WOMAN'S WORLD

Evening Star, Issue 17034, 3 May 1919, Page 4

WOMAN'S WORLD

[BY VIVA.] '* Viva ” wiß in this column answer all reasonable questions relating to the home, cookery, domestic economy, and any topic of interest to her. sex. But each letter must bear the writer’s bona fide name and address. No notice whatever will be taken o' anonymous correspondence. Questions should be concisely put , and the writers nom dt plume clearly written.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. “ Fluffy.”—(a) Have given the necesy lafoihnatloji this week, (b) Any good reliable make will serve. Avoid the .rented kinds if possible. “ Sue.”-—Try Kaaitane ointment, obtainable at any chemist’s. It is excellent. HOUSEHOLD RECIPES. Apple Mould.—Required: Apples, one and a-half pounds; powdered gelatine, one ounce; boiling water, three-quarters of a pint; lemon, one; sugar, two ounces; syrup or honey, one tablespoonful; cochineal, a few drops. Wipe and cut the apples into slices, But do not peel or core them. Put into a pan, add half a pint of the water, also the grated lemon-rind and the strained juice. Add sugar and syrup, not dark treacle if yon can help it, as it spoils the color. trimmer till the fruit is soft. Meantime dissolve the gelatine in the remaining boiling water. When cooked rub fruit and juice through a fine sieve. Stir in the dissolved gelatine and sufficient cochineal to make the mixture a pretty pink. Pour into a wet mould. Leave it till cold, and then into warm water to loosen it from the sides, and turn it out. Servo with a nice custard. Another way of serving is to pour the ■ mixture into a pretty glass dish and sprinkle the surface with chopped nuts or chopped sweet jelly (“packet” jelly will do). In this case ’I always use a quarter of an ounce less gelatine, and find the sweet is quite stiff enough. Crystal Palace Padding.—Required ; One quart of milk (you can make it from condensed milk), three ounces of plain chocolate (you can use two ounces of any good coeoa-powder if plain chocolate is unobtainable), ■ one ounce of powdered gelatine, one white of egg, one ounce of sugar, one ounce of almonds, vanilla to taste. Dissolve the gelatine in a teacupful of boiling water. Heat the milk till just boiling. Pour it on to the finelychopped chocolate or cocoa-powder, and stir until dissolved. Add the gelatine, sugar, and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in the white of egg. beaten to a stiff froth, but do it lightly; then add the finelyshredded almonds, or any other nuts, chopped, can be used. Do not put the mixture in the mould till it is beginning to stiffen, and up till that time give it every now and then a stir. When it is j"-t'beginning to set pour it into a wet -wild, 'and leave till cold. No sugar is 'elded if condensed milk of a sweetened ' —id is used. Orange ' Surprise.—Required : About .v: o oranges, water, and orange juice to i:e on? quart, three and a-ha!f ounces r’ cornflour, two ounces of sugar, one write of egg. Cut the oranges round in h->;vrs. With a spoon carefully scoop tui all the pulp. Squeeze and strain this pulp to get ont all juice possible, then add enough hot water to make up to the quart needed. Mix the cornflour smoothly antl thinly with cold water. Boil the orange juice and water with the sugar. When boiling pour it on to the cornflour, whisking or stirring it all the time. Return to the pan, and cook and stir gently for about three minutes at least, till the mixture tastes as smooth as velvet. Add the sugar, and whisk or beat the mixture in the basin till it is just beginning to set. Then heap it up in the halved orange skins. Leave till quite set. Then put a spoonful of stiffly-whipped- white of egg, mixed with a teaspoon ful of sugar and a few drops of vanilla on the top of each, and serve. N.B.—Yon can omit the white of egg if you like, or it may' be tinted pink. Children love pink things; so if you are preparing the sweet for them add a drop of cochineal to the egg. Rice a la Louisiana (an American recipe for a delicious pudding).—Required: One and a-half pints of mufc, three ounces of rice, two ounces of sugar, Jam, or honey, two eggs (fresh or preserved), one ounce of margarine, vanilla to taste, one ounce of preserved ginger, a small tin of any sort of fruit. Put the milk on to boil in a double pan, the kind of thing one uses for porridge. Add the washed rice and margarine. Heat to boiling point, put on the lid, and cook steadily till the rice is soft, thick, and creamy, but be sure you Stir it now _ and then _ daring the cooking. Then tom into a basin, add the sweetening, and when it has cooled a little add the beaten eggs. This point needs care. If the rice is too hot -the eggs will curdle and form little yellow particles. If it is too cool they' will not bind, and will have a raw, eggy taste. The rice must he really hot, but well off boiling point. When the mixture is cold add the vanilla, and turn the whole into a glass dish. Arrange it so as to form a border, with a centre space. Into this centre space turn the pieces of_fruit. pour a little syrup over them, and put the rest round' the '■' ■v. Sprinkle over with the ginger ch- • rather coarsely. 1:■ it Croutons.—Required: Plain or cake, a slice for each person, one ■ .. f fruit, about four ounces of jam, ■ ' cnee of desiccated cocoanut. Gut ;V ■ cske into neat shapes, with as little • as possible. Lay the pieces neatly ■ s pretty dish. Soak till soft all through ’ hi; a little of the sweetened fruit syrup. '•rut- a small spoonful of jam on each and Jay on one or two pieces of the fruit, according to the size of the pieces of cake. Dust over with a little fine desiccated cocoanut, and serve. The syrup can be tinted pink, if you like. Pineapple Fluff.—Required : A small tin of pineapple, two whites of egg, one ounce of sugar, one banana, one glass of raisin or ginger wine. Turn the pineapple out, cut in small cubes, and put in a glass dish. Mix the wine and the syrup from the tin, and pour these over. .Sdd the peeled, thinly-sliced banana, and «tir together. Beat the whites to a very stiff froth, stir lightly- into them the sugar, and, if yon like, vanilla or other flavoring. Heap roughly all over the fruit, and serve with pfain biscuits. N. 8.: Any other fruit can be used, and the wine can be left out if you like. Charlotte Russe with Pineapple.—Peel Slid cut a pineapple into slices, put the slices into a stewpan with half a pound of fine white sugar, half an ounce of isinglass or of patent gelatine (which is better), and half a teaenpful of water; stew it until ft is quite tender, then rub it through a sieve, place it upon ice, and. stir it well. When it is upon the point of setting add a pint of cream_ well whipped. Mix it well, and pour it into a mould lined with sponge cake, or prepared in any other way your prefer. HINTS. Rub ivory knife bandies that have become yellow with age or use with No. 00 sandpaper or fine emery. A Butter Hint.—To cut batter into amn.lt even squares for the table use a coarse wet -thread, as this leaves no ragged edge. When you wash table napkins dont starah them. Iron them with a very hot iron while still wet, and they will be plenty stiff enough. This is the French way of getting up table linen—and a very' good way it is. A pot of mignonette on the window-sill will prevent flies from entering a room. A few drops of oil of pennyroyal sprinkled in a saucer will drive all flies away. For a larder, sprinkle oil of pennyroyal on blot ting paper and hang on the door or .T -n iho ceiling. Paint-work should not be cleaned too r cn, or the polish is removed. It is a i urn to keep a brash for paint-work, i ie use it instead of a duster every . .. . By dsing this dust it not allowed t> ’ settle in oojwtoes, and by a daily ;h dy.vtx mmth aarcbbmg and cleaning - prevented, so that than It a taring ol u'.h limo and I&aor. If you wear yew sStrmr thimble into bales "on the top. get your plumber to (hop just a little solder intide, and the thimble will be as nsoehaa new again. To work auMwnnalat neatly in any material that easily freye mark each with tailors' the comet el», and run a mgfhtiwn stitching “'"y etflh tide. Out between' the s&tehee and work in the usual Wcd. it wd&npkfra; oak

