THE HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11538, 24 November 1900, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE HOME.

ON PIANO-fcLAYING. If your parents ask you to play after dinner to their friends, you have but one .course open to you—to do so as simply and quietly as you can. You may be painfully conscious that your playing on the piano is indifferent; but there is one consolation you can lay to your heart, and that is that among the guests assembled there will in all probability be only one or two who are judges of music, and there will be a roomful of people who will be judges whether you do with grace what is required of you. It is generally easy to select something simple to play in which you are quite sure of yourself, when you will give more pleasure than if you attempt something far more elaborate where you are likely to stumble. Don't turn round when you seat yourself ac the piano, and say: " Oh! lam so nervous !" It goes without saying that most young girls are nervous of displaying their acquirements in public. So say nothing. Take your seat with no sort of fussing, and play what you have selected as well as you can ; for you owe it to your parents, who have paid for your instruction, to do the best you can for your own credit and for theirs. There is many a music-teacher who, while giving excellent advice on all subjects connected with the mechanical and poetic part of music, never gives a thought as to how a girl looks at the piano; and yet this is really an important matter to consider. To begin with, when you seat yourself on the music-stool you ought always to see that your dress falls nicely, and is not diagged all on one side or huddled up under you. Then set yourself quite in the middle of the piano, so as to have equal command over the whole instrument.

You will most likely have been taught how to hold your hands, but try not to exaggerate the attitude, and don't raise them with a flourish at the end of a passage. It looks vulgar and pretentious. If you wear bangles be sure to take them off. Most pieces are spoilt by the impromptu cymbal accompaniment which is produced by the rattling of bangles. Then if you fancy your playing, and know you play very well, yet you must let people talk in the room, and bear their chatter unconcernedly. When you have finished your piece, rise at once from the piano. Don't linger on the stool as if you expected to be asked to play again. MOTHER HINTS. To Make Baby's Hair Curl : Young mothers may be glad to know that a baby's hair may often be encouraged to curl naturally if it is brushed upwards and twisted round the finger while it is wet. Brushing downward rather encourages a child's hair to grow straight. For Baby's Bed: A cosy covering for an infant's bed is a sheet of thick wadding, half a yard long, slipped into a nainsook covering made the shape of an envelope. This case and the flap can be trimmed with lace and frilling if desired, and is easily washed. When the child is tucked up in this little cosy -bag the flap is turned down over the counterpane, and it takes the place of blanket*, which need such constant washing in a baby's bed and soon get thin and poor in consequence. A Wise Mother Says: That we should keep up a standard of principles, for our children are watchful judges. That what are trifles to us arc often mountains to our children; and that we should respect their feelings. That if you say " No," you should mean " No." Unless you have a good reason for changing a command, hold to it. That we should take an interest in our children's amusements, for mother's share in what pleases them is a great delight. That we should be honest with the children in small things as well as in great, and if we cannot tell them what they wish to know we should say so, rather than deceive them. That we should interest our boys and girls in physiology, and when they are ill try to make them comprehend how the complaint arose and how it may be avoided in the future. That many a child goes astray not because there is want of care and training at home, but simply because' home lacks sunshine; that a child needs smiles as much as flowers need the sunbeams. That as long as it is possible we should kiss the children good-might after they are in bed. They will enjoy it, even after they profess to have grown out of it, and it will keep them close and loving. That children look little beyond the present moment; that if a thing pleases they are quick to see it; that if home is a place where faces are sour, and words harsh and fault-finding, they will spend as many hours as possible elsewhere. How to Treat Cuts : Children, if allowed to use scissors or knives, are sure to have misfortunes sometimes. Keep a supply of .lint and some boracio ointment in your emergency cupboard. Spread a little of the ointment on the lint and lay on the injured part, after first washing in hot water. Cover the lint with soft rag and tie up. Boracic ointment can be bought at any chemist's. HINTS FOR THE HOUSEWIFE. To remove mildew or stains of any kind from leather nothing can equal a little pure vaseline. It should be rubbed into the leather until quite absorbed, then polish with a clean chamois leather. The above may be safely used for all sorts of leather. Water in which vegetables have been boiled should never be poured down a sink, for it causes a very lingering and disagreeable odour to permeate the whole house ; such liquids are best thrown out upon the earth, where the smell will evaporate without being unpleasant. To remove oil stains from either clothing or carpets, make a paste of Fuller's earth and methylated spirits. Apply to the spot or spots, and leave till dry; then brush off with a stiff brush, and it will be found that all the grease, etc., has entirely disappeared. When applying it, it should be well rubbed in. The foregoing may be used with perfect safety for the most fragile silks, muslins, etc. Is there anything more vexing than to have one's dainty underwear torn in the laundry by being wrung too hard or made as stiff as pasteboard with starch. There is only one remedy for this; the laundress must understand that starch is only permitted for use on shirts. Give the order that you wish absolutely no starch put into your underwear, and, if it should happen to be silk, that the water must be squeezed rather than wrung out of it. Silk is just as easy to wash as cambric, muslin, or any other material, but it does not require all the strength of the laundress to bo given to it, nor does it need to be put in a wringing machine in company with heavy flannels or stockings. It wants literally to have the water squeezed out of it, and to be ironed while it is still a little damp, folded, and then put on a chair in front of the fire, so that it may dry thoroughly. We all know what it is to have our lace torn because the laundress has been too generous with her starch.

To wash brushes of all sorts, whether hair, clothes, furniture, or polishing, etc., there is nothing better than the following: — Dissolve an ounce of rock ammonia in a pint and a-hnlf of water, then dip the brushes in with the bristles downwards, and shake backwards and forwards until clean. Rinse well in cold water, and dry if possible in the sun. (Note.Do not let the backs and handles of the brushes get into the water if you can possibly help it, as this spoils the varnish and tends to loosen the bristles.) Combs, some people say, should never be washed, but with this I cannot agree, as I do not see how, despite all recipes to the contrary, it is possible tc keep them clean and sweet; without waslung them. The following is the method I advocate: —Make a lather of yellow soap and warm water, and leave the comb in soak in this for half an hour— this will loosen all the dandruff, etc. which may hav« got between the teeth— then brush well with c small nailbrush, rinse in cold water, and wipe thoroughly dry.—Woman's Life.