THE HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11346, 14 April 1900, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE HOME.

A WORD TO HUSBANDS.

IF a man finds that he has a wife ill-adapted to wifely duties, docs it follow (asks a writer in Woman's Life) that tho best thing he can do is to blurt out, without form or ceremony, all the criticisms and corrections which may occur to him in the many details of household life? He would not dare to speak '.'with as little preface, apology, or circumlocution to his business manager, to his butcher, or his baker. The laws of society require that a man .should qualify, soften, and wisely time his admonition to those he meets in the outer world, or they will turn again and rend him." But to his own wife, in his own house and home, he can find fault without ceremony or softening So he can ; and he can awake in the course of a year or two to find his wife a changed woman, and his home unendurable. He may find, too, that unceremonious faultfinding" is a game that two can play at, and that a woman can shoot her arrows with far more precision and skill than a man. But the fault lies not always on the side of the husband. Quite as often is a devoted, patient, good-tempered man, harassed and hunted and baited by the inconsistent faultfinding of .wife, whose principal talent seems to be in the ability at first glance to discover and make manifest the weak points in anything. We have seen the most generous, the most warm-hearted and obliging of mortals under this sort of training make the Most morose and disobliging of husbands." Sure to be found fault with whatever they do, they have at last ceased doinc The'disappointment of not pleasing they have abated by not trying to please.

,- ECONOMY HINTS. Most 'girls do not use their clothes-brushes half enough, and in consequence their frocks always look untidy and old. ' To look well all skirts, bodices, and jackets should bo brushed as soon as taken off. Silk should never be brushed in the ordinary way, only with a clothes-brush covered tightly with "crape. Hats must be brushed with a soft brush and & tiny whisk. When clothing gets wet it should be dried far from the fire, as if it dries ton quickly it is apt to shrink at the same time.

■' > ' HOW TO RENEW DRESSES. The following is a very simple and reliable method to make cloth or serge dresses, stained, soiled, or faded, just like new: — Take about 20 ivy leaves, preferably young green leaves,, and, having carefully washed them, place in an earthenware dish. Pour a pint of boiling water over them and let them steep for two or three hours, and you will have a liquid to clean' your dresses. Brush the garments well on both sides, and remove all linings or trimmings in bad condition. Spread them on a table and sponge carefully with ivy water. You must wring the cloth and dry it; it will then be like new. Black silk can be cleaned in this way, but greater care is necessary. If the'silk is in breadths it must be very lightly sponged, then tightly rolled on a linen cloth, wrapped round a roller and let it thus dry. Black ribbon, faded by wear can also be renovated like silk, tare must be taken not to iron it after renovation. • - •" J .

.'; GAMES FOR WINTER EVENINGS. Blind Postman: In this game you first appoint a postmaster-general and a postman The postmaster-general goes round to each of the players, and writes down opposite their names the names of any towns they choose to represent, each person, of course, representing one town. Everyone except the postman is provided with a seat; the ■ postman is blindfolded, and the game begins. The postmaster announces that the post goes from one town to another, say from London I to Edinburgh, and the two players who represent those towns have to change seats, the blindfolded postman meanwhile trying to catch them. ; If he succeeds, the one caught lias to take his turn at being blind°Tho' Travellers' Alphabet:' This is a ' quieter game, and can be played sitting round the fire. The first one,says:. lam going on a journey to Amsterdam, or any other' place beginning with A. , The person seated next inquires:, "What Will you do there?" And in giving the answer all verbs ' and nouns used must begin with the same letter as the town chosen. Something after this style: "I shall articulate ancient anthems."- The next player takes B as , his or her letter, and so on through the alphabet. Anyone who keeps a questioner waiting for bis answer longer than while he can count twenty must pay a forfeit. The Stage Coach: For this game everyone takes the name of some part of, or something connected with, a stageeoach-the windows, wheels, coachmen, horses, etc. All are provided with chairs, and then one of the players begins telling a :tale,' / which he makes up as he goes along, and which must be as lively and ridiculous as possible, telling how the coach started, where it was going, how many passengers there were, bow the win-, dows rattled and the wheels jumped, etc., etc Every time the story-teller mentions that" part of the coach anyone represents that person must get up, turn round, and sit down again; and every time the stagecoach as a whole is mentioned, everyone must change places, and anyone who forgets to turn round or change places at the proper time has to pay a forfeit. he oftener the different parts of the coach are mentioned by the one who is telling the story the more fun it is. ' .. ' - Shadow Buff: This game, if well played, is great fun. A large white sheet is first hung securely on one side of the room, and on a table some distance behind a very bright lamp must be placed. Then the players take it in turn to sit on a stool facing the sheet, while the rest pas.s behind, between him and the lamp. •As the shadows are thrown on the sheet, the sitter has to guess who the shadow represents. This is more difficult than many people imagine, because von may disguise yourself in any way, or 'make absurd grimaces or gestures,' which makes the guessing far harder. Original Sketching: For this everyone must be supplied with a paper and pencil. ' On the-paper a sketch representing some ■very well-known incident, either in history or a novel, must be drawn, no matter how badly. As soon as the sketches are completed, each player passes his to bis lefthand neighbour, who examines it and writes his comments on the sketch, and also tho scene he thinks it represents, on another piece of paper. Then he turns down the paper to cover his comments, and passes both papers to his left-hand neighbour, and so on round the circle. When all have been round, the comments are opened and read aloud. The player who guesses the greatest number correctly is sometimes given a prize.

WASHING AND DRYING THE HAIR. On'ce a month, at the very least, the head should be washed. Boras makes the best cleanser. Plenty of warm water is needed after the process of cleansing has been gone .. through. The warm water should be poured over the head by a second person, the hair being held over a bathtub while this is being done. Yolk of egg makes an excellent wash for the hair, but even greater care is needed after its application than is the case with borax, otherwise the hair will be sticky when dry. No time should be lost in drying the hair after it has been washed. The best way to dry it quickly and thoroughly is, after a good rub with dry towels, to sit on a rug in front of a good fire, and, still rubbing, allow the heat to fall on the back, the sides, and the top of the head alternately. A douche of cold water should always be poured over the head after the warm water, and in cold weather some alcohol should be • rubbed well into the scalp. The hair should never be done up until it is perfectly.dry, and it should be well shaken before beginning to brush and comb it after it lias been Washed. Helps and hindrances to its growth: Very often a 'good rubbing of the" skin of the head serves to stimulate the growth of i .the hair. .This ought to be repeated twice ! : a week, and the friction should be so vigorous Wis to make the skin become red and glowing. Thin hair, often becomes thick and long' after I this mode of treatment is applied. Another ' useful experience for the hair is that of being I . '; allowed to float freely about for an hour. or J 'eo, that the air may circulate through it. :'-'Wearing! false hair injures the natural • i'growtLby keeping the skin of the head too :• >• lot. Excessive use of -thecurling-tongs is ;■_;.? •too injurious to the hair.' ,