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DETROIT, MAY 9, 1891.

 

 

THE HOUSEHOLD-"Supplement.

 

A SONG FOR MOTHERS.

 

BY ELIZABETH PRESTON.

 

0. weary mothers mixing dough,
Don’t you wish that food would grow?
Your lips would smile, I know, to see
A cookie bush or a pancake tree. '

No hurry or worry or boiling pot ;

No waiting to get the oven hot;

But you could send your child to see

If the pies had baked on the cherry tree.

A beef-steak bush would be quite fine;
Bread be plucked from its ten‘der vine ;
A sponge-cake plant our pet would be,
We'd read and sew ‘neath the muffin tree.
——-——‘.‘_—

TEE FASHIONS.

 

Dresses with princesse back and a panel
of silk or brocade in the centre of the
front, framed in two or three loose pleats,
are much liked for slight, graceful figures
and are particularly pretty for deml‘train
costumes. The centre and side back
forms are cut with the skirt, while .the
fronts and under arm pieces are shortened
to form the pointed basque, to which is
sometimes added the coat skirts before
described in the HOUSEHOLD. Bretelle-
like trimmings are continued from the
shoulders to form a point several inches
below the waist line in the back. An
arrangement of lace which forms epau-
lattes on the shoulders and is graduated
in width to points a little below the waist
line in the front and back, is new and
stylish.

A simple and pretty afternoon dress for
home wear utilizes the skirt of a wool cos~
tume which has outworn its waist. A
waist of surah or wash silk is made for it,
and the skirt is bordered with a four-inch
band of the silk cut bias. The silk waist
has a fitted lining; is gathered in the
shoulders, front and back and pleated at
the waist line, and extends six or eight
inches below, and the V-shaped space in
front can be filled in any fashion desired;
mutton-leg sleeves are added, and a
pointed belt of gold or silver galloon is a
showy adjunct.

A very handsome yet simple and not
fussy dress is of figured India silk and
bengaline. The model, a cafe on lait silk
with cream 'colored and rose pink carna-
tions scattered over it, was made up with
safe au lait bengaline. The skirt of six
breadths was plain in front and on the
sides, with just sufiisient fullness to hang
gracefully, and the remainder massed at
the back. A narrow bias fiounce finishes
the foot on front and sides. The waist has

 

s‘eeves and a full vest of the figured ma-
terial and a coat bodice of the bengaline,
cut at least eighteen inches below the
waist line. The seams are left open on the
hips, and the centre back form; are cut
with fullness which is laid in pleats which
break the severe plainness. The fronts
roll back in revers which are covered with
feather trimming. anet of straw with
cafe au lait velvet ties and trimmings and
a knot of ctr-nations.

A plain linen lawn dress should have an
unlined bodice, worn overa sep irate waist
of percaline—if the lawn be black. Gather
the fronts on the shoulders and pleat them
at the waist line. The bzck has no full-
ness at the shoulders, but is also pleated at
the waist. There is no centre seam in the
back, and if side back forms are out they
are very narrow. The waist extends six
inches below the belt, and the seams are
left open and edged with embroidery. A
black lawn may more conveniently be
made over a lining, as it will probably not
need washing till it is worn out. In this
case, make a bodice minted back and
front and short on the hips, and finish it
with a folded ribbon or scant frill of em-
broidery. Dress patterns of black India
lawn embroidered in black and colors sell
for $5.75 and $6 50 up to $10 and are very
pretty. There are three and one half
yards of embroidered fiounclng deep
enough for the skirt, and you buy plain
lawn for the waist and sleeves.

Lawns, organdies and mulls are revived
for thin summer dresses, They are in
stripes or are powdered with flower pat-
terns. Dlmlty dresses are new and stylish,
the dimity is thinner than the old-fashioned
article, gets the dimity effect by being
woven with alternate .fine and curse
threads, is 32 inches wide—at 28 cents a
yard. They are made over foundation
skirts of the same. The outer skirt is

three yards wide; the front and sides are

gored and then gathered scantily, and
the straight back is pleated in a small
space. There is a deep hem; a wide band
of embroidered insertion is set between
two groups of three small tucks, as a finish
to the bottom, and then the skirt is sewed
to a doubled belt of the material with but-
tonholes set to meet the buttons on the
bodice, which has a yoke and turn over
collar of embroidery; to the yoke the
dimity is gathered, then drawn down and
shirred at the waist line on a strong belt
set underneath. Tiny pearl buttons close
the front. The mutton-leg sleeves have
turned back cuffs of embroidery. With

 

 

this is worn a belt two inches wide,
fastened with a silver or pearl buckle.
Such a dress is very neat and dainty. The
patterns are cream and other delicate
shades, on which are sprinkled sprays of
fine flowers, sometimes apparently tied
with ribbons. I do not know how thew
would wash, but they are very pretty in
the piece, that’s certain. Basrarx.

