Home Circle.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 1211, 10 December 1919, Page 2

Home Circle.

BELL BIROS. By Henry Clarence Kendell, born N. S.W., 18th April, 1841. Died in Sydney, 1882. A new edition of his works, edited by Bertram Stevens was lately published. We give his beautiful nature poem, "Bell Birds").

By channels of coolness the echoes are ' calling, And down the dim gorges 1 hear the creek falling; It lives in the mountain, where moss and tho ledges ' \ Touch with their beauty the banks and the ledges; Through brakes of the cedar and sycamore bowers Struggles the light that is love to the flowers, And, softer than slumber, and sweeter than singing, The notes of the bell-birds are running and ringing.

The silver-voiced bell-birds, the darlings of day-time, They sing in September their songs of the May-time. When shadows wax strong, and the thunder-bolts hurtle, They hide with their fear in the leaves of the myrtle: When rain and the sunbeama shine mingled together They start up like fairies that follow the weather, And straightway the folds of their features unfolden Arc the green and the purple, the blue and the golden.

October, the maiden of bright yellow tresses, • Loiters for love in theso cool wildernesses; Loiters knee-deep in ttie grasses to listen, Where dripping rocks gleam and the leafy pools glisten. Then is the time when the watermoons splendid Break with their gold, and are scattered or blended Over the creeks, till tho woodlands have warning Of songs of the bell-bird and wings of tho morning.

Welcome as waters unkissed by the summers Arc the voices of bell-birds to thirsty comers When fiery December sets foot in the forest, And the need of the wayfarer presses the. sorest, Pent in the ridges for ever and ever, The bell-bird directs him to spring and to river, With ring and with ripple, like runnels whose torrents Are toned by the pebbles and leaves in the currents.

Often I sit, looking back to a childhood Mixt with the sights and the sounds of

the wild-wood, Longing for power and the sweetnes.-

to fashion Lyrics with beats like the heart-beats of passionSongs interwoven of lights and of laughters Borrowed by bell-birds in far forest rafters; So I might keep jn the city and alleys The beauty and strength of the deep mountain valleys. Charming to slumber the pain of my losses With glimpses of creeks and a vision of mosses

LITTLE THINGS ABOUT THE HOUSE. When stewing prunes, add a pinch of carbonate of soda, and less sugar will be required. If too much salt lias been added to the sou]', slice a raw potato and place it tu boll in the soup for a few minutes. It will absorb a great, deal of tho salt. To clean decanters, mix half a gill of vinegar with a handful of salt. Put little in each decanter, and shake weli. Rinse in clear water. Do'injt let wooden tube or pails stand out uf doors to dry after using; put them away as soon "as possible, with a little water in them to prevent leaking when next required. Before boiling a cracked egg rub nloistericd salt over the shell. This will prevent the white from running out.

A drop of glycerine should be used to oil. the working parts oj? a mincing machine. It will be found to work much more easily, and the glycerine will not taste or smell.

Put. a piece of bread about the stee of an egg into a piusliu, and Tilt in with the cabbages' when cooking. Tin: bread absorbs all the bitter juices, and the cabbages are digested.quite easily. Tiie bread also absorbs all the unpleasant smells while cooking. To detect water in milk, dip a polished knitting needle into the vessel containing the milk. If it is pure, a drop of milk will cling to the needle. If water is present the ijccdlo will be clean. Make your own and children's stockings list twice as long by attaching the feet of stockings worn out in the legs to the legs of those worn out in the. feet. If the scams are sewn on the sewing machine and the stockings are worn with high shoes the scam will never be noticed.

RECIPESScotch Trifle. Simmer 8 ozs. of pearl barley in one quart of milk and water till soft. The mirk should become absorbed, so it is best to use a double saucepan if, possible to avoid barley burning. If it gets thick before the barley is soft, add more milk and water. Season and add ioz. of sugar and any flavouring'essence liked. Lemon goes well with barley. A strip of lemon peel could be boiled with the barley'if desired. >yii6u cold, put in a glass dish, spread jam'over it aud pour over a pint of custard made with custard powder'. This can be made Svitli oatmeal or cold porridge.

Vegetable Salad. . Gut some cold potatoes into .slwje's and put in a salad bowL Add any. cold, cooked vegetables, .such as beans, pea's, carrots or turnip's,--. Out into'; neat dice, the cauliflower'into ginall pjeoes, olc. Stir together'gently an'c{ pour over the following salad dressing: -Boil an egg hard.,:■■remove the yolk, pound it, add'l teaspoonful mustard, :' 1 teaspoonfiil

sugar, J salfapoonful .nalt, pound together, then stir in .gradually. J gill of vinegar and one teaoupful of mtfk. Let stand one hour. This dressing can bo bottled and kept if tightly corked. Tho white of egg and some chopped parsley should be sprinkled over this.. Brown Bread. "Country Reader" asks for recipe for brown bread. Take i* lbs white flour and Alb wtieatmeal, one tcaspoonful each salt and carbonate soda, two teaspoons cream of tartar, and thoroughly mix with the dry flour. Mix with a little milk just on the turn. A dash of melted butter or cream mixed with the milk.is an improvement. Form into a loaf and bake for one hour in a moderate oven.

Potato Curry. Melt one dessertspoon of dripping in a saucepan, add one tablespoon chopped onion, and fry to a pale yellow. Stir in two teaspoons curry powder (or to taste) and cook gently in the fat i'or Jive minutes. Mix in half a pint of sauce, two teaspoons of chutney, one teaspoon of vinegar, a little chopped gherkin or pickle, salt and pepper to taste. Let this curry sauce cook very gently for JO minutes to develop its flavour, and stir .'frequently all tho time. Add one pound of boiled potttoes cut in large cubes. Heat thoroughly for at least 10 minutes, but do not boil. Turn on to a hot dish, and either put in hot, dry, boiled rice round as a border, or serve separately.