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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 2, 1903)
J. a, i9o3. The Commoner. 9 menting a few times will teach you tho right amount; but be sure there is enough, and that it is applied to all ttho surface. When the loaf is put to - b".kc, the oven should bo "just right" -hot enough to at once begin baking, the loaf turning brown gradually and evenly. Let it cook until done no longer. You can soon learn to know when tho proper point is reacned; some tell by the weight, some by rap ping the crust sharply with the knuckles. Turn your loaves out of the pan, onto a clean walnut table or bread board, and, if properly baked, the loaves will fall apart of their own weight. Let cool a few minutes, then lay them carefully on end in a tin bread box or can previously lined with a clean bread cloth; leave the box open for a few minutes, then close, and set in a cool (not cold) place. We never have "heels" to our bread, it is all moist and tender and sweet. If put directly from the bread pans into the box, while hot, the loaves are apt to "sweat," and the crust become wet and soggy. Young Housewife wishes to know what sized pans to use for her bread. A size which gives general satisfac tion is slightly flaring in shape, to let the loaves drop out readily, Gy2 inches by 12 inches on the top; 2 inches deep; bottom, 5 by liy2 inches. In each of these three nice sized loaves can be baked, or two square ones, and the shape of the pan is such that the dough cooks evenly on all sides. The pans should be of sheet iron, and will cost, in department stores, not more than ton cents each. They will last many years, if taken care of. Three of them fit nicely in an ordinary range oven, two, lengthwise, and one across. Do not use your bread pans for any other purpose, keep them al ways clean ana1 hung up in a dry place. Have several of various sizes, for roasting meats or baking pud dings, but let each have its own ap pointed use. Protecting: the Rosebushes. It is now time to think of adding winter protection to the roses, and other tender vines and shrubs. The best method of protection is to cover the bed with evergreen boughs, or like material that will admit the air while THE VALUE OF CHARCOAL Few People Know How Useful It is In Preserv ing: Health and Beauty Nearly everybody knows that charcoal la tho safest and moat eflicinnt disinfectant nnd pnri fler in nature, but few realize its yaluo when takon into the. human system for tho same cleausin? purpose. Charcoal is a remedy that the more you tnko of it tho better; it iauot a drug at nil, but simply absorbs tho casos and impurities always pros ent in tho stomnch and intostinoa nud carrios them out of the systom. Charcoal sweetens the breath after smoking, drinking or after eating onions and other odor ous vrgetablos. ... t'harcoal effectually clears and improves tho complexion, it whitens the tooth and further acts as a natural and eminently safo cathnrtic. It absorbs tho injurious gasoi which collect in the stomach and bowels; it disinfects tho mouth and throat from the poison of catarrh. All druggists sell charcoal in one form or an ether, but probably tho best charcoal and tho most for the tnonoy is in Stuart's Absorben Lozenges i they are composed of tho finost pow dered Willow charcoal, and other harmless an tfaeptics, in tablet form or rather in the form of large, pleasant tasting lozenges, tho charcoal being mixed with honey. The daily use of thoso lozenges will coon toll In a much improved condition of tho gouoral health, better complexion, sweeter breath and purer blond, and the beauty of it is, that no pos sible harm can result from tholr continued use, but on the contrary, great benefit. A Buffalo physician in speaking of tho bene fits of charcoal, says: "I adyiso Stuart's Ab sorbent Lozenges to all patients suffering from gas in stomach and bowels, and to clear the complexion and purify the breath, mouth and throat; I also believe the liver is greatly bene fitted by thedaily uso of thsmj they coBt but twenty.flvo cents box at drug stores, and al though in some sense a patont preparation, yet 1 believe I get" more and bettor charcoal in Btuari's Absorb'entLozengea tbn in any of the ordinary charcoal tablets.'' . . it covers tho plant If overgrecn boughs cannot be had, cornstalks may be used, or small branches of trees, piling dead leaves on them. Small boxes, with both ends re moved, or barrels, or even old bot tomless pails, will answer, to set over the bush or vine, filling in around it with dead leaves, and heaping tho earth about the bottom. Another