St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-09-03

After the trunks are ready. get every
thing together which is to be packed,
and then 90 quietly and Systematically
to work. Very large trunks are an
abomination over which expressmen
groan and swear not altogether without
reason. Still, short ones are inconveni-
ent, except for short journeys, and
multiply expense, as the cxpressage is
for each piece, be it Saratoga trunk or
small valise, without regard to size.
But whatever the size of the trunk, it
should be filled, or at least packed full
enough to prevent the contents from
tossing about. If YOU are compelled to
take a trunk which is too large for
what you need to pack in it, fill it with
crumpled paper, rather than leave it
half empty. Even experienced travel
ers have only a partial idea OF the rough
usage to which baggage is subjected or
how remorselessly trunks are pitched
about. The train stops for two min
utes. perhaps, and your new Saratoga
is thrown--not liftcd-fron the bag
gage car down on the platform, and
then knocked around. pitched first on
|
would seem as though every fastening
must be wrenched out of place. In this
condition of affairs, unless the trunk is
closely packed the contents will be lit
orally churned up and down. and the
clothes, which you have carefully fold
ed, will be tumb!ed to degree, even
if nothing worse comes to them.
There are expressmen, and express
men. and it once happened to the
writer to fall in with an accom-
modating one in a moment of ex-
tremity. At the last minute it was
discovered that the key Of a trunk was
missing, having mysteriousiy dlsap-
peared from the lock. and to this hour
1t has never been found. Got stout
rope, marm9' One was produced. and
he proceeded to tie up the trunk across
each way, knotting the cord scientific
ally. ''There, now, that'll hold. You
see it's better to have the rope both
ways, so as the top can't come Oft. A
trunk straps pretty good but rope S
better, cause it goes both ways" In
England baggage is always corded for
long journeys.
Nothing heavy, like books, etc.,
should ever be put in the top of a trunk,
since the more heavily it is weighted
the more likely the hinges are to break.
DRESSES should be carefully folded, with
the tlounces laid smooth and drawing
strings let out, the waist folded but once
the wrong side out, with the sleeves
laid over the back and the fronts over
all. Then, if absolutely necessary. the
basque may be folded again down the
middle seam of the back but never
across.
Packing trunks for ball dresses come
with several trays, one above the other,
each capable of holding one dress and
its accessories. At the Partisan mods
tes', where professional packers are en-
ployed, the art of dress packing is
carried to perfection. The dress is
tax en-, and If it is separate from the
col sage, it can be laid in the tray with
only slight fold at the top Of the SKIRT.
The train is spread out first; then every
puff or fold is kept up by soft walls of
| yellow tissue-paper, white having been
found to darken white and delicately-
tinted satins. This is to prevent the
creasng or crushing to which velvet
and satin are particularly liable. Large
sheets of the paper are then placed over
the whole. The waist is next takon and
laid out fiat. like bat, upon the paper
covered skirt. The sleeves are filled
with paper so as to retain the shape
made by the arms; every button is COW
cred with paper and under bead
fringes, ETC., are laid pieces of paper to
prevent discoloration or cutting. Over
the whole is then placed final layer.
When the top tray is reached, and,
perhaps, the next one also beside the
paper sheet of the finest cotton bat
ting. such as florists use. is placed over
it, and, in turn, over this layer Of Oil
silk. This is a precaution against the
penetration of dampness or dust.
A clever American notion is that of
adjustable trays which may be fitted to
any trunk. These are merely tray bot
toms formed of frames, with tape lat
tice-work, and are fitted in, when de-
sired, by means of adjustable end
pieces, which hold them firmly in
place. philadelphia Press.
SaJI INV Woirl,f