davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22
- HE medium with which one is
best acquainted will naturally

M HE medium with which one is
best acquainted will naturally
make the strongest appeal
when decorative work for
household or personal use is under con-
sideration The needleworker of limited
experience will undertake willingly the
simplest of the braid laces, that require
nothing more exact in the way of stitch
cry than fagoting or twisted cross-bars
and an occasional spider-web or wheel.
She will realize at the beginning that
needle experience has not yet given
her the exact eye nor deft hand to make
the accurate and even buttonhole meshes
of the more elaborate lace filling or the
exquisite satin-stitch of fine embroidery
The art student who has decorated can
vas and plaque with studies in oils will
invariably employ that medium rather
than embroidery should she desire to or
nament handbag or belt. buttons, bands
oIBtrimmings for a costume; water coll
ors, too, will be used to enbellish the
lighter fabrics.
Decorative Work for the Home
All of these accomplishments require
much training in addition to natural
skill, but there are many who have the
desire 10 produce decorative Work Ioi
the home who have had no training and
no acquaintance with any of these means.
There is one common ground, though,
upon which almost all housewives meet,
and where economy and thrift have been
the most valuable and successful in
structors-the dye-pot holds within its
bubbling depths other possibilities beside
converting the spotted gray dress into a
serviceable brown, or the faded light
blue into smart new navy.
The dyes, in their convenient package
form, are well and favorably known to
almost every housekeeper, though she
may not have made their acquaintance
as art colors. Stenciling, a more or less
mechanical form of color drawing, is adj
vancing steadily in favor, and here it is
that the favorite medium asserts itself
The student who is familiar with oil
colors uses them, thinning with tur-
pentine to sufficiently fluid consistency
This method has its disadvantage thai
if sufficient color is not prepared and
uscd at the time, the shade will change
consequently a large piece of work mus
be hurried, in order to complete it al
one sitting--not a very good recon-
mendation for the medium employed.
Tapestry Dyes
Tapestry dyes or permanent art col
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22

The Value of Fish
In all the list of foods there is none
more valuable than fish. 1t is easy of
digestion, it is inexpensive, and it IS
plentiful. From the Atlantic to the Pa
cifc, through the chain of lakes, big and
little, which make waterway more than
half across the continent, from the big
rivers and the hidden mountain streams,
this food is taken, and it is as varied
as are the places where it is found. 1t
has not the amount of nutrition which
meat possesses, but it has sufficient for
the season when it is most i'll demand as
a food, and it has large amount of
phosphorus, which adds to its beneficial
qualities.
There are one or two important points
to be remembered. Fish should be eaten
while perfectly fresh, while the flesh is
hard and firm, otherwise all its good
qualities are lost, and it becomes poison
ous. Never buy fish when the flesh is
soft and fabby; if you have reason to
suspect that it is not absolutely beyond
suspicion, don't buy it.
The Cream Sauce
Before we begin cooking the fsl,
there is something want to teach you
to do, and that is to make cream
sauce. The ingredients for this sauce,
and the proportions are One cupful of
milk, scalded-or better still, cream if
you have it; half a tablespoonful OF
cornstarch, or tablespoonful of flour,
one-haf tablespoonful of butter, one
half a. teaspoonful Of salt, quarter of a
saltspoonful of white pepper and dash
of paprika.
Melt the butter in a granite or enam-
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22

