Household Hints.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 165, 17 June 1909, Page 3

Household Hints.

Household Waste.

Out of old linen -ttteeta and table- j cloths bandages should be made,rolled, and put away in the medicine chest, and the surplus given to the hospitals, where there is always a great demand for old, soft linen. Some bits of cotton and muslin should also be kept for linseed or mustard poultices, as it is so difficult to find such things at the moment they arc wanted, and many a good handkerchief has been sacrificed to a moment of forgetfulncss. And here we arc reminded that it is true economy to keep other simple remedies at hand, with a clinical thermometer and a mdeicine glass. Every mistress of a house knows best what her own family needs; but listrinc, camphor, glycerine, ammoniated quinine, nitre, mustard leaves, and plaster arc very handy and save many a mad rush to the chemist or doctor. Another necessary for family use is the string and paper bag. The folding and smoothing out of paper, and the undoing of knots, become almost mechanical and a great saving is really effected by it. But in a family of young people it is also very i useful to keep a receptacle for half ! sheets of note paper and pieces of old ! pencils, otherwise the wear and tear of one's wirting paper is tremendously increased, especially in a family where paper games arc the fashion. Long muslin curtains will cut up into short blinfi; but for use on the sunny side of the house these are not very long lived, and tussore or cream silk, or turkey cotton, is really more serviccble, even if it has to be bought new. Old cretonne covers can be used up as dusters.but should be hemmed as they are then treated more respectfully. Old damask cloths, or even tablenapkins, can be cut into fish napkins or small tray cloth*; but weekly mendings and darnings will ward off this inevitable fate for a long time.

The truly thrifty should lay aside n small sum every year for the renewal of household linen. It does seem almost hopeless sometimes when one has at the same time to cope with current breakages and ordinary wear and tear; but the finding of even a solitary pound at the end of the year which can be spent on the linen cupboard is not to be despised. It will buy a tablecloth, or a dozen serviettes, or a dozen towels or dusters, or kitchen tablecloths —which is something. And here let me npeak of sales. Let us be brave and face the jeers of the other sex. and allow, once for all, that a genuine sale at a good shop is a most enjoyable entertainment, and very economical for any one who has strength of mind to go list in hand and stick to it! "Oddments" are very useful to the thrifty housekeeper. Odd towels, odd napkins, odd linen of all sorts, are often sold very cheaply at these yearly stocktaking sales, and one's linen cupboard benefits enormously. Do not, on the other hand.kerp things for keeping sake! It is sometimes more important to have their room than their company, and though it is often a wrench to part with anything before it has been kept for the proverbial seven years, I am sure it is the best. O'd hats, unfashionable or unsuitable garments.railway s-tall books which have beguiled a journey and done their work, are simply cumberers of the ground. Some one will be glad to have them; and having weeded out all that can possibly be useful to ourselves within a reasonable time, let us be brave and eive or throw away the rest. It certainly will not be wasteful to do so. Linings, braid, buttons, or useful bits of stuff should be rolled up and laid by in a special place. It is wasteful to buy a piece of braid for a dress and to find next day exactly what we want carefully put away in some unexpected comer. Such things should always be getatable, and always kept in the same drawer or box.

Origin of the Day at Home.

The feminine custom of having a day at home originated in France in the beginning of the lßth century with Mile. de. Scudery. an authoress and a woman whom all the great personages of old Paris delighted to honour. Mile, dc Scudery was as busy as any modern American woman, and for that reason, being also a wise woman, she organised her activities. She had two days a week at home. Her Saturdays became historic, for it was then she received the brilliant men and beautiful women who made famous the salon of the Hotel Rambouillet. On Tuesdays she received her intimate friends.

Many French women of the great world of the present time have two days at home a week; others receive at certain hours, say u itil three in the afternoon, every' day in the week; while women of the middle class who have many serious occupations permit themselves the pleasure of seeing their friends at home but one day in two weeks.

In any case French women essentially preserve the charm of the custom established by Mile, de Scudery, who achieved her success by simple means which are quite within the reach of every sensible woman.

Nickel is always difficult to clean when once it has become rusty. When this is the case, the rust marks should be covered with grease, and left for a few days. This should be removed with a rag dipped in ammonia. Both rust and grease will be easily rubbed off together.