—-—-—-...—-

TEE MISHAPS OF A JOURNEY.

 

The Old saying is “ A bad penny will
return,” and though I have been a good
while about it (nearly two years; you see I
have made the saying true. The other day
l was thinking about what a furor we had
for “ weeks” some time ago, and cm-
cluded to write the experience of one day
for the amusement of the HOUSEHOLD
readers. I spent an exceedingly pleasant
Easter Sunday with cousins in Brockport,
N. Y., and arose at 5:30 a. m. E-tster Mon-
day, intending to take the 7 :22 train for
my home in Michigan, from which I had
been absent about two months. I packed
my shawl strap and handb 1g and was all
ready to start, but for some unaccountable
reason on that particular morning the
coal stove refused to work as well as usual,
so breakfast was delayed until when I
reached the stat-ion I had just five minutes
in which to purchase my ticket and
check my trunk. The gentlemanly ticket
agent was as deliberate as though that
train was not due in five hours instead of
five minutes. When I finally received my
ticket and made a rush for the baggage
window, there was no baggage man there.
Clara said “ Your train has come, Mae,”
and we both rushed out on the platform,
found the ba rgage man already loading
in trunks. I gave him my check and he
started on the run for the baggage room.
J ust then the familiar “All right here "
was heard. Clara said “You get on, I’ll
see to the check." “ But my shawl strap
is in the waiting room.” “ I’ll bring it,”
and so she did, handing it to the brakes-
man and he to me just as the train started.
I was aboard “by the skin of my teeth,”
but with no check for my trunk. How-
ever, there was no help for it and I con-
cluded not to worry but enjoy the lovely
morning and pleasant scenery. Arriving
at Suspensidn Bridge I walked forward to
the baggage ear, and there sure enough
was my trunk just being unloaded. I
asked the baggage man how I was to
claim it with no check, when the brakes-

man stepped forward and handed me one
’

   


 

TIE-[E HOUSEHOLD.

 

 

saying the baggage man at Brockport had
not time to give it to me. But the trunk
was only checked to Suspension Bridge,
whereas I was going to Lapeer. “ Can I
recheck it now?” I asked. “ No; none of
the Grand Trunk men will be over till
after dinner. You cannot get a train for
the west till 2:25 p- m.,” and it was then
only 9:30 a. mi So I concluded to spend
my hours of waiting in sight-seeing, and
took the street car for Niagara Falls. It
is useless to try to describe the Falls; I
could not do them justice. Suffice to say
the day was lovely and I spent three de-
lightful hours there. Returned to Sus-
- pension Bridge; found a Grand Trunk
train in waiting, rechecked my trunk and
went on board. By the time I had my
lunch eaten we were ready to start. The
view of Niagara river from the railway
bridge is fine. Lake Ontario can be seen
from the time you are safely in Canada
until you reach Hamilton, sometimes just
in sight, at others only a short distance
from the railroad, ard as I love the water
Ienjoyed that exceedingly. Being on a
fast train we only stopped at large places,
Hamilton, Woodstock, London, etc. Still
it was;dark long before we reached the
St. Clair. When we stopped in Sarnia I
was surprised to hear the rain pattering
against the car windows. It seemed as
though we never should get across the
ferry, but_we did at last; had to go slowly
on account of so much ice in the river.
After welleft Port Huron there was no
other stop til we reached Lapeer. It was
still raining, but fortunately for me not
so hard, though every thing was wet and
glistening in the electric light. I went
into the waiting room and asked for a bus.
Two gentlemen sitting there told me the
bus did not meet that late train (11:30 p.
m.). I had expected to arrive at 6 p. m.,
so had not written, but the delay at the
Bridge made me late. There was nothing
for it but to walk to my cousin’s—nearly
a mile. On picking up my things to do
so I missed my muff and spoke of it. One
of the gentlemen declared I brought none
inwith me, it must be in the car then.
And he rushed out and asked a brakeman
to hand it to him. The brakeman said he
would, but just as he stepped on the train
it started. I arrived at my cousin’s safely
at midnight, and of course had to rouse
them up to let me in. Thus ended my
day. The muff came backsafely on the
next morning’s train, having been over to
Flint and back.
Ella R. Wood, I know you; I wonder if
you will recognize me when I tell you we

met at Ladies’ Library in Burton? Come

back, Brue, we miss you and your spicy

letters. What has be come of Keturah?
FLINT. MAE.

