Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-01-27

keeper-trencn Laundfesses Ihem
with Bran and Hot Water.
There Is a possible fortune in store for
somebody who will start a laundry for
fannels. Not a cleaning establishment,
beyond the means of ordinary folk, but
just place where somebody will make it
business and aim 10 laundry flannels, to
cleanse and press them properly. 1t Is
not only possible TO do IL, but it would
prove profitable |. for one did not deem
it anything extraordinary to have flannels
"done up properly until, having to re-
new some pieces and starting out in New
York to find them, | received printed in
structions at two important places of how
the llannels should be kept. The instruc-
tions at both places were of COURSE, differ
ent and equally absurd.
Then it set me thinking. While have
not started the laundry for the good of my
kind, am quite willing to let my kind
in general profit by my good fortune and
experience, for hardly remember the day
when did not know how to put flannes
in order-all of which may sound super
fluous, but which is to the point, insomuch
as il refers to- tho open secret i'm the mat
ter.
Anybody can do it-only nowadays nc
body is willing to become an apprentice.
Nobody is willing TO practice small details
and SO acquire skill, without which per-
lection is not attained, for the knack of
doing things properly comes TO few.
Everything must come in easy jumps, or
long jumps, or we must arrive at results
in seven league boots.
PLANT Wool.-This Is a phrase to re-
member. A plant garment is more com.
Portable than stiff one, and the gar
ments that come in contact with the skin
should be plant and most soft. For ex-
ample, birds and animals are Immediately
covered with softest down, or hair, easily
and gradually ventilated, cleansed and
dried.
To make flannels soft they must first be
clean, and To cleanse them water should
be soft and warm enough To loosen the
dirt or oil or pcrspiration, or all three.
The 1bors of cotton and linen and wool
differ greatly 1t is interesting to note the
difference under "a microscope, but as ev-
cry laundress is not expected to be mi
croscopist few practical points may be
made clear by little common sense and
observation. Pass hot iron over the dry
buIidCt Vi CullOu anu lllltll anu WOOL anu
note the different results. SILK and wool
may be similarly treated with similar re-
suits These are animal products and are
closely akin
Under a warm iron skill and experience
must ascertain the degree of heat) wool
or silk will soften and you may stretch
it. Herein lies the secret of success. Wool
or silk should be pressed and stretched
and turned and pressed and stretched and
turned and pressed again until it is per
fectly dry and plant and every fiber has
felt the gentle handling. At length the
garment may be ironed in shape, and then,
il the process has been skilliully managed,
the garment will look almost like new,
and it may he worn for years and become
threadbarc without thickening or shrink
ing, as / have piles Of old ilannels to testi-
fy. Flannels, through which you may see
like gauZe, flannels of pure WOOL white
wool, natural wool, silk and wool.
Right here | should like to add a word
about garments of mixed wool and cotton
or wool and silk The combination is un-
scientific and unnecessary, If not harmful.
Being of different nature different fiber
cotton and wool are not so easily
cleansed Their absorbing qualities are
dissimilar. Moisture does not pass through
them equally and they dry unequally, so
that the skin is in danger from drafts UNI
der cotton clothing where it would wealth
er storm under wooden stuff. Sometimes
after perspiring you may observe that the
side of the garment next the skin Is warm
and dry where the moisture has passed
through and the outside of the garment Is
damp. Witness this in "a horse blanket and
see that the blankets for valuable horses
are OF pure wool.
The peasants in France wear wool, and
they know how to care for it,, or there is a
"blanchisseuse d'ordinaire" who does
know how and who keeps the flannels as
soft as an baby skin These competent
working women soften their water with
bran. Common bran with soap shavings
are made up into bag and boiled in the
water. Boiling water soltens flannel, but
there is also u cleansing and softening pow
er in the bran. Flannels washed in this
water at comfortable temperature to
handle, will be clean and soft and perfect,
if properly dried and pressed
Elanncls should never be sprinkled In
this climate they seldom are too dry to
press, but sometimes when the air is sin
gularly dry and hot it may be found nee
essary to mOisten them before pressing,
and this can DO done by wringing heavy
towels out of the hottest water possible to
bear the hands in and wrapping the fan
nels in the hot cloths, then rolling them
smooth and close and laying in warm
place ready for pressing. If the garment
should become too damp, the process of
pressing and stretching and turning
should be equally prolonged. Experience
will determine this. 1t is not long or
tedious. 1t is work, as all household COM
fort comes from work, but it is not rush
ing work. For one who does not really
love homework it is as pleasant as mend
ing or darning or any family work, and in
decd have often done the flannels for my
little ones for love, just as l would do
frill or flower for them, and / have
taught the maid who helps about the
house or the children to do them.-Mrs.
G. In New York Times