The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-03-17
Concerning the Saving Of Labor.

az the substance OF many OF the articles
which from year to year appear in the
g household column of newspapers,
telling women how to do their work in
order to get through with it quickly,
have plenty of leisure and be always
bright and unfatigued, for they we'll
know that in housekeeping, as in most
other businesses, =" eternal vigilance is
the price of liberty,'' and that for every
day of neglect there. is always a g day
OF ofreckoning. At all events, that has
| been my own experience. 1 find that,
in order to keep affairs running smooth
ly and well, there is always great deal
OF work to be done and always a great
many steps to be taken. ,r-.f h.. a.
In economizing labor, both for myself
and those whose work l direct, L aim
chiefly at two things make the vari-
Gus tasks of the day /" dove-tair' into
each other and to sure steps. The lat
ter, / think, is of very great importance
and the most difficult to compass, be-
cause it requires constant forethought.
Aside from the architectural conven-
FENCES of q house-on which a long
chapter might be. written-there are
some arrangements, simple in them
selves. but which contribute largely to
keeping things in order,' at little
cost of trouble or expense. In the kitch-
en- hang bag so that the mouth be al
ways open, in which put all rags of every
description-especially worn-out house
cloths that drift to that part of the house.
Have another bag, with mouth ajar,
for paper Of every description. Allow,
alecer ardg or paperto be Mro1Un ont of
doors When broom is utterly worn
out, crop OF the stump end and, put it
In the fire; put the handle in the work
shop. Have a box or drawer in the
Kitchen. for needles, thread, thimble,
and shears; they are always needed at
times. Have in every occupied room
a similar outfit, for scarcely a week
passes but a stitch needs to be taken in
something A half dozen steel thinlbles
with needles and thread and scissors,
jadiciously placed, will save five thou
sand steps year. ..
The same may be said of dust-pans
and dust-brushes. In large house
there should be from two to three on
each floor. They viii wear for years.
and IN the end cost no more than when
one is made to do for the entire house,
besides saving all the steps, To come
downstairs for what should be upstairs
and rtce Uersa,> should be accounted an
Intellectual sin. True, one cannot al
ways 90 about with the mind charged
will small matters, but there is an old
saw about killing two birds with one
stone, that is worth remembering. If
there is a shelf or chair by the stairway
on which articles are placed that 60 up
stairs, many steps can be saved in that
way. The same for the cellar, if there
is shelf put in the cellar way on which
things may be placed temporarily that
are either to be carried down or brought
up and left until required
What is needed in the kitchen have in
the kitchen, SO far as possible. Ii there
is no place for these things make
place. So of the dininglroom. Have
your table-cloths and napkins there and
not upstairs in a bureau drawer. In
brief, put the requirements of an
Office IN the office, and, as | said of the
If you have no place for them,
ma ke a place. A small cupboard may
be hung against wall. which will prove
a great convenience. Instead Of talk
ing and wishing for conveniences hare
them. In nine cases out of ten, if YOU
want a thing in downright earnest
you'll get it. Only, never ask to have
an extension to the back part of the
house when you have front rooms that
you don't use! American women have
a mania for extensive houses, until tley
a ont tba;,. OF = l.
of them. a"s.iN''''i -'i"'i's ~ 8t
One way to 'get on'' with work, and
so economize in labor, is to have a
goodly number of irons in the fire at
the same time. find that thing once
begun is half done; then, too, one does |
not always feel like doing certain tasks
at all times, and a diversity Of work is
more pleasant. One may lack materials |
to finish one article, or a certain piece |
Of sewing is upstairs and one is too
tired to 60 for it, so, if there is other |
work at hand already begun, it will
probably receive attention. Sewing and
repairing for spring and summer wear
should now be attended to, SO that when |
'he warm, relaxing days of spring come
here will be no need of over-work for
'he sake of having something to wear.
Apropos conveniences, lamp hung
rom the middle of the ceiling in the |
Kitchen will light the whole room, be
'ut OF the way and out of danger from
Plain hanging lamps are !
low among the least expensive of lamps,
md with a good top piece, or shade, !
ire very useful. sygd .s.g..i v0,t .ew
For cleaning frosted lamp globes,
vet bit of cloth in kerosene and rub
he glass. Use no water, in, cleaning
amp chimneys and the breakage OF |
hem will be almost. nothing. For
'lain chimneys / know of nothing
better than soft paper and h,i--
nan breath. Put the paper over one
md of the chimney, blow into the
'ther, which warns and moistens the
,lass, and then rub with the paper.
some steam the chimney Slightly at the
pout of a teakettle. Whether the way
n which lamp chimneys are cleaned
has actually something to do with their
or non-breakage don't know,
'ut do know that in my own house
leeping the chimneys, that are washed
With soap and water have to be replaced
hree or four times as often as the chin /
leys that are cleaned with steam and