New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-19
HOME AND SOCIETY.
CHAT OF THE SEASON.

CHAT OF THE SEASON.
CLEANING COUNTRY CoTTAGEs-pIsHEs OF
CURRY-DEvELopING JUVENILE MINDS
-GoosEBERMEs.
During this month thousands of families will open
their country cottages and in many cases VIII ma II
necessary TO take up the mattings and carpets ana
sweep away the dust which has slftrd through them
during the previous While the autumn Is INC
best time TO clean them 1t is not always possible u
do so, and even when it be done there Is mueh
to do In the spring TO make 1t fresh ana aihcuVe io'
the opening Unless there are hardwood noora
tho mattlngs Will always contain large amount OF
dust and 10 the h)uSekeepcr who realizes how uhwhoc
some this staguant dust really is there Is but one
thing to do. The foor-covering must be removed NJ
least year. II is not necessary, however 'Ha'
this should be done In perfect whrl OF dust as II
usually Is Care and Judgment tell In this mater' d.
I'm everything else. First brush the carpet or mating
thoroughly Then remove all the lacks. or II III Is
mating the double pointed nails We do not believe
any one I'm this age Of the world puts down ma'uns
with anything but double pointed nails sfnah
screwdrvcr is considerably better than tacK-n'er 10
remove these nails
AS soon as the tacks or nails are removed. and not
fiji then lift up the carpeting mating one bieao'h
at time. II mating, roll It in roll and SET IL OUT
on the lawn TO be swept on the under side ii IL Is
carpetng breadth over on anotner' Dut Ner!
gently so as to raise unnecessary clonu OF ous'
Take an ordinary fowcr-sprinkler and sprinkle the
floor lightly brushing up the dust as soon as thls Is
done. BY the time the breadths OF the carpet are id
over there is little dust left except that under the last
BREADTH When the carpet is finally rolled up and care
fully removed as it should be, II will be found that
the air is not pervadcd rs is usually the case Win
a cloud Of the dust and debris beneath It, After 'ne
floor is thoroughly brushed. II should be scruODeu
with some disinfectant like washing-soda, which VIII
completely cleanse IL then 1t should be well rinsed
of and dried for twenty four hours before the matng
or CARPET is put down again. Care Is well worth wiie
In this matter as drifting dust is an effective agent OF
spreading germs OF disease.
BY universal consent all the World June "a l.
cons dered as Midsummer Day. 1t is also ST John the
Gaptists Day- day when according to tradition all
yhosy spirits and tabled spirits of earth and air have
special sway Ii was on Johns Eve that the enchanted
soldier OF the Alhambra came back once IN huhureu
years to seek mortal who would release nun
from his long sentinelshp over the buried treasure
There is a weird superstition eXant that In this night
the soul has power TO leave the body and make a
tourney 10 the place where II will finally be separated
from its earthly tenement. II was quite natural lot
q person to avoid making such journey ana u'cre-
fore arose the custom in England and European conn-
tries OF keepnc an all might vigil ST. Johns Eve.
Many plants were supposed to be sacred TO TINS night
chief among these is st. John'swor the pretty weed
with its starry, yellow flower which is found in waste
fields and rocky places all over the civilized World
The German maiden looks upon 1t as plant OF
power
Tho wonderful herb whose leaf Will decide
If the coming year shall make me BRIDE
II the plant thrves and blossoms all Is WE'LL but II IL
droops and fades and dies it indicates fatal termi-
nation OF the courtshp. The orpine or common live
forever which was always cultivated In Gd-fashioncd
gardens and may be found growing wild in some parts
OF our own country, Is another mystic plant which is
sought for by maidens st. Johns Eve to decide II
their lovers be true or false The orpine must be
gathered at midnight planted in clay, and set up In
tire house. when 1t Is called midsummer man.
The next day the stalk is carefully Inspected and II
ii incline TO the left the worst may be feared II IL
lean 70 the right the lover will certainly prove true.
As this little plant always leans one way or the other
Il is sure TO prove O decisive oracle. The antiquity
of this plant in affairs OF the heart IS atested by
ancient rings which have been found Bearing the dc
vice of two liveforevers Joined together by true
lovers knot But st. John's-wOrt and liveforever
were not the only plants which were sought on this
magical eve The wild verbena, the clover and rue
were all possessed OF magic power IL gathered AT
midnight. The young maiden who Is SO venfnreso"e
as 10 go to the garden between IL ana O'CLOCK ol
Mdsnmmer's Eve, gather rose, and lay 1t away
where no one can touch 1t till Christmas Day, VIII
then find 1t. says the legend. as fresh and fair as
when she gathered it and then II she put 1t ID her
bosom he who is TO be her future husband VIII
surely come and take II away.
Not only young women. but young men were
wont TO test the mystic influences OF this night
Many a young man in olien times tried TO obtain the
seed Of tho fern at midnight for the avovcd purpose
NJ rendering himself invisible As this seed"
co,d he gathered only at midnight of ST. Johns Eve
On a plate held under the plant without TOUCHING H.
II Is safe 70 say that instance of winning the coveted
prize is on record. As this is not the season "heh
tbc spores OF the fern naturally fall another dcuy
was in the aspiring young mans way; and the ven
,,,cs generally were about as reasonable as the
effort 10 catch moonbeams in q sieve Inc sowing
~ hcn,pseed favorite trick OF All-Hallow Eve Dc
longs also, TO Midsummer Eve. II an unmarried
woman on this magic night Will spread u co'i WIN
bread and cheese and two plates, ana seat het"eh nc
fore one. the ghostly figure Of him who is to be her
husband will, IL Is sad, come dV hiuie"' ~ '
down at the other.
strange TO say though All-Iallow Fen Is generally
rcncmber1 Midsummer's Eve Is almost forgotten.
MANY a Yankee girl has tested the future ny e'''s
dumb cake. eating eggs stuffed with salt, throwing
nuts into the fire, practising other trchS o"i,'u
for by Haow- Fen; but few OF them ever e'u,o
,ho mystic St John'swort, though 1t Is one OF ,he
80. Troublesome weeis the Yankee farmer finds on
his fields
1yhon furniture Is slightly cracked the aperture
ran no filed with paint mixed nearly as possible
~ match tba tint OF uc wood When the crack Is
large one. however, paint Is not SUFFICIENT p"' pu'
answers equally well this. too. should De ul,eu'
and as Il IS mixed with Oil, any color VIII a'a's
mate with II easily new bedroom moor 10 up
separatc al the seams in very uhSishhS i
80 .he ers, vear Putty here comes into play very
w.u The best way Of outlying II is to take ions
strip of putty lay it the crack, am rup IL DON
ward and forward This fills II quicker thah " use
a knife II the putty is not coored IL has ''i'
ugly effect.
Little A., whose quaint childish remarks nav.
been already quoted In these pages has suo"c'i9' ."
fhe advanced age OF four, burst into verse. "Pp'
like Pope, he "lisps In numbers lor '"o ,a
nnoo see,nr his little sister picking up some unnpe