Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-10-14
Household ExpedIents.
BY SUSAN sNAPr.

oedients. She never balks at difficulty
nor turns back at q mishap. Her nature
q sort of universal antidote for home
perplexities. She revels In make shifts
and ignores the impossible. She is an
efficient Mr.. Chick in petticoats / do
believe 1t would be pleasant thing for
her. on any ironing day, to discover that
all the fiaJ.irons had suddenly lost their
handles-it would be such delight 10
contrive substitutes for them out of the
clothes pins. t.-
One summer, when Uncle Benedict
hired an old half tumbled- down cottage
for the summer, she moved there, taking
no heavy furniture-yet out of packing
boxes, boards and barrels, she coDtrived
to fit out kitchen, q parlor, and three
bed. chambers, to say nothing of q state
apartment for honored guests. Her pres
ent suburban home is q ouriosity--simple, |
unpretending, and 80 very pretty; but |
almost every thing in it is "a contriv-
ance." Uncle Benedict Ia only bank |
clerk on a moderate salary, and there are |
three children; 20, of course, there is no
surplus of ready cash. Whose business is |
it that the pretty ottomans in the parlor |
are just pine boxes, cushioned and covered |
with striped chintz; that the chairs were
bought direct of the manufacturers, I'M
polished, and with just the first COW
ering (ot unbleached canvass on the seats,
and were atterward covered with chintz
by Aunt; OF that the plain wood
en- mantle is made to look fine by
drapery improvised from dark
merino skirtl Aud IL she chooses to
buy very cheap but really pretty imita-
ton bronze, and make 9 pedestal for it
herself, by setting up rough pine post in
a cheese-box, and elapping the cover on
top the post, to give it shape, before Gov
ering the whole neatly with folds of
brown merino and satin tout of "old
duds }, who need do anything but ad-
mire9 The hower-etand in her parlor is
lovely, but it is improvised out OF high
nurssry-fender made of heavy wire. Sne
fitted a pan-top of wood TO it herself,
painted the fender brown, fastened pine
cones around its upper edge, and filled
the top with charcoal end soil--planted
her variegated-leaved plants and vines,
allowing ivy to creep in and out among
the fancy meshes of the fender; and
you've no idea how pretty the effect is.
Her old-fashioned centre.table was too
small, so she obtained big pine-wood
top for dollar, screwed it on, ENLARGED
the little square table.cloth by sewing on
a pretty border, and now on winter even
ings, all the family can sit around it and
have room to spare. She bought second
hand carpets, put all the best parts around
the edges OF the room, and the worst in
the middle, and covered the centre with q
! square drugget, that tcorresponded charm
| ingly in color. l haven't time to tell half
| She found two old bedroom-chairs Some
| where, rubbed and oiled them, stuffed
out the seats, and covered them with
lovely striped material, which learned
yesterday was made out of an old green
waist and pair of Uncle Benedict's cast
away pantalOons. She mends her cane
bottom chairs with twine, and then var
nishes the sests so that you scarcely IN
tell they are mended. she makes her own
soap-stones tor her stove, by taking three
parts in bulk of potter bakers clay to one
Of wood. ashes, stirring ia water till a
thick paste is formed. and plastering 1t
thickly IN place with a kitchen spoon. 1t
soon hsrdens, and the fire bakes it harder
and It will last for months. If piece is
broken out of lamp chimney, instead OF
throwing the chimney away, she puts in
the piece very neatly with thin strips of
paper, stuck on with muclage, and knows
by experience that it will "hold" in spite
OF the heat. If her shoe is too tight, she
Sits it over the tee till it IS easy, and con-
ceals damages with a big rosette. She
turns old window shades upside down,
and leaves the old faded part rolled up at
the top; or If she has chance to buy
new ones, always buys plain buff linen
and makes them up herself She makes
foot benches out of starch boxes, and
closets out of shoe boxes, draping the lat
ter with pretty chintz or thin muslin over
pink paper-muslin. AS mother says, "She
beats all :" yet, when you hear of each
10 an GiFga Ia ~ l. 81
time it is hardly worth noticing. Sill
John and I have cleaned good many
useful ideas from Aunt Benedict's house
hold contrivances.
l shall never forget the time Aunt and
went on visit 70 Boston. She carried
half her knick-knacks in her hoopskirt
cover. How she managed to wear the
article so burdened, I cannot imagine
but she insisted it was perfectly convent.
ent and comfortable. Once at our iour.
ney's end, she ''unpacked' of couIse. Il
was funny 10 gee two great pockets taken
of from under her dress. They were
about half yard long, but they were
very "hsndy," she said Her paregoric
and camphor vials were rendered secure
by means of small piece Of thin india
. rubber carefully tied over the corks. "a
. capital plan it is," said Aunt Benedict. 81
bought hanc fLl OF these scraps at the
rubber store for ten cents, about two years
ago, and they've been invaluable"
The weather changed suddenly durin Q
our journey to Boston, and Aunt Bene
dict found herself growing very cold sc
she took big newspaper, folded il ker,
chief fashion over her bosom, pin ned an
other around her waist, put her blach
. shawl neatly over all, and declared her
self to be perfectly comfortable. believe
she pinned another newspaper over hel
pettlcoat SO as to keep her knees warm
but am not sure. She told ne that offer
when she got her shoes damp, she woulC
put IN double paper sole, and so protect
her feet perfectly until she had a Chance
to obtain dry shoes. In travelling, she
sometimes puts newspapers between the
scanty covering of hotel beds, consider
ing two big newspapers equal to quilt
One day, during our visit, 1 found my.
self unexpectedly out Of clean lac collars
We were dressing for dinner, and I wal
in no little dismay. "Neger mind" saiC
Aunt BeDedict costa ically, "Pn manage
it. Light the gas Il always carry a case,
knife with me and some sugar.
While was staring at this very irrele
want remark, Aunt lifted one OF The long
pockets out of the bureau drawer tempo
parcels and set to work washing my col
lar, stiftening it slightly with weak sugar
water, and ironing it between two sheets
OF letter-paper with the fiat blade of the
case-knitel She heated the knife at the
gas Jet beside the bureau, and used it will
with great dexterlty. My collar looked
like new. The sugar gave it Just the
right body" without stifening it, and
the fiat blade smoothed it without giving
it the tight, hard look that lace is sure tC
acquire under the weight of an ordinary
iron.
Aunt Benedict" said l.. putting It on
you're geniusl Oh there's an ugly
grease spot on the end of my neck ribbon
Now, what shall doH IL won't do to
cut the ribbon shorter than it is" y !. /.
"NeVer mind" said Aunt Benedict
"you can fringe 1t in minute."n
So l fringed il; the spot disappeared
and my bow was prettier than ever
Hearth and Home n -lr 2