Hints and Suggestions.

Otago Witness, Issue 2695, 8 November 1905, Page 70

Hints and Suggestions.

Make tea for an invalid with boiling milk instead of boiling water. It is much nicer and more digestible if the milk really boils.

If you get a fish bone in your throat, and it contimies to stick there, swallow an egg raw. It will be almost certain to carry the bone along with it. To Soften Hard Water.— Boil it for ten minutes. Cucumber peelings boiled in hard wafer will make it almost as soft as rain water. Another way is to pour boiling water on oatmeal (a heaped tablespoonfui to half a gallon), and let it stand for half an hour before using. A Remedy for Toothache. — Fill a small cup with boiling vinegar. Dip_a piece of cotton wool into vinegar and rub the gum ; let the vinegar be as hot as you can endure. Stop the aching tooth with some wool. In five minutes the pain will have ceased. Sometimes, however, two applications must be made.

To Prevent Pale Blue Fading in the Wash. — Make a lather of yellow soap, soak the articles in this till perfectly clean, rinse in clean warm water to get out all the soap, plunge into a gallon of boiling water to which has been added a piece of alum the size of a walnut. Let it remain in the water the length of time necessary to enable it to absorb the right amount of colour. This will gradually deepen the shade of the blue.

To Wash China. — Tea and coffee stains can be removed from embossed parts of china cups and jugs by the use of a little salt, made damp and rubbed with a small brush on the stained parts. China shoal 1 be washed in the ordinary way with a soapy lather, which will make it beautifully bright, and is very much more effectual than the use of hot water alone.

The best water to use at all times for facial ablutional purposes is rain-water; but failing this distilled water, rose-water, and elder-flower water are excellent substitutes. To keep the skin in a naturally elastic condition, even during the hottest weather, one should refrain from washing it with either hot or cold tap-water just before going-out, and apply instead a little rose-water; or "wash" the face about half- an hour before going out by rubbing over it a little olive oil or cold cream, wiping off all superfluity of grease carefully, and finally using a face leather, charged or otherwise with powder. Frenchwomen not infrequently make their own toilet powders by mixing together six ounces of good French chalk or starch and two drachms of powdered orrisroot.

Sunburn is a thing that troubles a great many girls during the heat of summer, and various means are tried to chase away freckles. For both of these " disfigurements," if they may be so called, buttermilk is one of the best remedies. Elderflower water dabbed over the face before going out into the air is also recom-

mended, and on returning the uso of cole? cream is urged. Buttermilk, however, may take the place of both. An oatmeal treatment agrees with some people, but proves too heating ior the skin of others. For those whom it suits here is a simple prescription :— Mix a tablesooonful of prepared toilet oatmeal with a little elder-flower water to a fairly thick paste, and well massage your face till the oatmeal falls oft in a fine powder.

If blackheads are troublesome, a few drops of simple tincture of benzoin should be added to the paste, and the face atterwards wiped with a chamois leather Cucumber juice is a good second io buttermilk as a check to freckles. The latter may be strengthened in its effect by adding to it some grated horseradish. Take one teacupful of sour milk, or buttermilk, and one tablespoonfui of grated horseradish; let them stand twelve hours, then strain off the fluid and apply it io the face several times a day.

Most toilet preparations are better for being made in small quantities and used fresh.

A parasol and a shady hat will do much to help the cure, or encroaching, of freckles and sunburn.

To ensure piiblieaiiov in the /ortheomiivi i?sue letters sheuld reach the Witness ofice if possible on Saturday night, but on no account later than Monday night

19* Dfscriptitns oj halls, <£c, must is endorsed hy either the Witness eorrrspondeut )or the district or by the secretary to the ball committee. The MS of any correspondents teho do not comply uith this rule will be sent to the. secretary for endorsement prior to appearing.— J32LHELlXE

BACHELOBS' BALL AT LEE STREAM.

Dear Emmeline, — The bachelors of Lee Stream held their annual ball in the local schoolroom on Friday, 27th ult. Owing io the inclemency of the weather the roads were in a very bad state, so that many of the people having long distances to come were unable to attend. However, under the circumstances a fair number were present. The nru.3ic was supplied by Mr Caffell (violin), assisted by Messrs Brady, Borfchwick, and Howell (accordions). Among those present were Miss Howell, in a pretty muslin dress with lace trimmings; Miss A. Reid, white blouse, dark brown skirt; Miss Wilkinson, white silk dress ; Miss Deans, white silk blouse, black skirt ; Miss Doheriy, white muslin blouse, dark green skirt ; Miss ]tf. Howell. white muslin dress, lace trimmings; Miss N. Smith, whit© silk blouse, grey skirt; Miss M. Deans, lightcoloured blouse, brown skirt. Dancing was kept up until daylight, when all dispersed for their homes, after having spent a thoroughly enjoyable night. — Onlooker.

AND DANCE AT MOSSBtTSN.

