The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-11-04
uSEFUL HINTS.

Coop OoFFE.-Good coffee can be
made In a common coffee-pct by OBJ
serving the following rules Use the
best old Java, and allow one table,
spoonful for each person that is TO drink,
then pour on boiling water in the pro-
portion of pint to each tablespoonful,
and break an egg into the pot, throwing
In the shell also. If you think it ex-
travagant to use an egg for this purpose,
fish-skin as large as an old-fashioned
cent will settle it well. Boil about half
an hour, and just before serving pour
out little of the coffee and return it to
the pot, and set it in some place where
1t will stand even, but not on the stove.
A TIDY RooM.-Do you. ever observe
that tidy room is invariably a cheerful
one? 1t is cheering to come into ones
breakfast-room and find it spotlessly
tidy; but still more certainly will cheer
tulness come If tidiness is the result of
our own exertion and SO we counsel
you, friends, If you are ever disheart-
ened, vexed or worried about something
that has gone wrong with you in the
world, to have resort to the great ref
uge of tidIness. Don't sit brooding and
bothering. Go to work and make ev-
erything tidy about you and you cannot
fail to recover your cheerfulness.
How TO WASH THE FAoE.-Many peo-
pie object to the use of soap for the face.
disliking the shiny, polished appearance
1T gives, but any who will use DIR. Will
sons directions will find that objection
removed. They are as follows: "Fill
your basin about two-thirds full with
fresh water; dip your face in the water
and then your hands. Soap the hands
well and pass the soaped hands with
gentle friction over the whole face.
Having performed this part of the oper-
alton thoroughly, dip the face in the
water second time and rinse it COM
pletely. You may add very much to the
luxury OF the latter part of the operation
by having a second basin ready with
fresh water to perform a final rinse"
To PRESERVE HARNEss.-There is
nothing looks nicer in its way than a
clean, bright-looking set OF harness, nor
is there anything more quickly dam
aged by neglect. Harness should be
washed and oiled frequently. To do
this effectually the straps should be un-
buckled and detached, and then washed
with soft water and crown soap. and
hung by slow fire or in the sun until
nearly dry, then coated with a mixture
of neatsfoot oil and tallow and allowed
to remain in a warm room for several
hours, and when perfectly dry rub
thoroughly with woolen rag. The
rubbing is important, as it, in addition
to removing the surplus oil and grease,
tends to close the pores and give a finish
to the leather. In hanging harness care
should be taken to allow all the straps to
hang their full length. All closets
should be we'll ventilated, and when
possible be we'll lighted. To clean plated
mountlngs, use a chamois with little
tripoli or rotten stone, but they should
be secured as little as possible.
KEEPING WINTER APPLEs.-No mat
ter how much care one may exercise in
packing and storing, it will not be suffi-
clent to keep unripe, bruised or badly
handled apples or other fruit. The
great desideratum in keeping all kinds
of fruit is in keeping it free from damp
1ess The plan adopted by some expe-
'lenced fruit-growers is to have regu-
ar fruit-room, built to exclude light
md to maintain an even temperature.
Where large crops are to be stored, it
pays to build such room or house for
he purpose, but for few barrels, al
most any room on the cool side of the
louse will answer, but dry, cool cellar
s preferable, as there is less danger
rom freezing, and it is easier to pre-
erve an even temperature. In storing
he apples, if they have been properly
'icked at the proper time, properly |
and packed in barrels on the
most improved plan, the barrels are
lied in regular tiers, the lower tier rest
ng on "skids," or pieces of timber to
eep from the ground and dampness.
We have seen fine apples in March and
Ipril, which have been kept on board
in the cellar, the fruit
aving lain close rs possible together
yithout touching on bed of dry straw.
hey were looked over occasionally, and
hen any showed signs Of rotting they
'ere at once removed.