Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-09
WOMAN AND HONE.
TIE KITCHEN, ITS ARRANGEMENT,
FURNITURE AND CONvENlENCES.


Health woman's Finances - Athletic
CirIs-Courtesies-H Hints.
The kitchen is usually the part Of the house
that is most frequented by the majority of
housewives; consequently, this room, Of all
others, should be the pleasantest If the
room is well lighted dark shades on the win
dows would not be out Of place, but if it is
inclined to be dark at all, as Is generally the
case in the city, dark colcred curtains ought
not be thought Of To be sure, white cur
tains are not advisable for this room, for
with the steam and dust they would be in a
short time unfit to see, but there are many
pretty light shades Of curtains that will an
swer this purpose excellently. a light slate
makes very pretty shade for the kitchen
windows but the buff holland is as pretty
and as serviceabie as most women could
wish. There are so many shades of these
goods; and none so very dark, that almost
any may be used for the kitchen with good
effect If the kitchen is a sunny room,
which. if possible, it ought to be, dark shades
are not economical, as they fade so easily
that if in a strong sun for any length of time
they present very unsightIy appearance.
Buff shades also fade when exposed to the
sun, yet the contrast is not as great as
though they were dark, for in some of the
buff shades the difference in color, when
faded can only be seen on close inspection
Light colored furniture is much to be pre-
ferred to dark in the kitchen. There is
nothing can take the place of the white wood
table for cooking purposes, and 1t requires
only a little care to keep it looking nice.
Washing the top with ammonia water each
day, using some good soap once week, will
keep it as white and clean as any one could
desire. A kitchen table should have one
drawer, at the least, and one leaf. The
drawer is generally used to hold many Of
the smaller cooking implements, such as
knives, forks, spoons, etc. 1t Is not good
plan to keep sharp knives in this drawer
among the other things, as when the house
wife is in hurry she is in danger of hurting
herself by carelessly grasping knives of this
kind when they are put in with other arti-
cles If there are children in the family,
this drawer should contain neither knives,
forks, or, in fact, any sharp article; but
these should be placed out Of reach Of the
Impatient little fingers
This drawer is nice to keep clean dish
towels, kitchen hand towels, work aprons,
and many other things that will be conven-
lent for the housewife to have when wanted.
Ii there are two drawers in table one will
be found to be of great service as catch-alL
In this can be put those numerous articles for
which there seems to be no place, such as bits
of string, wrapping paper, paper bags and
many other articles that seem OF no I'M
portance, but are sadly missed when wanted.
If there is no second drawer a box or bag
should be provided for the purpose, and it
will be found one of the most convenient
articles in the room.
When a housewife is cramped for closet
room, a small wooden box will be found ex-
cellent to hold rubbers, slippers, etc. Get an
empty soap box, line with stout wrapping
paper, and cover the outside in some pretty
figured cretonne. Fasten the top Of the box
with hinges so that it will lift up like a
trunk. Place layer Of cotton batting be-
tween the cover of the box on the outside and
the cretonne, so as to make a kind Of cush-
ion on top, so it will be comfortable when
used as a seat, which may often be the case.
Fasten to each of the corners ut the bottom
castor, so that the box may be easily moved
from one place to another.
Vanished light wood chairs should be
wiped over once a week with weak ammonia
water, and they may be kept looking nice
Tor long time 1t Is q mistake 10 use soap
On this kind Of furniture, FOR it will certainly
remove the varnish in very short time. Too
much ammonia viii remove the gloss, there
fore a teaspoonful to one-half pail of water
Is usually sufficient Keep needles, thread,
pins and sharp scissors in some part of tho
kitchen, and it will save some steps. Havs
Two or three small knives for pairing vege-
tables, apples, etc, and they will be found
much easier to use than the medium size,
and do the work better-Boston Budget