The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-06-30
LAUNDRY LORE.
In Scotland Girls Still " Trssd Out :"
SoilNd Clothes.

IN SS0tt0n0 Stpt8 SUU bp000 wv
Soiisd Clothes.
The economy OF laundries is amaz-
ingly ancient; but, with the excep-
tion of the questionable boon OF the
introduction of machinery, which in
innumerable instances makes ire
parable havoc with valuable linen,
washing is in many parts OF the world
carried on in precisely the same
manner as il was 200o or 1000 years
ago. Says the London Telegraph
The Romans knew nothing about
washing clothes ut home, and their
ladies were far better of than Nausi-
caa, who, with her maidens, were
not too proud TO proceed To the
nearest stream and do the family
washing The Romans wore their
togas and tunics until those garments
became intolerably grimy, and then
they sent them 10 the fullers, who
formed rs important n corporation rs
many Of our big laundries do at pre-
sent The remains OF "fullonia,
or laundry have been excavated at
Pompeii and the walls are decorated
with paintings minutely illustrating
the various operations OF washing.
Boys and men are seen standing in
tubs placed in narrow inches like
sentry-boxes, for the purpose of puri-
flying by treading with their feet the
clothes beneath
AS the ancients were not acquainted
with the use OF regular soap, they
employed m alkaline mixture with
which the grease contained in the
clothes was combined, and by these
means became dissolved. When the
garments had been washed they were
manipulated with card" or stiif
brush, for the purpose OF being
rubbed up and given nap, and the
clothes were then stretched on heavy
circular structures resembling crino-
line skirts, to be exposed TO the
fumes OF birthstone. The carding out
process is still practised in remote
parts of the Scottish Highlands,
where the well-soaped linen is placed
in tubs in the open air and trodden
'alternis pedibus" 10y long-limbed
lasses. In Italy and in the south OF
France the women take the linen
down to the banks of the shallow and
pebbly streams and beat il with n
"battoir" on IA round stone until all
the uncleanness has been expelled.
In India II somewhat similar pro-
cess is pursued, only the "dhobee, I"
or washerman, takes an indefinite
number OF shirts, towels and other
articles, and twists them into n long
thick rope, which he beats with all
his might with n stone, the conse-
quence being that the linen is gener-
ally reduced to n state OF tatters. 1t
is quite possible that II similar
system was adopted in England in
Shakespeare time. 1t was in buck
basket that Sir John Falstaff was
conveyed TO the Thames, and Mrs.
Ford's laundress, We know, lived Mt
Datchet Mead, and in all probability
the river to beat before she washed
them.
AS to anot her old English custom
connected with the laundry, it is not
much more than n generation ago
| that Ii ceased in our midst. Wash
ing day" and its concurrent discom-
fort, are frequently alluded to in
| Pepys's Diary" and there must be
many elderly persons who are able TO
recollect not only the weekly but the
monthly wash. The smaller artic les
were washed in the family washhonsc
once week or once n fortnight. but
the "grosser pieces, sheets, table
cloths, etc, were reserved for the
monthly sacrifice to tn" goddess OF
cleanliness. In the meantime, how
ever, another sacrifice had been made
TO the genius Of dirt, IA vast accumu-
lation Of foul linen being stored up
for weeks in some glory hole" TO
infect the entire premises. This fea-
ture OF the wisdom OF our ancestors
has disappeared forever, but that
which the public want at present il a
! little more conscientiousness and
carefulness on the part, not only OF
the big laundries, but OF the smaller
ones. These people should remem-
having his linen washed is year by
year immense. A very serviceable
shirt can be purchased for half "A
] guinea, but, IL gentleman wears "A
clean shirt every day he will spend in
washing that one article, at the rate
OF sixpcnce per shirt per diem, a lit
| tie more than 80 per annum.