. A baby can be easily carried about in this.

Cement for Mending Glass. —It is not generally known that common alum melted in an iron spoon over hot coals forms an exceedingly strong cement for joining glass, china, metal, or breakages of any kind. Articles mended with this cement may be washed without fear of coming apar? again.

Pumice-Stone for the Toilet. —A small block of pumice-stone should find a place on every washstand, for nothing more effectively removes stains from the fingers or better the scarfskin from encroaching on to the nails. The finger-tips should be rubbed every day with pumice-stone.

When babies are teething they suffer very much from thirst, which is caused by feverishness To allay the thirst it is a good plan to give a teaspoonful or two of pure cold water several times during the day. It is wonderful how this will soothe and quiet a fretful baby when everything else has failed.

Dusting a Room.—After sweeeping a room, leave it a little time for the du-st to settle; then take a clean damp cloth and wipe the furniture, polishing afterwards by rubbing well with a dry duster. In this way the dust is really removed, not merely scattered, as is generally the case. Do not overlook the top of high pieces of furniture.

SPRING FASHION WHISPERS

Endeavours are being made to bring brocade into fashion.

Novelties in table linen show round tablecloths.

Gathered gawze and gathered satin are both being extensively used for millinery. Many of the thinnest summer materials have a satiny sheen. White cotton dress materials are sprinkled with dots.

The hand-embroidered linen sunshade will figure in many a wardrobe. Many long coats have buckles instead of buttons.

One new style of guimpe is of fine spotted net two or three tones lighter than the gown. Huge hats to match the guimpes of gowns help to make up some extremely, smart toilets. Curiously tone pink flowers are mixed with the delicate spring greens for millinery purposes.

FEMININE FAILINGS IN BUSINESS. A prominent business man asserts that the day is passed when women may cry. "There is no opportunity for us because we are women." Where women, he says, are really and truly doing the work of which the modern man is capable they get pretty much the same salary. If women have a fault in business, he says, it is not in lack of conscientiousness, not in lack of honesty. Most people, men and women, are honest. There are few r unfortunate exceptions to this rule. Women are faithful to their duties. They have a talent for detail. Their lack is in the scope of their power, in the ability to take a large view of things. But this can scarcely be with their lack of generations of inbreeding and inheritance of those qualities. The trend of the times is towards a developement even of these.

Let me say, he adds, that is is probable that good looks may help a girl to get work in a warehouse. It i 3 natural that a firm should want the women behind the counter to make ;i good appearance. But if the pretty girl is stupid she has no chance as against the plain girl who is bright. Neatness, brightness, and amiability are the three qualities that count most in a saleswoman. The sloven, the dolt, and the vixen should not be behind the counter, nor any place else in business. It is hard work. They must be patient and good-natured. Every one receives some blows in business life. EMBROIDERERS' CARE OF THE HANDS. It is all important for embroidery work, a writer reminds lady readers, that the hands should be kept perfectly smooth, perfectly clean.and perfectly soft. A rough piece of skin round the nail may catch in the edge, of a finished motif of embroidery, and in one second ravel the whole leaf into a hopeless tangle of frayed ends. Professional embroiderers are as careful of their hands as a prima donna is of her voice. When not actually working, they wear chamois leather gloves, and night and morning pay so much attention to manicuring that there is no fear of hang-nail or any other roughness, which is so apt to spoil amateur work. Before beginning to embroider an expert always washes her hands in warm suds, softened with oatmeal powder. When dry, half a cut lemon is' rubbed over the fingers. Afterwards, a little' boney and glycerine is worked into the pores, so as to make the skin supple and velyety. In London white work necessitates frequent washing. It is astonishing how the soot-laden air soils the hands even while working. In hot weather a bowl of talcura powder is kept close at hand, into which the hands are dipped every now and then to rid them of the sickness which is fatal to good work. WOMEN'S HARDSHIPS DURING WAR. Several striking sentences were comprised in a letter written in the sickroom, from the Marchioness of Lon-

