The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-07-27
THE HOUSEHOLD.
Suggestions for the Household.

Sofa pillows filed with clover tops
are prettiest when covered with white
slips made of Saline, duck, or linen, on
which are embroidered clover either in
an al-over design or in loose bunch.
The finish is either ruffle OF the ma
terial scalloped or hemstitched with
with silk of the special shade of clover
that is wrought upon it, or it may be a
fiat hemstitching of the actual square.
Pillows much affected by the college
girl are of unbleached muslin, the COL
lege initial or insignia embroidered in
the center in large bold design and
in the proper color. The finish is usu-
ally a ruffle, hemstitched or button
holed in the same shade.
The statement recently made in sew
eral newspapers that at various summer
hotels and large boarding. houses some
cheerful young person, man or woman,
is engaged for stipend to contribute
to the guests pleasure by a general
affability and agreeable abetting Of any
entertainment plans, may be true or
may be the product of some space
writer's Imagination. If it is true, it is
a pity that it has been told, for the per-
sons now actually engaged in the pro-
fession will find that knowledge or even
suspicion on the part of the guests that
they receive pay will. transform their
easy lot into hard one. The moment
a thing is expected, it is demanded. On
the other hand, if it is not true, the
many really unselfish and good-natured
loiterers, those who amuse the chill
dren and talk to the less popular girls,
will lose the well-deserved reward OF
their fellow-guests' appreciation.
The travelling-bags Of bright color,
such as green, dull but pronounced
red, or shade of blue not much re-
moved from the brilliant bluet, that are
affected by some very smart young
women at present, can be only pass
ing fancy. A dusty midsummer jour
ney will hardly leave them in good
condition, and to enter car with one
draws every eye upon its owner, as
they have not yet become sufficiently
common to attract no attention.
Asparagus, either fresh or canned,
may be baked like macaroni or spa
ghetti. 1t is boiled first until tender.
After draining it is laid in an oval
baking dish, alternating in layers with a
rich sauce made of -four and butter,
and a cup of hot water to which has
been added half cup of cream, the
yolks of two eggs, and gill of grated
Parmesan cheese. This sauce, which
is made ready in double boiler while
the asparagus is cooking, covers the
vegetable in the dish as last layer ex-
cept for some cracker crumbs mixed
with little butter. When it is ready,
place it in the oven long enough to
brown. While, as a rule, the whole as
paragus is put into the dish in layers as
il is in the bunch, the tender part of
the stalks all one way, it may also be
prepared from tops alone or from the
half stalks that are usually eaten.
When one enters house where the
owners have had the courage of their
convictions in furnishing, one wonders
that every householder is not equally
sensible. In home in this city where
both husband and wife are literary
workers, the large front drawing-room
has been turned over to their joint use
as workshop. Here are gathered
the treasures and comforts of the house.
Bookshelves fitting close to the walls
fill much of the wall space, old prints
and etchings with busts and curios
break. the monotony. There are rugs
of several varieties on the wood floor,
there is a wide, open fireplace, and
there are two writing tables OF gener-
Gus proportions placed in good light,
and comfortable chairs and touches,
with reading lights, are arranged at
most convenient points. This room
was selected because the light at front
and back is the best in the house,
and the fact that in other houses
of the same design it is given up to a
reception room did not count in this
family. Up one flight of stairs is q
room fitted up for the occasional recep.
ton of visitors. In the den, however
which is a misnomer for the spacious
welcoming library and writing-room
below stairs, is received everybody who
calls on something more than mere
errand. Yet in ninety.nine of the hun.
dred houses arranged in like manner
the entire lower floor is given over tC
conventional parlors, with varied up
holstery, useless, inartistic, and alto.
gether uncomfortable. In no way dc
the shackles of custom bind more per.
sistently than lin the fitting and fur.
nising of homes.
Ham mullins are slight variation OF
ham fritters. A light batter is made
with pint of -four, two teaspoonfuls
of baking powder, scant cup of milk
one egg, beaten light before it is add.
ed, little salt, and Tablespoonful
OF sugar. Chop about cupful of cold
boiled ham very fine and stir into this
batter, which it will be seen is slightly
sitter than that usually made for frit-
tiers. The mixture is baken in muffin
tins for fifteen or twenty minutes, and
is more wholesome than the grease
fried fritters.
The settee hammocks much seen this
season are passed over by the real
hammock lovers, who profess to find
in the horizontal outstretched position
the chief charm of these swinging beds.
To those, however, who use a ham
mock as an out-of-door reading chair,
rether than lounging one, the ar
rangement by which they can keep up
right with a comfortable slope to the
back is welcome one.