plan is to hill tho earth up to the roses, after the weather has become quite cold, then, if the top dies down, the plant will send up vig orous shoots in the spring. Do not cover until tho settled cold weather, and then do not uncover too early in the spring. It is the frequent freez ing and thawing that kills the rose. Climbing roses bloom on the last season's wood mostly, and one wishes to preserve the long limbs. This can be done by laying them down on the ground and covering with cornstalks or small brush, with leaves piled on it Herbaceous perennials are all tho better for a dressing of coarse 3table manure as soon as the ground freezes. The bulb bed can also be covered with the same material to very good advantage, and, indeed, all hardy plants, roots and bushes will repay protection. Little Helps. If there is any corn, or oat meal mush left from breakfast, reheat, then pour in a square dish or cake tin, and allow it to settle smooth. Cover and keep cool until time to prepare it for supper, then cut into slices, roll in Hour and fry in hot lard until brown, and serve with maple syrup. Use bits of jelly to enrich puddings. Small quantities of preserves servo the same purpose. Even half a cup of berries or jam adds a delicious flavor" to a quart of ice cream. Save the left-overs or syrup from cans of fruit for gelatine desserts, sherbets, creams, puddings, sauces, stale bread or cake, or to pour over French pan-cakes. . Roast pork bones make an excellent brown stock, almost as rich as that from roast beef. Trim the scraps from the bones and consign them to the soup kettle. Cut with a keen knife all the fat- from meat that is not to be served cold. This fat makes excellent drippings, when rendered down, in which to saute potatoes. Chop it, set it in a covered pan In the oven and allow it to melt; strain and put in the drippings jar. Table oilcloth, or, as it is some times called, enamel cloth, makes an excellent covering for school books, and when soiled, may be readily cleaned with a sponge, -or wet cloth. Many pretty designs are to be had, and the cover may be artistic and at tractive as well as useful. To cleanse a chamois vest, put it into a glass jar and cover with gaso line. Let it stand over night, tightly covered. A half-gallon self-sealing fruit jar will answer the purpose ad mirably. In the morning, gently rub the soiled spots and rinse In clean gasoline Dry in open air. The wash ing must be done In a room with no fire in it, or, better, out of doors in the open air. Dainty neckwear, which cannot bo washed in water, will look as nice as ever If put to soak in gasoline over night, in an airtight vessel, and care fully dried the next morning. Rib bons also can bo easily cleansed with gasoline. In using gasoline, however, orohr rnrfi must' be taken to have no fire in the room or anywhere about J when It is being used. Out-doors is tho best place. Lemon Pie. An excellent lemon pio Is made as follows: For ono largo pio or two small ones, take four eggs, ono table spoonful of butter, ono cup sugar, scant tablcsponful of corn starch, rind and juice of two lemons, one-half tea spoonful of baking powder. Set aside whites of two eggs for meringue; beat the four yolks of eggs and the sugar together until light, add tho corn starch and beat until perfectly smooth, add the juice and grated rind of lem ons, and tho butter, warmed; stir in the baking powder as rapidly as pos sible, then add tho stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. Bake in a shell of pastry that has been previously baked; when the custard is set, add the meringue to tho top of the pio moringuo made by beating the re served whites of two eggs until stiff, beating into this a little at a timo, three tablespoonfuls of powdered su gar, and one-half toaspoonful of va nilla; place in oven just to "sot" tho meringue. Old Fashioned Hominy. Home-made lye hominy is greatly superior to tho manufactured article, and, in early days, was held in high esteem as a nourishing dish. To make it, select the most perfect ears of uew white corn, and shell. Boil fresh wood ashes in a sufficient quantity of water to make a strong lye, strain off into an iron kettle and put in tho shelled corn. Concentrated lyo may be used, but is not liked so well. Cook the corn in the lyo until the hulls come off readily, which, if the lyo is strong enough, should bo in about two hours. When the hulls will slip off, take the corn to water running water Is preferable and wash It, changing the water repeatedly until the grain i quite white, rubing vigorously with tho hands. When quite clean put it into