The true northerner., 1882-06-09

clothes, to get good articles, then take care
of them until able TO get more, keeping the
older for second best, and saving the best for
extra occasions. Ii is poor economy for
people to patronize secondhand travelling
theatres, shows, and many other entertain
ments that are so common of late. People
had much better buy good books, papers, or
magazines, that will help to store their minds
with useful knowledge, that they may have n
fund to draw from in their old age-this is
good economy. Every day brings oppor-
tunities to economize. How often the care
ful housewife goes the rounds from garret
to cellar, scanning everything, especially dur
ing warm and damp weather. Some times
valuable articles, such as furs or hannels, are
spoiled by mildew, mold, or moths. Furs
should be put away early in the spring be-
fore the moths come around; there is no use
in spending money for tobacco, snuff, or
camphor, to put on them, if they are put in
q tight band-box with cloth under the
cover. The best way to keep flannel or
worsted bed-clothes, is to put them into
sacks made of thick twilled factory, for they
seldom gather dampness or get musty in
such receptacles, and it is nice way to keep
heavy cloaks or winter dresses. Make the
sack the length of the garment, with a loop
hang it up by. In this way garments are
kept from the light and dust, and are not
creused by being put in drawers or trunks.
Dried fruit can also be kept in these bags
any length of time, if heated to tempera-
ture high enough to destroy insect life be-
fore being put in. Carpets need special at
tention; 1t is n good plan to take damp
cloth and hot fiat-iron and 90 around the
edges; this will kill the moths, if there are
any, which is apt to be the case If they are
not taken up once or twice year. A little
camphor-gum strewed around is an excellent
preventive, but expensive. In making sale
carpets, the ravelings should be saved to
mend them with. In making rag carpets,
always save some of the different kinds of
rags and warp to mend with. One should
have a large darning-needle for the warp.
and as soon as thread is worn off, weave in
piece, either tie each eud or 90 an inch or
two each way from the break, taking care to
put the ends out of sight. For weaving the
rags, take piece of whalebone five or six
inches long, taper one end and make an eye
in the other, and with care you can weave in
the rags SO thoy will seldom be noticed.
They should be torn narrow to mend with
In this way carpets will last nearly or quite
as long again and look much better. A
ragged carpet spoils the looks of any room,
no matter how well furnished. 1t is OF the
utmost importance to be economical with
our health. We should eat less rich cake
and pastry and guard well the sources of i'm
pure air. The cellar especially should claim
our attention, and should not be left entirely
to the men folks or hired girls, for no doubt
many person has been made sick by the
impure air arising from decaying vegetables
and fruit. l have been in houses where
could tell that the cellar door had been open
ed, by the stencil that came up, especially if
few decayed onions were mixed with cab
bages and turnips. All such things should
be removed as soon as they affect the atmos-
phere, and the cellar should be aired every
few days from an outside door. If the vine
gar barrels are in the cellar, they should be
kept white-washed to keep them from get
ting mouldy, and an extra tub with lye in it
should be kept for soap-grease until used for
soap. In this way it is kept sweet and clean.
OF course it should be well ventilated in
summer, when the milk is there. for milk is
a great absorbent, and butter will very soon
taste of the atmosphere that surrounds it..
The cream crock should have a strainer cover
in warm weather, so the gas can escape after
the cream is sour. The butter will be sweet
er. A small piece of ,horse-radish root will
keep the pickles from acting mouldy.
1t is good economy for the husband, if
able, to provide a good stove for his wife,
good wood, washing machine, wringer, sew
ing machine and all the modern improve
ments that can help make her work easy,
save Ler health and patience, and help to
cheer her while going the ceaseless rounds of
house-work. If he would pay more atten-
ton to these things. it would save many
doctors bills, and perhaps save him the mis-
fortune of having an invalid wife. On the
other hand, the housewife should take good
care OF what is provided, not allow tubs and
pals to stand around in the sun until they
dry up and fall down, the clothes TO switch
on the line until frayed out or blown away
and lost
Children should be taught to take care of
things. Some women have raised large
families of children. and still havc their first
sets of chairs, while others have to replace
them every few years. and all other house
hold goods in proportion. Mothers should
teach their girls, if they have any, TO be
economical housekeepers; for if they never
marry they may want to keep house, and if
they themselves do not work. they should
know how work ought to be done
Many women depend mainly on their hired
girls, and often complain of their slackness
and wastefulness. l have noticed that a
slack housekeeper is apt to have slack help.
Many girls whom we hire are young and in
experienced, but by precept, example and
kind treatment they often make valuable
help. If a woman is able to be around the
house, it is as much her fault as the girls,
that the bread is sonr, the coffee burned up,
the butter sour or bitter, too cold, or too
warm to work properly, the clothes half
washed, or scorched when ironed or that
cold yictuals are thrown away which would
make a palatable dish if properly prepared.
We should see to all these things if our help
is not competent.
These are some of the ways IN which we
can and should practice household economy.
II is attending to these little matters Lat
helps to make one good, thrifty, practical
housekeeper.