The Democratic advocate., 1891-04-18
The Housekeeper's Tool Chest.

"a stitch in time saves nine is very
excellent saying, although the reminder OF
the same may strike rather disagreeably on
our ears when the neglected stitch has
made room for Il visible and unsightly
breach. Like all sayings, too, this one
applies in more ways than one, and to the
practical housewife tool in hand is worth,
not two in the bush, but all those that lie
in the carpenters bag. Carpentering
sounds big word, perhaps, but it is won
derful what can be done at home, and how
much trouble is saved by the judlclous
keeping and handling of some few tools; it
is neither hard nor dirty work, in times of
moving or rearranging of rooms, for in
stance, and it rather increases the pleasure
to have really had hand in most of the
innovations that can be suggested by a
fertile brain or love of variety. There
is generally some corner in house which
can be set apart as workshop, and even
if this be impossible, or the title sounds
too business like, it is well u have
special receptacle for the tools, or they
will inevitably be scattered about in diff
ferent places, and not to be found when
they are wanted. 4 visit to a tool shop
will fascinate the most uninterested observ
er, and the number OF articles that might
''come in useful is legion; but it is not my
object to make an exhaustive list, nor to
urge carpcntcring in its completeness. |
VII only suggest some things which ale
frequently wanted by the housewife, and
which she would also be glad to have for
the occasional putting together Of odds
and ends. OF course, the carpenter or the
handy man close by can be sent for; but
why should the housewife be doubtful of
her own capabilities
Always have IA good provision of nails.
An empty, shallow box will do to keep
them in; strips of stiff card board and a
little glue will make suitable partitions,
and keep screws, nails, hooks, tin tacks,
etc. in separate places In this collection
it would be well to have large dress hooks
for cupboards, bed room doors, and such
available places; small iron and brass
brackets, too, are very useful for fixing
shelves without help.
Then as to the tools. Have two ham
mers Zone large and one smalD, saw,
plane, couple of gimlets, screwdriver, file,
pincers, wire nippers, bradawl, a chisel
and screw clamp, with which to fix the
article you are working at to your table or
any other available place. There are
wooden vises which are for some work as
convenient as the iron ones. Do not for
get the glue and most necessary glue pot,
a few tins of paint, and some good
brushes. With such accessories any one
can be Independent and do many a useful
turn in the house. Soak the paint
brushes in some turpcntine, or wash them
in hot soap lather directly after using
them. or they will stitfcn and be useless
for another time.
\ row of hooks in recess concealed
by curtain in some room with otherwise
little accommodation will satisfactorily
dispose of dresses or clothes that would
otherwise be much in the way, and to fix
such hooks is a simple piece of work any
woman can do. Then judicious handl-
ing of the plane will do away with just
that something that sticks, and tries your
temper when vainly trying to open or shut a
drawer in hurry. The screw and its driver
will restore the tiresomc handle that falls
out and rolls down at your feet, or leaves
you unexpectedly shut in on the wrong side
of the door.
Again, with the help Of small nails and
hammer India rubber tubing or the
patent draught excluder may be fixed to
your door, and keep out the draughts. 1t
is not bad plan to keep few extra gas
burners in the house; the pincerS will soon
unscrew a refractory one and remedy the
faulty light; a slight escape of gas, by the
way, can be temporarily stopped with
small quantity of white lead, or some soap
well plastered round the crack, until the
efficient workman can be procured.
Wood will necessarily be wanted for
various odds and ends. 1t is easy to make
ones choice in lumber yard, where
boards and laths will be cut to any size
and are attainablc at the lowest price.
Three-quarter boards are the most useful
for brackets, shelves, etc, though for a
mantel board some might prefer thicker
and more substantial should advise any
one who is fond enough Of carpcntering 10
embark on actual odds and ends, nor to
despise the collecting Of segar boxes. If
the wood is well smoothed and polished
with coarse glasspaper j! will be useful in
many ways. A short time ago fitted all
the plain drawers of writing table with
partitions in this way for all manner of
note paper, envelopes, stamps, pens and
other such items that otherwise would
have beer hopelessly mixed
Keep small bottle of sweet oil, with
small brush, quill or feather, and 90 the
rounds of the doors occasionally to avoid
creaking locks and hinges Do not forget
that the door bell will become hard to
pull from time to time, though drop of
oil will remedy that. Putty is rather diff
fcult to fix. 1t seems an easy operation
when the glazier is performing it, whereas
you feel as if your fingers were all thumbs
as soon as you attempt it yourself; but
patience and practice make perfect, and
many an inexplicable draught is obviated
by its judicious application. However, it
is useless to 90 on enumerating the ad
vantages of learning to make oneself useful
in the house; mending, upholstering, car
pentering, etc., all come into the house.
work as surely as the ordering of dinner
and the managing of the store and linen
cupboard, To girls who are taught wood
carving little carpentering as prelimi-
nary study would certainly do no harm,
and there are many things We have never
learned at school that necessity and
modicum of spirit and well spent energy
will teach us as well as an efficient pro-