o
US)
5
ft
sFF at last!" I sighed. "Thank (oodnm, 1 can
now look forward to a pleasant holiday!"
I flung my cigar case on the opposite seat,
with a few magazines I had brought with me
tn beguile the six houra' journey that lay be
fore me; then, arranging things comfortably. I
ant down, and, pulling my cap over my eyes, I
leant back against the padded cushions of the
r.-t .-lass " smoker " that my porter had put me Into aid
lui.il my (jf with a amlle of content.
I was a fairly well to do lawyer and had but recently
1.. n rolled to the bar, though unfortunately bo far my career
1. . 1 been chiefly marked by the aheence of "cases." But
just 1). fore I began to think of my annual holiday I had been
, : mlxfd brief that. If I won my case, would Bet me on
nr. 1. k.iI feet, for I was ambitious and eager to ahow that I
;s t pubis of good work when the chance came my way.
. case wbb at follows: An old man of 70 had engaged as
secretary a young girl, In whom he had shown great con
nee and trust. It had afterwards transpired that ahe
..I been nothing less than a beautiful adventuress, who had
i -n. d the old chap's name to fabulous checks, and then d
.. ami. but the police had fl full description of her and
..-..re confident of catching her before long. As I was re
rj.d for the prosecution my Interest In the case was all
more keen because of what It might mean to me. Ite
- l"-s, I was curious to see this beautiful creature who had
: .t the whole of Scotland Yard at bay for so long, and
v evi-n now had eluded them. Then my thoughts wan
'i ied to my prospective holiday. I was going to stay with
: iv brother and his wife, whom I had never yet seen, having
vi. y posed na being too busy to get away when they asked
r.j to pny them a visit.
I was a bachelor of to, fairly well off, and not bad lo,k
ni,', yet 1 had never managed to meet a woman whom I
uld lnv. There had always been something that had h.ld
in. buck, so I was entirely ' heart free, and, as a rule, con
nted with my lot. My brother had written that they had
arranged a marriage" for me and that my arrival waa
' wked forward to with pleasure by them both, as they hoped
i . see me leave them an engaged man. Resides, I must con
f. that my eurloslfy was not a little roused concerning the
-irl about whose beauty they were raving.
As I lay with closed eyes, musing dreamily of all these
things, the train suddenly quickened Its pace and the thump,
i hump, thump of the wheels made me feel sleepy.
The paper in my hand slipped to the floor and In n f w
moments I hal dropped off Into a refreshing doze How
! ng It lasted I never knew, for suddenly I was roused from
my dreams by a scream that rose above the rush of the train
m.l thrilled me with a peculiar sense of fear. It waa the
ry of a aoul In mortal agony. I heard It twice, three times,
ach weaker than the last, and that final cry woke me from
the semi-conscious condition Into which my abrupt return to
every day life had flung me. The sound, so far as I could
Judge, had come from one of the compartments on cHher
side of me. The question was, which one?
Hastily opening the door, I got on to the footboard and
crawled along to the next compartment, clinging to the
handle of the door with all my strength. Gradually I dragged
myself along to the next window and looked In. i
What I saw made me hold my breath wltfi horror. The
iole occupants were a man and a woman and they weie.
struggling for dear life or death. It was a silent, horrible
battle that was being fought and I watched, fascinated by
the grim tragedy that held me spellbound. The man's face
was turned towards me; It was distorted and livid with fear
as he wrestled with his unnatural assailant. In appearance
he was clean shaven and elderly, while the woman, wh-se
back was towards me, waa tall and slender, with massea of
ied gold hair. , '
I could not see her face, but her hands, that tore so ma?Iy
it the man'e breast, were white and slender Iron bcneirh
Hie velvet glove and upon the little finger of her right h ind
I noticed she was wearing a curious ring that looked t o
large for her. It had one enormous s,tone, a brilliant tub,
that flashed on her white hand like a splash of blood I
seemed to notice all these details In the passing of a second;
then I realized that I was gazing upon an attempted murder,
for tho woman waa gradually urging the man towards the
diKir.
I raised my voice and tried to shout, but my tongue clung
to the roof of my mouth, and my Hps were parched. W'!h
i.ne flnul effort I got back Into my own compartment and
daggered to the communication button, pressing It tw'ce
just as the train shot Into another tunnel;" then I waited Im
patiently till It showed signs of stopping, which It did after,
about ten minutes.'
