Show DOMESTIC SCIENCE with the putting on of winter flannels the annual battle royal for their preservation in their natural size begins with the la undress and line upon line precept upon precept become the order of wash day emphasize the fact that the dust should always be shaken from flannels before washing put in a tub of warm suds to which a tablespoonful of borax or two tablespoonfuls of household ammonia has been added use the best quality of laundry soap but do not rub directly on the flannels nor the flannels on a board never use yellow soap on account of the resin squeeze in the hands sousing cousing frequently and rubbing specially bad spots in the hand wring lightly without twisting into another tub of weaker suds being careful to maintain the same temperature to avoid shrinkage rinse well and put into a third water clear but still of the same temperature if you like a little bluing it may be added to this water wring as dry as possible without twisting and dry as quickly as possible in the open air never allowing them to freeze before quite dry take in fold and roll in a clean cloth and iron soon with a moderately hot iron depending mostly upon a good deal of pressure for colored flannels have fresh warm suds that no lint may adhere to them th thus s treated flannels will remain soft soft elastic and of normal size in buying lamps lampa or oil remember that the best are the ches cheapest pest in the end A well filled carefully trimmed and clean odorless lamp adds much to the attractiveness of a table clean burners and wicks are essential to clear light the metal holders should be boiled in salt and soda and water every few weeks for heated metal gives out a foul odor the wicks become clogged by the in the oil and if long in use should be occasionally washed boiled and dried if soaked in vinegar they are said to give a clearer light the wick should never crowd the tube if two tight pull out two or three threads lengthwise when first lighted do not turn very high as the flame is apt to increase never turn low and leave lighted never light a half filled lamp that has been standing any length of time lamps should be cared for in the morning as a regular part of the routine work fill within a half inch of the top trim evenly just the charred part of the wick using scissors kept especially for that purpose or rubbing off with a bit of paper the chian chimneys ays eys do not always need washing by breathing lightly down the chimney and rubbing with a tissue paper a handful of waste or a clean soft boft cotton cloth they can be kept bright and clear never wash in warm soapy water as chimneys thus treated crack easily and take on a cloudy surface that no rubbing can eradicate never clean alcan with the patent bru brushes ashes or bristles on a metal holder FIS as they scratch the glass and the chimneys break chimneys were formerly tempered in the manufacture but are now sold so low that this precaution Is omitted they may be tempered at home by putting in cold water and bringing to a boll then cool in water cold water and alcohol gives chimneys the highest polish when the lamp is filled and trimmed rub and dry every inch of the bowl fixture handle and base that no trace of kerosene be left to soil the hands of the lamplighter lamp lighter and turn the wick rather low to avoid the capillary overflow nota bene the best thing to extinguish a kerosene flame alaine with to is flour every owner of r granite pan or kettle has soon or late to bemoan their tendency to spring a leak and their own inability to repair the damage da magge necessity in the mountains at least is the mother of invention and a 1 farmers wife way back among the catskills has proved herself equal to the occasion when the orifice appeared that threatened to make her kettle as useless as the rift within the lute she took a brass rivet such as harness makers use for mending harness hammered it gently in the hole and the deed was not only done but well done halloween is near at hand and already the young people are cudgeling cud geling geUng their brains tor for the most effective method of interviewing the powers of the air and turning the leaves of the book of fate cavil at it as we of th the gray hairs and double chins may now we cannot deny the soft impeachment that we too in the not so long ago were just as anxious for the fateful night tu burn our nits aits an pou our stocks an haud our halloween pu fu blythe that what matters it that halloween is a relic of paganism so are many of the christmas observances for that matter but we go on d decking our homes and churches with greens quite regardless gard less of the origin of the ceremony although the customs per to the celebration of halloween vary a little according to locality the general features are the same burning nuts has from time tim immemorial been considered one of the most potent charms the names of lads and lassies classies are given each nut as it is laid on the fire and as they burn quietly side aide by side or fly apart the course bourse of cour courtship thip may be foretold snapdragon snap dragon is one of the oldest devices whereby the assurance of love Is made doubly sure or estrangement foretold the dragons which must be prepared before the party consist of strips of paper with verses written on them these are then folded very small wrapped snugly in tea leau lead or tinfoil and then placed in a large dish and covered with water over which alcohol cohol tl is poured this should 1 be done at the side of the dish allowing it to filter down gently in order that the two liquors may not mix the alcohol is then set on fire when edah each terson person in turn snatching one of the knap dragons from the dish may find therein his future fortune A word of caution regarding this test is that the dish containing the alcohol should be placed where there Is no danger of the drops of burning alcohol