WOMAN’S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, 24 August 1931, Page 13

WOMAN’S WORLD

A PHILADELPHIAN CURIO-SHOP. AMONG GENUINE ANTIQUES. (By E.K.) The shop with old-fashioned green painted shutters stood up a side roac leading from Chestnut Street. It dis dained such aids to-an antique’appear anee as cobwebs and dirty- windows, s< I knew that everything in it was like£y to be genuine. Besides; Philadelphia is- ancient enough,- aS American citie: gOj-and has a sufficiently historical pact to ensure the stocking of most of its old furniture shops with perfectly genuine antiques. ■ “Which i«s more than mast of the Shops in the market towns and country prices have,” its charming, gentlei! voiced owner assured me. "Though .. you’ll not get people to believe that, *. ’ unless they are dealers themselves. ’! Why folk think genuine antiques are more likely to be found in country i places than in old historical towns like this beats me. It’s common-sense, isn’t H. it, that most' will- be remaining where most was? But, no! Off goes madam, • i who thinks she knows all the tricks of .the trade, to attend some country auction, the date of which has been given -; -0o her as a great favour; and there (she is properly ‘done’ by the touts who Slave first stocked the house with faked (antiques and then formed % ring at the j! (bidding to force prices up. i‘ i 'Must look ait that Martha Washing- < Iton- work-table,’’ he added, pointing to (the -square, prim little piece of mahogany. “The buyer of that can have its and reference to the head of ;. biie of the oldest families in the city hvho have been obliged to sell, family heirlooms .because of money difficulties. Everyone knows the value of a Martha Washington table. Yet-one silly wombn in this town went clear out to New lEngland because she thought city prices textortionate; she came back with a ’thing that I was able to prove was one ! fof u dozen or two faked by a wellknown cabinet-maker and circulated ;■ like bad money throughout the state. ■■•!' “See those six mahogany wheel-hack H. tehairs? You might- almost cal* them too, yet they’ve a history of j j it-heir own. About a hundred and fifty !> years ago, the city fathers decided to (stage a welcome to Lafayette here in '' Ithe Hall of Independence. But the •Georgian chairs that furnished the Hall (were far too few for all the fine gal--1 Bants and ladies who were to attend ithe ball at night. So the principal iea'binet-makers in Philadelphia had to ttum to and copy those chairs as quick

Off they could, so that nothing would ' . tear the .magnificence of the famous (hail with its chandeliers blazing and fits rows of seats set ready for the cardplayers and gossips. “After the ball the extra chairs were ■ auctioned off. And, though one little /widow was forced to part with these, -! I warrant there are several dining--1 (rooms here yet that contain such mefeentoes of Old Philadelphia.” / ROUND ABOUT THE HOUSE. i'• • • . . SOME USEFUL HINTS. : / ■ ' (By Housekeeper.) ' Coat hangers of unpainted wood are i. very cheap, and it will pay you to \ have several at hand on ironing day. .-.Do not try to fold dresses or blouses; . /slip them on hangers instead, and so / avoid creases. They can be folded I when perfectly free from dampness, but | they will keep beautifully smooth if ' the hangers 'are slipped on poles fastened across the wardrobe. ; When windows and doors stick and aqueak after a season of damp weather, do not plane them even slightly, for, when dry weather comes, they will become loose and inclined to ttle. Instead, rub the sticking parts with soft soap, opening and shutting them until they move easily. If the bureau drawers stick, .try dusting them with talc powder. The same powder, shaken into squeaking. shoes, will put an end to the annoyance. An excellent way of holding the pleats of syrts frocks in shape .6 to machine-stitch the top fold of each right down to the hem. Stitch the pleat flat as far down ac you wish, and , ' then continue to stitch the top fold only very close to the edge. The stitch:?/j. ing scarcely-ehows, but makes the pleat ,'' appear as though it had a sharp crease. When washing soft silks, you can avoid the limp, flimsy appearance that .. usually results by adding gum ara'bic to the rinsing water. Allow one tablespoonful of powdered gum arable to . . each quart of water, see that it its completely dissolved, and strain the water before rinsing the silk.

EGGS AND OATMEAL DUMPLINGS. ■ Ingredients: 6oz. oatmeal (the prepared variety}; salt and pepper; 3 ■ raw eggs, and ao many poached as required; 2 teaopoonsful anchovy essence; 1 onion; parsley to taste. Put the oatmeal into a bow*l, rub it free of lumps, and add salt and pepper. Beat up the raw eggs and mix lightly with the oatmeal. Add the anchovy essence, grated onion and plenty of chopped parsley. Mix well, and drop email spoonsful of the mixture into bailing fat. When puffy and browned on one side, turn the dumplings over epok ,t ; he,pthp:i side. The fat should .b, >t when they go in,'but tempera- , .ipre,. should by, lowered a little,; other- ' , will burn before, getting eook- .'■) ■ ed- Druen well, and serve.,Hot with ' • poached cgp.