HOME CIRCLE.

Southern Cross, Volume 24, Issue 2, 15 April 1916, Page 11

HOME CIRCLE.

NO TURNING BACK. When 'neath the,.flowing lilac I Heart sick I stood •Ahd,vhalf ashamed, Yo u brushed away a tear Because we l soon must part, I dare not hold you back, For well I knew That Truth and Honour called you, Nobler claim's than mine ! When in the sodden trenches Facing the winter blast And,deadlier foe— Perchance you saw again The lilac blossom by our garden gate. And sighed, but even then I would not dare to '. call •. thee If I might. And thou, ,dear lad, > Would sure have loved me less • If I had brought thee From a task undone. Arid so—oh, Heaven ! Accept our sacrifice. Thou in the fight— I sheltered from the storm. Yet in •, the riight hours Suffering with thee— No -■ thought ! of ■ shirking Or of swerving from the shadowed path That leadeth tofthe goal.' 'G-lad, in the end, We know no turning back. —Selected.

Little things about the house

A new clothes line should be boiled before being used. This makes it last longer, and prevents stretching. New pegs should be soaked in cold water for twelve hours to prevent them from splitting.

When' washing window-paint or cupboard doors, etc., use a little whiting on a flannel instead of soap. It wall remove all dirty marks . withoxit injuring the most delicate-colour-ed paint.

To turn a jelly (out of a mould without breaking it, try rubbing a little of the best olive "oil on the shape before pouring in the jelly. If you do this you will never have another broken jelly.

When hanging clothes to dry, remember always,to hang stockings by the toes, nightdresses by the shoulders,- and skirts by the hem, and so prevent them from dragging out of shape.

When beating] eggs, if a whisk is not handy, try using three forks instead of one., They are just as easy to hold as one, and the egg can be beaten in about a third of,'the time.

Soap is a useful, preventive of blisters on the feet. Before starting for a 'ilong tramp, protect yourself against blisters by soaping the feet of the stockings on the inside. For broken blisters or chilblains zinc ointment is very useful.

When only half the contents of a tin can have been used, never leave the remainder in the can. Turn out into a glass or earthen vessel. The action of the air and the acid on the tfin produces a poisonous' condition in canned foods.

OYSTERS A LA REINE. Cut twenty large oysters in halves and blanch them in their liquor ; preserve the latter. Chop half a stalk of celery. VMelt one.tablespoonful of butter, add the celery, and fry for ten minutes. Add. the oysters, the liquor, salt, and pepper to taste, and onej tablespoonful of. cornlnour moistened with half a cupful stock. Stir until it boils, then add one teaspoonful • of lemjon | juice, and two tablespoonfuls of butter. Cook for five minutes, then sprinkle with one tablespoonful of chopped parsley. Serve hot. * - BAKED JAM ROLL. Take lib of, flour,- 6ozs lard or dripping, 1 teaspoonful baking powder, quarter teaspoonful salt, ilb jam.,, water (to tt»ix)\ Mix the. flour, baking .powder, and salt, rub> in the fat, and add sufficient cold water to make a stiff paste. Roll out «.nd spread with jam! to within half an inch of the edge. Moisten the edge of the pastry and roll up lightly. Bake in a hot oven. For current pastry replace the jam by 3oz. of sugar and 3oz. of currants, mixing these

with the dry ingredients. Divide .the pastry into squares instead of making a roll.

POTATO AND CHEESE SAVOURY. Boil and mash ,2lb of potatoes ; when quite free from, lumps, stir in 6 ozs. mild grated cheese, 1 beaten egg, and a little milk. A few grains of cayenne may be added to raise the flavour. Mix thoroughly and bake for 30 minutes in a hot oven. Here tis : another nice cheese recipe :Boil -«- pint of. milk, stir in two ounces of semolina,' and cook till it thickens. Then add 6 ozs. grated cheese, stirring well, and lastly beat in one egg. Mix, and turn into into a buttered piedish. Bake in a quick, oven for about half an hour. DATE CAKE FOR THE CHILDREN. 1 Required : -j-lb wheatmeai flour, 4-Ib white flour, iVb butter, -Sib sugar, Lit' dates, stoned and chopped, 1 egg, some milk, and .water in equal quanti'ties to form a rather moist dough. Line a buttered. cake-tin with paper, also buttered, and bake for, an hour and a half*