Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-03-07
NATIONS AND MAIDS.
THE PRIDE OF THE. HOUSE
WIFE'S HEART.
What Should BE Found in the Linen
Closet and Kept Herewith Spoon
and Cup-When Maimie Married-Great
Is Hot water-For Chapped Hands.
The Linen Closet.

The Linen Closet.
The little bride, of course, is pleased
with the new furniture, the rich silver
and cut glass that are all part of the
new outfit, but the instincts of gen.
uine housewifely soul make her turn
to the linen closet with the greatest
and truest sense of prlde-a feeling
which grows as the years go on until
that particular section of the house
becomes to her mind the treasure
store of her home
A damp cupboard or closet should
be avoided. If possible have it near
the bath room or kitchen, as the
heat from the adjacent pipes helps to
keep it dry and its contents sweet and
fresh. If the shelves in the ordinary
closet are all of even size it is wise
and yet simple matter to have car
penter fix up set of shelves some of
which are larger than others, be-
cause the articles to be disposed
thereon vary in size, and, of course,
need resting places to correspond.
In home that is the pink of neat
ness and convenience, it's mistress
has covered her shelves with old
sheets, lacking them to the back of
the shelves and allowing goodly
portion to fall valence fashion at the
front. Then, when the shelves are
filed, this overhanging portion is
laid over the sheets, napkins and
towels thus protecting them from
the dust that is likely to settle upon
the clean surfaces, unless they are
thus covered.
Those things that are in most con-
slant use should be put where they
can be most readily reached. A space
should always be left between the
various piles of articles, as crowding
frequently helps to get the articles
mixed up, and the order that is of
such prime moment in a linen closet
is at once destroyed.
Sometimes the young housekeeper
is puzzled as to the amount of linen
required in moderate sized family,
therefore to her we give accurate
numbers that have proved to be all
that is necessary. Three pairs of
sheets to a bed is quite sufficient when
the linen is changed in the fashion
common in most households by re-
moving the under sheet to the laun-
dry, while the upper one takes it's
place, and clean one added to re-
place the latter. If the beds are of
varying sizes, sheets to fit each one
should occupy their distinctive places
in the linen closet. Be sure and have
them long enough and wide enough
to tuck in easily. Use the sheets in
turn, thus giving them an equal
amount of wear and tear.
Four pair of pillow cases and four
bolster cases are the number allotted
to each bed. These may be as fancy
as your taste and purse will allow. A
recent article on this subject written
by a housekeeper whose reputation in
that line is worldwide, says that old
sheets should never be cut over for
the servants or children's beds, where
they are pretty certain to receive
hard usage, but ought to be kept for
the purpose of emergency or else cut
in half, sewing the selvedge edges to-
gether and thus taking a new lease of
life and service.
The same authority, in speaking of
table linen, says that old table cloths
should not be thrown into the rag
bag, but cut over so as to make side
board cloths. Napkins that are worn
will do for corn or hot bread. In
buying table linen double damask is
the most economical in the end A
dozen ordinary cloths, with two or
three extra size ones for dinner par
ties, are enough to stock a linen
closet with. Two dozen dinner nap
kins and two dozen breakfast ones
are quite sufficient. Always put the
clean things at the bottom of the
pile, being sure that they are mended
before hidden from sight. Use in
rotation and keep the gaps in the
supply well filed up and your linen
closet is certain to prove continued
source of pride and pleasure.