St. Paul daily globe., 1893-06-15
There is always comfort in knowing

There is always comfort in knowing
.ust the right way of doing things. In
his spirit is quoted the following ad-
vice as to the care of bric-a-brac from the
Philadelphia Inquirer: Bric-a-brac
hess nos only afford pleasure by its
Dwn ssSnty, but should also serve a
decorative purpose breaking severe
outlines of walls or furniture. or intro
IucIng daShes of color at certain points.
For this reason it should be massed
n order to be made effective. More
overland this will appeal to the femi-
nine instinct, which bravely strives to
make the most of small possessions-a
few pieces scattered call attention to
IN effort on your part, whereas a small
cabinet crowded gives the impression
that you have SO much that you find it
difficult to dispose of your treasures.
A crowded mantel, hoW9ver. or a
crowded table does not give the impress
sion of riches: either simply destroys
the repoSe of a room. Use bric-a-brac
sparlngly outside of cabinet. Satisfy
yourself By putting away at intervals
familiar picture or vase and replacing 1t
with a fresh object from your collec-
ton.
The difficulties of cleaning bric-a-brac
are exaggerated by many houSekeepers;
at least, it is not unusual to see dirty
"objects of art'' in houses where other
dirt would not be tolerated.
One should have special busters for
bric-a-brac carefully hemmed so that no
stray threads may catch OIL ornaments.
Some of the incest that | have ever used
were made from the remains of pair
of cottage curtains. The material,
soft, sheer, printed drapery sold under
various names, can be bought any
where for l5 cents a yard. The best
quality of cheese cloth, at the same
price, is excellent. 4 small, soft feather
duSter is also needed for flickiIg into
the interstices. Pretty holders may be
made for these busters, which may hang
decorating a sitting roon or bed room,
but outside of Bohemia should not find
place in the state apartment.
Bric-a-brac which is properly busted
daily and removed during the weekly |
sweeping, will not need washing oftener !
than four or five times year.
"A tin basin, lukewarm water, CASTLE |
soap and cake of finest sand soap for |
special purposes, a nail brush and a |
supply of cloths are the outfit required. =,
The most costly Salviata glass and Sew
res and ones own hand-painted treas |
ureS may be washed with impanity if
one understands handling them.
Make suds in the water exactly as
you would for flannels, and wash the
"Object' as you would your boy's face, |
with a cloth thoroughly Wetted in the |
s0apy water and Wrung ont nearly dry. !
When the piece is small it will do no |
harm 10 plunge it into the water; where |
IN ic
be most effective. Clean water and |
the sudS. Some always use old damaSk |
for drying. | like a piece of Turkish |
toweling that has become soft, except |
or ornaments, where the threads would |
be likely to catch. Polishing should be |
done with flannel. as it is less likely to |
slip in the hand.
The most delecately carved ivory may |
be cleaned perfectly and without dam
age Immediately or subsequently by !
using the finest of the sand soaps. A |
nail brush wetted and rubbed across the |
soap Will clean every little crevice. The |
soap should be removed by quick /
plunge into clean water, followed by |
immediate and thorough drying. | have |
not found that this process produces |
anv diScoeration, nor that it causes any |
roughness of surface.
Iron work should be rubbed with |
kerosene oil, brass with polishing paste, !
never with silver powder,
1t would seem unnecessary to say that |
bronze should not be polished had not
seen recently Nuremberg lizard which |
was "col0ring'' beautifully made bright !
by one who ought to have known better. |
One might as well clean meerschaum |
pipe, or sprinkle cologne water over |
natural flowers, which last was the act |
of an amiable Philistine of my acquaint- |
ance.
1t is disputed point concerning the |
busting of bas-reliefs. | have known |
those who regarded the removal of the |
gray powder which settled on portrait
, .ievo as all act of vandalism. | have |
teard artists claim that nature thus
5oftens the harsh marks of the chisel.
MARGARET COMPTON.