lemon Until tender, drain off the waite,
and run the rind through the meat.
chopper, then press through sieve. Add
one-quarter pound of unsalted butter
three egg yolks juice of the lemon, one.
quarter pound of sugar and beat thor.
oughly together. Line patty tins with
pastry, filling with the lemon cheese and
bake in moderate oven until crust il
done. When the cakes are cold place an
icing of meringue on top of each.
Grape Marmalade
New England housewives used to
make delicious narmaladc of wild OF
frost grapes and sweet apples. The
housewife who is not in the way of get
ting wild grapes will find the Clinton
grape very good substitute, for it is
really cultivated frost grape, being al
its sweetest after the first frost. Take
four pounds of stemmed and pulped
grapes and heat until the seeds can be
freed from the pulp. Have prepared
four pounds of sweet apples, peeled,
sliced and steamed until tender. Put the
grape pulp and apples into an enameled
kettle. Stand it on an asbestos mat on
the back of the range and simmer for
two hours, then measure and add sugar
in the proportion of three-quarters OF a
pound to one pint of pulp. Return to
the stove and cook until, when cold, il
will be stiff enough to cut like jelly. OF
course any kind of grapes can be used
but the wild or the Clinton grape gives q
peculiarly spicy tang.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22
EXT to dyspepsia, the greatest
of the troubles which af1ict
Americans is insomnia. The

national cry is, How can |
get enough sleep?" To answer this
question, it is necessary in the first place
to determine how much sleep is neces-
sary; and in the next place to find out
the cause or causes which prevent it.
The amount of sleep necessary varies
with the individual Some require more
than others, and among such are nervous
people. The length of time one sleeps
depends upon habit. There are those
who contend that. the majority of people
sleep too much, that they are rendered
inert and stupid in consequence.
The regulation amount of time to
spend in sleep is generally set down as
eight hours. Those who lead an active
life in the midst of the whirl and ex-
element of the city require more sleep
than those who spend their days in com
parative tranquility.
Causes of Insomnia
The causes of insomnia are many. Il
may be that the room is not sufficiently
ventilated. One cannot sleep in room
that is close or overheated. The super
stition that night air is unhealthy is
passing away, since it has been demon
strated that health has been restored
especially in lung troubles, by sleeping
in the open air
One is often rendered sleep1ess wher
buried under too many bed-cothes. The
head should not be too high beside.
oftentimes preventing sleep, it makes one
round shouldered Tea and coffee taker
at night will often keep one awake. TIE;
! and coffee in any great amount are bat
for the nerves and the heart, and shoulc
not be INDUCED in too freely by anyon,
at any time.
The digestion and food have much t.
do with insomnia. Everyone knows tn,
wakefulness caused by over-eating o
taking into the stomach before going II
bed that which is rich and indigestible
if sleep itself is. not banished, the slum
Der is disturbed by unpleasant dream
and Nightmares. Sleeplessness may als'
be occasioned by hunger, which gives
gnawing sensation to the stomach.
Worry and Anxiety
The greatest disturbance to sleep i
that occasioned by worry and anxiety
/ These and other states of mind result Ii
an over-activity of the brain. The hea,
no sooner touches the pillow tina,
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22
INSOMNIA
Ways and Means of Overcoming This Great
American Disease

thoughts surge through the brain, chas-
ing one another with relentless and
maddening haste, torturing one to a
wakefulness which it seems impossible
to overcome.
Simple Remedies
First of all, sleep in a room with
plenty of fresh air. Avoid tea and
coffee, especially at night, and food
that is rich and indigestible believe,
however, that more insomnia is occa-
stoned by lack of food than by over
eating Many cases of insomnia have
been cured by taking upon retiring a
glass of milk and biscuit, slice of
bread and butter, or some other light
| refreshment, such as has been found to
agree with one
For the insomnia of brain activity,
when the thoughts become uncontrol-
liable in their persistence, it is we'll to
get UP and abandon attempting to sleep
for time. A hot bath is excellent for
| that kind of sleeplessness, as it helps to
distribute the blood in the body. A foot
bath is also good for the same reason.
! A simple and sometimes very effective
remedy is cold compress placed on the
forehead, bringing the ends well down
behind the ears, where the large blood
vessels which carry the blood to the
head are situated
The cloth will keep cool longer and
be more effective if some cologne is
! sprinkled upon it. The habit of wake
fitness may have been acquired by some
of the causes which have been men
toned, and the idea takes possession of
the would-be sleeper that he cannot get
to sleep, that the power of sleeping has
left him. This alone will prevent sleep.
| 1t can be best met with calm con-
!! sideration of the subject 1t is not,sucl,
a dreadful matter after all if one loses
| sleep. Regular and prolonged sleep is
not SO essential to health as is popularity
supposed. The lack of sleep is not hall
as bad for the system as the worry that
one INDUCES in because of it. 1t seems
heartless and unsympathetic often to say
| this to a person melancholy because o.
lack of sleep.
Keeping the Mind Occupied
The many devices of occupying tn,
mind with trivial thoughts to the ex
II clusion of those in which one is vitally
interested, is founded on sound physio
4 logical principles; that is, the mind can
not think intentiy on two things at once
j The counting of imaginary sheep going
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22

