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THE SOUTHERN WORLD, FEBRUARY 1, 1882.
11
In this department we do not intend to
follow the plan, too frequently adopted, of
making it up from some old cook-book witli
only the aid of a pair of shears, but shall
glean from a wide field of the best experi
ences in every thing pertniningto the home.
Our recipes will all be tested before publi
cation, unless furnished by contributors
who vouch for them. We earnestly invite
all who are interested in home, its comforts
and adornments, to give us any information
they can in the urt of housekeeping or home
improvement.
Address all communications pertaining to this
department, to Mas. Fanny Farley,
Care of Southern World,
ATLANTA.QA.
A o a rule of sulphur und water, made by
stirring a teaspoonful of liower of sulphur
in a glass of water, lias been used with much
success in cases of diphtheria. After using
the gargle let the patient swallow a little of
the mixture.
The fashion of cutting bread on the table
is being revived, and some very elegant
bread knives are sold for this purpose. It is
a very sensible fashion, as in this case no
more bread is cut than is wunted, and none
is left over to become dry, and at last lind its
way into the waste barrel.
Tue Phrenological Journal, speaking of the
hcalthfulness of fruit, says: “ When Dr. B.
F. Dunkley went to Dunksburg, Mo., thirty
years ago, there were no orchards, and very
few vegetables were raised, a he diet of the
people consisted chiefly of corn-bread, bacon
and black coffee. Inflammatory disease of
the brain, bowels and heart, und malignant
dysentery ntllicted the community, and
were often attended with fatal results. Dr.
Dunkley told his patients their blood needed
no medicine other than vegetable acids, und
ordered them to eat oranges, lemons and
sheep sorrels. Now fruit und garden vege
tables are abundant, and diseases are not of
so malignant type, and they yield readily to
medical treatment. Children who eat plen
tifully of apples are in excellent health,
while those who cat no fruit are sickly.”
Ir five cents worth of borax be dissolved
in a quart bottle of soft water, and kept on
the washstand, and the hands and face
rinsed with it every time they are washed,
it will keep them soft and smooth, even if
the hands do their share of scrubbing, etc.,
with soft soup, which is apt to make them
red and rough.
One-third of all our lives is pnssed in our
sleeping-rooms, and yet many people think
that any room is good enough to sleep in.
The sleeping-room should be large, airy, dry
and pleasant. An eastern exposure is the
best, so that the morning sun may shine into
the room. It should be well ventilated. A
good arrangement for ventilation at the
window is to have the upper sash dropped
about six inches and a piece of board fitted
into the space at the top. The fresh air cun
come in between the two sashes without
making a draft upon any one in the room.
An open fireplace in a bed-room is a good
aid to ventilation. Plenty of fresh air gives
health, strength and elasticity to the body.
Another thing: all the clothing worn during
the day should be removed at night and
aired while other gurments are substituted
for the night.
One of the problems of a household where
there are small boys is, what to do with
them in rainy weather. It is folly to expect
a healthy, active boy to sit down quietly in
the house, and when the steady, pouring
rain comes for several days in succession,
the mother’s patience and ingenuity are
tried to the utmost. The best plan that we
knowot is to have a pleasant little workshop,
fitted up with tools and material, where
they can practice and experiment. 8ome
day the natural mechanic of the family will
■uprise you with a specimen of his handi
work, done “ all my own self.” Encourage
and praise his first efforts, and he will do
better next time, and muny little conven
iences will come out of that workshop “ for
mother.”
Teaching children to work is about the
hardest kind of work. Most mothers are
unwilling to take the time and trouble neces
sary to teach their daughters the little
womanly arts of sewing, knitting, crochet
ing, and the simpler kinds of embroidery.
It is left for some one else to take the trou
ble) if they are so fortunate as to secure a
teacher. Often the little one looks on with
longing eyes to the nimble fingers of a young
companion, who can fashion such beautiful
things with a crochet needle and ball of
bright wool. The common tasks of picking
up chips, wiping dishes, and dusting rooms,
seem such mere drudgery in comparison.
