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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (March 31, 1905)
-r 3irrvJwr jm. The Commoner. a VOLUME 5, NUMBER n Wanted A "Knack" 0 I am u woman whose liouso is a Bight! From garret to cellar there's nothing that's right; Though day after day I am striving and straining To reach perfect neatness, I'm never attaining. While I'm washing the windows, the carpets get dusty; While I'm cleaning the pantry, the parlor gets musty ; My meals are behind time, and always have been; And I just get my beds made in time to get in; The neighbors make comment, "Alas! and Alack! Poor thing! She works hard and don't want to bo slack; But, somehow or other, she hasn't the knack." What a fine thing 'twould be, if I only had knack! Now, I have a neighbor whose house is just right Whenever you enter, from morning till night; She gives a touch here, and she give a pat there, And all iB in order, from cellar to stair. When I ask for the reason, her friends all can tell "Oh, she just has the knack of doing things well. It is not that she works any more than her neighbors, But sho knows how to get good re sults from her labors." It is plain she is blessed with the gift of great knack That coveted blessing which most of us lack. 0, is there no merchant who traffics in knack By retail or wholesale, in bundle or sack? Or is there no ship that sails over the sea That will bring in its cargo this great knack for me? There's many a peddler, out tramp ing the road Is there one with a remnant of knacks in his load? O'er mountain, through valleys, I'll fol low his track, I'll seize him by force and I'll rifle nis pack, For I am determined, what e'er else I lack, To somehow get hold of this great thing a knack. New York Sun. J be absorbed into the system again, if the garments are worn ioo ions, sm other requisite for a good complexion is wholesome food. Proper foods are not rich foods, but are within the reach of the very poor. Refreshing sleep is another neces sity, and this is not always to be ob tained, owing to many causes quite impossible to overcome at all times. Plenty cf fresh air .by day and thor ough ventilation of the bedroom at night arc necessary, and the best cos metic known is a bright, cheerful, opti mistic frame of mind. This may be cultivated, and will become a habit, if we will but exercise our wills and re solve to think only of pleasant things. There is a great deal of happiness in this world, if we only try to find it, and, if one really wishes to be beauti ful, one must cultivate a beautiful spirit. Beauty must come from within." These days, plant-lovers will find that window plants are just like chil dren, and need much the same care. They will get hungry and thirsty and dirty and lousy, and they must be washed, fed, watered, "toniced," and otherwise waited upon, and then, even with the best of care, there will be complaints, colds, and all manner of plant ailments. Many of them must be taken to the plant doctor and left In the greenhouse for treatment, while otliers will linger along until they or sour pickles. Carrots, beets and turnips may all be chopped together and seasoned with horseradish one half-cupful of grated horseradish to two quarts of vegetables, with sweet ened vinegar to cover. ct nnfntnpci shniilfl Iig freshened by letting stand in water, then cut into small lengthwise pieces, cook a few minutes, nour off the water in which they are boiled and cover with a cream that has been tnickeneu ana wen sea soned. The potatoes should be well crisped by standing "in cold water be fore cooking, or they are apt to go to pieces' especially if cooked too much. Or, cut into lengthwise pieces, after being crisped and pared, and fry in smoking hot lard until brown, and serve hot. Cabbage and onions cooked together is a southern dish about one-third onions to two-thirds cabbage cooking the onions an hour and the chopped cabbage about half as long. ''jVhen ten der, combine, season with salt, pepper and butter and serve. Parsnips may be dug and used freely. They make fine spring dishes for those who, like them. Fashion Notes x A narrow vest will make any woman appear slighter, and so will upright plaits or decorations on a bodice; but these accesories must be of a color to harmonize with the wearer's comnlex- I Ion. TflvAwVinrlv rati worn' wnrm "l-ifi-vnm could be put out into the ground, and tones, of which cinnamon, seal, and a 4-Uam ,1S ..-..1. XI .. t it I liiwu uiu just as uieir saivauon comes, yenow russet are tne friendliest, and wLuia aun win ave, out tneir exis- tnese colors are always steadfast in tence, even out in the border, will be a perpetual reproach to us, and their stunted lives will bear testimony throughout all the summertime, of our neglect of them during the winter days just gone. To be successful with the winter garden, one must beeln ttm study of plant life in the spring, and fabrics of good quality. Light colored gloves apparently in crease the dimensions of large hands; black suedes are most charitable to hands that are not small and shapely. Only women with small feet should wear colored shoes or slinners. All or naments, save, perhaps, black bows or i? e leSSS?S thr?u the sum- rosettes,' call attention to the feet, and mer course. The time to beein vour next year's window garden is, for many things, right now. Soft, relaxed muscles of the face may be improved by bathing the face and neck twice a week with equal parts of milk and whisky, well mixed. First wash the faco thoroughly, then apply the lotion wlt.li n Rnff wv.. afterwards massage the face well for five minutes. Like all other complet ion remedies, this should be used per severingly for months, if good results are to bo attained. Home Chats I am going to let a sister editor en tertain you, today, as she says what I might say so much better than I could. Hero is what she has to say: "One can not succeed in having a good complexion unless she applies the various remedies with patience and persevorence. Months are often required to effect an improvement, and if a remedy is used spasmodically and occasionally dropped altogether, one need not be surprised if it fails of the desired result. One of the most im- liuruint conditions