HOME TOPICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14294, 14 February 1910, Page 3

HOME TOPICS.

HINTS FOR HOUSEWIVES. To stone raisins, free them from the stems place them in a basin, cover them with water that is actually boiling, and let them stand 111 the water for two minutes. Then pour the water off and open the raisins,, when the seeds may be quickly removed. ' Silk handkerchiefs may' be washed with excellent results if borax is used instead of soap. Use it in the proportion of one tablespoonfnl of -borax to one gallon of water. To prepare a floor for dancing it should be. swept first of all arid scrubbed in the ordinary way. Next sprinkle it well with boracic acid powder and scrub it in» with a tiff scrubbing brush. . After this let the,children slide up and down the floor to give it a final polish. An excellent medium for cleansing the hair when it is not- washed »is to rub a little flour into the bristles of the hairbrush and to brush the hair with it, using a clean brush afterwards to remove all traces of the flour. To soften boots and shoes, rub castor oil thoroughly into the leather. This. will renew the elasticity and . life of the leather. Any ordinary oil will answer the purpose, but castor oil is the best. BUTTON AND HOOK AND EYE BAGS. .. A small silk bag or a special pocket that buttons tight should be provided in the workbag to hold, an assortment of glove buttons, pearl buttons*- and the lace ones that are always coming off the backs of blouses. This should be distinct from the ordinary button box, where a wider assortment will be treasured. Another compartment or , bag. could be devoted to hooks and eyes. „ A convenient way is to sew the two little bags to one ribbon and tack them to the inside of the workbag with a string long enough to take them out for examination. POINTS OF ETIQUETTE. Invitations should always be replied to immediately. It shows a great want of tact and courtesy not to do so. .The .girl who accepts an invitation to visit friends for a week or two, or even for a few days, is, of course, expected to write back the announcement of her safe arrival and her appreciation of the hospitality she has received. Under no circumstances should this be postponed or neglected. If you are going' somewhere else to, visit, or are returning home, your days may be very full, but there is no excuse for not finding a few minutes for this acknowledgement. When invitations are received for. a family, two replies should bo sentone for the parents, and one for the children. . Most people labour under the delusion that cheese should be eaten with a knife. Although it is common belief, it is absolutely, incorrect, and a fork should always be used. Six or eight months is the usual limit to wear mourning for a brother or sister. After the first month, however, it is not:necessary to wear crape, and deep black' of any description need only be worn for three months. Many people adopt half-mourning after this time, but six months should really.be allowed to elapse before this is done. ' ' The jewellery worn -during the period of deep mourning should bo either black enamel or jet. Pearls, arc the only ..permissible precious stones. • : - - •" r - WORTH KNOWING. - Look at the hands of your laundress and you will know why the face should not be steamed. Continual heat causes the flesh to become swollen and red. A hot water facial tubbing at night is all the hot water one's countenace should have. Dip a complexion brush in warm water, rub over the brush » bar of pure ' soap i and cleanse the skin , thoroughly, rinsing ,' first; with ' warm water, then with cold. Patience and perseverance in following hygienic laws will bring their reward in the form of a beautifully clear, glow ing complexion. ' The general state of the health has much to do with one's colouring. , ' T • To get rest, one must; let one's muscles go to sleep. While activity is necessary to beauty, the body must have plenty oi rest to make up for the wear and tear ol human life and the inroads of time, v When you rest, try to get the muscles bf your face 'under control. Don't wrinkle the forehead or compress the lips. There is nothing more soothing in a case ■of nervous restlessness than a hot salt bath just before retiring. ,<, i Never be alarmed if an insect enters the ear., Pouring warm olive oil into the canal will drown it, when it will generally corns to the surface, and can be easily removed by the fingers. " . c ANNOYANCES SWEPT ASIDE. The girl who is going to succeed in the world with the least friction to herself is the one who determines to begin early tc learn to put annoyances on one side.' There are several ways in which the little annoyances of life can be abolished without unloading them upon other people. • Man; girls allow themselves to be annoyed bj trifles, which could be changed by a little courage. One irritated girl hesitates to tel the friend who is perpetually 'borrowing hei belongings to get possessions for herself, Yet would not such a course be better thai continually fuming and possibly growing tc dislike the borrower because of her vexing proclivity? HOW TO TREAT AN OIL .STOVE. ! An oil stove, to burn satisfactorily, should be thoroughly cleaned and refilled ever; ?time it is used. If oil and dirt- are allowed to accumulate on it, it is bound tc smell unpleasantly, > ... Never cut the wick, but rub the charred parts off with a piece of rag or paper. Always turn the wick down before extinguishing it, and leave it . turned down' till you are going to light it again. " • • Remember that the: top of the/ part yj and down which the; wick runs - requires tc be kept perfectly clean.' Give' it a good rub both inside and ' out every time you clean the stove, and. if ,a crust forms round the top, scrape it off occasionally. , * ■■■■■■■■■■■ [ m * . i , . ■ ■ TO POLISH LINOLEUM. ' Some people object to highlypolisbe< floors because of the danger • there is o: slipping. But the following ; polish, gives a good gloss without making the linoleun the least bit slippery. \ ; . i 1 • Get a gill of methylated spirits and ar ounce of shellac, mix them both - together and, when the shellac, is thoroughly 1 dis ' solved, apply it to the, linoleum with a sof; flannel. The gloss will remain even aftei the linoleum-has been washed. I POINTS FOR MOTHERS. ' \ " How can one expect a child to be truth ful when he sees how servantsyes, oftei parents —practise deceit?' , --Max Muller." , : "We become chiefly .what'' we are mori through others than through ourselves,' — Max Muller. - v 1 ■ , - . - "One good mother ;is worth ai'hundrec schoolmasters."George Herbert. , "It rests with each' of us to make ai much of ourselves as could be made out o the stuff. "--Jean Paul Richter. ■ :> "You can do anything with' children i you only play with : them."—Prince; Bis '. marck. * .. ,- : vT';'' • ' ■■' " Happiness! I ( regard it as the mos: sacred right of youth."—Solange (daughtei of George ' Sand.) • , .