The record-union., 1899-01-08

appeared on the days following the late
great snowstorm in bicycle suits. The
frightful condition of the streets made
it almost impossible to walk in long
silk skirts without running them, and
those who were not SO fortunate as to
be carriage people" most sensibly took
to their bicycle and golfing skirts. There
is no doubt that in this easy, natural
and unannOunced way dress reform will
sooner or later come. The restlessness
that many women feel under the re-
strictions of fashionable dress after ex-
perience of the comforts of athletic
gowning win work out it's sure, if slow,
results.
An excellent recipe for fruit cake got
from that storehouse of good cooking,
an old housekeeper's recipe book, is:
Four even cups of good brown sugar,
three gills molasses, two cups butter,
ten eggs mot beaten separately1, four
pounds raisins, two pounds currants,
one pound citron, one tablespoonful Gin
namon, one nutmeg, and one table,
spoonful mace. Flavor with rose water
and brandy. Take the weight of the
sugar in flour about one pound), put
this in the oven and brown the color of
the sugar. After stoning the raisins,
washing and drying the currants thor
oughly, and shedding the citron, put all
the fruit in wooden bowl and chop
very fine. Then sprinkle and rub thor
oughly with flour. being careful to
avoid Jumps. Stir the cake lightly, Suf-
ficient only to mix it, adding the fruit
last. Brown a little extra flour for mix
ing the fruit, line the pans with thick
buttered paper, and bake slowly in a
moderate oven.
A pleasant variation of the perennial
oatmeal or other breakfast cereal is to
serve apples with it, The fruit is pared,
quartered and sliced, and used with
the cereal while it is very hot. Pow
dered sugar and cream are then added.
The heat c the cereal removes the chill
of the app s, and the fruit in its turn
imparts an agreeable relish to the
often monotonous breakfast mush.
1t has been proved that classes for
servants in actual service are not much
patronized by the persons for whom
they are originally designed. Waitress
courses in various domestic science in
maid, and that proportion is met with
in other classes of the same grade. A
New York woman. whose cook is very
satisfactory in many particulars, but
who failed in some departments of
cooking. notably salads and desserts,
tried to send her to a neighboring cook
ing-school to perfect herself in the
branches of her trade in which she was
deficient. The time was to be given
to her, and her tuition paid, but the
cook did not like to go. and could not
be persuaded to. In this dilemma it
occurred to the mistress to get up
class in her own kitchen, asking as pu-
pills the cooks of friends A class of
twenty was quickly secured, the demon
STATIONS taking place in the large and
well-equipped kitchen of the promoter
of the enterprise. The expense of the
teacher and materials was shared
among the mistresses, and the end de-
sired, that of improving the ability of
each cook, was gained. The teacher
was clever enough to suit her demon
STATIONS to her audience, and not 20 ask
that too voluminous notes should be
taken. There seems a genuine field
here that has not yet developed and
1t is perhaps by thus carrying the mis-
sionary work right into the household
that the conditions in our kitchens
may be improved.
Silver furniture and other household
belongings in miniature continue to be
popular brio brac. Some novelties
now displayed are of Dutch origin.
Among these is the low, quaint cradle
that, though of Holland importation, is
familiar with us from its association
with Puritan homes. Silver stems and
fiagons are also shown in these tiny re-
pleas. Sets of parlor furniture in En-
pire style, with Sedan chairs, also in
silver, and Japanese jinrikshas give a
national effect to the collection.
One New York woman has a rule
about Christmas gifts that is not with
out wisdom. Il never" she says, give
anything at Christmas to any one out
side of my immediate family circle 1t
is so easy to establish precedent in
this respect and find yourself exchange
ing presents year after year with per-
sons who nave perhaps dropped out of
your life between the seasons, and to
whom you send because you know that
from them will be received. ] am often
tempted in the interest of a new friend
snip to let some reminder of my pleas
ure In 1t go to the friend on Christmas
day, but l resist, and in most cases
l find that am wise. Instead, 1 watch
for the opportunity to testify to nv
friendship or repay sine slight obliga-
ton at another time in the year. when
1t entails no continuity. l do this" she
added, quite as much for the friends
sake for my own
There is a wider variety, both in
coloring and design, seen this year in
the lockwood pottery. To the deep
browns and green's with which we are
familiar are added the newer tints in
this ware, delicate pinks and blues with
a very pretty sea-green shade. The
prices remain about the same, but more
it possible for the buyer of moderate
means to own at least a bit of this
perfection of pottery.
1t was while the recent convention OF
women's clubs of the State was in ses-
sion in New York that a new club of
rather an unusual character sprang
into existence. This is a little circle of
eight women who are banded together
without president, dues or any sort of
red tape, for the avowed purpose of
being frivolous. I'VE decided" said
one of the members Gall of them, it
should be said, are devoted clubwomen
of the conventional sorD, that we
women are taking ourselves too seri-