THE FRIENDLY EXCHANGE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 871, 9 November 1888, Page 4

THE FRIENDLY EXCHANGE.

In this column we propose to have pleasant chats land interchange of ideas with our readers upon passing matters of domestic and social interest; and that it may be made an instructive and profitable feature we invite correspondence of inquiry and information on all subjects that can possibly be of service to the home and our common humanity, and the Editress hopes that her appeal will meet with a hearty and generous response.

Letters must he written on one side of the paper only, and addressed to “Elise, New Zealand Mail.

Correspondents will please give real name and address in addition to their nom-de-plume, not for publication but editorial introduction.

For the present the Exchange will be published fortnightly, but we hope that sufficient pabulum will soon come in to enable us to make it a weekly issue. Contributions for the ‘ Exchange ’ must be sent .in not later than Monday.

Dear Madam Elise, —I have to apologise for omitting my name and address. May I take this opportunity of thanking you for your pleasant qnd useful ‘chats,’ which always assist me so much in my de. elsious when I go shopping ? Yours very truly, Penelope, Waverley. Thanks for your kind acknowledgment. We hope to hear from you again.—Ed.

Among my housewife treasures I number a convenient clothes-pin apron, which I will describe for the benefit of others. Take one and one-half yards of oalico, cut off one yard and fold it to make half a yard, then fold this lengthwise and cut out a round apron, hollowing out the top to make it fit smoothly round the waist. Then take the upper half of the apron, cut out the spaces for pockets large enough to allow the hand to pass freely. Bind the pockets, then place the two seotions together, bind all around, put on a band, sew on a button, make a button-hole, and you will have something you will never be without again. Grange Blossom.

Dear Editress,— Lemons are so plentiful just now that I am impelled to give two favourite recipes to the ‘ Exchange ’ : Lemon Butter. —The juice and grated rind of three lemons, three eggs, one-half pound of granulated sugar, one-third pound of good butter. Melt the butter (setting the vessel in a pan of hot water, or using a farina boiler), put in the lemon, beat together the yolks of the eggs and the sugar, stir into the lemon juice and butter until it thickens

like boiled custard, have the whites beaten well and stir in when it is done.

Lemon Custard. —Four eggs (leave out the whites of two), one cup of sugar, one cup of cold water, one grated lemon, a small piece of butter, one tablespoonful of corn starch, bake os custard. After it is baked cover it with the beaten whites, adding pulverised sugar, and return to the oven to brown. Mollie Bawn. Dear Elise, —Country residents far from confectioners’ shops will, I am sure, like to know how to make a really good sweet-meat in place of the time-honoured toffey so dear to ohildren. Turkish Delight,— Soak 2 oz, of gelatine in a breakfast cup of water, let it stand an hour, then pour on it cups of boiling water, 21b. of white sugar, £ teaspoonful of oitrio acid, and a tablespoonful of brandy. Boil for half an hour, then flavor with essence of lemon, vanilla, or rose, preferably rose. Colour with cochineal, and pour into meat dishes which have been dipped in cold water. Let it stand 12 hoars, then cut into small squares and roll in icing sugar. Martha S., Dunedin. Tried and found delicious.— Ed.

Dear Madam Elise, —Wellington, as you know, possesses several Benevolent Societies and Homes for those requiring help and shelter, and our schools are open to all comers, but one class of the communityseem to have been forgotten, that is the poor bottle boys, as they are called. Go to any part of the town you please, and there you will see these unfortunate children rampaging about iu quest of bottles, greatly to the annoyance of householders, fbr they are so persistent, if they don’t get anything given to them, they loiter about the premises, and take whatever they can put their hands on ; so that, unless they are checked by the authorities, we shall soon have a race of young thieves in our midst. Poor little fellows, they are to be pitied to a certain extent, for they are such forlorn looking objects, ragged and dirty. It is curious to observe how the elder ones train the little ones to beg. I recollect one very cold Saturday afternoon, seeing two big boys trying to persuade a wee fellow, who was shivering with cold, for he was bare-footed, to go once more and ask for a bottle at a house which I was passing. The little fellow complained of the oold, but they were still urging him to go in and have another try, as they called it. Do you not think something could be done for these unfortunates ? They might be made useful as errand boys, or to weed gardens, clean boots, knives, &c., and bo gradually be trained to gain an honest iiv* ing. No doubt, if some kindly disposed persons took the matter up, a great deal of good might be done in the way of rescuing these children from going <to destruction. Yours ti aly, J.W., Wellington.