Evening star., 1902-03-22
THE SPRING CLEANING
Fixing Up Furniture and
China Fractures.
.n &
EASY WAY FOR TT
RECIPES FOR MAKING GLASS
ADHERE.
How Two Women Tried and Succeeded
With Household Break
downs.
Written for The Evening Star.

shelves drearily overlooking an array of
damaged chairs and tables.
Il suppose said she, "all these will
have to be sent to the attic, although it
does seem a shame that they should be
thrown away; some of them only slightly
injured, too, and all of them so useful! l
can't think how we can afford to replace
them just at present"
"1esm,' assented Mary Jane, the maid
of all work, exhibiting only stolid inter-
est in this wreckage, which she knew she
had been largely instrumental In accumu-
| latng. ."
Mend it," suggested lady living next
door who happened to be coming in the hall
door with the neighborly object of request
| ing loan of the last months magazines.
do you suppose" the troubled house
wife queried-"do you suppose it's worth
while?'
Dear me, yes; anything is worth while
| If you will only look at it in the proper
| light the caller declared. "Why, I've
| fixed up china that was smashed into frag
| ments. And perhaps" peeping into the
| junk closet, sit may make Mary Jane more
careful II she has to help put this into
shape again. 1t was an excellent idea to
store it away here. l always have my
pantry reserved for such fiotsam and jet
sam -,--
| Mary Jane tossed her head haughtily and
murmured something limiting that she ever
exercised a tireless vigilance in preserving
all that passed through her hands No
| body paid any attention to her, while the
neighbOr went on:
"In tell you what to do: Garry this stuff
down to the laundry this afternoon, and if
| you will lend men the last number of The
Bon Ton magazine I'll come in later and
| give you the benefit of my advice. l can't
| rest, though, until I finish the last INSTALL
ment of that lovely psychological serial.
| ITO Spank or Not to Spank; the Dilemma
of the Duchess Jane"
A Forlorn Looking Row.
! That Afternoon. when the next door
| neighbor had owhetted her curiosity with
| the assurance that the Duchess Jane, care
full mother, advocated spanking by proxy
| she came in to look over the furniture
and china. The former stood along the
| wall in a pitifrl row, and the latter was
forlornly ranged on the top of the station
ary washtub covers.
Wed better begin with the china" the
neighbor advised. assuming at once the
attitude of a great general directing while
others do the work MARY Jane must
faithfully wash the china, taking the
greatest care that she scales off none of
the broken edges. I think shed better let
the pieces soak for awhile in warm water
which contains strong solution of soda;
then brush the sharp, broken edges with
stiff, soapy brush. After that she must
rinse them in clear water and allow them
to dry thoroughly near the fire or in the
sun.
While the broken ware was drying the
cement was made.
IF we mix it ourselves it will cost so
much less" the thrifty neghbor advised.
The recipe called for two drains of isn-
glass to be left in water until it was soft
1t then placed in pot, which was put
in saucepan of water and held over the
fire till the isnglass was quite melted.
One dram Of powdered gum mastic was
dissolved in a little alcohol; the latter was
added in small quantities until the gum
was of the consistency Of cream. A dram
of powdered gum ammonacum was added
to the mastic. and the whole was strained
through muslin This was to be added in
drops to the isinglass. stirring well all the
time. until it became thin, like milk and
water.
Mends China and Glass.
This mixture served for mending both
china and glass. 1t was applied to the
edges of the broken ware while the pieces
were still warm from the fire. Only enough
cement was put on the china to secure it
in place, and when the plate or vase was
mended it was supported so that the frag-
nent could not fall off. Elastic bands,
handages of twine linen or supports con-
sisting Of several books laid to hold them
in place were devices for securing the
broken sections until they had dried. The
rehabilitation of china broken into several
pieces was the work of several days for
only one bit could be added to the main
portion at time. Each day another piece
would be put on, until all had dried in
place.
the china and glass. To put it together a
glue pot was imprOvised. 1t was only an
empty jam pot placed in pan of boiling
water. Glue, be it known NAV not he s1Ih
jected to the direct heat from a fire for
fear of burning. The glue was delicate,
amber cOlQred substance of the best u,1al-
ity, for the supervisor Of the mendng said
that the poorer and cheaper kinds were too
evil smelling to be tolerated. Each cake Of
the glue was wrapped in cake of muslin
and then powdered with a hammer before
1t was sifted into the inner pot It was
then covered with water and the inner not
filled with boiling water to dissolve it, The
glue was kept at an even temperature over
gas fire until the mending was done. The
surfaces of the wood to be united were first
cleaned, and when the glue was sufficiently
dissolved and the experienced eye Of the
lady from next door had discovered that
the mixture was neither too thick nor too
thin the broken parts of the furniture were
brushed over with glue and pressed togeth-
er In order that they might not come
apart while drying they were held firmly in
place by supports or bandages.
Different Touch for These.
Broken chair backs and broken chair and
table legs required different treatment. The
chair leg was bandaged or chair was laid
on it's back 30 that the floor would SUD-
port the broken part.
The mending, experiment was success
because the neighbQr had learned by expert
ence some of headificuIties that beset the
inexperienced5' Among these is the use of
glue which is TOO thin or too old Every
layer Of old, glues was carefully scraped
away SO that the new coating might be put
on next to the grain Small splinters were
removed with a sharp knife With saw.
plane, a clawhanmer, a quarter inch
chisel and glue got, the mending outfit
In a day or two, when the furniture had
dried the pieces were gone over with pol
ish or touched up with varnish or, stains.
according to needs.
Even the Old Tins.
Some nieces Of Ieaky tin and GRO nita rryo 20