The guard oame hurrying up. followed by two other men,
whom I Instantly recognized as detectives.
" Well, air, what'a the matter?" he suld quickly.
" There has been a murder committed or an attempted
murder," I exclaimed, " In the next compartment to this.
1 got out on to the footboard and saw a man and a wemnn
struggling and she waa edging him towards the door. I.
heard the screms and came back here to atop the train."
When I had finished he opened the door of the compart
ment I had Indicated, followed by myself and the two de
tective. I peered In. expecting to see the signs of a dea
perate struggle, but to my amazement there waa no evidence
of any description to ahow that there had been an attempted
murder. In one corner aat a woman with a newsimper bc
f.we her, and in the other was a man leaning out of the win
dow. All was quiet and just aa Jt should have been and a
wave of confusion swept over me as I realized that I waa
regarded with suspicion by the guard and two detectives. 1
could not understand It. I had distinctly heard those three
i t bs of mortal agony and had Been a part of the struggle.
Hut what did It mean then how account for the common
place attitude of the sole occupants of the compartment In
which I. could awear I had witnessed the desperate struggle
.( some minutes ago?
" I am afraid, air, that you atopped the train a little no
hastily." the guard aald gruffly, snapping the door to after
i brief explanation to the now excited couple Inside. I had
r treated quickly to my own compartment, and ao did not
see the face of the traveler from whose mouth I had Imag
ined I had heard that agonized death cry.
" I am sorry," I said lamely, " but you may be aure thit
I did not atop the train without serious reason. I can't under
stand It myself."
What he would have replied I never knew, fur Just then
one of the men who were with him, and who had apparency
me If you found out something that I hud kept from you?"
I turned her face up to mine and gazed Into her eyes
dear wells of truth and beauty!
" I am ao aure that the only thing you are keeping from
me Is a kiss." I laughed. " that t promise you my full pardon
if you will let me have It now!" And aa our lips met I fancied
that I ht-ard a faint sigh.
That evening my brother and his wife left us alone to
my "gond-by" to each other. I waa to leave for London
the next day and Amber waa going to stay with a sister In
the north, then come on to town, where ahe shared flat
with a girl friend.
" I have something td give you before you go." ahe sm.d.
In hei low, pretty voice, as she stroked the engagement ring
I had put upon her slim linger. " It Is a ring-one my father
gave me. I used to wear It until lately, then my ring's
grew too thin, ao I put It away, but I want you to have It.
darling!"
been Investigating on hla own account, cried sharply: 0C:"''' mli f X
" The door at the other end of this next carriage is opi! g::--'-'i:;''i't tllll f jjf II Vl I
This Is probably the right one, after all, from which thit 1 ' ( ' , ' jU fiff I fjl Y ilJlVvtAV
In a few moments I had been proved correct, for a worn- f v" If 1 It' KravwirV fCyAX
a n'a hairpin a pole gilt one wasfound upon the ground, and l'$-&K'fi&K&$ii&- fli. ll'S AtteVVVuttvV X
on the aash of the window were ominous red stains. VJ-l?'"K'-f!. t j M KllLM M i lwlkvVmvV j' s S s s
"Murder and suicide!" muttered the guard. "The line g:-'f0-t''' 4-'f L l J V ''luYvrVvC'SV 'wWVZ '
will have to be searched. It probably happened In the tun- M ,'t'''':'ffji'':-- J J Tjt - t
Then my name and address were taken, for I was te- '-):yi,.:l I IlilttW I iVviCv' ""cAl
garded aa a " wltrcss " to the crime. As I was sitting back H-l'lfe-'SiV,!--! V . ' J JlLff IV. V I iV s2' A(90rV('
In my seat, feeling pretty well done up, one of the detectives :i'V0'''5':S';)',''-''vi: i'.? i 4 I VA V IvT'N J SXxC
came up to me and whispered: .4"'-! ? ? ' :'' '''' I yly ?jfcM V JvAS?V(
" I am afraid, sir, that we have lost our beauty!" j': yf ' NTCyggVy VCvyfA
"That my colleague find myself had come on the train 1$ 'IH JJy
to arrest a woman about whom we had received Information .'-'V;V uftfif wVVvrVMVvV
concerning her connection with Alma Leigh, the forger. I've ';- Yi HrIiBMfiwJ ixX(y&'''
got an Idea that the woman from whose head that yeUw V'','- ' rjffvf VwyVvw?wX
hairpin dropped is or waa Alma Leigh. Anyway, we Bn
prove that when the bodlea are found. They must be on the
line."
