The household (of the Detroit free press)

Rhubarb Cordial — Two teaspoonfuls pulverized rhubarb, two of soda, two teacups white sugar, one teacup water ; mix all together in a tin dish ; place over the fire and heat, stirring in the meantime, until the sugar is dissolved ; remove, and add one-half teaspoon of essence of peppermint. Dose, one teaspoonful three or four times a day for children ; a tablespoonful for adults. This is an excellent remedy for disordered stomachs and bowels. INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC. There is one point in practicing not sufficiently attended to, but it should be thoroughly understood and put into practice at once. It is the manner of touching the keys, the putting down and raising the fingers. If attention will be strictly directed to this at first, so that the right touch shall become a habit, no trouble will come afterwards. The importance of employing a teacher who is competent to teach beginners is not usually understood. Many suppose any performer can teach the first term. If letters are all that were to be taught it would not be so serious a matter. The bad habits allowed by an incompetent teacher are forever felt by the pupil and hours are spent by a better teacher in trying to correct them, when otherwise the time would have been given to a better purpose. The stool should be placed at such a height that the arm from the elbow to the second joint of the finger should be a perfectly straight line; the fingers should be squarely bent at the second joint, touching the keys with the very tips of the fingers. Care should be taken that the little fingers never strike on the sides. The thumb will rest on the side and end. After taking this position, raise the finger without lifting the hand or arm, only the finger ; strike with a firm touch and avoid having two fingers of the same hand down at the same time ; that is, raise the finger the instant the next one touches the key. " Those who hold down the keys too long accustom themselves to a lingering, adhesive, indistinct and often discordant manner of playing. Those who quit the keys too soon fall into an unconnected, broken style of playing, which is without melody and which degenerates into mere knocking and thumping the keys." The great importance of five finger exercises, to acquire a beautiful touch and equality of strength, is very essential. The young pupil should practice five finger exercises as laid down in Richardson's instruction book, playing each measure twenty-five times before proceeding to the next. It is important that one should use good judgment in guiding this practice. If a pupil is a beginner, or has weak fingers, one may begin with practicing a piece ten times, till the strength will allow more. Never, unless you practice many hours, practice more