Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-11-17
HOUSEHOLD HINTS
and Suggestions Here and There About
the Home,

Boil in five gallons of water ten pounds
of stone lime, one pound flour of sulphur.
When thoroughly settled, pour off and
sprinkle the liquid on the walk.
To make fine transparent varnish, put
one and one. fourth of gum shellac, and two
quarts alcohol in jug or bottle, and set in
a warm place until the shellac is thor
ouphly dissolved. Excellent for covering
anV wood where it is DESTROYS that the
Grain, as inside house finishing, plows, ETC.,
should show.
good breakfast dish can be prepared
at small cost and little trouble by boiling
some potatoes and slicing them very thin.
Put pint of them into stewpan with
tablespoonful of lemon juice, cayenne, nut.
meg, salt and pepper, and drop OF tara.
gon or white vinegar pour over all gill
Of milk or cream, cover closely and shake
over the fire pretty constantly for five or
ten minutes. Place the potatoes on a hot
dish. taking care not to break the slices.
and in the center of the dish arrange four
or five pOached eggs.
The best way to clean marble is to take
one quarter pint of soap lees, one-half gill
of turpentine, and sufficient pipe clay and
bullock ks gall to make thick paste. APP
ply it to the marble with a soft brush, and
after day or two, when quite dry, rub it
off with soft rag. A simpler and quicker
method is to take two parts of soda, one
of pumicestene and one of finely powdered
chalk. Rub this well over the marble and
the stains will be removed, then wash it
with soap and water and beautiful bright
polish will be produced.
To make grape catsup any variety can be
used, and it will be nice, but the tart is
preferred. Let five pints of grapes simmer
till they are so soft that you can rub all
but the seeds through a colander with ease.
After this is done, add 5wo pints of brown
sugar, one pint of vinegar, two tablespoon
fuls each of allspice, cloves and cinnamon,
one and one-half teaspoonfuls of mace, one
of salt, and half a teaspoonful OF red
pepper. Put all in porcelain kettle, let
It boil slowly till as thick as you like
catsup to be. The grapes must first be
picked from the stems, and be washed
thoroughly, or they will be gritty and the
oatsup be spoiled.
A very useful and handsome reticule or
workbag can be very easily made at home
by cutting out foundation in stiff card
board or an old hat frame, and having dark
velvet of the same size, which can be hand
somely embroidered in light colors. When
embroidered, press upon the wrong side
only where the flowers are, so that the nap
of the velvet may not favten. Cover the
foundation with the velvet, making sure
that the edges are well turned over turn
il wrong side out and overcast the points
together at the bottom. Measure the size
round the bag, then make an outside bag
of bright silk, two and half fingers in
length, allowing enough to turn over for a
ruffie at the top. Finish with cord and
tassels in bright color to match the silk.
Making custard is always something of a
delicate operation, and the most successful
way to proceed is as follows The ingre.
dients required are one pint of milk, five
eggs, three ounces of loaf sugar, three
laurel leaves or the rind of half lemon or
a few drops of vanilla essence, and a table,
spoonful of brandy. Put the milk, sugar
and fiavoring into lined saucepan, and let
it steep before the fire until it Is well
favored. As it comes to boiling point
strain it into a basin whisk the eggs well,
and when the milk has cooled little stir
in the eggs and strain the mixture into
q Jug. Place this Jug in saucepan Of boil
ing water ever the fire, keep stirring it all
one way until it thickens, but on no ac
count allow it to boil, or it will curdle.
Stir in the brandy, and when it is well
mixed in fill the glasses three parts full
and crate a little nutmeg over the top.
Epicures say that ducks eggs make the
best custards.
The question Of hanging pictures effect
lively is one that often arises in a family. A
few simple directions upon the subject may
have value. Steel engravings and water
colors cannot. like oil paintings, be framed
with the frame close to the picture, and a
space of white paper intervening makes an
ugly spot on the wall, and this can be
avoided by having the picture mounted
first in passe partout, with a mat of gray
or some neutral tint, and then placed in the
Frame To see them with anything like
comfort or attention they should be dis
posed in one row only, and that opposite
Che eye, or on an average of about five
feet six inches from the floor to the center
Of the canvas. a row thus formed will
form q sort of colored zone around the
room, and pictures of different sizes can
generally be grouped with something like
symmetry, the larger ones being kept in
the center and the smaller ones ranged on
either side in corresponding places along
the line. The cords used to suspend them
should match the general coloring of the
room.
There are certain principles to be OBJ.
served In a room if it is to impress the WIS.,
itor with sense of comfort or beauty.
For one thing, there must be a variety in
it. 1t is not necessary to buy whole set
of furniture alike, but there should be one
prevailing color, solid basis on which to
build. There should also be care taken to
furnish the wall spaces. 1t is an admira-
BILE plan to pull sofa out, but if in doing
so a great empty space is left, the room is
made bare, In such case the sofa could
be turned so as to break the stiff line, and
vet remain against the wall. But the great
secret of comfort and of giving an imme-
date effect of pleasant living is in the
making Of corners. What does an open
fire amount to if an easy chair does not
stand in front OF it, or lovely view from
j window if the curtain has to be drawn
up and the visitor stand to look out? No,
what we want is the chair by the fire, the
light on the table and the lounge pushed
near 10 IuG easy stab ny INC hihlo"
where a good light falls, all ready and
waiting. 1t is all in vain to put bas.
kets Of bright woods about, or mag
azines, or portfolios of engravings, to
rive home look if the con.
venient and comfortable seat is not
added. The visitor who, coming in,
finds an easy chair by the fire,
and near it the little stand with the
magazine, can endure waiting few mo-
ments because he feels that his well
come has met him. The chair by the
window, the fan ready to be picked up, the
bench under the tree, the seat on the
porch, are the successes of hospitality. 1t
IS not given to every one to appreciate
pictures, or to feel color, but every one de-
lights in being made comfortable. / Louise
Stockton in Outing.
In cold weather stews, if they are well
made. are very appetizing, and it is sur