—-—-—<Ofi————~——
MAYBELLE asks if some of the House
no LDEBS do not belong to a Sunday school
_ which has laid aside its old books for a
new library and would be willing to donate
them to a Sunday school recently organized
in a new country, where they would be re-
gar ded as a great aid by the workers and a
great treasure by the children. She asks,
if there are such, mentionbemade through
the Housnnom).

I

 

AROUND THE WORLD.

 

" Let us go for along walk” were the
words with which a friend greeted me one
pleasant Saturday this spring. Of course
I was in it after a week in a close school
room, and we decided to walk to Fort
Gratiot, cross to Point Edward, walk
down to Sarnia, and complete the circuit
by returning to Port Huron on the ferry,
in short; take the journey commonly
known in this vicinity asa trip around
the world, only substituting pedestrian
exercise for the usual street car rides.

It is odd how many funny things one
sees when on a lcekcutfer fun. Even the
street urchin’s impudence is amusing; and
in times of spring housecleaning the
clo theslines are an unfailing source of in-
terest. Why do people have such giddy
bedquilts? Our first adventure occurred
when we reached the railway crossing. A
long freight train stood directly blocking
our way. We waited, but it remained
exasperatingly still. We tried to go
around behind it; it backed up. We
started to go in front of it; it went ahead.
We repeated the performance, to the great
amusement of the train men, until the
engineer took pity on us and allowed us to
cross in safety.

After missing our way and having to
hunt for the dcck, we found it just as the
boat was coming across. Beautiful as St.
Clair River undoubtedly is on a calm day
in summer, when it is all a deep blue with
scarcely a ripple showing, it is far more
beautiful on a day like that, with a north
wind changing it to innumerable colors
and shades in the bright sunlight. 1 al-
ways to el sorry for people who do not live
neara swift, clear river. The tiny ferry
tossed and rolled as it came up to the dock
and there was no gang plank; so the men
kindly but ur ceremoniously took us by the
s boulders and placed us on board as if we
had been bundles of merchandise. We
were only about five minutes crossing, and
soon found ourselves in the labyrinth of
tracks at the Point. After considerable
d‘fliculty we succeeded in disentangling
ourselves and started for our second tramp.
It is certainly a delightful walk. Part of
the way lies through a park which is quite
rural, being supplied with a turn:tile, and
even a few cows to complete the bucolic
effect. We would gladly have dispensed
with the latter feature in the landscape;
however they were quite peacefully in-
clined, and only favored us with that
peculiarly disconcerting s? are which is com-
mon to the species.

We nearly ran into the “raging c nawl”
which surrounds the park, but happily
escaped and went around by the bridge.
By the time we reached Sarnia we were
nearly starved, and not daring, in the
queen’s dominions, to purchase cream puffs
or bananas and eat them on the street, as
we should certainly have done on our own
side of the river, we hastened to the dock
only to find the boat had “just gone.”
The next one came at last and we were
soon in Yankee lard again. As we ap-

proached the American shore we had an ‘

 

opportunity to do avery unusual thing;
that is, admire Black River. The north
wind had turned its waters to a bright
chocolate hue, ard where it flowed into
the St. Clair it was almost a wine color,
while beyond was a line of pale green,
then dark blue, and still farther out purple
just touched with white foam. But when
we landed the thoughts of dinner drove
every thing else out of our minds, and we
lost no time in getting home. I really
would not dare to tell how much we ate;
but when the pangs of hunger had been
satisfied we voted that we had spent a
very enjoyable morning, and would go
“around the world” again at the first op--
portunlty. n. 0.

Pour H unox,
.__—...——

TALKEE-TA LKEE.

 

Ah me! how they do go on, these men
and women, talking about and at each
other as if each was the natural fee of the
other, and only indivisible interests and the
perpetuity of the race forced a mutual:
toleration.

