Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-27
Lack Of Economy i'm Small ThfnSs.
BY MRS HENRY WARD BKBCHHR.

A0CA VI EC0MOHmy IN SlQ6kAA Il M 0K8s
BY MRS. HENRY WARD BKECHRR.
Housekeepers have much to say usually on
the subject OF economy, and are often proud OF
their skill in beating down" the first price
given by the seller when marketing or shopping.
another. or to each stall in the market, il they
succeed in reducing the price of small quaint
tty OF meat or a few yards of cotton by penny
though the purchase may be OF inferior quality,
II Will be matter Of self-congr for
days. But no account is made Of the precious
OF Of the 9ha as
been saved had less q ne been given needlessly
to shopping, and MOI devoted to careful super
vision OF the work gong on at home.
How little our street. walking, shopping house.
keepers know of the small leakages, the careless
destruction and waste, in the kitchen, dining
room-an over the house-which their presence
siptng with the milk mar, the butcher, or grocer.
that large pan of dough Is rising higher and
higher, and has for some time needed attention.
When at last the door closes on the unfa1thful
servant turns to her neglected work, to see what
should have been splendid baking OF bread
80 as to
knead it down. 1t is OF no use. No soda can
Sweeten that mass What becomes of it? Does
the mistress Of the house ever known The swlll
man could tell. but will he? Never, unless the
COOK cuts of some of his perquisites. Then his
conscience may warn him that 1t is his duty to
inform the mistress OF the house. A plate of
light soda biscuit for tea will blind the lady till
another pan OF dough can be prepared and
baked, receiving, no doubt, better attention
than the first, for every cook knows that two
would not be safe. Even careless housekeeper
might wake up to the suspicion of something
more than mistake.
How many housekeepers neglect to look after
the stale bread, the bits Of crusts that should
De preserved for puddings, or carefully dried In
slow oven, then rolled or pounded and hung
up In bags in cool, airy place, to use for stuff
ing? What becomes of all this. If not thus cared
for? Look in your sinks, and see the pile of
vegetables meat, whole Slice of bread, that are
left soaking in dish-water Till the dishes are
washed somehow, and put away. And when
ready to clean up and empty such a looking
sink, the swin man again could tell where it all
goes to.
Aside from wasted bread what other loss does
this careless, unttdy mode of clearing off the
debris from a table involve? The pipes which
pass from the sink to the sewer below In large
proportion OF houses, and usually with what is
called goose-neck, or bend like that in goOse's
neck, underneath, can not long be kept clear
The perforated tin or zinc which covers the top
of the pipe will be some protection, to be sure,
but it only puts off the evil day. 1t must come
at last 6 AND nb then the and
pipes can be cleared, must be added to the sum
total OF the lack of economy, or waste in small
things.
Then, again, many housekeepers complain
and justly-at their heavy gas bills. Are they
careful in noting how the gas is used in their
Kitchens? How many are burning, or turned
burned? Do they wait to sect the gas is turned
out, and only one left burning slightly after
leaving the supper table. while the girls are
having their supper? Do they know that it is
until late hour? Are they aware that in the
morning, If not noticed, the blinds will be
closed, and the gas burning at full height in
to take its place? Do they look well to the
way OF their household, and see that the gas
is not left to waste in parlors or bedrooms?
what may seem at first Of little consequence.
Those who are not careful would be astonished
at the change In their gas bills If they would
economy for month.
How often we hear complaints of cooking
stove or range! The fire won't burn, or 1t burns
too fercely: the oven won't bake, or scorches
everything past eating; it smokes; the gas es-
capes; 1t burns more coal in one day than it
used to in week; the hampers are useless; the
crate can't be turned overland the cook de-
clareS it is all the fault Of the stove.
Now there Is no doubt that most Of this trou-
bic is the result of careless management on the
cooks part; but could this be, and good range
rendered almost worthless, if the mistress Of
the house gave special attention to the various
parts Of her domains often enough to keep the
whole machine in good working order? Is she
NuuuS anu CdpdUc vi illus overseeing CQaU
which is committed to her charge? Does she
understand how range or stove should be man
aged, so as to be able to see where the cook
has failed? and can she give such lessons as will
show the girl that her employer fully under
stands how the'work should be done? When this
has been recognized. and the girl has been not
only told, but shown, how she must hereafter
manage her stove, the mistress cannot relax her
vigilance, but with kindness and patience with
out fdtut. finding, watch. CareleSsneSS and for
getfulness are bound up in the hearts OF most OF
our help, and unslumbering watchfulnesS IS our
only protection from many mistakes, nort1tyiag
and veXatiouS often because they seem to come
just at the most trying and inconyentent tine,
and also frequently attended with much waste
and pecuniary loss.
Simply telling how stoYc or range should be
managed will not save one from all the annoy
ance that a half-ruined stove Will cause, and
certainly will not stop The waste that mist be
inevitable In such cases. II anything goes
wrong, the housekeeper should either take the
stove apart, and see what is the m litter, or, If
not. Sk1llful enough, send for help to a stove
mandatory or store, and stand by with the
cook and see what the matter is. The fire being
all out, he Will remove every cover from the top,
and we feel quite sure what he will find there
coal, so that all draught must be obstructed
Then the ovens will be lifted out. the slide or
cover to the pit under the oven will be removed,
while cook protests that '1ndade and indada It
is cleaned out regularly every night, as yerself
ordered, men," But when these are all removed
this pit will be found filled with ashes, packed
n
wonder the CRATE can't be well emptied or
turned over. Each bar Is double the proper size
with cliDkerS, with which the CRATE Is so filled
that there is hardly room for ShoveIful of
Goals.
Who can wonder that food is burned on the
top and raw on the bottom? The crate must
have been filled up to the very covers, mostly
with wood covered with a little coal, until the
coal was ignited; then, as the kindlings burned
out, more coal was heaped On, until the covers
were red-hot, and the much-abuSed stove
groaned with the furious heat. No wonder that
the stove was cracked or in holes almost past
repair, and kindling-woOd and coal wasted most
extravagantly. There is scarcely any other
thing pertaining to household expenses where
the full amount wasted for lack OF economy In
small things will foot UP" so heavily as in the
reckless waste OF kindling- wood and Goals, and
consequent destruction OF cooking stoves and
ranges. Home comfort depends on good cook
ing apparatus almost more than on any other
thing pertaining to the kitchen; but no matter
how perfect the patent, nothing can be so easily
put out Of order and destroyed by carelessneSs
and mismanagement. A lesson given by
workman acquainted with stoves, that exhibits
the mischief and waste that spring from neglect
may not insure cooks future care and truth
fitness, but it can teach the housekeeser that
as the foot OF the master is said to be the only
warrant OF success on farm, SO the eye and
hand of the mistress must be most vigilant and
effective 10 prevent waste and secure comfort in
the house.
There are many other portions of household
duties where economy is sadly neglected, and
will continue VhpnaVar rniStra1s for