The Portland daily press., 1890-03-15
THE HON {.
sTUFFY HOUSES.


pet-sweeper or the small brush broom and
the dust-pan are used to remove all the per-
ceptible dirt from the floor The sunlight is
shut out, lest carpets and furniture cover
ings be faded; the rooms do not get thor
ough airing every day, and this is why WIS.,
itor feels oppressed on entering. A woolen
carpet will absorb not only the dust, but also
all the gases and unpleasant odors which
come In contact with it, The carpets or rugs
In sitting room should be swept OF shaken
once week at least, and these rooms should
be thoroughly aired every morning.
Straw mating, or hard wood, or painted
floors are sweeter and more conducive to
health than wOollen carpets. 1t Is, therefore,
pity that anything but mating is ever used
for covering bedroom floor. Small rugs
that anybody can easily shake may be placed
beside the bed and washstand, and, indeed,
wherever one would like a mat to give an
air Of warmth and comfort to the room.
Many persons object to mating, because,
they say, 1t does not wear well. The best
quality will. however, 0utwear an ingram
carpet. Cheap mattlngs are expensive at any
price.
There should be nothing in bedroom that
is not washable. and the furnishing should
be so simple that it can be cared for without
too much time and labor. The beds should
be thoroughly aired every morning, the
sheets, blankets, pillows and mattresses so
about them; and If possible they should be
exposed to the sunshine. All closets should
be thoroughly aired daily.
The kitchen and cellar must be as care
fully watched as any other part OF the house.
How often the bad odOrs and much sickness
could be traced to the kitchen and cellar! A
few decayed vegetables or fruit left there
may cause an unpleasant od0r that will pen
citrate every part Of the house and often
bring on serious illness. In the kitchen
there must be daily inspection of closets
and thorough airing several times In the
day. The windows should be dropped few
inches from the top all the time, In this way
keeping the air pure, and, as a matter Of
fact, keeping the whole house sweeter. 1t Is
misfortune to have an enclosed sink, be-
cause the closet Is, as rule, a receptacle for
damp dish, sink and floor cloths, all of which
should be exposed to air and light, instead Of
being thrown into dark corner until wanted
again.
Three or four barrels Of charcoal set in
different parts Of the cellar will be Of great
help in keeping the house sweet
In damp weather in summer fire should
be lighted in some room In the main part Of
the house. and the doors in all the rooms be
opened, in order that all the house may be
kept dry.
II we would have sweet houses We must
be prodigal In our use Of water, fresh air and
sunllght.-lMaria Parloa, In GOOD House
keeping.
HOUSE FURNISHING.
A word may be said about furnishing the
house, and this is matter Of Importance.
1t is safest not to oyer-furnish. to have moth
ing that is not good and useful, to eschew
worthless brlc-a-bTac and china, together
with cheap fans stuck into all sorts Of inn
possible places, and bits Of drapery hung
where they can be of no use. Every room
should look as though it were designed for
occupation: chairs should be comfortable,
and tables stand firmly on their legs; screens
have rdison detre, pictures pleasing, and
everything subdued and restful in character
and coloI: In short, have nothing in the
house That Is not useful Or Beautiful Rest
content with little ff you must, but let that
little be the best you can afford and selected
with an eye to its adaptability to your house
and your positiOn.-[WilliamM Morris in Wo-
mans World.
SOMETHING ABOUT KEROSENE.
Marks on tables caused by hot dishes may
be removed by kerosene rubbed in well with
a soft cloth, finishing with little cologne
water, rubbed dry with another cloth.
When giving the final polish to stoves, be-
fore putting away for the summer, mix the
backing with little kerosene, instead of
water to prevent rust.
Tarnished paint may be cleaned by rub
bling with cloth wet with kerosene.
Black walnut, or any wood finished in oil,
may be kept bright by polishing with kero-
sene.
Pour teaspoonful of kerosene into each
quart Of boiled starch. for gloss, this will
alsu prevent irons sticking to thin goods.
Kerosene will brighten silver.
Rub lamp ehimneys with newspaper on
which has been poured a little kerosene.
This will make them much cleaner than IL
soap Is used; they will also be less liable to
crack.
To remove rust from steel, rub with kero-
sene and soak for day, polishing with emery
dust and kerosene.
Rub rusty fiatirons with kerosene.
Kerosene will soften boots and shoes haId-
ened by water, and render them as pliable as
new.
Brighten zinc with kerosene.
A tablespoonful of kerosene in boiler Of
clothes win greatly facilitate the rubbing.
Iron and polished steel, when not in use.
may be kept from rusting by wiping with a
cloth ON whifh little Kerosene has been
poured.
on cloth may be frightened by rubbing
with kerosene.
All sOiled spots found around doorknobs
on light-painted doors may be removed by
kerosene on flannel cloth, with no injury to
the paint.
Kerosene poured on red flannel aud bound
on the throat, will greatly ease a sore throat.
1t will also heal cuts and cure chilblains.-
10000 housekeeping.
HOUSEHOLD NOTES.
The elasticity of cane chair bottom can be
restored by washing the cane with soap and
water until it is we'll soaked, and then dry
ing thoroughly in the air, after which they
will become as tight and firm as new, II none
Of the canes are broken.
Where house Is afflicted with chimneys
that smoke, it should be borne in mind that
the best preventive to the nuisance Is 10
open the windows Of the room ten minutes
before the fire Is lighted, and not simultane-
Ously with the lighting, as Is usually done.
Smelling salts, the Old-faShiOned remedy
for faintness, consists of one gill of liquid
ammonia, and quarter OF q dram each OF
otto Of rosemary and English lavender, ana
eight drops each of bergamct and cloves.
Mix and shake The prescription and drop IL
on a sponge, as much as the sponge will
hold.
Rubber bands for cans may be made fresh
and elastic after they have become dry and
stiff by soaking them few hours In weak
ammonia water.
A small pod of red pepper placed In the
kettle where cabbage or onions are boiling
will prevent the disagreeable odor.
Clean rusty stovepipe by rubbing with
flannel cloth mOstened with sweet oil.
A little clear gum Arabic water and bit
of common soda worked into the starch win
add gloss and stiffness TO collars.
Grease spots may be taken out with weak
ammonia water; lay soft white paper over
the spot and iron with hot iron.
To leave the soup kettle uncovered while
the soup is boiling is to sacrifice much OF its
most delicate flavor and aroma, and to lose
that peculiar nutritive and digeStible proper
ty present in dishes cooked with all their
steam tightly closed in upon them. Cover
the soup kettle steam-tight and boil II gently
from one side, If you want good soup.
Miss Parloa, in referring TO the need OF
irving more than once when falling IN cook
ing, saws: "Women try rule, fail, and think
they can not do II, when with any other
kind Of work they will try repeatedly until
success rewards them" Following rule
closely Is the only sure way to success in
cookery. All experienced cooks, as we'll as
beginners, should stick fast to the laws
which govern quantities.
Set the whites of eggs cut in the cold air
awhile before beating them-it will make
them froth more easily and surely. One tint
est particle of the y0lk will prevent frOth
ing. Breaking each egg over a saucer, an
dropping the white carefully into it, and
then placing the whites together in another
receptacle, will save the loss of many eggs,
especially If not the season for fresh eggs
and thus save. also, g0odly sum VIII egg,
are dear.
A very nice favoring for cake is a combl-
nation OF one teaspOonful Of lemon extract
and one half teaspoonful of ground mace
The simplest way to fumigate room Is to
neat an iron shovel very hot, and then TO
4 n 1.