River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-10-04
A CHEST FOR NAPERY.
How an Up-to-Date Woman Takes Care
of Her Table Linen.

How an Up-to-Date Woman Takes Care
of Her Table Linen.
A country woman mp 70 date gave us
some clever suggestions about napery.
She kept her generous supply in a
wooden chest, abouE one yard long,
two feet high and two feet wide.
The chest was placed in the embras-
ure of a dining-roOm window, and
served also as window seat. 1t was
made of pine, finished with yellow
enamel paint, ornamented with extern
sive brass hinges, handles and key
hole. A fiat hair cushion covered in
gay Matteau chintz fitted its top. 1t
moved easily upon rollers and opened
readily to the insertion of the key kept
il the good woman's possession.
A wooden tray, five inches deep,
greeted the eye inside. This held nap
lxins, doylies, carving clothes and CEN
ter pieces. Beneath was ample space
for good assortment of table linen
used in the home. The bottom of the
tray and that of the chest was nicely
padded with a sachet bag made of yell
low cheese cloth 'perfumed with laven-
der and orris root.
Such chest is readily made ont of a
pine box, and its position in the dining
room has the extra advantage of being
directly at hand in case of emergency,
or upon the advent of an unexpected
guest.
Housekeepers usually have care 70
expense; they set their dinner table
with fresh napery and use the same for
the breakfast and luncheon following.
The digestion is usually weak after the
nights inactivity and one likes TO be
greeted in the morning with fresh
napery, whatever its quality may be,
glassware and silver, sparkle from
hot water and ammonia. crisp fruit,
invigorating coffee and hot rolls as
Stimulus to the days work.
The laundry will attest that fire.
quent washing of slightly soiled nap
cry is much better in results than
hard washing of really dirty linen oc-
casionally.
For breakfast and luncheon napkins
our good woman tells US she uses I'M
bleached muslin. Suitable quality may
be purchased for six cents yard; one
yard will make nine napkins of useful
size.
Breakfast napkins have an inch hem.
hemstitched about their edges; half
inch inside of the hemstitching threads
of the material, producing decorative
border. This is the simplest process of
drawn work and easily mastered.
Luncheon napkins may be fringed, the
fringe being overhanded or caught in
punches by means of needle and thread
for durability. An initial outlined in
one corner finishes a napkin nicely.
Cloths to match these napkins are
attractively made of 0zenburg, which
is as cheap and as durable and comes in
greater width than the unbleached
muslin, and matches it well in texture
and surface.
Fresh-laundried and neatly-kept,
such homespun napery will have a
charm of its own, for it IS pleasant to
use and to touch.
The hostess explains that being of
German extraction, since her little girl
hood she has been accommodating and
ambe'lishing for her own future house
hold linen, towel and napery, feeling
that anything so closely approaching
the personal needs as these are best
ard most delicate when providently
prepared against the future. This
hal been her training, she added;
that while living in the country, each
Sunday she brings forth the best of her
home and her harder for the general
family use, and saves nothing better
''for company" as she wishes to rear
her children in touch with the very
best she knows, that later, when they
go into the world mayhap they will
not underrate the simple home and its
tender memories and sacred associa-
tions, because overawed by finer quail
ties.
Economy in household matters must
rise from Judgment and in its pursuit a
wise wife and mother will not forget
that the familiar associations about
the home are educating. Detroit Free
Press.