who seemed in danger of being ruined
by the admiration of his wife. "It is not possible for a card to be
played worse than that. Your head, my dear, must be as confused as
your boudoir."

"_A bit of bobbin here--a hat feather there_," I continued, growing
malicious.

"Sir," cried L----, starting round in a passion. Fixing his eyes for a
moment on my wooden phiz, however, he burst into a fit of laughter,
and then as suddenly assuming a most doleful change of countenance, he
squeezed my hand and said to me apart, in a tragic tone, "Ah, my dear
friend, you were right--you were right."

"He that would lead a happy married life,
First learn to rule, and then to have, a wife,"
say Beaumont and Fletcher--and a pleasant
aphorism it is too--and a wise and
useful--but with a slight alteration, a
periphrasis comprehending advice not less
to the purpose may be presented--

"He that would lead a happy wedded life,
Beware of marrying a _too_ youthful wife."

* * * * *

USEFUL DOMESTIC HINTS.

FININGS FOR WINES.

If wine does not become clear soon enough, for each forty gallons
dissolve an ounce of isinglass in a quart of water. Strain and mix
this with part of the liquor, beat it up to a froth, and pour it into
the rest; stir the whole well, and bung it up, except there should be
an appearance of fermentation; if so, leave the bung out till it has
ceased. Instead of isinglass, some use hartshorn shavings, in rather
larger quantities; red wines are fined with eggs, twelve to the pipe,
beaten up to a froth, mixed with the wine, _and well stirred in_.

Gypsum or alabaster is used to clear cloudy white wines; as also fresh
slaked lime; and the size of a walnut of sugar of lead, with a table
spoonful of sal enixum, is put to forty gallons of muddy wine, to
clear it; and hence, as the sugar of lead is decomposed, and changed
into an insoluble sulphat of lead, which falls to the bottom, the
practice is not so dangerous as has been represented.

MANNER OF USING FININGS.

Put the finings, when ready, into a pail, with a little of what you
are going to fine; whisk them together till they are perfectly mixed,
and then nearly fill up the pail with the liquor, whisking it well
about again, after which, if the cask be full, take out four or five
gallons to make room; take a staff and stir it well; next whisk the
finings up, and put them in, stirring well together for five minutes;