The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-03-30


beds, dressing cases, tables and chairs
should be just 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
eliminate between the two. will ex-
plain: A chair, If cheap, Is cheap be-
cause it is poorly made. A thing poor
ly 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. If
the housewife is scrimped in her cook
ing appliances it is at the expense of
her time, labor and nerves. But a. COM
mon, cheap dish serves it's purpose ex-
acty as well as an elegant plate Of old
Limoges. and while it is not 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 a good
plated article will last many wears,
serve its purpose just as we'll as the
solid silver and it may be quite as
pleasing to the eye. The only superb
GRITTY of the silver article is that we
Know it is real and that it cost more.
MY point is, never save in essentials:
always on accessories. My advice to
young housekeepers 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. This pleasure of having new
furnishings may thus be prolonged and
bargains can be picked up by waiting
for them.
"There should always be color
scheme in the furnishing of room.
In north rooms use red and yellow.
Yellow is the best of all colors for a
dark room, led the worst. Use the
cool colors, pale greens. blues, olives,
IN bright sunny rooms.
1.-THE problem of the floor is fast TAX
ing care of itself. With hardwood
floors the furnishing and care of the
mouse are very much simplified If
one must have carpets the colors
should be neutral. Next to mating,
the most sanitary and economical car
pet is good body Brussels 1t wears
we'll and dust does not get under it. A
cheap, loosely woven, woollen carpet
or mating is most unsatisfactory
and extravagant purchase.
The draping of windows is not SO
expensive or difficult a problem as in
former years, for fabrics suitable for
this purpose range from Is cents to as
many dollars yard. But when you
leave the white goods the cheap fab
rics are apt to be SO pronounced that
they fail to harmonic with anything
else in the room. There are, however,
many Vegeta Bile dyed moderate priced
india cottonS that are free from this
objection.
Wood finished in its natural color is
easier to repair than that stained to
initiate another kind. The simpler
the construction of furniture and the
less characterization it has the easier il
is to keep it CLEAN and in repair, and
if the lines are good neither fashion
nor time can affect its beauty or util-
ity. a piece of furniture that is high
iy polished can be marred more easily
than one with the soft finish, that is,
finished in Oil I would choose all my
furniture of soft finish for two reasons
the greater ease with which it could
restful effect on eye and brain. High
polish also becomes cloudy where there
is much dampness in the air, and this
duinesS is only removed with rotten
stone and oil or water and a great deal
of rubbing.
1.-THE bedroom claims special atten-
ton. 1t is a question which is the
more important-foodo or sleep Two
persons should not occupy one room,
but if they do there should be two beds
and two WaShstandS. | suppose it Is
not necessary to say here that two
persons should not use the same bowl,
soap or towel. l like the English Gus
tom of a long washstand, with two
bowls and two pitchers.
'If one cannot have a bare floor in
the bedroom, the next best thing is
good mating. A wooden carpet is not
desirable thing in a sleeping room.
1.-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 in restlessness, sleepiessncss and
backache, particularly in the case of
heavy people. Box springs are the
best kind. Springs incosed between
stIips 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 hygienic. A cheap hair mattress
cannot be bought. When a hair mat
tress is cheap it is because it 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 and three-quarters yards in
length, that they may be properly
tucked in 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
be washable, and so simple that it can
l,o ra,,ooy,d at NIGHT without tboupht