painted glass window. When sewn together, 
the card-hoard can easily bo removed, by 
slipping them out with the thumb, (see Fig. 
1;) as long as the card-board does not loso 
its stiffness, so long can it be used in the con¬ 
tinuation of the work. 
The blind, when finished, the length and 
width being decided by the size of the win¬ 
dow to be shaded, must have a plain, white 
calico lining, and the top and bottom finished 
with a dark brown hem one and a quarter 
inch wide; at the lower edge the lining is 
closed, according to the sectangular shapes; 
these arc decorated with tassels of colored 
roasted, a red hot iron is passed over the top 
to brown them. 
Another mode is to butter well the bottom 
and sides of a deep dish; dredge with grated 
bread or crackers. Alternate a layer of sea¬ 
soned oyslers with a layer of the grated 
bread, with small bits of butter. Let the 
top layer bo crumbs. Bake quickly in a hot 
oven. 
To Broil Oysters. 
Take from the shell, dry on a napkin, dip 
them in cream, roll in bread crumbs or 
grated cracker, seasoned with a morsel of 
pepper, salt, and nutmeg; lay on a wire 
black on black is al ways preferable. I shouhI 
advise you, however, to get enough more 
merino to make an over skill and sacquc, 
which line well with flannel, and dispense 
with a cloak. Trim with the same, made 
into strait ruches, fringed out on both edges. 
Information in regard to cloaks has already 
been given. They are trimmed around the 
bottom, more than about the waist and shoul¬ 
ders—are of all shades of color; but black is 
considered in tlie best taste. Short basques 
are increased in length by a new frill or skirt 
being added to the waist, while the old short 
one serves as a liny overskirt to it. This 
skirt can also servo as an overskirt to be 
worn witli dresses, etc., if made of velvet or 
plush. 
IfVOHSC*. 
Em,a, Elkhorn, Wis.—Make your blue 
“princess" cloth, basque waist, deep in the 
back, u strait tunic, plain skirt. Bands of 
blue velveteen will trim it well. The black 
alpaca can bo suitably made from either of 
the illustrations in Ritrai. New-Yorker of 
Nov. 19th. 
lor a Girl, Etc. 
II., Hillside.—Samples of poplin received. 
Trim with the same, a narrow bias flounce* 
on bottom of skirt, scalloped on both edges, 
and slightly fulled by a gather an inch from 
the upper edge; a plain tunic,scalloped and 
hound on the bottom; coat sleeves; plain 
waist; for waist trimming, scallop a bias 
strip three inches wide, and put to simulate 
a square yoke or bertha; licit with bow at 
the back of the goods. Two whole breadths 
in back of skirt. Round neck. Dress the 
neck with a double ruffle, the stand up one 
an inch wide of White linen ; the one to lie 
down about the neck to be of the dress 
goods, scalloped; join the two with a blue, 
green or black velvet ribbon tied at the back 
in a bow with long ends; same color of rib¬ 
bon for the light, hair. I do not recommend 
snsli over the shoulder from left to right; 
they are not fasliionuble for girls. Leave 
your long basquine ns it is. Add collar and 
cuffs of velvet, with a band of velvet around 
the bottom and large bow, with short broad 
ends at the back. Always ask me all the 
questions you wish; only be explicit and di¬ 
rect as you always are. 
About ANti'ucImu. 
Will Mint,wood inform mo which is right, 
Astraclmn far or Astrachau wool? and 
where it is obtained, and all about It?— n. s. 
Asl-melum/w is t he skin of the Astraeliau 
lamb. From ten to fifteen skins ore required 
to make a cloak. These clonks vary in price 
burn $20 to $100. Astraehan is the name of 
a country somewhere near the North Holl¬ 
and belongs to Russia, I believe. The 
mother oft.be Iamb is killed before the lamb 
is born, in order that t he lamb’s skin maybe in 
the best required condition. The natural 
color is a sort of gray, or dirty while. The 
white Astraehan is produced by bleaching, 
while the black is dyed. This fur is never 
curled. What often passes for Astraehan— 
a close-curled surfaced material—is Persia 
lambs wool. Astraclmn cloth is manufac¬ 
tured ; also cloth to imitate Persia lamb’s 
wool; and both these come in n variety of 
colors. It is a yard and a half wide, and 
ranges in price from $5.50 to $11.50 per 
yard. They are much used for cloak and 
cloak trimmings, etc. It, can be purchased at 
most first class dry goods stores. It, is a 
“staple, commodity” now, in Hie line of 
fashionable furs and cloths. 
