Saint Mary's beacon., 1904-08-25
A PORCH DINING ROOM.


not add 10 the housework beyons
the patience and strength Of tn.
home maker. IL one cannot q
away for long summers vacation
there Is nothing contributes q
widely 10 summer health and en-
joyment as meals out Of doors.
In fact living out Of doors is be
coming more and more an American
custom. You see porch sitting
rooms and porch dining rooms fitted
mp for constant practical use Ia
every village and farm region oil
over tho country. Even city peo.
pie who have % stay In town are
converting there back yards insz
gardens with summerhouses, and
are having built back verandahs OF
hanging porches. where eating, sew.
ing and loafing are possible out ol
the house.
But almost every country woman
has the advantage of porch ready
to hand and often at the side of the
house near the real dining room and
kitchen. Here very few extra steps
are necessary TO spread a table and
serve the meals out OF doors.
And the fitting mp and keeping in
order Of such place is not really
much trouble il one starts out de-
termined TO work for comfort and
CONVENIENCE, not for showy effects.
III there are vines about the porch,
seclusion Is secured in the most ma
tural and artistic way; If not, then q
curtain of some sort is necessary, a
strip OF blue and white, a yellow
and white japanese print il bright
ness is desired, or dull green, terra
Gotta or dark blne denim, If dark
homes are preferred, or burlap in
any shade. This should be hung
on slight brass rod or stout me-
tai cord. Or mating can be hung
as shade.
A rug need be no more than a
single strip OF ingram filling in color
to match the curtain, this filling is
light and can be easily rolled up OF
night.
Any old table will do, stained
ebony or forest green or weathered
oak, and some old chairs from the
attic can be stained TO match, and
then q hammock, IL the porch is
large enough, and q low table that
will serve as a buffet at luncheon
time and hold the mending basket
between meal times.
III q pleasant color scheme Is work.
ed out, say, blue and white or vel
low and brown, or dull green, or
peacock green and blue, n living
and eating porch can be made, with
just a few dollars expense, the most
charming place in tue whole house
and most healthful and cheerful.
Children will forget that 1T is hot
enough to be cross" and think
luncheon out doors some kind of
lovely play, and men who have
spent q wretched scorching day in
stuffy stores and Offices will find
themselves suddenly rested and
good natured, dining out of doors.
OF course there must be @ few
extra steps, but the compensations
are so great, great even to the home
maker herself. And the children
caa be taught to think it just fun to
help with the work, which is bit
like picnicking.
And q great deal of clean house.
work can be done out on that porch.
Vegetables can be prepared out in
the cool breeze, and all the sewing
can be done and the baby can have
his maps there, and there will be
less lsweeping TO be done and less
cleaning Of all sorts in doors.
The cleaning Of the porch itself
can be reduced to q few minutes
each morning. After breakfast,
when the men have gone for the day
and the children are playing. it can
be mopped up With warm borax wa
ter. IL a mop is used with a wrin.
ger on the side Of the pail, the work
can be done in ten or fifteen minutes
without wetting the hands. Then
q feather duster can be used for the
dust will all blow away. And this
sort OF exercise out doors is really
beneficial instead Of injurious. III q
woman stands to work so that her
spine is straight and her chest high
q moderate amount Of ordinary
housework is the best sort of exer-
else, particularly when it can be a
accomplished out of doors.
Once q week IL is good plan 10
give the porch q pretty through
cleaning, wiping the chairs and
woodwork with borax water. and
the curtains, IL they have become
r. 1s-z f.