The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-04-23
Spring Work.

Very much of the enjoyment of life
proceeds from the order and regularity
with which we attend to every duty in
its season, leaving heart and mind free,
and unburdened with petty cares and
anxieties. 1t is true that our own obedi-
ence to the demands of circumstances
and the necessities of daily life do not
always relieve us from care; for our
lives are so intertwined with those of
others that their failures affect us, often
very injuriously. Still for these we are
not responsible, and all that is required
of us is to do our own duty, and assist
the world at large by the influence of a
good example.
There are people, both men and
women, who are in state of chronic
backwardness; nothing that they at
tempt, or for which they are responsible,
is ever executed on time; the spring
work lapses over into the summer, the
summer into fall, and fall into winter,
and that which would have done so
much for protection and comfort during
the cold weather is lacking, and finally
done without or postponed, to the seri-
Gus detriment perhaps of something or
somebody.
Spring work is of many kinds to the
housekeeper who Z also the mother of a
family, and who lives in the country.
1t begins with twol1ty things at once, all
of which require to be attended to at
very nearly the same time. If the
amount of help is restricted, the husband
engaged in business, or busy with his
farming, the garden paths and yards
must be cleared of the leaves and debris,
which the disappearing snow rem
ders so unsightly; plants have to
be set out, and those special herbs
and seeds planted which the housewife
has under her own special charge.
Children can be made very useful in
this work, and nothing pleases them
more than to be set at work which is
useful and at the same time fully as
much " fun as play. All that is nee
essary is to teach them exactly how to
do it, have patience with their mistakes,
and let them get as much pleasure out
of it as they please. Perhaps the next
step for the housekeeper to take is the
annual cleaning. In the city this is of
ten postponed till fall, and executed
just before the " family' returns from
the country, superintendent by an ex-
perienced servant. But this arrange
ment pre-supposes wealth and trained
servants, and we are now speaking for
the majority, and especially for those
who have houses which they occupy
from year to year, or homes in the coun-
try. Spring cleaning is disagreeable
necessity, but it can be mitigated, and
is really only necessity for those who
live upon carpets nailed tightly to each
floor, and incapable of removal except
by an eruption or domestic earthquake.
If floors were more sensibly and per-
fectly laid, if they were stained, and
only covered in the center with square
rug or carpet which could be taken up,
the great need of a general renovation
would be done away with, and one
source of domestic discomfort very much
abated.
The cleaning of bedroom closets and
bedsteads should precede the general
cleaning, and take place during the
month of March, one set at a time. II
this work is done thoroughly, and at the
proper time, it will not only promote
comfort but save labor, and the deteri-
Grafton of much that is valuable through
out the year. Bedsteads should be taken
apart, and first thoroughly cleaned with
warm sailed water and SOAP; when dry
pour into every crack and crevice drops
of kerosene oil, over this blow Persian
insect powder through small bellows.
From closets every article of clothing
should be removed, shaken, hung out
to air, and well brushed before being
replaced. In the meantime clean shelves
and floor and paint with warm water
and soap, scrubbing the shelves and
floor, but not the paint; when dry pour
round the edges and into every crack a
strong solution of salt in boiling water
if there are mice holes shake into them
strong cayenne pepper, and stop them
up with chloride of lime, sealing them
with putty or cement. Sprinkle finally
some borax upon the shelves before COW
ering them with paper, and you will
not only be clean, but free from the
depredations of insects for the entire
summer.
The preparation of spring clothing is
work of much less time and difficulty
if the fall work has been well done, that
is, light clothing mended, washed, and
rough dried before having been put
away. Dirt impoverishes quicker than
wear, and it is above all things foolish
and absurd to harbor so deadly an enc.
my to thrift and comfort.
The sewing-machine has lghtened
sewing, and the ready paper pattern re-
moved all anxiety in regard to I" making.
over processes, as well as the making
up of new garments; and for children,
and especially for spring and summer,
the simpler the better.
There is an immense amount of detail
and steady drudging labor to be remem-
bered and performed by conscientious
wives and mothers, and it ought to be
better known and appreciated by the
average husbands and fathers. The
sensible woman will do it and make as
little fuss about it as possible; but it
would strengthen her heart as well as
her hands if she felt that in her place
she was doing as good and necessary
work as he in his, and that he fully ac-
knowledged it. Our homes are the most
important element in our lives, and re-
quire incessant care, work and watchful-
ness at all seasons, but the spring makes
unusual drafts upon the time Of those
who are perhaps always sufficiently &C.