davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10

A hundred years back the gentlewognan sported as many aprons as she had gowns. My own memory recalls what were, In my childish sight, beautiful aprons of black and colored silks, stiff with embroidery done under the eye of mother or governess. They had pockets-likewise embroidered and broad ribbon strings. Then there were muslin aprons for summer wear, bordered with hemstitehing or seallops and edged with real lace. Ladies wore none other than real thread and valenciennes then. No association with the cobbler's and the farrier's leather aprons, glossy and black with use and dirt. marred our enjoyment In the dainty vestment Other fashions came and went Our foremother persisted in reckoning her apron as a part of her holi- day attire, as well as shield for kitchen and dairy work
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10
Apron Restored 10 DiQnitu.

It remained for our great-great- grand mothers to restore the ancient and honor- able article of apparel to it's rightfui dig nity Lely's and Hobein's portraits give us occasional glimpses of lace and satin aprons encrusted with gems and heavy with embroidery that went with full dress among court women. Our grand mothers wore big check aprons covering the fronts of their working gowns in the forenoon and dainty confections " of silk and muslin adorned the afternoon toilet.
 It is Wordsworth. I think, who sings of
 Lucy in her apron blue.''
 She was a pretty cottager and her apron was of homespun, dyed at home by her own hands. The duchess of the same age stitched for weeks upon satin wrought in natural colors of flowers and birds. and afterwards wore the finished product with court mantle and farthingale.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10
Lei Girls Wear Them io School.

Insist that your little girls shall wear aprons to school in defiance of vulgar pro tests from their fellows, Make them as pretty as Is consistent with harmony with everyday working garb. Never let them set forth to school in the morning with solled or creased apron. Fashion them dalntily and it the operly. And don't scold If they come home with soiled fronts and once in a while jagged tear In the muslin. But for the apron the frock would have suffered.
 If have dwelt with what may be regard ed as earnestness disproportioned to the topic upon this one accessory to neat and becoming attire. 1t is to bespeak for the immemorial apron candid consideration and tentative adoption, on the part of my fellow housemothera. If 1t does not prove upon fair trial to be all that claim for 1t will never again step beyond the limits of my bailiwlck and meddle in print with fashions and costumes which belong of right to abler hands.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10
How to Male Poppy Bread.

Be so kind as to tell me how to make the poppy bread one buys in city bakeries can make good bread. but l wish to know how to make the poppyseed stick on and not fall off. I dearly love such bread and buns. and used to buy them when lived in the city. Of late have wished much to eat 1t, and cannot get anything like 1t here
 MRS. W. K" The top of the bread is washed with mertngue of white of egg and a little pow dered sugar beaten together. This is ap- piled when the loaf or bun is hot, and the seeds are scattered thickly over it. Then set to dry in an open oven for few min utes. The seeds are fine and adhere readily to the sticky surface.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10
Even Toddlers Rebel at Garment.

Is the mistress more sensible who never wears an apron indoors. because in her inmost thought-it may be by process oi unconscious cerebration"-she does not choose to dress after the same fashion as her maids? ] am told that the graceful aprons which have superseded the pima fores" of my childish age are no longer en regle among schoolgirls; that even tod dlers In the Kindergarten rebel when they are put on them.
 I heard the other day an anecdote from an eye and ear witness of scene and col loqIy that illustrates humiliatingly the tone of our advanced seminarians of the sentteT (?) sex.
 |" I wouldn't demean myself by wearing an apron to school" said the ten year old daughter of millionaire to a classmate two years her senior. whose father is an eminent jurist. My mother says it makes a girl look like chambermaidP'
 The wearer of the obnoxious apron thrust her hand into the befrilled pocket. and shrugged her shoulders.
 But. you see. your mother knows SC much more about aprons than mine does Your mother had to wear an apron six days in the week when she was learning the mil liners trade.'
 The brutally frank thrust was worthy of the "childrens age. It was as rude in its way as the attack which provoked 1t. The dialogue showed in what estimation the apron is held by the vulgar.
 I maintain. nevertheless. that it is digni- fled. becoming, and useful in all ran,-s of life. If the housemother who sheds her big cooking overalls on leaving the kitchen and homework for the rest of the day will substitute for the cumbrous garment, which is no more comedy than the blacksmith s leather apron, a neat muslin affair of taste full cut and make, and wear 1t while read ing, writing, and sewing, she will be amazed to see how much grime 1t collects in the day
 You wouldn't believe that have to put on a clean apron every dayl" said one whose mother brought her up to regard 1t as an essential to neatness in a practical
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10
Recipes for Pickles.

