Housekeeper.

Lake County Press, Issue 2461, 16 January 1913, Page 7

Housekeeper.

When washing glass or earthenware place the articles in warm salted water, fhev will clean more quickly.

When valuable vases are used for table decorations they should first of all oe filled with sand. This makes them stand firm, and there is less chance of their being knocked over and broken.

A simple way to remove tho skin from :i dried haddock is to hold it in front of tho firo and gently pull the skin away, starting from the head downwards, when tho skin will come off without breaking the flesh.

If you aro doing white work which you particularly want to keep clean powder your hands occasionally with Fuller's earth or any other white powder. On the hottest day your fingerswill not soil the'work if you follow this plan.

Skim-milk is very good And economi cal for cooking purposes if used before ifc becomes sour. If milk be on tin turn, a small pinch of carbonate of sod nut into it before boiling often prevents it from curdling. Sour milk makes delicious cakes and scones.

"When the metal tips como off shoe laces, dip the ends in household g'uc to the length of half an inch, twirl them between the finger and thumb into tin shape of a tip, let the glue dry and you will have a tip that will outlast the strongest shoe-string.

To clean white straw hats, rub with a slice of cut lemon, rince with cold water, and stiffen by brushing with a brush dipped in a weak solution of gum and water. Black straw hats should h< thoroughly brushed to remove dust then painted over with a mixture of equal portions of gum and ink.

STUDIES IN TEMPERAMENT. The woman who makes the bust of tilings is apt to be regarded as heart less by the grumbling woman, who "plays up" for sympathy on all possible occasions, and would have you belie\o that she has been specially singled out as the sport of fate, aud is pursued by misfortune or ill-luck.

According to her ideas everyone is against her, and none of the troubles that come upon her is due to her own mistakes or influences. Shn cannot understand the woman who keeps silent about her troubles ant* speaks only of the good things that happen to her, but' regards this cheerful spirit as a favoured individual who does not know what it is to suffer! H she would realize that it is the way in which disappointments and troubles are met that makes them great or small ! that in herself lies the power to rise above the majority of worldly trouble? and conquer them by a bravo spirit, by thinking 1 more of the blessings, and less of the ills that are hers, and being grateful for what sho has escaped, rather than savage at what sho has missed.

Temperament counts for much, and a healthy, hopeful temperament is ono of the keys to happiness. This'must not be confused, however, with the over-sanguine temperament that builds on events before they hav come to pass, and brings its own disappointment. It is surely wiso to be hopeful, but it is unwise to think that because ono wishes for a certain tiling to happen and as far as one can judge nothing will prevent its happenings all i,s bound to turn out according to one's desires. The reverse side of the picture should also bo faced.

The woman of nerves in particular is a 'study in temperament" who is prone to imagine that all the wor 7 d is out of harmony with her, and rarely faces the fart that it is she herself who must remedy her own distracted state. The world will go on its way just the same, whether slio is cairn or whether she is distraught, her condition will not affect outside concerns, though they may affect her. and she should learn to put herself in harmony with her surroundings rather than expect them to harmonise with her. Herein lies the. secrot of her cure ; hut she knows it not. and continues to he a source of distress to herself—and to those about her, which latter point, however, does not seem to trouble hep. HOW TO LIVE AT PEACE WITH YOUR NEIGHBOURS. Really it is not so very difficult to live at neaco with "the woman next door;" it just takes a little trying. The essence of tin) whole matter may he thus summed up—ho just so friendly with your neighbour that you earn her com-

plete reap et, but never beoemo so friendly that familiarity creeps in. Be most careful where gossip and scandal are concerned, and always avoid giving an opinion ancnt the character, etc., of a absent person. The point lijes in this—suppose a lady asks tho question, "Don't you think these Browns up the street are a veny vulgar, ill-mannered set of people. Beware how you answer; if you smile and seem to agnea, this lady tells others 'that you are of opinion that the Browns are a vulgar sot —the will not say that she suggested it to you. Do you observe the danger?