The train moved on and I waa left to digest another dis
agreeable point namely : that If Alma Leigh had taken her
own life as well na a fellow creature's, I had lost my first
big case and saw my chance of fame receding In the distance.
When I arrived at Torquay that quiet little country sta
tion was buzzing with the news already telegraphed that a
murder and suicide had taken place on the 10:10 down ex
press; them, while I waited about for further news before
going on to my brother'a house, news came that the body of
an elderly man had been found In the tunnel stabbed to the
heart, but no trace could be found of the woman who had
murdered him. Papers on the body proved that the dead
man waa Mr. John Gorton, who had recently been robbed
by hla missing secretary, Alma Leigh, against whom a prose
cution for theft was pending.
I sighed, then took a cab, and soon was driving up to
my brother'a house. Aa I arrived I noticed a carriage coming
away and wondered If It had contained another visitor.
"At laat, old man!" waa Dick'B hearty greeting. "We
had begun to wonder whether you had missed your train!"
I shook hands with him and my pretty Blster-lnMaw; then
started, as a tall, beautiful girl, with great gray eyes and a
mass of reddish brown hatr, came towards us. She was In
a traveling coat and aklrt and had not yet taken off her hat
ond glovea.
My alster-ln-law smiled suddenly.
"Amber, dear," ahe said easily, "this Is. my brothef-tn-law,
Mr. Claude BercaXord. Claude, this Is Miss Amber
Ielghton; she came by the same train aa yourself from town.
She has just told us of the awful murder in the traki!"
I looked at the girl with interest; the 111 fated 10:10 wa
not so bad after all. since It had brought her with it. She
moved away, and for the first time I saw that she fastened
her hair with gilt hairpins. Twice that day had I Been a
Similar colored hnlrpln for the first time In my life!
II.
" Back to work tomorrow good -by to holidays and ' love
In Idleness!" "
" But not good-by to love. He will be always with us!"
I looked down at the beautiful face that rested on my
shoulder, and my arm, unaccustomed to such caresses, tight
ened round the slim waist as I drew nearer to my heart the
woman who had, In a few weeks' holiday, become the sum
total of my future happiness. I had loved her the first nUht
I saw her, and then, one wonderful evening when we we-e
wntching the sun sinking behind a flame colored cloud I
asked her to be my wife.
"Claude," she said slowly, "you don't seem at all curious
about me to know what I was doing before you met me! I
might be a lady burglar for all you know!"
I laughed and kissed the red lips so near my own.
" Sweetheart, It la all aufflcient for me to know that you
were a friend of my s1ster;ln-law'B, and are Juat the dearest
and best, as well aa the most beautiful, girl I have ever seen.
Besides," I added, " how can I see a flaw In the woman I
love?"
" But tell me," she went on slowly, " would you forgive
She left the room and I picked up the evening paper thit
had Just come In. I had let things slide since I had fallei. in
love with Amber, and so It was with roused Interest that
my eye fell upon a sudden headline " The Murder In the
10:10!" "Where Is Alma Leigh?" Then It went on to say
that. In spite of the vigilant searching of the whole detective
force, the murderess of old Mr. Gorton was still at large.
The one clew in the hands of the police the gilt hairpin
had not helped them at all. I put the paper down thought
fully. The affair came back to me In a vivid flash, and 1
wondered how the woman, Alma I-elgh, had eluded her cap
tors. Amber's voice roused me from my reverie.
"What a solemn face!" she laughed gayly. "Thinking
about those horrible briefs?"
"Those 'horrible briefs' will mean an early marriage!"
1 retorted, drawing her to me. " But I was thinking about
a iost brief this time, darling. The man whose counsel I
was to have been and who was murdered In the train that
was bringing you and myself down to this place! You re
member?" She turned away suddenly. '
"O, don't talk about that awful murder now! See, dearest,
here Is the ring I want you to have!"
