ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIX, Issue XIX, 30 October 1897, Page 579

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Notice to Contributors.—Any letters or MSS. received by the Editor of the “ New Zealand Graphic" will be immediately acknowledged in this column.

‘ An Old Girl.’ —Very many thanks for your nice description, which, however, arrived too late. All news must lie at the * Graphic ’ office by twelve at the latest, on Monday morning. Please rememlier this another time, when I hope I shall hear from you again.

‘ Enthusiasm.’—l do not see the least objection to your forming a ladies' Hockey Club. It is a very good game for children if they are fairly strong, and really, there are few accidents with very ordinary care. You sometimes get knocked on the hands and shins, but not seriously, and the rule that sticks must not lie lifted above the elbow should lie carefully enforced. It is really a winter game.

‘ Summer.’—Prickly heat is certainly very trying in hot weather. Hot drinks greatly aggravate the evil. Avoid all irritating local applications. Bay rum is used by some people as an application, and the following powder :—Powdered lioracic acid, 1 drachm, precipitated chalk, 4 ounces, oil of roses, one drop. Any powder used must lie perfectly smooth ; no sulphur should lie applied. Bran baths are good, or alkaline bath containing two to four ounces of carlonate ot soda.

‘Housekeeper.’—l think you will find powdered liorax very useful in drivingaway those troublesome cockroaches ami ants. Sprinkle it liberally about their holes. Borax is also good for cleaning silver. Rub your gilt picture frames over with a piece of raw onion. This will remove the fly marks.

‘ Maude.’—l think reci|>es for preserving eggs for winter use have several times appeared in the recipe column. However, I will give you one here. Pour six quarts of boiling water on three pounds of lime, one ounce of cream-o’-tartar, and half a pound of salt. When quite cold, pour over the new-laid eggs, in jars. Tie the jars over with thick paper and stand in a cool place. ‘Lydia.’—lt certainly does not ‘pay’ to look dowdy when travelling, and it must lie remembered that the travelling dresses ot to-day are far more ornamental than they used to l»e : some show more braiding, and trimmings of all kinds are applied with a more lilieral hand, according to |ieople's tastes. But it is not a move in the right direction, though nothing can l>e worse than to travel in old clothes. The simpler the cut and the less liable to catch up the dust the lietter. For the moment, homespuns of a light make or tweed or alpaca

will bear the brunt of the journey the best. For the river and voyages of any kind, not only have light coloured corduroys carried of the |>alm, but woollen ones also.

• Etiquette.’—M : A lady should never take a gentleman’s hat and coat when he calls. Let him care for them. In making a short call he keejis on his overcoat and puts his hat on the floor lieside the chair. If he has mine for the evening he should leave both hat and coat in the hall.

‘ E. Cuthbert.’ - There is no charge for answers in this column.

‘ Bazaar.’—l quite agree with ‘ M.’ that liazaars are ‘ a dreadful nuisance,’ and wish some other way of raising money could he devised. As you require some hints, I will try and find some.

Boys’ suits for those of tender years fill a want. l>eeause mothers who have money to spend are glad indeed to discover anything that can lie turned to some useful account. New needlework attracts, such as babies’ quilts, the Florine work, in which chenille appears, and linen cushion covers, worked with a Tudor rose, or with pretty bunches of lilac in relief, sometimes intermixed with paillettes. Brash ami comb and wall bags at this time of the year, when everyliody is travelling, are quickly disposed of. Small opera bags made of plush, and cases containing a couple of packets of Patience cards, or the new penwiper in the shape of a saddle, a suitable present for a hunting man, are attractive. Any kind of cigarette or cigar case affords an opportunity for gentlemen’s purchases. Sometimes old china, quaint Delft, and the brown ware from Holland, bring in a most satisfactory sum if they ean be bought to advantage.

