The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-11-10
Shall We Have a Question. Box?

Shall We Have a Question. Box?
Greetings to all the Household Band,
or Editor included We all claim to
be very much interested in this depart
ment, but fear that we had all rather
be entertained than to do our part at
entertaining. | have imagined our
editor searching through the columns
of some woman's journal to find some
thing to fill out our Household depart
ment. have wondered at his patience
with us after asking for space in our
paper and then being so backward in
writing. l know our husbands and
fathers have the whole paper in gen.
eral way, but we should like to hear
from them in these columns. Doubt
less many of them could give us some
excellent ideas. propose that we or
ganize a question-box, to be opened
once month by our editor, and an
swered by any one who can, the an
swers to be sent in any time during
the month after the box is opened. If
we can't write anything, surely there
is enough we would like to know, and
possibly we may know by simply ask
ing. When l say write for the House
hold, l don't mean particularly to send
recipes (unless it is something very
cheap and simple and nice. We all
have quantities of cake recipes that
come out failure when you do eToctly
as the rule says), but l mean some way
of managing to save time and strength
and steps; some way that housework
may be made pleasure and not druid
gerry, as l know it is to some with less
strength than most of us, and possibly
less tact.
Ella Blaisdel's advice in regard to
making time for little rest and rec
reation found an echo in my heart and
trust many of the band.
Yes, the China will shine Just as
well wiped on unironed towels. l know
the mothers and grandmothers will
hold up their hands in holy horror at
the thought of such negligence, but
tell them, in all kindness that their
hardships (many of them self-mposed
ones) have entailed upon us weaknesses
that make it necessary to save our
strength in every way we can. Get
you an office chair and sit down to do
all you can.
1t is an excellent idea to make one
day help the next. If day comes that
you don't have quite so much to do, do
a little of the next days work. Espec-
tally on Friday is this good way to
do. DO part of your baking, and some
hopping perhaps. Mix your pie-crust
for your pies next day, and cover and
| put in cool place. 1t will be real
| help when baby is down for his morn
( ing nap to know your crust is ready for
pies and you can get them out before
he wakes. When Saturday night comes
| have the little folks take their weekly
bath, and lay out clean change for
them in the morning; you will find
| they are half ready for church and you
will have an extra hour to help them
get their Sunday-school lesson (and
look up your own, also). | think it is as
much parents duty to see that the
Sunday lessons are prepared as well as
the Monday lessons. With little
forethought one need not have so much
neceSsary(?) ,oork to do that they have
no time for rest on Sunday, or to attend
worship. Use as much calculation to
keep from work on Sunday as you do
to get a big days work done on Mon
day, and there will be plenty of time
| for rest. This will prove true outdoors
as well as in
/ will offer suggestion or two, and
close, or fear | shall bring up in the
waste basket. When you buy any kind
of fish that you need to put in brine,
lay the skin side down. 1t will hold
the salt and keep better. When wanted
for the table, freshen with the skin
side up in pan of water.
If any one is troubled with cake stick
ing to the pans, butter them as usual;
| then sift over little flour and they will
come out nicely.