Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1855-12-28
From the New York rvaneslis..
A REMEDY ron MOTHS.

I aI-
parel, sadly damaged by the MOTHS In the
midst ofour trouble, and the discussion. as
to the modes of protection against moths
which had been handed down by tradition
Aunt Julia came in.
"Aunt Julia, how do you keep your win
ter clothing, from the moths" We botl
asked eagerly, as that good lady proceeded
to lay aside her handsome shawl which
looked as fresh as ever after seven years
wear @
q used to suffer from moths as much as
any one, replied Aunt Julia, taking her
knitting from her little basket, and sitting
down, "butI found recaiptin an old fash
i1ned bookwhich has relieved me Of such
solicitude on the subject. 1t was many
years before | could be persuaded to try II.
In my young days money was not a. pi,-ii-
ty as now, but provisions were cheap. and
a farmers daughter began her marriage
life better supplied, with linen, blankets,
and bNd-quilts, that many jewel-decked
| city belle
As Twas an only daughter, and was not
married too young, a noble pile of blankets,
feather-beds, bed-quilts, &c, became my
i portion. For many years after we removed
to thecitv, l used to dread my summer
work of airing beds, and packing very fine
hon1e-maae blanket, and quilts, stuffed with
the softest down. I tried snuff. tobacco. cam
phor, pepper and cedar chips, and vet as we
changed our place of residence several times
e'me colony of moths, old squattors among
the beams of the garret, or in some unob-
served scrap Of WOODEN cloth would perfor-
ate tiny holes in my choicest possessions"
/ "Why, aunt Julia, 1 thought you had a
ceder closet"
"Yes, when we moved into our new house;
but by that time my closet was too small
for my increased wealth, and till I used this
receipt Iseldom passed year with out some
moth holes, but now have not seen one in
nine years"
"What vast aunt? Have YOU the book
Orcan you repeat it from memory? Its too
late to save these things, but win write it
down and try it next Spring"
So saving Anna took out her little receipt
book and pencil while Aunt Julia prepared
to record the moth preventive.
4 The book was an old one with the title
Foblitnrated, and the title page torn out bY
some careless child, but the directions were
there.
'Iay not up for yourself treasure, uron
earth where moth and rust doth corrupt
'.But lay up for yourself treasures in heav-
en-, where neither moth nor rust doth cor
rupt and where thievesdo not break through
and steal"
| so, aunt Julia, is that all! How does
that help the matter"
swat Anna, and hear my story out
One day, as l was mourning overmy choic-
est blankets, eaten BY the moths, and air
ing my down bed-quilts and faather-beds,
which have been rendered obsolete by the
introduction of spring mattresses; as l stood
ready to cry with vexation to see nv choic-
est articles eaten in the most conspicuous
places, as you have experienced to-day, nv
eyes rested on an old Bible, which Law on
the top Of barrel of pamphlets in the gar
ret. l opened it and almost unconsciou ,lv
read the receipt for avoiding moths which
! l have given Won to dav. th0n rpcollaeted
/ that they seldom trouble the d)thing in fire.
quent use, and that the articles which caused
me so much care were not needed twice a
year. then thought of Sophy Baker,
with her largo family and sick husband
They had been burned out the Spring be-
fore, AMI were just entering upon cold,
long winter of poverty. l sat down, and
writing har a note, sent her two fcather-beds
and four blankets and an old fashioned 'cov-
orlid' that very day; and two more blankets
/ dispatched to poor old rheumatic neigh
Dor, whose destitutiOn had never occurred
to me before. then beganto breathe free
!, lier; and before another week two more
blankets hal gone to comfort tired limbs,
and aching hearts. The ca st-ofi coats, cloaks,
and old pieces of carpeting which had long
laid in my garrct WIRE given to the deserv-
/ ing poor. A bag Of WOODEN stockings and
socks, which had been kept for cleaning
brass, were sent To charity institution, new
er again to become q temptation to the
moths. inquired particularly the next
year, AMI found the beds and blankets were
in-sleh excellent preservation that l cheer
fully laid uo more of nv surplus property
III heauea,' and out Of thu way of moth AMI
mould. Ny cedar closet and trunks hold
all l wish to preserve, anil, when they be-
gan to run ovar, commit more artilss to
the keeping of my widowed and fatherlass
acquaintance"
"But, aunt Julia, yours is peculiar case.
You had the homemade. outfit of rich
farmers daughter, and could not expect to
make use Of it; beside the Bible don't en-
courage wasting our goods extrayagantly." "
II do think the Bible leans to what is
called the extrayagant side. The rest of
the chapter following this verse have quo
tel gives little encouragement to much fore
thought, either in food or raimant and in
another place, says; "He tia hath two
coats, let him impart to him that hath none.
| This rule leaves very littly to pack away in
a cedar closet In my opinion, Gods PROV
!, idence is far from encouraging extensive ac-
emulation, either of money or possessions,
especially among Christians. Fire and
flood, drought, mildew, and moth, stand
ready to rebuke that spirit of covetousness
which the Lord abhoreth."
"SurrlY, aunt Julia, YOU wouldn't have
me give away the new furs you gave me
yourself last wintern
No, nv child; but let us examine for a
moment this moth-oaton pile. Here arc
three coats of your husband, which he could
never possibly wear again"
/ Ii1,L - = : r e ! =. u