a large kettle with plenty of fresh water, and cook for several hours over a slow fire, changing the water as fast as it "tastes" of the lye. The corn will swell as It cooks, and allowance for this must be made i:i tho size of the vessel it Is cooked In. Our mothers used to cook it in the wash boiler. By tho time it 1b real tender all the "lye" taste should be pretty well boiled out of it, and, if one likes, it may be soaked over n'ght in sweet milk, to make it white soaking only the quantity to be used during tho day. It is usually then fried in pork fat, salted, or in meat drippings; or, it can be seasoned with butter, peppor, salt and a little cream and cooked in tho oven. It is an excellent dish, If rightly prepared. The Farmer's Library. A few of the philanthropic women of Ft. Worth, Tex., have started a movement which is likely to play an important part in the cultivation of a love for literature in the rural com munities. It is not a charitable enter prise, but is intended to furnish to the people of the country as far as possi ble the advantages which the public library gives to the residents of our cities. Mrs. R. M. Wynne, who was one of the originators of the plan and who gives one day each week to the work, thus describes the plan of the movement: "The farmers' library was organized under tho auspices of a club of women known as "The Cosmopolitan Maga zine Club." Each member was made a committee of one to solicit magazines, periodicals, any and all religious pa pers', etc., the accumulation of which really becdmes a burden in our homes. I Will Cure You of Rheumatism Else No Money Is Wanted. After 2,000 experiments, I havo learned how to euro Rheumatism. Not to turn bony joints into flesh again; that is impossible. But I can cure cho disease always, at any stage, and for ever. I ask for -o money. Simply wrlto mo a postal and I will send you an or der on your nearest uruggist tor six bottles Dr. Shoop's iihounmtlc Curo, for every druggist keeps it Uso it for a month and, If it succeeds, tho cost is only ?5.!0. If It fails, I will pay tho druggist myself. I have no sam. es, because any med icine that can affec Rheumatism quickly must be drugged to tho vcrgo of danger. I uso no such drugs, and it is folly to tako them. You must get tho disease out of tho blood. My remedy docs that, even in the most difficult obstinate cases. No matter how Impossible) this seems to you, I know it and take tho risk. I havo cured tens of thousands of cases in this way, and my records show that 39 out of 40 who get six bottles pay gladly. I havo learned that people in general are honest with a physician who cures them. That is all I ask. If I fail I don't cxpsct a penny from you. Simply write mo a postal card or a letter. I will send you my book about Rheumatism, and an order for the medicine. Take it for a month, ns it won't harm you anyway, if it fails, it is free, and I leave Uo decision with you. Address Dr. Shoop, Box C15. Racine. Wis. Mild cases, not chronic, are often cured by one or two bottles. At all druggists. Wo secured a room in tho court house, fitted it up both as rest room and li brary, and placed such reading mat ter as we deemed good for the youth in our country In our cases, sent out invitations to the farmers and their families to come and get them; also advertised for tho country teachers to place them on shelves In their school rooms to bo distributed to tho chil dren. They wore not long in taking hold of the opportunity offered and to day hundreds of our farmers and their wives and children are enjoying these books, who never before read any thing more than the country paper. The books aro not to be returne'd, but, when read, given to other persons who want them and hi this way they are kept constantly in circulation." Smooth Scheme. "Johnnie" McGaw was a bit of a character in a country village In the north of Scotland. He lived on tho , charity of tho villagers, but some times found it particularly hard work to do so. One day, when the springs of sym pathy seemed to have dried up, "John nie" made his way to the house of the local doctor and said: "I've come to get a' my teeth 'taken out, doctor." "Dear me!" said the medical man. "What's wrong wi' them?" "Oh, they're a' rlcht. but I've nae uso for them; I've naething to eat." "Yes," said the doctor, who saw tho joke; . ere's sixpence for you to get a loaf." Pearson's Magazine. A Boomerang Effect. The trial of John Mitchell seems likely to result In convicting the prose cution. Chicago Chronicle. - Ml ,j. ". i.k:JfeftS.'i jfeMfeuj jJU aui. iJfc iV.wU-t, iutofetutuh-. AJdmtU. JT1 r Ml :kKi.