This only holds good in a general way.
Let a man become conspicuous above his

fellows, and it often seems to engender

covert jealousy and malice among the sex,
if it does not break out in open revilings,
or the “civil leer,” or “ faint praise,” cal-
culated to belittle or discredit the object
sohonored. But the women—bless them
-—crowd around the noble object with de-
ferential attention. Their smiles are for
him, their words of praise are honeyed,
their admiration the highest, their adula-
tion the most servlle. They wait on his
words and woo his favor by every art in
their power. And as-a sex they will work
together, unless their idol unfortunately
should discriminate in his acts, and
singling out one from the many give to
her of his countenance and grace favors
for her alone. Then look out for trouble.
The lucky (f) woman will be harried,
baited, worried, slighted, insulted and
“took down” in every conceivable nan
ner by her tantalizing sisters; but in most
cases all will sing pecans of praise to the
honored man. All of which on the part
of both men and women may be very-
silly.

Let a young, beautiful or famous woman
make her debut in the social or literary
world. Women may surround her with
sweet words of sympathy and endearment,
and may really feelacertain sort of re-
spect and admiration for her personal
charms or mental achievements. But a
bitter mixes with the sweet; a venom;
charges the elixir. A general feeling pre-
vails that all the praise and admiration be-
stowed on the one is in some occult way
deducted from the amount due the many,
and the way the offender is pulled to
pieces in pr-lvrtc, polite gossip, would put
a fine point on refined cruelty to’ animals.

But the men, dear souls, just see them
bow down to the new goddess, flattering,
cajoling, fawning, carrying servlie adu-
lation sometimes to the extent and with
the result of the rustic, who complained
that he had flattered his Dulclnea until she

 

 

 

 

 

 


~43

 

 

 

 

 

THE HOUSEHOLD. . 3

 

had become so proud she would no longer
speak to him. Poor moths that flutter
around the light until their singed 'wtngs
force them to drop into oblivion! l‘he
heart-burnings that result between rivals,
the breaking up of “ Damon and Pythias "
friendships, the teuds and duels that re-
sult, are they not written in the chronicles
of each passing day, while the wily co-
quette plays one ofi against the other,
and laughs with a third at their discom-
fiture. All of which again may be written
down as very silly.

But all the same the world will go on.
Noble men will become the prey of worth-
less women, anal n)ble W) nan will throw
away their lives by marrying degraded
men; while women will combine to prevent
a marriage cf one of their own sex, but
when the marriage is consummated they
will combine to help her manage the party
of the second part. A. L L.

FAIBHOLM. _
THEOPOLUS LISTENS AND IS TEACH-

, ABLE.

 

TEE HOUSEHOLD of May 2nd contains
among other good things, “ An Open Let-
ser to Theopolus—and Other Men,” in
which Beatrix, with kindness of heart and
a commendable object in view, inVItes
Theopolus to sit quietly down, while she
attempts to “talk some sense into his
head” and, nothing daunted by the hard,
self imposed task, proceeds tosay “ House
cleaning is an invention of the Adversary,
for the especial purpose of testing mascu-
line character.”

Now I fuiiy agree with her as to its
origin, but as to its object I’m a little
skeptical. I’ve always been taught that
the Adversary was, and is, ever seeking out
devious ways to draw man into trouble—
his first great success in this undertaking,
by means of the apple, the serpent and the
woman, gave such encouragement that he
has never ceased his efiorts, and in these
latter days he comes when man is contend-
ing with the spring fever, biiiousness, the
hurry and worry or spring work, etc.,
and by means of housecleaning and “the
woman” seeks to place man ltors do com-
bat with himself and the world in general.
Truth compels me to own it (but I don't
like to) that he too often succeeds. ‘

Now I don‘t object to some slicking up
about the home occasionally. I don’t
quite uphold the practice oi always sweep-
ing under the lounge, I think it well
enough occasionally to sweep out from
under the lounge; it is more tidy, and may
restore to their friends, and their proper
use, lost articles of wearing apparel, and
some furniture, but I can’t quite think it
best for Mrs. Theopolus to chase the early
spring fly about the house, trying to ex-
tinguish him, but only succeeding in
hunting against the stove, and falling from
the sewingmachine—from which she
thought she could reach him——and getting
a torn dress and lame arm, while tt'e tly
escapes. Scrubbing a worm-hole, think-
ing it to be a fly speck, is another disap-
pointing labor.