cheese and continue in this manner until
ingredients are used. Add salt and pep
per to season we'll and pour over all ona
pint of milk Let stand for five minutes
and then bake in moderate oven for
twenty minutes. Run a knife around
the sides of the pan, irverting on I
warm dish when ready to serve. A
tomato sauce is poured over the loaf be.
fore sending it to the table
Lemon Cheese Cakes
Boil the thin, yellow rind of one larg
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22

of the milk and the selected seasoning.
This is the Cream sauce" or white
sauce" that is used for SO many pur-
poses in cooking: without the pepper it
is the dip for cream toast. 1t is the sauce
for creamed Goldfish and for creamed
potatoes. Made bit thicker, it is used
to mix croquettes, to prepare Fish all
gratin, to fricassee oysters, to pour over
vegetables that you serve la creme, as
it is called.
Whenever you have a rule given you
that says make white sauce" you may
turn to the one just given you, and there
you have it. This sauce with egg boiled
hard, chopped and added to it, is the
"egg sauce" called for SO often 10 be
served with boiled and baked fish; with
capers added it is "caper sauce" with
chopped parsley it is parsley sauce"
you may flavor it in as many ways as
you desire, according to the use to which
you are to put it, with lemon juice, cay
enne or onion juice.
Broiling and Frying
There are variety of ways for cook
ing fish, but broiling or baking is most
general; sometimes they are boiled and
sometimes fried, but the first two ways
are the most wholesome
The fish that are broilcd are mackerel
whitefsh, small bluefsh, trout, shad
small cod, or any other thin fish, also
slices of halibut, salmon and other thicI
fish. When the entire fish is to BIZ
broiled, it should be split down the bach
and the head and tail removed. 1t is {
good plan to remove the backbone also
making the fish easier to serve, and also
assuring its cooking more evenly. If the
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22

eight-sided piece, very nearly circle,
will be produced. Place one of these in
each corner of the piece of cloth, and
make a pencil mark at each of the blunt
points that edge the octagon.
For small square of cloth this will
be enough decoration. But the piece
illustrated was one yard square, and the
eight-sided piece of paper was placed
on again overlapping the first circle
enough to bring one point inside it and
the point at each side on the two cor
responding points Of, the first circle. The
pencil marks should be made sufficiently
clear that none may be overlooked when
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22

oven until the center of the pudding is
firm. Then run thin-bladed knife
around the sides of the pan and invert
the contents on hot dish. Place some
of the sauce on the pudding and place
the rest in boat to serve separately.
Decorate the pudding with halved
berries.
sabayon Sauce
Beat one whole egg and the yolks OF
two more with half cupful of sugar, a
pinch of salt and beat until the sugar
is dissolved. Then add half cupful OF
berry juice; set the dish over kettle of
boiling water and stir until the mixture
is of the consistency of thick cream.
Then remove the water and beat until
the mixture is cold, when fold into it a
half cupful of cream whipped to a dry
| froth.
Salad in Apple Cups
Select large firm apples and cut Of
the top about fifth of the depth of tho
fruit. Hollow out the interior of cur
and cap leaving the shell about quarter
of an inch thick. Put pea of butter
in pan to melt. Beat an egg slightly
season and add teaspoonful of milk
Turn this into the melted butter and stir
until thick and creamy Add mixture
of chopped apple, English walnuts, celery
and pineapple, and when the entire mix
ture is creamy pour Unto the cups and
place them on ice. Before serving, add
little mayonnaise and salt and pepper
Cheese Loaf
Crate one-half pound soft American
cheese. Mix one pint Of coarse crumbed
bread with one-half pint of boiled ham
removing the fat Line buttered bread
pan with some of the mixture, sprinkline
bottom with capers or minced olives
J then place over crumbs some of the
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22