Piccalilli Pickles-Take one peck of green tomatoes, four peppers. nd twelve onions, chop fine and drain through cheesecloth. Add one 10 cent package of plckling spices, one tablespoonful of ground mustard. four cupfuls of sugar. one-haif cupfui of salt Cover with cold vinegar (about two quarts). Boil slowly for nearly two hours.
 Picked Beets and Carrots.-Boil the beets until tender; remove the skins. slice while hot: cover with hot. spiced vine gar that has been well sweetened Carrot pickles are made in the same way. These are not only good. but also make bright bit of coloring for the table.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10

section, let me say that the earnest writer has hold of truth in the main which all wives would do well to keep continually before them. No human being was ever turned from the error of his ways by un- kindness. Sarcasm scarifies and leaves raw sores Harsh words and sullen looks anger. and if the unfortunate object of your dlspleasure be mea spirited. may COW and make deceitfuI the one you would convert Miss Edgeworth told us a century ago:
 And trust me. dear. good humor will prevail
 When airs and screams and seedlings fall.
 Our correspondent dwells none too strong ly upon the value of tact as a wifely weapon. She makes plain. too, her opin- ion that to leave the man one has vowed to cleave unto as long as ye both shall live is not to be considered except as last resort.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10
" Wedding Anniversaries.

You would obllge a number of readers all of whom expect to celebrate some one or more of the wedding anniversaries that call for especial notice, if you would print a correct list of these, which we could cut out and keep in readiness for the respective days we would celebrate.
 |" ELLEN Y. s. Utica, N. Y.''
 At the end of the first year of married life, the paper wedding; fifth year. wooden we'd ding; the tenth year, the tin wedding; twelfth ear, the leather; fifteenth year, the crystal wedding; twentieth year. the china wedding; twenty-fifth year, the silver we'd ding; thirtieth year. the ivory wedding; fortieth year. the woolen wedding; forty fifth year. the silk wedding; iftieth year. the golden wedding; and the seventy-fifth year. the diamond wedding.
 The foregoing list. although compiled from the best authorities upon the subject of wedding anniversaries, presents cer- tain pecuharitfes in the way of arbitrary omissions. which may be supplied by cor respondents. For instance. the interpola- ton of the twelfth year is unaccounted for when the other numbers separating the tenth from the fifteenth are left out. Stin, this Is the best can do with the statistics at my command.
 Let me mention here as a comment upon the exceeding rarity of seventy-ffth anni- versaries starred as the diamond wedding, that the solitary case of two persons living together in the holy estate of matrimony for three-quarters of a century that has ever come under my own observation was that of an aged pair living high up in the New Jersey mountains neither of whom ever had seen a diamond, SO far as he or she could say
 That no notice should be taken of any Of the anniversaries lying between the fiftieth and the seventy-flfth Is ntanfestly absurd.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10
Y < 4 Fruit Cakc Recipe.

You invite us to send in recipes for which we can vouch from personal trial of their value. I cheerfully attest to the fol- lowing as being a tried and not found wanting recipe:
 FRUIT CAKE.-Cream together cup ful of sugar and half a cupful of butter. Add two eggs, cupful of molasses. and half cupful of strong cold coffee, in which dissolve a scant teaspoonful of baking soda.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10
or Benefit 10 Best Clothes. !"

