HOUSE-FURNISHING GOODS. 
At this season, mid-winter, the annual sales of 
muslins, embroideries, etc., usually take place, and one 
sees the store-windows filled with bargains in these 
goods, instead of novelties in dress materials. The 
term “bargain”is used advisedly, forindeed cottongoods 
are seldom offered at such low figures as at present. 
Utica Mills bleached sheeting, which by the way is the 
best for the purpose, two and one-half yards wide, is re¬ 
tailed at twenty-five cents per yard. In buying, one 
should order an extra yard above the quantity required 
for sheets, to allow for any deficiency in measurement, 
which sometimes will occur, as it is folded by machin¬ 
ery in yard folds, and bought and sold accordingly. 
Lonsdale muslins, single width, retail for eight cents, 
and Hamburg embroideries from two cents up. 
The yellow unbleached table linen, medium quality, 
can be had as low as fifty-five cents per yard; and at 
moderate prices, elegant varieties can be procured in 
the fine grades of Irish, French and German manu¬ 
facture, in lengths from two to eight yards; napkins are 
made to correspond with these, and thus complete the set. 
During the dull weather that is expected in this 
month and March, all that is needed in household 
sewing should be made up; for if these are completed 
before spring opens and brings its usual duties belong¬ 
ing to such a season, one is saved a great deal iniworry 
and inconvenience. 
In curtain materials one of the prettiest is linen 
grenadine of a cream tint, which comes espe¬ 
cially for this use. It is made up with antique 
insertion five inches wide, set in just back of 
the hem, which should be between three and four 
inches in width; the hem is then bordered with antique 
lace. Two curtains, tied back with satin ribbons, are 
used at each window, and should be just long enough 
to touch the floor when hung from the poles. These 
cost, ready made, twenty dollars a window. Very 
tasteful ones can be made, however, at a small expense, 
from hand-woven linen sheets, if any of our readers are 
so fortunate as to have in possession such articles 
showing, perhaps, their grandmothers’ handiwork; and 
when trimmed as above with antique lace and inser¬ 
tion, which is not in itself expensive, they make hand¬ 
some and durable hangings for any window. 
HOUSEKEEPING. 
Crullers. 
Eight heaping tablespoons of sugar, eight tablespoons 
of melted butter for rich cakes, or four for plain, two 
tablespoons of sweet milk and two of wine, or two 
of sweet milk and two of sour, four eggs and one- 
quarter of a teaspoon of soda dissolved in a teaspoon 
of cold water; flour enough to roll out soft. Fry 
in hot fat, half lard and half fresh suet, drain in a 
collander, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. This is a 
very choice recipe and cannot fail to give satisfaction, 
if properly prepared. 
Corn Starch Pudding. 
To each cup of milk, allow one rounded tablespoon 
of corn starch. If you have no double boiler, use a tin 
basin over a kettle of hot water, selecting one that is 
bright; a basin that has the tin worn off will impart an 
unpleasant flavor to milk. Save out milk enough to 
wet the corn starch; heat the rest boiling hot, moisten 
the corn starch—it should be thin enough to pour—and 
stir it into the hot milk, adding a pinch of salt. Let it 
cook about ten minutes and then pour in a mold. 
If you use cups, put a few slices or a quarter of an oran ge 
in the bottom of each, and when the blanc mange has 
cooled a little pour it over the orange. When you serve 
it, turn the blanc mange into saucers and pour a thin 
custard around it. 
Breakfast Cakes. 
One quart of flour, three heaping teaspoons of baking- 
powder; sift the baking-powder and flour together, wet 
the flour with sweet milk, not quite a pint will be re¬ 
quired; be careful not to use too much, as the shortening 
will make it softer. Have ready some melted-lard, 
warm, not hot, stir this into the dough, and if it is too 
stiff, add a little more milk. Take a small lump of the 
dough and roll out the size of a tea-plate, not too 
thick; cut into strips, but do not separate them at the 
ends, then twist the strips. Fry in hot lard one cake at 
a time. Much depends upon the lard being just right; if 
too hot, they will be tough, if too cool, they will be 
greasy. They should be fried just before breakfast, is 
ready to set up, as they are to be served hot and eaten 
with coffee. 
Muffins With Flour Made of Whole Wheat. 
One-and-a-lialf cups of flour, two even tablespoons of 
sugar, one heaping teaspoon of cream of tartar, half a 
rounded one of soda or two teaspoons of baking powder, 
half a teaspoon of salt, one cup of milk, one-tliird of a 
cup of water and an egg. Mix the dry ingredients 
thoroughly, beat the egg well and add to it the milk and 
water, and stir it into the dry mixture. Bake twenty- 
five minutes in iron gem pans; fill the pans as they set 
on the stove, and when they are hot enough to hiss, set 
on the upper grate of a hot oven. Cup-shaped gem 
pans are best for nearly every kind of muffins, except 
graham, and they can be bought for forty cents. 
It is surprising to note the number of filthy wooden 
tubs and pails that come forth from houses where there 
is apparently no great economy in other things, when 
the collector of kitchen refuse makes his rounds. Gar¬ 
bage pails in cities should be made of galvanized iron 
with covers, and should be thoroughly washed and dried 
whenever they are emptied. 
Mrs. C. G. Herbert. 
