The Portland daily press., 1890-05-31
THE HON {.
ABOUT WASHING FLANNEL,

winch 0"0n mOOhy niament Is covered with
minute scales, decrease OF temperature
while wet causes contraction Of the fabric
whereby these little scales are closely knitted
or hooked together, and this condition Is
not overcome by a corresponding increase Of
temperature. Each contraction causes
proportionate shrinkage. Therefore woolens
should be washed in water Of the same
temperature as the surrounding air. In no
case should they be subjected to lower de-
gree Of air or water. Observe how iannels
washed, perhaps, In hot water and hung out
doors on freezing day will contract almost
perceptibly.
Wooden goods should be squeezed and
pressed until clean. Rubbing them causes
the scale-like fbres to become matted to
gether, and the fabric Is thickened, hard
ened and shrunken. Examine the seams,
which have been much rubbed by wear, OF
wool dress, and note how they are literally
felted together.
Borax, because of its strength and yet
mild, uncorrosive nature, Is the best alkali
to use. Ammonia, washing soda, ETC., are
too harsh for flannels Dissolve the borax
In either hot or cold water and bottle for the
times as much as cold. The quantity TO be
used depends somewhat upon how soiled
the articles to be washed are. 1t Is better
to use plenty, as it cannot injure the fabric.
anu LILO Cdn Do IcluONCu Will ACoo uAuu-
ling. Allow the goods to soak in the borax
water or soapsuds several hours, press and
squeeze until clean, rinse thoroughly several
times, adding little bluing to the last water
If desired; at this point, after the water has
been wrung from the fiannels, work and
press into each piece a few drops Of glycerine.
The quantity Is rpt arbitrary. One-half
tablespoonful to one pound 0I oIy flannel
Is an average quantity. The glycerine
supplies the original natural oil Of the wool,
and its use was suggested by the fact that
sponge pillows and mattresses are treated
in this way to make the sponge soft and
elastic. Wool, at one point OF the prepare
ton for weaving. is sprinkled with, olive
oil. After adding the glycerlne, pull and
shake each piece into shape and hang TO dry.
Shrinkage seems to be somewhat dimin-
ished by this pulling, as wool goods while
wet may be shaped and stretched to GER
tain entent.-Geod Housekeeping.
ITEMS ON HoUsEwoRK.
Good housekeeping consists in continual
care for small things, which In themselves
are nothing. but in the total make up the
comfort of home life. 1t is simple matter
to see that all the house stores are kept ON
hand, that each matchbox about the premises
is filled, that every room has a convenient
receptacle for matches and one for burned
matches. Yet the neglect of so trifing
matter may cause some one, hunting In the
dark for match, an enormous amount of
annoyance. A good supply Of nice brown
paper laid away carefully, and bag or box
containing different kinds Of twine, cost a
housekeeper nothing, as they may be saved
from parcels; yet such habit viii find ready
appreciation when some one Is in need Of
paper and string to tie up parcel. There is
nothing so unsightly as an old newspaper for
such a purpose. There are so many good
uses that old newspapers can be put to that
brown paper should be always kept on hand
to wrap up parcels. There Is nothing better
than old newspapers under a carpet to soften
the tread and keep the hard floor from wear
ing out the carpet. There seems TO be some
ingredient in the printers ink that drives
away moths, and for that reason newspapers
are better than anything else to wrap up
furs and woollens during the Summer. They
should never be destroyed after they are
read unless used for kindling, but should be
kept in a straight pile. 1t Is wise precau-
cotton, and needles and thread In the kitchen
drawer, where IL can be readily found In
case Of burn or cut. A steD-ladder on hand
to reach to high places saves great deal OF
trouble. A step-ladder table, which may be
covered when not In use, or wooden-seated
chair, should be on every floor except the
kitchen floor, where the ceilings are usually
so low that any high place can be reached by
standing on the kitchen chairs, which are
always, or should be, made with wooden
seats that may be scrubbed and washed. ALI
these matters are small, but series OF petty
vexations are more liable to irritate the
temper than genuine trials.-New York
GOOD GAME.
Dan instructive and entertaining game is
described in the Christian Union:
1.-TWO of the children were sent out Of the
room to choose the title of book. When
this was decided upon they planned bow
they should in pantomime act 1t so that the
rest of us might guess it.
Ned and Mabel were chosen. and after a
few minutes absence Mabel came into the
room, walked slowly to the fireplace, and
was about to seat herself in an easy chair
when Ned called her, and back she went into
the hall.
OF course SCALED Back" by Hugh Con-
way, was guessed at once, and the successful
guessers had an opportunity to try their
skill. They soon appeared with clock, the
hands of which pointed to five minutes be-
fore twelve. After gaping and rubbing their
eyes and making US understand how weary
they were, one Of them produced an old coat
and the other a torn jacket and both began
"'Never Too Late to Mend,' Charles
Reade," shouted Ned, and then choosing
one of the little girls they left US. Presently
bumped against sofa and sank down, rub
bling their elbows and wailing in most pitt
full manner.
This time we were not so quick, but after
few minutes thinking some one was fortu-
nate enough to guess Much Ado About
Nothing Shakespeare"
Before bedtime came we had tried Put
Yourself in His Place" Charles R SaS1s;
ers," Black; sour Mutual Friend" Dickens;
"The Scarlet Letter." Hawthorne; "The
Spy," Cooper; "The Gagged Lion" Miss
Yonge; and "What VIII He Do With It2"
Lytton.
HIMALAYAN WOMEN.
On the slopes Of the Hlmalayas there are
many curious tribes. Some Of the tribes
near Darieeling reckon journey by the
number of guilds Of tobacco which they chew
upon the way, and some Of the most gorge
GUS specimens Of Hindoo jewelry l have
| seen saw on the women Of the Himalayas.
| l remember one mountain pink who had fifty
| rupees strung around her neck, and whose
| limbs were loaded down with silver. She
| had gold plates twice the diameter OF a
| silver dollar upon her ears, and her mouth
was covered by fiat gold nose ring. Some
| of these Himalaya tribes have one WHO 10
| four men, and polyandry Is common. Here
| at Bombay are the prettiest women OF India.
They are the parsees' WIN q tiI Cll s1
shaped, have beautiful eyes and fine in
| tellectual faces.
They dress in skins Of the most delicate
| colors, and the dress seems to consist OF one
| large piece of silk, which Is wound around
| the waist and then carried up over the body
| and the top Of the head, so that the face
| looks out and the whole hangs In beauti-
| full drapery. Many Of them, l note, have
| silk stockings and slippers to match the
/ color of their dresses, and they are the
/ brightest and prettiest women | have seem
/ Cor Denver Republican.
/ HARD SOAP.
Make hard soap by putting one pound Of
lye in twelve quarts Of water, dissolve and
add six pounds Of grease, and boil slowly
four OF five hours. Add water to the kettle
as it boils down, keeping about the same
quantity in the kettle until it becomes soap
then to separate the water from the soap put
three ounces Of common salt and boil few
minutes. IL you wish to use rosin melt It In
a separate kettle, putting about one quart OF
I've to pound Of rosin, stirring until II Is
thick, and adding 1t to the boiling soap De-
fore the soap Is put in. After the salt Is
boiled with the soap 1t will rise to the top OF
the water. 1t may be left thus to cool or put
into molds while hot.
EARRINGS GOING OUT OF DATE.
The most prominent jewellers now admit