Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-25
HOW To PACK.
Practical Suggestions on Shipping Clothes.

Philadelphia Press.
The art of packing is by no means a common
accomplishment, and the comic pictures which
represent the girl Of the period despairingly sit
ting on her trunk while the maid-of-alLwork
vainly endeayors TO lock it and the eXpressman
clamors at the door are scarcely much cx-
aggerated as one might suppose IL is always
disagreeable and difficult TO pack in a hurry;
therefore, it is wise TO begin in season. say at
lie asst day before il seems at all necessary to do
so. See that Your trunks are in order and allow
ample time for any repairs which are TO 10
made, for mechanics, as many of US know TO our
sorrow, are more apt to make fair promises
than TO keep them.
After the trunks are ready. get every thing to
gether which is to be packed. and then 90
quietly and systematically to work. Very large
trunks are an abomiEation over which express
men groan and swear, not altogether without
reason. Still, short ones are inconyenent, ex-
cept for short journeys, and multiply expense,
as the eXpressage is for each piece, be it Sara
toga trunk or small valise without regard to
size. But whatever the size of the trunk It
should be filed. or at least packed full enough
to prevent the contents from tossing about Ii
you are compelled TO take trunk which is too
large for what you need TO pack in it. oil IL
with crunped paper rather than leave it
half empty. Even experienced travellers have
only partial idea OF tie rough usage to Which
baggage is subjected, how remorsely trunks are
pitched about The train stops for two minutes,
perhaps, and your new Saratoga is thrown-not
lIted-from the baggagc-car down on the plat
form, and then knocked around pitched first ON
one END ana then on another, until il would
seem asthough every fastening must be wrenched
out OF place. In this condition of affairs unless
tie trunk is closely packed. the contents viii be
literally churned up and down, and the clothes,
which you have carefully folded, will be ttnbled
to degree, even If nothing worse comes to
them.
There are expressmen and ekpressmen. and
il once happened 10 the writer to fall I'm with an
accommodating one in moment of extremity.
AT the last minute 1t was discovered that the
key of trunk was missing, having NY steriously
disappeared from the lock- nor to this hour las
il ever been found. Got a stout rope marlna"
One was produced, and he procdeded TO tie up
the trunk across each way. knotting the cord
scientifically There. now that'll hold. You
see it better to have the rope both ways so as
the top can't come of. A trunk straps pretty
good, but ropes better. cause it goes both
ways. In England baggage is always corded
Nothing heavy, like books. &c. should eyer
De put IN the tcp OF q trunk since the mora
heavily 1t is weighted the more likely the hinges
are 10 break. Dresses should be carefully folded.
DRAWING
strings let out, the waist folded but once the
wrong side out, with the sleeves laid over the
back and the fronts orer all. Then. if absolutely
uecessaIS, ING hSslue may be folded again down
'he n..90le Seam OF the hack but never across
tracking trunks for ball dresses come with sew
eral trays, one above the other each capable M
holding one dress and its accessories. At the
faf1sian modistes'. where professional packers
are employed. the art Of dresspacking is carried
ao periection. The dress Is taken. and, if it is
separate from the corsage il can be laid i'm the
tray with only slight fold at the ton of tie
skirt. The train is spread out first: then every
pun or foid Is kept up by soft wads of
!eiiow tissue paper, white having been
found TO darken white and deljcately
tinted satins. This is to prevrnt the crcas-
ing 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 taken and laid out fat IKE bat.
upon The parer-coyered skirt The sleeves are
nned with paper SO as to retain the shape made
oy the arms; every button Is covered with PAPER
and under bead fringes, &C.. are laid pieces Of
paper 70 prevent discoioration or cutting Over
Tue wheie Is then placed final layer. When top
sray Is reached, and, perhaps, the next one also
beside the paper, q sheet Of the finest cotton
batting suoa g florists use. is placed over Il,
ana, IN turn, over this layer Of oil silk. Thu
recaution against the penstzation Of damp
A clever Ameusan notion 10 thar 81 sdjustsb,s
uayA which may be fitted to any trunk These
are merely ting bottoms formed q fkaDes wtsh
tape lstttoe-wogk, and are fitted IN. when D.
sired, by means Of >djustahle spdpieoes, which
M. Apthon, alleged TO be IN AnerioaA ms
been smazing Rome BY violin playing with hi
Toes In the absence Of any fingers. He sl0