the end of the string, making the wind
ing rather tight and each layer of string
close to the one before it.
The depth of the winding determines
the size of the spot. In the table-cover
shown the wound space was about FIVE
eighths of an inch deep, and, when the
desired depth is reached, tie the wind
ing thread to the end that has been
wound over, and clip both ends off mod
erately short.
Tie in the same manner at each of the
marks, then dye the whole piece, follow
ing the directions on the envelope OF
the dye as to the general process.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22
MORE KITCHEN WISDOM

The proper temperature of the oven
has more to do with good baking than
the cook. Always test the oven before
putting in pies, cakes, etc. If the oven is
too cold, pie-crust will be heavy and
have dull look, and biscuit will not rise
and be of feathery lightness. See that
the oven is free from SCOT. If clogged,
the draughts are interfered with ard the
temperature of the oven will not be reg
ular and even; the bottom especially will
be cold, and bread and cakes will not
rise and bake as they should If you
cannot clean the oven yourself call in the
slovenian.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22
FISH FOR HOT WEATHER
and Nutrition
It's Responsiveness, Plentifulness,
Make 1t Invaluable

elled-ware saucepan, add the dry corn
starch or flour; mix we'll together, TAX
ing care that the mixture does not burn,
or even brown, as it is important that
the whiteness should be preserved
When the mixture is perfectly smooth
add one-third of the milk or cream,
which has been heating in the double
boiler and should be at about the boil
ing point; stir we'll as it boils and
thickens, then add half the remaining
milk; stir until it is smooth and wholly
free from humps, then add the remainder
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22
FRUITS AND SALADS
And Daintily Prepared Dishes Whet the Heat
Worn Appetite
strawberry Pudding with sabayon Sauce

Strawberry Pudding with sabayon Sauce
Cut four ounces of stale sponge-cake
into small pieces and fill buttered pan
with alternate layers of the cake and
cleaned Strawberries then pour over the
whole custard made by beating three
eggs and the yolks of three eggs more.
Add half a cupful of sugar, three pints
of milk and half level tcaspoonful of
salt. Beat all together thoroughly Set
the pan of cake on several thicknesses
OF cloth in dripping-pan, which fill with
boiling water and place in moderate
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22

Tutti-frutti marmalade is very good to
serve with meat, and if wild plums are
procurable use them by all means. Pour
boiling water over the plums to remove
the skins easily, and pack them in the
preserving kettle, in alternate layers,
with sliced apples, sliced pears and
sugar, having equal weights of sugar
and fruit. Set the kettle on an ashes
tos mat on the back of the range and
cook until thick and smooth.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22

fish is of an oily variety-such as blue
fish and mackerel, for instance-it needs
only to be sprinkled with salt and pep
per; if it IS dry, the fish should Be
lightly spread with half melted butter
before broiling.
The double wire broiler should be
we'll creased to prevent the fish from
sticking to the bars and breaking. Put
the thickest edge of the fish nearest the
middle of the broiler, broil the fesh-side
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22

end, just right to set in the bottom of
the dripping -pan-put it in place ready
to put the fish onto it. If you have not
a sheet, you may take two strips of cot
ton-cloth, each about finger wide, and
long enough to cross the pan width
wise and leave ends to hold in taking
out the fish. The object of the fish sheet,
and its makeshift which | have de-
scribed, is to get the fish out of the pan
and on the platter without breaking it.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22

