New-York tribune., 1905-08-21
THRIFTY FRENCH WOMEN.
France Ores Her Riches to Them,
.SoyS an american.

Laurence Sterne said long time ago They 90
these things better in France" LAS regards econ
orny this is certainly the case says an American
woman now soJourning in that beautiful country.
And thank Heaven she adds the New World
.n al its length that have travelled from Maine
to Cape Horn from the Atlantic 10 the Pacific
knows such closeness. And the country is rich
There more wealth IN the area that would have
10 be multiplied by seventeen and two-thirds 10
make territory large the United States than
n Rny other land in the world One sees almost
70 ah1ect poverty. and none at all outside the
cities Here. in the region made famous by the
Euguenots drive miles and miles through
lanes bordered by fields rich in all sorts OF IaTn
lroduce. where. but for the peasants IN wooden
shoes and blue bouses one could imagine ones self
81 our fruitful West But the management OF the
living in the picturesque stone houses that belong
70 these farms is vastly different from that OF the
lavish West II the thrift Of the housewife that
has made France rich-this, and the national
Inclination 70 avar1ce a penny saved is more than
r penny earned The French believe that money
Is tine. rather than that time is money.
THE ANNUAL wAsHDAY.
- curious phase Of French economy is the an
-reI vashday. To French thrift this wholesale
vrav OF getting the washing done is cheaper than
70 keen laundress the year round French econ
ornv also considers Il Just as well for the health
and much better for the purse 10 change the beds
only once N three OF four weeks. both sheets at
once for no such thing as shifting the top sheet
70 the bottom IS known This is because q French
Top Sheet-tt needs TO be capitalized. for II is a
very grand efair-ts 100 decorative 70 be used as
an under one. Il IS embroidered Il very fine, 10
the depth OF q foot or more or It has deep hem
stitched border across one end and half down both
SIDES with three inch initials adornng the centre.
This decorated half OF the upper sheet is turned
back over the bed sham sheet IS used in
America although II IS entirely hidden during the
day by the coverlet- which IS Of cretonne or silk
or stuS that matches the curtains OF bed and win
dow and the coverings OF the walls. These colored
coverlets hide q multitude Of sins. therefore since
after once using the much trimmed top sheet
looks crunpleo. while after II has been three weeks
the bed Il IS even more IN need OF being hidden.
AT the end OF my first week n q chateau. where
the splendor OF turniEhngs the manners and Gus
toms delighted my soul. 7 looked for a freshening
OF those washable appointments OF my tha'
one IS accustomed 70 At home But such fresh
ening took place. The soiled towels I threw aside
were neatly folded and put back on the rack
paid no attention 10 this and recklessly used the
four 'serviertes' that I found IN nv wAshstand.
not knowing they were expected TO last me as
The preparations for the annual wash were
worth seeing.
ATENDLIG FOR WEEKS
You think that vashday IN America is a busy
tine, do you? You were never more mistaken
What five six sheets for a household 70
twice that many dozen?
There were the garments OF the family most
ly linen, everything that had been worn IN the
last twelve months. Many things had become
.niidewed, nearly everything was q dreadful color
muddy OF yellow. An American laundress would
have had the heartache over them. and at the way
the washerVoraan slapped and beat them on the
stones Of the pool threatening rotten threads with
short life But for weeks before the day Of Ia
lessive gil the Of the household were mend
ing. nending from morning I'LL night preparing the
garments 70 endure the strain Of being cIeensed.
Thin places were 6arned SO beautifully they made
the whole stun look ashamed Of its baroness; multi
1uolnous A-re patches were set in and darned to
place; ravelirg lsces were re-knit and frav1ng
edges bound. Many things that Americans would
consider N only FOR the rag bag were worked upon
tor GAYS. the money their preservation saved being
worth E1ore 10 the French mind than the time
given 10 the work. especially when the time is
Thar O. slaVelike erlploye
The nending finished. the blanchisseuses vera
summoned, and The uninterrupted use of q pooI
secured by merely letting II be known that the
wash Of Madame So-and-So will be donA IN 4bat
pace on z certain oay. Sheer courtesy then Leans
o-teIs away. Madame may have a pool in ber oytr
= rs Use, ACCORDING 70 the owners ersciOuSnsSs
EllJ -here are public pools where ary nav 20 All
a -1ese places are small ponds made Vv6ars +ba-a
= z SI5r--s OF water and walled about Ia nrOtec+
mem from animals They ed
-sclNEs O masonry that form o4
Y has been boiled in huge caldrors sr he be-Is.
nc women come. spend the day, possiblv 49,,
cEys' kreellLg round the pond. slapping r6,,,1J1S