Those of us who like best clothes and to wear them at home will find their period
 of usefulness prolonged marvelously by
 the apron habit. I should hardly counsel indulgence in 1t in the drawing room, albeit a lace trimmed affair wrought in graceful designs by sklllful fingers and smooth from the laundry imparts touch of nominees and easy grace that go we'll with the tender benignity of the matron l have In my eye. Worn over a fleecy gown on summer evening. or a black silk under the drop light that brings out the colors Of the shawl
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10

the dish when sfe meal was finished. And this when there were divers other attrac- tive dishes upor the menu.]
 * *
 4 Household Conpenience.
 "A HOUSEHOLD CoNvENIENCE.- To make a cupboard do double duty, pro- cure two boards about three inches wide and In length the width of the cupboard. Bore hole two inches from the end of each board. In these insert two legs as for a table, braced apart to steady them. Get four clamps such as are used to hold gull frames at the corners with which to clamp the boards to the cupboard. Two broom sticks will serve for the legs. Your table Is now ready to stand beside you and hold your workbox or anything you need In sewing and can't well have upon the ma- chine. You may also leave unfinished work upon 1t and remove 1t to another room or out of the way One may easily remove the clamps and set all away when 1t is not In use. LYDIA s. H.
 am somewhat puzzled by penciled line. hardly legible at the foot of this note. I make 1t out to say: am competing for a prize.
 As no prizes are ever offered by the Cor ner. marvel that the excellent Household Hint was sent to me. It is too good to be thrown into the vastebasket. and take t's liberty of inserting 1t where 1t seems to belong.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10
Chill Con Cdrne.

You have several times printed recipes for chili con carne. yet see other requests for them. It has been my good fortune re- gently to come into possession of a dozen or more recipes for Mexican dishes, and. with your permission, shall send in one or two now and then.
 "CHILI CON CARNE.-Cut the meat from tender fowl and put the bones over the fire to simmer slowly for two hours. covering them with cold water and fitting a cover upon the kettle. Cut the chicken into cubes about an inch long. Have ready in a broad Scotch kettle three tablespoons fuls of sweet lard or dripping. When lt misses put in a small onion chopped fine. As soon as this begins to color add the chicken cubes and cook on both sides, turn ing often until the meat is half done. Ten minutes after the boiling begins again should be enough. Do not begin to fry the meat until the bones have cooked for two hours at least If they are well cracked the process of extracting the nutriment will be facilitated. Set the kettle contain ing the bones in cold water to throw up the grease. Skim the liquid, strain, and after frying the meat ten minutes pour over 1t enough stock to cover well. Simmer closely covered for an hour. then add three tablespoonfuls of chilli powder and half a dozen cloves of garlic which have been parbolled and chopped. Simmer all together for an hour longer. or until the meat is very tender.
 Ten minutes before taking out the meat put In three good sized tomatoes, cut Into bits, and teaspoonful of sugar. Cook f.- 4t
 Pass with this dish cakes made after the following recipe:
 "TORTILLAS.-chop cold chicken, or veal or fresh pork fine. To two cupfuls add a cupful of green corn cut from the cob. or of canned corn, also minced fine. Season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste, and mix to paste with good handful of corn meal. moistening with hot water. When you can handle the paste easily form with the hands Into flat cakes. roll these in fine
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10
IMPORTANT NOTICE

DECAUSE of he enormous number of ID letters sent to the department ! must ask contributors to limit their communications to 100 uords. except in cases of fornlulas or recipes whieh require greater space. toant ell my correspondents to hare q shouting in the Corner. and J n,y request in this respect is complied wHh il uiH Dc possible tO print many more letters.
 Attention is called to he fact that Marion Harland cannot reeeioe money Jor patterns. as she has no connection tpiih any department hai sells hen1. Maion Hnland.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10
Lean Upon that Husband.

Is 1t too late for me to offer a word of sisterly advice to the wife whose hus- band never has and never will support his family !?
 In the cloud that surrounds her she sees no way out. I see two ways-the right and the wrong. It Is right for him to sup
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10

So. to retain her self-respeet and that of her acquaintances." she arrays herself in bonnet of many colors bought at bar gain counter, cotton backed velvet jacket. and a gown that carries out the " scheme dutifully-with. as Is more than likely, white shoes on sloppy day-and sallies forth into a critical world.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10
Recipe for Cup Cakc.

