WOMAN'S WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 139, 21 September 1910, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD.

(Conducted by "Eileen.") A NEW SINGER. A year ago one of the coal-passers on the Mauretania jumped overboard, and the first-class passengers arranged a concert on behalf of his widow and children. 11l helping to draw up the programme, one of the officers, probably through the ship's doctor, heard that a girl named Bessie McGlynn, in the second cabin, had an unusual voice, and would gladly sing at the benefit. She did, and her rendering of the old ballads of Scotland and Ireland delighted everybody. Upon landing in America she obtained employment finally as a chambermaid at the Ansonia apartment-house, on Upper Broadway, and a few weeks ago one of the tenants, Mrs. Sharlev Cobarn, who happened to be on the Mauretania, and heard the girl sing while she was making the 'fyeda, recognised her, with the result that Bessie is to be given a chance to cultivate what musicians who have heard her say is a remarkable contralto voice. She is an orphan, born in Co. Longford, sang in a parochial school, and, with her sister saved up money enough, like thousands of brave Irish girls, to try .her fortunes across the Atlantic. When questioned by a musical critic as to the extent of her range, she answered, "The only range I know anything about is the gas range in Ansonia. I sing because I love to, and because I can't help it; but your talk about pitch and range and keys is double Dutch to me." The girl is only 20 years of age. Her benefactress is planning to have her sing before the leading musicians in New York. , AVIATRESS SHOCKS MAYOR. A lady aviator, with the curious name of Mdlee. Abukaia, is in constant conflict with the Mayor of Etampes (reports a Paris correspondent), in which town, or ratlier outside which town, she flies. Mr. 'Mayor is a stickler for what he considers propriety in dress. What may be suitable in the air does not befit the earth. Every day Mdlee. Abukaia puts .on knickerbockers and overalls to fly.: As long as she flies, well and good, and the Mayor of Etampes has nought to object. But she must come to earth some time, and as there is no dressing accommodation on the aviation field just outside the town she has to go home still wearing knickerbockers. This shocks Mr. Mayor. Every day Mdlee. Abukaia flies, and every day, as she re-enters the highly respectable city of Etampes in rational dress, an official deputed by Mr. Mayor at the boundary takes a summons out against her for being improperly clad. A SMILING CLUB. Mark Tapley's view that to smile is easy, but to smile in adversity is some credit, is the philosophy of the Matlock Smiljng Club, which (says the Daily Express) numbers 1500 members in all parts of the country, and is rapidly growing. The Smiling Club owes its creation and growth to the persistently genial efforts of Mr. Thomson Crowe, a commercial traveller, who lives at Matlock. 'Mr.' Crowe travels hundreds of miles every week, and counts a day ill-, spent when he does not enrol a few more members of the Smiling Club, and induce them to part with the entrance fee of a shilling. "In the first place, it is a mistake," Mr. Crowe says, "to allow the ham and eggs to upset the household the first thing in the morning, even if you don't feel quite up to par. What costs it to be cheerful? When the sun refuses to shine there is all the more reason why people should smile, instead of looking glum and miserable. Indeed, the more doleful the circumstances the more valuable is the smile, and members of the club are pledged to smile in circumstances of the greatest difficulty." The ceremony of initiation in. the Smiling Club is performed by Mr. Crowe with the aid of two assistants carrying tongs and poker. The club has a secret sign by which members may recognise one another. It consists of a cheerful smile and a graceful bow, after which- each member unostentatiovslv tickles himself under the left arm. One reason why the Smiling Club has proved such a success is that Mr. Crowe devotes all the shillings to a fund for providing slum children with eountry of seaside holidays. He has raised £6O in smiling shillings this year.

HOUSEHOLD HINTS

If when 'boiling a piece of ham or bacon it is put into boiling water instead of cold it will be found to be more quickly cooked, and of fuller flavor. Gum arabic dissolved in water (one teaspoonful to a pint) is useful for stiffening lace. It gives the right amount of stiffness without the harshness of starch. Steel which is exposed to the weather may be kept from rust by giving it a good coating of copal varnish. To set delicate colors, stir a teaspoonful of turpentine into a pailful of tepid water. Steep the goods in this for ten minutes previous to washing. To prevent the inroads of moths, which often attack the felt which surround the notes at the back of the keyboard of a piano, tie small bags of camphor in the corners of the instrument. The board in front should be removed occasionally, and the felt examined, as great damage can be done if once the moths attack the felt.

A 'square" of house flannel made into l- a ,)a ? and put over the broom, is an excellent medium for sweeping boards or linoleum. When slightly damped it r Dalies up dust instead of scattering it. To prevent eggs from cracking 3 while u boiling, it is said to be a good plan to pierce the broad ends with a pin before putting them into water. Bacon rinds should be scalded, scraped and then added to the stock-pot. ' To fry fish without egg make a thick paste of flour and water, brush over the fish as you would with egg, dip into breadcrumbs, and put into boilin°- fat. The fish sould be a golden brown and '• very crisp.

Waistbelts of drosses are generally deep and shapely, having something of the rounded corselet outline at the top. New is the model which has the high folded belt in front only; it disappears under each arm beneath a silver or gold motif, the back, with crossed draperies, does not need a belt. Muslin curtains should be taken down over night, and laid in cold water. In the morning, stir gently about and pour off the dirty water, rinse onee Again, and then proceed to wash in the usual manner. Half the soap and labor will be saved. If cakes or buns get burnt in the 'baking, let them get quite cold, then rub the burnt parts with a nutmeg grater and sift a little powdered sugar over. This is much better than scraning with a knife, as it does not break the cakes. Always beat the yolks and whites of eggs separately, and use the whites as the last ingredient. "When tin moulds are used for boiling or steaming puddings remember to grease the cover of j the mould as well as the mould itself. Lard is better for such greasing purposes, and cheaper than dripping or butter. In order to get the pudding to come easily from the mould, plunge the latter in cold water for a moment. A pudding cloth is preferred to a mould by many. This should be kept scrupulously clean.

No housewife should be without a corked ibottle of toast crumbs. Place all clean waste bread in the oven until it is browned and crisp. Then break it up and rub it into small crumbs between the palms of the hands. Keep dry in a clrm closed bottle. These crumbs remain fit for use and quite wholesome for an indefinite time.

To mend a small hole in an umbrella, taike a small piece of black sticking plaster, and soak it until quite soft. Place this carefully under the hole inside and let it dry. This is better than darning, as it closes the hole neatly without stitches.

To remove varnish or paint, rub it over with a coat of liquid ammonia. Let this remain till the varnish comes off, wash off with clean water, dry well, then proceed with the staining and re-varnish-ing.