Some little variation of this sort would
greatly brighten the dull days. We have
too little patience in teaching children. If
they could learn all at one lesson, we should
be satisfied; but they tire after a few mo
ments’ practice, and wish to turn to some
thing else. They are sure to take up a stitch
wrong after we have told them dozens of
times; and so we lose our own patience, and
the child quickly follows the example.
Fredkika Bremer says: “ Many a marri
age has commenced, like the morning red,
and perished like a mushroom. Wherefore?
Because the married pair neglected to be as
agreeable to each other after their union as
they were before it.”
There is no doubt that this is one cause of
unhappy marriages. The first year or two
of married life is a trying time, but if the
union has been founded on a sincere respect
and affection, and each one is willing to
sacrifice something to the tastes and wishes
of tlie other, and there is no wrong counsel
by meddling friends, each year will bring
the two nearer together. If little differences
of opinion arise, and hot temper prompts
sharp words, the husbnnd and wife, who
truly love each other, if left to themselves
will, in nine cases out of ten, bo sorry, and
in a little while “ kiss and be friends.” But
if one or the other goes to a third person for
sympathy or advice, the breach is almost
certain to be widened. The love which first
brought the two together should be nourish
ed ns the most precious thing in their lives.
Every one has their faults, but both hus
band and wife should seek to hide the faults
of the other,—to cover them witli the mantle
of charity. If wedded life is commenced
right; if forbearance is practiced by both,
the love that crowns the last years of mar
ried life will be far purer und more tender
than the first.
HOUSEHOLD RECIPES.
Royal Corn Bread.—Make n pint of bat
ter of two-thirds nice corn meal and one-
third coarse flour stirred in water; let
it stand in a warm place until it fer
ments well; then add warm water, two or
three spoonfuls of molasses, a teaspoonful of
salt and a teaspoonful of soda, (or enough
to correct the acidity) then tiiicken with
corn ineul and coarse flour, in the same pro
portion as at first, making the batter about
the same consistency for griddle cakes; oil
your baking dish and fill about half full,
always have about a pint of the batter to
sturt witli again. Place the loaf in a steam
er and steam it two hours for a two quart
louf, and bake it in the oven about thirty
minutes to brown it. The same recipe may
bo used for griddle cakes.
Cucumber CATsup.-Three dozen full grown
cucumbers, eight .white onions. )>cel both
and cut as fine as possible, on this sprinkle
three-fourths of a pint of fine salt, then put
the whole in a sieve and drain for eight
hours; then take a teacupful of mustard
seed, half a cup of ground black pepper,
mix thorn well with the cucumber and on
ion; then put the whole in a stone jar and
cover with strong vinegar, closing it tightly.
It is fit for use in three days, and will keep
a long time.
When cucumbers are scarce take Imlf
green tomatoes and cucumbers, and it will
make an excellent catsup.
Cooking CiucKBNS.-Cuttbein into pieces,
sprinkle with pepper and salt and dredge
with flour. Have ready a sauce-pan, with
hog fat extracted from salt pork, in whicli
fry, or rather sauce the chickens, covering
them, and watching that they may not
burn. Take up, drain and set aside in a hot
covered dish. Pour into the gravy left in
frying-pan a cup of rich milk, thicken with
a tablespoonful of flour, add a lump of but
ter, some parsley and a young celery slant
minced, boil up, season to taste and pour
over the hot chicken.
To Tell Good Nutmeg.—Prick them with
a pin. If they are good, the oil will will in
stantly spread aronnd the puncture.
German Toast.—To one egg beaten well
add one cup of sweet milk or cream; season
with a little salt and pepper. Cut stale
bread in slices, dip in the milk to moisten,
and fry on a griddle. This is a nice dish for
breakfast.
Oranob Tart.—Grate the yellow of one
orage, squeese out the juice, being careful
to avoid the seed, the juice and yellow of
half a lemon, fourth of a pound of sugar,
two ounces of butter carefully melted, two
eggs, leaving out the white of one, beat
well; stir all together, line a tart-tin, or pat
ty-pans with thin paste, fill and bake fif
teen or twenty minutes.