Not every housewife knows that a large bowl of water placed in a room overnight will absorb the smell of tobacco from the evening's pipes and cigars, and prevent that stale smell which is so difficult to get rid of. At the same time all ends of cigars and tobacco ash shood be cleared away before closing the room for the night.

Linseed oil to which a few drops of turpentine have been added, is highly recommended by experts as an effectual polish for old furniture, especially black walnut and oak. A good method of ridding the crevices in deep carving of dost is that of dipping a soft rag in paraffin and working this into the intricacies of the design, the linseed and turpentine being used to polish the surface.

If two pieces of carpet are to be joined, it is a great mistake to make a seam, which causes an unsightly ridge on the right side. The pattern should first be matched, the carpet then reversed, and each edge buttonholed firmly with flax thread of the colour of the groundwork. The two pieces should then be drawn together firmly, so that a perfect join is the result.

Nothing is likely to obtain a better result in scrubbing dressers, kitchen tables, and deal flooring than soft soap to which sand and lime have been added. A quarter of a pound of the latter should be stirred into the soap, followed by the quarter iof a pound of fine sand, the whole being well worked together, and scrubbed over the boards with a hard brush and plenty of water in the usual way.

Many housewives believe in the simple plan of boiling new earthenware before using it, as this effectually toughens and hardens it. This is particularly efficacious in the case of ordinary brown kitchen ware, the articles being placed in a large pan of cold water, brought slowly to the boil. Then, after being allowed to boil for ten minutes, remove the pan and allow the water to cool before taking out the ware.

Sometimes even good washing will not entirely remove the smell and taste of bloaters or other fish from forks. If the forks are allowed to stand in a basin of tea leaves, and then rinsed, they will be perfectly free from odour.

Equal parts of vinegar and linseed oil, a little to be applied with a piece of flannel, and then polished off with a soft cloth, make an excellent polish, and little of the polish is needed, but plenty of rubbing is necesesary.

| When mixing mustard, add a drop or j two of salad oil. It will greatly im- ; prove the flavour. (

New walking shoes are inclined to slip at the heels, and a nasty blister is the result. A simple preventative is to rub the inside of the shoes with a little soap at the heel before putting them on.

[ When turning out a jelly, dip the : mould for one second in a basin of hot water. Another method is to wring \ a cloth out of boiling water, and place !it for a moment round the mould. Do ; not apply the heat for too long, or the jelly will run and be a complete fail- > ure.

| \ Slightly dirty flat irons may be cleaned by sprinkling some coarse kitchen i salt on a sheet of newspaper, and rubbing the irons over it. They should be afterwards wiped and poUshed with I a clean rag. Flat irons that are heated 1 over a gas ring should always be taken ; off and well wiped after they have been \on a moment or two, otherwise the f moisture dries on, and is apt to soil ! the things to be ironed.

Curried Rabbit. —Take one rabbit, one tablespooonful butter, -two teaspoonsful curry powder, one dessertspoonful flour, three teacups stock, one small teacup of cream, salt, pepper, one onion. Soak the rabbit in cold water for one hour, cover the onion with cold water, boil for a few minutes. Wash the rabbit, dry it, and cut in joints, dry the onion and chop it finely. Put the butter into a stew pan, when it is smoking hot add the onion, fry until straw colour, then lift out. Put in the pieces of rabbit, and fry them; remove when fried. Stir in the curry powder and flour, add the stock, stir till it boils, add the seasoning, rabbit, and onion. Let all stew for about one hour and a half, or until the rabbit is tender. Add the cream just before serving. Serve the rabbit with a border of boiled rice same as for mince. A plainer curry may be made by omitting the cream.

Apple Trilie. —Bake some apples until they are soft, take out the pulp with a teaspoon, and bruise it down with a fork. Mix the apple pulp with sufficient sugar to sweeten it, also a pir.ch of cinnamon and ground cloves,and put into a glass dish. Whip up half a pint of double cream, sweeten it,and if liked add a few drops of vanilla. Spread the cream over the apples, dust with coloured sugar, and serve. A more substantail and richer trifle may be made, pieces of sponge cake being placed on the apples, and a custard poured over before the cream is put on.