Ladies' Column

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 88, 23 January 1892, Page 2

Ladies' Column

By Huia. I keep his house, I wash, wring, brew, bake, scour, dress meat, make the beds, and do all myself. — Shakespeare. vitbelac. I hare often thought it strange that this stjle of decoration has not become more popular, as it is comparatively easy and very effective. This is a German style of art handiwork and is not unlike Japanese lacquer. To begin with — you will require a piece of common glass any size you like, some block varnish, a few sheeis of gold and silver . paper; these will be sufficient for the first attempt. Having the glass cut the required size, you next coat the back of the glass, which should be thoroughly clean, with common black varnish ; let it dry well, but not too long — a day or two at most. If the varnish is too dry, the flakes chip off in a broken outline — destructive of good effect. The glass being ready, the pattern may be lightly traced, either through perforated holes in the design with powdered chalk, or in ajiy of the ways that an outline is transferred to a flat surface ; then, with a penknife, scrape off the varnish from the spaces forming the pattern. If done quietly and carefully it is rapid, compared with the effect ; if by chance more is removed than required, a touch of the varnish allowed to dry will make it all right for a second attempt. The design being finished,* stick gold or silver paper (both blended in the same panel will often give a better effect than being all the one kind) over the scraped away pattern at the back of the glass. Coloured paper or scraps of bright satin will also be very effective, and the work is complete, and will be found, although so simple yet pleasing in its way, with a novelty of effect that will be more or less successful according to the choice of the design and its fitness, for the process vitrelac can be used in many ways, five o'clock trays set in firm wooden rims with backing of wood, tops of small tables, borders for the glass in photograph frames, doors of cabinet, where the contents are wished hidden, or in any place where decoratiye panel set in wooden frame-work is available. Mottoes or texts look very well done in this material, for these a piece of cardboard the size of the glass,' with rings fixed to it, should hide the back, a narrow border of gold paper binding it firmly to the vitrelac panel. IN SEAECH OF A BARGAIN. A woman went into a shop the other day to buy material for a gown; she selected, after a good deal of fussing, a gingham costing sixpence a yard, " How many yards are there in the piece ?" Bhe asked; "there are eleven," the assistant answered. After counting: I will take ten," she said. He suggested that she should take the whole piece, but she insisted that he should cut off ten yards, which was accordingly done. " That is a remnant, I suppose ?" she asked, taking up the odd yard, as he folded the goods. " Yea ma'am." " You sell remnants cheaper, dont you ?" " Sometimes," the assistant said eaconically. " What will you take for- this ?' f " Sixpence." " But that was what I paid for the piece." "Yes, but I haven't any authority to mark down goods." " Couldn't you send the boy to find the man that does mark them down, so as to see what he would take?" the customer anxiously asked. " Just now he is at dinner, and I don't think he will be back to-day." **And couldn't you mark it down yourself, and tell him about it ?" " No," the assistant said, smiling aggravatingly, " I really couldn't." " Well," the woman replied with a sigh, " Then I'm dreadfully sorry I had it cut, for I must have that yard, even if I have to pay sixpence for it. Ten yards wouldn't possibly do, but I aint used to paying full price for remnants." The assistant put the odd yard in, but what the woman told her dressmaker is not on record. COOKERY. Omelettes and Pommes. — Put two tablespoonsful of flour in a basin with a pinch of salt and a little sugar, moisten it with four yolks and two whites of eggs, four ounces of warmed butter, and onethird of a pint of milk. Take four large cooking apples, peel, core, and chop them, put them in an omelet pan with some butter, cook over a quick fire; as soon as they are quite hot put them into the mixture, then turn all into the omelte pan and put over fire, prick the mixture here and there with a fork to let the liquid part run through ; pour a little melted butter round the edges and shake the pan well to detach the omelte ; as soon as it is loose sift moist sugar over the top, and turn it on to a warm plate as large as the pan ; butter the pan again, and slip the omelet into it, sugar side down, move the pan, while over the fire sufficiently to prevent burning, but it should brown ; when done, shake a little more brown sugar over it, turn on to a hot dish and serve. OEufs Poches 4 la Crime. — Instead of water, poach the eggs in sweetened milk ; when they are done take them out and arrange on a dish ; mix with the milk two tablespoonfuls of flour moistened first with a little cold milk, boil it a minute, then add a tablespoonful of orange-flower water, a few drops of good salad oil, and two yolks of eggs ; let it thicken, but not boil, pour over the poached eggs, and serve. ____^^_____