Spinach.—Wash free from dirt and grit,
and boil it fifteen minutes in salted water.
Drain, chop fine and season with salt, pep
per and butter. Press it firmly into a mold
and set it in the oven a few minutes until
ready to serve. Turn out of the mold and
garnish with slices of hard boiled eggs.
Delicious Lemon Jelly Cake.—Take one
cup of sugar, one-half cup of butter, one
cup of milk, three eggs, two teaspoonfuls of
cream-tartar, one teaspoonful of soda, three
cups of flour; mix, and bake in fine thin
luycrs. For the jelly grate the rind of three
small, or two large lemons, and add the
juice of the same with one cup of sugar, one
egg, onc-hnif cup of water, one teaspoonful
of butter, one tablespoonful of flour, mix
with a little water and boil till it thickens.
This is a great fuvorite with us.
Browned Parsnips.—Wash and scrape the
parsnips nicely and cut them in pieces,
leugthwisc. Parboil them slightly, then put
them in a boking pan, season with salt, pep
per and plenty of butter, set them in the
oven until done and nicely browned.
Boiled Codfish and Oyster Sauce.—
Wash two pounds of fresh codfish in cold
water, then boil it for twenty minutes with
a little salt and vinegar, and a bit of onion
added to the water. Lay a folded napkin on
allot platter, and on this serve tlie slice of
cod, accompanied by oyster sauce. Put two
dozen oysters, with their liquor, into a
sauce-pan and place it on the tire. Bring it
to a full boil, remove immediately ami
drain off the liquor. Put Jan ounce of but
ter into usaucepan, and, when it melts, stir
in half an ounce of flour; when smooth add
by degress tlie oyster liquor, ami stir until
the mixture is thick and smooth, then put
in two tablespoonfuls of sweet cream and
season to taste with pepper and salt.
Boston Pie.—(Without shortening.)—
Three eggs, one coffee cup of coffee sugar,
one undone-half cups cf Hour, one teaspoon
ful of cream-tartar, one-half teaspoonful of
soda, salt. Buko on two round tins, when
cold split and fill. Filling—two eggs, one
half cup of flour, one cup of coffee sugar,
stirred in a pint of boiling milk. Flavor
with vanilla. Stir constantly to keep from
scorching; put half in one pie; put on the
top and sift pulverized sugar on, or put on
frosting.
Pressed Chickens.—Boil the chicken un
til the meat will separate from the bones
readily; use just as little water as possible
to cook it in; after you have,taken the chick
en out and removed the bonescut it in small
pices, and but back into the kettle with tlie
broth and boil until very tender; then put
it into a basin and turn what little broth re
mains in the kettle over it, put on a press
and leave until cold. When cold slice it
thin and serve for tea or lunch.
Egg Plant—How to Cook it.—Purple
ones are best. Tuko them fresh, pull out
the stem, par-boil them to take out the bit
ter taste, cut them in slices an inch thick
without peeling them, dip them in the yolk
of an egg and cover them with grated hreud
and a little salt and pepper. When one
side has dried cover the other in the same
way; then fry them nice and brown. They
are very delicious. The egg plant nmy be
dressed thus: par-boil it after scraping off
the rind, cut a slit the whole length ami take
out the seed, fill the space witli rich, fine
meat, stew it in well, eat with seasoned gra
vy, or bake nnd serve it up with gravy in the
dish.
Mango Pickles.—Select smooth skinned
melons; when ready to put them in a weak
brine, ami let them remain in it ten
days; then take out in a preserving kettle,
cover with cold water, and place Upon the
stove and bring to ascnlding heat, hut do
not let them boil; then take out, nnd after
removing the seed, sprinkle the inside well
with mustard seed, nnd fill up with small
cucumbers, prevlotsly soaked in brine, nns-
turtion, onions, if you like, fine cut cab
bage. and any spices that you prefer; tic up
well and place in good cider vinegar, and
you will soon have fine, tender mangoes.
Our mothereroNGUE.—A French gentle
man, who supposed he hnd mastered the
English language, was sadly puzzled one
day when a friend looked at him and said:
“How do you do?” “Dovot?” “I mean
how do you find yourself?" “ 8alr, I never
loses myself." “But how do you feel?"
