LADIES' COLUMN.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 482, 2 September 1899, Page 2 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

BEFORE BEING PHOTOGRAPHED. Remember that if you are short and stout, do not bo taken as a full-longth picture. For a short woman, a graceful and pleasing picture would be a sitting halflength, the figure so turned as to hide the too Bolid flash. So, too, is it if you are ono of Pharaoh s lean tribe, a full-length portrait will make you look thinner still. Here just a bust pioturo must bo yours. No loud stripes and checks, and nothini* really striking, ehould bo worn in a photograph. Do not affect aDy forced expression or attitude ; always go to a good and practical photographer, and give him the benefit of exorcising his artistic and professional ability.

WHEN A WOMAN'S MARRIED. George Elliot has said, ' A woman, let her be as good as she may, has to put up with tho life her husband makes for How true a quotation ! And do men realise it ? What a world of misery they have the power to make for their wives. When a woman marries she gives herself entirely—in fact quite begins a new life; whereia, tho best a man gives is only a part of himself, for so many seem to have a life outside their home, in which their wives have no part. A woman, wishing to be dutiful and pleasing, often has to change her nature, and study to adapt it to suit her husband's. But if her husband is exacting with her in every trifling matter, jealous of her friends, soldom gives her a loving look or oaress, or says a word of praise, neither seems to see the necessity of giving her any change from household duties, then he has himself to blame should she grow silent and spiritless. A man when he marries should remember * love is a woman's whole existence,' and by being the lover sometimes, giving her the sympathy her nature needs, he will do muoh towards keeping his wife young, cheerful, and bright. HANDY KNOWLEDGE AROUND THE HOUSE. It cannot be denied that the woman who can, from a practical point of view, hit the nail on the head, tack down _ the carpet, saw the window poles to the right size, and distinguish a gimblefc from a screw driver, is a woman who is truly mistress in her own home, and who is in possession of knowledge that will save many a shilling that' can be spent in pleasanter and more profitable ways. A chest of carpenter's tools should form a necessary adjunct of every well-regu-lated household. It should contain taeks nails, and screws of all sizes, as well as several screw driverj. A badly hnng blind at which you may tug and pull, is the canse of frequent bickerings and unpleasant remarks. A woman of handy knowledge will in this caso make good use of the carpenter's chest. She will first remove all the old tacks from the pole, and will then select tacks sharp and small, and neatly fasten the curtain in place. Now in the left-hand corner she will find the spring hanging loosely ; this is wound up tight with a a fine lance or blade as one would wind a clock ; the curtain is next taken and rolled up smoothly around the pole to its full length ; it is then returned to tho socket and will be in perfect working order._ How many homes seem to be positively falling to pieces for the want of a sorew. An attic door hangs on its hinges and creaks most dismally. Pictures stand unhung, their faces to the wall, and the lock of the front door rattles on a windy night. These are trifles which hardly justify the expense of a carpenter, and yet every woman is fain to acknowledge herself baffled by the ' contrariness,' as it has been called, of a screw. And what is the reason ? Nine women out of ten consider it their duty to give the poor screw a fierce knock with a hammer, and then will twist and strike, and strike and twist, until both patience and strength are exhausted, and still the screw persistently refuses to catch. Here is a case where the gimlet should bo first used. The hole should be started, tho screw worked in gently with the screw driver, and no further trouble will be found. The saw, big and little, can bo put to manifold uses. Tho window shades that aro a size too large can be readily measured and fitted, and tho old armchairs rioketty from tho weakness of old age can be easily strengthened and rendered quite comfortable. RECIPES. Afternoon Tea Biscuits.—Mix together £oz of flour, loz of butter, loz of sultanas washed and picked. soz of castor sugar, of mixed candied peel cut small, and a pinch of salt. Roll out the paste on a floured board and cut into fancy shapes about lin thick. Sprinkle a little castor sugar over them and ornament with cherries. Bake ia a gentle oven till crisp, and when cold put into tins.

BananaFrittebs.—Batter: Twotablospoonfuls of flour, and one each of breadcrumbs and moist sugar, one egg, salt, one-eight of a pint of milk or water. Mix dry ingredients; add yolk of eg? and milk, and allow to stand half-an - hour. Beat up white of egg to a stiff frotb, and stir into batter just before using. Cut bananas into short strips. Take up one with a spoonful of batter, and fry in hot fat. Drain on kitchenpaper and serve hot. An Excellent Savoort.—Cut 2lb of the fillet of veal into neat joints, put them into a Jstewpan, with four carrots scraped and cut into quarters, one large onion sliced, one small rasher of bacon, some herbs and a bit of thin lemon rind tied together in a piece of muslin, and a seaBoning of pepper and salt. Cover the meat and spices with equal quantities of milk and water, closely cover the strewpan, and let the contents simmer for one hour; after which remove the herbs, and just before sending tho dish to table, add yolks of two well-boateu eggs, and stir till the gravy thickens. Salad of Cooked Vegetables. —Take equal quantities of cold, cooked beetroot, potatoes, carrots, turnips, sprigs of cauliflower, and cut them into neat little dico, with the exception of the latter. Mix lightly together, and some small sprigs of watercress, a few capers cut into halves, and one or two hard-boiled ecrgs cut up in the same way as the vegetables. These with the capers, should be used to decorate the rest of tho salad. Four over, just before serving, any ordinary salad dressing, or mayonnaise sauce. Mayonnaise Sauce.— Put tho raw yolks of two eggs into a basin. Add to them about half a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, and made mustard. Now add, slowly, a few drops at a time, about half a pint of salad oil. Stir it one way with a wooden, spoon. When very thick thin with a littlo vinegar. A mixture of malt tarragon and chili vinegar gives tho sauce an excellent llavour. The amount of vinogar used depends groatly un the tasto of those who are going to partake of it, and also if the sauco is required very thick or otherwise. Ox-Cheek Brawn.—Soak the cheek for an hour or two in water, to which threo good handfula of salt hare been added. Then put into a largo saucepan, cover with cold water, bring gradually to a boil, take off all scum, add a largo onion stuck with three cloves, draw tho stowpan to tho side of the fire, and simmer Yeiy gently until the bones will draw out easily. It will take about four hours' cooking. Take away all the bones, cut tho meat into small pieces, add pepper and salt to tasto, put the piecos of meat and liquid together, stir with a spoon, and dish into a brawn-tin, if handy, but a cake-tin or any other dish will do equally well, This is a vory cheap dish for a family, and also very good, if too much water is not used ; in that case the brawn would taste poor and would not bu firm enough to turn out.