LADIES' COLUMN.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 306, 25 June 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

HINTS FOR THE HOUSEWIFE'S SCRAP-BOOK. Eoo stains can be taken out of silver by rubbing them with a rag flipped in wet salt. To remove stains of fruit or vegetables from the fingers, rub the stained parts with a piece of lemon. Old boot-tops cut into pieces and lined will make excellent iron holders. The leather keeps all heat away from the hand. To clean brass lamps use finely powdered rotten-stone and sweet oil. ISronze lamps ought only to be carefully wiped in order to remove the oil and dust. Kettles and saucepans binned on the inside may be cleaned by putting a little cold water and ashes in them, and allowing them to soak on the range until the water is warm. When clothing has become wrinkled and crushed by packiug, if shaken out vigorously and hung up or spread out in a hot room over-night, its appearance will be much improved. Do not trim lamp wicks with old Scissors which have become nicked at the edges. This is frequently the cause of uneven wicks, whion smoke the chimney and give a very uncertain light To stop a leak until the arrival of the plumber, mix together yellow soap and whiting with a little water to a thick paste. Place this thickly over the leak, and tho water will stop flowing at onoe. To keep silver bright without constant cleaning, dissolve a small handful of borax in a pan ot hot water with a i little soap ; put the silver jr and let it etaud a few hours, then pour off the suds, rinse with clear cold water, and wipe with a soft cloth. TOILET HINTS. A little ammonia or borax in the water you wash your hands in, and that water just luke-warm, will keep the skin clean and soft. A little oatmeal mixed with the water will whiten the hands. Many people use glycerine on their hands when they go to bed, wearing gloves to keep the bedding clean, but glycerine does not agree with everyone ; in makes some skins harsh and red. These people should rub their hands with dry oatmeal, and wear gloves at night. A good preparation for the hands at night is the white of aa egg, with a grain of alum dissolved in it. The roughest and hardest hands can be made soft and white in a month's time by doctoring them a little at bed-time, and all the tools required are a nailbrush, a bottle of ammonia, a box of powdered borax and a little fine white sand to rub the stains off, or a cut of lemon, which will do even better, for the acid of the lemon will clean anything. CARE OF THE TEETH. There is no part of a womau's toilot which should give her more concern than her teeth. Tho physical needs of the whole body are dependent ou the teeth, for it is through the medium of our teeth that our food get 3 proper mastication and is rendered fit to nourish our systems. Badly kept or insufficient teeth bring dyspepsia and many forms of ill health io their train. A woman stands or falls by the beauty or defects of her teeth. Ton may admire all her other features, but let the pretty mouth open to disclose discoloured, misshapen, or, above all, decayed teeth, and all your admiration is forgotten. The mental exclamation is always the same : " What hideous teeth !" It is lamentable to see how many peop'e now»a-days hav» to resort to artificial teeth. An eminent dentist once said : " There is no necessity for man to go toothless to the grave if the teeth are properly cared for, from his early youth up." Children should be taught very early in life to take care of their teeth, as they decay much quicker than those of a grown up person. The teeth should be brushed after every meal, and, most important of all, before going to bed." The following recipe for strengthening ihe gums and sweetening the breath is recommended by a famous doctor : " Two ounces of tincture of myrrh, add one ounce of eau-de-Calogue, and a few drops of burnt alum, shake occasionally, and after a few days strain through muslin. A few drops to be used on the tooth brush. FANCY WORK. Child's Bedroom Slipper. Choose two colours of wool, pink and white for a gay pair, or black aud scarlet for use. Cast on thirteen stitches for the toe. Knit 2 rows of pink, widening every other row each side 1 stitch. Third row : Knit two stitches pink, 1 white, 2 pink, 1 white ; repeat. When knitting single —white stitch, hold the wool over the finger to make loops on the inside, so that it may be more soft to the child's foot. Knit 2 more rows pink, and 1 of white. Repeat this design uutil the front is long and wide enough for the foot. Cast off 14 stitches on the centre of the front. Have each side of the front on separate needles, widen a few more rows and knit plain,same design, until the slipper fitsthesole. Knitthe back together aud sew to the sole, after making the top. The top is a band of plain knitting in pink, 11 stitches wide. On the edge is crocheted a chain of white, caught in every 9th stitch. A shell of three double crochet stitches is caught into the white chain. The top is joiued to the slipper by two rows of double crochet. ADVICE ON DRESS. If possessed of a small purse, let all extreme novelties and startling colours alone. If inclined to be stout, avoid all plaids, wide stripes, high colours or large figures, ai well as deep belts and wide collars. When thin, do not call attention to the unbecoming fact by adopting u plain tailor-made style of gown, fiat vests, stripes aud dark colours. If ahortwaisted, do not wear an extra long corset under the impression that it will make you slender and long-waisted. When very short do not affect a full broad style of dressing, and always wear a skirt of many gores. If sallow, pale or wrinkled, do not wear navy, black or dark green uext to the skin. A sallow complexion must shun clear white, greyish tan, steel gray, navy, yellowish green, brick red, and bluish lavender or violet. Avoid wearing harsh materials close to the face : velvet and lace are the most softening fabrics known. Light blondes should never wear yellow, daep pink, pale red, or olive brown. The complexion should be the first guide in selecting becoming colours, and then the eyes and hair should be considered. COOKERY RECIPES. Rice Cheesecakes.—Line patty-pans with puff paste; put into each a small teaspoonful of raspberry jam, and cover with the curd made as follows: —Melt 2oz of butter in a basin, beat up with it 4oz of sugar, the same quantity of ground rice, the grated rind of half a lemon, and two weII-beaten eggs. Mix: till ail i 3 a stiff paste. Bake the cheesecakes to a golden colour, aud serve cold on a d'oyley. FOKHET-ME-N'OT PUDDINO.—BoiI One pint of new milk ; rub smoothly with a little cold milk two tablespooosful of flour, and mix it by degree* with the boiled milk and set it over the fire. Let it boil five minutes then cool ; stir in 4oz of melted butter, five eggs, 6oz of lump sugar, and the riod of a lemon grated. Bake half an hour. Browmng for Gravies.—Put lib of sugar into an iron pan with a small cupfull of water ; place on a hot stove, and allow to boil until it burns ; then add one

pint boiling water. Pour off the liquid when cold, and bottlo for use. A lew drops added to gravies etc. will nnke them a beautiful rich brown. Milk Rolls.—These may be eaten hot or old. Rub 2-z butter into 11"» of flour, add one large teaspoonful of baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Mix with half a pint of milk into dough. Divide into eight pieces, roll into balls and cut across slit on the top of each, because cut surfaces rise quickest. Bake on a flour.'d tin ; when half done brush over with milk or beaten egg. Thev will take twenty minutes in a brisk oven. Stuffed huouLDER of Veal.—Cut off the knuckle aud remove the blade-bone, fill the space with highly-seasoned forcemeat, nude of breadcrumbs, thyme, marjoram, lemon peel and juice, chopped ham or boiled bacon, salt, pepper and nutmeg, mixed to a stiff paste with beaten egg. Sew up the opening and press into a eood shape. Cover wit ha piece of caul and roast. Biste frequently and cook thoroughly. Serve with thickened brown gravy, garnish with sliced lemon and rashers of bacon not over-cooked. Hand with it in a sauce-boat some cream, heated almost to boiliog point, into which a little butter, pepper and salt have been stirred.