I took the ring from her and looked at It with interest.
It was a unique one of Its kind a blood red ruby Bet In a
curiously old fashioned style. As I glanced at It a sensation
of having seen It before flashed across me, and then memory
came with a sickening horror. It was the Image of the ring
that I had noticed that dreadful second on the hand of the
woman who had struggled with the old man In the 10:10
train! And then an awful thought seized me, chilling my
blood and causing a cold sweat to break out on my brew.
Amber the woman I loved had red gold hair; Bhe used gilt
hairpins In dressing It; and ahe O, heaven! she had trav
eled down In the same train!
Something of the agony In my heart must have shown
Itself In my face, for she cried quickly:
"Dear, you are ill! What Is It? Why does that ring
startle you?"
I kept her oft with one hand, while I said hoarsely:
"Tell me, were you wearing this rlhg coming down In
the train?"
' Tes," she answered slowly, her great yr filling with
1-ewllderment. " but I don't understand" (
I laughed her pose of Innocence waa so awful In , the
face of what I knew, the secret I had discovered!
"Don't lie to me!" 1 cried harshly. "I know now wr.nt
s whlted scpulcher you are! Tour hands Sr red with, the
Mood of a fellow creature! And yet, I-O. God, that I shru'd
cwn It I loved you for your white purity!"
"Of what do yoti accuse met" ahe aald slowly. " I tt-ve
right to know. At present I am In the dark!"
" . saw what took place between you and your victim!"
i replied hoarsely. " I noticed this ring on your hand n 1
looked through the window from the footboard. Yet that
fool of a guard swore that the murder had taken place In
the other carriage because the door was open. It was Just
a clever blind, that's all!" I laughed wildly. " You went
about It cleverly!"
She made no answer, but something In her white, tense
tace made me say more quietly:
" Tell me, did you not struggle desperately with a man
In that train, and did you not wear this ring? If you deny
It. Amber, I will even now try to believe you!"
She threw back her beautiful head With a scornful laugh
and a delicate color flamed out In her pale cheeks.
" You are right: I did struggle with a man In the train,
and I was wearing this ring, but I decline to be questioned
further!" she went on proudly. "If you think you have se
cured Alma Leigh, the murderess of that old man, you kn iw
your remedy! 1 refuse to humble myself further to a man
who Is ready to bellfve evil of me at the first opportunity!"
She moved to the door, and as I gaaed after her a midden
compunction seized me. Had I been wrong, after all? Had
a terrible mistake occurred?
" If you can clear yonroelf, do so!" I said quickly. " I
will listen to any explanation. Only don't deceive me. I I
loved you! I will even let you go If you confess to having
committed the crime!"
"Thnnk yon! That Is generoue!" she retorted coldly.
"You have Judged and condemned before you heard my de
fense and now I am going out of your life foreverl"
The door opened and closed. Then suddenly I reallred
what I had done. I had driven away the woman I lov.d,
driven her to what?
The following day I left frfr London by an enrly train,
and aa I Btepped out of the train a placard caught my eye.
It ran:
" Keported arrest of the murderess, Alma Leigh!"
III.
Six months later I was dining with a fellow lawyer at a
restaurant In Piccadilly. The time that had gone had flIUd
my days with work; cases had come In gradually, and In
battling with the woes of my clients I had to put aside my
own private griefs. The sensational arrest of Alma Leigh
In Ostend had been quickly followed by her suicide an! a
written confession, In which' she admitted having traveled
by the same train as Mr. Gorton In order to exercise her old
wiles over him; then, when he refused to listen to her, she
had stabbed him, and pushed him out of the compartment
when the train was In a tunnel, afterwards crawling along
the footboard, and dropping quietly Into a ditch when he
train pulled up, and escaping across country to a lonely
farmhouse, where ahe" staid till the hue and cry died do-vn:
then she got away to France, minus her golden wig and
other disguise, and where for a time she. was snfe until
Nemesis overtook her. But what I felt most Was that I had
cruelly wounded the woman I loved, whom a strange, be
wildering Bcrles of coincidences had placed In a similar posi
tion, and though I rejoiced that 1 had been wrong, yet I
grieved that my miserable mistake had lost me the love of
the sweetest woman on earth. Amber Lelghton had left my
brother's home, giving no reason, and had dropped out of
sight. I searched for a long time, hoping to meet her some
where, but with no luck; and then I gradually devoted mv
sclf to the work, trying to crush the mad longing that would
rise In my heart when I thought of the tender beauty and
charm of my lost sweetheart.
