HOME TOPICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13938, 21 December 1908, Page 4

HOME TOPICS.

•OLD-FASHIONED TOYS WHICH COST NOTHING. Odds and ends of wool have an inconvenient habit of accumulating, treasured remnants of Alloa yarn from the last box of charity comforters and shawls, and the scraps of Berlin and fleecy wool seldom appearing to do away with the necessity for buying fresh materials. Many small articles can, however, be made out of spare halfounces, which will come in most usefully for bazaars or for Christmas gifts for children. '"One of the simplest articles is the woolcovered tennis-ball. If the wool is of medium thickness, steel needles No. 16 should be used, 10 stitches being cast on, followed by a plain row. The second row is also plain, excepting at the end, when two should be knitted into the list stitch. This row must bo repeated-.-.until there are 30 stitches on the needle, when* fresh shade of wool may be introduced, so as to use up different coloured scraps. In the next row one , stitch should be slipped, 19 knitted, and the work turned. In the next row the first stitch should be slipped, nine knitted,, and the knitting turned. In the following row one must be slipped, 10 knitted, and the work turned. The work must then be continued in this way—an. extra stitch being always knitted from the side—until 30 stitches are again worked. The order must then be repeated from where the change of colour was made, until there are eight gussets, when the knitting can be cast off, the tennis ball inserted, and the gap neatly drawn together. Another capital use for old wool may be found in crocheting children's rein 6. These are made up over cord instead of being knitted in the old-fashioned garter style. A cord three yards in length and half an inch thick should be procured. A chain must then be crocheted to span the girth of the cord. This should be joined to form a ring, and a double crochet stitch worked Into each loop in turn, the work being continued round and round as in all crochet work, care being, however, shown in keeping the wool sheath an even thickness. Fresh wool can cither be substituted as each ball is finished, or regular stripes can be introduced of uniform or varying degrees of width. The wool tube should be made slightly shorter than three yards, as it is apt to stretch. When completed, the best way to slip the sheath over the cord is to tie a safetypin to a piece of tape, and pass it through the whole length. The cord should then be attached to the tape, and by degrees it will be found easy to pull it through, the ends being then secured and fastened off neatly. Two braces, sewn with small bells for' the horse, and a pair of knitted arm bands can then be attached, the reins being also sewn with bells on either side, leaving a plain piece opposite the braces by which the driver can obtain a good grip of the ribbons. TURKISH FAMILY LIFE. BY A TOUKISH LADY. Let me describe a family of my acquaintance belonging to the old nobility of Turkey. There is an air of quiet rest and peace in their home. Although rich from their own resources, you do not see in their konak the host of slaves and good-for-nothing people, just for appearance sake as you would in other families of the same position. They keep as many well-paid servants as are necessary. Their home is regulated in the European style, as the head stayed many years in Europe. The lady has the whole management of everything, is a perfect mistress of her household, free in all her actions, a dutiful and tender wife, being interested in all her husband's affairs, always taking the part of the poor and oppressed. Once a week, when there is cleaning in the house, she does the whole dusting and arranging of the furniture herself, and if any of her dependents get sick she nurses them with tenderness. Every year, in the month of Ramazan—which I believe is the month of the year in which the Koran, our Holy Book, was revealed in 26 parts to our Prophet—according to the , custom of our ancestors for 29 days her house is •open at 12 o'clock, Turkish time (sunset), and, whether rich or poor, anyone can enter to take Iftar (the evening meal during Ramazan), of which a description may be found interesting. t. Everybody must be seated at 12 o'clock at a table, which is covered with different kinds of jellies, cheese, olives, dried fish, caviare, and balouk-youmoutazi (fishes' eggs), dates, simits (cakes made from sesame seed), sherbet, etc. As soon as the cannons which announce sunset are heard, the first thing we must eat is either olive, or datel say must, because the Holy Prophet did so, and it is supposed they are the fruits of paradise. Then we eat jellies, thinking that sweets collect the senses. I must not forget, to say that those who are in the habit of smoking begin immediately after the first olive. Their faces, which the whole day were cross, brighten up, pleasant things are spoken of, and, with a good appetite, soup is taken. After the soup some eggs cooked in butter, then either mutton chops or a piece of roast meat; vegetables follow. Then comes beurek —something like a pudding without sugarafterwards the famous baclava, which holds a first place among the sweet dishes of this country, or kadaif; then come more courses of meat, fish, and vegetables, and sweets like gullaj sudlaj (rice milk), nnd mahallebi (native blanc mange), and if after all this any are left hungry, pilaf is brought, with hoshab or yaourt (junket), and coffee closes the dinner. Of course, every kind of fruit, salad, and pickle are on the table. The Oriental, who is always fond of his dinners, is much more so in Ramazan, particularly as they are forbidden during the day. Immediately after Iftar the evening prayers are performed, and everybody seems comfortable and ready to amuse themselves at homo or at any other place of pleasure. This freedom of the Iftar had almost gone out of fashion in many high families during the Lost 30 years, because people were afraid to have in their houses more than three or four persons; but, as I was saying, the family I have in mind kept up the old custom, and anyone who desired could enter their house at evening time, and rich or poor would have just the same kind of things to eat. Of course men and women are seated at different tables, not seeing each other.

SPANISH THRIFT AND POLITENESS. Spaniards may have many traits to criticise, said a gentleman who recently returned from touring in Spain, but in tie matter of politeness they are above reproach. This man left Seville on foot, after a stay of a week, and was 20 miles away, when he was overtaken by the landlord of the hotel where he had stopped. The innkeeper rode alongside of his guest for nearly an hour before he found courage to make known his business. • "If the senor and God pleases," he began, apologetically "I made a mistake in his bill yesterday." " How," I inquired. " I forgot to make a charge for his candles to light him to bed 1" " But it was moonlight, and I had no candles." "Then, senor, with the help of God, I forgot to charge you with tho moonlight." The charge amounted to a penny in English money, and he had hired an ass and ridden 20 miles to collect it. I was amused and astonished. Then I accused him of being a robber, and offered him a halfpenny to settle the bill. He worked up a beautiful smile and held out his hand. "I will take it with thanks, senor," he said, " and God bless you for an honest man!"'