or a good complex ion is perfect cleanliness of person and clothing. A woman who changes her underclothing but once a week in warm weather, and who sleeps in the undergarments worn during the dav will find that the clothing worn next the skin soon becomes charged with the waste of the body, and this will For Early Spring Dishes To use up the remnants of winter vegetables, try these recipes: To cook beets: If wilted, lay in wa ter to freshen, then cook until tender, chop into dice; make a clear cream dressing just thick enough to coat the beets, season with pepper and salt and serve. Another way is to chop them, season with pepper, salt and vinegar, butter and, if liked, sugar and serve hot. ' For rutabagas or turnips, cook in a good dea of water, changing the water ., WVC!l W1LU not vinegar, se son with butter, pepper and sal and serve hot. Or mash well, season wUh butter, pepper, salt and, if liked, sugar For carrots, freshen .them in water clean, cut into pieces about three inches ong, cook until very tender cover with a cream dressing just thick enough to coat each piece, season wit salt, pepper, and, if liked, a little sugar. Carrots may be made into sweet should, therefore, be avoided bv wnm en with unattractive pedal extremities. Fabrics showing large printed or brocaded figures apparently increase the size of the wearer, while small figured materials have the opposite ef fect. Vertical stripes of weave or color, if not too broad, seem to lessen the breadth and increase the height of the form; cross stripes accentuate uruuuiii. Very slender women should select glossy material rather than dead col ors. Broken lines in drapery become tall, willowy figures, while straight classic lines are best for their oppo-sites. It s a curiously prevalent blunder for elderly women to wear very som ber raiment. The ripened year is rich in coloring, and the sunsets we most admire are splendid with purple and gold, rose and amber, violet and pink; but women of mature years have, un til recently, mistakenly chosen the sad dest colors and the least becoming modes of fashioning their attire At present, the more intelligent of daugh Si In?lB' on revolutionizing their mothers' attire. Elderly women should by all means wear pretty colors, if for no other reason than to assure heir young friends that the decline of Ute can be cheery and full of happi- The Habit of Lying I wonder how many of our bovs knoW what a small, disreputable tiling it is to be a habitual liar I hone no? SS? mT' by their ence, nut I am sure some of i,n have seen other hoys who are so ruiM by the habit of, untruthfulness 5 they are in no wise desirable asSJ dates. Indeed, everyone avoids a liar whether young or old, and as to trust ing one bless me! it can not be dono The boy who is not truthful will eet all the hard knocks, all through lifP unless he reforms, and even then thn reputation he has made for himself during youth will never quite leavn him. The habit of lying will make its mark on the face and show itself in the eyes, and even when he is telling the truth whioh every one sometimes does he will be treated with suspl. cion. Very few of the better class ot boys will want to associate with him and l;e will be a marked boy on tho playground; only those like him will care to have anything to do with him, When he gets out into the world honest men will avoid him, and he will not get the help and favor shown him which, at some time in their life, most young men sorely need. Nobody will feel like trusting, or vouching for his character. He may make money thieves and gamblers can do that; but making money is not the best to bo made in life, though money, if honestly acquired is a good thing to have. But there are other things, jso much better than money, which he can never have, if he persists in dishonesty. One does not nave to use words in order to lie: "actions speak louder than words," at times, and the most dishonest of men do not do mucli talking. Then, too, one gets to be dishonorable, as well as dishonest, through the lying habit, and the better class of people are always against such men. I don't think any of our boys want to get such a reputation, and the only way for one to get a good reputation is to build up a good character by truth fulness, honesty and honoring himself while he is a boy. Query Box Tessie. The old, worn linen is al most invaluable for polishing furni ture. You are fortunate in possessing it. M. S. Scratches may be removed from highly polished wood by rubbing with woolen cloth saturated with boiled linseed oil. S. L. Shellac dissolved in alcohol may be used as a varnish. Your deal er will give you proper proportions. Housewife. Clean the wire clothes line with a cloth saturated with gaso line. It is much better than soap-suds. Amasa. For the stains on bird's-eye maple and oak, if they have penetrat ed very deeply, it will be necessary to have the wood scraped and re-finished. F. M. For the removal of the finger marks on polished furniture, rub with a chamois leather moistened with vin egar and water, equal parts, and rub well with a soft dry cloth or chamois skin. Harriet M. It is claimed that cel ery, eaten freely, raw or cooked, pro duces alkaline blood, and will thus route the uric acid which causes rheu matism and kindred diseases. I can not say, from experience. L. S. For the white stains on ma hogany, loft by the hot water jug, rub in a little oil, then pour a little spirits of wino on the spot and rub well; polish with a soft, dry cloth. Mrs. J. B. If the white paint s much soiled, it may be cleaned by riu bing with whiting wet to the consist ency of cream with tepid water. Pol ish with a dry cloth. . Agness. Clean the light-colored cloth coat with Fuller's earth. Sprin kle the powder on every part of the cloth and rub it well in with a clean, stiff brush; then brush out carefully For the grease spot, before going over the whole garment, spread the pow AN OLD AND WELL TItlED REMEDY. Mrs. WlNBLOW'fl SOOTHING Stnur lor Mliaiw toothing should always bo used for children wmw teethlnir. It aoftono the ruimb, allays all PJ.chuiS" wind chollo nnd 1b thn boat romody for dlarrato Twonty-flvo coats a bottlo. sure some of them i-AsnaffswMKiEtsn -WS A , - CV m .xiJV 4bw.,