LADIES' COLUMN.

Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 18 September 1903, Page 3

LADIES' COLUMN.

NEW HATS

The shops here are showing their early spring goods, hats particularly. Burnt straws of all sizes are very much in evidence being trimmed generally ■with large flat spread bows and quills. A great many are of the large sailor type turned up slightly all round and finished with a binding of crosswise velvet and a floppy rosette slighty to one side.

PETTICOATS.

The newest kind of petticoat which we would advise everyone to adopt is made of Stockingette or Crepe de Sante for the summer. The latter is the cheapest and th«y can be bought by the yard. The top piece of the petticoat is made of either of these materials either in black A-white, carefully fitted and opening at the side. The removable flounces are cut to fit the edge of the petticoat top, to which they are buttoned. This plan enables you to vary the flounces as much as you please. For day wear the petticoat should never clash with the colour on your hat. Don't have a. mauve trimmed hat and pink underskirt. The simplest frock will look well if you wear a chic toque and a petticoat to match. For some elaborate occasions a greatly frilled flounce of washing silk is a gocd investment and for evening wear you might have white glace flounces with an over flounce separately made and tacked on of muslin inlet with lace. These petticoats require careful making and the Crepe de Sante must be washed with great care and neither starched or ironed.

A WIFE'S SECRET

On his way to his office after a hurried breakfast the merchant, Carl Namenlos, received a letter from his wife, "For the.letter box?'? "No dear; it's for yourself, but . . . . " "Forme? A letter from . . . .""Yes darling! Please ask no questions, but do as you are bidden. Don't read it until you are in your office. Now go." It was an uncommon experience. His own wife, with whom he had just been chatting at breakfast table, now formally gives him a letter which he is to read in his office. Curious! What could it mean 1? At the office he opened it. The writing was straggling. The beginning was solemn. He read:— "I am forced to make you a communication, which will doubtless evoke your displeasure. But it is my duty to make the fact known to you, and I am fii-mly resolved to follow the dictates of my conscience and divulge it, be the consequences what they may. For more than a week I foresaw that I

should be driven to take this step, but I locked the secret in my breast until 1^ *. this morning, aud now the truth must ■"•^bs^teld L But do- not-, blame ymo too harshly i^^he action I am taking, and, aboye all things, do not let it worry you too much . . . . " " Here Heir Namenlos turned the page, with trembling hand and palpitating heart. " The fact is" the letter went on to say, "the coal cellar is empty, or very nearly so, and I want you to order coals this very moment, or else we shall have no fire even in the kitchen. You always forget it when I ask you in the ordinary way, and, at the risk of rousing your wrath, I determined to bring it to your notice in an extraordinary manner. I trust that you will not forget it so easily this time." And he did not. Neither did the lady if the gossips speak truth. —Berlin Correspondence. London Telegraph.

RECIPES

Tapioca and cocqanut custard. — 1£ tablespoons apioca, 1£ tablespoons dessicated cocoanut, 1 pint milk, 2 •eggs and £ cup sugar. Soak tapioca all night in 1 cup of water. Next day boil with milk till soft. Beat yolks and sugar and add to the tapioca when a little cooled. Add cocoanut and mix well. Cook a little longer and turn into a pie dish. Whip whites with sugar and flavouring till stiff. Pile it roughly on top and sprinkle with cocoanut after the meringue is slightly browned in the oven.

Ground Rice Pudding.—3 desertspoons ground rice, 1 pint milk, 1 egg, and flavouring. Mix rice smooth wi th a little milk or water and pour it gradually into the boiling milk. Stir all the time till it thickens. Cool and add beaten eggs and flavouring. Bake half an hour. Sultanas or other fruit may be added.

Amber Pudding.—6 apples, 3 eggs, sugar to taste, pastry, 1 tablespoon butter, and essence of lemon or lemon juice. Peel and core apples and strew them with a little syrup made from peel and cores. Pulp them and add butter and flavouring. Rind of a lemon mighifbe boiled with the syrup to flavour it. Beat up yolks and mix with the pulp which place in a pie dish edged with phfE paste. Bake till the pastry is done. Whip the whites stiff with sugar and flavouringand pile on top. Place again in oven to set. .

Passion Fruit Cake.—2 eggs, $ lb butter, j, flour, | .lb sugar, ~f teaspoon baking powder and 12 passion fruit. Open the fruit, rub the pulp through a sieve with a little sugar. Cream the butter and sugar, add the eggs beaten well (whites and yolks separately,) then tho fruit, then the powder and flour mixed. Bake in two well buttered sandwich tins. When cold spread the following filling between.—l egg (white only) juice of 2 or 3 passion "fruit, £ lb icing sugar. Beat the white stiff, add icing sugar (rolled and sifted), and fruit juice. The top of cake may also be decorated with this.

Elaine.