"1 have an excellent recipe for cup cake, calling for a cupful of raisins. The cake Is always light, but the raisins fall to the bottom Can you suggest some way of preventing this?
 "C. B.. Starkville, Miss" The raisins are not put in whole. of course. They should be cut in half, the seeds extracted (after washing them and drying upon a toweD. and then dredged thickly with flour. Tho philosophy of the dredging Is that the floury coating, adher- ing to the moist batter. holds the fruit in place until the cooling Is so advanced that they are fixtures.
 As I have interpolated. lest you might fall to do 1t, the raisins should be cleansed of dust and other impurities before they are seeded. Some housewives let them lie In water half an hour to plump and freshen them. They are then dried by spreading them upon clean towel and laying an- other over them, batting the upper gently to absorb the moisture.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10
" V Stuffed Pork Tenderloin.

When you can make room fin the Cor ner, will you publish a recipe for fried green peppers and one for stuffed eggplant?'
 Here is a recipe which find lowers the butchers bills and that we think delightful: " STUFFED PORK TENDERLOINS- Split pork tenderloins almost through; make a stuffing as for fowls. using bread crumbs, a seasoning of salt, pepper a little thyme and grated onion, and two table, spoonfuls of melted butter. Spread thick layer of this over one of the loins and place the second on top of this: tie firmly together in several places.
 " Put little butter or dripping into a frying pan and when 1t is hot, brown the meat nicely in it on all sides. Then add two cupfuls of boiling water and cook over a slow fire for thirty minutes The meat should be covererd after adding the water. A little Drowned flour may be stirred in after the meat is taken out, and this will make delicious gravy.
 " Cooking it in the frying pan saves the trouble of heating the oven when the meat is the only thing to be roasted for dinner. One has in this good and economical dish. It is equally good sliced cold for luncheon.
 IL. E K"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10
Baked Macaroni.

Drawing still upon our store of timely gifts from iibera. minded constituency we have;
 BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE A quarter-pound of macaroni broken into inch lengths, cooked tender in three pints of salted water about lwen.y linutes. Drain in colander. Now dash colo water twice over it as it remains in the colander and drain 1t all off
 Make sauce of one tablespoonful each of flour and butter melted together and one and half cups of cold milk Stir con stantly over the fire until it thickens. But ter deep dish and put into it layer of macaroni. one of grated cheese. and one or this sauce, with a layer of fine bread crumbs upon the top of al Sprinkle cheese thickly over the crumbs and bake. Fine!
 MRS H. L. s. Putting into Instant practice my principle Of reapIng as well as sowing beside all waters aaa no sooner read this recipe than hied m. forih to the kitchen. paper In hand. and read # aloud o a COOK \ no shares my thirst for knowledge along cu- insfv lines. Result: We had the dish for dinner upon that stormy day. and enjoyed 1t :" to the full
 tIne quotation marks signify what ,n- te'pretafion three hungry six Hooters put upon she phrase. Not q scrap was left in
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10
Recipe for Tomato Butter.

" saw in the exchange while ago are quest for recipe for tomato butter We are fond of it in our family. and here is my way Of making it:
 TOMATO BUTTER-Scald and skin the tomatoes and as you cut them up squeeze out most of the seeds. Boil steadily for IJuple of hours. think the butter Is inn proved if a few ripe we'll favored apples are cut up and cooked with the tomatoes When all are cooked soft. sweeten to your taste. We put in plenty of sugar. Then cook until the mixture is glassy and like thick preserves MRS. B. c. McL.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10

