Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-06-11
OrER THE IRONLNG T1BLE.



no easy task, they may be interested in the
following from Fanny Field in the Ohio
Farmer:
why, child what under the sun is the
mattery' asked as stepped into Mrs Bent's
kitchen one morning last week and found
that lady crying over the ironing table Mrs
Bent has been married just three months,
and of course l expected to find smiles and
sunshine instead of tears.
Matter enough said Mrs. b., as she
wiped her eyes. "Sam hasn't a clean, fine
shirt for Sunday, and l can't iron one ct to
be seen"
as that all =
IAN! guess you would think that was
enough if you had fused aud worried over
these plaguey shirts as long as l have and
the more fuss the worse they look! The
starch sticks to the irons, and the irons stick
to the shirts, and there is a wrinkle here and
a blister there, and daub Of starch some
where else and have scorched one, aud the
only one that have roned halfway decent
is As limp as an old dish-rag. Oh dear what
fools girls are to get married before they
know how to do things"
thought so too, but kept my thoughts on
that subject to myself, and said
You are not to be blamed for not know
ing how to do such things-you had no moth.
Il W lthCll DOu-ul II Is NOT 100 lhte 10 learn.
aud if you would like ! will give you a lesson
on starchng and ironing Row.
II see you have hot water in the reservoir
now if you will wash out those shrts-you
car do nothing with them as they are now
| will show you about the starchng Wet
the scorchcd shirt in suds and lay in the sun
if it is not really burned. only scorchcd. the
sun will whiten it again.
Now that the shirts are in the rinse water
we will make the starch | see that you have
the common, cheap starch. You had better
get the best gloss starch it costs a little more,
but it is the cheapest in the end A great
deal of the cheap starch is not good For
two quarts Of starch we will take four table
spoonfuls Of this starch-of The gloss starch
a little more than half that quantity would
probably be sufficient, but it is impossible to
give the exact proportion Of starch as differ
ent brands of starch vary in strength-put in
rs much cold water, and rub smooth Pour
in gradually, stirring all the time. two quarts
of boiling water; add "A teaSpoonful of salt
piece Of butter or lard -utllow j, the best
If you have 1.-THE size Of n large hazelnut
and boil fifteen minutes. You may put in a
very little bluing if you like, but We don't
use it,
Before ironing day comes again get some
of the best white glue; put a tablespoonful
for each quart Of starch in cup and cover
with cold water Set the cup in a dish OF
warm water and put it on the stove until the
glue is dissolved, then strain into the starch
Some use gum-arahic dissolved, instead of
the glue, but we like the glue bcst-it gives a
finer gloss and makes the things so much
sitter.
Use the starch as hot as you can bear
your hands in; hot starch will strike right into
the linen, while cold starch will daub and
stick on the outside. Don't wiring too dry,
and don't leave the starch dripping hit the
happy medium
For calicoes we use flour starch To
make two quarts of starch stiff enough for
dress, take three tablespoonfuls moderately
hcaped, Of siftcd wheat flour add COLI water
slowly, stirring all the time until YOU have a
smooth paste; then stir in two quarts Of boil
ing water, add o tablespoonful of salt a piece
Of lard or tallow the size Of a small hickory
nut, and boil fifteen minutes For dark cali
Goes add cup or more Of cold coffee to pre-
vent any whitish appearance; and for very
light calicoes use bluing if you like blush
tint. Glue water is good TO stifIen calicoes.
DO not use hot starch for colored clothes; it
is apt TO fade them.
After the shirts have been starched with
the boiled starch, and dried. mix u table
spoonful, or more as you need, Of starch with
little cold water. Pour little boiling wa
ter on piece Of boraX the size Of hickory
nut when dissolved add TO the starch and
put in water enough to dip the collars, cuffs
and shirt-bosoms Dip each article twice,
wrnging out each time and clapuing well
with the hands. Stir the starch well each
time before you dip anything. Roll the shirts
up tightly, after slightly dampening the
sleeves and body roll the cuffs and collars in
a clean cloth and let them remain three hours
before ironing. Set the starch that you have
left away until 1t settles, then pour of the.
water and the starch will soon dry again.
Now for the ironing! Iron the back of
the shirt first then do the sleeves and the
neck binding; be very careful not to stretch
the neck. Now slip in the bosom board and
with a clean cloth wrung out OF hot water
rub the bosom well; if the bosom wrinkles
anywhere, rub them toward the bottom
Iron quickly with a hot iron, but not hot
enough to stick and scorch-with "A little
practice YOU will soon learn when the iron is
just right; raise the plaits with the blunt
edge OF table knife and iron again. Now
take the cloth, wrung out of clean hot water,
and rub the bosom over again. Take the
polishing iron and rub the bosom, a small
place at a time, until it shines to suit YOU
and the shine will depend very much upon
the strength and perseverance with which
you use that iron. 1t is no child's play to
polish bosom properly; you must bear
down very hard with the rounded end of the
iron and rub until the bosom is quite dry.
The iron must not be too hot-a moderately
hot iron is the best. Do the cuffs the same
way. When the cuffs are made on the sleeves,
do them after ironing the sleeves and before
you touch the bosom. After ironing the bo-
som iron the rest of the front Always keep
your polishing iron very clean aud bright.
Never let it get Uery hot if you do it will be
ant to rOuglen the smooth surface IL * mot
at all likely that you will be satisfied with
your first or second attempt, but if you per
severe in following the directions that have
given, you will succeed at last. II at the end
of three or even six months you are able to
iron and polish your husbands bosoms, col
lars and cuffs as they should be done, you
will say that the time spent in learning has
been well spent
do not iron calicoes with very hot irons
it will fade and turn the colors more than
the washing. Some ladies always iron cali
Goes on the wrong side but you will find that
they will keep clean longer if ironed on the
right side.
Iron lace and embroidery on the wrong
side, and iron until quite dry or they will not
look nice.
Iron silk handkerchiefs and old silk when
quite damp, on the wrong side and with only
II warm iron, as some colors are apt to turn
or fade.
ITO iron Aannels, take from the line when
not quite dry, roll up short time, and press
with an iron only moderately heated. Press
ing does not make the flannel feel so stiff and
hard as rubbing with the iron, and very hot
irons turn the fabric yellow"
---
An incident occurred on the Columbia
River, Oregon, the other day, which striking