The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-04-22
HOUSE NOVELTIES.
INVENTIONS THAT LiGHTEN LABORS
OF MISTRESS AND SERVANT.

Busy Brains at Work All the Time Study
ing Ont Some New Household Conteiv-
ance-Remarlabl Appliances That Make
Cooking Pleasure.
1t really seems as if the domestic
help, the handmsid and the handD1an
of the present day household, had the
favored end of tie situation. Not on
ly are devices fer lessening their la
bors being constantly introduced, but
new inventions for prompting the
memory, and so saving the strained re-
lations incident to oversights and
omissions, are also found among the
furnishings for pantry and kitchen.
self-closing bread bin, all scarlet paint
without any porcelain lining witain,
is the newest recruit in the list.
Servants inva >iably neglect to Shut
a bread box, and if they do shut it
they leave an opening sufficient for
dust to get in," exclaimed the sales
man. Cake or any cooked Wand they
are more careful, about; but bread,
with a thick crust to it, they appear
W lCcNC " IlS CNIl plOLCSllph' "a Il
Gus customers have spoken of this
from time to TIL e, so an inventor has
taken the hint md made this cylin-
drical bin, that closes the moment the
loaves are put into it,
A self-acting knife washer is an
other invention, designed to prevent
the overburdenet; hired girl from hav-
ing to remember that the handles of
knives ought net to be put into hot
water. 1t is double-decked affair
with places for the big, overgrown
knives and places for the small knives.
The knife washer does everything but
get it's own hot water and wipe the
knives after their scrubbing. That
much is still left 20 the domestic. A new
egg breaker has just taken precedence
over all previou. egg breakers. 1t not
only cracks the shell, but holds the
hot egg as we'll, thus saving Katie's
fingers from tn: least possible burn.
| This invention looks something like
a pair of curvetI-edged scissors, with
sharp little teeta to hold by. There
| is a new contriTance for shaving ice
and new applia noes for rounding it
| into balls for use about the butter and
other delicate dishes. The conven-
fences for peelirg and pairing vegeta-
| bles, slicing them, and chopping them
up, and for measuring out seasonings
| and condiments are a revelation to
people who have not kept up with the
van of improvements. Every year a
new raisin seeder comes out, and the
latest device for this purpose would be
interesting to the old-time housewives
who spent hours seeding raisins for a
birthday or wedding cake, armed
only with fruit knives and patience
that resisted sickness.
| There have beer divers bottle lock-
ers put on the market from time TO
time, but 1898 sees new one possess
ed of an actual key which can be
borne away in the pocket of the bottle
owner and so afford tangible evidence
of the security OF the much priced vint-
age.
1--WE have sold no end of these" says
the salesman. They take much bet
ter than the stff-fasteners, that de-
pended ON the cork's swelling as a
| precaution. There seems to be feel
ing among owners of wine cellars that
it is perfectly natural for their butler
to give way to temptation in this re-
| gard, or for the cook or the child S
nurse on off afternoons and evenings,
to take clandestine swig at any tip
| nj oh he hot
est wines that the house affords are
locked, each in It's own bottle, and the
separate keys az in their turn locked
away in cabinet or desk drawer, the
master and mistress may enjoy free
dom from responsibility"
A contrivance not made especially
for servants use, but that might he
adopted by them with convenience, is
an implement for reaching out and
getting things without rising from
ones chair. 1t is probable that the
designer had ths comfort of invalids
and helpless fol-, in mind when he
planned it, but atle-bodied folk, both
above and below stairs, have been
quick to see it's Iaerits. When shut LID
it looks like pc of tweeZers or Hcis-
sors, but it is light and plant, and at
the slightest t>uch jumps out and
lengthens into half-yard long uten-
sill, with two little claws at the end
for hooking up che desired object. A
newspaper or handkerchief, the skirt
of creeping in .ant, skein of yarn,
or any light thi ls that ones comfort
requires, can be grabbed and brought
within range by This contrivance. 1t
is called LAZY Tom" The s,,ba.
rite, either in tao kitchen or in the
sitting room, WI eli armed with it can
go fishing amo az surroundings with
out moving an nah from the special
place he has foUn'i comfortable.
Wore the National Costume