LADIES' COLUMN.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 503, 21 October 1899, Page 2 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

WHEN NOT TO POWDBR THE I FACE. Most women who u»e powder to give a soft appearance to their skin apply it after their ablutions. Now, for a short time after washing and drying the face the pores of the skin are more or less open, and if the powder is used it is apt to olog them ; it is advisable, therefore, not to use the powder puff until the toilet is complete. It is a oommom practice to cover the face with powder, when the ekin is very heated, with tho object of cooling it. From the above remarks it will be seen that so doing must necessarily be injurious to the ekin, and liable to produce blooked pores WHEN LAYING A CARPET. When laying a new carpet, several thicknesses of newspaper are better to cover the floor than moth-proof paper. It is well-nigh impossible to free this paper from dust, and it has proved of little value as a moth preventative. It is more cleanly to use fresh newspapers erarv Sear, which can be taken up and turned, nst and all, leaving the floor comparatively clean. When laying a new carpet Always work it lengthwise instead of crosswise.

A new carpet should be well stretched, else it will in a short time work op into wrinkles. A carpet that quite covers the floor at the fir>t laying will almost invariably need to be doubled under at the ■econd, and this turning' furnishes a delectable camping ground for the moth family. When the newspapers are in place, sprinkle insect powder freely ground the baseboards and where furniture that will not be moved on sweeping days will stand. THE CARE OF LAMPS. In all homes where lamps are used—nnd what prettier ot more efieotive form ef lighting is possible when when artistically arranged shades are Indulged in ? the housewife should, without doubt, undertake the care of them herself. To get a well-lighted lamp, the first thing is • free flow of oil The wiok. therefore, should be held in front of a fire and carefully dried before using. By this means it will thoroughly absorb the oil, and the flow is not impeded. Another way is to ■oak the wick in vinegar ind then dry it well; this prevents smoking. Foul wicks should be washed or boiled in soft water, then rinsed and thoroughly dried. Again, the reservoir of the lamp should be always kept filled, for if the oil is low the flow is imperfect and the wick becomes charred. So soon as the burners get blaok and sticky they should be boiled in vinegar, to which has been added a tablespoonful of salt, then they will come out nearly as fresh as new. Lamp-chim-neys must never be washed, but rubbed dean with a cloth damped with alcohol.

THE ATTRIBUTE OF DAINTI NESS.

Daintiness is net inborn in a girl, but it is the result of culture. It is that indefinable quality in a maiden which makes her more charming in her sweet freshness and neatnees than those around her. She makes a good impression where others fail, and those who are not dainty look on with half-envious admiration, and wish that they too had been born With the gift. Daintiness is, however, not like the gift bestowed in infancy by a fairy godmother, nor is it inherited; it is Ihe outcome of habit. A girl is dainty and rweet in manner on important occasions because the has been in the habit of giving time and thought to being pleasing to others, and eo it is natural to her, just as the rough ways of the hoyden, which sre the result of carelessness, seem to be part of bee very self. The da inly maiden is dainty in appearance from habit also. Her glossy wealth of hair owes its beauty to the fact that she brushes it regularly and frequently, and not only when she feels in the mood to do so, or when she desires to loos: specially nice. Her pretty soft hands With their shelly pink aails it is her habit to keep scrupulously olean. Again her person seems to shed a sweet perfume delicate but quite perceptible. This comes from her pretty way of putting away her clothes with sweetly-smelling sachets, and this dainty fragrance seems part and parcel of herself, for it clings to her in her morning gown quite as much as when dressed for a ball. RECIPES. Poor Mam's GoosE.--Required : A pound of potatoes, two small onions, half a spoonful each of salt and of dried sage, quarter of a teaßpoonful of pepper, half a pound of pork or pig's fry, a teaoupful of water. Method : Parboil the potatoes, cnt them into slioes quarter of an inch thick ; parboil the onions and mince them finely. Mix the onions and seasoning, and sprinkle a little of the mixture on each slice of meat. Urease a pie dish, and fill with alternato layers of potatoes and meat, bavin? potatoes for the first and last layers. Add a teacupfnl of water or stock, covir with greased paper, and hake in a moderate oven for about an hour; a quarter of an hour before serving remove the paper and brown the top of the potatoes. Serve with apple sauce if liked. Potato Cakes.—Maah together with a little butter, any remains of mashed or plain boiled potatoes, and season well with pepper, salt, and cayenne. Roll out the paste to a thickness of about an inch and a half on a floured board, and cut into rounds or squares with a cutter. Brush over with some beaten egg, and bake in a quiok oven. ScALLorKD Salmon.—Required : The remains of the tin of salmon, an egg, two tablespoonfuls of cream, salt, chopped parsley, envenne, and pepper. Method; Shred the fish and mix it with the other ingredients; put it in a buttered baking dish ; cover with bread crumbs, and put little pieces of butter here and there; bake in a quick oven for Id minutes. Serve hot.

Obaxoe Snowballs.—Wash well slb of rice, pat it into plentry of water, and let it boil quiokly for ten minutes. Draw off, and then let it cool. Pare four oranges, and dear them from tho thick white outer skin. Sproad the rice in four portions upon the same number of dumpling cloths, place on orange in the centre of each, and tie the cloth in such a •way that the fruit will be entirely enveloped in tbe rice. Boil the snow balls for an hour and a half. Turn them narefully on to a dish, and strew plenty of castor sugar oyer them.

Cocoaki-t Biscuits —Like meat sweet fcifcuits. are most popular at afternoon teas. Dry half a pound of flour, mix with four ounces of castor sugar, and work all well into a batter, with two woll-beaten eggs, Roll out very thin, cut in long strips, brush over with egg, scatter desiccated cocoanut oyer, and bake to a delicate brown colour. Mutton Fried in Batter. Required : Some sllees of cold leg of mutton, an egg, ft teaspoonful of Worchester eance, bread-crnmbs. Method : Beat up tbe egg, stir in the Worchester siuce : dip tbo meat into this, roll in bread crumbs, and fry in hot fat. Serve witk a border af mashed potatoes. Vegetable Marrow Pottaoh.—Peel and cut the mar: ow in piece", pi ice in a •tewpan, and to about 21b of the vegetable add 4oz of butter and half a pint of milk. Season with pepper, nutmeg, a teaspoonful of sugar, and salt. Slew gently until the marrow is reduced to pulp, then add the juice of a lemon, and servo with toast.