The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1905-03-30

l beds, dressing cases, tables and chairs
should be lust as well made as the
> purse can afford. on the other hand
windows and other draperies, china,
glass and so on. may be of very cheap
, quality If the forms and colorings are
pleasing.
perhaps you wonder how | can dis
criminate between the two. / Will ex-
plain: A chair. if cheap, is cheap be-
cause it is poorly made. thing poor
" made does not answer it's purpose
! well. But a window curtain may be
of the cheapest white muslin and be
perfectly suitable and IN good taste. II
the housewife is scrimped in her cook
ing appliances it is at the expense of
her time labor and nerves. But COM
: mon, cheap dish serves its purpose ex-
[ actly as we'll as an elegant plate of old
Limoges. and While 1t Is not a work of
art 1t may be both pleasing and in good
taste. Cheap plumbing or defective
washtubs initiate against the health
and comfort OF the family. But good
plated article will last many years
serve its purpose just as we'll as the
solid silver and II may be quite as
pleasing to the eye. The only superb
ority OF the silver article Is that We
know it Is rell and that it cost more
My point is never save in essentials;
. always on accessories. My advice to
young honsekeepers would be to buy
those articles which are absolutely es
sential at first, and add the others one
by one, as the house is studied and
learned. The pleasure of having new
hi no nd
bargains can be picked up by waiting
for them.
"There should always be a color
scheme in the furnishing of a room.
In north rooms use red and yellow.
Yellow is the best of all coors for a
dark room, red the worst. Use the
cool colors. pale greens. blues, olives,
, In bright sunny rooms.
. 1.-THE problem of the floor is fast talk
ing care of itself. With hardwood
floors the furnishing and care of the
house are very much simplifed. If
one must have carpets the colors
should be neutral. Next to mating,
, the most sanitary and economical car
pet is good body Brussels. Ii wears
we'll and dust does not get under 1t. A
. cheap. loosely woven, woollen carpet
and eXtraVaGant purchase.
: 1.-THE draping of windows is not so
. expensive or difficult problem as in
lormer years. Tor fabrics suitable fer
this purpose range from . cents to as
! many dollars a yard. But when you
leave the White goods the cheap fab
rics are apt to be so pronounced that
they fail 10 harinonize with anything
L., . u. he, ,r.,tt
many vegetable dyed, moderate priced
India cottonS that are free from this
objection.
wood finished in its natural color is
, custer to rep#ir than that stained to
: initiate another kind. The simpler
the construction of furniture and the
less ornamentation it has, the easier it
is u Keep ii clean and IN repair, and
If the lines are good neither fashion
nor time can affect its beauty or utll-
ity. \ piece Of furniture that is high
~ polished can be married more easily
thaa one with the soft finish, that is,
finished in oil. would choose all my
furniture Of soft finish for two reasons
the greater ease with which 1t could
be kept in good condition and the more
restful effect ON eye and brain. High
is much dampuess In the air, and this
dulness is only removed with rotten
stone and OIL or water and "A great deal
OF rubbing.
The bedroom claims special atten-
ton. 1t is a question which is the
more importaut-foodo or sleep. Two
persons should not occupy one room,
but If they do there should be two beds
/ 10
not necessary to say here that two
persons should not use the same bowl,
soap or towel. ! like the English Gus
tom of Il long Washstaud. with two
bowls and two pitchers.
IF one cannot have a bare 6oor In
the bedroom, the next best thing IS a
good mating. a WOODEN carpet is not
desirable thing In a sleeping room.
"The perfect bed is long, supporting
all parts of the body in a perfectly
horizontal position. The covering Is
long, light and warm; the pillows of
such size and material as shall be most
comfortable to the sleeper. When the
bed is soft or the springs sag, the body
sinks and lies at an angle. This re-
suits I'm restlessness, sleeplessness and
bacIache. particularly in the case of
best kind. Springs inclosed between
stfiDs of wood should not be bought, on
account of insects. Hair mattresses
are best for comfort, but it is claimed
by some that the felt mattresses are
more hYFicnic. a cheap hair mattress
cannot he bought When hair mat
, tress is cheap it is because 1t is adul-
terated with Florida moss, which is
very dusty. The mattress should be
protected from soil by cloth cover,
and the same protects springs from
dust.
"finished sheets should be at least
two ard threc-quarters yards In
length. that they may be properly
tucked i'm and folded over the blanket
at the top. Both things add very
much to the comfort of a nights rest
The cover should be WOODEN blankets
not too fine or good to be washed at
least once Il year. The spread should
he washable, and so simple that it can
be removed at night without thought
of labor. | have found erinkled seer
sucker satisfactory.
what l have said should apply to all
the beds in the house Some house
keepers are careless about servants
beds. It is true their good efforts are
not always appreciated, but that
should be no excuse for providing Il
bed where it is impossible to rest well.
1.-THE qualifications Of a good coal
range are that the draft shall be per-