Dressing Baked Fish
After the fish is stuffed, cut gashes
two inches apart on each side. Put
narrow strips of fat salt pork in the
gashes, and lay some on the fish sheet
under the fish. Place the fish upright
i'll the pan by skewering the head one
way and the tail another, Dredge with
flour, and put into hot oven without
any water in the pan; when the -four is
brown haste often with the pork fat.
The fish is done when the flesh sepa-
rates easily from the bone. Remove it
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22
a HoME.MApE poLL

A doll which will prove serviceabl,
and attractive to yearly all little tots MAJ
be easily and cheaply made.
Buy a sofa pillow top on which il
printed the face of a pretty girl. Round
the corners until the face is in the cen.
tie of circular piece about twelve
inches in diameter. Run stout thread
around the edge, draw together and
stuff with bits of paper or shreds oil
cloth. This is to be the head From
stout unbleached muslin cut, all in one
piece, the body, arms and legs. Stitch,
centre of back. Turn inside out and
stuff with sawdust Close opening care
fully and sew ON the head. Dress in a
little Red Riding Hood outfit, and the
result is doll that will be avjoy forever
to the little heart whose property she be-
comes
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22

over an imaginary stile has been found
useful. A very good way to tire oul
the mind and to change the current oil
thought at the same time, is to recall
pleasant journey that one has taken, and
travel through again In imagination each
hour and each moment of each hour, re.
calling every little detail. In this way
| the brain is soon wearied to the sleep.
ing point.
The Uao of Drugs
Drugs are valuable in cases in which
the power of sleep is lost and wakeful.
| ness has become habit No one should
take drugs for sleep without the advice
of physician. Drug habits are worse
than sleeplessness. The same cause.
which prevent sleep are often those
which would easily lead the victim tc
dependence upon drugs. Morphine
habits have thus been formed Sui.
phonal and trional and allied drug,
should be avoided, as they act on til.
heart, and if long continued will cause
disease of that organ.
| Drugs are useful to break up the
habit of sleeplessness; and in casei
where, through long continued lack oil
sleep, the person has become weak and
run down, then under the advice Of a
physician take the remedies which are
thought suitable to the case. A cause
Of sleeplessness which has not been men.
toned is poverty of the blood. In such
cases the patient needs iron and tonic,
and should take them
One of the best remedies for sleep
lessness is electricity. The galvanic cur.
rent is used, as that is more sedatiw
than the faradic current. The faradis
current is the one that makes the buz.
zing sound, and is the current given By
the ordinary cheap batteries. That cur
rent is exciting and will not promote
sleep. Electricity should be administered
by one who has knowledge and practice
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22
LAMB HASH

Melt one large tablespoonful of but.
ter in frying-pan; turn into it two
cupfuls of cold cooked lamb chopped
fine; add one cupful rich white stock OF
cream
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22

N NATURE is asserting herself,
~ e III: :sa:ss {: s, ss ;sss
luality of food than they did in the
odd weather, when the object was to
Impart warmth as well as nourishment
% the body. And SO it is that we turn
lway from the heavy meats, and long
or fresh green vegetables, fish, eggs and
he lighter meats, these last even in small
Quantities, for nerve and brain stin,1la-
lon should be avoided in summer.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22

Pick up the cloth at each mark, taking
it between the thumb and finger of the
right hand Gather the larger portion
of the cloth in the left hand and pull it
evenly and straight from the point where
the mark is Hold the end of the
string under the left thumb, and one
quarter Of an inch from the point of the
cloth begin to wind back, winding over
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-22
SOME EXAMPLES OF TIED WORK

the tying process begins. Two quarter
incll-long marks, one crossing the other
at right angles, will indicate the points
plainly.