Now I feel that I want to learn, grow
better and move along in sympathy with

 

the world, and in sympathy with house
cleaning—of a conservative kind -and I
would really like to “ avoid the friction
and jars ” (yes, and the grippe, crockery,
stovepipe and a thousand other things, so
difficult to avoid about these day) and so
I’m seriously contemplating accepting the
kindly advice of Beatrix to “do a little
fixing up about the barns, yards and
stabhs.” Perhaps I have been negligent,
for my sheep haven’t had their wool
combed once this year; my cattle haVen’t
been rtquired to take a weekly bath
during the entire winter; my horses’ manes
and tails haven’t been done up in curl-
papers, or even adorned with ribbons, and
not once during the entire winter hav: I
washed off the barn-root! To introduce
these improvements I shall have to omit
sowing much grain; or sow and plant later,
but there is time and good weather in the
fall for sowing and planting; this late sow-
ing will leave more room in the granery,
and if the oat bin gets empty, I’ll just tie
another ribbon to the horses’ tails, and tell
’em not to call for cats, but learn to be

satisfied with ribbons.
THEO POLUS.
W

WICKED THOUGHTS OR WICKED

ACTIONS, WHICH IS THE MOST
WICKED?

 

Were the above question asked of a
number of persons, nine out of ten
would doubtless answer actions are the
more wicked, for the reason that man
judges from what he sees and from ap.
pearances; while God, the infallible judge,
looks into the heart, whence springs all
wickedness. All our ac ions spring from
our thoughts and emotions, but they are
not inseparable.“ By carefully guarding
our thoughts we may prevezt their taking
outward action.

The teachings of Scripture are emphatic
enough on this point to convince any one
that our thoughts, intentions and motives
are really the cause of all our wicked
actionS; and were greater care exercised by
parents, teachers and preachers to instill
into the minds of children and impress
thereon only pure, clean thoughts, there
would be less use for refozmatories, jails,
prisons and the gallows than there now is.
“Train up a child in the way he should
go,” might be improved on alittle, lthink,
by saying, Train up a child in the way
he should think.

Iwas very much amused a few years
ago at what an old German said and did to
his boy. The lad had been left in charge
of the ox—team, with instructions not to let
them get upon the green in the village,
while the father was doing some trading
in a store. Looking out and seeing the
oxen feeding on the grass, he ran out and
taking the long oxrgad out of the boy’s
hand gave him a most unmerciful wLip-
ping, which the boy born without a
whimper. In amazement the old man
stopped, and looking at him said: “ What
you think now? Oh! I knowl you think
dam, and now I lick you for dot,” and he

did “lick ” him again most cruelly. He
at least understood the wickedness of

thoughts. GRANDPA.
MUSKEGON.

 

ANOTHER MODE OF WASHING AND
IRONING.

 

As this sulject has been opened I will
give my way, which is by far the easiest
way that I have yet tried. Place the
boiler over the tire, till with water, slice
into it three- fourths of a bar of any good
soap; I preflr Acme, although Santa Claus
or Lenox are nearly as good. Place the
solid clothes in a tub; the towels and
white tablecloths, if muchloiled, in the
bottom of the tub, then sheets, pillow
slips, e’c , with fine and less soiled ones at
the top. As soon as the water is heated to
a temperature comfortable to the hand,
Cover the clothes with it until they will
take no more and some remains standing
on them; cover with the washboard and
some thick cloth to retain the heat, and
let stand until you lave the morning's
work out of the way. If there is more
than one person to work, one can go at the
washing if you put the water on the clothes
before breakfast. Put a pailiul or more
of water with that remaining in the boiler,
and turn all in another tub, if you have it,
if not, use the boiler. Blue it with Ameri-
can Bail Blueing. It is the best I have
used; any other may do, but this I know
does not spot the clothes. Rub lightly
throughthe first tub, wring into the second,
and put out right from the blued suds on
the line. You may think perhaps that
they will not look clear, but try it once
any way. Of course you should rinse in
clear water those that are to be starched,
but blue them in the suds first. When
you get all but the towels out of the.
first tub put in the colored clothes and
let them soak while you are rubbing out
the towels and hanging out the white:
clothes. This mode of washing does away
with putting clothes to soak over night. I
would not have my clothes put to soakcver
night if any one would do it for me since I,
have washed this way. There is no need
of a fire to wash after you have the water
heated, so it is a saving of wood, makes no
steam to loosen paper on the walls, does
not make half the muss, saves your back
from so much lifting, saves time (and time.
means rest to ml); in flct I cannot tell all
the good there is in 1:; but try it and find
out how much it helps you. One lady
who tried it to please me said her clothes
never looked whiter, but she feltas though
she had not washed at all, as it was so
easy.

