THE LADIES’ WORLD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2712, 18 January 1910, Page 3

THE LADIES’ WORLD.

“OUIDA’S” LOST DUCHESS. Lady St. Helier, in her reminiscences, tells many interesting stories of famous people who have been her guests, but Sir Henry 'Lucy, in Ins Australian letter, gives one or two that the hostess could hardly tell herself. One occasion was a function arranged for the reception of “Ouida” on one of her occasional visits to London. The novelist, through whose pages duchesses and countesses, not to speak of dukes and earls, glitter with a frequency that almost makes them commonplace, had really never been in the company of a live duchess. Lady Jeune, kindest, most good-natured of women, arranged to fill up this deplorable gap in life. A well-known duchess was invited to the luncheon party, and accepted the invitation. At the last- moment her Grace found herself unable to fulfil her engagement. The message was communicated to “Ouida” on her arrival, wi-fih lamentable effect. She had come to sit in the same room, nay, at the game table, with a real duchess, and here was an irreparable slip between the cup and the lip. Through the meal the author of “Strathmore” sat in a state of stony frigidity, not to bo. thawed by the winning manner of her -hostess, nor the attentions of the company, which included one Baron of the United Kingdom and a K.C.B.

THE HOLIDAY HOUSE. 'flic system of exchange of houses does not always meet with the approval of both 'parties (writes “Rex’*’ in the .“Australasian”). Recently a family decided upon an “Economical Change of Air,” and accepted the care of a country villa, with milk, eggs, butter, and poultry, conveyance, and orchard, in exchange for a small cottage in one of the suburbs close to town. Possession was taken over .simultaneously for one month, and then the town-folk, who had come to the country “to rest,” found they were worked harder than ever. The cows had to be milked, thu fowls fed, the poultry attended to, and the work of a general' farm carried on. The only conveyance was a spring-cart, much out of repair. After bearing it for a fortnight they wired “they were coming into their own again,” expecting indignant protests, and the probabilities <>f a lawsuit for breach of contract. To their relief, at a wayside station, they passed the rightful owners, smiling and rejoicing ‘they couldn’t have put in another day in a house not big enough to swing a eat in.” and were returning without notice “for rest and fresh :.ir.”

RECIPES. SAVOURY RICE AND MINCE. Wash three ounces of rice and cook in one pint of stock flavoured with pepper, salt, and an onion, till it is soft and forms a thick substance. Make this into a wall round the dish. Decorate with chopped parsley or beetroot. Mean-while, have one puond of cold meat chopped very finely, .seasoned with popper, salt, and onion, and simmer gently in a little thick gravy. Put this inside the rice wall, 'garnish with quarters of pickled walnut, and seive. EXETER STEW. Put one onion in a saucepan with a little dripping, and fry till a golden brown. Add one tablespoon ful of flour, quarter of a teas-pooiirul of saltanil pepper, one tablespoonful and a half of vinegar; then add one .pint of cold water, and stir well. Have about half a pound of lean heel’ out rip in small pieces, and add to other ingredients. Let this simmer very gently for half an hour, then skim it, and add the. following balls:—One cupful oi flour, two tablespoonfuls of suet, one tablespoon ful of parsley, one teaspoonful of mixed herbs, half an onion cut small, half a toaspoonful of baking powder. mix with cold water, and make into- balls. Coot: for half an hour. GOOD SAUCE AND CHUTNEY. Ingredients:—-Two quarts vinegar, i]b sultanas, £Lb brown sugar, Ub of sound tomatoes, 21b onions, one teaMpoonful each of cayenne and ginger, two teaenoonfuls salt, two teaspoon!ills mustard seed, 21b green apples, grated rind and juice of two lemons. Chop all the ingredients very finely, put them in a large stewing-pan. and bring them glowly to the boil. Cook the sauce gentiy for about an hour and a Half, stirring it constantly with a wooden spoon. Strain it through a fine sieve. Bottle Hie juic-e for sauce, and use the pulp for chutney.