Evening star., 1898-05-21
HOUSEHOLD HINTS

In the bursting wave of red. white and
| blue that has overf1owed the boroughs Of
Manhattan. the Bronx and Brooklyn no
possibility for its display has gone un-
recognized. and the windows of the great
| city arc study. Passing along the streets
| row after row Of houses are seen with the
| rl rtairs looped back with the tri-colors
! while in many cases patriotism goes so
| Sar as to call for entire lambrequlns next
| the window cunningly devised out of the
| craped flags Fido and pussy may also be
| net in every square, smart in the national
1 cclors, and the humble horse of the dray-
| n an, milkman or iceman boasts cockades
| that make him for the time being radiant
| exponent of the sentiments of his loyal
driver. No Turkish corner or hammock
ray be considered properly equipped with
out cushion of the stars and stripes, and
no girl thinks her wardrobe complete until
a shirt waist. tie or pair of silk stock
| 1ngS, or all three, evidence her loyalty 10
her country. Every shop window from the
| florists to the bakers shows "Old Glory
lm1tated In flowers cakes, candies, ribbons
| dress goods, vegetables, fruits, bcnnets and
costumes.
In Kidding a hcuss of ants, the first step,
| II possible, is to locate the nest by follow
| ing the workers back to their point of en-
trance and thsre destroying the colony
his may be done If the nest is in wall
| by injecting bisulphide of carbon or littls
kerosene. If the species has its colonies un-
der the tagging of the yard, the nests may
| be drenched with boiling water satu-
rated with Kerosene and thus easily de-
stroyed; burt If 1t is the kind that builds a
system of underground galleries, bisulphide
OF carbon must then be poured into each of
a number of holes made in the nest with
stick and then promptly close the holes
with the foot In this the bisulphide
|. Will penetrate the tunnels underground and
Kill the ants in enormous quantities. If it
| Is impossible to locate the nests, there is no
resource but to destroy the ants whenever
found in the house. The best means to do
this, according to the testimony of govern
mental experts, is to attract the ants to
small bits of sponge moistened with sweet
ened water and placed in the situations
where they are most numerous These
sponges may be collected several times
daily and scalded. 1t is also reported that
sirup made by dissolving borax and sugar
in boiling water will effect their destruc-
ton.
There has been great advance in the
style or matungs recently imported, and
the old-fashioned mating users accustom-
ed only to the prim checkerboard pattern
which formerly ruled the day. hardly
recognize the straw mating of quaint and
artistic patterns and colorings that now
prevail. Although the Chinese mattings
are durable, they lack the grace and beauty
cf the Japanese importations. Many of
the new patterns resemble tapestry in the
shading and arrangement of the figures
Some have almost the appearance of vel
vet, with an embossed pattern while others
resemble silk fabrics, with an exquisite
FURNISHED sheen. In colorngs there is in
finite variety embracing pale straw color
effects, deep maroons, wonderful velvety
greens, and soft blues. Among the pat
terms recently noted were clovers autumn
leaves, chrysanthemums and punches of
conventiona!iZed flowers each scattered
| over Vdrying harmonious lS
These mattingS range from 80 cents to
dollar per square yard, but their wearing
qualities are excellent
No housekeeper can afford to be without
| a scrap book for he preservation of he
| thousand and one things that impress her
| as worth referring to a second time Pend
iES their final arrangement, temporary
arrangement that has proved specially
satisfactory is the utilization Of large
Velopes, dozen or SO, marked with the
various subjects they contain, and bound
together in linen cover, stiffened with
pasteboard. The pasteboard is cut in two
pieces the size of the envelopes, while the
linen is wide enough to cover the sides and
leave abundance of room for the back.
Two stout silken threads piercing the
lower edges of the envelopes and loosely
tied hold them in place. The envelopes may
be marked Sick Diet" 1.-The Nursery"
cheons," Entertaining and the like to
correspond with their several contents.
While spinach is now at its best the
economic housewife possessed of aesthetic
tastes Will see that stock of green color
ing Is put up for later use, in coloring
candies, frostir es and ices for the popular
green teas or luncheons. Wash thorough
ly two or three quarts of tender spinach
Drain well, pick the leaves from the stems
tie them in piece of coarse muslin, ard
pound to a pulp. Squeeze out the juice,
then add a tiny bit of water to the pu.
and squeeze again. Put the juice in a little
granite saucer an en- the range, and when
it begins to curdle or separate strain
through hair sieve. The thick part left
| is the coloring matter. This may then be
cried in the sun. mixed with an equal
quantity Of powdered sugar and put in a
can for future use.
Whether Spanish omelet by any other
name would taste better. is a question
that nay be pondered while testing, but
the fact remains that it Is an appetizing
dish, despite its unpopular name. To six
eggs allow one-auarter pound Of best
bacon, four or five fresh mushrooms, a
tablespoonful of chopped onion and one
tomato. Cut the bacon into dice and fry
crisp Add the tomato, onion and mush-
rooms cut fine and stew for ten minutes
Season with salt and pepper. Have the
eggs beaten light, for an omelet ans
cook in another frying pan with a table
spo onful of butter. hen set, pour over
them the hot bacon mixture, fold and
serve.
Strangest of all fiavorings to the usual
cook who oscillates between lemon and
| vanilla is champion, yet that is one high
ly esteemed by the Hindoos. One Of the
Swamis. who has been extremely popular
here teacher, has occasionally con-
cocted some of his national dishes for the
delectation of his admirers, and strange
ly familiar. yet unfamiliar, taste was
found TO be just a suspicion of camphor.
Another seasoning that is both delicate
and uncommon is made from Drowned pop
corn ground fine.
The old idea that children should be
made to go to sleep In the dark under all
circumstances, is no longer held. physi-
clans declaring that. a rule, there
should be night light especially If a
child is at all nervous or afraid. Children
are sometimes afflicted with a disease
known as nocturnal terrors" and they
should be treated by a physician. Many
mothers do not realize that it is a disease
and aggravate it by scolding and punish
Tent.
Stra awberry sandwiches are appearing at
afternoon teas. where they speedily dis
appear. The fine French bread or tender
baking powder biscuit serves as the "bind-