American citizen., 1874-01-31
Traps in Our Homes.

A GOOD many houses have traps about
them, beside those set for rats and mice.
A friend of mine has very dangerous
traps in her house, in the shape of the
fastenings on the closet doors. They shut
easily, but can only be opened on the out
side. One day a young lady stepped in
side her closet door to hang up dress,
and the wind blew the door shut. There
she was, close prisoner in very close
quarters on a summer day She was in
delicate health, and the prospect of long
imprisonment was not cheering. There
was no one up stairs, and the good lady
below was at work in her back kitchen.
Her calls for help could not be heard, but
long and persistent pounding at last awak-
ened curiosity to see what could be
about, and brought assistance. These
catches still remain on the door. A lady
in the city left her house in the charge of
a servant, one little boy only being at
home with her. The girl stepped into a
closet with just such fastening, and the
little fellow closed the door after her. He
was too small to understand the mischief
he had done, or to unfasten the door. So
there seemed little chance of her escape
She remembered, too, with horror, that
the street door was locked and her mis-
tress could not get in until she opened
the door.
Nothing seemed left for her but to try
the strength of a good pair of brogans on
that closet door. She persisted so reso-
lutely that the lock, or something, gave
way, and she found herself once more at
liberty. If you have such trap in your
home, beg you will have it removed,
before even worse consequences than
these happen to some one of your
household. 1 should rest almost as com
fOrtably if l knew that there was an ola
well covered with rotten boards in my
cellar, as l could with such door fasten-
ings anywhere about.
Speaking of wells, recalls various ones
l have seen in country places, surrounded
by broken board curbs which seem to
need only a fingers push to topple them
over. Let child stumble against one of
these traps, and he is at the bottom of the
water in a twinkling. Some careless
householders live on from year to year
with the cistern covered only by loose
boards, which even the creeping baby can
pull aside. Some day, when its little pink
bonnet is found floating on the water, and
its little dripping body is brought up
from the bottom, there will be a great
murmuring in The house, and manv re-
Elections on the mysteries of Providence,
and then the trap is set again. The results
of mans sloth and blunderings are often
charged upon Providence. 1t is such an
easy way Vi luc IIoU
ones own shoulders!
A broken doorstep is trap which has
proved most disastrous end to many
Broken limbs are great deal harder and
more expensive to mend than broken
boards. So be sure you see TO the boards
in time. Better sprinkle the path with
ashes than be laid up half the winter in
consequence of the bad fall you get on
the icy walk.
But worse than all these traps is the
gin trap set in SO many com 'ortable far
mers' homes to- day. 1t is baited at first
with an evening cup of good hard cider
but very rarely stops there. The way to
the Turing gin-shop at the village corner
is almost as sure to follow as the sun is
to set. The stalwart working business
men of the time did not come from cider
drinking firesides. Don; set this fearful
trap for your sons and daughters, for it
has slain its thousands, both of girls and
boys.
Look about and see what dangerous
traps you may have left lurking about
your premises, and, once found, act as 4
wise man should-have them at once re-
moved.-Country Gentlemnn.