Evening star., 1899-04-08
HOUSEHOLD HINTS

her subject in all it's bearings. Wall papers
may do a deal of mischief. The best wall
paper, says an artistic decorator, is the
paper you do not see. It should be merely
background. Before deciding upon a pa
per the shape and light exposure of room
must be studied, as well as the purpose for
which the room is intended AS color is
the main object in selecting a wall covering,
the material may be as cheap or costly as
the purse can buy" There are exceptional
ly dainty papers as low as ten cents roll,
while expensive papers or even canvas or
silk hangings may be used by those who
have means in abundance. The extreme
fashion in the spring papers runs riot in
color and in the prodigious size of the floral
designs. One single cluster of purple wis
taria reaches clear across a roll of paper
and Is from one to two feet in length, while
carnations, morning glorieS, roses, panSieS,
honeysuckles and chrysanthemums appear
in sizes such as never were on sea or land.
For hall and den papers there are whole
hunting scenes with palfreys, falcons. dogs,
deer, lords and ladies galore; castles with
moated oranges and preSumahle MarianaS,
Lady Clara We're de Veres and other daugh-
ters of a hundred earls'' amiably posing IN
front of their easement curtains. For the
sitting room or bedroom, however In the
home where the paper cannot be changed
with every ebb and flow of fashion, solid
colorS or two tints will be found much more
pleasing and artistic.
Boiled mutton is not poetical dish, but
1t Is good standby for the family dinner.
1t appears much oftener on English tables
than on American. The leg for boiling
should be quite fresh. Wipe, remove all the
fat and put into kettle Of well-salted,
boiling water. AS 1t begins to boil skim
frequently, then set back on the range and
simmer slowly. allowing twenty minutes to
each pound of meat. A little rice is fire.
quently boiled with the mutton. Serve with
a thick Gamer nOura6 the
with currant jelly. The caper sauce Is
merely drawn butter sauce, made by COM
bining scant half cup of butter with two
tabiaspOonsful Of flour in a saucepan, add
ing when bubbly one pint of the hot water
in which the mutton was boiled, seasoning
to taste. and adding. at the least six table
seeds.
Now that veal is at it's very best, sug-
gestions for its cooking are in order. The
English consider the ears a choice tidbit
and prepare them in this way: After wash
ing them in boiling water they are cooked
which has been added an onion and bay
leaf. They are then taken out and the tips
of the ears are slit A sauce is made from
two tablespoonfuls of butter two of flour
cupful of stock salt pepper and graf
ing OF nutmeg, and when this is smooth and
EeiVety the ears are put in and allowed to
simmer over moderate fire for an hour.
When ready to serve add one or two yolks
of eggs to the sauce and little lemon juice.
Tomato jelly salad is an exceedingly pretty
and palatable salad for this season of the
year, when fresh tomatoes are too expen-
sive for general use. Cover a quarter of a
cup of gelatine with quarter of a cup of
cold water and let 1t soak for an hour Put
in saucepan half a pint of strained can
ned tomato a teaspOOnful of salt, table,
spoonful of tarragon vinegar teaSpoonful
of onion juice and a quarter OF a teaspoon
full of paprica- Bring to the boiling point,
add the soaked gelatine, stir until dissolved,
but not moment longer. and turn at once
into small tomato molds or round cups and
set away to harden. Serve on lettuce
leaves with mayonnaise.
The bottled capers. which may be pur-
chased at any frst-class grocery, are all
imported. coming largely from the south of
Europe or the Levant. The caper is the
flower bud of low shrub which grows
Wild on walls and ruins and accumulations
of rubbish. 1t begins to flower in the
early part Of summer and blooms continu-
ously until winter. The closed buds are
picked every morning and put into vinegar
market according to size and quality, the
youngest and smallest being considered best
and bringing the highest price. An excel
lent substitute for capers is found In our
| own nasturtium seeds. which should be
gathered each morning and put into vine
gar, the same capers.
There Is a great deal of truth in the rea-
sons advanced by recent writer in an
English magazine for the excellent physical
and mental health of the queen, prolonged
past the biblical three-score years and ten.
The first reason given is that her majesty
has kept mind and body continually en-
ployed: the other. that full and active as
the years have been, the queen has had her
pathway smoothed for her from childhood
and has never known that worry about
making five pounds do the work Of ten,
which wears SO many women out
Many Of the handsomest bedroom suites
now made in England are Of olive wood.
This ancient and historic wood Is Of a
yellowish brown, often veined with darker
lines, afhording an exceedingly rich and
beautiful effect, while from its hard and
close grain 1t Is exceedingly durable and
costs no more than ordinary woods The
washstand Is usually made with marble
top high tiled back, cupboard and towel
rods on top and sides.
The f1owered bandbox of our grandmoth-
ers Is once more in fashion, and the leading
milliners exhibit them in connection with
their daintiest spring bonnets. They are
made of fine glossy paper having the effect
of watered silk. and cost from a half dollar
to s. They are substantial creations and
will outlast a dozen Of the flimsy boxes
which they are replacing.
Chafing dishes of American manufacture
are becoming very popular in England, and
are used for all sorts of festivities.