Morning journal and courier., 1886-12-31
HINTS FoEs HoUssKEEPERs. 5
How to Make Work Easy in the Kitci-
 em.

From the Congregationalist
 The first thing that wants to be done in most kitchens is tosraise the stove six inches or foot, so that woman can work at it without that stoop which does more to bring on settled ache in the spine than all the hard labor. that falls to her lot.s Stove, ta- bles and sink should be high enough so that work can be done standing straight, and the relief this adjustment gives will never be re- alized till one tries it. This is not matter of mere comfort, but affects the health and vitality of women. Our grandmothers got their bowed shoulders by cooking at the Ina asAr.a-a -sxresa weref known, and the plan was no benefit to them or their children
 Next contrive ventilator in the ceiling to carry off the heat and smells. The reason so many housekeepers suffer with neuralgia is because they live in such an overloaded
 air, with odors of cooking growing rank
 about the upper part of the room, and
 breathing foul air out of the sink drain they become enfeebled by heat and victims of thorough blood poisoning. Persons who live constantly in such rooms do not notice the bad air, and the worst conditions do net always smell worst. There should be a brick knocked out of the chimney just be- low the ceiling and an iron or tin slide put | in it's place. 70 be kept open except when the fire is first burning up. Or the chamber above may be heated very we'll by large hole over the stove leading into tight drum of sheet iron, with pipe to the chimney above. A kitchen stove in winter burns fuel enough to heat two rooms well.
 Now for the sink. You may or may not be able to have fifty pounds of copperas dis solved in the cesspool, or the elaborate traps
 advised by architects of large and expensive ideas, but there is 8 simple contrivance which will do away with much of the danger from waste pipes. It is to keep the sink pipes closed tight by one of the large rubber shoppers used for chemicals. The strainer must be removed, but it is little use anyhow, and thimble too small to allow 8 teaspoon to go down the pipe will prevent loss. It is little trouble to take the stopper out when water is poured away, but more than in using 8 stationary basin or tub, and is not to be compared with the safety from brea hing gas from the drain every moment, or letting it flow over the house from the kitchen, as it surely does without such precaution. The rubber stopper fits so tightly that no gas can escape, and the difference will be felt in a very short time after it's use. A woman who does the work of house mistress needs pure
 air to keep up her strength.
 Use nut coal and coke for fuel, both for economy and ease of keeping fires. Also
 have a supply of pea coal, the finest sort, to
 bring up fires when low. It is two dollars 8 ton cheaper than other sorts, and is useful to save fire that would go out with fresh coal on, or to keep up the heat of baking fire when other fuel would cool the oven. Every good manager knows that half coal and half coke is the cheapest fuel for stove, furnace or fireplace, but everyone does not know that coke kindles quickest for getting break fast or anything wanted in haste.
 Have all movables light and easy to han dle. Light tables, light chairs, tin kettles and saucepans instead of iron, six quart wooden pails instead of large ones, small coal scuttles, iron bedsteads or light wooden ones of the new, slender patterns, doors that open and shut easily, blinds that catch at once, all make less call on woman's strength and tighten her labors inexpressibly. Tax ing away half the weight gives her double strength in effect.