"Smooth; you just feel me.”—•Louinillt
Cburters/eumai.
FASHION NOTES.
People can be stylish now with very little
trouble, as there is a very wide choice, both
in materials and styles of making up.
Severely plain dresses continue In favor
for street wear. The kilt skirts, so much
worn three or four years ago, are again re
vived.
The combination style still retains its de
served popularity, although it is now mainly
employed in remodeling old suits.
When a poke bonnet is wom the hair
should be frizzed and fluffed a great deal in
front, to fill up tlie large space under the
brim.
No veil is worn with the poke bonnet, but
an invisible or “bnng" net should boused
to keep the hair in place. Veils of dotted
net are still worn with small hats or bonnets.
It is predicted that braided dresses will be
all the rage with fashionable people in the
spring. Ultra fashlonublc people are wear
ing them now.
The most fasliienable women do not wear
earrings with street costumes or with morn
ing toilets, either at home or abroad.
Flowers are always worn now with even
ing dresses, at both belt and corsage, and so
perfectly does skill imitate naturo that it is
difficult to believe that those flowers are not
fresli plucked.
Amono the new combinations of color are,
olivo with plum color or old gold; dark
green with drab ; golden brown with myrtle
green; and garnet with pearl gray.
Painting on silks, satins, and otherstuffs,
is taking the place, very largely, of embroid
ery. Scent sachets, lamp screens, and toilet
sets, are now almost altogether painted, and
generally in water colors. Painted parasols
will be greatly used another season. Laco
is painted with fine effect, particularly for
evening wear.
One of the latest caprices in the fashioning
of sleeves is a return to the shape that our
grandmothers wore, and called by them
“ mutton-leg ” sleeve. Sleeves are also made
witli a large puff put at the top and reaching
half-way to the elbow, finished with two or
three rows of shirring and the edge left to
form a rutile. This sleeve is finished at the
hand with three or four rows of shirring,
with an inch-wide rutile at both edges.
These puffs at the top of tlie sleeve aro be
coming to slender figures.
Home Training; for onr Daughters.
How most successfully to help our daugh
ters to a full preparation’for their life work,
is a problem that takes earnest thought and
sound wisdom to solvo. We all have some
sort of an ideal woman in our minds that wo
wish our daughters to become. Tlie manner
in which they ore to accomplish this result
is often hut a vague idea, and too often wo
fall far short of the ideal we have set before
us.
This home-training of girls has liccn to
me n subject of serious thought. I know
how much easier it is to give good advice
tlinn to work out in our own homes nnd for
ourselves, this im|Mirtnnt problem.
While a knowledge of music or language
of muthemutics or science, is very desirable,
nnd in fact, essential to thoruugh culture,
yet tlie growth of character in a young girl,
the development of heurt, tlie nwukcning to
a consciousness of wliat life means nnd the
great possibilities for usefulness which she
holds, and withal a tender thoughtfulness
for others, are the traegraeesof womanhood,
und arc best cultivated at home under the
care of u wise and loving mother.
This education of our girls call begin as
soon as they can walk and talk. Nothin
makes tlie little one huppicr than to bo ask
ed to help mamma in some little way. The
little feet run eqgerly on any errand, and
very proud is tlie little one at the thought of
doing something useful. I have never yet
seen a little girl who would not leave her
toys nnd dolls to help mamma bake or dust,
or in any domestic employment. Nature
seems to have put a love for these employ
ments into the hearts of our girls, und if we
begin curly it will not he a ditttcult task to
foster this nuturul taste.
Tlie mother herself should endeavor to bo
as nenr ns possible to tlie model she would
have her daughters copy. Sonic one lias
said that ”n young Indy is a sort of walking
advertisement of her mother.” Sec the one
we can imagine, very nearly, what the other
is. Of course, there will be little differences
and perhaps great contrasts in temperament,
hut in tlie main, a girl is just about what
her mother makes her; and in the broad
principles which underlie the character, the
one will be the others counterpart.