Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-02

FOLD
! HINTS

IN = ---J
The shorter and darker the days. the
more brightly should burn the fire upon the
hearth. the wider should be the arc of Ia
dance that streams from easement ana
opened door to make clear to all DehoideIS
that II this IS not the house OF rlrth II Is
the house OF peace and happiness, and tie
more CHEEKY the smile Of the house mother
Cheerfulucss is largely a matter of habit
and cultivation. Each of us in passing
through this vale of tears has managed 10
annex a suffIc.ency of trials and "rlboles
OF our own, enough TO make us as blue as
indigo bags are we minded to foster and
bill them grow. But what's the use? There
IS quite enough of sorrow sadness and
signing in the world without our adding to
the sum total To wear a smile when the
heart is heavy and the body weary is not
easy, but when we note how quickly our
smiles or frovns are reflected In the faces
that look to us for the keynote of daily
living. is it not worth while to keep per-
sonaI worries in the background and smiles
70 the fore.
This Is the season for hospitality. Not
the quid pro quo sort. necessarily but Tor
the dear. sweet ne.ghhorly exchange OF
amenities We lose a great deal Wheh we
live simply for
.,Nfe and my wife, my son John and his wife,
Is four and no more
If charity. that is love. begins at home, 1t
should not end there. Some of us nave
grown grudgng i'm our hospitality because
we mistakenly feel that its manifestations
must be elaborate and costly, others because
time and strength are limited, and they
don't feel equal TO 1t. For the latter tILLs
is some excuse For the former none. we
an like to make our guests of an hour OF
longer comfortable. but If they come Tor 1he
sake of the loaves and fishes alone, let them
stay away. ,
We tank rIibly of our American simplicity;
let us try it in our hospitality. II the en-
tertanmcut is simple. tue cindrth can Ee
encouraged to have their young friends III
often ON Friday evenings, when no les5oii5
claim attention If there are old people IN
the family. let them feel that jheIr pLd
friends are welcomed. While clCh heLiI"es
of the family, in turn, can feel the Joy "a
brfulr able TO bid to my house Whon lhsN
are sure free welcome waits. fot oiueL
folks q cup of tea with waters, or SoLhe
simuIo cake is all that is necessary. For
the children, let them have plenty OF APP
pies. ana corn to pop and nuts 10 ciayh
For the girls or boys OF seventeen OF e+ShI-
cen let them learn 70 use the chahns olSI
\ hoy is even pT0udeT than grl OF ms
culinary ahiiitv Give John the use OF the
dining room once q week or ottener' Win
permission to invite his hoy frltndS 70 d
"spread" Of his own concoctoI' ana GlsaI
cites and the bar lose their power 70 chArtH
Here then are some simple refreshments,
each best of it's kind. And first the per
feet cup of tea. such as Cowper may nave
had in mind in The Task
let fail the curtains. wheel the sofa round
And while the bubhlInE and loud Kissing urn
Throws UP s'eauy column and the cups
That cheer but not in9hrlate wat on each
So lat us welcome pCHcefnl evening IN.
Have the water for the tea freshly boiled
and the softer the water the better the re-
sultant brew. When the water mas JtsI
reached the boiling point. but not steamed
away long enough to have lost It's IRE, rluSe
out the pot with hot water, thth pu' III ny
tea allowing half a tcasVooniul Tor each
cup of boiling water. If several ours are
required reduce the proportion Of Tea or m
crease If the tea is not up To the stthd6lu
or the driuker prefers 1t extra StroIiE' ~
the tea into, strong stralnsE or tei 9stI,
or1 rour through it the buDhling, EolilnS
water Cover closely with tea coscy anu
let the tea brew on the back OF the range
or at the table for three or hve o,1t
n the tea is TO stand some time, take OUT
tho straircr with the tea leaves, else lhe
fragrant bouquet is dissipated ana the tan
min extracted -.
one of the best things to use for tea
e.rainev is tust an ordinary salt bag wash
Ell and boiled Make a hem in the top ana
slip one Of the rings through II thAt ny
be purchased for few cents al any , ~
partment or hardware store. THESE sHps
open like a keyring, so that the Dag my
be slipped off without trouble.
When only three or four cups of tea are
required there is a pretty ChlneSe cup OF
hest Chinese restaurants This is set in a
little brass saucer-like ring. The cup has
cover Of the same ware and shape pul
much smaller This is inverted over the
large cup. When the kettle boils tiny
bundle Of the long tea leaves IS lad III H.
and the water poured over. This first wa
ter is poured off directly as unfit TO drink.
Then more boiling water is poured on, the
bowl is covered and allowed to steep on
the table three or four minutes. Then dett-
" the cup in It's brass saucer is raised, the
cover tilted so as to retain the tea leaves,
and the decoction poured into the smaller
tea cups. If held low the novice is sure
10 let the tea spill The Chinese waiter
teaches YOU better, as he holds his bowl
kettle high in the pouring act. When the
tea infusion is all poured off, the bowl IS
replenlshed with more boiling water, and
this IS done several times in succession
without iniuring the favor Of the tea.
When the tea is poured pass with It block
sugar and slices Of lemon, but no cream
unless there are old people whose habits
are fixed. With the younger generation the
practice OF taking cream with tea is as
tinct as the dodo. A pretty dish Of Mar