The morning times., 1897-02-07

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The systematic housekeeper mas for al
most every month in the year its special
duties mapped off in her calendar Feb
ruary is just between the seasons, as it
were. There are no more winter clothes
Go be provided for the little ones; and
spring suits are not in order until Easter,
which comes after the middle of April this
year. IL is just the time To take an in
Ventory OF the household stock, rcplenish
the table linen, renew the underclotheS and
get the ehildren's old clothes ready for the
first warm Gays of the coming season
The woman with the full purse has no
difficulty about her plans She has only
Go watch For special sales and 20 and take
her pick of the best the market or the
stores have to offer. There are bewilder-
ingly beautiful table linens, and spread
OF lace with Silken undercOvers, and hem
stitched real linen sheets and pillow cases:
and if her stock runs low il is no one :
fault but her own. She can dress her beds
IN summer or winter ffnery IL suit her
self; but there are other women who are
not looking out 50 much for lyle asst hey are
for whatmust be had. Ofcourse they want
it To be as good as they van afford 10 buy.
But when ones salary is limited, it takes
a head to know how To keep house so as
to be both comfortably clothed and well
Furnished at all essential points.
dear friend OF mILe, wEo has made
the most of a limited income for several
years, tells me that size always buys two
pans OF sheets every February, and two
pairs OF pillow cases for each bee-she
has but x o in her snug httle bay window I'd
EousC-aEd she always buys her towels in
that u Onth, and at 10 other time Of the
year, Loweyer temptiagly cheap they may
Re Her rule is, three damask towels of
medium fine grade, three huc-a-tjac for
every DAY use, and six Turkish, or bath
towels.l ana towels, if W ell mcnded when
q break comes, VIII last years.
wish YOU could see som Of the delicate
dBrning (supl osed to be a lest art that
this careful little woman las wrought in
some OF her damask towels, that she as
sures me She has had for over twelve years;
and she has OF always laid 10y, either.
There is nothing too gcCd in that pretty
Rome for use, and a more dainty nest,
with a freer air of cultured refinement,
viii rot find in all this Capital City.
Books, cottage piano, and a few choice
pictures 90 more for those small rooms
than tie Il ost elegant furnishings do for
some ether houses.
My friend buys her double width sheeting
by the yard. To hem them is but a few
hours work. When a sheet wears n the
middle, she takes out the quarter OF
yard thauis thin and sews mp the Selvages,
and it will wear at least another year. BY
the way. she always buys long towels, be
cause when they are worn out tie ends
make such fine wash cloths or cup towels,
being very soft. But there are always a
number Of soft old Dauask towels laid
away for that time (which must come at
every home, richer or poorer when some
one viii be desperately i'll, with nerves all
on edge and ones very skin too tender
for anything but the gentIest touch OF the
softest hand. Then the towels are such
boon!
Every bit OF these supplies is put in order
for the year during February, and while
the total IL not much over what is needed.
il is enough for the extra changes OF a bed
on the arrival OF the passing guest or for
the unexpected Illness
Another habit hat this dear houSe-mo other
has Is TO get out all Of last seasons left
over clothes, OF the whole family, and
remodel them where necessary, and to
cut them over whenfeasibe, forthe younger
child if a garments outgrown by the older
one.
But, saws someone, February is our
busiest month, the last Of the season. and
we have so many, things to do, so many
necessary duties to perform; we never
can get at these things. Perhaps not.
But the larger class of hOme-makers find
that their list consists of d few chosen
friends, that their duties are confined TO
taking good care OF the beloved ones COM
mittcd to them, and to their church
affairs There are hundreds of good
women in every city who come under this
last inventory won't say class, since
one does not like to see people just as good
as any others, set off by themselves as Of
another sort, just because circumstances
have placed one in the higher and the
other in the humber plane. All good
women are equal-as sweet. conscientious
wives and mothers. And one who is hum
Me today may, in this favored land Of ours,
have changed places with you, madam
Does your favorite rocking chair need Il
new cover now? There are lovely bits
OF art goods, and cotton velvets that will
make such beautiful and Scrviceable covers
and be so cheap if You Will put them on
yourself You? Yes. you Why not?
j know a charming little wife whose best
set OF furniture was hid for years under
linen covers, too shabby to be seen, and
for all that time she was contriving to save
enough to get them upholstered, when
another little wife, always determined to
get everything done that she wants, if
she has to do it herself, suggested that
the first could do it il she would And
now that parlor suite would astonish you
if you could see it and were told it was
done by q professional
This is how she proceeded. She first
ripped off all the old ragged covers, and
notice carefully how they were put on by
the professional hand 1t was not an
easy task, but it was done at last and the
secret of refitting in the meantime was
learned. A remnant OF velleure was
picked up at half price at one OF the big
stores. and another of furniture corduroy,
the former an old rose and the latter a
drab, colors that seemed to blend har-
moniously The sofa and the two arm
chairs were covered with the velleure
and the two chairs of the set with the
corduroy Two odd, eIaborately carved
backed mahogany chairs were upholstered
with n flcwered remnant of silk damaSk
The tools required for this work were
an upholsterer's long needle, an awl, three