Evening star., 1902-01-25
I I1OUSE=
TOLD
lINT"S

AT recent meeting held in the interests
OF work among the tenements some new
Ideas We're advanced Heretofore it has
been deemed eXpedient to show the women
now to cook with makeshifts for utensils;
tomato cans in place of pals or basins,
stra1ners made from old tin dishes, with
nail holes put through the bottom; bottles
for rolling pins, and the like while it is
well to know how to adapt yourself to cir
cumstances, If necessary" said one speaker
who had had much practical experience, 'it
seems to me much wiser, now that all sorts
of cooking utensils may be had SO cheaply,
to encourage the idea of good tools to work
with The same woman that fuses away
with her tin cans is quite apt to go out and
buy perfectly needless fripperies, where her
money is practically thrown away. I en-
phat1cally advocate the idea that these wo-
men be taught to buy what utensils are
needful and then shown how to care for
them and keep them in order"
This same idea may well be passed along
to many beside dWellers In tenements. 1t
is a waste of time and strength to go on
year in and year out with leaky pans,
broken strainers dull knives and handleless
d1ppers when a dollar, more or less, would
make the work as easy again. No farmer
feels that he can go on from season to sea-
son with broken, antiQuated wornout i'm
plements. No mechanic worthy the name
would feel that he could do his best with
whose work is ofttimes quoted as never
done is too often expected to the same
heavy iron pots and spiders that her
grandmother before her used-boilers that
have to be plugged with matches, or rags
every week to keep them from leaking;
chopping bowl with a section gouged out;
bread knife that won't cut, or an oven
that is broken. The good Workwoman needs
good tools. Get along without the new
portieres in the parlor, if need be; the silk
petticoat and the satin and velvet sofa pill
lows but have double boiler, light frying
pans, a good broiler, and such other kitchen
utensils as shall make the daily round"
pleasure, not task.
A very handy thing to have about the
house is a strip of the rubber tissue such
as Is used ir hospitals. Not only Is this an
excellent cure for scald or burn, rheu-
matte muscle, a sore chest or tired or ach-
ing joints and feet, but it is valuable
adjunct to the mending basket. If there is
a three-cornered tear in Bobby's Jacket or
Belinda'S skirt, draw the edges together,
lay on a little square of the tissue, cover
this with a patch and press with a moder-
ately hot iron until the tissue-which is Of
pure gum-is dissolved. If care Is taken of
this tissue it will last Indefinitely. 1t must
not be kept in a hot room or shut up away
from the air in tight box or drawer. Put
it between two sheets of paper and lay
where the air can circulate around It, 1t Is
not expensive. Fifty cents will buy a strip
over a yard long and quarter wide-an
outlay that will pay for itself many times
over. 1t can be bought at almost any drug
gists.
Picked oysters, those luscious morsels
that used to be accorded the place of honor
at high teas and suppers of 'the forid
Gothic style a quarter of a century ago,
are again in favor 1t is but little trouble
to make them at home and the house
keeper may be assured that the results will
and presumably more wholesome than
those she would buy readily picked For
a hundred large oysters. preferably Saddle
Rock, have ready pint of white wine
vinegar, a large red pepper, two dozen
whole black peppers, two dozen whole
cloves one dozen blades of mace and a
tiny piece Of bay leaf. Put oysters and
their liquor in granite kettle with about
a teaspoonful of salt Heat slowly until
the oysters swell and then Cookie" but
do not allow them to boil, which shrinks
and toughens them. Remove with a skim
mer and set one side to cool. Add the vim
egar and spices to the liquor remaining in
the kettle, boil up, and when the oysters
are almost cold pour over them. Set away
In cool place over night. The next morn
ing put the oysters and liquor in glass
cans, seal tightly and set away in dark,
cool spot or in the cellar.
After can Is opened the oysters must be
used at once as the air turns the oysters
dark
The French woven tapestries called Gobe-
lin, by courtesy. are very popular for CIV
Ing bit of soft coloring to a dark wall
space in a room. The small ones are not
at all expensive, and a Flemish scene, with
jolly burgomasters and buXom maids
grouped about the tunS of wine makes a
pretty corner in a dining room. Rich and
fine Turkish Navajo rugs are also
largely used for wall hangings, while
quite recently a large panel of the native
Hawaiian homespun in dark colors was
utilized most effectively as a background
for photographs.
An excellent and simple remedy for a
sprain Is the well-beaten whites of six eggs
mixed with half cupful of fine table salt.
Spread between thin muslin cloths and
bind over the sprain.
Two tablespoonfuls Of washing soda dis
solved in gallon of boiling water makes
an excellent disinfectant for the kitchen
sink. Pour in while hot.
Eiderdown Is one of the best textiles
for children's garments in the winter A
good quality will not fade, and will stand
hard and frequent washings if done in the
proper way. Soap should never be rubbed
directly on it, as that causes it to shrink
In spots. Make a suds of lukewarm water
and the best white laundry SOAP Put in
the garment and wash thoroughly. then
rinse In water of the same Temperatures
Dry where it will not freeze. Being made
of animal fiber, 1t will not blaze when held
to the fire. like canton flannel or flannel.
cite, very desirable point in its favor
when one remembers how prone little chill
dren are to set themselves on fire.
Apples are SO unprecedentedly scarce and
THE SATURDAY STAR