The Portland daily press., 1889-09-02
THE HOME.
THE ORIGIN OF VISITING CARDS.

THE ORIGIN OF VISITING CARDS.
AS is the case in many other instances, we
owe the invention lof visiting cards to the
Chinese. So long ago as the period of the
Tong dynasty (6is-9OD visiting cards were
known to be in common use in China, and
that is also the date Of the introduction OF
the "red silken cords" which figure SO con.
spicuously on the engagement CARDS OF tnat
country. From very ancient times to the
present day the Chinese have observer tne
strictest ceremony with regard 10 paying VS.
its. The cards used are very large, and
usually of bright red COLOR
When a Chinaman desires Il. marry, his pa
rents tell a professional match maker, who
selects from her list of visiting acquaintance
one whom she considers fitting bride for the
Young man, and then she calls on the young
wyoman's parents, armed with the bride.
groom's card, on which are inscribed his an
cestral name and the eight symbols which
denote the day of his birth. If the answer
is an acceptance Of his suit, the brides card
esy good concerning the union, the partfcu-
lars OF the engagement are written on to two
large cards, tied together with the red cords
CoNvENIENcEs FOR GUESTS.
See that the matchbox is full of matches
and that 1t Is in sight and not placed in some
obscure corner. There should be plenty of
water for the toilet and some to drink, and if
there is bathroom the guest should be told
where to find it. There should be nice
piece of soap avoid fancy soaps. plenty of
towels and extra bed covering. Sometimes
guests are accidentally unprovided with
comb or brush, so it is well to have ''spare
set," for company, of kind that can be
washed after each use without injury to the
back OF the brush; white celluloid or amber
is good. Do not have the pincushion for or
anv,A nlxr x.tn q 81.
black and white, iu it; if the guest is wom-
an have hairpins, a button-hook and hand
glass. If the guest Is to make somewhat of
visit 1t is genuine comfort to have a table
supplied with note paper, pen and ink, blot
ter, calendar, etc. And last, but not least,
have vase of flowers, 1t is kindness to
guest who has travelled any distance to show
him or her to the guest room at once, and
not ask one to sit down and tell all about the
journey. Oftentme hostess does not leave
ner guest alone enough. Like many other
good things, social converse can be overdone
to the WEAKNESS of the entertained and the
entertained. A portion of the day in which
a guest can read, write or take a nap is ap-
preciated, and hostess by giving and TAX
Ing this time will find II not "hard work to
have Company remark sometimes heard
by those who spend every available moment
entertaining" their guests.
TOMATOES.
While fresh tomatoes SIRE still to be had.
let the housewife try some Of the ways of
cooking them that make stuffed or basket
tomato thing to be remembered.
Select firm, ripe tomatoes that are smooth
and of good size. From the top or stem part
cut thin slice and remove most of the seeds
being careful not to break the sides. Pre-
pare dressing of bread crumbs, salt, cayenne
pepper. chopped onion and clarified butter,
in the proportion of two cups of crumbs,
teaspoonful of salt, dash of:red pepper, two
teaspoonfuls of onion chopped very fine, and
two tablespoonfuls of melted butter; fill the
tomatoes full of the dressing, and bake in
pudding dish twenty-five minutes; they
should be served on a hot dish; nutmeg.
majoram or parsley may be used instead of
onion to season the stuffing, and the quantity
given will fill one dozen tomatoes.
Another choice way of serving them as a
dinner dish is to prepare in the same way as
+ for stuffing, and to fill with f0rcemeat
made from cold boiled ham and mushrooms,
| chopped fine, bread crumbs. parsley, salt,
red pepper and melted butter For filling
dozen tomatoes, use one cup OF ham, two
dozen mushrooms, five tablespoonfuls of
stale bread crumbs, two tablespoonful of
chopped parsley, an even teaspoonful OF salt
one-quarter of saltspoon Of Cayenne, and
two tablespoonful of melted butter. Bake
in hot oven twenty-five minutes, basting
twice with melted butter.
In Carolina an appetizing stuffing is made
from pint of boiled rice mixed with quart
of veal or beef broth, salt and one-half a
green pepper chopped fine. The ingredients
are cooked for fifteen minutes, when two
tabesp0onfuls of melted butter are added
After it has simmered for ten minutes longer
the stuffing is put into the tomatoes, and the
slice removed is placed on top. They are to
be basted twice while baking, with sweet
oil or butter. They are most easily dished
by usuing cake turner to transfer them
from the pan to the platter.
Fried or broiled tomatoes, are good for
breakfast or supper. Select round, medium
sized tomatoes, and after washing them In
cold water and drying, cut them half an inch
thick, dip them in -four seasoned with salt
| and pepper, and then in melted butter, place
| on double broiler and brown quickly and
| delicately on both sides. Fried tomatoes
are prepared as for broiling, seasoned with
| salt and pepper, dipped in beaten egg, diluted
with little boiling water, and then In
powdered bread-crumbs. They are then
placed In frying-pan containing plenty of
hot fat, Drowned on each side, and served
Scalloped tomatoes, for which either the
fresh or the canned fruit may be used, are
made by placing alternate layers of bread
crumbs and tomatoes in pudding dish, and
seasoned with salt, pepper and bits of butter
between each layer. They should bake
twenty minutes, and may be finished by
scattering layer of grated cheese over the
| top layer of crumbs A similar dish is made
| by using layers Of boiled rice instead Of bread
crumbs, and seasoned with salt, pepper and
| curry powder. A brown or white sauce is
often served with broiled or fried tomatoes.