Feeling the need of relaxation, I one night went to the
Indsor theater. 1 wns early and sat watching the people
as they arrived and were seated by the ushcra. The curtain
rose and when 1 beheld the herolno I started In surprise
It wns either a prnnk of my overtaxed nerves or I "wns
rnce ngaln looking at Amber Lelghton. In spite of makeup,
environment, everything, there could be no mistaking that
beautiful voice and graceful carriage. I looked St the name ,
on the program. It was " Amber Gray."
As I watched I saw that In one act there was e scene in a
train between the heroine and the " heavy " man. lie had
attempted to rob her of Important papers, and she, to save
her lover, tries to stab him, while he Is dragging her towards
too open window.
And aa I realized that I had seen that desperate strugple
before, the whole truth, simple now that I understood, burst
upon me. I had witnessed a rehearsal which I had mistaken
for the real thing. When the curtain rang down I waited
Impatiently outside the stage door. Would she see me cr
would Bhe send me away aa a just punishment for my harsh
ness? At last she came out a tall, graceful figure In black.
I stumbled towards her.
"Amber," I said hoarsely, "I want to ask your forgie
nese, and then I I will go."
Her eyes flashed Into mine for an Inatant; then she said
gently:
" I saw you tonight. I knew you would understand at
last what had puzzled you."
" If you only had told me." I snld.
" 1 wanted to, but you would not let me. I rehearsed '
that scene with our new 'heavy' man, who was Joining the
company, and had no time to rehearse any other way. I had
kept my profession a secret from your brother' and his wife,
and so all that miserable mistake came about through .ry
cllence and your distrust!"
" And you will forgive me?" I pleaded earnestly.
" Yes, on one condition," she murmured.
" And that Is?" I queried, a sudden hope Ailing my veins
with fire.
" That you stay, Claude," she whispered tremulously,
" stay, and take my love with my forgiveness, dearest."
And as I kissed her dear Hps In the shadow of the hansom
that drove us away from the stage door, I once again stepped
back Into the kingdom of love.
Practical Olints for the SBusu Oousek
For Sunday Breakfast
Nothing is nicer to those who enjoy Bos
ton brown bread and baked beans and cod
llsh bulls thun the New England Sunday
breakfast, which depends mulnly on thine
thrte urtlcles for its menu.
For the Bouton brown bread sift together
one cup yellow cornmeal, oue cup rye meal,
" e-half teaspoon salt, and two teaspoons
1 Add one-half cup warm, not hot. wa
fer on cup thick sour milk, and one-half
up molars. Mix thoroughly, turn lnto,a
buttered mold, and steam three hours after
l,,Kor tlwbuked Ueuns a la Boston let one pint
.'Van. souk In cold soft water over nltjl.t.
Vu-h. rinse, and parboil until the towns cun
be Vastly Pierced with a needle. Change
he water twice during the process, add one
uspoon sodu. Rlns 1" hot water Put one
half the beans in the bean pot. then one
m arllr pound salt pork, scalded in hot water.
d scored as to rind for cutting in lives,
i d the rest of the bene. and over them
pour one tablespoon each mustard and salt.
,nd a scant fourth of a cup molasses, mixed
th sutltclent hot water to cover. Bake
about t ight hours In a alow oven, keeping the
' overi-d with water and the Ud on until
In!! last hour Then remove the lid and
brown the beans. . , , .
For the codilsh balls the New Lnglund
lu.usekwper pares six potatoes, medium sis,
and cuts In quarters. Put one cup raw t. It
codfish, picked Into small pieces, above the
potatoes In a saucepan. Pour boi ng water
.bout the potatoes and cook till tender.
lruln off the water and set the wjucepun.
overed with a cloth, on the buck of the range
to dry the potatoes. Mash thoremghly and
old paprika or black peppe r to taste. Beat
an egg until the white and yelk are well
mixed. Add gradually a little of the nh bull
mixture mid whe n well dii nneu irem ...