Dear Euinieline, — Our spinsters gave a most enjoyable supper and dance on the night of Octobar 20. The evening being fine, although, rather dark, a large number turned out, and among the ladies I noticed Miss M'Cauley in a blue satin evening dress; Miss Beer, hhts silk evening dress; Miss Kitty Beer, white spangled net ovei pale green satin evening dress; Miss Alice Bser, white muslin, pink sils sash, and ribbons; Miss Kearney, white Vrilliant dress, relieved with blue ribbons; Miss Bella Dawson, white silk, relieved with pale pink; Miss Anderson, black silk blouse, velvet skirt ; Miss E. Anderson, whits silk evening dress; Mis 3 Annie Anderson (Hamilton Burn estate), white muslin relieved with pink; lliss Chewings, white muslin trimmed with Honiton lace; Miss Lily Pa'terson y "white blouse, dark skirt; Miss Maud Pa.ter3on, light blouse, blue -velvet s&irt^ Miss Crosbie, blue blouse, dark skirt; Miss Powell, black voile evening dress; Mis 3 Annie M'Cauley, wiiite muslin ; Miss Irene Felton, cream muslin ; Miss Florence Keid, white muslin 1 ; Miss Benn. a lovely cream silk; Miss Trevathan, light dress; .Miss Baird, dark dress; Mrs Eobert M'Cauley, green crash, trimmed with pink; Mrs Reid, black silk; Mrs Knee, black silk evening dress; Mrs Chewings, grey voile; Mrs Felton, black; Mrs Dawson, black figured silk; Mrs William Beer, black surali silk , Mrs Pagan, dark dress. Misses M'Cauley and Beer acted as M.C.'s until midnight, when Miss Beer, in a neat hitle speech, handed over the further controlof tho dance to Mr C. Beer. Miss Kifcty Eeex and Miss Dawson waited on the supper tables with much acceptance. Music (piano and violin) was supplied by Messrs Anderson Bros., of Hamilton Burn.— Visitor, bachelors' b.vll at otiake.

Dear Eammehne, — The bachelors of Otiake held a very successful ball in the Otiabc School on Friday. November 3. About 100 invitations were issued, and most of them were accepted. The is>ehool was beautifully decorated for Ihs occasion, the only hindrance being that the room was too small. Excellent music was supplied by Mr W. Pirie and Mr J. Pal-k, and at interval by Mr P. M'lnnes- and Mr G. Grant. The grand march, in which about 30 couples took part, was ledf off by Mr E. Gray and Miss A. Cameron, followed by Mr A. Dasler and 1 Miss Young. The bachelors wore pink and green badges, and the decorartioas were carried out chiefly in these colours. Mr E. Gray made a capable M.C. During the evening songs were rendered by Mr Winchester and Mr Hamngan. About 12 o'clock * all adjourned to the Athensum, where a sumptuous repast was laid, and which was done ample iustoce to. The decorations here, too, were chiefly carried out in pink and green. Dancing was kept up with spirit until 3.30 a.m. Before- dispersing foi home Mr A. M'lnnes, on behalf of the spinsters' and others', (•hanked the bachelors for tbeir very enjoyable . evening, and oil behalf of the bachelors thanked all the visitors who had corns from, Kurow. Everyone said that the bachelors' ball was certainly the best that had been held .n Otiake, and we all hope that they will make it an arual affair. Amongst the dresses worn by the ladies were : Miss .Cameron, white silk ; Miss Young, pale green muslin; Miss Allan, iigtired muslin blouse, grey skirt ; Miss Eraser, black; Miss Sorters, grey muslin dre?s, cream lace collar ; Miss Davidson, black ; Miss Thomas, white silk blouse, black skirt ; Miss M. Thomas, white silk blouse, holland skirt ; Miss A. Thomas, grey; Miss C. O'Brien, pale blue nm&kn blouse, daik skirt; Mass Robertson, white silk blouse, muslin, skirt; Miss Mulvena, red blouse, dark skirt; Mrs T. M'Cone, green muslin blouse, dark skirt; MPs A. Simpson, white silk blouse, black skirt; Mrs A. M'lnnesi, white silk bloaise, black voile skirt; Mrs M'Gimpsey. cream silk blouse, black cashmere skiit; Mrs A. Watson, white figured delaine; Miss Simpson, white silk bouse, dark skirt; Miss Wilson, dark green dress; Miss Jessie Davis, pale green blouse, dark skirt ; Miss M. Angus, white muslin ; Mis,3 M. Simpson, white voile; Miss L. Simpson, white silk; Miss Warwick, cream* blouse, black skirfe; Miss Eva Warwick, -whit© blouse, grey skirt; Miss M'lnnes, red silk blouse, black voile skirt; Miss M'Gimpsey, white silk blouse, dark skirt; Miss Bella, Irving, white spotted muslin blouse, black skirt; Mrs Fox, white muslin- dress; Mrs J. M'Cone, red silk blouse, black skirt ; Miss Bella M'lnnes 1 , cream voile blouse, l>l?x:k skirts Miss Voting, \dul« silk blouse, grey skirt— "Wallflower-