The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1855-08-11
gorlsrI)olo Gtollomp.
From the american Asricuiturist.
HINTS FOR HOUSEkEEPERS.
BG AN Ma HOPE.

nturc but on the taste which selects and
ar'anGcS 1t. city parlor is no model for
one IN the country. That which is sui.abl,
for one may be entirely inappropriate to the
other. Elegant furniture, rich curtains,
snowy mirrors, and velvet carpets belong to
| those who have nothing pleasant to Look up
on without the walls OF their dwellings, but
III the country far more simplicity is desra-
bic and in better taste. | do not like a r1o
fusion Of gliding anywhere. 1t always has
tawdry and vulgar look, but in Il country
house it is shocking.
There Should be a correspondence in the
furniture of-i room. People who have never
thought Of this would be surprised at the
beautiful effect of harmony in color that can
be secured by proper attention. They are
pleased, but they do not know why they are
pleased. ! well rccollect the impression
made upon my mind years ago by a simple
parlUr furnished in most economical STYLE
| The wood work was painted cream color
The paper was brown and wood -coorcd.
There was sofa in the room. The chair,
| hadnalIogany colored frames and cane seats
There were various smaller seats mad. of
soapboXrs and slloc-boXes, covered with
brown and buir striped calico. The effect
was exceedingly pleasing. What pretty
room this is, was the exclamation of almost
every visiter. There were but two colors in
the room, although there were various shades
Of thcm-brown and buff. These afforded an
agreeable contrast, and harmoniscd admira-
bly, together.
Another room has often pleased me, where
the furniture is all bird's-cyc maple In
stead of Il stuffed sofa there is Il cane seated
one SIMILAR to the Chairs. \ hair cloth sofa
may be comfortable. but where it affords IL
violent contrast to chairs and tables it is not
30 petty as something more simple Damask
and plush, | do not consider at all desirable
i'll most country houses. Where there ale
curtains they should he OF a color which
either corresponds with, Or contrasts well
with the carpet or paper.
| Furniture should not be stationed in row
against the wall. as if drawn up in military
order, but should be placed where it would
most naturally and socially he used. No
particular directions can be aivcn about these
things, for each individual Taste most pre-
side in her own house, but hiuts We often
find to bc of value to ,;s.
! fyou wish To add an ottoman or two to
your pallor, and think You cannot afford the
expense, would recommend u resort To
Soap-boNes. These can bc made as comfort.
able as anything you can purchase. Springs
can be procured for two or three York .shill-
| ingS Il dozen. Five Of these are sufficient
for one box. Secure large blocks in each
corner Of the box inside. Casters can be
| firmly inserted in these. Saw IL bumu to fit
the box. On this at each corner iastcn a
spring by mailing it down with tacks and
bits Of leather Place one in the middle
Then tie the springs together at the top to
| keep them III Il proper position. This board
may rest Oh the corner blocks, at such an
elevation as Shall raise the springs few in
ch,s above the box. Puta few folds Of cloth
upon the springs and nail coarse covering
over the whole. When this is neatly done a
| cushion Of cotton or rags may be secured bv
n second covering. Over it all YOU can use
| hair-cloth furniture calico, or anything YOU
| please. If you cannot easily get springs, or
consider it too troublesome to use them, Il
| stuffed cushion answers very well.
Lounges can he manufactured in the same
way AS ottonans by having a frame made
| the proper size. y convenient way to dis
pose Of the contents of the rag bag is to stuff
hasSocs with thcm. From coarse, Strong
cotton cut two circles fourteen or sixteen il. :.
| chcs in diameter. Stich around the edges of
| these a strip of cotton about SIX inches wide.
Stuff it as hard as possible with rags, and
cover it with Competing or druggot, This
makes II soft fout-stool OF a convenient low
scat.
A house may be comfortably furnished in
these days, with what it used to require to
purchase Il bcd-stead, u 1rathur-brd and a
bureau.
We hope. for the credit of human intcli-
gcncc and progress, that frathel-bcds have
been discarded from every houscin the land.
No family need complain that has plenty of
clean straw for beds and mattress made OF
fine hay is good enough, 70" the pWlor :....om-
Der of the richest lord IN the .lald. IIushs
tombrd upon a ,fac hotchcI. or haclic, arc
better still, and birch split into fine threads,
will make very hard bed but one that will
last u lifetime. All these substances are
very cheap, and much more easily kept in
order than feathers, for it is scarcely any la
Dor at all to make beds whore there is no
beating and smoothing to do.
Feaihcr-bcds arc unhealthy, because they
keep the body almost at flvcr-hcat, and Keep
it also at an unequal temperature, as the
part which is in contact with the feathers is
much warmer than the other.
We can remember, too when it was thought
necessary that every beLstcad in the house
should bc of heavy, hard wood, and fashion
I'd by a skillful cabinet maker, and every
bureau Of mahogany. OF course no family
could have many, as each of these articles
are expensive. But now a whole cottage
may DC pre!tily furnished for what was once
required for one room. What is usually de-
nominated Cottage Furniture" is made of
pine wood, tastcfully painted, and we have
seen all the necessary articles for sleeping
room-Lcdstcad, bureau, wasli-stand with
marble top, chairs, and various little et ccicras
for less than forty dollars, the price Of one
old-fashioncd irathcr-b.d.
We were not long since in family where
there were some half dozen children, who
each slept in a bed by himsclf--as it is al
ways best they should do-and each little
bedstcad was pine slabs nailed together and
painted, at u cost, perhaps, Of fifty cents
each. The children were remarkably heal
thy-and certainly in no worse condition for
their simple accommodations. .E 4.
Lounges have become almost universal.
and made of light wood and covered with
strong chintZ, may occupy any apartment at
less expense than old-fashioned bedslrads.
We have seen very comfortable wash-stands,
made by fitting an uetagon-shapcd board to
the top Of barrel and mailing to it a cur
tain TO fall around and conceal the barrel. -
And where two Or more persons are obliged
to occupy the same room, screen may be
made like the two wings of ordinary clothes
bars with curtains Of blue, or green, or patti
cambria. so that the morning and evening