The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-27
HINTS FOR THE HOUSEHOLD.


on pale green leather, and Japanese designs car
ried out by a natural leaf or two, q butterfly and
a bulrush
If silk. when wrinkled Is wet with clean wa
ter and laid in the hot sum- it will draw out all
the wrinkles and preserve the new look much
better than pressing. Rub the water in well
with the hand.
pretty conceit is to suspend half-open UNI
brela from the ceiling, filling it with ferns and
grasses, either real or artificial At the bottom
Is tied deep orange ribbon, and similar rib
bon forms the loop on the handle by which the
umbrella is suspended.
The latest fancy for bangle or key-boards is
large wooden key. fancifully decorated. and
having some appropriate text with regard to
order painted upon it. A silken or plush cur
tain depends from it, so that the various pend
ant articles do not come in contact with the
wall.
A pretty table scarf was recently made of dark
cardinal sateen lined with yellow. On each end
was broad band of plush or velvet of the same
color. but OF a deeper shade. 1t was also fin
ished on each end with tasses, and above the
band was vine in delicate Kensington needle
work.
In making pickles use only the best cider vim
egar. Wine vinegar will do for table use, but it
will not keep pickles. Ii you do not make your
own vinegar buy it of some one whom You can
trust, and be willing to pay fair price for it.
Much of the so-called cider vinegar in the mar
either diluted sulphurc acid or some other
equally pernicious compound.
The best kettles for picking, az we'll as for
preserving, are those lined with porcelain No
necessity exists for greening pickles. but when it
1t is desired to do 3d. vine leaves will be found to
answer every purpose Spinach also may be
used with success. To give a pretty yellow
color use turmeric. This should be sewed in
Thin muslin bags and put on top and in the mid
die of the pickles. If powdered spices are used,
put them in bags also, or the vinegar will appear
muddy.
1t is customary to use ammonia for the pur-
pose OF neutralizing acids that have accidentally
or otherwise destroyed the color of fabrics. This
must be applied Immediately or the color is
usually imperfectly restored. After careful use
an application of chloroform will bring out the
coors as bright as ever. Plush goods and all
articles dyed with aniline colors, faded from ex-
posure to light will look as bright as ever after
sponging with chloroform. The commercial
chloroform will answer the purpose very we'll
pretty toilet set is made of scrm edged with
torchon lace. The border is formed by drawing
the threads and running very narrow robbons in
any desired combination through, allowing the
ends to overlap the lace. The pincushion is
made OF two small cushions stuffed very full,
covered with silk or sateen to match the rib
bons, and then covered with scrim arranged like
the bureau cover. The cushions are fastened
together at one point by bow of satin ribbon.
Two square mats complete the set. Shaded rib
bons have goo0 effect
Japanese fans are a prolific source of decora-
ton, and one of the simplest. yet most effective,
is made for the waI as follows: Three fans. con-
trastng in color and design are selected and the
rings combining the sticks are removed and the
fans opened wide. They are then arranged to
form circle on q properly cut foundation of
pasteboard, each stick being held by bright
scarlet pompon. In the center large yellow
flower forms a good contrast and apparently
holds the sticks in position. AS it's chief aid
to success this demands exactness in the ar
rangement of the fans.
Use very small cucumbe-s for picking as
they are much prettier and better. After care
fully washing them, put them into salt and
water, prepared by putting one cup of salt into
each gallon of water After standing in the salt
and water twenty-four hours. take them out ard
drain them in colander. When we'll drained,
put them into one quart glass preserve jars. Put
also into each jar one teaspoon each Of whole
cloves allspice. cassia buds, black mustard and
white mustard seed, also one tiny red cayenne pep
per. If easily obtained. put in also. small
piece of horseradish root. Fill each with boil
ing cider vinegar, and screw the tops on at once.
Tomato catsup made after this recipe is excel
lent Half a bushel of tomatoes, wash them and
cut them in pieces; put them in a preserving
kettle with one quart of water, and boil until
soft; then pass through sieve and add half
pint of vinegar, one tumblerful of salt, four red
peppers, one ounce of whole cloves one ounce of
ailspice. The spices should be put in muslin
bags securely tied. Put the whole on the fire and
reduce one half. When cold. bottle the catsup
and cover the corks with melted beeswax. The
bags OF spices must, of course, be removed be-
fore bottiing.
A pretty wall decoration Stimulates fan. On
foundation of thin pasteboard is arranged the
deep purple velvet that forms the upper part of
the FAM 1t is smoothly applied, and to its lower
edge are attached. in stick fashion. alternating
strips of purple and yellow ribbon, all being
drawn together at proper distance to simulate
the sticks of fan, and the many loops arranged
to form rosette. Where each ribbon joins the
purple velvet is placed a yellow pansy, embr0fd-
cred, or it may be one of Kursheedt's standard
floral appques deftly put on. In fastening this
decoration to the wall, to a banner screen or
wherever the fancy suggests. care must be taken
that, while tight enough, it is not drawn out of
position.
The following is good mixed pickle: One
small head cabbage cut fine. six large onions
sliced. ear green corn sliced, one dozen green
tomatoes sliced, one-half dozen ripe tomatoes
sliced, one pint radish pods. green. two ripe Gu
cumberS cut small, two green cucumbers cut
small, thirty small green cucumhers used whole,
one teaspoonfu turmeric twelve green peppers
used hole If small. three cents worth of cloves
one-eighth of a pound of ground alspice one
eighth of pound of ground cinnamon one
eighth of pound of mustard seed, one eighth of
a pound OF pepper cOrns. onehaf pound brown
sugar, one quart gOOQ clQer vinegar, one root OF
chopped horseradish. Boil the vinegar sugar
spices, and turmeric. and pour hot over the
pickles having brought them to scald in weak
vinegar.
A yellow cabbage pickle may be made after
the following rule: To every gallon of vinegar
allow two pounds of brown sugar, quarter of
pound of white mustard seed. two ounces of
ground mustard and of white ginger. one ounce
each of mace, nutmegs, alspice, cloves, white
pepper, turmerc and celery seed, quarter of
pound of scraped hOrseradish. two lemons sliced
thin and two large white onions chopped fine
Select small. hard cabbages, and take off the
onter leaves. Cut them in quarters and scald
them in boiling brine on the fire for Ave minutes
Take cut, drain, sprinkle thickly with salt. and
lay in the sun to dry. Sun them for several
DAYS. then shake off the salt and soak for two
weeks in cold vinegar. to which enough turmeric
has been added to color it. in order to plump out
and extract the salt. The spiced vinegar should
be made at least days before it is to be used,
and kept in the sun as much as possible mean