A Curil. 
Mintwood regrets to say that her duties 
are such as to prevent her from replying 
personally to correspondents, in regard to 
Information pertaining to this department. 
( lii'Utmn* Embroidered (till*. 
Ethelyn. —Get Java canvas to embroider 
for tidies, cap, collar, toilette boxes, lamp 
ami fire screens, etc. For tidies, ravel out 
the edge all around for fringe. Embroider 
a design for a border, and a boquet, initial, 
or monogram in the center. This canvas 
comes in cotton, in all colors. It comes in 
worsted, in black. A black one, with a 
wreath of fern leaves, or autumn foliage, 
works up splendidly. The colored cottons 
are apt to fade. 
Dresses Too Hlint't, 
or badly worn about the bottom, can be 
remedied by adopting a fashionable sty le of 
trimming; a broad band of velvet iB placed 
on the bottom, with the flounce placed en¬ 
tirely above it, the bottom of the flounce just 
reaching the top of the velvet band. This 
can be simulated in Other trimmings ns well. 
Open at the Back. 
Dresses closing at the back, with round- 
pointed bodice in front, arc en vogue. They 
make the wearers so sufficiently helpless and 
dependent as to cause them to lie popular 
with a certain class. Uulcss one is always 
sure of a nmid or an extra pair of hands on 
every dressing occasion, it is a poor style to 
adopt. 
Felt lints. 
for young ladies with a dash-away air, trim¬ 
med with a feather or two, or a bird wing 
stuck in one side ofthe baud, arc of soft felt, 
and possess a look on the top of t he crown 
as If they had been crushed. The name is 
'Tyrolese, and they are jaunty affairs. 
omtstit 
coitontn 
amtxrs 
CONDUCTED BY MAIIY A. E. WAGEli 
MINTWOOD’S CONVERSAZIONE 
OYSTERS 
Thu Teacher’s Tollot. 
Women are so largely in the majority as 
teacher®, that we arc almost in danger of 
forgetting the masculine pedagogue; and 
for this present occasion we quite ignore his 
existence in thinking. What a blessing to 
an entire district is a neat, tasteful and at¬ 
tractive lady teacher! To suppose that a 
For the benefit of C. A. P., who writes, 
“Some of us have not. been in the Rurai, 
family very long, and have no back files to 
refer to,” and other® equally unfortunate, we 
reprint our recipes for preparing the royal 
bivalve for the palate. But please do not 
pitch into us so savagely for referring to mat¬ 
ter in the current year hack numbers, instead 
of republishing it. To avoid “ unpleasant¬ 
ness,” it might lie well for correspondents 
asking for information, to make known the 
fact of their recent accession to our ranks. 
Of course, we always try to please our read¬ 
ers whenever wc can, consistently, and are 
glad to do so. 
Leeping Oynter*. 
Oysters may be kept fresh, and even fatted, 
by placing the convex or roundest side of 
the shell downward in a tub or vessel, filled 
with salt water. Some add Indian or oat 
meal to fatten them. Every day the water 
must he turned off and the operation re¬ 
peated. If the shells arc not clean they 
should previously lie washed. Oysters are 
unfit to he eaten when dead, and when one’s 
facilities are not good for obtaining them 
often, it is well to know how to keep them 
alive and healthy for a week or two. They 
should he kept in a cool place, but not al¬ 
lowed to freeze. Five or six ounces of salt 
to a gallon of water is considered sufficient. 
A tablespoonful is about one ounce. 
To ascertain If the oyster is alive, as soon 
as the shell is opened touch it gently with 
your knife and it will contract. In opening 
the shells be careful not to cut the oyster. 
Keep the knife close to the shell, and be 
careful not to let pieces of shell fall in with 
the oysters. 
