The Press., 1890-01-16
HOUSEHOLD TOPICS.
ESSAYS READ BEFORE THE STAFFORD GRANGE
 JAN. 7TH, 1a9G.
Tha. Kftchans

The Kitchen
 In building house too much attention is paid to the parlor and front rooms, and too little to the kitchen The kitchen of the farm house should be the pleosasat- est room in the house, for it is there the farmers wife is obliged to Apend the gre at. est part of her time. Make tjust as pleas ant and convenient as possible. As think over the kitchens have known can re- member very few that were built with any design of saving the steps and strength of the woman who mnst work inz them It is not unconmon in some of the old farm houses to see kitchen large enough for two rooms, with the sink in one end, pam try at the other and stove in the center. while the cellar door is perhaps reached by going through the dining room or through the front hall, the pump in the yard,~ sev- eral rods from the door, and wood she'd if there happens to be one-as far away in some other direction. The store room, where flour, meal, etc. are kept, Is as likely to be upstairs as anywhere, perhaps up two flights. Possibly this kitchen may have twoswindows in if, and those on the north and back side of the house, so nearly all sunshine would be shut out of it. How oheerless is any room without sunshine! Too many kitchens are, built in this way and serve for kitchen, dining and sitting room combined, while the front rooms on the sunny side are seldom opent d, only in case of wedding or funeral.
 A little planning on the part of the buill- CT would save many aftired woman. There are some kitchens which are models of con vepience, ,and many that could be made SO Some say they like large kitchen, but do not. Besides being more trouble to keep them clean, one is apt to have things spread around in 1t, and waste time and steps going from one thing to another. I would not build a kitchen more than twelve or thirteen feet square and use it for no other purpose than 8 kitchen. I would arrange it SO that it should be but few steps from the stove to the pantry, to the work table and sink, with pump in It, or what would be better, have soft water come into the sink by faucet. A few feet of hose can be attached to the pump or faucet for filling the tank on the stove, or the wash boiler, and save lifting many pails of water.
 Some say they like large kitchen so that it will not be crowded when the tubs are in on wash day, but it is better to have a wash room with stationary tubs If possi- ble the expense would be trifie more, but the convenience and comfort would be in proportion. With no carrying of water and lifting and emptyipg tubs, wash day would be robbed of its terrors. should want windows on both sides of the kitchen and have them so arranged they could be dropped from the top a room is thus much better ventilated. No kitchen would be complete without one or two closets. Open ing from the kitchen I would have the milk room, and arrange to have it on the north side of the house, and large enough to do all of the dairy work and hold all the dairy utensils l; and, the most important of all, 8 large refrigerator where butter could be kept until it is marketed, and thus save the running up and down stairs. Opening fromthe kitchen, or near by, plan to have the wood room, and keep 1t well supplied with dry wood
 To make the kitchen look more cheerful have few plants in one window in the winter season.. In the summer time plant a few morning glories to shade it from the hot sun. In front of the sink window I would have pansy bed or few bright a patch of s'golden rod" near the front door, providing he would take care of it himself.
 This is my plan of kitchen, and one, l believe, that would save many steps for the weary housewife, besides making her la bors more pleasant nd'cheerful, and might possibly prolong her life few short years Mrs J. ". Watt.
 
 A Room and Its Furnishings and
 AdOrnments, Now and Fifty Years
 Ago.
 It was the northwest room in new and scarcely finished house. Not a very large room, still it served as kitchen, din- ing room, bedroom and parlor for the two old people, my grandparents, whose home it was in the days of long ago.
 It was pleasant, cheery room, with its wide brick fire place and it's old fashioned furniture. In the chimney corner stood grandfather's chair, and nearly opposite, beside the west window, was the tsl old clock ticking away so leisurely in such contrast to the brisk little timeke epers of to-day. In one corner stood very low
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