Note this fact—once a woman gets known in a district as a person opposed to slander and gossip of all sorts she .will be left severely alone—tho gossip seeks out the gossip, not .she who abhors gossip. And it is strange that a woman who will not listen to gossip scandal is the one most respected in tho whole, neighbourhood—tho gossip has a sneaking admiration for the woman who sots her face against petty jcanda'.s and so forth.

as to visiting, well, it ja. advisable to visit as littlo as possible* ? ij>eop!e don't care for others running in and out of their homes at all hours—the too frequent visitor is dubbed a nuisance, and is littlo appreceiated. It is quite wrong to assume, that a woman who does not visit her neighbours frequently will be looked upon as a snob: she will not, Imr neighbours will really be gratofuV It is well to have a cheery word and a friendly smilo for all the people in vour district—you do not lower yourself by handing round cheery words and friendly smiles; and, above all, lavish those. things on your neighbours' children. Alas! some women cannot keep friendly with neighbours on account of the way they treat these neighbours' children. It not do to to talking about those ragamuffins next door, or of those squalling brats on tho 'itlier side of tho street. That way hatred lies—you got to be ardently hated if you do things ; but you will <?nrn tho respect and favor of your neighbours if onlv you chat merrily to ill ihe little Jacks and Jills round and about you. Re effusive with no one, be. friendly with all : command respect, but aPo* of absolutely no familiarity, for that but broods oontTnnt. If you cannot sav i erood word of anyone in your locality •ben hold your tongue: if vou can S">rood. pVasp sav it. and never be afraid L r> defend a worthv person whom you 'tear others condemning. BATH HINTS.

A few drops of good toilet water or vinegar, or Eau de (Joiogne, poured into .i bath will prove ver.v refreshing in their effects.

If we cannot copy tho old-time women with their aromatic baths, there are many things which can bo used in the >ath water to soften it and render it no re refreshing or invigorating. Aming these is a lemon, cut in slices, and )laced in the bath ten minutes before it its required. A little borax will also (often water, or a bag, about five inches ;quare, filled with bran and oatmeal, nixed in equal quantities, is efficacious u softening bath water. \Yhen one feel's exhasted after a bath he cause should be sought for. The vater may have been too hot or too ■old, or one may have stayed in it too ong. A cup of hot milk is an excellent )ick-me-up after a bath.

RECIPES. Specially written for this column Strawberry Shortcake Make the cake is for cherry cakes, omitting the •berries. Hike in shal'ow round tins, ind leave till cold. Have some pood strawberries (if large, cut in quarters), winkle with sugar, and lay on one of 'ho cakes. Use jam when fresh fruit is mt obtainable. Cover lightly with L hickly whipped cream, and place mother cake over. Sprinkling with •\stor sugar, and serve.

Devilled Eggs and Rice: Place a small j'.ecQ of butter in a frying-pan with half i teaspoonful of dry mustard, a (.ablespoonful of Worcester sauce, one of oetchup if .vou have it, a little gravy, nto this put five hard-boiled eggs with ;ho shells taken o(f. When quite hot iiid coated with the sauce remove them jarefully, cut each in half, and arrange >n some boiled rice. Mask each piece if egg with the sauce, and serve very hot.

Mock Sausage Rolls: Roll out thin my scraps of pastry into pieces big uiough to cover an ordinary sausage, .'hop finely any scraps of cold meat, eason with chopped parsley, pepper and !alt. dredge thickly with flour, and mix ogether with a little warm gravy and i few drops of sauce. Set this mixture iside for an hour. Form into rolls, wrap in the pastry, wet the edges, and •iress together before baking in a sharp oven. Rice may lie added to the moat in the rolls, or a chopped hard-boiled egg, if it is at hand.

Sponge Cake (Inexpensive): Required -Half a breakfrfsteupfnl of castor sugar, one breakfastcupful of fine flour. \ tcaspoonful of butter, half a cupful of milk and one egg, half a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, one teaspoonful of •ream of tartar. Mir together thoroughly the flour, cream of tartar, and -.nda. Cream the butter and sugar, add the beaten egg and milk, and by decrees shake in the flour. Beat well. iiid bake in flat round tins of oven ize. These can be spread with jam, or inv filling liked, and heaped one on the other.

Iced Cherry Cakes: Required—The weight of two eggs in butter, castor sugar, and flour, an ounce of chopped glace cherries, and a little mi'k, half a toasponful of baking-powder, icing sugar, orange flower water. Cream the butter and sugar, add the beaten eggs. + ben shako in gradually the flour, baking powder, and chopoed ehcrries, adding if necessarv a little milk. Bake in 'miall fancy tins in a quick oven for about ten minutes. Place on a sieve to cool.- then ice and place a small piece

of cherry on each. For the ieing take about two ounces of icing sugar, free from lumps. Stir into it a teaspoonful of orange flower water, and enough co'd water to make a paste which can he spread. Cover thn rakes with this, and place in a warm (not hot) to dry.