!iy in the saucepan and beat thoroughly,
-luepe the mixture Into smooth balls, press
n g lightly Into shape. Fry deep fat.
Mimklng hot. Vse frying basket, and cook
..bout live at a time.
Is Sa id
Or the dabbler In music, or in art. or in
tele nee, " O. she knows wily enough of that
to ulk about It!"
From one viewpoint the dabbler's In a.
trivial attainment, but to be conversant with
even the jargon of a study Is better than to
remain totally ignorant concerning it. Be
sides, ahe who knows the terminology of
music or art sufficiently to talk intelligently
about either cun scarcely full to pick up
scraps of information occasionally. The fact
that a woman has cared enough for a topic
to trouble herself to learn its phases argues
the possibility of her appreciating further
knowledge.
Since one cannot go to the bottom of every
thing, she can be well enough educated to
gain enjoyment for herself and other by
taking such selected knowledge as comes in
her way. It Is mt necessury to bean Italian
scholar to he able to reud and appreciate the
" Inferno." nor need one know Greek to en
joy the " lliud." Translations, collations,
and anthologies are meant for the help of
t hose whose ot her duties preclude their going
to the fountain head for their Instruction
and their enjoyment.
It may be debated, Indeed, whether the
general reader, the general student, does not
elo more to benefit her kind at large than doe
the rpeclallst who limits herself to one or
two branches of study, who never reads a
book that does not touch upon her specialty,
and who can discuss nothing but her hobby.
While the one ldeaed woman has her usea
equally important seem the uses of th
maUerer.
ouseKeeper.
Tinned Meats
As the English call canned meats, are
cheapest when they represent the best
brands In the market. They should be
opened and turned out on a dish fully bait an
hour before using, even whe n the'y art to be
se rved without pre peuatlon of any kind.
Kee p the roust beef. If you wish to serve It
as such. In as solid a pine us possible, and
If necessury tie a string around it or use
ticks to keep It together. As It requires
but slight cooking, all the accessories, like
browned potatoes, should be prepared before
hand by putting the potatoes In ti e rousting
pan with butter and suit, and whe n brown lay
the bcf in the center of the pan with a
dredging of flour mid a shred of onion, and let
It get nicely browned.
Another way Is to take from the cun only
tho pieces fre-e from gristle and fat. cut the m
into njiiiun and set ustde. Nuw j ut u lubn-
spoon of butter into the stewpan, with an
equal amount of lurd, and when it Is boiling
hot add sUced onions, then Hour us for gruvy,
salt and pepper, and take from the fire. Then
put a layer of thin sliced potutoee. a scrap
of tomato, and some of the beef, and soon
until all of the beef is used; then add perhaps
one cup hot wuter, with what gravy can be
obtained from the can. enougli wuter, at any
rute, to cover the meat and potutoee, put the
lid on the pan and set it where the stew will
simmer, nit berli. for abt.ut twenty minutes.
Puff or dough bulls are an addition and lend
an appetising look to the dish.
Tha scraps left from Die cun should be used
for soup or making gravy, or they may be
chopped tine with an onion and then added to
a rich white sauce mode of flour and butter
and a bit of cream or milk. Let the sauce
thicken and then add the meat; it should
only be on the Ore long enough to get thor
oughly hot. and when ready muy be serve-d
on slices of buttered toast. Canned beef
make excellent soup and good pies aa well
as vegetable steW8.
Canned mutt cm can be made Into broth
with barley or rice, stewed with peas, and
served with mashed potatoes, or creunied
the sume as the beef, or used for croquettes,
which is perhaps the mist satisfactory way
of disposing of it.
Corned or pressed beef, if used as it comes
from ttve car needs to be thinly sliced and
eaten with mustard and baked potatoes or
new bread. In southern Florida It Is mads
into a stew thus: Put potatoes on to boll
In Just enough water to cover, not more,
cutting ihe potatoes In half or quarters If
they are large; add a silted onion and two
or three tomatoes, season and let cook In. a
covered pot until the potatoes are soft.
