ladies' department. 
227 
CctMea' SJqjavtnunt 
A VIRGINIA HOUSEWIFE. 
Some of our northern readers suppose that all 
at the south, entitled to the rank of ladies, never 
take upon themselves household cares ; that is, 
none of them are housewives, in the sense which 
they are quaintly described in Tusser. A 
housewife 
"Who seom&fh in labor to equal the pains 
Of husband who striveth to bring in the gains." 
and again : 
" Though in field good husband it is needful should be, 
Good housewife within is as useful as he." 
Just such a one, at least, is one of my Virginia 
acquaintances. She is a lady in every accepta- 
tion of the word — wife of a wealthy gentleman 
who resides in one of those elegant mansions 
upon the banks of James River, upon one of the 
six first-settled estates in the ancient colony of 
Virginia. Notwithstanding she has numerous 
servants to do her bidding, yet no matron of a 
New-England farmhouse is more of a house- 
wife than this lady. 
On a recent visit to this most lovely and in- 
teresting family, I found the lady in her kitchen, 
personally superintending the operation of put- 
ting up the lard of fifty porkers, for family use 
— a duty as she assured me, which she had not 
failed to attend to but once while she had been 
mistress of that house, and in all the time, never 
had failed to have sweet lard at all seasons, the 
great secret of which lies in personal superin- 
tendance, to know that it is cleanly rendered 
and well cooked, and put up, not too hot, in 
sweet tubs, (oak is the best wood,) or good stone 
jars, and these put away in a cool place. 
True, the time has not been a very long one, 
for she is yet a young, as well as a very hand- 
some housewife ; but she has been the mother 
of nineteen children, thirteen of whom are living, 
and every morning "rise up and call her bles- 
sed." Need I add that the children are an honor 
to such a mother, or that her noble husband 
" knoweth and esteemeth his treasure," as a 
good wife always is a treasure to him who de- 
serveth her? 
" Now out of this matter this lesson I add, 
Where ten wives are better, ten more are more sad." 
And this is not a solitary instance, but a fair 
sample of the way in which the highly-educated, 
polished ladies of southern planters " Looketh 
after the ways of their own household." The 
exceptions are among those who have been 
spoiled, (not educated,) in fashionable boarding 
schools. Solon. 
A Nice Tea Rusk — Good Hot or Cold. — Beat 
seven eggs, and mix with $ pint new milk, ^ lb. 
melted butter, i pint of yeast, 3 oz. of sugar, and 
stir in gradually as much flour as will make a 
very light paste ; set it before the fire to raise 
half an hour, and then add flour, and form flat 
loaves or cakes ; bake moderately, cool, cut in 
slices, and brown them in a hot oven, and eat 
hot or cold. Some use caraway to flavor with. 
Potato Bread. — Take potatoes, boil them 
until thoroughly done, peel or skiri them, and 
then mash them up as fine as they can be made. 
Add a sufficient quantity to your yeast and 
flour, make into dough, and bake. This is not 
only more economical than the bread made of 
all flour, as it takes less flour; but it also makes 
superior bread, and one that continues soft 
much longer. The sweet potato makes a most 
delicious bread when thus used, and superior to 
that made by the common potato. The toast 
made from this bread is much softer, sweeter, 
and superior to that from bread made in the 
ordinary manner. Sweet-potato biscuit are ex- 
cellent, but not so healthy as bread. — Ex. 
. s* 
New Patents. — A patent has lately been tak- 
en out for making clothes pins. Think of that 
washerwomen. Another for a machine to wash 
dishes. Think of that lazy girls, who fear to 
soil your hands with the dishcloth. Another 
for an improvement in sewing machines. Think 
of that ladies. No patent has yet been granted 
for spinning street yarn. Think of that gossips. 
An old bachelor looking over my shoulder says 
this is a natural attribute of the sex. S. R. 
Fish Sauce. — Slice sour apples and tomatoes, 
i lb. each ; salt, sugar, and raisins, i lb. each ; 
ginger and red chillies, 4 oz. each; garlic 
and shallots, 2 oz. each. Make all fine, and 
add three quarts of vinegar and one quart 
lemon juice ; agitate it often for a month, and 
then pour off'and bottle. Used hot or cold for fish, 
meat, stews, &c. The thick part may be used 
in stews, soups, and chowders. 
►»-► 
Feather Beds should be aired once a week. 
Yes, and always in the crater of Vesuvius, or 
some other fire that would be sure to destroy 
them, for few things are more unhealthy to 
sleep on, especially during hot weather. They 
exhaust instead of invigorate the system. 
An Excellent Relish Sauce. — Mix 1 oz. each, 
of ground black pepper and salt ; i oz. each of 
ground pimento, scraped horse radish, and 
minced shallots, in one pint of walnut, mush- 
room or tomato catchup ; let it stand two weeks, 
and then strain and bottle for use. 
Ice Cream. — Use two pounds of loaf sugar to 
four quarts of cream. To flavor with vanilla, 
boil a bean and a half in milk. With lemon, 
grate three rinds, or add six drops of oil. If 
the ci'eam is good, it will make seven quarts of 
ice cream if well beaten. Use two quarts of 
salt in an eight-quart freezer. R. 
To Make Pancakes of broken bread, soak it 
all night, in milk, and break it up fine, and add 
eggs and flour to give it consistency. It makes 
excellent cakes. Try it. 
.-♦< 
Washing Flannel. — White flannel can be 
washed without shrinking, if it is always done 
in hot water. Use none but good soap. 
Bread Pudding is one of the best that is made, 
and then it is such a saving of the broken bread 