Blackhead Cure.—Blackheads are caused bv -the pores of the skin being blocked. Take a little pure olive oil in the palm of the hand, rub both hands together until well oiled, then rub the face thoroughly with the oiled hands for five minutes. Have a bowl of warm water and a good soap. Make a lather, and rub this over the face, working it in as a man does for shaving, then “wash the face with warm water, changing as often as is necessary, until 'the face is free from soap; then rinse with cold water to cleanse the pores. Repeat the’ above treatment every day until the face is clear of blackheads. THE DRESSMAKER. AN EASILY-MADE"SKIRT FOR THE SCHOOLGIRL. The skirt shown in this sketch is for a rirl of 14-16 years, and it is a particularly nice shape, "with .the pleats front and back, and the gathered sides. The little narrow belt round the top gives a finish to the whole, and with a machine ayou could make this skirt at home in one day, it is such a simple pattern. Get- a strong material—tweed or serge —and then you will not need a, lining. Two yards "of 36in material is quite enough. Fold the material and lay the pattern on it, as shown in -the diagram. Cut a lining for the belt. First of all tack up the pleats at the back and front. Then join the side seams singly on the wrong side, leaving an opening about- Sin or lOin deep at the top of the left-hand seam. Stitch the pleats as far down as the dotted line goes. Press the seams open, and bind or overcast their raw edges to prevent fraying.

