THE WOMAN'S WORLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10428, 28 April 1897, Page 3

THE WOMAN'S WORLD.

WIVES AND HOMES.

Now for some of the little failings that, try the patienco and temper of many wives. Did it ever strike yon how long and lonely the days must seem to the girl you have taken from a merry home circle! Evidently not, or surely you would not have rushed off immediately after dinner to see that" fellow at the club I" Of course «he said she did not mind—women always do! All the same, she was miserable the whole evening, over the thought that nothing would have takon you from her side a few short months ago. Then is it quite necessary to immerse yourself in the paper during the whole of breakfast time, emerging only to devour your meal in hurried fashion! Why can't you wait till you get in the train? Of course, you think it remarkably silly that she should fret over such trifles, but a woman's happiness or unhappiness is made up of trifle?. You saw no reason why she should cry the morning you forgot to kiss her, and felt annoyed when you discovered tear-stains on your return home. "You forgot!" Why, that's just what hurt! You would not have forgotten once, you know ! No, there is not a scrap of good in assuring her that you love her as well or better than you did before yoU married her. She wants the little attentions that prove to her you do. The only men who make their wives really happy are those who are lovers as well as husbands. Men devote themselves to their profession or business; during the day scarcely a passing thought is given to wife or home. A woman is so different. Every thought of hers begins or ends with the man she loves. Even men themselves acknowledge this—at least it was a man who said, " Man's love is of man s life a thing apart: 'tis woman's whole existence 1" Knowing how much you are to her, is it too much trouble to pay her the little attentions she thinks so much of, or let her be sure that she is as dear to you as ever she was

THE BITTERNESS OF LOVE. Francis Ridley Havergal beautifully says that: " The rapture of love is linked with the pain and fear of loss;" and how true this is many, many lovers could testify. A young girl who had just become engaged once said to me: "I feel so happy that I am quite terrified in case something should occur." This is aby no means unusual state of mind attendant on those who love deeply and passionately. Again, the very jealousy which is concomitant with some love has in itself a bitterness and •ting which no feeling on earth can rival. It is no use saying, "Spare yourself this needless and groundless pain;" there are some people so constituted that they cannot help the feeling, and with them it seems to outsiders that the happiness of loving is outweighed by its misery. There is a bitterness in love when it is unreciprocated ; there is a still deeper bitterness when it is deceived; but the deepest bitterness of all is when it is slain outright by cruel treatment or cold delight. And yet, with all the sadness and sorrow which are nearly always attendant upon true love, tbe poet is right when he sings : "Tit better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all. THE GIFT OF LOVE. A woman's greatest gift is love. If it cometb to you, you are a happy woman. Treat it gently, tenderly, and sympathetically, for it suffers from ill-treatment, and it is over-quick to feel itself neglected. It may have taken years to grow, and yet it can be killed in a minute. Neglect, unkind words, lack of belief are each and all poison to it. Handle it as if it were the finest crystal, the rarest gem. Joy and glory in it, and when you kneel down to pray lift up your voice and speak words of gratitude to God for Ilia gift of love. And if it does not come, if your life is a bit bare, then' make it rich in friendship, for friendship comes next to love, indeed includes it.

RETICULES ARE IN AGAIN. Parisians are carrying, while shopping, dainty bags of brocaded silk with gold clasps and ornaments, or bags of fancy leather bound with gold or silver. Thiß is a revival of an old fashion, and does not necessarily suggest a shopping trip by a suburbanite. The small bags of white leather, with clasp, chain, and monogram of gold, are particularly attractive, and the extreme is a bug, ten times larger than a purse, of fine gold mesh. The price is nob one of its attractions, but in Paris there are always patrons of the expensive fads introduced by the jewellers.

THE TABLE. Cocoa.nut Custard Podding. — Soak a cup of minced cocoanut in a pint of milk ; add two eggs w«ll beaten; sweeten to taste. Bake with or without upper cruet. Appetising Pokk Chops.— the chops neatly, dust, with pepper, salt, and finelyminced sage; sprinkle with flour, and fry in boiling fat. Make a good gravy, and serve with fried sliced apples or apple sauce. A little minced onion is liked by many, bub it should be only a " suspicion." Celery Salad.—When the celery is prepared as for general use, keep in cold water till wanted ; then dry on a cloth, and cut in pieces ljin long, or in short Julienne shapes; season it with mignonette, pepper, and salt, tarragon or other vinegar and oil, and chopped shallot. Mix well together, and serve in a salad bowl. Garnish with slices of tomatoes or beetroot cut in fancy shapes and seasoned like the celery. Farmer's Kioe.—Let three pints of milk come to a boil. Rub into two eggs flour enough to produce little grains and flakes. Stir this into the milk quickly, and cook for five minutes. Serve with sugar. Jellied Fowl.— excellent way to utilise an old lion is to pick and draw it in the usual way, then cut it up, and place the pieces in a stewpin, well seasoning with pepper and salt. Cover with cold water, and stew gently for three or four hours, or until the meat can be easily removed from the bones. Mix the meat with the gravy, and turn into a mould till quite cold. It will then turn a delicious jelly, and if garnished with parsley makes an exceedingly pretty dish. Stdffed Leg of Mutton.—Choose a small leg, beat it well, and remove the bone, being careful not to disfigure the joint. Prepare a mixture with some rice, breadcrumbs, chopped herbs, and onions, all previously parboiled in a little stock — must not be too moist. Pat the mixture in the place of the bone, tie the joint round to a presentable shape, and bake in the oven or stew till tender.

GENERAL MOTES. To Preserve Bamboo Furniture.— Bamboo is very liable to crack and come apart, and should be exposed to the air ai much as possible, because of the dryness of the wood, Do not place it too near the fire, and often rub it with equal parts of linseed oil and turpentine, applied ou a toft flannel, and afterwards well rubbed in with a loft cloth. Every now and then a wash with warm water will help to keep the furniture in good condition.

Shampoo.— pennyworth oil of rosemary, one pennyworth spirits of lavender, one pennyworth spirits of camphor, twopennyworth salts of tartar. Put the above into a quart jug, and fill up with boiling water. When cool, bottle, and use a small capful when washing the head instead of soap. Be careful to rinse well in several waters.

Fragrant Odour for Sick Rooms.— few drops of the oil of sandal wood, which, though not in general use, may be easily obtained in most towns, when dropped on a hot shovel will he found to diffuse a most agreeable balsamic perfume throughout the air of sick-rooms or confined apartments. Dirt in the Eve.—Place your forefinger upon the cheek bone, having the patient before you, then draw up the finger, and you will probably be able to remove the dirt with the corner of a fine silk handkerchief. Testing the Heat ok an Ov*n.—To judge of an oven's heat, there are no better rules than fiouffo's. Try the oven every ten minutes with a piece of white paper; if too hot, the paper will blaze up or blacken. When the paper becomes dark brown— rather darker than ordinary meat-pie crust —the oven is fit for small pastry. When light brown—».«., the colour of really nice pastry— is ready for vol-au-vitU, tarts, etc. When the paper turns dark yellow—i.e., the colour of deal—you can bake bread, large meat pies, or large pound cakes while, if it is just tinged, the oven is fib for spongecake, meringues, etc.