Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-14
Old Newspapers.

From Harper's Bazaar.
They are of more use than would appear at a
| first glance. We subscribe to the daily news
paper because we must be informed on all the
affairs of the day. Then many think the next
thing is to relegate them to the kitchen in order
to provide k1ndling for the household fires, and
it must be confessed that Bridget makes very
free use of them in that way.
But they serve SO many excellent purposes
| besides that it seems pity to let Bridget have
full sway, though she may try to convince you
that it is impossible to get the breakfast without
| even using those of the very latest dates.
1t has been several times suggested by econ
Onists that newspapers can be made to take the
place of blankets In guarding from cold and 1t
Is fact well worthy of notice that they have
been proved very satisfactory In making light
| convt njent, and warm bed-covering when Others
can not be had. Travellers would do we'll to bear
this In mind when far from the region Of hotels,
| or leave it on their seat In changing cars for
there is no telling how useful it may prove in
tive of that fatal disease, pneumonia, q folded
| newspaper laid beneath the outer clothing across
the chest is said to be intallible.
testimony of an individual whose avocations
kept him constantly exposed to all weathers,
| night and day. He was resident Of a country
village, perfect type of hearty, strong, vigor-
Gus man, and he accounted for his robust health
notwithstanding his exposures, by saying that,
he had been able to resist them through the sim.
| rle precantion Of always wearing q newspaper
| folded over his chest under his coat.
AS preventive of cold feet, q piece of news
paper folded in the sole is quite equal to, if not
so elegant or SO expensive as, cork or lamb-skin
If you wish to test the power Of a newspaper
in excluding cold, try lacking one, doubly folded,
| between your window and your stand of plants,
and see how nicely they will be protected and
how frosty the window will consequently be.
Newspapers will in the autumn, before severe
black frosts come on, effectually protect green
house plants, before you take them up, from cold
| and wind.
The writer remembers once driving up about
n IN MN op,@ Lo;,~
seeing what looked like a platoon Of ghosts
drawn up In white array before the house, which
50 ali
tect them from the sudden frosts incident to the
| season, that in one night might cut them all
| in the same way, and made to ripen in the open
garden much longer by this inexpensive, easy
Old ne%spapers are admirable as floor oover
ings under carpets, or even spread under Ken
sington squares, retaining all the dust, which
to the floor; then they can be so easily removed
that it is great saving to use them In this way,
especially as, the dust well shaken out, the pa,
poses afterward, SO can do double duty besides
the legitimate one Of heralding the news Of the
Weather strips are now almost universal. an
well as double windows, in securing warm rooms
but where, as is the case in some old-fashioned
country houses, they are not procurable news
papers can supply the deficiency very well by
being cut in long strips neatly folded over, and
exclude the cold outer air.
Old newspapers are excellent to clean windows
with; slightly damped, then rubbed till clear,
they serve the purpose much better than even
| Newspapers wrapped around the feet under
| the stockings are an effecual protection against
mosquitoes, as. with all their virulence, they
can not bite through paper.
Old newspapers are faithful mirrors of the
past. AS they increase in age, the very adver.
tisements become curious. Therefore those who
have no use for the modern newspaper In all the
various ways we have pointed out must find In
tellectual profit In storing them away till the
time when some circumstance may drag them
forth nom their longforgotten hiding places to
claim an interest In human eyes, which perhaps
they never had to such an extent BEFORE
Illustrated papers are very useful in adjoining
the walls OF rooms, covering up unsigntly wall
paper or obnoxious holes, the delight Of children
as well as their instructor, adording CLEANS Of
cheerfulnsss and pleasure In else gloomy apart
ments: They are OF suOh infinite variety, too,
with their lovely illustrations Of poems, stories,
natural history, and comic sketches, aS well as
portraits Of beauties and notabnities, that they
continually educate the public taste, and give
the impecunious glimpse Of real art they can
not else afford.