The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-09


receive good deal of blame for inefficiency IN
customary to ascribe these failings to the
alleged disposition of women to regard any en-
ployment they may be engaged in a makeshift
only to be endured only until marriage relieves.
them from the necessity.
1t may be that the girls receive no more
blame than they deserve, but there is reason to
think that the indignation which their faults
excite as somewhat unevenly distributed, since
Workingmen of various classes are equally
guilty
The girl who engages to do your general
housework,H and promises to arrive on certain
day and hour, but fails to appear at the time
designated any other is an exasperatlng crea-
ture; but so is the man who sets a time to paint
or paper your house, or move your piano, or
take up your carpets, and comes week later or
not at all The cook who claims the highest
accomplishment of the culinary art and sets
muddy coffee, burnt steak and heavy bread be-
fore you is trial to patience, but so is the car
Denter who puts screens in your windows and
doors and hacks and mutlates the building in
the operation until another carpenter must be
called to repair the damage. The men
dacity and the laundering, clumsy
work of the plumber are too
common to bear description. The latches on
your doors, which will not latch, the window-fast-
enings that refuse to fasten, speak for themselves
of the bad workmanship and defective mate
rails which are palmed off upon the helpless
house holder, who is not jack fall trades.
and must depend upon his fellow creatures for
many of the necessities of existence. In other
directions he fares no better. The milkman
waters his milk; the market-man slips IN
measure of poor fruit or vegetables with the
good when the purchasers back is turned; the
ice man cuts the daily portion of ice smaller and
smaller, forgetting it entirely on hot days, but
never diminishes his bill in proportion Or forgets
to present it. 1t is a constant struggle with
butcher baker and grocer, with workmen of all
kinds no less than workwomen, which enables
the housekeeper to provide for her family in a
manner at all satisfactory, and to save them
from being victimized by all kinds of tricks and
frauds. The incompetent and dishonest servant
girl is a vexation to the spirit of her employer;
but were that girl suddenly transformed into
faultless machine, and the problem of kitchen
work thereby solved, the trials of the mistress
n ner encounters Win ner Imperfect IellOW-
creatures would only be half removed.
A delicious salad is made by cutting up peaches
and bananas in thin pieces and sprinkling them
with sugar and little lemon juice.
The present fancy for hemsttehed bed linen
affords ample scope for variety of pretty de
signs The initials or monograms embroid
cred in the center directly above the hem.
notable housekeeper says that dark stockings
ALL h. %hnw ,.~Il bod
salt and water and then dried. After they
dry they to be washed again in a second
solution of salt and water, and then washed in
clear water and dried. In this way the dye will
not rub off on the feet and undergarments.
very pretty bureau scarf of cream monte
linen has an insertion of coarse mesh linen,
darned with pale blue. upon which is embroid-
cred design of lotus blossoms and gold colored
olive branches. On either side of this insertion
is band of blue plush The knotted fringe has
punches of olive and blue silk interminged
with it,
Bags for the store room and for holding bun
dies and scraps must he of strong stuff The
former Of firm, clossly woven linen, sewed in a
turned seam. and provided with tapes for tying
up several inches below the top they may
be turned over and tied closely, effectually pre-
venting the entrance of any undesirable object,
animate or otherwise.
Blackberry candy made in this way is recon-
mended 1.-Two quarts of black berry juice lit
viii require about five quarts of berries to make
i'll and two pounds of white sugar. Boil and skim,
then add one half ounce of cloves half an ounce
of ground cinnamon and five grated nutmegs and
boil again. When cool, add one pint of the best
brandy and bottle when cold"
Those who will take a vapor bath once week
at night sponging the body afterward with
warm water and a little good SOAP or ammonia,
or borax to give the water feeling of softness,
should have no reason to find fault with their
compilations. No cosmetic will give the salts
factory results of proper bathing, especially
when combined with healthful exercise and
wholesome diet.
The outline stitch in embroidery is made ex
actly like the back stitch, used in common sew
ing, only it is taken from instead of towards
you, and by entering the needle exactly on the
line, and always throw the thread the same
side of the needle throughout. the line will be
perfect and smooth, but if the thread is first
one side and then the other, the line will
have the appearance of being zig gag uneven.
A housekeeper writing of salads, says: 'While
olive oil is to be preferred in the making of
salad dressings; many people don't like it. and
butter may be served in its place. have made
a very successful and delicious dressing as fol-
lows Mix one teaSpOOnful of mustard and two
of sugar with the yolk of one or two eggs raw;
then half tea cupful of butter. one-half tea
cupful of vinegar, and cook the mixture until it
thickens.
Bags for the various small articles in kitchen
and wash room, which need keeping together,
should be made of some dark, strong material,
and of plain, square shape, and furnished with
curtain rings sewed around the top TO run the
draw string in Such bags are useful recepta-
cles for clothes pins. small clothes lines strings,
and the hundred and one things which must be
kept in some place where they can be found in
a hurry.
A handsome sideboard scarf is composed of
deep cream eoored monte, embroided with a
border design of orange blossoms, foliage and
fruit in natural colors the embroidery being IN
slightly shaded and filed in outline Another
has a set floral border at Sides and a deeper
border worked in blue cotton. At either end be-
low the embroidery is a band of drawn work
and at the ends deep headed fringe of the
raveled monte
Mint sauce for roast lamb is frequently pre-
pared and kept in a corked bottle for use during
the entire One-half cupful of finely
chopped spearmint is added to one-half cup of