The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-12-17
Old-Papers.


Along with last years birds'-nest
do men rate a back-number newspa-
per, yet civilization finds more (and
more reputable) uses for the latter
than Chinese cook for the former.
Almost every one has heard that
newspaper spread between the bed
blankets affords more protection from
cold than an additional blanket, and
without adding the uncomfortable
weight of the latter. But | have seen
a bit of domestic economy practiced by
a tramp. so clever as to make this one
pale. He wrapped his feet in newspa-
pers, of which he had plenty, in lieu
of stockings, of which he had none.
'.Will that keep your feet warm?" l.
asked. Better than all-wool-hose,"
he answered-and truthfully. As a
chest-protector, folded paper under
the vest will ward off pneumonia.
But the old newspaper is just as good
a protection against heat. Set an ice
pitcher on one and draw up and tie
securely over the top. In the morning,
one will find the ice unmelted. A
piscatorial friend always brings his
trout home wrapped in plenty OF pa
pes. and they look fresher than cold
storage can keep them.
Many a housewife knows how to
make comfortable couch pillows and
porch cushions by cutting papers in
long. narrow strips and rolling them,
the fashion of making lamplighters.
Trimmings from book-bindery are
easier to use.
When celery is large enough to
bleach, instead of banking it up with
oh hr1y1 oh in hal a
thicknesses of old paper, well tied on,
from root to crown. 1t is equally
good, gardener tells me, for mulching
Strawberries. spread between the rows
and weighted with stones.
A few cents worth of back numbers
from newspaper Office are equal to
dollars worth of the best moth-proof
(Pl ever sold, though a little more
troublesome to lay smoothly. AS a
lamplighter it saves matches, and fol-
wadding iron-holders is a better non-
conductor than cotton. 1t m axes the
shelves in the cellar and wash-house
look neat, and wrapped around the
glass fruit-jars excludes the light
which is as hurtful as the air to some
fruits. Patterns cut in newspapers are
no new thing, but it may not be gen.
orally known that cheap and durable
door-mat, equal to cocoa, can be made
by having files of old papers cut length
wise into sections three inches wide,
and packing these together on edge IL
a frame of wood. Where soft or hare
coal is burned in an open crate, {
dampened newspaper pinned over thu
front makes servieeable blower; bu
never use a dry paper.
W. hauo Said Nothing ah0ut thl
time honored scrap-book; but fol
amusement for the children on rainy
afternoon, nothing costs less or is NOR
relished than cutting the advertiser:
cuts and display letters from old news
papers. Then such geometrical ant
other figures as are cut in the kinder
gartens may be made from them.
For cleaning lamp chimneys there
nothing half SO good, or for packing
dishes or glassware. The mice kno,
the value of 1inely cut paper SO we
for bedding that it would be strange
if some clever Yankee had not invent
ed a machine for shredding it for us
in stables, as is done in some cities.
The hospitals and prisons are a
ways glad to get uncut second-han
papers Such as have to be cut Q
torn are worth half a cent a pound fo
waste paper, and if there are any S
soiled or unfit to keep that the
must be burnt pack them into a p;
per tube, with turpentine and resi-
and saw in sections for kindling-G
HOUseEeeDi7ad