Kiev Oyslers, 
to he served in state, royally, as they should 
he presented, make their appearance “ before 
the king” in their native residence. Wash 
the shells clean, open them, take off the top 
one, (the flattest one,) detach the oyster from 
the Under one, but leave it on it; place half 
a dozen on a plate and serve. The best con¬ 
diments to use in eating them are salt, pep¬ 
per, Icinon juice, or vinegar. Graham bread 
cut rattier thin, in inch-wide strips is nice to 
eat with them. 
Cooking Oysters. 
They want to be cooked just "so much 
and no more.” An oyster overcooked is 
ruined. There is no help for it. It is leathery 
and prosaic. As a rule live minutes gentle 
m/nnwring, a thorough heating through, is 
quite enough. If the oysters are large a 
longer time should be allowed. 
Slewed Oysters. 
Stew the oysters in their own liquor, and 
season to the taste with a little salt and pep¬ 
per; butter may be added. Stews are often 
improved, in the opinion of many, by Hie 
addition of milk or cream, and condiments in 
the way of mace, parsley or nutmeg. If 
thickening of the soup is desired, grated 
cracker is preferable to flour. The best cooks 
omit flour entirely. A piece of butter rolled 
in granted cracker may be. added. Pour the 
oysters, when done, over a dish floored with 
crackers, or covered with layers of crispy 
toasted bread. 
To Fry Oysters. 
After they are taken from the shell, dry 
them on a clean cloth or napkin. Beat up 
the yolks of eggs with thick, sweet cream ; 
one yolk to two tablespoons of cream. Rub 
together some grated bread crumbs, or 
cracker, and a little salt and Cayenne pep¬ 
per. Have hot in a skillet, half a pound of 
melted butter. Dip each oyster in the beaten 
yolk and cream, and then roll it in the 
crumbs, coaxing them to adhere to it. Drop 
into Hie skillet, and fry until of alight brown 
color on both sides. They ought to be crisp 
and light. Never pour over them the melted 
grease that may remain. 
To Boast, Buko or Boil Oysters, 
but a few minutes are required. Wash the 
shells clean. To roast, lay the shells on a 
gridiron, over a bed of live coals. When Hie 
shells open they are done. Lift, off the top, 
and serve in the under shell. To hake them, 
put in a pan in a hot oven, otherwise follow 
the same directions as for roasting. To boil, 
put them in a pot of boiling water. Serve 
in the shell. 
Heal loped Oysters 
are prepared 
ISSlfe 
Blind. Mosaic Pattern, 
Fig. 2.-WAY OF MAKING MOSAIC PARTS TO BLIND 
gridiron, brown them on both sides. Serve 
on a plate, first covered with a twice-folded 
napkin. 
To Htnfl Oysters. 
Chop line a dozen, mix with them the 
beaten yolk of one egg, thicken with bread 
crumbs, a tablospoouful of sweet cream, a 
bit of salt and pepper. Fill the shells, round¬ 
ing them on Hie top nicely. Brown in a hot 
oven. 
DOMESTIC CniT-CHAT 
morals that, could l>y no possibility he guin- 
sayed, make perfect dragons in the school¬ 
room, The children dreaded and feared 
their coming, while their entire appearance 
and apparel betokened only primness and 
gloom, 1 venture to affirm that a pretty 
toilet, will go farther in civilizing and taming 
a flock of rude boys than a barrelful of rods. 
The children notiee the tastcflil arrange¬ 
ments of the dress, observe the bright, har¬ 
moniously-added colors, and feel stimulated 
to make themselves more and more pre¬ 
sentable. 
Two or three dollars will buy enough lit¬ 
tle articles of adornment, that so enhance a 
woman’s attractiveness, to last a full term of 
teaching. In the illustration given the dress 
is of gray serge, trimmed with Oriental em¬ 
broidery. For women’s business suits, cloth 
in dark blue or green is much sought for. 
It needs but little elaboration in the way of 
trimming; bands of Hercules braid, of black 
silk or velvet, trimming most tastefully. The 
light, firm texture water-proof is also very 
popular, and makes a genteel business suit. 
