HOME HINTS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 492, 17 August 1912, Page 3

HOME HINTS.

To darken brown boots, wash once a week'with saddle soap and water, and clean daily with a dark brown boot polish. When making pastry that is to be served cold, milk should be used for the mixing, and the pastry will keen short and crisp longer than if mixed with water.

A scullery table is often difficult to keep nice, for the constant rubbing roughens it? The best covering, and the cheapest in the end, is a sheet of zinc nailed on to cover the edges. Failing this, cut a piece of linoleum the exact size to cover it. Flannels should not be ironed. . Pull out evenly whiie on the clothes line fold,, and place at the bottom of Jthe clothes basket. This will make them quite smooth. Odd scraps of so3p should be collected, placed in a saucepan on the stove with enough water cover them, and allowed to dissolve. Then roll into balls and place on one side to dry. They can be used for scrubbing. To patch torn or disfigured wall paper, tear roughly a piece of paper to match a little larger than the size required, without any definite shape, and paste it smoothly over the spot. The torn edge s will not bo as noticeablea s a carefully cut piece.

When washing stockings soak first in cold water to remove the dust. No amount of rinsing afterwards has thj same effect.

Celery can be kept for a week or longer by first rolling it up in bruwn paper. Then pin it in a towel and keep it in a dark cool place. Before preparing it for the table place h in a pan of cold water and let it remain for an hour. This will make it crisp and cool. A grease extractor is a very useful thing ~tn keep by one for removing stain from dresses. It can-be made by - beating together in a mortar quarter pound each of soft soap and fuller's earth. Form the paste into cakes and let them dry. When wanted for use, moisten the greasy spot with water, rub it with tne cake, and allow the latter to dry on. Then rub the spot with a sponge and warm water.

The Care of Mirrors.—Never hang a mirror where the sun's rays can fall upon it. The light and heat injure the quicksilver at the back, and make the glass dull and cluudy. Whiting mixed to a-soft paste with water to which, a few drops of ammonia - has been added, is excellent for cleaning mirrors. Rub it on with a soft cloth, and allow it \o dry. Then rub off with a clean dry ' duster and polish with a newspaper.

Care of the Complexion.—A very dainty cream, for those who insist upon making their own cosmetics is as fallows:—Four ounces rose four ounces almond oil, on 9 ounce spermaceti, one ounce white wax, one drachm tincture of benzine. Work up the solid materials, gradually adding the liquids. In the morning wash the face with warm water and a mixture of benzoin and rose water. Finish this toilet of the face by dashing on quantities of cold water, drying the skin and fluffing on some powder. The skin will then look soft and fait.

Something in the Eye.— taking outdoor exercise it frequently happens that some foreign substance lodges in the eye, thus causing considerable pain. There are simple measures that can be used to remove the irritating lodgment. Above all, keep soiled fingers and soiled handkerchiefs away from the eye, for to rub it with either may inflame it still further. A vigorous blowing'of the nose will sometimes remove the substance. Then, closing the lid an rolling the «yedball round two or three times will often dislodge the speck. The upper lid drawn over the under lid will sometimes give relief. If the eye be kept closed for a short time any foreign substance is likely to work to the edge of the lid, and is then easily removed. Copious bathing is a simple remedy often effectual, of course, if these fail professional assistance should be sought. Milk and water is a soothing lotion for the eyes. A Cheese Preparation.—Break two ounces of butter in pieces put it in a saucepan and pour over it a pint of boiling water. Have ready a cupful each of grated cheese and flour seasoned with salt, cayenne and a little mustard. Add these gradually to the hot water and butter, stir until smooth, and boil the mixture for "five minutes.. Set it aside to cool, and when nearly cold add to it four unbeaten eggs. Beat all these well t6gether, the egg being put in one at a time. Continue beating for a quarteroiofan hour at least, drop spoonsful of the mitxure on a greased baking tin and cook in a slow oven for a quarter of an hour. iJread Pudding.—Take as many crumbs as you may require, and soak them in milk, tthe add two ouces of butter, the yolks of three eggs, and the whites of two. \ quarter of a pound of raisins, chopped and stoned, two ounces of minced candied peel, two ounces of sugar. Mix all vvejl together, and put into a buttered tin if to be baked, if boiled, into a well greased basin. Tie a cloth over, set into a pot of boiling water for two hours.

Scalloped Kidneys. Cut an ox kidney into■thin slices, season with pepper and salt, butter a pie dish, and put a layer of kidney, a few slices of onion, a layer of breadcrumbs, some little, bits of butter, and a few drops of Worcester sauce. Fill up the dish with alternate layers then pour in half a cupful of water and sprinkle the top with brown breadcrumbs. Bake for one nour in a moderate oven.

Boiled Spanish Onions. —Peel six medium-sized onions and oil gently for five or six minutes in a little salt and water. Drain on a sieve and then throw them into a saucepan of cold water'and allow to simmer until they are tender right through without being broken. Serve on a hot dish with melted butter poured round them. Unique Pudding in a Mould. —A quarter of a pound o£ currants, a

quarter of a pound of raw potatoes, a quarter of a pound of scraped carrots, six ounces of chopped suet and enough flour to make it the consistency of a boiled batter pudding. Scrape the carrots and raw potatoes into a large basin, then add the currants. washed, dried and picked, then the suet and flour. Mix these dry ingredients well together, and stir into the whole enough treaclf to make it the consistency of a pud ding for boiling—about three tablespoonsful. Put the whole into a well greased mould, tie a cloth over the top and put into a pan of boiling water and allow all to buil slowly for about two hours. Serve with glasses of cod custard.