Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-09-27

THE uNGN ctoeGr.
In he days Of our grssdnothers NJ
BRIDE was ever properly prepared ro'
her nuptials unlsss she bed more OF
Ices complete supply Of linen for IN
various domestic purpoees tor which ]
was used, and many month"; wefc passet
In the actual mauufActure OF u By TN
bride herself. Family linen then MAS q
stoutly spun and hoosstiy woven thai
cholcs pieces lasted through Gsuefsiious
and were handed down hon mother Y
dsughtes, along with the family silvei
and other treasures. lt u not uncom
mon, even nov, % dnd, among old
families, few plsces Of old linen, stil
In occasional use, which were woven b.
The grandmother, nearly one hupdret
years ago.
Linen bedding. though more expen
alive In the first place than cotton, IL moi
In the end less economical. slnce 90,
pair Of good linen shects will outweal
thrre or -four pairs Of cotton ones. And
ln addition 20 the durability Of the linen
there Il pleasure In the sensc of rehne
ment Il carries With Il, and In IL smooth
coolness during the hot weather. u
should not, however, exclude cotton FROM
general use; for, except In furnace
heated houses, linen IL too cold Tor
comfortable bed In winter, and In com
parison with the linen there II sense d
sostness and warmth In good cottos
sheets which IL very grateful TO shiver
Ing humanity.
Every linen closet, then, should hav'
Q full supply Of both linen and cottoI
sheets and pillow-cascs; and the thrifty
housewife will never allow the suppl,
TO run short. Very little carr and ex
pense will suficc % keep Il full and Il
order, amer start II once made. In ~
ordinary household, from one TO thrc'
pairs Of sheets, and ~ many pairs d
pillow ases, should be added every ycar
Marx each one In an inconspicuou
place with the year, and number eacl
pair With the same number. Then ]
they are ased as marked, and always u
pairs, there never nerd be any odd
haif-worn plcces, and one can Away
have crisp, new bedding when desired
or the sof,, partly worn plcces.
A few year, trial Win prove Ia any
one how much lees trouble and hos
much more satisfactory In every way u
this method Of keeping the linen close
supplied, than 10 that Of making up O
long intervals . large quantity OF sbccti
and plllow-cases which In the course %
events viii all suddenly become worr
and ragged at oue time, and the house
keeper Will Ind herself upexpecteil,
coufronted With empty shelves, mos
probably when che can only hasiil!
supply the deficiency.
The present styles In bei-lincn are -
pecially favorable 10 hne material ans
dainty stitches, for the rufiies and lace
and embrolderies which bciecked ou
beds few years ago have bcen to
great extent supervised by delicate hem
stitching, With sometimes dainty biz o
embroidery above it. shams arr not q
much used ~ they have bcen, but the
are 90 convenient that IL IL not easy q
discard them altogether; aud there IL
noticeable disposition 90 regard then
morr favorably within the last few
months than was shown when they firs
hogan TO fall out Of favor more than
year ago. when they are usod they ar
made somewhat more elaborate thai
piilo~-cases, though they most fre
guently conslst of . square ut linen
h~mstitched. and With as much drawi
work AZ the time aud taste Of the use
viii permit. The nc of the plllow-shau
IL greatly improved by putting . ui
angular piece on the under aide of eacl
corner. The corners of the pillows sr
thrust Into three, causing the sham u
nc down closely over the pillow, an'
more nearly resemble . real plilow-cas
than when Il is simply laid over the pll
lo~, or held by some Of the patent de
Sices.
Oblong pillows are nov more use,
than square Ones, and pillo~-csses ar
made without the o.d-fashioncd tucl
along the sides. The open snd hang
beyond the pillow about eight inches
and all the trimming IL around this end
Even for square pillows the case
made With the long overhanging end
thus giving an oblong effect. The lee
style IL to make the cases Of fine linen
With simply . heu-stltehed hem; but
s quite admissible To use drawn work
embroidery, or even rufiies across tn
end.
However nne the linen or dainty tn
stiiching, much Of the Joy In we'll lle'
linep-closet IL dependent upon tn
laundr-ss. Though there b. never
rune nor . bit Of embroidery anon
them, NO proper housewife can look up
on her pile. OF snowy, shining linen
without thrill of satisfaction at thei
beauty, and the thriftlness Implied b!
them. starch should never be used u
bed linen. II Il IL iron~d while quilt
damp and With very hot Iron, u ~il
have q handsomer gloss than any starcl
can give it, and enough stiffness Ia max
Il lie smoothly. which IL all that IL de
slrable. do not mar Ii beauty by man!
folds. One crease down tbs center of
plllow-case IL sufficient.
AZ In bed linen, - In table-llnen
there IL M more satisfactory way %
keeping the closet veil stocked than ..
add little each year. One or too nlc
tablecloths aud . dozen napkins once
year require comparatively small out
lay Of money; yet unless the family I
an unusually large one, or the linen u
not properly taken care Of, this IL quilt
enough to keep on hand fresh suppl,
of tAble-llnen.
nsei. no economy In buying . poo
quality of linen for the table. Tn
cheaper qualities become rough afteI
the first laundering and soon fall Int,
holes, while good linen Improves In ap
pearancc AFTER Il has been washed few
iimes, II very durable, aud retains III
beauty and smoothness until n II worr
very thin. Hut even II lt were not NOR
economical, it would well rrpay one u
make some sacrince In order To use good
tAble-llnep, for there 10 . rehneus u
about u which adds much ca the pleas
ure Of = meal, and, In the case of chill
dren, has an actual educational value.
10 I, better To buy tablecloths by thu
yard and hem them, than TO get the se,
patterns With fringed edges. Il II din.
cult to make the fringe look we'll sfteI
e has been Numbered . few times, and
the continuous pattern Il more available
for varied uses than q limited design
Instead OF the narrow hem formerly
used. tablecloths now have . hem from
one TO three inches In depth, according
to the uses for which they are intended,
aud are frequently bemstitched, some
times With q narrow line Of embroidery
above tbs hem, and sometimes with 90
embroidered monogram In the corner.
Napkins should invariably be hemmed,
With the narrowest hem that can b
made, and should always Be sewed by
hand. An Initial or mouoGram In one
corner, n daintily done, 10 proper addl.
ton; but one should Be- chary about
putting much pcedlcwork on . napkin,
since lt should please mors by its ele-
CANT daintiness than BY lts elaborsteuess.