‘New Chum.’ —If you make your kitchen attractive, I do not see why you cannot have your meals there as you have no servant. As there is no scullery-door, hang up a dark chintz or cretonne curtain over the door-way, with a loop so that it can lie well fastened out of the way while you are working about. The kitchen, in most houses, the last room, is by no means the least, in influence and importance. The young housewife who asserted that ‘ the kitchen of her new home should lie as cheerful and attractive as any apartment in it,’ was a very judicious woman and gave excellent reasons for her resolution. Light, ventilation, anil convenience are requisites. Papered walls lieeonte soiled and hold the odours of cooking, until they are very objectionable, while once painted they can lie washed ami kept sweet and fresh fora long time, and are easily renewed. Buff’ or light yellow for walls and ceilings, and oak-graining for wood-work, give a bright, cheerful appearance. Shades, and halfsash white muslin curtains, that ean l>e put up clean every week, make the best window furnishings. The shades should lie hung three inches from the top of the easing, so that the window can lie lowered and the fresh air eome in, while the smoke

and heat go out. Screens are a summer necessity in the kitchen windows, and a screen door a great comfort, excluding the troublesome Hies that are no respecters of of people or homes. Have all your dressers perfectly clean and neat, closed cupboards are a great convenience, or curtains prettily arranged keep off dust, and look nice. All saucepans should lie kept in the scullery.

‘ Bride.’—Your letter is very amusing, and I am quite sure if you only talk as well as you write, you cannot fail to interest your husband’s guests. But you say you liecome ‘ shy ami stupid ’ as soon as any stranger enters. Try and forget yourself, lie interested in whatever your visitor says. Say what you think —politely, of course—and do not try to utter grand sentences. Talk of yourself, but not ot your servants. This fatally fascinating form of conversation (?) must lie carefully avoided in society. Be natural ami lie a good listener. Then most people will think you talk well.

‘ Desirable.’ —Yon should have a special apron in which to clean your bicycle. Make it of some thick material which will

not let grease through to your dress ; an old tweed skirt does admirably. Cut it as long as the hem of your dress, and to go as far as the under-arm seam in your bodice, that is, three parts round your skirt. It should have a half-round bib, with a land long enough to slip quickly and easily over your head. You require a good sized pocket right across the front, subdivided into smaller pockets. In one you will require a dirty duster, in another a clean polishing doth. Of course, if you are making one for a present, you can buy some dark mixed cloth and embroider it with wheels, lamps and bells, etc., etc. ‘ Visitor.’—lf you are invited for a few days' visit, and arrive before lunch, you hail better not unpack at once, but go straight down to your hostess for a little chat, that is, of course, if she is well off' in the matter of domestic assistance. If she is not, she may lie glad to hear you say, ‘ I will just put my things straight liefore lunch.’ But you must l>e guided entirely by the style of house which you are visiting. If your hostess says she is going to drive you out immediately after lunch, put everything ready lieforehand, especially if you are going to spend the afternoon with friends. In some houses, the hostess is very glad of an offer of help in arranging the flowers, dusting the drawing-room, etc., etc., in others yon would not dream of

giving any assistance except in making yourself agreeable to the other guests. Forget yourself, and lie always bright, cheerful, and sympathetic. There is always some visitor who wants s]>eeial looking after, and you can often lie quite a comfort in attending a little to her fancies. No gentleman stayingin the house worth thinking aliout. will consider you any the less for your little acts of kindness and thoughtfulness. A man may like a gay, inconsiderate girl to flirt with, but when it comes to wanting a wife, he prefers one who will lie a domestic treasure for himself, not an amusement for other men.

‘ \ erita-s. ’ For your white straw sailor hat try the following plan : Give it a good scrubbing with a nail-brush and soap, using warm water into which you have put a little ammonia. The common ammonia, used for washing, does, admirably. Let it dry thoroughly, then make a strong solution of tea, letting it stand until all the strength is drawn out of the leaves. Strain carefully, then soak the hat in it for aliout two hours, or longer. Let it dry, and repeat the process until the hat is dark enough. If too dark a brown, and you would like a golden-brown tinge, give it a last bath (when quite dry) in saffronwater.