The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-11-01
Death in the Dish-Rag.


Years ago l was impressed with an
article written upon this subject, and
have had it brought to my mind many
times since. While | cannot say, from
personal knowledge, as the writer of
that article did, there is actual ''death
in the dish-rag," | can say that there is
actual flth in 4 good many dish-rags.
And what is more surprising, such q
cloth is often found in the hands of
woman who considers herself good
housekeeper, and who is usually an eX-
cellent housewife in most other re-
spects. | have known women who kept
all their best and most comfortable
rooms closed from the use of the family,
for fear of having something soiled,
and who woud make you feel most I'M
welcome were you to leave print of
mud on the floor, or scratch on the
wall or furniture; yet they will use, or
permit to be used, dish-rags for weeks
at a time, without washing or boiling
them, until they are stiff with filth. To
say the least, it is not pleasant to think
of eating off dishes washed with such
q cloth. Such careless habits are en-
tirely without excuse, even among the
poorest; for it is not necessary to have
a number of cloths, if one is willing to
make a iudicious use of soap and
water. But why a subject of SO
much Importance should be over
looked by women who could
afford to buy all the linen they
need, and who are, at the same time,
scrupulously clean in other things, still
remains a mystery to me- However,
bad habits, long practiced. have a
wonderful effect upon us, and often
from home-traning, we persist in fol-
lowing in the old groove, failing to see.
the injurious effects, until our attention
has been called to it by others, and
even then it is difficult to turn some
from the old path, be it eyerso crooked.
1t is most essential then to teach chill
dren that whatever is worth doing at
all, is worth doing we'll"
Next to having food pure and free
from all dirt, is the Importance of
having clean dishes, and, above all,
bright knives and spoons. How many
housekeepers hang on to the old Ger
man-silver spoons, For my own use, l
think brass itself is not much more in
furious. Give me tin, wood, iron,
white metal, anything, before German
silver, for unless one is extremely care
full to keep it always rubbed bright, it
is positively dangerous to use it. Care
lessness in such things among servant
girls has veXed me sorely, and it is my
usual custom to burn the dish and stove
rags the first thing after | take the
work into my hands. | do not mean to
say that ! initiate the lady who only
came down stairs once a week to throw
out the stale bread, nodded meats and
vegetables; but it is very hard for one
who has long practiced bad habits. to
leave them of in short time, and, be-
sides, do not like to tell girl of the
same fault three times q day. Occa-
sionally | find one who is as careful
about these things as she is about her
other work, but | have observed that
| this one fault is so common that | can
not refrain from writing on the subject.
Let me say then to those who have not
given much thought to the dish-rag, to
consider it well, and remember that all
things that have the appearance of
cleanliness are not clean, and the use
of things that are not clean is not only
repugnant to refined tastes, but is often
fruitful source of disease.-M l..
HjndS, IN Rural NeW YORKER.