Evening star., 1869-01-12
HOUSEHOLD TALKS.

ECONOMY IN SOAP.-Soap lasts much longer
when cut into squares and dried, than when
LETT in the bars and cut mp as wanted. Leay-
Ing economy out OF consideration, how much
more convenient it is 10 have the soap In proper
shape for using, than to be obliged TO get a
knife or find string every time a fresh piece
is needed! i have often seen washer women
and careless girls break bar of soap in two
with their hands, thus leaving long ends to
each half. OF course where this is done, there
must necessarily be a good deal of waste. L
find that by buying box at a time, i can get
IL q few cents cheaper in the pound, and /
store IL away and deal it out as il iJreq uired /
know that many providers consider that where
stores are bought by the wholesale, much is
wasted and sometimes good deal is stolen.
OF course this will probably be the case where
the housekeeper neglecis the obvious duties OF
keeping articles under lock and key, aud deal
ing them out as required. After cutting into
proper shape, the rough edges must be trim
med, and the pieces or scrapings may he melted
and made into ball or SO uare. By following
this method all waste soap is avoided.
CHRISTMAS OR PLUM PUDDING.-This pud-
ding, which 1 make for christmas is eQually
good On any other occasion. usually make il
many weeks before the time at which il will be
eaten, but YOU know that these rich com.
pounds improve very much by keeping. /
have known them kept year with manifest
improvement. think nv receipt a good one:
" Is as folloWs: Reduce TO crumbs pound of
bread. freed from crust. ana to il one pound Of
brown sugar, chop, and add three. quarters of
pound Of beef suet, and pound each ofdried,
weIl-woshed, foreign currants and raisins.
Add half pound of citron or candled orange
peel, chopped fine, and CRATE a utmeg ever il.
The Juice OF a lemon will be an improvement
MIX well together with six or eight eggs. we'll
beaten. Pack firmly In bowl. Let them he
heaped full and the pudding made smooth and
round. Then white cloth should be tied
down with string, and the whole boiled FOR
four hours When 1t is made some months bs-
lore using, IL should occasionally be put into
kelfleof boiling water and boiled for an h oar
BREAD MAKING.-My bread, or rather dough,
was sour this morning, aud found 1t he
cessary to work in q teaspoonful OF soda be.
fore baking il. The soda was first dissolved
In little water. This misfortune OF having
sour dough TO deal with is one which seldom
occurs with me. 1t was at this time owing TO
an experiment. A neighbor of mine recon-
mended me TO try her way, which was 10 set
tne sponge 10 the AFTERNOON, TO WORK 1t over
with the -four before going TO bed, and bake
the nrst thing before breakfast in the morning
j know many persons follow this plan. bur /
fbInk inexperienced housekeepers, and es.
pecially late risers, should adopt my method.
IL IS this: Set the sponge just before gcing to
bed. then in the morning, the first thing, work
In the Hour; when well risen, mould into
loaves, set to rise for half an hour, and bake.
ABOUT TKA.--For some tmepast we have had
miserable tea, or rather an apology for tea.
Mary had become so careless In the making Oft
that ii was really undrinkable. Sometimes il
would be almost as black as ink, and a others
Of declined pink shade after the cream was
added, and occasionally as weak as water. /
considered the case desperate e. ugh to make a
decided stand in favor OF good tea: so not long
ago, just about tea time, ] went into the kitohe1
and said: '.Mary, want you to put away the
tea.steeper, A. do not wish it used any more,
and You will make the tea after different
plan -"Well. and indeed, MANI" .Neyer
mind, Mary,'1 said, sst know that you desire
TO please ne in everything. and IL is my WISH
to nave The tea made In another way. Take the
n vwitl lit = not 50,
Mrry dId So s"Now " put IN three teaspoonfnls
Of tea aBd MI the teapot with boiling water
IL twas dsne without any m ore demur. "Now.
Mary, put it on the top of the water boiler:
never put It on the stove, as do not wish il
boiled. Always make il in this way, and only
just before tea is ready TO be served" MARI
has followed these directions ever since, and
the result has invariably been tea Of delightful
favor. The fact Is, the Chinese never stew
their tea, a0d the fYeach never boil their coifee
and We can lsaYn eomesAing Of thess nation. As
to ibe best method Of preparing their graft ma
uonal beveRAGeA~-Aneriean n Ab,ioslfsnja. N
II u