Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-11-10
9listellaueuns &eading.
HOW TO PACK A TRUNK.

AiO oiG VI PASNiAS 10 ~ -" AAS,'Ao - ~0''-
mon accomplishment, and the comic pictures
which represent the girl of the period despair.
ingly sitting on her trunk, while the maid Of
all work vainly endeavors to lock it and the
expressman clamors at the door, are scarcely
as much exaggerated as one might suppose.
It is always disagrceabe and difficult to pack
in hurry; therefore, it is wise to begin in
season, say at least day before it seems he'
cessary to do so. See that your trunks are in
order, and allow ample time for any repairs
which are to be 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 everything
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, small ones are incon-
venient, except for short journeys, and multi
ply expense, as the expressage is tor each
piece, be it Saratoga trunk or small vallse,
without regard to size. But whatever the size
of the trunk, it should he filled, or at least
packed full enough to prevent the contents
from tossing about If you are compelled to
take 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 ex-
perienced travellers have only partial idea
of the rough usage to which baggage is sub:
jected or how remorseessly trunks are pitched
about. The train stops for two minutes, per-
haps, and your new Saratoga is thrown-not
lifted-from the baggage car down on the
platform and then knocked around, pitched
first Oh one end and then on another, until it
would seem as though every fastening must
Le wrenched out of place. In this condition
Of affairs, unless the trunk is closely packed, /,
the contents will be literally churned up and
down, and the clothes, which you have care.
fully folded, will be tumbled to degree, even
if nothing worse comes to them.
There are expressmen, and it once happen
ed to the writer to fall in with an accommo
dating one in moment Of extremity. At
the last minute it was discovered that the key
of trunk was missing, having mysterious.
ly disappeared from the lock, and to this
hour it has never been found. "Got stout
rope, marm?" One being produced, he
proceeded to tie up the trunk across each
way, knotting the cord scientifically. "There,
now, tbat'll hold. You see it's better to have
the rope both ways, so as the top can't come
off. A trunk strap is pretty good but rope
is better, cause it goes both ways" In Eng.
land baggage is always corded for long jour-
neys.
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 care.
fully folded with the founces 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 capa-
bic of holding one dress and its accessories.
At the Partisan modistes', where professional
packers are employed, the art of dress-pack-
ing is carried to perfection. The dress is
taken, and if it is separate from the corsage,
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 wads of yellow tissuepaper,
white having been found to darken white and
delicately-tinted satin. This is to prevent the
creasing or crushing to which velvet and sat.
in are particularly liable. Large sheets Of
the paper are then placed over the whole.
The waist is next taken and laid out fiat, like
bat, upon the paper covered skirt. The
sleeves are filed with paper so as to retain
the shape made by the arms; every button is
covered with paper, and under bead fringes,
etc., are laid pieces of paper to prevent dis
coloratiop or cutting. Over the whole is then
placed final layer. When the top tray is
reached, and, perhaps, the next one also, be-
side the parer 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
precaution against the penetration of dust
or dampness