Then mid the beef cut in squares, being most
careful not to stir the stew after the bef Is
a del tel. and take It from the fire as soon us the
meat Is thoroughly hot. Or fry tomatoes
and put a layer in a deep dish, then one of
thin sliced pressed beef, then tomatoes and
so on until the dish is full, being careful to
have tomatoes on the top; then set the dish
Into the oven for a few minutes.
this idea of dally service or of employing a
woman who, In common parlance, does day's
work than has ever been fully developed.
Washing and scrubbing at present are the
principal duties of such workers. But these,
although they represent the hardest labor,
cover only a small part of the dally house
work. J The sweeping and dusting, the se-wlng. the
cooking, the dish washing, the "cleaning
up "most interminable of the tasks, thi
mending, and chamber work all come Info
house life and Into the line of a housekeeper's
duties. Somebody has to see that they are
well done, often to do them. And the time
and the patience and the strength which go
into these " little things " nobody but the
woman who doe them knows.
Darning stockings with the attendant fea
tures of sewing on buttons represents a batch
of work which comes regularly every week
to be done end is a sore trial to the woman
who longs tospend the time It takes In accom
plishing other things. Yet she knows these
tanks are necessary and that they must be
accomplished for the comfort and well being
of the family In her keeping.
There are plenty of women who cannot do
finished or high class work, yet to whom
mending stockings, darning, cleaning up of
rooms, snd dusting would be light and agree
able work, women who, having ample time,
would be willing to do this Important yet
trivial housework for the small sum of money
the service Is worth. They need not be high
ly educated or extremelv imn. rr,en
They need only be quick, willing, and ready
for any and every trifle that comes up for
somebody to do.
Plenty of places await such workers.
The women who are starving at making
shirts for fl cents apiece and trousers at 6
cents a pair, of whom one hears, would here
And easier, pleasanter. and more profitable
work than by keeping body and soul to
gether on their present pittance wage.
S8u yJda Jt. Zfcrecker.
blouse to harmonise with the pfclrt. I nm
sure that many of us who are obliged to
buy frocks of an Inexpensive order must
sometimes Invest In one the bodice of which
Is 111 fitting and even unwearable.
Then, again, nowadays we hste anything
tlglut or uncomfortable, and if a bodice
should nnewer to this description we dis
card It altogether and replace It by a blouse
that will " go " with the skirt.
We are In the midst of miles, and we shall
probably find some bargains In the shape
of blouse lengths, but It Is more than likely
that the sleeves of the sale blouse will hove
to be altered. The best blouses for morning
wenir have plain tight sleeves, while the more
elaborate nneu are full at the top and have
a deep, cavalier cuff at the wrist, or Just
below the elbow.
The smartest French blouses of tke mo
ment nre of a neat order, doing up at the
back, with tucked fronts finished with fancy
studs. These nre made In taffeta, satin, and
fine llnon. and though they pouch in the
front and sometimes at the back they are
n-at. Then, many ef these are made with
soft batiste linings, but I think there are
few things more difficult to make than a
tight fitting or lined blouse. It requires tho
best of dressmakers to make It look well.
Bather smart are the plain silk or satin
blouses In black, navy blue, or white, with
a tiny velnlng of another color run through,
worn with a deep, white suede or silk elastic
belt. These are also finished with a cravat or
Jabot of lace. Severe as the blouse may be.
there is always u softening touch about it
which gives a chic finish.
Fine hand stitching plays an Important
part In the blouse of the moment. How well
does the tucked blouse of crepe de chine look
with entredeux of lace or embroidery I Em
broidered Insertion Is also charming, as Is
a series of tiny tucks or plaits with rows of
fancy stitching in between.
enough to make it fall gracefully over a
Bklrt lightly trimmed with sinull silk muslin
designs Intermlng.ed with luce.
Each sleeve was formed of u pointed piece
of crepe de chine, bordered by an entre-deux,
which floated over a luce undersleeve.
