Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-02-18
THE CONFESSION OF A TEA-KETTLE
OR A HINT TO HOUSEWIVES.

OR A HINT TO HOUSEWIVES.
Everybody sqid so, and We a., know what
everybody says must he true, especially what
every lady says. Now, what every lady said |
was this that I was " love of a iea-kettlc." |
Pm not q vain kettle MI nihcurh sar it, who
shouldn't say At, in my youth sods pretty. All
you may laugh, but you'll be old some day, de-
pend ON it.
Well, promised you my history, and now III
tell it, if you'll only listen.
l was made of copper, and no sooner was the
last polish put upon me, than my owner, FUR
nishing ironmonger, placed me in Il conspicuous
position in his shop window. My bright appear
anee AMI neat shape very soon attracted the at
tention Of passersby. Every one admired me,
and some pleased me much by openly expressing
their admiration. One day, young lady
evidently but newly marrieI--decared was n
Glove of IL a-kettlr," and having satisfied tho
ronmonger as to his demand for me, requested
| should be forthwith sent to her house Home
1 went, and had the satisfaction of hearing both
the cook and the house mnid speak favorably of
my appearance and that's great thing, mind,
for n Kettle l was very comfortable in my new
| abode, and each evening, when filled with water
| pure and soft, and placed upon the hob by the
| side of cheerful fire, soon sung away to my
master and mistress's satisfaction, and my own
content.
All went smoothly on, until one day, my mas
ter having received an appointment abroad, re-
solved to dispose of his household goods, myself
among the rest. A lady residing in neighbor
ing village purchased me, and was Immediately
packed off Somehow or other | speedily found
that, although the water | was daily filled with
was clear and bright-more sparkling, indeed,
than had been accustomed to-it made me feel
very uncomfortable about my stomach, accom-
panied with n tight sort of feeling and thicken-
ing of my inside, together with great disincli-
nation to boil aud sing as was wont.
My mistress constantly complained of me
and as for the cook, she was positively rude,
for, on more than one occasion, she shook her
fist at me and exclaimed, E" BRAT that kettle,
twill never bile p My ailment increased, and
continued to get worse, anti my owner requested
the cook TO call in II doctor. smith residing
hafd-by, was my mediell attendant, aud he un-
dertOok TO effect my cure he saw at once that 1t
was not my fault that did not boil-that was
coated inside with a substance fOrcigl to my ma
turc, which he termed "iurr." Taking me TO
his smithery, he set to work with hammer and
chisel, and speedily removed the cause of all my
troubles. But, oh, the remedy was as bad as the
disease my poor sides were so battered and
bruised that felt sure that when l reached
home should be dismissed to the kitchen, anu
never more be summoned to the tidy parlOr fire;
and, moreover, one small hole was knocked right
through me. which panied me much that, how
ever, was patched up, and as did not complain
no one noticed it. Although the 'furr' was re-
moved, was lett very rough in my inside, and
being once more brought into daily requisition,
soon become as bad as ever, Neighbors were
consulted, and all sorts of remedies proposed for
my cure one that potatOe peengs were to be
. boiled in me another, n marble, aud so forth ;
& but no good came Of them, and / continued to
get so bad and cloggel up with "turr," instead
of holding three quarts, l hardly could contain
as many pints One day n travelling tinker
happened to pass through our village; he was Il
loquacious fellow, and soon made the acquain-
tance of my mis-, 'ess' cook she happened TO
mention me to him, and he undertook 10 put me
to rights in half an hour. In an evil moment
for her, she parted with me, and next day was
miles away, in large manufacturing town,
never more to return, for the tinker was not ac-
customed to the method of business according to
the rule of aieuni and iaWm. He soon sold me fol-
half my weights value to a chemist, who. taking
off my lid, exclaimed, "Ah, my poor fellow
j you've been badly used, can see"
> His sympathizing tone induced me to open my
heart to him. and to tell him my whole history
from the very first.
al see how it is," said he, " but wen sooI
have it all right. l understand you to say, thai
the water you were first supplied with scemeC
very pure and soft though not so sparkling ant
bright as that you were filed with by you
4 second owner. Well, that is quite in accordance
B, with chemical facts; the water from the puml
of your second mistress owed it's hrilliancy TO thu
quantity of lime it held in solution. Rain water
caughtin clean vessels away from large towns
is the purest that can be procured, without re
sorting to artificial means; and this although
pure, will not sparkle like spring water, for thu
reason that it contains no lime or saline matte
rs possessing the power of reiracting light. Tn
N water used by your first mistress contained llttl
Is or no lime, and all went on we'll. You see, tn
oid proverb, "not to trust too much to appear
ance, will apply to water as well as to mer
But how came it that bright and sparkling waite
caused such disturbance of your stomach, an
coated your inside with d" furr" nearly an inc
thick 2" nsSed my new master
Of course | could not say and so he COL
ID tinued;
ID "rll tell you. The water used at the hou.
- of your second mistress contained IL good
quantity of lime-carhonate of lime, or chalk
dissolved during its percolation of the earth
this, from its perfect solution, would render
sparkling Now my good friend, you ha'
helped TO enliven many Christmas party Wi
the hot water you have supplied, and cam
an have failed to observe TINT when tho guests WEI
III, mixing their toddy, how much sooner the sug
81. dissolved in hot water than in cold so it is wi
substances generally; they are more readi
so, ,uabe to hot fluids than in cold.
ayes, I've remarked that, SIR said |.
uIi,He, however, is an exception at ordina
femme, At; ire pint of water will dissolve ful
-, eleven grains of limo while Mt its boiling poi
ER the same ouan tity will not take up seven.
ER this water, breht and brilliant, and fully satuI
ted with lime, or its carbonate, you were da
filed, and as it became hotter and hotter, do'
and down went the lime leaving day by day
additional coat on your poor sides and as We
,r small SNOWFALL will when set in motion, incre'
n to q monster, so the continued Naly MIN oi III
n deposit increased to an inconvenient and nnco
Portable thickness, and ultimately brought y
to grief, for this thick deposit of "furr," by r.
son of its being bad conductor of heat Prev
ted its passage through you to tbe water
would not boil and you got blamed.
'You know best, sir, aud no doubt 1t IS as
saw" was all could give utterance TO-
VII :" But to the point, +" he continued. 6 You
'G nearly half full of this troublesome stuit and
doubt all good housewives will reJoice TO learn
mem. easy remedy. This limy deposit, though ha
.I and troublesome to remove by hammer and CHI
very is easily got rid of by chemical agency.
rily' drochloric acid-(giving vince at this h
name, my master noticed it, and said, "Don't
ets alarmed, it is commonly called spirits of salts
will remove the cause of all your troubles II