New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-01
HOME AND SOCIETY.
CHAT OF THE SEASON.
MAY HoUSECLEANING-RA1NY DEESS-FUR-
NIsHING HOUSE CHEAPLY-LOB.

STER CROOUETTES.
is now the season when careful housekeepers
turn their thoughts toward housekeeping. II Is
hardly worth while to begin any work OF this kind TIL
the weather has settled and the furnace fires can DO
stopped with safety 1t is seldom wise In this changc
able climate to give up the furnace fire before the
middle Of May, unless the house is well supplied with
open freplaces; 1t is then safe enough TO do away
with the furnace fire by the beginning Of the month
Where the house has hardwood floors. carpeted Dy
rugs which frequently taken up. the work OF house
cleaning is materially lessened. The greatest terror
Of these tempestuous days is the cloud OF dust when
from the uplifting OF carpets and the movement
Of the debris which has drifted through them during
the time they have been down. When every care IS
exercised great quantity OF dust must ma resting
place upon the ceilings walls and in every available
corner and crack. No hOUsckeeper win pffctica
Intelligence who has seen carpet lifted, and there
fore realizes the amount Of fine dust which 1t absoros
can fail to be q convert to hardwood n0ors The
thoughtful housemoter who has learned what danger
Gus microbes Of disease are ever prevalent IN the
floating city dust must realize what danger she en-
courages in the dustabsorbing carpet. All furniture
and upholstery fastened firmly in place so that they
cannot be shaken and beaten frequently to free them
from dust are as unwhoesome carpets. The ten
dency Of the time is to do away with all materials
which hold the dust and for this reason the movable
cushion and the lounge upholstered with rugs, which
may be easily removed and shaken floor rugs
The parlor furniture which is the fttest survival OF
the regime OF tufted cushions. should be seduousy
protected in the time of dust by furniture coverings
that there need be little trouble from this source
Housecleanng is almost superhuous if there hard
wood floors and the rugs have been systematically
beaten and the upholstery has been properly taken
care Of. Yet every there which
need kalsomning, or il you prefer the more elegant
term used by the professional decorator. treated in
djstemper." The hangings OF winter must be folded
up and the lighter draperes Of summer substituted.
Tho heavier bedding Of cold weather must be replaced
bysthe lighter bed coverings Of summer and in general
the rooms In the house must be made to take on an
aspect in consonance with the season. But all these
changes may be accomplished with comparative ease
and with no hustle, dnst confusion and In a small
house without the presence Of extra scrubwomen'
The first warm days Of May are too often hailed rs
the return Of summer, but in this changeable climate
weather in May can be depended upon. There have
been slight snowfalls late this, and there are
often days when the weather is hot midsummer.
No matter what height the temperature registers 1t is
dangerous to make changes In the weight OF the
underclothing. The good old rule that all such
changes should be put off till the appe-bossoms fall.
Is a perfectly safe Both proverb and common
order that there shall be such change made
till May Is out. The changes usually made in the
outer clothing fully sufficient for the season. 1t
is better to suffer little inconvenience from the weight
Of the clothing than to run the risk Of dangerous
cold at this season.
II is especially necessary that little children and
invads should wear their winter iannels during all
this month 1t is advisable to keep light cashmere
stockings on children who accustomed to them
till the first of June. II there IS any tendency TO
arrangements OF the stomach the Of light wOollen
stockings and warm bandage of wool over the
stomach win often prove more efRcacious than any
medicine when there is any chronic trouble ply
clothing through the entire summer Little children
In their second summer should certainly their
woollen stockings throughou. the whole summer, and
II they show any trouble from eething 1t Is best to
use the flannel bandage.
A Grain shine" young woman who walks her
three miles a day regardless Of weather gives the fol
lowing advice as 10 what is the most comfortable
pedestrian outfit for bad gOing": 81 see." she re.
marked, "that the English papers are advocating a
.rainy-d costume that has an inda-rubber cloth
facing the skirt that be taken of to clean when
muddy and then buttoned again to the dress There
is nothing more utterly dsagreeable 10 than heavy
indiarbber cloth tapping against my ankles; that TO-
gether with its confined ventilation Is what makes
macintosh so disagreeable 10 walk In. Fancy an
Englishman shooting the moors In the continual
Scotch mlsts swahed in indiarubbcr Long experience
has taught the sportsman that the lghest ana so'test
of wool is the most comfortable well the most
sanitary clothing. have had the greatest comfort
this winter in what call my 'mndskirt-a brown
lsdys cloth well spongcd before making up ana maze
as short as possible without rendering myself con
spcuous This was cut bell-shape FOR lightness and
lined throughout with very light flannel when was
hemmed and left at the bottom, so that have no
other skirt the cloth skirt and the lining really amount
Ing to two. This, with pair Of boys tan leggnss,
makes most comfortable walking arrangement ana
i can put it on or off In second"
Those who wish to enjoy great pleasure In the
summer would do we'll at this season to start sweet
pea plantation small area set aside for the PURPOSE
well dug and fortified, and planted In rotation iiNo
the regular garden peas. will give plentiful yie1d OF
these lovely flowers which deservedly such great
favoritcs BY planting row every week from no"
until July they will last all summer AS they grow
they should be "bushed" in the same way rs their
unitarian sisters; and while you are about Keep
corner OF your ground for some scarlet runner oea
which are grown on poles like the other beans
Old trees that begin to show the ravages OF time may
be helped In various ways. lady who loves her
trees as II they human beings says that "hei'
she sees one of her avoies ourishng than usual
she always administers a tonic Of some KIM. ~
very old trees she gives doses OF sulphur by means
Of holes bored In the trunk which are filled win ''io
powder and then cemented. With younger ones sic
the, various kinds Of fertilizers and in the case Of one
gigantic old oak that was hollow with age sfe hiieu
the decayed places with cement just Ike too'h
scraping out the accumulated rubbish and hihhg the
cavitv IN tho surface This she said a great sue
cess and evidently prolonged the life OF tho old mon
arch for many years.
whe-luc,ily for the world-a clever people arc
not absent minded nevertheless an absent MINDED
person Is almost invariably clever person, and very
oftsn is a really intellectual man or woman whose
absurd alterations therefore all the more augllable
md onspicuous. One Of our prominent men who Il
noted for his urbanity and easy way Of dealing with
"the boys" had q call a week or two ago from local
politician whose influence more or less important
In his ward. As he was leaving. Mr.. - accompanied
him into the hail. and picking up his own brandne"
spring overcoat with polite Let aid you" helped