The Portland daily press., 1884-03-22

bed of parsley that it was always so pretty to
look at, with its green, curly leaves, ana is
such an indispensable aid in cooking. By all
means have your herb beds, and when the
summer is over pick off the leaves, dry them
and sift them, put them into boxes yourself
and you know just what you are using. If you
like you may dry the leaves on the stems, pick
them off and use them at your pleasure. This
is good way to use them in soups: Take
sprig of each kind, tie them together and put
into the soup stock to cook. For seasoning
dressing, etc., the leaves must be pulver-
lied and sifted. Take my advice and have
your herb bed, you will find it q real pleasure
and very great convenience.
BITS OF GOSSIP.
For the silk patchwork quilts now so fash
ionable the box pattern and the octagon shape
are the best. Mix aa many reds and yellows
as possible, and intersperse with black. Line
with black satin.
Mantel valances are made of crazy patch
work, with deep band of crimson plush run
ming across the bottom border The latest
fancy is to have the mantel draperes hung on
slender poles, instead of being tackled to a
board.
New bedroom curtains are made of perfectly
plain India null, and correspond in color with
the general furnishings of the room. II the
carpet, mantel dressing table and he'd hangings
are all in blue the curtains should match.
They should be held back with punches of
pale pink ribbon, just for bit of contrast.
Gray is to be one of the most fashionable
colors this spring. 1t will be worn for cos
tune, mantles and bonnets. Very pretty COM
binations are made with light gray and pale
fade pink, and deeper gray with garnet
These colors are used merely as a relief, and
only in small quantities
The legs and backs of handsome ebony cane
chairs are now adorned and made bright with
bows of pale blue, olive green deep warm
crimson ribbon. This gives just the touch of
color needed to make them artistically valua-
BILE.
Black velvet will retain all its popularity as
trimming, and the ribbon velvets in all
widths are in great demand. It is used for
plain bands and for loops which form fringe
about the edge of garment. The very mar
row velvet ribbon, no wider than soutache
braid, is seen on the new imported bonnets in
large quantities.
Bordered net wells are gradually coming into
fashion again, and are now imported with
very small dots of chenille, or with wrought
spots over the centre, with narrow scalloped
edge of chenille There is an attempt to re-
vive red wells, but they fast and vulgar
looking that ladies hesitate about wearing
them.
Irish poplins are finding favor in England,
and the Princess Beatrice wore white dress
of this fabric at recent ball. 1t was decorat-
ed with crimson roses and was said to be very
effective. Many of the importers have ordered
these goods for the American market, and they
will be we'll received by those persons who like
the corded effects. They will largely be shown
in grey and ecru There is after all, no hand
somer or more durable fabric than Irish poplin,
and it will be received with great favor.
A novel way of trimming the skirts of CASH
mere dresses is to stripe them all oyer, at
least in ali the visible parts, with lengthwise
rows of narrow soutaehe braid of tone similar
to that of the cashmere. The vest of the cuirass
basque is then covered with crosswise rows of
soutache. The ends of the braid are ravelled
to form fringe at the foot of the skirt, and al
so on the vest to cover the battons and button
holes.
Here is variation from the ordinary con-
ventional pie or pudding, and the "grown ups"
like it as well as the children. Make a crust
as if for roly poly pudding or baking powder
biscuit; roll this dough about as thin as for
pie crust, then cut it in small squares, heap up
on them berries or preserves of any kind after
draining the juice from them wet the edges
fold and press closely together, so that there
will be no waste Of juice, then put them on
deep tin baking pan, with lump of butter
on each one, a little water in the pan, and
acatter some sugar over each little pudding.
When they are done serve with good pud-
ding sauce.