St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-02-26
Household Hints.

The proper cleaning of a carpeted room
demands first, that if possible all draper
les and hangings shall be slipped from
their fastenings, brushed, aired and laid
aside out of the dust; such as are not
removable may be shaken lightly as they
hang, folded lengthwise then in upturned
folds as far as possible, and finally pinned
high in pieces Of muslin kept for the pur-
pose. Pictures are to be brushed on their
faces with a soft brush, their backs wiped
and brushed and they too folded in mus
lin, the ends tucked in around their
frames. Upholstered furniture must be
brushed out carefully and covered with
similar cloths, all small pieces set out
of the room. Bric-a brac is busted and
also put aside in protected place. A
stiff whisk takes the dust out oil the cor
ners of the room, and then the carpet is
sprinkled with crumpled pieces OF news
paper, wet but not dripping, and swept
with the nap. After this first sweeping
the cornices and door-liutels are brusehd
free from dust, the walls are busted
down with a cloth wound round the
broom or special brush, and the base
board is brushed clean with a rather
stiff hair brush The dust thus dsodged
is gathered by means OF a second going
over with carpet sweeper, and finally
the carpet is polished by being wiped
over with a cloth wrung out as dry as
possible from clean tepid ammonia-water,
two tablespoonuls OF ammonia to tour
quarts of water. Wet paper, is to be
preferred to salt or tea leaves; the former
cannot be entirely removed, and the
grains left absorb moisture, rusting the
carpet nails, while tea leaves injure and
streak delicate carpet.
Another suggestion relates to the spill
ing of alcohol on highly polished wood,
an accident which may readily accom-
pany the use of the chatting dish or the
curlng-torgs at dressing-table. In the
case of the former, as the saladoi is apt
to be within quick reach, it is to be at
once applied. In the other case the alco-
hol may be wiped up while the oil is be-
ing brought, taking care not to spread
the spot; atterward apply paraffine oil
and turpentine mixed in equal proper
tons to restore the finish The first and
quick applicable of oil is to arrest the
action of the alcohol which eats through
the veneer with great rapidty.
Franklin's advice, "Never buy thing
because it is cheap" would have been
qualified if he had lived in the days of
midwinter sales. The shops at the mo-
ment show many desirable bargains, and
the needs of a family are so persistent
and continuous that it is good judgment
to forestall them when so or rs per cent
may be saved by so doing. Many eco
nomical mothers buy heavy winter fan
nels Tor their children's use another year
now that they are offered at greatly re-
duced prices. Winter jackets and coats,
too, tor both girls and boys, are to be
had in early February at prices that are
half OF those asked in November.
The secret of smooth ice cream, which
the experimenting housekeeper will do
well to remember, is that it shall be
frozen slowly. Five and ten-minute
freezers are freely advertised, but, tortu-
nately for the success OF the dessert, they
do not accomplish the work in any such
short time. II they did the texture of
the cream would not be perfect. The
crank of the freezer should be slowly
turned, and half an hour, certainly 20
minutes, is none too long to manipulate
it. 1t the cream is heated before it is
added TO the rest of the mixture, taking
care that it is not scalded, the smooth
ness and richness oil the final result will
be increased. After heating the cream
the whole must OF course be thoroughly
chilled before lreezing-this to save ice
and also to prevent granulation.
Not few people are annoyed by a
tendency of the nails to split and break
easily. | was advised to try oleate OF
tin for the trouble, and found its applica.
ton an effectual remedy. also dis.
covered that it would speedily heal those
painful little cracks in the flesh of the
finger ends that afflict many in frosty
weather.