Face the raw edges of the placket with two strips of material, putting the underside cn as a wrap facing and the top as a flat facing. Fasten with clips or hooks and eyes. Gather the sides of the skirt in between the pleats, so that you have the back and front plain* You will have noticed that the centre back and front seams both go to a fold. Cut a piece of petersham the size _of the waist, and fasten it at the left side above the placket with hooks and eyes. Stitch the top of the skirt to this band of petersham. Turn up and tack a double hem round the bottom of the skirt. Try it on to get the right length, then stitch by machine. Face the belt with its lining, stitch it all round, then catch it to the top of the skirt, and fasten it at the left-hand side where the placket is. HOW TO OBTAIN PATTERN No. 157. Send, this order form, together with 7d in stamps, to the Paper Pattern Department of this paper. Name ...•■• Address (in full) No. of pattern “MAM’ZELLE MISS.” AMAZING STORY OF ADVENTURE. Recently Sydney was visited by a most charming "adventuress. After hoodwinking people right and left, “ borrowing ” clothes and money, and, incidentally, fascinating many men, it transpires that she was “on probation ” —a prisoner from Long Bay. Given in charge, she confessed to not having been “of good behaviour,” so she is at present completing the term of her original sentence. “Le Cher Bobbie sent me to yon,” smiled a vivacious, petite little lady to a mother who was only too glad to hear news “direct from France” regarding her pet son. It was 9 p.m. that this fascinating little French gin called. She explained that she had ju|t arrived by the Niagara, and was staying with some friends —■“ the Douceaus, of Headbush ” —who had been most land. But they had had a little tiff, and went off to the Mountains; but, “Oh, terrible, terrible, mon baggage is locked up in the house, and they nave token my keys with them!” “ My dear, you must stay with us,” was the hospitable reply. “ Oh, merci, merci, chor Bobbie said you would understand.” Yes, she had been driving a motor ambulance in Fiance, and had been decorated for her services in the front line. “See,” and she proudly displayed a medal, “the medaille de Peronne.” The in-laws-to-be were charmed with the girl. Such a mimic, so entertaining, the ingenue type; but she needed looking after. She looked worn with her strenuous waxwork, poor little thing. Her people? “Bub yes, we were of the noblesse,” with a proud little toss of the head. “ Mon pere is head of the Secret Service in France.” Pictures of their lovely home were shown. “ THIS DAINTY LITTLE FRENCHWOMAN.” Then a tea party was given at one of the women’s clubs in town, and many patriotic ladies were present. So charmed to meet this dainty little Frenchwoman. “Perfectly sweet, my dear,” chorused the whole party. The “intellectual” ones aired their French. There was a pained silence. A puzzled little frown and a rather condescending smile was all the response the visitor gave. “ I’ll try her,” said a lady who prided herself on her linguistic accomplishments. “Would you please spik Eenglish? I was so much wis ze Australians, I oonderatand it,” replied the guest of honor. A launch picnic was arranged in modemoiselle’s hour. She was so amusing, she did not paint her face, and, although she was French, she was no dazzling beauty, so she “ would be quite safe for oar husbands to meet.” And so it went on. Wherever she got her information from, she was well posted as to the medical and legal world, and seemed to have a penchant for doctors. But she was short of money. How could she get some? Dropping her French-girl pose, she called at the police station. “I am Miss Black, of Longacre Station. My luggage has gone astray. There are two trunks containing . . .” A precise list of the contents (including jewels) was given glibly. “ Very well, madam,” said the polite policeman, writing down all details. “ we’ll attend to the matter immediately.’-

