Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-06-06

CONN. ozissd Ds.ssssI falS Nalss-
the SMALL THINGS or LIFE.
There arc certain few who can do
without the neceesaries Of life u they
can have the luxuries; but 70 the bettsr
class Of humanity it u the small things
that give the most happiness; the small
things that sting sharpest and rankle
longest In the memory.
There are women who, u they can
have money for the thcater, win manage
anyway for kindliog wood! But give
the true woman, the true ecouomiser,
the needed small things OF comfortable
daily living, and BY the strength these
will confer upon her shc will secure the
larger ones with ease.
And the base of small comforts and Of
the largest ones Of the household list, 10
to ever have plenty Of kindlirg wood.
Il means meals on time, tmpromptu
lunches without delay, hot drinks for
the sick with promptness, . warm room
before q sudden fall Of temperature
gives the occupants . chest cold or .
malarlal chill. The lack Of kindllng
wood means the lack Of all these. It 10
quires an angelic temperament, or Q
careless, disorderly one, to walt bali
hour after IRE IL needed for some one
to cut up basket of klndlings.
II the household boasts the presence
OF an sble-bodied father, or son ten
years Of age, there should never be any
lack Of kindling. A sick man may
neither be able TO earn kindllng nor to
cut L.; but any well laborer has no ex-
cuse for an empty coalbin or bare wood
pile. Beer, rum and laziness are worse
than sickness In keeping the woodpile
low. II isa lazy boy that objects to
using his little Ratchet fifteen minutes
day, TO stir his sluggish blood and aid
his digestion.
But while we argue for the woodpile,
and that every empty box and lard or
butter.tub be added to Il instead Of being
dumped Into the ash-barrels, We will
also ask II there are not many things In
the housewives department that might
serve the same good purpose and furnish
q private supply Of kindlings for urgent
cases when bit Is needed to freshen
rather than build fre! We would not
mention this to the small boy, lest some
day he should leave mother dependent
upon It wholly.
Twice a week, perhaps, . dozen
oranges are cut for tea. Are the peels
dumped In the ash-barrel? Placed In
tin baking-plste on top Of the sitting
room stove to dry till brittle, they will
Ill the air with q pungent, aromatic
fragrance suggestive of orange groves,
and sweeter than the china "smellery"
that IL uncovered to perfume the room
after sweeping. A double handful OF
these crisp peels viii light wood fire In
an instant, and more will ignite coal.
The oil 10 the peels burns steadily for
many minutes.
Are nuts eaten by the children or used
frequently at dessertf Save every shell
to add to this same pile Of private kind.
lings, Il has saved many weary step to
the basement for kindlings.
There are women who had rather let
the dinner walt, while they run to n
neighbor's house or the nearest store for
q ''bundle of wood"-Only three cents,
you know. But let II not be said OF the
readers Of this paper that they had
rather do so than TO save orange-peels,
nut. shells, empty spools and other
things that are daily tossed Into the
fire when not needed, and destroyed
Just to get rid Of them.