1 iron as our Editor advocated some
years ago, folding the most of the clothes
and placing a weight on themu—that is,
the sheets, pillow slips that are plain, work
aprons, coarse towels, plain unsierclothes,
and all that will do to fold and put
away, except of course starched clothes,
which I s; rinkle, roll tightly and place in
the basil—let, cover with the ironing sheet
and iron in the cool of the morning. i‘. is
a pleasure to go outwith the little boys,
aged swan and four, the szns‘iiest to gather
the pins, the other to bring the clothes to
me nta large dry goods box in the yard,
whereI l‘oid them and place on a clean
board; then I carry them to the house
and place a weight on them and let them

 


THE HOUSEHOLD.

      

 

ken themselves without one thought of
shirking anything that needs doing. All
who are overworked and are not strong,
please try and report.

I use hard water without any cleansing
at all, except what the soap cleanses it.
flur cistern has been put off from year to
year, thinking we would build next year,
but loss of live stock, crop failures, and
paying notes signed with others has de-
layed the new house. I think soft water
would be better, but could not say
positively.

The blued suds should be warm, the
colored clothes maybe rubbed through it
i needed, and so may the more soiled white
ones, but mine scarcely ever need to be.

Hssrmes. BUSY BEE.

 

A WOMAN‘S OPINION .

 

I? have been a reader of the HOUSEHOLD
for some years, and enjoy the weekly
visits of the little paper Very much.
Often‘when I read an article that just
suits my fancy, or sometimes is just the
reverse, I hastily resolve that I too will
have a word to say on that subject. But
household cares and other duties occupy
so much time that generally 1 fail to put
my resolutions into effect. But the article
written by Mr. B rker and printed in the
HOUSEHOLD of March 14th contains state
ments 1 cannot endorse in the least degree.
Therefore I firmly resolved this morning
that all things must give place while I
express my opinion concerning him and
his sentiments expressed in the aforesaid
article. It is my practice to judge people
in-a great measure by the books they
choose to read, and I do not see any valid
reason why we could not judge them in
like manner by the articles they write.
According to that standard my opinion of
the author is not entirely flattering.

To advance such ideas as are contained
in- that article is simply absurd. If the
writer does not entertain any better
opinion of the women of this nation than
he expresses in his article, the proper
thing for him to do (in my judgment) is to
rake ship for China or some other heathen
country; or if that be too far distant he
might take up his abode with our North
American Indian tribes, where it is
thought sufficient honor for the wife to
partake of the food that remains after her
liege lord has appeased his app stite. For
in such a state of civilization as I have de-
scribei our brother might have the blessed
privilege of seeing his opinions respected,
but they will not flourish in advancing
America.

I- was much pleased with the articles
written by Mrs. Dewey and E B. M , of
Jackson. Especially would I echo Mrs.
Dewey's sentiments in every particular.
And with M E. H.. of Albion, would I
join in being merciful to Mr. B Lker. As
my sympathy always runs parallel with
the poor, weak, deluded creatures of this
earth, the gentleman in question would be
entitled to a share most certainly, for he
belongs to that class if! he sincerely be-
lieves the doctrine he advocated. But I

in the future he should conclude to retreat
and offer an apology for his attack on the
women, we would all imitate the example
of our blessed Master and freely forgive
him, as did Hetthe thief on the cross.
HOWELL. MRS. R. B. S.

AIRING BEDS.

 

In the last HOUSEHOLD Otatsie wishes
some one to tell her how long to let a bed
air. It is a conducive to health to have
your bed and bedding well aired and
occasionally sunned. You are fortunate
if you have an up stairs back porch in
which you can have your bed things well
sunned. Some housekeepers consider it a
piece of neatness and good management to
have the beds made up as soon as they
are vacated in the morning. But this is a
great mistake. The bedding should be
taken of! and hung on chairs before an
open window, and the air should freely
play over the mattress or feather bed for at
least a half hour before the bed is made
up. Exhalations from the body are pass.
ing off all night, so the bed clothes are
reeking with them by morning, and even
where the person is healthy these exhala-
tions ought to be dispersed from the bed
clothes before they are replaced on thebed.
LIMA. N. T.

