The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-08-06

sponsibility Of looking after baby. sister o.
brother. Let the child that is most fond o.
| flowers arrange few each day for seFera
rooms; let her see that the dishes are Sc
straight on the dining table, open the blinds
and let in the sunlight, and take care of the
bird il there is one, or do any such littl
service.
Encourage the small boys to be useful
| Fill your home with such books and tools a.
will help them to be useful; or, in othe
words, study the several tastes and wants O
| your children. Remember your own Childish
yearnings and crafty theirs, as far as posi-
BILE, for their pleasure and good.-Parlo
| and Kitchen.
| KITCHEN COMMON SENSE.
Temperature is the rock on which manv
cook wrecks the work Of her hands withou
knowing the cause of disaster, says Anni
Barrows, Boston teacher of cooking. MAY
the day soon come when thermometer bear
ing high degree of heat shall be considered
as great necessity in kitchen as tea
kettle! Flour cannot be too cold for pastry
COOKIES, or kindred doughs, while for yeast
bread 1t should be warm enough to favor the
growth of the yeast plant. For the same
reason warm water should be used with
yeast, while with cream of tartar and soda |,
would hasten the escape of the gas, and cold
liquids only are allowable. Doughs thai
STICK to rolllng-pin, board and hands in hot
KITCHEN should be set away till thoroughly
chllled, but all trouble might have been saved
Dy using cold fat, flour and liquid at first
and the texture of the dough would have
been better
The barometer may sometimes be an essen.
tial article Of kitchen furniture. When q
storm IS coming the hungary air absorbs the
water from the kettles on the stove. Often
failure in some elaborate dish may be trac.
ed to the weather bureau. We leave covers
OH from kettles when we wish their contents
TO become more solid, and keep them closely
covered II the reverse is desired; yet little
attention is given to measured quantity of
milk or stock which is heated for a gravy. II
is often allowed to boil away, or Is heated in
swallow pan where the evaporation is ra-
pld, and thus loses half its bulk, and the re-
clpe Is then pronounced at fault fol-. the
thickness of the mixture, Potatoes are boil
ed and drained, and then closely covered in
stead OF being shaken in a draught of air to
become white and fioury by parting with the
superdus steam.-New England Farmer.
ABOUT PEARLS.
One popularity of pearls is that, unlike
other gems. they are liable to decay. Occas-
ionally valuable pearl changes color, seems
to be attacked with a deadly disease and
crumbles into dust. Such is reputed to have
men ever known. TWAS found by an ignorant
fisherman, who disposed of it for an insight
ficant sum.
Passing through successive hands, it final
ly became the property of Russian mer-
chant, and found pOssessOr who knew its
immense value and priced 1t accordingly.
He kept 1t carefully In secluded room. of
his magnificent mansion, apart from all other
of his treasures. 1t was the wonder and ad-
miration of favored friends who were per-
mitted to look at it. The merchant finally
and fled to Paris taking his one great treas
ure with him. He kept it hidden for time,
but at last consented to show 1t to some dis
tinguished lovers OF precious stones. But
when he opened the casket he fell back in dis
may, and staggered as though stricken with
A. fatal disease had attacked it. 1t was
soon worthless heap of white powder, and
the once wealthy merchant was pauper.
The death of a pearl is caused by decomposi-
tlOn Of the animal membrane which enters
into its substance.
BRIEF HINTS.
Whites of eggs may be beaten to stiff
froth by an open window when 1t would be
impossible In a steamy kitchen. !.
What is needed today in our kitchens is
less cookbook and more natural philosophy
and common sense-that Is. knowledge Of
common things and everyday phenomena.
Roasts that should be juicy come to the
table as dry as pasteboard because the oven
was not hot enough at first to harden in
stantly the outer surface and prevent the eS-
cape of its juices,
The average cook will not be convinced
that after water once boils 1t is impossible to
make 1t hotter, or that any article can cook
in water which is not rapidly bubbling;
hence many piece of meat is served in a
tough, stringy condition that might have
been made tender by slowly simmering.
Deep frying is loudly inveighed against by
those who have not the inclination to dis
cover that less fat is absorbed by pieces of
are turned from side to side in a limited
quantity, and that the intense heat of the fat
cooks IL more thoroughly than is possible by
any other method.
LINEN EMBROIDERY.
A pretty centre piece for the dining table
may be made of square of medium fine lin
en-, and that sold at twenty cents yard is
good quality. One-half yard will make two
squares. Finish the edge with narrow
hem-stitched hem or fringe. and on the GEN.
tire draw square or circle the size of a small
plate, and outline with linen floss. Select
large, we'll SHAPED grape or maple leaf, or
small horse chestnut leaf, place it on the lin
en- and follow the outline with lead pencil;
then sketch in the veins. Sketch similar
leaves around the centre. 1t is well to have
larger leaves printing towards each corner,
and smaller ones scattered carelessly be-
tween. Work the outline in buttonhole
stitch and the veins in outline, in one color,
either bright yellow, wood brown or olive.
The leaves are sometimes worked over
heavy cord and the edge cut away. but for