setting fire to anything and that the dragons as aa fast fait as removed should be placed on a tin to cool two other ancient customs still in vogue and applicable to all AH hallows eve 97 are the nutshell boats and the needle tn in the former melted wax is poured into the halves of english walnuts in which short strings for wicks have been laid two of these at a time may be named and lighted and floated in a tub of water the way in which they ride indicating their future career the needle ceremony is performed by each person putting a needle to float in a basin of water this redi requires skill but can be done by placing the needle on a piece of tissue paper and laying this gently on the water soon paper becomes wet and sinks to the bottom leaving the needle on the surface owing to their capillarity the needles will begin to act as though imbued with with life some rushing to the edge of the dish and clinging there while others rush towards each other clinging closely and avoiding others the manner in which each persons needle moves toward the rest is construed as a prophecy of what fate has in store for the owner the simple homely nature of the halloween celebration demands the use of the kitchen as its appropriate stage setting while the refreshments served should be in keeping with ane occasion among the canny scots a nutritious dish made from the husk of oats and served with butter instead of milk forms the halloween Hol loween supper with us apples nuts cakes and sweet cider form the usual concomitants of the festival I 1 A clever suggestion for a Hallow halloween elen comes from the wells college girls fertile brains last year the fateful eve was observed at the college by a party whose personnel was made up of the ghosts of many celebrated people after a march through the halls which were fantastically decorated and dimly lighted by jacko jack o lanterns the sheeted things gathered in the darkened reading room and laying aside their gibbering listened to a reading from bulwer Lyt tons haunted house this was followed by dancing refreshments and fortune telling until the hour when churchyards yawn the days of our great grandmothers are coming back to us and the dainty housekeeper is not satisfied unless her linen closet Is redolent with the sweet fresh fragrance of lavender it was had just been entertained towels new england stories the pearl of orrs island and the ministers wooing said a lady recently referring to a guest chamber where she had just been entertained towles sheets and the fine old linen pillow cases all exhaled that exquisite faint perfume and I 1 just burled my headin head in the pillows and thought was ever anything so deliciously refreshing scented beds ar are a great fad in england also while sachets of lavender laid in press and bureau drawers in oaken chest cheat and linen closet are the usual means of imparting the fragrance the fled perfume made up in the form of sweet balls grandmothers fashion redl vivus will be found more satisfactory and lasting the rule for this as given by an expert in the art is to mix a quarter of a pound of crushed lavender flowers with ten drops of oil of lavender and make it into a dough with a little gum knead this into balls about the size of a marble roll in powdered orris root and put in a tight tin box to dry A supply of these may be made and be kept on hand in a closely corked bottle to replace the old ones when their pungency has vanished A common fault with scrambled eggs is that they are cooked so hard as to be tough and indigestible if a tablespoonful of milk or water be added for each egg and the mixture cooked only until creamy stirring meanwhile with a fork the result will be a dish both appetizing and wholesome serve with buttered toast in laying in the winters supply of ca coal 1 remember that the white ash oal are hard and slow burning and are therefore better for range cooking stove or furnace use while the red ash which is soft and free burning make a luminous fire is better for the grate preparatory to putting coal into the cellar close all doors opening into the coal cellar and close and cover the registers with paper if the coal is thrown into the cellar through a shute made in the side of the house protect the sides of the house by pieces of carpet or burlap tacked on in new york the standard weight of a loaf of bread is one pound and three ounces for a five cent loaf mutton suet is one of the simple remedies which should have an honored place in every fam ilys medicine closet for chapped hands and lips or for cuts and bruises it is always useful the suet may be procured at the butchers tried out at home and while still warm wa poured into little jars or moulds to cool turn out and wrap in tinfoil tin foil camphor ice fee may also be made by melting a small piece of camphor gum with the suet A most delicious vegetable soup that commends itself to housekeepers when the stockpot is empty is this given by miss parloa one pint of white turnips cut cui in cubes one half pint or of carrots cut in cubes one pint of potatoes in cubes one half pint of leeks the white part one large onion one clove of garlic one one tablespoonful of salt three tablespoonfuls of butter one teaspoonful of sugar one third teaspoonful of pepper two quarts of water cut the onions fine and cook them slowly with the butter for half an hour then add the bolling boiling water and carrots and cook half an hour longer at the end of this time add the turnips potatoes seasoning and cook an hour if you have parsley or cerf eull add a teaspoonful ten minutes before serving the soup Is improved if some bones or trimmings trimming s of meat be added A most delicious cream vegetable soup Is made by rubbing a portion of this soup through a puree sieve and adding milk and a little salt to it it should just come to the boiling point and be served with fried or toasted bread EMMA PADDOCK TELFORD |