Answers to Correspondents

Please tell me the proper way to send wedding announcements. In a family where there are several young men and women do I send each a separate one?

If economy is no object send each a separate card. If you do not care to do this and they are brothers and sisters you may say "The Misses Brown" and "The Messrs. James and John Wilson."

I would like very much to be able to help other housekeepers, but I always feel that I only know the simple things of my rather humdrum life in the country.—Mrs. D., Ohio.

What you know is not known to everyone, nor is what any housekeeper knows a matter of everyday use with other housekeepers. Everyone has some short cut or recipe, or personal way of doing things that would lighten the way for others. Your recommendation of butterine for instance, would carry weight with some housekeepers who had never before thought of trying it and they would be grateful always for being shown how to cut their butter bill. So with the other suggestions in your good letter from which I have taken extracts for the other pages. I want just such letters as yours. We must not forget that the younger generation of housekeepers are starting housekeeping and scanning columns like these for "the things everyone knows."

Yellow and white scheme for coming-out party.—H. M. B.

Many thanks for the nice things you say about the Cook Book. Am very glad you have enjoyed it so long. The color scheme you mention could be carried out further by wearing white dresses with yellow sashes and hair ribbons. Have yellow ices and cakes with white and yellow frosting. Egg sandwiches, potato salad garnished with hard boiled eggs halved and yellow flowers, which are quite plentiful now would all help to carry out the idea.

What is the seventh anniversary of a wedding called? and is the celebration of these anniversaries out of style?—E. G. T., Boise City.

It is perfectly proper to celebrate and you can have a merry time with little expense. Have tiny woolly toy sheep for favors and serve lamb salad (made after a chicken salad recipe). Wear a woolen dress and your husband white flannels.

I belong to a little card club and have to entertain the other members one afternoon soon. Can you suggest something which is easily prepared and can be served as a lap lunch?—Mrs. F. T., Huntington, W. Va.

Ham mousse in individual moulds with thin bread and butter sandwiches. Ice cream served in cantaloupe. Iced tea with a slice of lemon and Armour's Grape Juice, which needs no flavoring.

What can I put with my silverware when packing it away to keep it from tarnishing?—Mrs. S.

Pack in bags of Canton flannel before putting into the drawers or boxes and place with them a few pieces of camphor gum.

Please tell me if it is proper to eat cake with the fingers or must a fork be used?

It depends on the cake. If one with a soft filling, a fork will be necessary.

Requested Recipes

For G. H.

Molasses Custard

Take one cup molasses (ribbon cane is the best; I have never tried corn syrup), add one half cup sugar, stir well and put on fire to boil for at least five minutes. Let cool for a short time, than add three well-beaten eggs, stirring constantly to keep the eggs from curdling. Add a tablespoonful of cornstarch. Bake in pie crust in the regular way but slowly. To keep from browning too quickly I sometimes place a tin in oven over pie.

Many thanks to Mrs. F. A. F., Jacksonville, Texas.

For Mrs. T. H., Oswego, N. Y.

Boiled Bacon

Place the bacon in a saucepan with sufficient cold water to cover it. Bring the water to the simmering point and simmer gently until done (time, about half an hour for a pound for large pieces, less for smaller). Add to the water an onion with two or three cloves stuck in it, one carrot, one turnip and some sticks of celery. Skim carefully several times. When done, remove the skin and cover with browned bread crumbs.

Found Out!

When making shells for custard and lemon pies prick the crust all over with a fork before baking. Bake the shells over an inverted pie plate, then place them in pie plate as usual before filling.—Mrs. D. H., Media, Pa.

If a cake gets scorched on top when baking, grate lightly with a nutmeg grater rather than try to scrape it with a knife. You will have a better surface for frosting.—C. K., Hurley, Texas.

When your tablecloths begin to wear out make napkins out of the best parts and get a new tablecloth.

Save your old newspapers and when you sweep soak the papers in water in which a tablespoonful of ammonia has been dissolved. Squeeze out and throw the paper pulp on the floor you are about to sweep. It will keep the dust from flying and at the same time brighten the carpets.

Save all soap scraps and put them into an empty baking powder can that you have turned into a soap shaker by the help of a hammer and nail. Punch eight or ten small holes in the top and bottom, run a piece of wire from lid to bottom to hang it up by. When washing dishes shake the box in the water and you will have a nice suds.

Do not throw away the small pieces of paraffin that you take from the tops of jelly glasses. They can be melted and used again. If you do not make jelly, use them to mix with the kindling. They start a fire like coal oil. Ends of candles may be used in the same way. If the wick in the lamp is short and you are out of coal oil, fill the lamp with water. The oil will rise to the top and the wick will burn as long as there is oil to burn.

Put a tablespoonful of salt in your lamp and the blaze will be twice as bright.—C. L. E., Dayton.

A damp or slightly oily cloth is all that is necessary to polish oak furniture if it is in good condition. Marks made by wet glasses should be rubbed with a mixture of nine parts olive oil and one part paraffin.—Mrs. W., Stilesboro, Ga.

A very simple, attractive and inexpensive gift may be made by crocheting a simple edge for bath towels of the silk finished crochet cotton, and working the monogram or initial in cross stitch, using the same thread. The washrag should have a tiny edge to match.—Mrs. J. H. M., New Mexico.

My linen dress had a tear and as it was bought ready made there were no left over pieces. I drew a few threads from the under hem and darned it with these and when laundered it could scarcely be seen.—Mrs. J. E. F.