~ HE following letter is too good to be
 lost, although a press of other mat
 ter has deferred the publication of it
 until rather late in the day. re-
 gret to add that the nuisance with which it deals is never obsolete and, like Death
 "Has all seasons for It's own.'
 The sprightly 1rrespondentis is a Nevada 2 member and credit to our chapter in that wideawake region.
 "s have just been reading with much interest the communications on borrowing. I have had a number or borrowing neigh bors who either forget to make any return or brought back inferior articles such as rancid butter, cheap tea and coffee A woman who did this lived in an opposite fiat ana the dumb waiter was between our two Kitchens. She would open the door on her side and tap on our door with the poker She did this in the morning early and bor- rowed from my coiored maid. our maid the neighbor returned.
 My husband would complain bitterly and wonder why I did not provide our taDie With the things 10 Wnlcn we were accustomed. When the whole story came out. he said: "Very we'll keep the articles separately and when she comes to borrow give her her own again. and I think 1t will cure her The girl did as directed and gave her Lack some of her own butter
 "A few minutes later there came sharp knock on the dumb waiter door. don't know what sort. of people you live with if they use such butter as this We can't endure the smell of it, let alone eat it.
 "' o, that isn't the kind of butter we buy :. that's yoursP
 "she slammed the door and never bor- rowed again.
 "A relative of ours had neighbor who always came for the layer cake pans. the scrlbbing brush. the potato masher the wash boiler. and all sorts of kitchen uten- sils On Christmas. when. they had a tree at the church, the man of the house bought a complete outfit and sent them to the church with his card as a Christmas gift to the borrowing neighbor His wife was aghast at what he had done. but when the woman's name was called she accepted the gifts with pride and pleasure. and said: Now, l shan't need to borrow you old things! I've nice new ones of my own. always knew your husband was gentle man R. l.. R."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10

ing of the friction saved to the front of the skirt. So hold fast to my aprons"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10

housewife "1 muslin
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10
v v Velpet Sponge Gale.

pcfpet Sponge Gale. Will you kindly give me the recipe for velvet sponge cake? I think 1t was In your Corner that saw 1t some time ago.
 MARIE NJ, Detroit, Mich" I do not recall the recipe under that name. If any member has preserved 1t or chances to have the formula for velvet sponge cake, will she be good enough to let us have 1t?
 < < Spruce Beer.
 Will you kindly Insert in the Exchange a recipe for spruce beer and oblige one ot your masculine members?
 w. c. H.. Norristown. Pa" Would you kindly send me a recipe for putting up Maraschino cherries7
 |" MRS. P. o. Forest Park. IlLl." Both of these queries are referred to our wise and practical housemothers. have no recipe for either of the products asked for.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10

the dish when .fe meal was finished. And this when there were divers other attrac- tive dishes upoE the menu.]
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10

salted corn meal, and fry as you would fritters in deep fat. MARIA D."
 !" Tortillas play frequent part in tales of Mexican travel and adventure. We are obliged to our Texas woman for telling us what they are.
 The numerous inqurers for recipes for chili con carne will obllge us by clipping out this authorized formula and preserv- ing it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-10

and ever so much less expensive to have si: aprons in the wash every week than to pa. for the cleaning of one gown to say noth
Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1912-10-04
SHELDON.
Special Correspondence.

Special Correspondence.
Mona Faust. went to Cornell
Friday
Rodney Hubert was about here
looking after his affairs several
days lately
Mr.. and Mrs. w. HI. Umback are
visiting friends in the southwestern
part of the state.
F. M. Sergeant was a caller in
Sheldon and vicinity Sunday after
noon, coming down with his auIo-
mobile.
The r. N. A. gave very sue
cessful ice cream social Saturday
night. Sheldon folks like ice cream
even in cold weather.
E. D. Lacy has moved the Joe
Chapman house from it's old loca-
ton to position on his prem
Uses, not far from the store.
Surveying for a "Y", a mile or
more up the Owen spur, has lately
been going aon. Wingrove Bennett, as
sisted by several Sheldon helpers,
has been doing the work.
Stewards camp buildings have
been torn down and all the disable
lumber hauled to the siding to be
shipped to some point on the line
above Ladysmith, to be used again
for building other camps.
Will Spurrier has built house on
land he bought of his brother, War
rem, and is now occupying same with
his family. 1t is half mile from the
corner of McCann's land, on the
road going north from that point.
A load from Arnold coming to
Sheldon to attend the R. N. A. ice
cream social Saturday night met
with a serious mishap. Driving swift
ly into deep rut, one lady was
thrown out, striking on her head and
was badly injured
Edgar Hebard and family attended
the funeral of his grandson, the
child of Clyde Hebard, at Ladysmith,
last Thursday. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde
Hebard, who lived in Sheldon for a
time, have the sincere sympathy of
many friends here, in their affliction.