The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-31
Il RECIPE FOR ~,.
. ~ CHEERFTlLNESS
Nv MARY ANNABEL FANTON.

A woman has not made a successful
home unless it is cheerful place. She
may be the best housekeeper in town,
the best cook, the most dexterous hand
at fancy work; but she Is not real
home-maker, if you don't feel happy in
her home, if you don It recognize an air
Of brightness and gladness as soon as
she greets you.
And a home can It be cheerful unless
it is pleasant place to live in. It
mustn u remind you all the while that
some one is worn out taking care Of it.
If the chairs are hidden away in pima
fores, and the pretty carpet covered
draped,. and each thing in the spot to
which it has been apparently nailed, a
room won't impress the merriest guest
as cheerful. 80 = s.: -.
A room to make you welcome must
look as tho the family liked to live in
it, it must look simple enough not to
suggest work and pretty enough to sug-
keep in order, and just enough in Or
der to prove it is not neglected. a.
There must be light and, if possible,
an open fire. and cushions near it, and
books at your hand wherever you sit,
and bookshelves low, enough to reach
and little tables handy for workbasket
or book or lamp. w -
| pleasant expression to win liking, which
is true Of people as we'll.
| Where q woman does her own house
work, as 50 many charming American
women do, home must be as simple as
is consistent with the expression Of her
love for good art and ,cheerfulness. And
in furnishing her rooms she must con:
will be effectively durable and what
will be eaSy to keen cleanP w..
First OF all, she must do away with
her carpets. Bare floors and rugs are
healthful, economical and artistic They
bury. fathoms deep that most terrible
fetish of housekeeping. They add a va
riety of beauty.to room, and any one
can he cleaned separately in case OF
accident. o.. Il 1,1
Their hygienic value is incalculable
There are no corners to make safe hiding
for microbes, no holding Of dust for {
season: Every time the floor is swept
it is clean all over.
many women to the effect that bar,
floors are too much trouble to keep clean
I know there is such a tradition, ant
if. floors were oiled daily and waxet
weekly, every busy housekeeper woul(
be- justified in refusing them. :.
But they are very little trouble in
deed, if one just knows exactly how
W O0hC Cd1O VI Gucl1s OuCc d WEEK, Ii
a room that is much used, they should b,
mopped with borax water, pail o:
warm water, with half a cup of bora,
dissolved in it. The borax water viii
remove all soil without touching til,
hand to the mop--for you should hav,
one that wrings itself at the side O.
the pail-and leave the floor hygienical
~ clean, destroying both moths and mi
,crobes.
Then, with another mop of soft oil,
, flannel, oil the floor, put just a little Of
. on the cloth, SO that no rubbing IN i
necessary. When floor is not use,
constantly it will only need the bora:
! wash once a month, with the oilin,
: once week.
: A;bare floor should also be busted wit
I a mop between times, just as you Woul
: run a carpet-sweeper about for fey
minutes of morning.
, The same solution will clean all wood
: work and furniture. without inlurin
e the lustre or changing the color. 1t
!. ideal for white fittings and entirel
! does away with the fatiguing use Of
. scrubbing brush.
8 If the open fire is possible in thi
!, cheerful room,s the brass andlrons, fel
Z der and tongs can all be cleaned j
& the same economical, easy way. Dip q
the brasses in tub of borax water an
!, CASTLE suds, the water having Just bee
= = boiled; dry with flannel and rub for
+ minute with chanois skin.
Have dark madras curtains that don