Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-17


is easy to make good gravy. After repeated
failures l determined at all hazards to solve
the serious problem. l had roast beef in the
dripping pau it was ready to take up on the
platter; in the pan was, | knew good ma
terial for gravy. aud after taking up the meat |
/ poured all with the exception of about three |
tablespoonfuls out into basin then put
little cold water into the pan, then added half |
u cup of milk into which | had beaten two |
tablespoonfuls of flour, then set the pan on |
the stove, stirring the gravy every moment, |
and presently had the satisfaction of seeing |
rich brown, well-made gravy ready for the |
table. No matter how faithfully you, try you |
cannot succeed if you put your milk and flour
into the hot grease it will be lumpy and will |
separately y. Eecaihg Pest
BLACK WALNUT STAIN.
few Years ago we gave directions for |
staining pine or other white wood IA brown
color, somewhat like black walnut, 10y the USE
of lumber We have since found IA much bet
ter method Dissolve an ounce of Catechu in
a quart of boiling water adding lump of
sal soda the size of hickory nut Dissolve
an ounce of Bichromate of Potash in another
quart of water The articles are not expen-
sive, and may be had at any drug store. TO
stain the wood work first paint 1t over with
the solution of Catechu and allow it to dry
then 60 overt with the solution Of Bichromate.
When thoroughly dry IL coat of shellac or 9TH
er varnish will bring out the grain of the
wood, The solution may be made stronger
or weaker according to the depth Of color de
sired. Picture frames, bookcases, etc, made
with the scroll-saw from very common ma
terial may be thus treated with most satisfac-
tory results.-AmericaH AgyTcuiturid.
PRACTICAL ADVICE TO HUSBANDS
No man knows what a woman has to do,
and the responsibility resting upon her. If
all men were more consderate aud less selfish
how much trouble and pain and WEAKNESS
would be prevented. Lend helping hand
to your wife whenever you can. When com
ing by the wood pile pick up an armful of
wood and carry it in. If the water pail is
empty 60 and fill it. / have seen men take a
tin cup and go to the well for a drink, not re-
| garding it as their place to carry water to the
| house. These little considerations will make
more love at home. Try it and see. Help
dress the children and wash them before
breakfast instead of growing because break
fast is not ready.
| A FooT-sTooL COVER.
snowy foot-stool cover which is quite
easy and something new is crocheted in
bright scarlet double zephyrs, in what is call
ed the Russian stitch, the effect of which is
to make series of ridges and burrows. The
way to do it is TO work backward and forward
in double crochet, taking up the back loop
only of every stitch Have rather large
hook, and set up in a chain thirty two stitch
es Work four rows then narrow by missing
the first stitch in each row. Do so until only
two stitches remain. Make seven of these
pieces, working around each a row of black
wool. Sew all the seven pieces together with
| black wool, the points all coming to a center.
| Finish with tuft of wool in the centre and
sew short furniture fringe to the sides.
VINES IN THE SITTING ROOM.
If you have door in the middle of the
! partition in your sitting room, fasten some
brackets very securely each side of the door
about half way up. On them put common
flower pots planted with Madeira bulbs
| in the centre and wandering jew and inch
plant to fill up the pot thickly. Train the
MADEIRA as it grows over the fine wire in any
shape-an arch is pretty. The other vines
will completely hide the rude pots in a very
few weeks You can paste paper over the
pots till the vine is grown if you prefer not
to see the plain ware. Give plenty of water
they do not require sun.
USE FOR CLAM SHELLS.
Very pretty bracket or mantel ornaments
may be made of fresh water clam shells
Clean them by boiling in strong I've, scraping
| and rubbing until the outside is the same APP
pearance as the inside. Gid around the edge
and paste in the inside fancy pictures. A
cluster of moss rose buds is very pretty
You will have from one shell two handsome
ornaments for little work and a very small
amount of money.
OUR RECEIPT FOR CURING MEAT.
As the season has arrived when curing
! meat is in order, We republish, as of old, our
famous receipt for curing beef pork, mutton,
hams, etc, as follows To one gallon of wa
ter, take lbs of salt, J lb. of sugar J OF.
| of saltpetre, o. of potash. In this ratio
| the nick L. can he increased m any uuoptifv
desired Let these be boiled together until
all the dirt from the sugar rises to the top
and is skinned of. Then throw it into a
tub to cool, aud when cool pour it over your
beef or pork. The meat must be well cover
ed with pickle, and should not be put down
for at least two days after killing during
which time it should be slightly sprinkled
with powdered saltpetre, which removes all
the surfsce-blood, etc. leaving the meat fresh
and clean. Some omit boiling the pickle,
and find it to answer well, though the opera
ton of boiling purfes the pickle by throw
ing off the dirt always to be found in salt and
sugar. If this receipt is strictly followed, it
will require only single trial to prove its
superiority over the common way, or most
ways, of putting down meat, and will not
soon be abandoned for any other. The meat
is unsurpassed for sweetness, deiicacy and
freshness of color. Omit the potash unless
you can get the pure article. Druggists usual
ly keep it Grmdato,rR Tele.
TREATMENT OF COLDS AND GROUP.
We believe in every one to his trade"
and in all cases of severe illness or accident
call in one who makes a business of studying
the human system and its disorders. Yet
many, especially in frontier settlements, find
it impracticable, if not impossible, to always
obtain reliable medical advice. We offer a
few hints, that may be servceable in ordinary,
slight troubles. Colds, taken in hand prompt
ly, are easily remedied. If they are allowed TO
cling to one for few days, they usually run
their course of couple of weeks if not much
longer For a slight cold accompanied with
sore throat, a simple remedy, often effective,
is teaspoonful or more of powdered chlorate
of potassa, in tumbler of waterfall that
will dissolve. A teaspoonful of the solution
is to be gargled in the throat and swallowed
repeating it every hour or so. sudden, Sc
we're cold is most often broken by a gentle
physic of calcined magnesia or castor oil,
with warm foot bath, and avoiding any chill
or draft of air for day two. For filling
up of the lungs and much gathering or cough
ing we use a simple cough syrup, made by
mixing equal quantities of syrup Of ipecac,
paregoric, and castor oil shake we'll, and
take from half to a full teaspoonful, accord
ing to age, three or more times day as need
ed. A warm sweat is good, il great care be
taken to have no chilly feeling for a few
hours after If one does not cool off reFy
gradually, more cold will be taken. Group is
in some families much dreaded. Its cultural
cough is unmistakable after having once
heard it. When first noticed we administer
syrup of ipecae-lO drops to an infant, up to