 

SOAP.

 

I’ve read the little paper for years with
pleasure as well as profit, but have never
written a line for its columns. Today I
noticed in the issue for April 25 .h one of the
family asking whatlwas the matter with
her soap. _. That "question arousEd “my
sympathies. Ashes from certain kinds of
wood will not make soap. Elm and

hickory are among the number. Ashes
from oak make splendid soap.
Oxsmn. E. M.

 

I noticed an inquirv in regard to ‘: soap
that won't come.” In my school daym
our chemistry class, our professor told ITS
lye and grease would not unite without
nature’s key to unlock her forces. Lime
water was her key in this case. I have
had soap as described. I took a piecejof
lime as large as my two fists and dissolved
it in a pail of cold water. Slacked lime
will do the work. I heated my soap
again and it was all right. Sometimes I
have added soft water. Too strong lye
does not make as good soap, that is, it will
not do as good work is my experience.

The HOUSEHOLD is the first paper read
at our house. AUNT SUE.

MAPLE RAPIDS.

 

r
0

HOW TO MEND TINWARE.

 

In the HOUSEHOLD of April 25 :h Aralo,
of Lawrence, inquires about a patent
solder. We got some once, in sticks
the size of knitting needles—fifteen sticks
for 25 cents. Aralc can go to a hardware
store and get a copper soldering iron and
some solder, (we got a one-half pound iron
for twenty-eight cents and solder for
twenty cents a pound). Take a wide
mouthed bottle (we used an old mucilage

worth of muri itic acid; cut up sheet zinc,
and put in all that the acid will dissolve.
To use it, scrape the tin you want to mend
around the hole with an Old file. Heat
the iron in the stove till it will melt solder
easily; than file one side of the point
bright, put some of the acid on the iron
with a feather, then rub on the solder; this
will tin the iron and make the solder stick
to the iron better. Put some of the acid
on your tin; put more solder on the iron;
then put the point on the tin and the solder
will cover the hole in it. The iron must
not be too hot or it will not hold the

solder. MARY.

HOLLOWAY. ‘
[One of the little HOUSEHOLD g1rls.]

 

HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

 

A CORRESPONDENT of the New England
Farmer says: “The way to banish red ants
is to wash the pantry shelves with hot water
and soap. The ants find nothing in com-
mon with the absolute cleanliness of the
freshly washed shelves.” We give this for
whatever it mav be worth, knowing it
would be as impossible to find a woman
who will admit her pantry shelves may
possibly not be immaculately clean as one
who will own her butter may perhaps fall
short of being as good as the best ever
made.

 

WHEN an oil-cloth has become very
much worn, give the piece a coat of brown
or dark-red paint, and then varnish, after
which it will do good service in the
kitchen.

 

"BUSY BEE ’; says: “I have a ‘hen’
that for business will beat the ‘literary
hens of Albion.’ She is covering 180 eggs
at present. I would like to have some of
the Honsenom) readers present when
the chickens are hatched.”

.—-.——...-————

GOOD Honsnxnnrmc for May is as
brim-full of good things as ever. Every-
body will be interested in “ Mrs. Kalam-
eter’s” boarding-house experience, and
the entire magazine is filled with practical,
common sense talk on domestic topics.
Miss Parloa, who introduces each number
with one of her “ Mornings in a Kitchen,”
is a host in herself. Published by Clark ,
W. Bryan, Springfield, Mass.

0

 

Contributed Recipes.

 

JOHNNY Cam—One and a half cups corn-
meal; one cup flour; two tablespoonfuls of
butter; two tablespoonfuis sugar; one egg;
two teaSpoonfuls baking powder ; a little salt.
For wetting use sweet milk. Stir the baking
powder thoroughly through the flour and
meal, then rub the butter through with the
hands. Make the batter thin.

STIBBED Carma—Three cups flour, in apan;
three teaspoonfnis baking powder; three
eggs; two scant cups sugar; half cup butter;
one cup sweet milk. Put the ingredients to-
gether and stir thoroughly. I used this
recipe ten years without one failure. I used
Brahma eggs. We afterwards had Brown
Leghorns. and my recipe was a failure. I
finally learned through the Farmnn that
three Brahma eggs were equal to five Leg-
horn eggs. E. M.

 

 

am of the opinion that he does not; and if

    

bottle) to the drug store and get five cents’

ONST'ED.