donderry, apologising for her absence from the opening- ceremony connected with the inauguration of the Church of Ireland Young Men's Society Rifle Range at Holywood, Co. Down. "There are some people," she wrote, "curious as it seems, who scent militarism in rifle clubs and the Army bu* those who dread war, and would ensure peace, should remember that there is no greater truth than is contained in that well-known sentence, "If you would have peace be prepared for war." There may be some, perhaps, here to-day who think it is easy for women to tell men to be prepared for war, but I wouid remind them that on women fall real hardships during war; they have to stand by and look* on, sharing none of the excitement and none of the glory, while they encourage those nearest and dearest to them to risk their lives, for their country. In the days of chivalry it was the custom for the ladies to buckle on the swords of the knights and give them their colours to wear as favours. These picturessque customs are out of date, but the feeling and sentiment are the same in the present day.

RECIPES.

Specially Written for this Column

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

VERMICELLI SOUP.

Ingredients.—J of good stock, 6 yolks of eggs, 6 oz. qf vermicelli, 2 tablespoons of cream, 1 head of celery.

Method. —Put the stock into a saucepan, which should be well flavoured, the celery cut into small pieces, and the vermicelli broken into small pieces. Simmer for half an hour. Just before serving-, thicken the wellbeaten yolks of egg's, which must be mixed with the cream and the stock poured gradually over them. Return to the saucepan, and stir till the mixture thickens, but on no account let it boil, or it will curdle. TURKISH SOUP. Ingredients.—Three pints of white stcck, 2 tablespoons of rice, -2 yolks of eggs, 2 tablespoons of cream, 2 oz. of macaroni, 2 tablespoons of grated cheesej some stripe of bacon rind, cayenne.

Boil the rice with the stock and bacon rind (which must be scalded and scraped) till the rice is tender, then rub through a sieve. Mix the -yolks of eggs and cream in a basin, and pour the stock gradually over this. Stir it over the fire till it thickens., but do not let it boil, it will curdle. The last, add macaroni, boil till tender and cut into inch pieces, and grated cheese, and a pinch of cayenne. Serve with white bread, fried. TOMATO SOUP. Two quarters of stock, 8 or 10 fresh tomatoes, 1 oz. of butter, 1 oz of flour, 2 thin slices of bacon, 1 carrot, % a turnip, 2 small or 1 large onion, a bunch of herbs, 12 peppercorns, 3 cloves, salt. Fry the carrot, turnip, and onion in the butter till a bright brown, add flour and tomatoes, and cook for a few minutes. Pour in the stock, and stir till it boils. Simmer jjently for- one hour, or till the vegetables are quite tender. Add a few drops of carmine if the soup is not a good colour. Tinned tomatoes may be used for this soup. TAPIOCA CREAM SOUP. To every pint of white stock allow 1 oz. of tapioca, the yolks of 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons of cream or good rich milk, pepper and salt. Crush the tapioca and soak it for about an hour in a little of the stock, then put on the fire in a saucepan with the rest of the stock, which should already be nicely flavoured with vegetables and herbs. Let it cook until the tapioca is clear. Put the yolks of the eggs in a basin, add the cream and stir with a wooden spoon; add a few spoonfuls of stock to the cream. Take the stock off the fire, and when it is cooked a little, pour in the egg and cream mixture, stirring well all the time. Place on the fire to re-heat, but be swe it does not boil.

SOUPISE SOUP.

One and a half pints of white stock (or i pint of milk may be substituted for pint of stock, i gill of cream, i| oz. of butter, 2 onions,-yolk of egg, 5 oz. of bread (witabut any crust). Cut the bread and onions into slices. iPut the butter into a saucepan and melt it, then the bread and onions in layers. Pour over the stock (or stock and milk), and let it boil for £ an hour. Rub through a sieve, put back into the pan, and boil for 2 or 3 minutes. Put in the yolk of egg, and stir till cooked; don't let it boil or it will curdle, then put in the cream. Serve with slippets of fried bread. The cream may be omitted, and an equal quantity of stock or milk substituted. A good winter soup.