It should never be trimmed with the same, 
as it looks too heavy ; bands of silk, flat 
braid, or the edges cut in scollops and bound. 
Merino is a standard article for business 
suits, as it can be washed and dyed. The 
shades in all plain goods this winter are 
most elegant.; chestnut brown, olive, and, 
in brief, all the deep, dark shades that are so 
rich and warm. The magnificent Scotch 
plaid, woolen serges, with plain skirt, and 
tunic finished with a bias fold of the same, 
beaded with a narrow standing side plaiting 
of black or other self-colored silk, forms a 
charming school dress for teacher or pupil. 
I saw a 
Pretty Black Hilk Apron 
at Stewart’s the other day, which was 
marked at $20. It was of heavy black 
poult de sow, gored, leaving no fullness at the 
belt. It, was bordered all around with a 
plaited frill of silk headed with passemen¬ 
terie; puff pockets with a plaited frill 
around, and a large jet and gimp ornament 
in the center of each; gros grain ribbon 
ties. Aprons for the scbool-rooin or for 
homo wear cau be modeled after this at 
much less cost. 
Meriuo Huit— Clonk*. 
Sarepta P., Rusbford.—Green would do 
very well to trim your black merino, but 
“ Genuine Balter's Bread.” 
Mrs. L. M. K., writes:—“ Will some of 
your correspondents give a recipe for the 
genuine ‘baker’s bread,’ and also for the 
rusks made by bakers. 1 have several recipes 
for‘rusks,’ but they are all vastly different 
from those made by bakers. 1 do not know 
Whether these recipes arc secrets, known 
only to those of the ‘ profession ’ or not; but 
1 have never yet been able to get them, 
although I have made numerous efforts to do 
so.” 
Genuine baker’s bread, “ in the long run,” 
is about as nutritious as so much chips. If 
any body, however, will give L. M. K., a 
lucid account of the modus opera/ndi we will 
gladly give it a place. We opine the process 
is no secret, 
For Rusks 
try this recipe:—One pint of warm milk; 
one teacupful of yeast, or one yeast cake; 
half a cupful of butter ; one of white sugar; 
flour enough to make the dough of the con¬ 
sistency of biscuit. After tho sponge of milk, 
yeast, and flour, is light, add the other ingre¬ 
dients. Let it rise again, when mould into 
small round cakes; put. in buttered tins and 
bake half an hour. Bent the yolk of an egg 
in milk and rub over the top of each rusk as 
soon as baked. 
How to Keep hard front Molding. 
It is not. likely to mold if properly tried 
and kept, in a cool, dry place, carthern crocks 
or pans well tinned are good to put lard in tiir 
keeping. Lard made from intestinal fat, 
will not keep so long as leaf fat. It, should 
be soaked two or three days in salted water, 
changed each day. No water should be 
used in frying lard ; and all the water in it 
should be thoroughly boiled out. 
“.Sprouted Wheat.“ 
In reply to “Viola," L. G. R. writes: 
“ If she will thoroughly heat the flour before 
mixing her bread, sin; will be able to make 
good bread from sprouted wheat.. L learned 
this from an old gentleman in Michigan, 
who said that was the way his wife did.” 
Tropical Fruit*. 
J. C. M. — To keep oranges and lemons, 
wrap them well in silk or some soft paper. 
To keep the peel for use, dry and pound and 
cork well in glass bottles. Zante currants 
may be kept in ajar after being washed and 
dried, so as to be at once ready for use. 
A MOSAIC BLIND 
in a variety of ways. One 
French style is to pour the oysters into boil¬ 
ing water, just allowing tho water to break 
jVj in a bubble, but not boil. Skim them out, 
>L | roll them in butter, with chopped parsley, 
PA Cayenne pepper and lemon juice. Select the 
largest of the shells; clam shells are some* 
times used. Arrange as many in the shell 
as can well lie, three or four perhaps, place 
the shells on a gridiron over hot coals, rc- 
move as soon as the liquor oozes at the side, 
Wv anti serve immediately. Sometimes bread 
crumbs are added, and they are baked. When 
