Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-08-07

here where comfort, beauty and c,zines,
JON hands to make three or four rooms int,
IA home.
have friend whose little home OF three
ropnl> is more exquisite i'll it> atmosphere OF
refine comfort than any el"gan. mansion
| ever entered. She docs lcr own work,
for that Is one of the leautes and pleasure,
of tie conden-el system of housr!i ,eping-
no s.rvan: t. bring disorder into the littll
bower of home under pref rs, of doing the
work" The work" i'll this case isn't diff
cult. because. although sh and her biz SON
who occupy all three rooms, have every
comfort they need, her ability to plan I'M
rrringly and execute skillfully and speedily
Is ~ great. AMI the conveniences for such a
style of Ii, ing So numerous here. that the
actual labor is only enough to interest her.
Being a person of fine education. much cul-
turc and extraordinary taste, when riches
took unto themselves wings and iie'T away,
she knew how to rob Poverty of his external
hideousness. Only an artist could 81 effect
lively reconcile these two mortal enemies,
Beauty and Poverty, and get good service
from both.
Eiiow does she manage to get much out of
little! some one asks. BY being painstaking
by bringing to the work of home-making as
much interest, thought and ability Us she
would bring to the work of writing poem,
painting picture or rendering the leading
role in opera, had shes been born a writer,
painter or singer She takes pride in her
work, and the results justify it. Some
women are ashamed Of doing hous.work in
their own homes. If thy cook meal, or
Try to, they feel degraded and injured most
likely, and wind up by getting irritable and
INSULT somebody while they are eating it.
The truth is, efficiency in any useful direction
'hould cultivate self-respect, and is bound to
command the respect of others; and when
woman brings intellectual ability to the
work of housekeeping, instead of the work
degrading her she refines it.
But must tell you how my friends home
If three looms is arranged. 1t is the entire
op floor of house, not fiat. The largest
Dom is the sitting room and her own bed
chamber, the inevitable and somewhat orna-
luty as a mediator between comfort and
looks sake" The floor is carpeted with
fresh and pretty colored mating, with a
bright rug in the middle. There are soft,
ream-colored curtains, inexpensive but
most tastefully banded and looped with
warm-tinted satin and ribbons There are
Nd bits of furniture that tit we'll in odd
places, n few easy chairs, and good broad.
comfortable lounge. There is a small East
axe bookcase full of books; there are few, a
very few, good pictures, and small num-
Der of ornaments. The entire furnishings of
The room would sell for song, as the say
Ing is, but everything is so immediately
clean. and arranged by such a deft and
tasteful hand, that the effect is that of Der
'ect harmony, sweetness and cheeriness.
The walls are papered with pale yellow and
cream colors, which light up day or night,
nnd add to the summary atmosphere which
Is part of that room winter or summer.
The second large room is divided into two
compartments by means of the useful and
picturesque portiere. One-half is the sons
BEDROOM, which is as dainty as dolls house:
The other is converted into kitchen. which
might be mistaken for a mimic cook-room.
so uny and orderly are all its belongings.
Its mistress has an eye to ventilation, as well
Us to other things. The cooking is all done
on gas stove handsome enough to adorn
parlor, and loud smells of fries and broils nre
unknown there.
The third room-a narrow hall room
which some housekeepers would scarcely
know what to do with-is converted into O
dining rom, SO wonderfully attractive that
one never sits down in it without maryeling
that human ingenuity could bring such n
picture of comfort and beauty out of such
meagre materials. And the meals that ara
spread there, though always simple, are ex-
quisite, combining the perfection of cooking
with the daintiest serving. And it is all done
without any appearance of fuss or worry.
The big son has been taught how to help in
various ways, and this little home, kept up
on minimum of money and maximum of
skill, is an example of the fact that a homo
rests not upon solid monetary foundation
alone
done there, nor would there be any economy
In having it done there. In no place, urban
or suburban, is washing done better or
cheaper than here. The competition in that
line of labor is great.
Somebody once said of this lady: "If there
is any poetry in housekeeping Mrs. c. will
find it." What pity others do not find it
also. Yet she is not an isolated exception here.
l know many women equally artistic in keep
ing house In small quarters. recall one who
has charming little fiat of five rooms, and
does the work for household of three-her
self, husband and son. The fat has every
convenience necessary to make labor easy
Her kitchen is carpeted and is as sweet and
orderly as a flower garden, and she is happy
in the management Of her little kingdom.
She said to me laughingly one day:
"How We do learn wisdom from experienced
Once thought that to live in rooms and
do ones own cooking was about the forlorn-
est fate that could overtake one; and when tho
cooking was done on a coal oil stove 1
thought the depth of domestic wretchedness
had been reached. Now 1 am doing that
very thing. I cook ON a coal oil stove in
summer, and find it a pleasure too, and never
in the days Of our financial prosperity was
as happy as 1 am now. Something useful to
do that one can improve upon all the time is
splendid medicine for sick souls have so
perfected my system of housekeeping-have
learned how to economic and have the best
at the same time-that l sometimes feel
tempted to write book about it. There is
70 much pleasure to be got out of it that
would like to enlighten other women who
fancy that housekeeping under any circum-
stances must be drudgery."
know another woman, well-known in the
world Of letters, who is also an artist in
housework. Her little fat is conducted SO
moothly that one never notices when the
work is done. Yet she is her own servant.
She entertains company, too. and you think
when at her table, which is always as attrac-
live as dream of fair women, -" tina. house.
work has no mean phases, because none are
visible there. She does a great deal Of lit
srary work, as well as her own housekeep-