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ladies’ department. 
Cabits’ ^Department. 
PLEASURES OF THE TABLE—STEWED PEA 
SHELLS. 
In describing cheap pleasures, Dickens, in 
his 41 Household Words,” wisely and honestly 
enumerates those of the table, and descants on 
the cheap luxuries of the poor and middling 
classes of Germany, and in which he could 
scarcely recognise the miserable, ill-dressed, 
watery dishes of garden stutf that he met with 
at home. 
Speaking of these pleasures as one of the im¬ 
portant matters of life, when moderately in¬ 
dulged in, (and here Dr. Johnson agreed with 
him,) he observes, “that in the present constitu¬ 
tion of our code of cookery, eating is the most 
expensive of our amusements. This arises 
mainly from our neglect of vegetables. About 
the middle of last summer, at Kreuznach, we 
partook of a certain dish at the table d’hote. It 
was delicious; some titled English travellers 
were present, who seemed equally charmed. 
Curiosity was awakened. What could it be? 
The German gentleman in waiting, napkin in 
hand, was despatched on a special mission to 
the Chef de cuisine, to know what we had been 
eating; after remaining some five minutes in 
suspense, the receipt was revealed. It was a 
dish of pea shells, stewed in butter, with a 
sprinkling of savory herbs. Pea shells are the 
ordinary diet of pigs on this side of the channel; 
but in Germany, a little skill, a little butter, and 
a little herb remove them from the sty to the 
best dinner tables. 4 The capacities of vegeta¬ 
bles are mournfully misunderstood, Sir, in 
England!’ said a plethoric old gentlemen next 
to us, who had already been fed by our cookery 
within a beefsteak of two of apoplexy. ‘Look 
at me, Sir ! You never see a foreigner in such 
a state as I am; but what with light wines, and 
this kind of thing, (swallowing a mouthful of 
pea shells,) I hope to get better.’ ” 
-.©.- 
SIMPLICITY OF DRESS. 
Female loveliness never appears to so good 
advantage as when set ofi' with simplicity of 
dress. No artist ever decks his angels with 
towering feathers and gaudy jewely; and our 
dear human angels, if they would make good 
their title to that name, should carefully avoid 
ornaments which properly belong to Indian 
squaws and African princesses. These tinselries 
may serve to give effect on the stage or upon a 
ball-room floor, but in daily life, there is no sub¬ 
stitute for the charm of simplicity. A vulgar 
taste is not to be disguised by gold and diamonds. 
The absence of a true taste and real refinement 
of delicacy cannot be compensated for by the 
possesion of the most princely fortune. Mind 
measures gold, but gold cannot measure mind. 
Through dress, the mind may be read, as through 
the delicate tissue, the letter page. A modest wo¬ 
man will dress modestly; a really refined and 
intellectual woman will bear the marks of care¬ 
ful selection and faultless taste.— Exchange. 
Blackberry Syrup, made after the following 
recipe, is a very valuable medicine for summer 
complaints of children, and if used as a medi¬ 
cine, only, the brandy is not objectionable:— 
Take two quarts of juice of ripe berries, and 
boil in it one half an ounce each of nutmeg, 
cinnamon, and allspice, and one quarter of an 
ounce of cloves, all powdered ; strain and add 
one pound of loaf sugar and one quart of the 
best French brandy, and bottle and seal up. 
Dose for a child, two or three teaspoonfuls once 
in three hours. 
A Very Good Plain Soda Cake.— Take three 
cupfuls of flour, one cupful of sugar, one egg, 
one tablespoonful of butter, two teaspoonfuls of 
cream of tartar, one teaspoonful of soda, one 
teaspoonful of essence of lemon, and one cupful 
of sweet milk. Beat the egg, and mix it with 
butter and sugar, and soda dissolved in the 
milk. Add two cupfuls of flour; then mix the 
cream of tartar, dry with the other cupful of 
flour, and add that to the other, and roll out and 
bake at once in flat pans. 
--. 
To Make Preserves Keep.— Of course, you 
will make them this month. The secret of pre¬ 
serving them from change is to exclude the air. 
The easiest way to do this is, to brush over a 
sheet of paper with the white of an egg, and 
cover the jar, pressing it down around the edges 
while moist, and it will cement perfectly tight. 
It is cheaper, neater, and better than sealing 
up the mouth of the jar with wax, or covering 
it with bladder. 
Mildew in Books. —Take a feather dipped in 
spirits of wine, (alcohol,) and slightly wash 
over the backs and covers. To prevent mould, 
put a little into writing ink. To take mildew 
out of linen, mix powdered starch and soft soap 
with half the quantity of bay salt; mix vinegar, 
and lay it on both sides with a painter’s brush. 
Then let it lie in the open air till the spots are 
out. 
