The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-05-31


and maid to become acquainted. 1 have no
sort of patience with this cry of bad servants.
The fault is just as much one side as the
other. David Copperfeld had the right of it |;
il is not always the servants that demoralize
the family,-it is the family that demoralizes
the servants. Let the American Dora study
over this proposition.
THE QUESTION OF HELP.
"Have you a good cook Mrs B. ?" a lady
asked another while paying friendly call, in
presence of the writer.
"Oh, Mary is still with me, you know; and,
from what / hear of other girls, think she
must be a jewel"
Not the Mary that lived with me ?" was the
surprised inquiry.
" Yes, the same. Let me see, she has been
with me two years and more"
"Well, all I've got to say is that you have
more patience than |. For of all the awkward,
impudent gad-abouts I ever had, l think she is
the worse"
81 never have found her so," was the quiet
reply; on the contrary, Mary has never given
me disrespectful word. She is not as swift
about her work some, but she is trusty and
steady, and neither goes out much nor has
much company at home. / suppose she will
stay with me as long as she is single"
The real solution of the question of domestic
help is presented in the above. Here are two
ladies of equal social position, except that the
lady Of the first part can offer, to all appear
ances, a much more inviting home to friend
less working girl than the lady of the second
part. She has larger means, more convenient
kitchen, range, stationary tubs, pleasanter
sleeping-roomS for her domestic help, more
modern conveniences of every sort. But, though
the lady of the second part lacks all these desir
able things, and many more which the other
possesses, she has in her house what is far bet
for viz hon rThf
kindliness an equable disposition and deep
seated desire to do by her humble servant girl
what she would, could they change positions,
have that girl do by her Heaven help that
household where the servants are changed
monthly! If some of us were inmates of those
homes we would certainly prefer to go out with
the servants than to remain with the mistress
of the establishment.
TRY QUIET WAYS.
| Some housekeepers have somehow got the
| erroneous idea that, in order to accomplish any
| thing they must put on bustling air and a
noisy manner, must issue commands like an
aid-de-camp in the clanor of battle, and keep
everybody around them on the perpetual jump,
whether they are a part of the domestic ma
chinery or otherwise. There are Others besides
| housekeepers who have somBhow got the same
| idea, and we would not be surprised to know
] that the correspondent of the Minneapolis
! Tribune had struck the keynote in the follow
| ing have been a teacher, and am now a
mother. / visit schools often, and it is my ex-
| perience that noisy governors make noisy chill
| dren. Try quiet ways; move gently, speak
/ low, hear the recitations as though afraid of
disturbing the school, and l think the children
will catch the infection and be as quiet as any
! one could wish. No doubt gentle chiding will
be necessary now and then, until the children
become accustomed to the change.
SLAVES OF THE CooKING-sTovE.
A writer in.the New York Ledger very SEN
! sibly demonstrates with the women of America
| upon the folly of spending so much time in
concocting such variety of sweet cakes, pies
and sweetmeats, so laborous to prepare, and so
unsatisfactory TO the masculine stomach. As a
| hungry traveller was heard to remark when he
came TO Vermont hotel. hungry from fishing
| on Lake Champlain, Here are seven kinds oi
cake and nothing to eati' she might have
| added" says the writer quoted, " three kinds OF
preserves, a jar of mixed pickles, and pile OF
fiipiacks. All this. and nothing to eat! man
| of sound digestion and healthy appetite would
| naturally wave these frivolous dainties aside
| and ask for some proper human food. Good
bread and butter would answer his purpose
Add baked potatoes. and he would rise from
| the table refreshed and satisfied, and sleep his
| allowance Of eight hours as unlike the proven
| bal top as possible. What can a hungry
man do with pound-cake and pickles ?"
HINTS FOR HOUSE CLEANING.
Select bright, warm day for cleaning car
| pets and washing floors Turn out your mat
tresses and feather beds to sun. Brush out the
| dust and cleanse the spots with warm suds Rul
| your picture-frames with 1inseed oil and the
glass with whiting.
Dustyour shades and lambrequins, and cleanse
your curtains before taking up carpets or clean
| ing walls.
Brush papered walls with soft cloth tied OF
a broom or long-handled brush.
Clean painted walls with as little soap a
possible, using ammonia for dust spots.
Wipe vanished woods with cold water ani
polish with dry cloth.
Wash your pillows when spotted or dusty il
borax water and dry on a line.
Wash your blankets in borax water and rims,
| thoroughly in tepid clear water
To wash with borax, allow five cents wortl
to an ordinary family washing. Dissolve
| quantity and put in bottle. Wet your clothe
in tepid water, than put into a suds made o
soap and borax water. Let them lay half al
hour; put some borax water in your boiler
1t has excellent cleaning properties and dee
not injure the clothes, whether you use mucl
or little
Lime water is excellent for cleansing un
painted fioors the same for dirty ceilings.
Looking glasses and windows may be polished
with whiting after the dirt has been removed
with clear water.
Coal oil, or kerosene is excellent for clean
ing oiled furniture
Furniture should be cleaned with turpentin
and polished with linseed oil.
mixture of equal parts of inseed oil, vine
gar and turpentine, applied to furniture with
flannel cloth and into carving with brush, is
quick process of cleaning, and looks well.
Potter's clay dissolved and applied to greas
marks on floors will remove them, unless c
long standing
For cleansing brasses use rotten stone, apply
ing lemon juice or oxalic acid to the obstinat
spots.
Try ammonia water for restoring colors il
carpets.
Dip your tinware into strong solution G
boiling washing soda while you are rubin
them with securing sand.
Mop soiIed mating with dilution of pin
of salt in pail of warm water, and wipe wit
cloth
To cleanse carpets that are not to be take
. up sprinkle with mixture in equal quaint
ties, Of salt and corn meal. Let it lay while
and sweep thoroughly.
!, Wash your bed-slats and the unpainted wood
work thoroughly with cold water and as
precaution against vermin touch all the ere
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