The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-07-18

The popular aud national amusement is
bull-fghting. which takes place under
the patronage of the president and of
the aristocracy, in the great amphitheat
er, which is thrown open aud crowded
every Sunday afternoon, where | had
the privilege of witnessing one of the
thrilling and brutal contests in which
the Spanish Americans so much delight.
SALISBURY.
|
FLANNEL.
Mrs. Aleshine (do you know her?)
said, "Flannel's flannel, wet or dry
and most of us are prone to agree with
her. Werather regard flannel as some
thing with intrinsic value, quite different
in its standing from either cotton silk.
Flannel is luxury. 1t is the last thing
poor people can or do buy. Most people
are amazed to know how many of our
poorest people are without a shred oft,
even during our long, cold winters.
| One painful instance ofthis kind stands
in my mind as perpetual reminder. A
few years ago the health examiner visited
the schools of Chicago and examined the
arms of all the children who had failed
to comply with the law requiring re-
newed vaccination certificates filled out
| before certain date. In my own divls-
ion there were fifteen children who had
to be examined, and as they were quite
| little, | had to unfasten and arrange
their clothing. Thirteen of these child
ren had no flannel on, this bitterly cold
day in February! Remember, they were
the little, ones and invariably they are
better clothed and more tenderly cared
for thau the larger ones. 1t was rev.
elation to me which has been confirmed
many times since as have gone about
among the wretched houses of this poor
district.
How is it with the "better OFF, people?
Flannel is still luxury. 1t is one of
the last things people afford, and the
quality is much poorer comparatively
than Of any other fabric that goes to
make up the wardrobe. Many persons
who consider themselves quite nice"
own but one flannel skirt while they
have several tucked and embroidered
white cotton ones. As for vests and
drawers, they are of ordinary quality,
mostly cotton, clumsily made and worn
as a disagreeable necessity. Then they
are worn until they are "worn out"
as the common phrase has it; but it
should rather be until they are worn out
Of.
People give away half-worn dresses,
cloaks or shoes, but how seldom do they
give away half-worn flannels. 1t is be-
cause they are expensive and just as
truly because most of us begrudge
money for that which does not show.
Every grade of underwear and fan
mel fabrics may be found in our large
stores, from the coarsest cotton and
wool to the finest all wool. There are
undergarments and skirtings so fine
and dainty in texture aud coloring as
to be almost poetic, and | must confess
they are more attractive tome than silks
or satins. There is nicely about them
that responds tony most refined tastes,
Just as music or pictures or fine books
do.
Flannel dresses are excellent for GER
tain kinds of wear and when soiled they
can be washed and come out almost as
COON as new. The chief objection to
them is that they do soil very easily be-
ing soft and thus catching" grease and
dust; but they will wear well.
Leaving the ordinary uses of flannel,
it is my purpose to give few sugges-
tions for rather unusual uses of it, first
| lOT new Ileu lOT Olu.
If any one is inclined to rheumatism
&C oss the neck or shoulders or is sub
ject to colds upon the lungs, it is well to
sew piece of thick, good flannel across
the back of the dress waist, inside of
course, and shaping it to the armhole
and neck
A very efficient protection against the
effect of cold or change of water when
travelling is red flannel band covering
the abdomen. 1t should be shaped well,
be made double, the seams turned ins de
opened and pressed flat and be deep
enough to cover the entire abdomen.
Such band is invaluable to any one
recovering from or subject to bowel
complaint of any kind.
A small flannel bag, filled with hops,
and wrung out of boiling water, is some
times wonderful in its power to soothe
a toothache, neuralgia headache or
sharp PAIN any where and send the suf-
ferer to sleep. White flannel should be
the kind used and the bag should be
emptied, dried and refilled again after
once or twice using.
| The rubber bags for hot water that
are fortunately so common in these days
of many comforts are much more agree
able to the feet or other parts of the
body if slipped into flannel bag just
fitting with draw string around the
| top. If one is INCLINED to be very eco
nomical she can make such bag out of
odd little remnants of flannel and have
it as "crazy" as perhaps she will feel
when she has pain enough to make her
use it. Mine is made of two kinds Of
flannel and is really cheerful looking.
Before leaving the subject of new
flannel let me say few words about
flannel skirts: First, the "herring bone
stitch" that must be put upon them is
the incest kind of sewing work for little
girls, as it is easy, interesting and docs
| quick" second, for economy's sake it is
we'll to make short flannel skirts
straight rather than gored, so that when
half worn they can be taken from the
band, and the back which has the harder
wear turned around to the front. This
latter is especially satisfaction if the
skirts are expensive ones or em-
broidered.
Old flannel has almost no end of uses
in its capacity as a cleaner. For scrub
bing of all kinds it is excellent, and for
polishing silver it is almost as good as
chamois skin.
Bandages of old flannel should always
be Kept on hand for sore throats and
rheumatic wrists or knees. am eco
nomical, not mean, when l say that
three or iour-inch hens of old flannel
shirts that are finally ripped up for
cleaning purposes, are quite good for
such bandages.
One final word and | am through. 1t
concerns the half worn fannels that are
to be given to the poor, if one can afford
such luxurious giving. Have them well
mended. Stay" all the thin places
with patches of new orpartly worn fan
mel. Darn the tiny holes in sound parts
with wool or cotton as you would darn
hosiery. See that buttons are on. In
short, make your gift of value to the
needy receiver. 1t will thus have two
fold value if mended; first, for the
wear and warmth in il; second, for the
object lesson in thrift that plainly says,
Gather up the fragments that nothing
be LOST This is quite different from
letting fragments drop here and there in
way that is of no use to anybody, and
means laziness, not charity.-GoOd
Housekeeping.