The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-06
THE LINEN PRESS.

brOOklyn Eagle,
 Formerly it was the custom, especially in
 Normandy and Brittany. for bride, no
 matter what her rank. to provide not
 only her trousseau, but also sufficient
 house linen to last for seven years, and
 furniture enough for two rooms. This
 was exclusive of her dover. This prac-
 tice has-except in part-almost died out.
 and is now observed only in certain sec
 tons of the country among old-fashioned
 families. Tradition. however, fingers. and
 it was with pardonable pride that a young girl recently showed her friends a
 large and beautiful antique carved black walnut linen chest that had belonged to an ancestress. The handles were of sil- and staple: on the cover. the initials and date. I. E. du F.. 1795," were inlaid with delicate elaboration.
 English women, as a rule, take great pride in the fitting up and replenishing of
 their linen closets, which have superseded
 the old movable presses. The collecting of fine foreign linens of exquisite work manship has become as much of fad
 as collecting old china with women of
 means In most of the modern English
 houses the linen closet is a small room about 6XS feet, furnished with deep shelves and has window to admit plenty of fresh air an sunshine. In juxtaposition to the closet is a drying cupboard. behind which
 the kitchen fiue generally ascends, and in
 here 1t is that the clothes which are brought in from the laundry are par
 tially unfolded and placed on the warm shelves to air: they are turned twice in
 the course of twenty-four hours. which insures pretty thorough drying. and are then ready to he sorted, inspected, mend- cd and put away.
 l The linen closet is scrubbed and dusted at least every two weeks. and it certain is pretty sight to see the piles of linen placed in perfect order on the white shelves.
 A good housewife naturally considers har aafb of the
 house linen is the best in the world. The
 following hints. therefore. are for the
 benefit of those who may not have re-
 ceived early instruction in this important
 branch of housekeeping and having no
 particular system of their own may find
 them useful.
 It is a good plan to divide the linen
 into three classes. good. better. best and
 distinguish the divisions by some color.
 For instance. tablecloths in daily use for
 the immediate family might have blue
 band around them; this would also desis nate the smallest size; the next larger
 size might have rcd. and the largest and
 best, yellow. This simple plan obviates
 any waste of time. when selecting the linen for the table or household use. Nap
 kins. sheets, pilowcases. towelss etc.
 should ali be classified in the same way. Sheets and pillow cases should always be marked and used in pairs. Tablecloths and napkins should be used in sets. When the linens are returned each week from tn laundry they SnOuld De placed at tne l bottom of their respective piles so as to insure an equal wear for each article. 1t was standard rule in the days of our great grandmotherS for the house. wife, after five or six years of married | life. to buy new sheets. tablecioths and napkins every year. so as to keep up the supply It is not bad plan to keep an inventory of all the articles in linen closet; for house linen has tendency to get lost or go astray, even in the best regulated households.
 Extra fine sets of table napkins or doi- lies should be put away in little bags or
 cases made out of squares or SIX or pretty little silk handkerchefs. Table centers should always be laid away per fectlv fiat in cardboard boxes.
 A Brooklyn woman whose house is a
 model in every respect. is especially proud of her linen closet, deep recess well lighted and ventilated from above. with | broad enameled shelves on three sides and | d stock of household linen of every va l riety.
 Kitchen linen while not particularly in- | teresting as regards beauty, vet plays d l too important part in domestic economy to be gnored. There should be supply | of tablecloths and napkins especially tor kitchen use: moreover. if should be ln- sisted upon that these are sent to the laundry regularly and receive tae same periodical overhauling as the rest Of the household linen.
 It is more economical to have large
 assortment of cloths for different purposes
 in the kitchen. such as glass cloths. tea
 cloths. towels and dusters. Chan to run
 the risk of having good table napkins
 used promiscuously for glass cloths and
 dnsters. and towels taken for floor cloths
 b careless help.
 Ribbon bands for linen are made of white cotton elastic in desired length GOV cred with some pretty shade of blue. rcd or yellow satin ribbon and the ends Joined with bow This makes an ornamental as well as useful band for keeping lit tle stacks of linen in place. A card or tas. sometimes hand painted, specifying m, hnndle is sewn on to the band.