A dazzling smile of thanks, and “Good morning.” Then 10 solicitors in town were visited, and the tale ot woe was told so often and so well that several accepted on the face of it and lent £lO until tie luggage turned up.” Some were rather dubious. ~ ... , “Ring up the police station, they know me there. I have just been to see them, said mademoiselle. “Yes, we know her, Miss Black, a-U right, lost some luggage,’ etc., ®lc. "“Your brother promised to marry me; I cannot find his address, it is m the country,” wept an apparently brokenhearted French girl to a well-known man in town. She knew all about him, and whore he had been in France, and so convinced the brother that he immediately hired a motor, and travelled at top speed in order to confront his brother with the wronged damsel. No, he did not tell his wife. It was his brother’s secret, the foolish boy was always too impressionable.” It was an exquisite day, and when the station was reached the brother bad never seen the woman before in ms life. ■ ■ Vo that ees not 'ini, but it is the same name,” wept the lady,and they motored back His wife has not forgiven the excursion with “that French hussy ” even vet The kind-hearted man on the journey back heard such a pitiful story that a £lO- - was handed over—“if it would be any tr o od ” Mademoiselle then called on one of the people she had “ charmed ” at the tea party. It was late, and she kept them all amused until 11 p.m. “ I am so nervous to go home to my friends the Douceaus at Headbush,” and she looked round for an escort. “You must stay with us,” and the best bedroom was placed at her disposal as well as the nicest clothes being lent. “ The French are so particular, they have such exquisite clothes, you know.” And so the game went on. When she was out, Mrs Douceau would ring up and ask for mademoiselle. -Was so disappointed she was out. “ Wasn’t she a dear ” asked the voice. "Delightful, and so entertaining’’ was the reply. This was her method of establishing her bona fides. While staving at one house she simultaneously worked four others. On her return she was told that a party had been arranged for her, and a distinguished countrywoman of hers was coming, too. But she developed a headache, and retired to her room. She did not wish too many French people, as it reminded her of such “ triste” davs. Later she was coaxed out, and Madame X. spoke French to her. “But you spik too quick-ly. I have forgotten a lot of my French. I was so much with the Australians in France.” “ What is that medal yon are wearing?” Mademoiselle went white. “ O-oh, it is a medal of Peronne with the coat-of-arms.” “ Yes, bought for Is,” retorted Madame X., her eyes flashing. “You are not French. I know you; you are an impostor.” NOW IN LONG BAY. That evening mademoiselle departed hurridedly by taxi to a seaside hotel, and arrived at 10 p.m. “I want to sec Dr So-and-So; take him my card.” The soldier doctor and his wife had retired. “Let you go alone and interview a French girl at this hour of the night? No, I’ll go down with you. I don’t trust these French women,” said the wife. “I married your brother Ted in France, he is ill and sent me to yon,” she introduced herself. Chatting vivaciously about him and her trip across, it was too late for her to go back to town to her friend, Madame X., who was staying in a fashionable flat. So they engaged a nice room for her. Next morning she spoke glibly of the French Consul, ha had all her papers and her money. A motor was hired, and they all’came to town; the doctor felt the least he could do for his brother’s wife was to arrange her affairs for her. They called first on Madame X. Mademoiselle ran in, but speedily returned. “ Oh, madame was away at the mountains; would not return for a week, and it would bo all right, only madame had taken her keys.” Then they called on the French Consul —he also was out. So they motored her back again to the hotel, where she was still their guest, and they lent her some more best clothes. Mademoiselle found the doctor was getting rather suspicious. His French was all right in France —but she did not understand him very well, and her enunciation was “ quaint.” So mademoiselle got ill; she felt sure she had appendicitis. As a brother-in-law the least he could do was to motor her straight to a private hospital. A famous surgeon, Dr Sherbert, extracted the appendix. But brother-in-law thought he had better see the French Consul. He did. Now mademoiselle is in Long Bay. She had a store of wonderful clothes, “lent” to her, silver picture frames, toilet table accessories, all sorts of things, from jewellery to money. And to one kind family she “took to” she insisted on returning the clothes. Evidently she liked them. Others were not such fortunate “victims.” “Don’t think you’ll'stop me. When I come out I’ve got a beautiful plan all fixed up” she told the police when they got her. None of the men will prosecute. She was such a clever little “ sport ” they say. Also they don’t care to publish the fact that they were fooled by a woman into thinking that she was a real French girl, when she had never been out of Sydney. “ I can understand the men being fooled —but for the women to be taken in by her, astonishes mo,” says Madame X., who saw through the bluff instantly. “ Perhaps if she had been beautiful, they wouldn’t,” she smiled cynically.—‘Sydney Sun.’

PASSING OP A PIONEER. Sydney has just lost a notable woman who has fallen a victim to the influenza scourge. She was Miss Louisa Wilson, the well-known chemist, of Lindfield. About 20 years ago, when the professional woman in Australia was absolutely unknown, she w'as apprenticed to a pharmacist, and afterwards attended the chemistry classes at the Sydney University. She was the first woman to enrol, and the first to pass the qualifying examination. In 1903 she started in business on her own account at Killara, and remained there till last year. She always held that the profession of chemistry was specially suitable for women, and proved it by her own work and that of the two girls whom she trained. She was a capable dispenser, and, because of that fact and of her own kindly disposition, was well thought of by the residents of Killara. _ Severed North Shore doctors showed their confidence in her by sending their own family prescriptions to her shop.— ‘ Sunday Times.’ Mimosa weddings have been a feature in London this spring. The little maids attending the brides were sometimes dressed in yellow tulle to match the wattle decorations. London is always cheered very early In the year with masses of wattle—mimosa, as they call it there —which comes from the South of France. During the war, of course, the exotic flowers were much missed, and are therefore very welcome, again. Here is something of .a monument to the English girl. The London ‘ Daily Chronicle’ states: —“No fewer than 37,000 huts, divided into 22,000 of the Nessin pattern and 15,000 of the Tarrant portable type, were made by the women carpenters who have jusrb arrived home aiter working for two years in Prance, says Mr W. G. Tarrant, of Byfleet, head of the firm of Government contractors which was responsible for the women taking up the work. The 37,000 huts, if placed end to end, would reach over 300 miles. In one week the women used 50,0001b weight of nails, though the average weight was about 23,0001b.” , Lady Andtrson, of Sydney, appointed president oi the National Oouneil pt Women for New SftUtk Walfia* ~