It was, in short, a Tanagra robe, worked us
It would have been by a Louis XV. dress
maker. Nothing could be better Indicated
for u young woman who wishes tei conceal
her waist for u time. I'nder the folds of this
delicious garment everything can be dissim
ulated, tend nothing seems evident but the
ease and gruce of youth. '
Concerning Blouses
One
Of the moat practical suggestions for I err
Ice Is that of the woman who comes In t
work by tlie " day." Thcie. u much more In
There Is little doubt that, come what may,
the blouse will never die out, fur though it
Is not worn with a skirt of a different color
at big receptions, It Is quite smart worn
with a .cost and skirt. Then often, when a
bodice is a failure, we ure glud to have a
Among the Truly
Parisian " deshabilles " which I have seen
lately, and which recall nothing of the Insu
lar tea wrap, from which they have originat
ed, I saw h beauty the other day in white
crepe de chine, peplum form, draped at the
buck and across the shoulders.
The rrfpe de chine, which was extremely
soft, was bordered by an ent re-deiix of Ale n
e;on luce two fingers' breadths wide. Just
In Paris
Evening dresses have never been prettier or
more luxurious than they are at the present
time. A dress unadorned with embroidery,
sequins, Incrustratlons of rich guipure or
costly lace, would be unworthy of a true
woman of fashion, and, though a restrained
simplicity Is In excellent taste fur afternoon
and morning coatumes, the most dazzling
luxury Is reserved for evening dress.
Comparing fashion plates of only fifty years
ago with those of the present day it becomes
evident at a glance to whutSi pitch of refined
and sumptuous elegance evening dress has
arrived.
Everything, of course, has to be In harmony
and the Jewels that are worn now are of In
comparable splendor. The art nouveuu Is
perhaps less exacting In Its choice of gems,
but It compensates for that by the magnifi
cence of Its style. Greek ornamentation gave
It Its first Inspiration, and now the empire
style is b. coming more and more fashionable,
fur collurs. bracelets, and diadems.
This tendency la all the more remarkable,
for It Is beginning to supplant the Louis XV.
and Louis XVI. styles, which seemed to have
acquired such uu assured fooling (or several
years past.
Evening coiffures are elaborate, but avoid
every appearance of being so. The hulr Is.
of course, still waved, but the undul itioiiH
are made larger and less distinct. Indi pend
ence Is fashion's leading note, and first
among Ihe details eif dress which should b?
subject to It should certainly corns the head
dress. Is not the hair nature's own frame- to I In
lace' The natural character of the face
should consequently have the greatest in
fluence in determining the nature of the
coiffure.
It tnuBt be no longer possible to say that
a high or a low style of dressing the hair
Is In favor, or that puffs or bands are more
fashionable. Women have every right tl
look their best, that Is, to look themselves,
to be original. In a word, and In the ma iter
of coiffure their originality will alwaya be
pleasing, provided, of course, that It be con
fined within the bounds of moderation.
It la curious to note what thin dresses
are worn In the theaters quite summer
dresses. A woman does not look ridicu
lous even If she wears gauze or voile. And
plenty of women there are at the present
moment who are turning their last sum
mer's dresses to good account for the theater.
A dress which may have lost Its original
freshness passes muster well under the
brilliant lights of the auditorium, -although
It would certainly not do so by daylight.
Macaroni Methods
CHEESE MAfAKONI.-Take four ouncea
of large macaroni, four ounces grated Par
mesan e he-ese, half pint milk, half pint stock,
one ounce butter, salt and cayenne, and one
teaspoon made mustard. Throw the maca
roni Into a sauce pan of boiling water and
s-ult; cook till quite Mift, orubou.t forty-flv
minute; then strain and cut Into small
pieces. Warm (tie milk and adit the slock ;
stir and bring to the boll. Cut the butter Into
small pieces, stir It In, add Ihe mustard If
required; put half the grated cheese Into the
sauce. When all Is well mixed put In the
macaroni and aeason to taste. Turn all Into
a buttered dish and sprinkle t he remalrulerof
the cheese over the top to brown.
WITH TOMATO BAl'CK. Quarter pound
macaroni, one small onion, half ounce but
ter, two ounces cheese, one and a half tuble.
sfsjons cream, two tablespoons stock, one
pinch nutmeg, tomato i-Huc e, p pper and salt
to taste. Cook the macaroni with the onion
till tender. Pun the butter Into a saucepan,
add to It the cream and stock, and a little
nutmeg and tomato sauce, with pepper and
salt If nettled. Ibf. this up ond. mix It wlUi
the macaroni, place all in a file dish, lay the
cheese und bread crumbs on the top, ulid
bake until u nice la own i