Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-10-25

paper knife, seam roller. smoothing
roller for borders and decorations, a
straightedge, plumb-bob, chalk line,
paste pail, size-kettle, paper boards,
trestles, and step-ladder, these are the
necessary tools for general work, though
II IS necessary, to save time and tlouble,
TO have besides these tools goods
kalsomlne brush and double width
putty knife.
The next we need to proceed with
bucket of paste. Use flour paste, except
on very rare occasions when the tints are
very delicate. The best patent flour is
the most adhesive, and retains its con-
slstency much better than starch.
lake common patent pail and put in
one-half gallon of flour. Stir in enough
cold water to mix a flour batter; work
out all the Jumps thoroughly, have ready
ter, and stir this in until you have
enough to cook it. Now pour a little
cold water over the top to prevent skim
nnlng over until you are ready to use it.
You can thin it down at pleasure.
LII the paper put on is not a metallic
ground, put in four or five ounces of
alum III tho paste. This will prevent its
turning sour and hasten drying. Should
the paper be metallic use little car
bo!ic acid in place OF alum, as alum is
liable to turn gilt dark.
Ii the room you are to paper is hard
hnlsh. and not very badly smoked up,
an that is necessary to prepare the walls
IS to brush them with a broom. Should
they be smoked and dirty it is best to 90
over them with weak solution of glue
and alum. II the walls have been na-
pered before, it is necessary to 60 over
them again with putty knife and cut
the old paper off, pull out all nails, and
with some plaster Of paris mixed with
paste heal all the bad places.
1t the walls have been whitewashed,
doctor them with strong solution Of
vinegar. Having the walls ready lay a
roll OF paper on the boards, and with
your straight-edge, which should be six
feet long, measure the height to where
the border will come and about an inch
below the base-boards, and cut the strips
OF. Match the next strip to the top of
the previous one and cut enough strips
to cover the room.
To ascertain the number of strips re-
CURED take u roll of paper and count
the number around the room. Now
turn the paper over if you have trimmed
it; put the trimmed edges towards you
and pull the first over, so that it covers
the other strips. This is to prevent the
paste from forming on the trimmed
edge and making bad work.
Some paper hangers never trim the
paper till after it is pasted. This pro-
oedure has some good features andIsome
bad ones, which We will not discuss
here. Beginners will find it better to
have the paper trimmed beforehand.
Commence at one end of the room and
hang the strips as nearly perpendicular
as you can.
Always brush the paper from the GEN.
ter down and at either side. If you
have wrinkles i'll the paper, pull it off
to where the wrinkle is, and brush out
from the center. Run the shears along
the paper at the top of base boards, and
cut off nice and even. Never allow the
paper to look haggled oruneyen around
the base, and cut it close down but not
overlapping.
When you come to an opening let the
! paper overlap, and trim with the paper
knife as you work saw. You will next
need short strips, but do not run them
beyond the opening unless the piece
cut out of the other side will fill up the
opposite; rather lap back again to be
sure of perfect match.
| When you come to q corner never lap
the paper around it unless the space is
very narrow. Fold up the strips at both
ends, measure the distance with your
ruled shears. lay the the straight edge
on the paper, mark the distance just a
little beyond the corner and cut. In
this manner you will always have cor
ners that will be square and stay in po-
sition.
Use the same roller and roll down the
seams nicely as you go. Cut the border
in such lengths as can be easily reached
to put on, paste and double up. at both
ends, so that the lines meet exactly, and
cut.
Hints to Housckeepers.
To AVOID having greasy soups it is