156 



NEW ENGLAM) FARJklER. 



March 



cilage before it has had time to penetrate the 

 texture. This is a very delicate operation ; 

 for if, on the one hand the gum is allowed to 

 run through the silk, or if on the other, the 

 coals are kept too long under one place, the 

 piece is spoiled. In the first instance it would 

 be stained beyond power of cleaning, and in 

 the second it would be burned. None but 

 trusty workmen are confided with this task, 

 and even with the most proved hands there is 

 sometimes damage. When ten yards of the 

 piece have been gummed and. dried they are 

 rolled round the second cylinder, and ten 

 more are unwound. This is repeated till the 

 end. But the silk, with its coating of dry 

 gum, is then stiff to the touch and crackles 

 like cream-laid note-paper when folded. To 

 make it soft and pliant again, it is rolled 

 anew some six or seven times under two dif- 

 ferent cylinders, one of which has been 

 warmed by the introduction of hot coals in- 

 side, and this is suflicient to give it that 

 bright, iiew look which we all so much admire 

 in fresh silk. — Cornhill Magazine. 



OLD MAIDS. 



There is a stigma of reproach cast upon the 

 term "old maid" — too often justly so, I ad- 

 mit. But where does the fault lie .'' I know 

 two women who may be cast in this category — 

 unmarried, forty years old, or thereabouts. 

 Both are of good family, the daughters of 

 wealthy men. The one, some dozen years 

 ago, finding, as no sensible woman can fail to 

 find, that fashionable life had nothing in it to 

 satisfy her, made a stand for herself. She 

 told her family that she must have a life of 

 her own. She had no especial gifts, except a 

 remarkable aptitude for business, inherited 

 from her father. In a quiet way she had 

 turned her attention to fruit-growing, a branch 

 of industry offering many attractions to her, 

 and into that business she determined to en- 

 ter. Fortunately she had sufficient money 

 left her by her grandfather, to be able to 

 carry out her plans, despite the sneers of her 

 fashionable acquaintance, and the objections 

 and obstacles raised by the home circle. She 

 established herself on a fruib-farm in the west- 



ern part of this State. Her work prospered. 

 Now she is the owner of several hundred 

 acres, and has constant and remunerative oc- 

 cupation of a kind agreeable to her. After a 

 few years her father died, and, instead of the 

 rich man he was estimated, he was found to 

 be bankrupt. This daughter had a comforta- 

 ble home and sup])ort to offer her mother and 

 invalid sister. She has quite a settlement of 

 work people, men and women, to whom she 

 and her sister minister in various ways. In 

 fact, she lives a life which is useful to others 

 and develops her own powers, and in the con- 

 sciousness of that she finds happiness and 

 peace. — LippincoWs Magazine. 



AN IHISH STEW. 



On a cold winter's day an Irish stew is a 

 very toothsome thing. Many compounds call- 

 ed by the name are not the real thing, and 

 we have seen heterogeneous mixtures of beef 

 and various vegetables served as Irish stew. 

 You can no more make Irish stew out of 

 beef than you can pea soup of pebbles. 

 Mutton is the basis ; beef makes a good 

 stew, but it isn't "raale Irish." Then thb 

 stew is not only good but economical, as the 

 neck piece of mutton is the part generally 

 preferred. Cut the neck into chops, and 

 wash if bloody. Two and a half pounds of 

 mutton require eight good-sized potatoes, 

 four small onions, and a quart of water. 

 Now in the cooking judgment is required ; the 

 meat must be thoroughly done, so as to leave 

 the bone readily, for picking is a part of the 

 pleasure in eating the stew, and the potatoes 

 must be cooked to that point at which they 

 are just ready to go to pieces and have ab- 

 sorbed a good part of the gravy. So if the 

 meat appears at all tough, it had better be 

 steweci awhile by itself ; then add the pota- 

 toes cut in thick slices, the onions, and pepper 

 and salt. It is to be served very hot, as it is 

 apt to be very rich with fat, and mutton fat 

 hardens readily. This is, of course, not a 

 dish for those who cannot tolerate fat ; but 

 most persons who take much exercise in cold 

 weather actually need a good share of fatty 

 food. 



